After such an extended break from blogging, you will be deeply disappointed that I restart with something as mundane and trivial as Jeremy Clarkson. I have defended the man in the past, because I much enjoy Top Gear and consider that much of what he has been criticised for in the past had been an amusing winding-up of the po-faced of the kind I employ myself. But nasty, indeed vicious bullying of a subordinate should always be a sacking offence.
That did not ought to be the question, though. He hit someone and they had to go to hospital. Where are the police? They are incredibly fond of sweeping up scores of teenagers for thought crime, but here we have an actual violent assault that spills blood, and it seems completely out of the question the perpetrator is brought to account. Why is that? I had a personal experience a couple of years ago when I was very mildly hurt – less than young Oisin – in an assault, and the police insisted on arresting the perpetrator despite my repeated requests to them not to do so. They told me rather firmly that the idea that it is the victim who has a say in pressing charges, is a myth. Why was Clarkson not arrested?
I cannot in my mind dissociate this from the non-arrest of Jimmy Savile for his crimes, despite their being well-known and reported at the time. That seems to link in to the wider paedophilia scandal, and the question of why no action was taken even in the most blatant of cases when there was compelling evidence, such as that of the extremely nasty Greville Janner MP.
But then I think still more widely as to why, for example, Jack Straw has not been charged with the crime of misfeasance in public office after boasting of using his position to obtain “under the radar” changes in regulations to benefit commercial clients, in exchange for cash. I wonder why a large number of people did not go to jail for the HSBC tax avoidance schemes or the LIBOR rigging scandal, which involved long term dishonest manipulation by hundreds of very highly paid bankers.
At the top of the tree is of course the question of why Blair has not been charged for the crime of waging illegal war. The Chilcot Inquiry heard evidence that every single one of the FCO’s elite team of Legal Advisers believed that the invasion of Iraq was an illegal war of aggression. Yet now the media disparage as nutters those who say Blair should be charged.
Then I think of all the poor and desperate people who get jailed for stealing comparatively miniscule amounts in benefit fraud, or the boy who was jailed for stealing a bottle of water in the London riots.
The conclusion is that we do not have a system of justice in this country at all. We have a system where the wealthy and governing classes and those associated with them enjoy almost absolute impunity, broken in only the rarest of cases. At the same time those at the bottom of the pile are kicked hard to keep them there. There is no more chance of justice against those in power in the UK than there is of the killers of Nemtsov being brought to book in Russia.
But what has really scared me is this thought. This situation has been like this my entire life: and I have reached the age of 56 before I realised it. A very great many people have still not realised it at all.
What does not scare me is this. I realise that if the system of justice is completely corrupted, then there is no obligation on me to follow the laws of the state. In fact it would be wrong of me to do so. I must seek my ethical compass elsewhere than in the corrupt power structure which weighs so hard upon the people.
Ba’al; “I am advocating freedom of speech.”
If that the same sort of “freedom of speech” that Craig also professes to, then I’ll take that statement with a tonne or two of salt!
Ba’al; “Your statement is logically disconnected.”
No, I don’t think it is; even freedom of speech as limits, and often for very real consequences; demonizing Russia right now, is like demonizing Communists at the height of McCarthyism, or going on about “evil Assad’ every time Syria is mentioned.
Ba’al; “Probably didn’t see it.”
Convenient lapse of memory ? You made a couple of unclear comments during the Empire debate, and when asked directly for clarification as to what you were meaning, you were still as unclear, so I asked you two or three times about your overall opinion iro the British Empire, and whetever you would condemn some of its action, you refused to reply; that you saw me questions is certain as you posted comments to others as you dodged around my posts.
Ba’al;” I generally ignore your obsessively and repetitively pro-Kremlin output, as it contributes nothing new.”
No, not pro-Kremlin but anti-war, a distinction many seem unable or perhaps unwilling to make.
