A Tory councillor called for the stoning to death of a Muslim journalist. Oh but he was only having a laugh...*"I was only joking and I didn't do no harm. It was wholly unintentional".
That's what bullies say. From the school playground all the way to Chris Moyles, the worst kind of cowards will always reply that it was all just supposed to be in good fun, and get-a-sense-of-humour, right?
And that's exactly the gist of what Tory boy and Councillor Gareth Compton said after being questioned by West Midlands Police over his public remarks on Twitter.
"Can someone please stone Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It would be a blessing, really", wrote the 38-year-old Erdington ward representative.
Needless to say the country is laughing from Land's End to Wick.
Except what they're laughing at is Cllr Compton and his ridiculous lack of judgement. Because the bloke is not your average loudmouth ejit down the pub, a blogger with Tourette's, or an overpaid Radio DJ unable to tell shit from clay. Nor has this anything to do with the Paul Chambers case.
Compton is a councillor, an elected representative, a politician, a person holding public responsibilities at the largest local authority in the UK.
And he should have known better, the Tory, than to call for the stoning of a Muslim lady, Alibhai-Brown, who's already been the subject of many a death threat for her views on racism, Islamic fundamentalism, Iraq and other political matters.
And while I don't think Cllr Compton should be prosecuted (if anything it would be a waste of time and resources), the idea of a society not batting an eyelid in front of such vile "jokes" (especially when made by elected politicians) makes me feel uncomfortable.
That's what bullies say. From the school playground all the way to Chris Moyles, the worst kind of cowards will always reply that it was all just supposed to be in good fun, and get-a-sense-of-humour, right?
And that's exactly the gist of what Tory boy and Councillor Gareth Compton said after being questioned by West Midlands Police over his public remarks on Twitter.
"Can someone please stone Yasmin Alibhai-Brown to death? I shan't tell Amnesty if you don't. It would be a blessing, really", wrote the 38-year-old Erdington ward representative.
Needless to say the country is laughing from Land's End to Wick.
Except what they're laughing at is Cllr Compton and his ridiculous lack of judgement. Because the bloke is not your average loudmouth ejit down the pub, a blogger with Tourette's, or an overpaid Radio DJ unable to tell shit from clay. Nor has this anything to do with the Paul Chambers case.
Compton is a councillor, an elected representative, a politician, a person holding public responsibilities at the largest local authority in the UK.
And he should have known better, the Tory, than to call for the stoning of a Muslim lady, Alibhai-Brown, who's already been the subject of many a death threat for her views on racism, Islamic fundamentalism, Iraq and other political matters.
And while I don't think Cllr Compton should be prosecuted (if anything it would be a waste of time and resources), the idea of a society not batting an eyelid in front of such vile "jokes" (especially when made by elected politicians) makes me feel uncomfortable.
4 comments:
No mention of Woolas?
Or is it only Tories who can be bullies? In context, Yasmin was condoning Iran's stoning of an adulteress at the time the tweet was sent.
With that context do you want to wipe the Egg off your face?
Oh Woolas is an appalling individual. You won't find me arguing the toss or clinging on to whataboutery if I disagree with Labour politicians (just click on the tag that says LABOUR on this blog, 90% of the entries are very negative). I don't do toeing the party line religiously, if anything because I'm not pro-Labour...!
As for Alibhai-Brown "condoning Iran's stoning of an alduteress", as you put it in your comment, this is a completely FALSE assertion. It is simply false. So I guess as far as eggs all over faces are concerned, I think you'll find there's an entire omelette on yours.
It's just not fair that lies can be perpetrated like that.
What she said in that interview was that she doesn't think Western politicians can lecture others when it comes to human rights (incidentally, I disagree with her on that point).
But there are plenty of articles she wrote where she strongly condemned Islamic fundamentalists and the way they segregate women. Incidentally, this is where many of the death threats she received came from.
Jackart,
take a look at these articles (all by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown) and tell me if you still believe in second-hand lies:
We don't yet live in an Islamic republic, so I will say it - I find the veil offensive, Independent, 9 October 2006.
The truth about Islam and women, Independent, 1 October 2001
We Muslims must decry the Taliban Independent, 10 September 2001.
What he wishes on us is an abomination Independent, 9 February 2008.
The context was the stoning of an adulteress in Iran, therefore the tweet, in context, cannot be menacing. I would argue that yes. She was condoning Iran's "justice" system. The problem is the precident this sets. Hyperbole on twitter is illegal now is it?
I am against "hate speech" laws (because I believe in freedom of speech, a controversial position in this day and age), and this falls well short of incitement.
This is bad law, inappropriately enforced.
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