Clarkson to be sued - I hope

[malumbu]

Well some good news to end a very busy week

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-34809758

I've complained to the BBC about keeping him on their books and got a wimpy reply

Dear Malumbu

Thank you for getting in touch about Have I Got News For You and the fact that Jeremy Clarkson was the guest host on the programme.

We understand that you?re not happy about this decision, but although Jeremy?s contract wasn?t renewed on Top Gear, he was never banned from appearing on the BBC altogether. You may be aware that Jeremy decided against hosting Have I Got News For You back in April, and we explained then that we wouldn?t discount him from doing so at some point in the future.

We do appreciate your feedback though, and we?ll make sure it?s circulated to the programme team.

Thanks again for contacting us.

Kind Regards

[love it that they are on first name terms]

And the response from my letter to the Sun from 2010

Dear Malumbu

Thank you for your letter.

I am sorry you do not agree with some of the views expressed by our columnist. We allow all our columnists to express their views in their columns, but that does not mean that they are the Sun?s views.

It is always a pleasure to hear readers? views, and especially so when they take the trouble to write telling us.

Do continue to tell us your likes - and dislikes - about the paper, as we do listen. Our readers are the most important element of our success.

May I add, if you had based your search on a word [the c word] we could publish, we'd have been more likely to do so.

Very best wishes.

Yours sincerely

PS he is clearly a clever entertaining guy. No excuse for being an rrsol though.

[????]

I;d rather he got done for assault than sued for being 'racists'

[Mick Mac]

Sorry Quids, disagree. There should be no difference between forms of racism. Technically they are the same crime.

I'm glad this case is being pursued as racism and it's absolutely beyond belief that the BBC continued to engage him. I don't recall Ron Atkinson getting work again.

[Loz]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Sorry Quids, disagree. There should be no difference between forms of racism. Technically

> they are the same crime.

Is racism actually a crime?

[Mick Mac]

Are you asking questions that you know the answers to again Loz?

[Mick Mac]

Ok but it makes the assault a racist crime

A racist or religious hate crime is:

?Any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a person?s race or perceived race?

or

?Any criminal offence which is perceived, by the victim or any other person, to be motivated by a hostility or prejudice based on a person?s religion or perceived religion?

[Loz]

Mick Mac Wrote:

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> Are you asking questions that you know the answers to again Loz?

I thought I knew the answer, but I didn't know for sure.

Anyway, AFAIK Clarkson hit him during an argument over the dinner arrangements. It will be interesting if he called him something racially unpleasant during the incident and whether that is considered a motivating factor. I suspect he only added the racial aspect as otherwise damages from the Beeb are limited to ?80k.

[uncleglen]

It took him long enough to come up with the racist card especially since the whole incident was witnessed by a family in the hotel. He is probably looking for an early retirement with the compo...

[maxxi]

"A racial group means a group of persons defined by reference to race, colour, nationality (including citizenship) or ethnic or national origins."

so your man may have a case

which must be a comfort to those suffering real racial abuse

[Loz]

maxxi Wrote:

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> Are you serious?! The Irish are a 'race'??!?

Under the Race Relations Act, yes. It covers any discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and/or national origin.

Though, as far as I know, 'colour' does not include 'ginger'.

[maxxi]

Loz Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> maxxi Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Are you serious?! The Irish are a 'race'??!?

>

> Under the Race Relations Act, yes. It covers any

> discrimination on the grounds of race, colour,

> nationality, ethnic and/or national origin.

>

> Though, as far as I know, 'colour' does not

> include 'ginger'.

I looked it up as I couldn't quite believe it and changed my post accordingly - yes you're right - but it is ridiculous and dilutes the real problem of racism to equate white middle class europeans as suffering racism from other white middle class europeans (what does their class have to do with it one may squeal? well, I haven't read that far yet...)

[maxxi]

I now have to break it to my OH that we are officially in a mixed-race relationship. I'm not sure her parents will approve - they're a bit old fashioned.

[Loz]

I disagree, Maxxi. Remember the famous "no blacks, no dogs, no Irish' signs? How is that not racism? Why should someone beaten up because they are, say, German, be any better than being beaten up because they are Nigerian?

Anyway, 'race' is not very well defined, anyway.

[maxxi]

Because you can't 'see' that someone is Irish or German and real racism is - I have always thought - in the broadest sense - a belief that because a man/woman looks different to you and yours he/she is inferior and deserves to be subjected to slavery, violence and abuse.

Surely it is the whole 'they are not like us' approach that underpins all racism? Makes it easier for whole populations to accept abuse against other races. The differing prejudices against other nationalities is more akin to the recent fears of Polish/Lithuanian workers taking work from 'local people' and is a xenophobia that has always been around whenever and wherever a population feels threatened by an influx of foreigners.

Yes I am probably being simplistic and unsophisticated but it is the dilution of real racial abuse and discrimination that concerns me with this 'take' on what a race is defined as and the prospect of a white european charging another white european with racism dismays me somewhat.