Ba’al; “ I don’t believe in visiting the sins of the fathers on the sons, so feel no guilt about the bad stuff. “
Nor do I, but there is a difference between feeling guilty & feeling ashamed; do you feel ashamed for the atrocities & crimes against Humanity carried out by the British Empire ?
How about Britain recent wars against third world countries, any guilt or shame for these ?
There may be something of this in it too, Clark –
“After the second bottle, when men open their minds without reserve, my honest friend began to take notice of the many sonorous but unnecessary words that had passed in his house since their sitting down at table, and how much good conversation they had lost by giving way to such superflnous phrases. “What a tax,” says he, “would they have raised for the poor, had we put tiie laws in execution upon one another!” Every one of them took this gentle reproof in good part; upon which he told them, that, knowing their conversation would have no secrets in it, he ordered it to be taken down in writing, and, for the humour-sake would read it to them, if they pleased. There were ten sheets of it, which might have been reduced to two, had there not been those abominable interpolations I have before mentioned. Upon the reading of it in cold blood, it looked rather like a conference of fiends than of men. In short, every one trembled at himself upon hearing calmly what he had pronounced amidst the heat and inadvertency of discourse.”
-(?)Joseph Addison, The Spectator, 371, May 6th, 1712.
I said that’s you, Macky. Bye.
@Clark, Instead of trying to stifle & divert the debates here, perhaps you should take your own advise to “try some contemplative / meditative practice”; otherwise you will end up again as the most prolific & addicted poster here on this thread as you were on the last, and by a scary long margin as Fred pointed out.
“…as Fred pointed out.”
I just posted the numbers, didn’t point anything out.
Ba’al; “I said that’s you, Macky. Bye.”
Best then correct your earlier statement to;
“But I’ll criticise who I damn well please, and then run away when challenged”
(Just like with the Empire debate).
Clarkson’s previous misdemeanors aren’t altogether trivial. He was censured by the usually craven Ofcom for racism, which takes some doing. If followed an incident when he referred to an Asian man as a ‘slope.’
For some reason the BBC didn’t sack him. Perhaps anti-Asian racism is more palatable to the BBC than anti-semitism or vulgar hostility towards afro-carribeans? I don’t know. Anyway, Clarkson certainly knows how to bully the right group. It’s a real instinct for only picking on weak minorities, and for knowing precisely what’s acceptable to domestic power.
I don’t think that kind of de-humanising abuse is really just a harmless gag at the expense of the ‘po faced’ or politically correct.
Top Gear’s marketed as a family show, it’s watched by millions of people at a ‘prime time.’ Some of these people will have asian mothers, fathers, children, etc. I think they deserve better.
I’ve no interest in Clarkson, as I possess neither a car nor a TY. But his case reminded me forcefully of a middle aged man whom I met last year who had been summarily dismissed from his low-paid job in the NHS for telling his supervisor to f*** off. No physical violence involved, just the sort of language that is perfectly normal in many settings. Due to having been dismissed for “gross misconduct,” on going to sign on at Jobcentre this many was awarded an automatic benefits sanction for one year.
I understand that Clarkson was enraged because no one had organised a hot meal for him at 10pm. Well, NHS workers who work nights for their whole working lives can not nowadays get a hot meal on the night shift, even in large hospitals. And I’m sure the same goes for a lot of other workers whose jobs are immensely more useful than Clarkson’s.
Arrogant obnoxious people have always behaved in arrogant obnoxious ways, of course. The sickening thing is the number of ordinary people who accord them the cringeing deference of medieval serfs, based merely on their wealth and celebrity.
Gentlemen, PLEASE !!!!!!!
I realise that some of you probably suffered from withdrawal symptoms after the previous thread was mercifully closed down by the Mods but still…..can you not find it in yourselves to exercise just a LITTLE SELF-DISCIPLINE, RESTRAINT and simple GOOD MANNERS by letting this new thread go to – let us say – two âges before ruining it again with personal remarks and public self-therapy?
