231 Responses to Open Thread….weekendish

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  1. G.W.F. says:
    October 5, 2015 at 9:57 pm

    I am eager to see how the BBC reports its two favourites – women’s football and Moslems – in response to this Telegraph piece. Eight of the Iranian women’s football team are men. Who would have thunk it as they are so well concealed.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/middleeast/iran/11903290/Eight-of-Irans-womens-football-team-are-men.html

       9 likes

  2. oldartist says:
    October 5, 2015 at 10:07 pm

    I can’t get the blatant propaganda in Saturday’s episode of the Swedish crime drama Beck out of my mind. Okay, it’s Swedish, but it was on BBC4.

    The story starts as a murder that seems to be a case of terrorism involving immigrants, but soon it becomes clear that it’s really about people smuggling. After all immigrants are never involved in terrorism. The two main immigrant characters are a physically attractive couple (no burkas or beards) and the woman is heavily pregnant – just to add the right touch of pathos. But the most worrying part involves an incidental character, who works next door to the crime scene – the “racist”. Obviously this character is extremely physically unattractive. The poor man has had his premises broken into twice and is on crutches after the last attack. The police apparently have done nothing about this. A familiar story in real life you might think. But when he complains about this and mentions the ethnicity of his assailants he is immediately deemed to be a racist and as such beneath contempt. After searching his premises the police find a gun that he has been forced to keep to defend himself – admittedly breaking Swedish law by keeping the magazine in the gun. After the “racist” has registered his dissatisfaction with the state of affairs the large thuggish police officer snatches one of the man’s crutches and knocks him to the ground and then proceeds to fire the gun, only just missing the man’s head. All this is presented as some kind of heroic act against the dark forces of racism. I am amazed that the Swedish viewing public find this acceptable.

    You could say, oh well, it’s only fiction, but it’s also a clear insight into current Swedish attitudes and a terrifying foretaste of where we are heading in this country.

       16 likes

    • Mustapha Sheikup al-Beebi says:
      October 5, 2015 at 10:37 pm

      QED. In the PC Top Trumps game, race beats disability, so bullying a ‘racist’ disabled person is sort of ok. To hell with the progressives of Sweden!

         10 likes

    • Rob in Cheshire says:
      October 5, 2015 at 11:52 pm

      The Swedes were once notorious for having the highest suicide rate in the world, now they seem to have decided to cut to the chase and just commit national suicide.

         10 likes

  3. BRISSLES says:
    October 5, 2015 at 10:55 pm

    Interesting prog on BBC3 tonight. Is Britain Racist ? The British Asian journalist did an in depth study of whether we are all inherently racist. There was great interaction between her and ‘Jack’ from Liberty UK when she took him to a market in Upton Park – he felt it was a different world and not Britain at all, as there wasn’t a single white face there. There followed some really hyper interviewing, as the journalist repeatedly told him she was BORN here and this was HER country too. Jack retained his cool and put forward very valid comments, but as usual in these situations she spoke over him to get her view across. She was a product of immigrant parents, and he rightly said ‘ you have a passport and nationality, but everyone has a native homeland, and this isn’t yours’ – he should have used the word ‘ history’ which may have had a better impact. An interesting programme all the same.

    On again tomorrow under the title – We want out Country back.

       11 likes

    • ray_f says:
      October 5, 2015 at 11:52 pm

      For me the most telling part with Jack from Liberty UK where she says that every time he mentions her ethnic origin he is undermining her identity. His answer “That’s your problem”. IE if someone can undermine your ethnic identity in a specific country, you need to question why. I would notice my ethnicity if I as a white Britain lived in Pakistan, even if I was born there. Look at Steve Martin in the Jerk. If she was in Pakistan/India/Afghanistan she would feel at home ethnically but culturally (possibly) alien. However, there are many (the majority of?) Pakistan/Indian/Bangladesh that do not assimilate with the English culture, and in that case she would not be culturally or ethnically English. I am just following the logic, i do not necessarily agree.

      I would have to say though, from what I have read on the subject on all sides, if I as a white Brit was born in Pakistan,Afghanistan etc, it would be an understatement to say I would be concerned about admitting to being a Christian. And I am pretty sure it would be difficult to assimilate ethnically or culturally. This is because the culture is heavily based on religion. It is an extremely inclusive culture. I would be doing all the work to assimilate culturally. As I had to do recently while working for a Pakistan Company in England. So I have experience on the subject.
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Pakistan
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Afghanistan
      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_in_Sri_Lanka

         6 likes

    • David Brims says:
      October 6, 2015 at 12:39 am

      ”the journalist repeatedly told him she was BORN here and this was HER country too.” I always say to this gotcha question, Jesus was born in a stable, it doesn’t make him a horse, now does it ? nationality is more than travel documents getting stamped, it’s about ethnicity and being rooted to the land.