[Seabag]

And nothing to do with Clarkson being a very wealthy (and likely to settle out of court) man. And the timing is noteable too

How many times has this guy shrugged off verbal in his life (he's in TV FFS), only now getting the opportunity to cash that in. Good luck to him and his ilk. And yes Clarkson's an arse, who'll pay for his misconduct. I still admire him as a broadcaster, he's funny, he's sucessful and he's got it wrong on occasions. Whoppeee....

But tellingly it's the op (who i'd always suspected of being a green ink letter writer) who i'm curious about. It's not that he gives a damm whether this man was 'abused' or not, it's that he takes great pleasure in joining the 'offended' cabal and running with it. He's got a history of his peevish & petty retribution, by way of 'the pen', often anonymous and reveling in the opportunity to rain his luke warm & pent up bile on whover has upset his bubble of tedious but skewed sensibility

Really Malumbu, you are a borish-irksome-petty-spiteful-nupmtie of the highest order at times (my view, others may have their own). Honestly, tell us how many letters do you bother to write 'expressing your views'?

Really, I'm curious about how you get your rocks off with so much glee

And the c word bit at the end.

"May I add, if you had based your search on a word [the c word] we could publish, we'd have been more likely to do so"

It's bobbing around in my head like a floater that won't flush away, please illuminate us further on that part.

I also suspect that the OP wishes this 'thread' to descend into a PC jousting match around 'race/etnicity' and such like, which can go round and round in ever decreasing circles, until in enters its own rear end

[Saffron]

Opperuinity? Is that a portmanteau of operational opportunity to ruin? I'm going to pinch that.

Caucasian/Caucasian racism is no less real than Caucasian/African racism. (Whether or not racism was a factor in this case is a different story.)

[steveo]

Never forget Jeremy also chinned Piers Morgan

[malumbu]

Sense of humour overload as per ususal

On the day after the 2010 election 3/4 of the Sun was filled with diatribe about the cowardly Lib Dems who they thought were going into coalition with the Labour party. Ironic because at that point they'd gone in with the torries.

Amongst all the venom against the LDs was a recycled piece in large font from Jezzer about 'Gordon Brown being a one eyed Scottish idiot"

I googled one eyed Scottish Idiot, and then Jezza is a twot, and shared the results with the Sun. To their credit they actually did respond. In my childish world I found the experience amusing.

The point about his presence on BBC is a serious one, as should our national broadcaster be employing a likely bully. At the best they should hold fire until after this has gone one way or another. If I was in the same situation I'd be out on gardening leave. Anyway the BBC is independent and can make its own mind up but appears to still see him as a cash cow.

More importantly it would be great if my other thread on pop videos got a bit more interest. At least I stirred up some interest on this one and will wear the boorish accuastion with pride, already got the t shirts made up.

Such fun on a wet afternoon.

[Mick Mac]

maxxi Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Loz Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > maxxi Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Are you serious?! The Irish are a 'race'??!?

> >

> > Under the Race Relations Act, yes. It covers

> any

> > discrimination on the grounds of race, colour,

> > nationality, ethnic and/or national origin.

> >

> > Though, as far as I know, 'colour' does not

> > include 'ginger'.

>

>

> I looked it up as I couldn't quite believe it and

> changed my post accordingly - yes you're right -

> but it is ridiculous and dilutes the real problem

> of racism to equate white middle class europeans

> as suffering racism from other white middle class

> europeans (what does their class have to do with

> it one may squeal? well, I haven't read that far

> yet...)

The real problem of racism ?

Since when did the English refer to the Irish as white middle class Europeans

No blacks

No dogs

No Irish

In that order

[Mick Mac]

Seabag Wrote:

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>

> How many times has this guy shrugged off verbal in

> his life

You can't possibly be serious!

Are you saying, keep taking it. Even better if you accept a punch on the nose at the same time.

Wake up..

[Jeremy]

"Lazy Irish c***" was, I believe, the phrase. While it's not exactly nice, it's not really any worse than stuff that was directed at others on Top Gear on a regular basis. Surely this makes him a bit of a hypocrite?

[Loz]

Seabag Wrote:

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> But tellingly it's the op (who i'd always suspected of being a green ink letter writer)

I'd always wondered who were the strange, lonely people that write complaints to OFCOM, the papers and Points of View when things happen on TV.

Well, now we know.

[Alan Medic]

I never watched Top Gear but I guess any similar language used was not directed towards someone in JC's presence.

@ Jeremy

[Seabag]

@Malumbu

LOL

Taken on the chin, like a real erm.....person of no distinct gender/race/ethnicity

I personally liked your Video thread and contributed to it

😁

[Mick Mac]

Jeremy Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> "Lazy Irish c***" was, I believe, the phrase.

> While it's not exactly nice, it's not really any

> worse than stuff that was directed at others on

> Top Gear on a regular basis. Surely this makes him

> a bit of a hypocrite?

Combine these words with a violent assault...

I have been consistent in ny comments on this from the time it happened. I couldn't believe it was allowed to escape proper censure at the time.