~~~~~~~~~~~~PS – If there is a shortage of moderators I might just be willing to help out a little. We’d soon have a little less of the nonsense we’re already seeing on this thread.
Which BTW Craig is why your blogging is essential reading- glad to see you’re back at it! I totally disagree with you about various important issues, but your opinions are always honest and well-argued.
Essential reading due to the prevailing stupidity referred to in my previous comment, that is, not due to the intemperate mutual abuse referred to by Habbabkuk! (Why the extra “b”, incidentally, and when did that creep in?)
“Clarkson’s previous misdemeanors aren’t altogether trivial. He was censured by the usually craven Ofcom for racism, which takes some doing. If followed an incident when he referred to an Asian man as a ‘slope.’ ”
He probably got away with that one because nobody in Britain would have understood it. I had to look it up and while in common usage in Australia with reference to Vietnamese the term isn’t in common usage in the UK.
Clarkson’s just a politically correct nerd (though certainly funny) –
http://www.topgear.com/uk/jeremy-clarkson/clarkson-noisy-motorcycles-2005-10-01
I’ve just put aftermarket MotoGP silencers on mine in his honour. If I see him coming, I’ll take the baffles out, too. (Safety note, a bike that sounds like a DC3 taking off causes people to look in their mirrors and not pull out in your path. It keeps dogs on the pavement. Even pushbikers have been known to take evasive, rather than suicidal action. Recommended.)
Aussie F it’s a lot worse than that. There is a whole catalogue of racist and deliberately provocative jibes aimed at getting a laugh at the expense of others. I realise that brings my light comments to Fred into the frame, but if I thought Fred would be hurt by them, I would not bait him. I am no Jeremy Clarkson thank you very much.
http://news.sky.com/story/1253913/top-gaffes-how-clarkson-fuelled-controversy
Aussie F
17/03/2015 12:20 pm
Regarding the “slope” comment, you are absolutely right – I was very shocked by that incident. As I recall, the programme’s producers were barely apologetic at the time, saying that they had no idea that to refer to an Asian person as a “slope” would be thought offensive.
I simply do not believe that – it’s flatly a falsehood. The word “slope” is very rarely used in the UK, I believe – the only context I have ever seen it used in is in examinations of the Vietnam War, where it was used as an abusive word for the Viet Cong (and Vietnamese generally, actually) in the same way as “gook” and “dink”. I believe it would be impossible to even know the word without knowing that it is a racially offensive word – the presenters and producers simply chose to believe it didn’t matter, presumably because it made an excellent pun.
Clarkson has an ugly history of pandering to racial stereotyping and prejudice. But he’s only one person – everyone else associated with the show should be ashamed of themselves, in my humble opinion. Including the BBC, who have chosen – presumably for financial reasons – to engage in damage limitation rather than dissociating itself from his disgraceful behaviour.
I now understand Clarkson was drunk on red wine when he punched a producer in the mouth with sufficient seriousness to send him to hospital. If that’s the case, indeed, why are the police not involved? Early days yet. I wouldn’t be surprised if they do become involved at some point.
Kind regards,
John
Clark
17/03/2015 12:01 pm
I think that was a splendid post – what a brilliant idea to catalogue ad hominems!
Perhaps we should have a digital swearbox and/or sin bin on here…
Kind regards,
John
John Spencer-Davis, 12:51 pm; thanks. Yes, a swear-box WordPress plug-in could help.
‘At present Twitter is used mostly for people to tell 12 other people that they’ve just had a burger. Occasionally it is used by footballers to demonstrate they can’t spell. It has no actual use. Now, though, it could be used to name and shame morons in Audis.’
(Clarkson)
I like it. Discuss…
Phil
“All challenges to power are called naive or unworkable. Your thinking would lead to no ruling class ever being challenged.”
_______________
I’m not sure I’d subscribe to the above and that wasn’t the point of what I wrote.