         7 likes

      • ray_f says:
        October 6, 2015 at 1:08 am

        If the BBC (and the reporter) have a problem with the concept of ethnicity, they should stay away from programs such as “Who Do You Think You Are?” which can throw up very unexpected origins and ethnicity’s. Also, does she have a problem with her heritage. “I am as British as you” Yes, we all agree. But don’t deny your heritage. That is what makes you.

        I think the real issue is “I am a British person with Pakistan heritage, you can remark on my Britishness, but you are a racist if you remark on my heritage”.

        Logic is a European concept.

           6 likes

        • Grant says:
          October 6, 2015 at 8:12 am

          ray_f, I loved the one with Ainsley Harriot where he discovered that one of his direct ancestors was a white plantation owner. You have to laugh !

             2 likes

      • Demon says:
        October 6, 2015 at 1:08 am

        More than that – nationality is about culture. Norman Tebbit’s “Cricket test” was the perfect example. He was panned by the BBC and other fascists, accusing him of racism. But his point was proved when a local reporter visited a housing estate where some Asian boys were playing cricket. The reporter asked them which was their favourite cricket team “England” they all shouted. He then asked if England was playing Bangladesh – and they even more vehemently shouted “Bangladesh!”.

        I don’t care what someone’s religion is, and they should be free to practice any aspects of it that are legal in this country (eg not FGM, nor bigamy, nor Sharia etc.). They should also be aware that in our culture it is not acceptable (albeit still legal) to cover your face provocatively as these self-apartheided chattels do. After all most in their own countries don’t do it.

           5 likes

        • ray_f says:
          October 6, 2015 at 1:26 am

          So culture is subjective, but ethnicity is objective.
          You can have an incredibly diverse cultural lifestyle. Culturally you can support Arsenal, but support Pakistan, Israel or ROI. You can accept or reject halal or kosha food. You can accept more than one religion if you like, or you can be atheist. You can appreciate art or want to destroy it. You can enjoy what the UK has to offer, or you can melt into your ethic community. It is up to you.

          But ethnically you are what God made you. So there!

             4 likes

        • ray_f says:
          October 6, 2015 at 1:47 am

          Yeah that is definitely a foolproof test. I have Muslim friends who are absolutely British in every way, and unfortunately I know the answer to that question in every instance. Pakistan or Bangladesh. D’oh! There is an argument that international sporting competitions were invented as an alternative to war. So it is probably more an accurate test then Tebbit considered. Actually no, he was a clever guy.

             2 likes

  4. David Brims says:
    October 5, 2015 at 11:11 pm

    SKY news paper review Andrew Pierce of the Daily Fail doing his Kenneth Williams impression schtick, flared nostrils and all, unbearable.

       6 likes

  5. Dover Sentry says:
    October 5, 2015 at 11:14 pm

    The BBC haven’t mentioned this on their 24 Online News website. Why?

    http://news.sky.com/story/1564134/protests-corbyn-calls-for-civilised-debate

    It’s front page on Sky. Corbyn the tough guy calls for…. civilised debate after the Left wing thugs attacked the Conservatives at their conference..

    Corbyn is a man of action and seeks civilised debate NOW!! Thank goodness for civilised debate. Far better than he as a Leader making a decision.

    ..

       9 likes

  6. Dover Sentry says:
    October 5, 2015 at 11:52 pm

    I found this on the BBC 24 Online website quoting Corbyn.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/uk-politics-34441644

    “”Because we have challenged the idea that the only show in town is austerity, the only show in town is hitting the living standards of the poorest working class communities, the only show in town is cutting more public services, because we have challenged that, because we have this huge mandate in challenging that, suddenly people are talking, people are talking to each other, people are more excited about the world that we live in””

    What is ‘poorest working class communities’? How many commas can he spend in one paragraph?

    This ‘poorest working class’ phrase is something out of the 1930’s. The working class in flat caps trudging to work in the mills and mines don’t exist anymore. The north is no longer a painting by Lowry.

    We have people who work, and people who don’t work. It has nothing to do with class. Unemployment has no respect for anyone. It can happen to all of us.

    Labour/BBC love the term ‘working classes’. It makes them feel both comfortable and justified whilst being full of cool patronisation.

       10 likes

  7. Guest Who says:
    October 6, 2015 at 2:19 am

    http://www.sunnation.co.uk/blundering-bbc-lose-2-5m-of-hi-tech-kit/?

    The BBC’s often defensive wagon-circling around legitimate FoI requests is explained, if still not excused.

       2 likes

  8. Guest Who says:
    October 6, 2015 at 2:22 am

    http://tradingaswdr.blogspot.sg/2015/10/number-crunchers.html?

    I am betting the FT lady.

    No reason.

    “..beloved Newsnight panellist”

       1 likes

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