Gary Lineker big brass balls?

That’s the tweet that got him in hot water, in reply to his earlier tweet saying that the Govt plan towards refugees was awful.
Any genuine problems with that? Seems like an apt allusion given the circumstances to me.

There are corners of the Jewish community who are upset about it because they argue that the comparison trivialises the holocaust et al.

Whether that’s a valid complaint if what he’s saying is actually true, I’m not really qualified to say.

I respectfully disagree. The headline and chat this week has been about Lineker, not the illegality and incompetence of their proposed Bill. Its supports the Tories narrative that they are trying to fix the problem and are being stopped by lefty liberals.

Then the right thing to do is…. Say nothing? I can’t get behind that.

If Tory MPs can have their own shows on right-wing sock puppet channels, and BBC management can donate hundreds of thousands to the Tory party and line up 800k loans for the half man/half ripped-open sofa, then Lineker can be gently critical of the language Tories use. The Algorithms presented this to me yesterday –

When we look at Auschwitz we see the end of the process. It's important to remember that the Holocaust actually did not start from gas chambers. This hatred gradually developed from words, stereotypes & prejudice through legal exclusion, dehumanisation & escalating violence.

— Auschwitz Memorial (@AuschwitzMuseum) November 26, 2018

They can’t fire him because he doesn’t work for the BBC. They can terminate the contract with his company though probably any time they like, and there can’t be an employment tribunal or any comeback from him because he’d still be employed by his own company.

He’s doing a good thing. The govt can do one.

The headline and chat this week has been about Lineker, not the illegality and incompetence of their proposed Bill.

We are obviously reading different stuff and watching different TV items.

“Stop The Boats” has been the big news item this week, and its dubious legality at the very heart of the story.

The Lineker tweet has been a small side issue used by the Tories to attack the BBC. It didn’t even make it on here until this morning, despite the “Stop The Boats” campaign being discussed for days.

There are corners of the Jewish community who are upset about it because they argue that the comparison trivialises the holocaust et al.

I must say, I struggle to understand how that can be the case (IANAJ, for disclosure).

For some of his previous behaviour I really despise GL but in several cases he does use his position to speak out. He’s doing something right if he gets Cruella frothing even more than usual.

There are corners of the Jewish community who are upset about it

That doesn’t include Joan Salter, the Holocaust survivor who called Cruella out a few weeks ago for exactly the same thing.

He’s raised more attention with his one tweet than the brief mention of the legality of the policy. Tories are doing their usual distract and trying to win votes back by blaming immigrants. Meanwhile the fact their failing rail programme is costing billions, their cabinet and ex-leader are in deepwater from the WhatsApp leaks is being buried.

I **** hate twitter, gives far too many people a sense of importance they have no right owning.

Ironic.

There are corners of the Jewish community who are upset about it because they argue that the comparison trivialises the holocaust et al.

I must say, I struggle to understand how that can be the case (IANAJ, for disclosure).

IANAJ either, but as I mentioned earlier, Braverman was the one who brought the Holocaust into it. I read Linekers tweet to mean he saw similarities with the language used at the time the Nazis were coming to power, which, as that tweet from the Auschwitz Museum suggests, was the start of the horrendous slippery slope.

I would hope, given their horrendous persecution in the past, and ongoing issues now, that the Jewish community would support the outing of these kind of policies, rather than play it down compared to the ultimate horror of the Holocaust.

I guess it’s likely to be “corners” of the community, rather than the majority, who have issues with him

“Stick to football Gary” they say.

Then the World Cup is on and politicians like to be pictured holding a pint watching the big screen in the local.

“Come on England!” they cheer, “err and the other countries of Great Britain”.

I must say, I struggle to understand how that can be the case

And I struggle to understand how you struggle to understand!

The ‘jewish community’ encompasses a large range of people. Some are committed left-wingers who are passionate in their anti-racism, and some are right-wingers who have profoundly racist views.

You could say that they are like ‘normal’ people.

And the same can be said of people of Asian heritage. The things some of them say is quite shocking!

Now if he’d brought it up on air, or in an interview that’d be great

Not on this topic, but I was very impressed with how critical he was, during the opening broadcast of the world cup on live TV, of Qatar getting the world cup, the corruption, the treatment of workers involved with the stadiums, their treatment of homosexuality. He was openly critical of them on live TV, so it’s not like he’s one to hide behind Twitter.

For instance,

Hi Tanja,

As a Jew I can tell you this:
When people use the 1930s Germany comparison to sensationalise their point, it diminishes the Holocaust.

I recognise it. Why? Because I have been taught about it from my surviving relatives all my life… https://t.co/CZwnT5PT32

— Alex Hearn (@hearnimator) March 8, 2023

(retweeted by David Baddiel)

I’m not saying I agree with the complaint, I’m too far removed to have an opinion. It was an angle which hadn’t previously occurred to me, is all.

Keep it up Lineker.

The BBC are much reduced in my estimation these days. Which is a shame.

Seconded.

I’m not a fan of football (but appreciate the skill involved at a pro level) but Lineker has always come across as one of the decent ones who survived a playing career without any issues. He does have a habit of calling things out correctly IMO and this latest tweet is spot-on.

