Discussion
Nigel Worc's said:
On the basis that anyone offended by a statement like that shouldn't be doing the job of a security guard, especially at an airport, where they revel in being complete arses.
I have actually made the same remark myself, when they really did confiscate my small unopened bottle of lucozade, at Birmingham airport, despite all the documentation I carry.
Also, bear in mind the chap is 75 years old, and almost certainly, like myself, he will not bow down to this liberal PC crap.
I am surprised, but perhaps I shouldn't be, that people would support his arrest.
Sums it all up beautifully.I have actually made the same remark myself, when they really did confiscate my small unopened bottle of lucozade, at Birmingham airport, despite all the documentation I carry.
Also, bear in mind the chap is 75 years old, and almost certainly, like myself, he will not bow down to this liberal PC crap.
I am surprised, but perhaps I shouldn't be, that people would support his arrest.
9mm said:
I'm not trying to pick an argument but is it really a reasonable assumption that he was suggesting muslims = terrorists? I'd have thought it was more a failed attempt to make a joke that the only people that routinely remove their shoes as part of a ritual are muslims. He wasn't a muslim so why should he? Having said that, we all know why shoes are inspected and the fact remains that muslims seem to have been the ones doing all the blowing up of things and people.
I think given the purpose as to why he was removing his shoes it's more likely to be what I suspect. Personally, I aim to criminalise verbal expression as little as possible.
It's worth nothing the word "insulting" was removed from S.5 of the Public Order Act relatively recently with the purpose of lessening the impact on expression.
9mm said:
Question for you. Is is acceptable to make any jokes about Islam?
A fair comment, and yes I think all subjects should be mock-able, including Jesus (I'm a Christian) Buddha, prophet Muhammed etc... All should be fair and equal game. I stand by my previous comment, we can't use double standards of getting morally outraged at someone burning poppies or saying they are pleased our troops died, and then defend someone who insinuated that all Muslims are all terrorist. Both are ignorant, offensive and should not be condoned.
Freedom of speech works both ways, just like the legal protection for people's beliefs does.
g3org3y said:
*shrug*
Man from Essex in making typical Essex type remark.
I've worked in Essex for the last 5 years, this is commonplace. I've no doubt sometimes there are racist undertones but for the most part it is a combination of ignorance and misplaced humour.
Oi. I'm from Essex. I feel victimised, offended and abused. Man from Essex in making typical Essex type remark.
I've worked in Essex for the last 5 years, this is commonplace. I've no doubt sometimes there are racist undertones but for the most part it is a combination of ignorance and misplaced humour.
Mk3, quick, arrest him! I pay your wages, etc etc
OpulentBob said:
g3org3y said:
*shrug*
Man from Essex in making typical Essex type remark.
I've worked in Essex for the last 5 years, this is commonplace. I've no doubt sometimes there are racist undertones but for the most part it is a combination of ignorance and misplaced humour.
Oi. I'm from Essex. I feel victimised, offended and abused. Man from Essex in making typical Essex type remark.
I've worked in Essex for the last 5 years, this is commonplace. I've no doubt sometimes there are racist undertones but for the most part it is a combination of ignorance and misplaced humour.
Mk3, quick, arrest him! I pay your wages, etc etc
Our media is so centralised to the major cities that there is the impression of beautiful multicultural melting pots throughout the UK. Tbh, IME of travelling around the UK, that's not the case. Get out of London and comments such as the one in question are commonplace and generally devoid of nasty/racist undertones (that's not to say some racism doesn't exist). Often it's simple ignorance and an inability to engage brain before mouth.
I remember being told once that I spoke very good English for a brown person. Hurrah for me!
Andehh said:
A fair comment, and yes I think all subjects should be mock-able, including Jesus (I'm a Christian) Buddha, prophet Muhammed etc... All should be fair and equal game.
Uh, oh...fatwa alert.You might like to hide in your cellar. Give me a minute, I've got Salman Rushdie's email address somewhere....
Andehh said:
.... and then defend someone who insinuated that all Muslims are all terrorist.
The word "all" in the above sentence is completely wrong. He said that as he wasn't a Muslim there was no need to take his shoes off, inferring that he wasn't going to blow the plane out the sky.
That is NOT equal to "All Muslims are terrorists" it is equal to saying "Terrorists are vastly more likely to follow the Islamic faith so there is no point in searching me as i'm not a Muslim".
Which, as pointed out earlier, is actually factually bob on at present.
For info though I DO want our security services to religiously profile people and spend greater time analysing those who are of a religion of greater risk i.e. Islamic faith, if that makes me a filthy racist so be it.
Mk3Spitfire said:
Causing Harrasment alarm or distress however is, like it or not, a separate matter and could well be illegal.
Agreed, although I'm not at all sure that this does constitute harassment, alarm or distress (as opposed to being a bit of a knob, which the guy clearly was).I do think the comment was racist as well (and anyone who defines racism as solely biological rather than also founded in cultural or religious differences based is using semantics to try to get around the obvious harm caused), but racism isn't illegal: racially aggravated crimes are.
So, no real sympathy for the guy over his arrest but unpleasant and unacceptable conduct of the kind that could and should get you sacked from a workplace, for instance, is not necessarily criminal.
Mk3Spitfire said:
Causing Harrasment alarm or distress however is, like it or not, a separate matter and could well be illegal.
You know, all this stuff must be causing you plod types a good deal of harassment, alarm and distress.As a consequence, I think you would be justified in arresting the whole of Parliament for causing your malady.
mybrainhurts said:
You know, all this stuff must be causing you plod types a good deal of harassment, alarm and distress.
As a consequence, I think you would be justified in arresting the whole of Parliament for causing your malady.
They're too busy being run into by people "out for a jog".As a consequence, I think you would be justified in arresting the whole of Parliament for causing your malady.
Mk3Spitfire said:
neil1jnr said:
Exactly this!
It never has been and still isnt. It's only 9mm who has insinuated this. Causing Harrasment alarm or distress however is, like it or not, a separate matter and could well be illegal.fangio said:
Nigel Worc's said:
On the basis that anyone offended by a statement like that shouldn't be doing the job of a security guard, especially at an airport, where they revel in being complete arses.
I have actually made the same remark myself, when they really did confiscate my small unopened bottle of lucozade, at Birmingham airport, despite all the documentation I carry.
Also, bear in mind the chap is 75 years old, and almost certainly, like myself, he will not bow down to this liberal PC crap.
I am surprised, but perhaps I shouldn't be, that people would support his arrest.
Sums it all up beautifully.I have actually made the same remark myself, when they really did confiscate my small unopened bottle of lucozade, at Birmingham airport, despite all the documentation I carry.
Also, bear in mind the chap is 75 years old, and almost certainly, like myself, he will not bow down to this liberal PC crap.
I am surprised, but perhaps I shouldn't be, that people would support his arrest.
Gassing Station | Speed, Plod & the Law | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff