The Royal Wedding 2018 (Harry and Meghan)

[Voll Blau]

The start of a thread that he probably should have posted straight away, instead of trying to make light of it all.

 

I suspect many will say this explanation's come too late for it to be considered plausible, though I do believe it. As he's said: "Too late and here I am."

[Buce]

19 minutes ago, Voll Blau said:

The start of a thread that he probably should have posted straight away, instead of trying to make light of it all.

 

I suspect many will say this explanation's come too late for it to be considered plausible, though I do believe it. As he's said: "Too late and here I am."

 

He so didn't deserve to lose his job - a reprimand would have sufficed.

 

This reply to his tweet is worth considering too:

 

" Still the US President will be on a state Visit in less than a month, we'll be able to watch and listen with Aunty without the slightest sense of irony... "

[Alf Bentley]

10 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

He so didn't deserve to lose his job - a reprimand would have sufficed.

 

This reply to his tweet is worth considering too:

 

" Still the US President will be on a state Visit in less than a month, we'll be able to watch and listen with Aunty without the slightest sense of irony... "

 

You might have a point about Baker. Mind you, although I do think it was an innocent error, it was a serious error, given the potential for it to influence or give carte blanche to idiot racists out there.

His initial flippant reaction didn't help him, either. Sacking or reprimand? An orange card, I'd say!

 

I don't think the Trump comparison is fair. The bloke is a massive turd....but he was democratically elected as head of state of an important ally, not appointed as an employee of a media institution like Baker.

As state visits aren't automatic, he shouldn't have been given one. He probably only got the initial invite because May was desperately trying to suck up to the USA in the context of Brexit.

But entirely reasonable for him to visit and his office should be given respect - though not uncritical respect.

 

The BBC should cover his visit and any speeches he makes - and any protests against him and criticisms of him - as part of balanced coverage. That's what I'd expect them to do, as it's what they normally do.

If any unholy alliance of Hard Right, Hard Left and conspiracy theorists ever succeed in ruining the BBC's reputation or destroying it, we'll deeply regret it.

[Buce]

15 minutes ago, Alf Bentley said:

 

You might have a point about Baker. Mind you, although I do think it was an innocent error, it was a serious error, given the potential for it to influence or give carte blanche to idiot racists out there.

His initial flippant reaction didn't help him, either. Sacking or reprimand? An orange card, I'd say!

 

I don't think the Trump comparison is fair. The bloke is a massive turd....but he was democratically elected as head of state of an important ally, not appointed as an employee of a media institution like Baker.

As state visits aren't automatic, he shouldn't have been given one. He probably only got the initial invite because May was desperately trying to suck up to the USA in the context of Brexit.

But entirely reasonable for him to visit and his office should be given respect - though not uncritical respect.

 

The BBC should cover his visit and any speeches he makes - and any protests against him and criticisms of him - as part of balanced coverage. That's what I'd expect them to do, as it's what they normally do.

If any unholy alliance of Hard Right, Hard Left and conspiracy theorists ever succeed in ruining the BBC's reputation or destroying it, we'll deeply regret it.

1

 

I don't watch television news, so I'm relying on hearsay here, but it was stated in various places that when Trump visited before, the BBC news showed zero coverage of the extensive protests against him. Maybe you can remember?

 

As regards Baker, I don't know the man (not even by reputation - I really am quite detached from popular culture) but I find his explanation convincing and not worthy of a knee-jerk instant dismissal. At the very least, the BBC management should have taken time to evaluate the situation and listen to his response to the accusations of racism. It seems far too much like a case of lèse-majesté for my liking.

Edited 10 May 2019 by Buce

[Alf Bentley]

4 minutes ago, Buce said:

 

I don't watch television news, so I'm relying on hearsay here, but it was stated in various places that when Trump visited before, the BBC news showed zero coverage of the extensive protests against him. Maybe you can remember?