As for the BBC? They have completely forgot that being impartial is not about not commenting on stories, it’s about delivering facts and opinions on something but from multiple angles and perspectives. Give the public all the information on a clear, factual way and let them decide for themselves which is the truth. I used to hold them up as how a Public Service Broadcaster should be but over the last 10-15 years they’ve become a shell of what they can do and the politicians getting even more involved in it is the reason.

We are obviously reading different stuff and watching different TV items.

I don’t buy them, but I make a point of glancing at the headlines on newspaper stands when out shopping. There were a couple crying for Lineker’s head earlier this week. I think the Sun may have been one of them, I’m not 100% certain.

Something something cancel culture something.

(retweeted by David Baddiel)

That’s your clue that what is being said is just more “Jewish exceptionalism”.

Wonder how the torries/BBC felt about this guy speaking openly about it on their platform.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/bbc-question-time-asylum-policy-stop-the-boats_uk_640a4767e4b0653e296a89a7

But this is OK, right?

https://twitter.com/TIMLEWIS1985/status/1634083817001562114/photo/1

Lord Sugar ©
@Lord_Sugar
I seriously back @BorisJohnson to be the new PM. The public like him and he will have a good chance of winning the general election in 2021 if not before. Any one who can stop @jeremycorbyn from becoming PM has my backing.

Wonder how the torries/BBC felt about this guy speaking openly about it on their platform.

https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/bbc-question-time-asylum-policy-stop-the-boats_uk_640a4767e4b0653e296a89a7

There are probably several dark dank corners of tory HQ full of people working out if he’s in breach of any part of British law, so they can whisk him off to a re-education camp.

And if he isn’t in breach, they’ll look into changing the law, I give you the “Being Nasty To Cabinet Members Bill”…

Something something cancel culture something.

Lineker is just saying what we all are thinking.

I used to hold them up as how a Public Service Broadcaster should be but over the last 10-15 years they’ve become a shell of what they can do and the politicians getting even more involved in it is the reason.

And my gammony parents will say the same thing because its full of woke liberal lefties cancelling the nice government.

Lineker is just saying what we all are thinking.

Worryingly he only seems to be saying what some of us are thinking.

And my gammony parents will say the same thing because its full of woke liberal lefties cancelling the nice government.

Ask them for examples, that is just something that has been repeated since the 60’s and 70’s when the reality has changed a lot since that may have been true. IMO it has been an establishment neoliberal mouthpiece for most of my adult life, but the big event that really neutered it as an independent news organisation was the Hutton report in 2004. The tories have just continued to chip away at it once they came to power.

Blatant virtue signalling in my opinion. But also, who cares. No idea why everyone’s got in such a fuss about it.

virtue signalling

Is that like “woke” ?

No idea why everyone’s got in such a fuss about it.

Are you sure that “everyone’s” got in such a fuss about it?

I get the impression that plenty of people are pretty unfussed about Lineker’s tweet.

Is that like “woke” ?

Yes, just like the looney left.

Blatant virtue signalling in my opinion

I think that many of us have made it clear to you what we think of your opinions on a wide varity of issues. 😉

I absolutely approve of Lineker’s words. However, the boats are a symptom of issues in the countries the people are leaving. Those issues are growing in number and intensity while we watch on as guilty participants. Between military medling, corporate exploitation and financial enabling we in the West are at the heart of the problems that people are fleeing.

Blatant virtue signalling in my opinion. But also, who cares. No idea why everyone’s got in such a fuss about it.

Look everyone, Jambourgie’s here

Blatant attention seeking, in my opinion. 😁

Exactly!

Look everyone, Jambourgie’s here

He’s the voice of the common man/The will of the British people/Everyday working man/Common bat people.

[/url]

The ‘jewish community’ encompasses a large range of people. Some are committed left-wingers who are passionate in their anti-racism, and some are right-wingers who have profoundly racist views.

Ah, so it’s the latter that are complaining about Lineker’s Tweet?

I did Germany in the 1930’s in history at school, +40 years ago – I immediately understood what Lineker was referring to, and it wasn’t anything to do with the Holocaust.

But Mr Lineker was defended by his former England teammate John Barnes, who accused the BBC of “double standards”, claiming Mr Lineker was “encouraged” by the broadcaster to be outspoken on human rights abuses relating to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

This. He used the BBC as a platform for a highly critical attack on Qatar. The right sort of impartiality, I guess.

I virtue signalled on my bike earlier, what with being a leftist woke cycler and all that. I mean, I must be if I’m riding a bike, right? I eat tofu and read the Grauniad, whilst listening to the radio and…
Nah, I ‘signalled’ to the driver because their driving was awful. Close pass and a cut up, but no doubt to them I was just being ‘woke’. I should shut up and pay road tax, but not ride on the actual road.

Huge amount of respect for him. It shocks me that he’s the only voice we hear saying something that, to me at least, seems very obvious

Ah, so it’s the latter that are complaining about Lineker’s Tweet?

I think it’s mainly just the Tories complaining, whether they are Jewish or not makes very little difference imo.

Although they are not daft enough to attack Gary Lineker directly, preferring to express “disappointment” with his tweet, instead they are focusing on attacking the BBC which they presumably believe will be more popular.

It also amazes me that someone has to risk their job and career to say it!!!

He used the BBC as a platform for a highly critical attack on Qatar. The right sort of impartiality, I guess.

There is a big difference between attacking a foreign government and attacking the UK government.

It is not something that lefties understand though.