The BBC is racist. I remember being outraged when the BBC ran a story clearly saying the authorities in India had found a 2 year old guilty of conspiracy to commit murder. They reported how there'd been a court case and the kid was found guilty. I was so outraged I shared the article on Facebook and asked, how am I supposed to be politically correct when there are people like this. I deleted my Facebook post within minutes of digging for more information, where I found many many sources reporting the same story, but clearly adding that it was the result of a clerical error and the case had been struck from the record. The BBC omitted that part of the story.
There are, obviously, racists in all branches of society but I think that most people are not racist. All branches of the media are exacerbating the situation by picking on incidents, and particular people, and portraying them in the worst possible light. We need to bear this in mind when quoting or talking about what we've seen or heard in the media. I used to deliberately take my apprentices from the disadvantaged people in society (not difficult where I worked) and apart from teaching them their job I tried to educate them in manners, attitude and way of thinking. With regard to the media I taught them to question the publishing of any contentious topics and to use the mantra '80% of what is published is unlikely to be true'. Having trained over 100 youngsters the majority have turned out very well and have got a balanced view on life. They've learned to question things and to not take things at face value. Most of them now have lovely families who are mostly making their way in life with a positive attitude. So, please, just because your own situation is whatever it is don't necessarily think that it applies to everyone. I, regularly, go past a couple of pubs in the nearest small town (two miles away) on a Friday night at kicking out time and quite often see rowdiness and fights in the street. This doesn't mean that the town is full of rowdy and criminal elements and a bad place to live. Having spoken to the police about the situation it turns out that the people that get involved in the trouble are not locals but make a point of meeting there specifically to cause trouble (gangs from other towns). The local police (all three of them) are supplemented by a few police from the towns that the gangs come from. Fortunately they are able to always keep things under control.
What I find insulting and infuriating is the arrogant disdain which is being aimed at those who voted to leave by some of those who want to remain. I saw Alistair Campbell interviewed shortly after the results and he said that the leave vote was swung by people in "little Northern towns" and it was probably "the first time they'd voted". How DARE he?! A lot of those people probably voted Labour and kept him in a job when he was Blair's spin doctor. He's from Yorkshire himself so his ignorance/bias is inexcusable. The media (and the BBC in particular), when interviewing 'leavers' chose to interview not so well educated/older northern people for their soundbytes, whereas whenever they interview a 'remainer' they are typically educated/well dressed/younger individuals who are better able to get their point across. Completely biased. Mind you the BBC leans so far to the left I'm surprised it doesn't topple over. Every region in England apart from London voted to leave so why focus on those "little Northern towns" (aside from the fact it stokes the fires and keeps their own agenda going)? I do have doubts as to whether article 50 will ever be invoked. Lawyers have said that Parliament would have to vote to repeal the European Communities Act 1972. Given that most MPs apparently want to remain part of the EU, will they go against the wishes of their constituents? It would be political suicide come the next election if they did. Leave polled strongly in 270 counting areas, whereas Remain polled strongly in 129. I'm not sure how that breaks down by constituencies, of which there are 650. So how many of those MPs would follow through on their constituents' wishes and vote to repeal the Act? And do we have to wait for a general election to be called for all this to be brought about or is the next Tory leader going to have the backbone to tackle the job (albeit it's a poisoned chalice)? If we don't leave the EU then this whole exercise makes an absolute mockery of democracy. As Cameron himself said, it's a "referendum not a neverendum". We shouldn't have another vote just because those who lost are spitting their dummies out and demanding another go. The people of the UK want out, now get over it and get on with the job of extricating us from the EU and let's leave behind the fat cats in Brussels riding the gravy train.
Ok, last post on this issue, and with all due respect. I have no problem with folks that voted 'out' if they did so after due consideration. If they did so because they thought there was too much immigration in terms of numbers, or they thought there was too much bureaucracy, or they had concerns over sovereignty, or whatever, then I would find it much easier to accept. I wouldn't necessarily agree, but yes, it would be much easier to accept. But the truth is that with such a close vote, it seems to me that the result has been decided my the small minority of voters who are xenophobic/racist. I don't like discrimination of any kind, and it's this that makes it such a bitter pill to swallow.
@Freddy Although I agree very much with your sentiment I seem to be wearing my mathematicians hat this morning Your argument presupposes that there were an extra 1.3 million xenophobic/racists above and beyond the percentage that are included in the base number. There must already have been quite a number of racists up to the break even figure. Statistics... etc.
If anyone read the Glenn Greenwald piece I posted up earlier it is quite obvious why those who voted 'out' are being portrayed in such a derisory manner. Self-critique in elite circles is imperative...let's hope it's not too late for the USA elections PS this is such a long thread so here's the link again if anyone is interested... https://theintercept.com/2016/06/25...ailure-of-western-establishment-institutions/
I voted out, I haven't voted in the elections for a number of years because if I don't like something I don't vote for it, the last time i voted wasn't for any of the big three because I don't trust them, so as a protest I voted BMP just to say my what i think and haven't vote since. I voted in the in/out because I don't trust the EU, how many times do you hear of new laws/rules that will up set you or make things differeant for you, each country is different and i think it should make it's own laws/rules. If we're in the EU we should have all the same laws/rules but we don't so way have a EU
It doesn't go away if you stick your head in the sand. Better to know and be prepared IMO. Made that last week on the currency markets. I agree. Even though I disagree with them we do live in a democracy.
Everyone seems to have forgotten about the unexpected £1.7 billion bill from the EU that landed on Dave's desk back in 2014 - and which he paid - because the UK economy had done better than expected. There's a lesson there - if you are in the EU and your economy does better than the other members - expect a massive bill.
And the outers appear to be trying to forget about the totally mahoosive £250 billion bill that landed on the Bank of Englands desk last Friday. There's a lesson there too - approx £9billion a year takes about 28 years to add up to £250 billion
@merleworld , would you please pop up to Scotland and tell the SNP that we democratically voted to stay in the UK in September 2014, now it's any excuse to have another go so they might get the result they want and to hell with what the majority of Scots voted for.