 

 

In all honesty, the nature of Trump's coverage last time passed me by.

 

But one Google search is enough to disprove claims that there was "zero coverage of the extensive protests".........

 

 

[urban.spaceman]

Completely insane. 

[lifted*fox]

zero sympathy for the guy.

 

people can go on about 'that would have been fine 10 years ago', PC gone mad, etc. etc.

 

this isn't 10 years ago. the world is less accepting to racism as a form of humour (rightly so) and to claim that the whole monkey / black thing didn't cross his mind is bullshit. 

 

everybody - everybody these days understands that's a comparison that isn't OK to make. 

 

he's a ****ing radio presenter and must be fully aware of black football players being racially abused / having bananas thrown at them, etc. 

 

in his position, if he couldn't take two seconds to engage his brain before posting that tweet to realise it was in bad taste and would be taken as such - well, that's his own fault. 

 

grovelling apology / excuses aside - nobody to blame but himself. 

 

however, ****ing lunacy that he loses his job for that yet the BBC gives someone like Farage, an actual out and out fascist as much time on their platform as possible.

[Alf Bentley]

16 minutes ago, lifted*fox said:

zero sympathy for the guy.

 

people can go on about 'that would have been fine 10 years ago', PC gone mad, etc. etc.

 

this isn't 10 years ago. the world is less accepting to racism as a form of humour (rightly so) and to claim that the whole monkey / black thing didn't cross his mind is bullshit. 

 

everybody - everybody these days understands that's a comparison that isn't OK to make. 

 

he's a ****ing radio presenter and must be fully aware of black football players being racially abused / having bananas thrown at them, etc. 

 

in his position, if he couldn't take two seconds to engage his brain before posting that tweet to realise it was in bad taste and would be taken as such - well, that's his own fault. 

 

grovelling apology / excuses aside - nobody to blame but himself. 

 

however, ****ing lunacy that he loses his job for that yet the BBC gives someone like Farage, an actual out and out fascist as much time on their platform as possible.

 

You seem to be making 2 different accusations here (in bold).

 

We can never know what really did or didn't go through his head. But based on what I've seen/heard from him in the past, I completely disagree with your first point and completely agree with your second one.

I can well believe that it didn't cross his mind precisely because he didn't take 2 seconds to engage his brain - and that does make it his own fault....but a crime of stupidity, not of racism.

 

[Guest MattP]

1 hour ago, lifted*fox said:

however, ****ing lunacy that he loses his job for that yet the BBC gives someone like Farage, an actual out and out fascist as much time on their platform as possible.

Get a dictionary and read some history. Describing Farage as an out and out fascist makes you sound like a silly 14 year old girl trying to get attention.

[Guest MattP]

And I'll say it again.

 

If anyone genuinely thinks Danny Baker is a bigot in any way, shape or form you are wrong - he's been in the public discourse for 40 odd years and never uttered a thing that would come close to making anyone think he is, this is terrible to see him ostracised for a (very bad) mistake and error of judgement. 

Edited 11 May 2019 by MattP

[urban.spaceman]

I wouldn’t call myself a big fan of Baker’s - he’s obviously a talented broadcaster just not always my cup of tea. I’ll listen to him but wouldn’t seek him out. I’ve never heard of him being that controversial though (apart from his first BBC sacking, which involved Leicester City ).

 

Was the tweet racist? I don’t know. I’ve never understood the monkey racial trope personally. It’s plausible that he just made a genuine mistake and tried to make a joke. For me that fits with his aghast response to the Twitterstorm and ensuing apology. 

 

I just find it depressing that people can’t just apologise and then we all move on. Sacking him is stupid and getting the ****ing police involved is downright sinister. We should all be concerned about that IMO. 

[Guest MattP]

Yasmin Alibah-Brown on R4 saying he should go to prison for inciting racial hatred

 

What the fcuk is wrong with people? Seriously. Imagine actually living in a society where you get locked in a cage for a silly mistake on twitter. 