To say it again: nothing wrong with a party called SYRIZA challenging the existing order (whatever it happens to be). That’s democracy. Would only that the authorities in some countries adopt as benevolent an attitude to that as do the authorities in the West (HOPE YOU’RE TUNED IN, MACKY).
But a lot wrong with a party called SYRIZA assuming power on the basis of a maximalist prospectus on which it was fully aware it would not be able to deliver.
That’s called conning the electorate big time.
I think we can agree with that, can we not?
Habbakuk
“nothing wrong with a party called SYRIZA challenging the existing order (whatever it happens to be). That’s democracy. ”
Well no. A democratically elected government was blocked from pursuing it’s popular mandate by bankers. That is not democracy. It is rule by a small wealthy elite.
You may want to repeatedly call the democrats liars and naïve! It may be true to some degree (far less than you insinuate) but changes nothing about my simple starting point that it is crystal clear where the power lies.
Aussie F
17 Mar, 2015 – 12:20 pm
“Perhaps anti-Asian racism is more palatable to the BBC than anti-Semitism or vulgar hostility towards afro-Caribbean’s?”
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A valid observation Aussie F. It is alleged that Clarkson called his colleague a “lazy Irish cunt!” before punching him.
Can you imagine the furore if his alleged victim had been Jewish?
“Lazy Jewish cunt!” followed by a punch would not, presumably, have generated the same support Clarkson has been given by his fans and his friends in high places.
SYRIZA wanted the banks to write off £236 billion worth of debt. Hardly surprising the bankers said no as anyone could’ve predicted, so isn’t this just another case of a political party failing to deliver on a promise it knew it couldn’t keep?
” Can you imagine the furore if his alleged victim had been Jewish? ”
Or black, or Asian.
I believe there are strict regulations against racial abuse in the public services. I trust the BBC will be enforcing them.
J
Fred
17 Mar, 2015 – 12:32 pm
“He probably got away with that one [slope] because nobody in Britain would have understood it. I had to look it up and while in common usage in Australia with reference to Vietnamese the term isn’t in common usage in the UK.”
………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
Clarkson knew what it meant Fred so it was a deliberate racist remark.
Rehmat @ 17 Mar, 2015 – 1:47 am
Re: “just see what happened to Bishop Stephen Sizer for checking the “freedom of speech” in Britain by challenging the official story of 9/11”.
Stephen Sizer is not a Bishop, but he is an extraordinary good Vicar.
Doug Scorgie 17/03/2015 2:44 pm
“Clarkson knew what it meant Fred so it was a deliberate racist remark.”
Quite right, and who let it through? Clarkson presumably does not direct, edit, produce and review the programme all on his own, as well as present it.
Kind regards,
John
Kempe
“SYRIZA wanted the banks to write off £236 billion worth of debt. Hardly surprising the bankers said no.”
Exactly. It is crystal clear where the power lies.
That the people of Greece find themselves in debt to bankers is not a natural phenomena. It is the result of a man made systematic process that provides for the few at the expense of the many.
Kempe
17 Mar, 2015 – 2:40 pm
“Or black, or Asian.”
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………
I know what you are implying Kempe.
But Clarkson has already used racist remarks about Asians [e.g. slope] without much censure and racist remarks about blacks are trivialised in the MSM (think Boris Johnson and watermelon smiles).
But neither generates the outrage in the media and among the political elites that anti-Jewish racism does.
Put simply; the Asian and black communities in the UK don’t enjoy the same status accorded to the Jewish community by our MSM and politicians because of the exceptional lobbying power of Zionist organisations and their supporters.
Racism is wrong full stop.
All races are equal but some races are more equal than others.
” Exactly. It is crystal clear where the power lies. ”
The bankers won’t be keen to set a precedent by letting Greece of the hook and maybe, just maybe, SYRIZA should’ve sounded them out before making wild promises.