My guess is that most of the people on here worked that one out in their teens, and are now in the 40's and have a reasonable understanding of media distortion and manipulation, either by the owners of the papers, or by the news-sources that feed them. That said it still amazes me when someone reads a story from a newspaper and believes it to be true.
I can only hope that this is true, but judging by the responses above, I'm not so sure.
But the fact that the media is biased does not mean racism isn't a problem. And rubbishing the messenger (however much you may dislike the messenger and that they only deliver certain messages) doesn't in itself invalidate the message.
That's true. I am not for one second going to argue that racism shouldn't be written about and condemned. But to make it the centrepiece of the tournament, which is what has happened, is both unhelpful and misleading.
They should **** off back to their own country if they don't like the skin colour of some Britons
Whilst I agree with the general gist of that, I'm not sure I like the way it's been put 😕
You want to welcome racists to this country alex222 ?
You think that people who take objectionable views towards certain Britons because they happen to have black skin should be welcomed here ?
Oh dear.
I bet you read the Guardian, eh ?
I predict some heavy moderation on this thread soon 😉
my point was you saying bloody racists polish send them home was somewhat er whats the word. oh yeah racist.
Besides as has been mentioned and now demonstrated england is full of racists.
I don't read newspapers actually. What do you read?, the mail and the sun follow by mien kampf every morning?
You want to welcome racists to this country alex222 ?
Would they still be racists in this country?
I agree with ernie.
Just for balance Ernie, I work/have worked with plenty of Poles who behave/behaved perfectly well and are/were not racist, so I would be careful about sweeping the generalisations too far! 😉 But are there any nations or indeed any individuals who do not have an element (open or otherwise) of *isms or *phobias within them that others would find offensive? Everyone carries some bias within them, its just most know how to understand and check those biases to prevent them affecting behaviour towards others (hopefully). A role of eduction perhaps? There are white racists, black racists, Indian racists, Asian racists for example....where do you stop?
Do you attack the Olympics going to the UK or Brazil because of factors such as income inequality?
Now that the decision has been made, I do not think that walking of a pitch does anything. Staying on does not condone racist behaviour and like all bullying, best to take it face on and expose it for what it is. The racists will be exposed for what they are, and chapeau to those who have to suffer the abuse but stand up to it in a dignified manner. That's were the media focus should be IMO - ie, re-enforcing the correct behaviour and ridiculing the racists.
Some people are confusing an oppressed media with one that doesn't tell it like they want to hear it.
Taking a selection across the media still have to say the BBC is up there for being impartial.
STW has a habit of not seeing the rest of the world. Have a look at some US channels...
my point was you saying bloody racists polish send them home was somewhat er whats the word. oh yeah racist.Besides as has been mentioned and now demonstrated england is full of racists.
And my point is don't come to our multicultural society if you are a racist, quite frankly it's taking the piss.
And yes, you're quite right, we have racists here (although not full of racists as you so stupidly claim) But what's you're point - that we need more ? ffs
We also have murderers and rapists here, but that doesn't mean that foreigners with criminal records should be allowed to settle here. Or do you think that it does ?
he wasn't generalising poles, he was generalising racist poles, so his comment was possibly bigotist rather than racist?my point was you saying bloody racists polish send them home was somewhat er whats the word. oh yeah racist.
no but if the organisers are refusing to do anything about racism at one game not showing up for the next game would be an idea.Staying on does not condone racist behaviour
my point is calling people racists; and then saying send them back to where they come from is xenophobic/racist and hypocritical.
so I would be careful about sweeping the generalisations too far!
Copy and paste my "sweeping generalisations" teamhurtmore, I would be fascinated in seeing where I am guilty of that. I give specific examples of my personal experiences.
Although I am fully aware that racism is a cultural issue, you don't need a PhD in Sociology to know that.
saying send them back to where they come from is xenophobic/racist and hypocritical.
????? WHAT?????
I can't see any teams walking off the pitch at the Euros, no matter how bad it might get. Just won't happen.
Possibly donk - not suggesting thats its easy at all.
E_L, understood, hence my use of the [i]conditional[/i] tense! 😉
alex222 - Membermy point is calling people racists; and then saying send them back to where they come from is xenophobic/racist and hypocritical.