 

Does anyone really want that? It's upto everyone to fight against this, this is nothing to do with right/left etc it's just having a brain. 

[Buce]

29 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

I wouldn’t call myself a big fan of Baker’s - he’s obviously a talented broadcaster just not always my cup of tea. I’ll listen to him but wouldn’t seek him out. I’ve never heard of him being that controversial though (apart from his first BBC sacking, which involved Leicester City ).

 

Was the tweet racist? I don’t know. I’ve never understood the monkey racial trope personally. It’s plausible that he just made a genuine mistake and tried to make a joke. For me that fits with his aghast response to the Twitterstorm and ensuing apology. 

 

I just find it depressing that people can’t just apologise and then we all move on. Sacking him is stupid and getting the ****ing police involved is downright sinister. We should all be concerned about that IMO. 

1

 

 

What do you not understand?

[Buce]

18 minutes ago, MattP said:

Yasmin Alibah-Brown on R4 saying he should go to prison for inciting racial hatred

 

What the fcuk is wrong with people? Seriously. Imagine actually living in a society where you get locked in a cage for a silly mistake on twitter. 

 

Does anyone really want that? It's upto everyone to fight against this, this is nothing to do with right/left etc it's just having a brain. 

 

It's only a couple of weeks ago you wanted people banged up for obstructing traffic!   

[Guest MattP]

46 minutes ago, Buce said:

It's only a couple of weeks ago you wanted people banged up for obstructing traffic!   

Fake News.

[urban.spaceman]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

 

What do you not understand?

The history of it, or rather, why it’s a thing, and why the hell people are racist in the first place. 

[Dr The Singh]

5 hours ago, MattP said:

And I'll say it again.

 

If anyone genuinely thinks Danny Baker is a bigot in any way, shape or form you are wrong - he's been in the public discourse for 40 odd years and never uttered a thing that would come close to making anyone think he is, this is terrible to see him ostracised for a (very bad) mistake and error of judgement. 

And I'll say it again, you need to stop sniffing White Dee's undies

[Buce]

16 minutes ago, urban.spaceman said:

The history of it, or rather, why it’s a thing,

 

Possibly ignorance played its part, historically. Africa was only really opened up in late Victorian times and most 'white' people had little in the way of education, nor did they meet people who were so different from themselves - most lived and died in the same community they were born into.

 

Have you ever come across the story of the Hartlepool monkey hangers?

 

[urban.spaceman]

On 11/05/2019 at 18:50, Buce said:

 

Possibly ignorance played its part, historically. Africa was only really opened up in late Victorian times and most 'white' people had little in the way of education, nor did they meet people who were so different from themselves - most lived and died in the same community they were born into.

 

Have you ever come across the story of the Hartlepool monkey hangers?

 

Hadn’t heard of that before. I guess my frustration is that it’s a racist trope born out ignorant hatred and profound stupidity at an unenlightened time, and to see it still being used in this day and age, especially at football matches, is extremely depressing. That said I still believe Baker made a genuine unthinking error and doesn’t deserve to be treated like this

[Buce]

1 hour ago, urban.spaceman said:

Hadn’t heard of that before. I guess my frustration is that it’s a racist trope born out ignorant hatred and profound stupidity at an unenlightened time, and to see it still being used in this day and age, especially at football matches, is extremely depressing. That said I still believe Baker made a genuine unthinking error and doesn’t deserve to be treated like this

 

 

Sure is.

 

I just thought you might be interested in the historical context.

[urban.spaceman]

1 hour ago, Buce said:

 

Sure is.

 

I just thought you might be interested in the historical context.

Appreciated. 

[Izzy]

This Royal baby is only a week old and has already achieved 3 things on my bucket list:

 

1. Became an instant millionaire 

2. Met the Queen

3. Sucked on Meghan’s tits

 

Lucky little git