Your point is that you want to pussyfoot around and not call a Pole a racist because doing so would be "racist".
I have a low tolerance of racists and that includes foreign racists. I feel no need to be "politically correct".
If a Pole starts whingeing to me about black people then it is highly likely that I will tell them to **** off back to Poland. Makes sense after all, doesn't it ?
One of the things that makes me actually quite proud of our rainy little island is the standard of our newspapers, warts and all. I'm grown up enough to be able to read the Guardian, Telegraph, Economist and Spectator, listen to Radio 4 and then make up my own mind.
Alejandro - if you dont like the "Western Press", which do you like?
....and how old are you?
you saying send people back to where they came from is racist. i'm not saying you calling someone racist - is racist.
with regards to political correctness; i think it is fair to say you have never met me.
Poles bless them have many qualities, but I do fear they have a few medieval attitudes. Was chatting to my builders from Krakow last year, shooting the breeze about football.
One of them, lovely fella called Shamek says to me "This Arsenal, they are very good team no? But tell me one thing, why is everyone black?"
with regards to political correctness; i think it is fair to say you have never met me.
Eh ? 😕 Do you actually know what you're talking about ? I said, [b]"I feel no need to be "politically correct".[/b] Yes that's true. Despite the fact that I have never met you 😕
you saying send people back to where they came from is racist. i'm not saying you calling someone racist - is racist.
Well. Depends on how you phrase it:
1, All those foreigners should go back where they came from - Racist
2, All those foreigners that are against the UKs social inclusion of people of all races, nationalities and sexualities should go back to where they came from - not racist
you saying send people back to where they came from is racist.
You are a bedwetter. There is nothing racist about wanting standards for potential immigrants. Criminals, racists etc; send them home, regardless of colour, nationality etc. Nothing racist about that at all.
I occasionally work with a Ukranian guy who is mostly intelligent, well read, thoughtful and a good conversationalist. I'm always shocked when he suddenly comes out with racist comments about blacks or jews - he is completely blinkered, and despite being a foreigner living in the UK, has freely and proudly admitted to voting for the BNP.
I soon learned not to try and discuss these beliefs with him as it all got a bit heated, very quickly, but I happened to see a documentary a year or so ago about the way the Russians treated the Ukranians in the 2nd World War (bear with me). The Ukranians were pretty much forced to side with the Germans in order to survive, and formed a few crack fighting forces. These Nazi forces are STILL idolised in schools and pupils are taught how brave these jew-killing, gypsy-persecuting, Ukranian forces were. So there is definitely some state sponsored brainwashing going on there.
Not excusing the racism, just hopefully giving a little background.
One of the things that makes me actually quite proud of our rainy little island is the standard of our newspapers, warts and all. I'm grown up enough to be able to read the Guardian, Telegraph, Economist and Spectator, listen to Radio 4 and then make up my own mind.
As long as we omit news corporation rags like you have, then yes. 😉
Well, theres a certain train of thought that says a large part of Europe was well primed for anti-semitism in the 19th and early 20th centuries and the excuse to be able to go ahead and do something about it was all that was needed.
Anyway, just for balance, I once shared a house with an American who on the face of it was quite normal. Until he saw a black guy kissing a white girl on TV (it was national kissing day or some such nonsense) and he threw his can of coke at the TV (not kidding) and explained in clear language what he thought of people who permitted such behaviour and what he'd do if his sister went out with a black guy. It was the first time I'd ever really been exposed to such explosive and vicious racism in my life despite growing up in a North Sea fishing city.
My other housemate and I left the house immediately and moved out a few weeks later.
Racism is instilled in people from an early age, just lok at the problems in northern ireland, and some of the inner city areas here.
I t will never go away in some peoples eyes, as its instilled from birth to hate or havea chip on ones shoulder about certain parts of society.
If the footballers dont like being called names, walk away, turn the other cheek etc, and let the police deal with it.
Saying all Poles are racists is as daft as saying all Tories are racist
I'm pretty sure the guys that spat on me and my gf in oxford were from poland or ukraine something like that.
I've a gf whos partner is romanian, she's really cool and funny apart from when she gets drunk and starts on about "gypsys" in her country, it's pretty shocking to hear.
....or a labour one
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-16423278
....or the whole RAF
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/****_%28dog%29
Saying all Poles are racists is as daft as saying all Tories are racist
Which I guess is probably why no one has said that all Poles are racists. What do you think ?
It is also daft to claim that racism is not a cultural thing. Supremely daft in fact.
I think the team should definitely walk off if the racist chanting reaches an unacceptable level, it would have far more impact than soldiering on, and there's no way UEFA or FIFA or the local government could simply ignore that.
(Unacceptable level: not just a couple of idiots, a large section of the crowd.)
You are a bedwetter.
Am I the one who worked with a person who said something I apparently found offensive and instead of saying it to his face came on a forum and said
many Poles should come over
They should **** off back to their own country if they don't like the skin colour of some Britons. IMO.
Then accused me of
want to pussyfoot around and not call a Pole a racist
thought not 😆
Am I the one who worked with a person who said something I apparently found offensive and instead of saying it to his face came on a forum and said
Are you accusing me of being unable to show my displeasure when someone expresses racist sentiments which they expect me to agree with ? And you are the one who said to me, [i]"i think it is fair to say you have never met me".[/i]
Although I might have got that wrong - I'm struggling to figure out what you're on about.
For the record, if someone makes a racist remark which they expect me to agree with, I take that as a [i]personal[/i] insult, as they are assuming that I'm a racist too, irrespective of any insult that they might have made against black people. Although I don't go ape-shit like some sort of ranting trot, I just make it clear that the remark isn't acceptable to me and not to insult me by assuming that I share their Neanderthal attitudes.
So why didn't you just say 'look mate round here we don't conduct ourselves like that'?
Journalism student ale?
Nahhh he's definitely a terrorist or a hippy. I've informed GCHQ.
...were from poland or ukraine something like that.
To be fair, they do all look the same.
So why didn't you just say 'look mate round here we don't conduct ourselves like that'?
Perhaps I should phone you up next time I want to make a point to someone ?
You have no idea how I deal with situations, but I can assure you that I am perfectly happy with how I conduct myself when confronted with racism.
ut I can assure you that I am perfectly happy with how I conduct myself when confronted with racism.
what you stew over it then purge yourself on an internet forum?
God you're daft.
I was truly shocked
so I came on the internet and told everyone that
Pretty much every Pole
has turned out to be racist
Yeah I am the daft one; you're right.
there was a gang of black painters which also included one Pole.
Now who's the racist? Just because there is more than one black person in a group doesn't automatically make it a "gang".
😉
This thread is an excellent demonstration about why it's impossible to have a sensible debate about racism.
There are some really insightful comments, but they are overshadowed by people pointing fingers and saying "you can't say that....it's racist".
Hahahaha - please. This made me laugh out loud. If you think the media in this country is 'free' in any meaningful sense you are either deluded or ignorant. I suspect the later.
I think you may be mistaking commercial companies as "the media" per se. Commercial "news" organisations are in the business of selling advertising. Therefore they publish things which they believe will sell advertising to their clients. i.e. they publish what people want to buy as opposed to news. The BBC on the other hand do not have that imperative, and therefore do tend to be more intelligent in the news and current affairs that they present (no not footbalers misdemeanours!). The real freedom of media is the abilty to publish to a massive audience wordlwide through vehicles such as this forum and blogs. I think you will find there is little or no censorship or control taken over that in this country.
Regarding racism generally, it is entirely wrong to run away from it. It needs confronting actively, so to that extent its right and proper to do so where we can. Don't forget Eastern Europe is not much different to the UK 50 years ago. Things can and will change. They will change that much faster if it is demonstrated that much of the rest of the world strongly disapproves and that there are real costs for behaving this way.
There are some really insightful comments
like
They should * off back to their own country if they don't like the skin colour of some Britons. IMO.
and
Pretty much every Pole I have ever worked with has turned out to be racist
and
If a Pole starts whingeing to me about black people then it is highly likely that I will tell them to * off back to Poland
All sorts of insight you're right.
