Jeremy Clarkson

[Guest birdog]

I think the main thing we can take from this thread is that people will always find offence in different things and this country, whilst trying to do it's best, have certainly crossed the line in being overly PC. What offends me obviously does not offend others but others find offence in something which I find quite amusing.

It is my firm belief that Jeremy Clarkson in no way intended to be racist with that comment and I do believe that he intended to have a personal dig at Gordon Brown and I cannot fault the man on that score. I find this debate as laughable as the Catholic church suddenly deciding that a song about ice cream written 50 to 60 years ago is a dig at them and therefore demanding that anyone singing it should face prosecution.

[HumbersideDude]

The fact he is Scottish is neither here nor there . In the context used it implies all Scots are idiots , so it is racist IMHO .

I dont believe that the context makes it racist. He is only stating to Australian press that england is being run by a Scotsman, and as an englishman he, and many like him , are peed off about this. Just as some Scots would be if an englishman was First Minister. He is trying to show the Australians how rediculous our political set up is in the UK

Maybe the fact some Scots find whats been said offensive and racist, maybe he may have a point in some cases..

[exgrover]

The fact he is Scottish is neither here nor there . In the context used it implies all Scots are idiots , so it is racist IMHO .

I dont believe that the context makes it racist. He is only stating to Australian press that england is being run by a Scotsman, and as an englishman he, and many like him , are peed off about this. Just as some Scots would be if an englishman was First Minister. He is trying to show the Australians how rediculous our political set up is in the UK

Maybe the fact some Scots find whats been said offensive and racist, maybe he may have a point in some cases..

Gordon Brown is the P.M. of the U.K of which England is of no more than a constituent part.

Prior to Brown the other constituent parts of the U.K.had to put up with about seventy years of English Prime Ministers,the majority of which were not particularly good.Perhaps the English are a little bit precious about the current situation.

[Guest birdog]

The English are well pyshed off that we in Scotland have a devolved parliament, working in the industry I do I have heard loads of grumbles about how unbalanced the situation is. This does not detract from the fact that any citizen of the UK can and should have equal opportunity to become prime minister.

[exgrover]

Most of the grumbles are instigated by the Conservative newspapers who carry out a daily anti -Scottish diatribe to stir up their internet posters,in the hope of dislodging Brown.The same type of brainwashing by the press managed to dislodge the last half dozen England international football managers by convincing their public that they were idiots ,in the same manner as they are now doing with Brown.

[Guest birdog]

I hate dragging threads off topic but I have been hearing the grumbles since before our first parliament sat together, pretty much as soon as we voted for devolution.

[exgrover]

I suppose it makes a change from their grumbles about the French,Germans, Americans or Italians .

Just wait until the Welsh threaten them with a potential candidate for P.M.

[Renegade]

The fact he is Scottish is neither here nor there . In the context used it implies all Scots are idiots , so it is racist IMHO .

No it doesn't.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

The fact he is Scottish is neither here nor there . In the context used it implies all Scots are idiots , so it is racist IMHO .

No it doesn't.

Yes it does .

[Renegade]

No it doesn't

[Yngwie]

I can see where this is going!

[tm4tj]

No you can't!

[starchief]

Don't have too much problem with the Scottish part as it's probably a bad attempt at being funny. What I'd expect from Clarkson...

I do have a problem with the one-eyed part. And yes, I accept he's got one eye but it's being used as a slur, not as a description. So what if he lost an eye? Does that make him an idiot? Of course not! But it is being used as an attack and I'm not in favour of attacking disabilities.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

Don't have too much problem with the Scottish part as it's probably a bad attempt at being funny. What I'd expect from Clarkson...

I do have a problem with the one-eyed part. And yes, I accept he's got one eye but it's being used as a slur, not as a description. So what if he lost an eye? Does that make him an idiot? Of course not! But it is being used as an attack and I'm not in favour of attacking disabilities.

By your reckoning its ok to have a go at someone over their nationality but not their disability , both wrong and out of order in this day and age .

[Yngwie]

As my old mate Erasmus texted me when Brown became PM, "in regione caecorum rex est luscus".

[Ritchie Sacramento]

Clarkson strikes me as a bit of a ****.

[HumbersideDude]

Clarkson strikes me as a bit of a ****.

He is a bit of an **** and a *******, that is why he shouldn't be taken so seriously.

[CaleyD]

What's racist in describing someone as Scottish? At no point did his statement say that all Scots were idiots (or had one eye) and even if he did, it's still not racist. It might be a generalisation, and it might be considered insulting...you could even argue that it was ill-advised, but I think we're pushing things way too far to suggest it was racist.

[Jay_7]

I'm going to join the "I can't see what the fuss is about" brigade on this one.

To quote Frankie Boyles impression of Brown: "You thought Blair was a c**t?! Watch this...".

In fact I'm pretty sure Brown will be more offended at being labelled Scottish than the one eyed idiot part...

[Johnboy]

What's racist in describing someone as Scottish? At no point did his statement say that all Scots were idiots (or had one eye) and even if he did, it's still not racist. It might be a generalisation, and it might be considered insulting...you could even argue that it was ill-advised, but I think we're pushing things way too far to suggest it was racist.

rac?ism (rszm)

n.

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

If he hadn't used the word "Scottish" his comment would have been fine by me...

[Jay_7]

rac?ism (rszm)

n.

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

If he hadn't used the word "Scottish" his comment would have been fine by me...

But Brown doesn't consider himself to be Scottish. He considers himself to be northern British...

[CaleyD]

Johnboy, the use of the word Scottish is merely an identifying factor. He's not saying that he's an idiot because he is Scottish.

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

What's racist in describing someone as Scottish? At no point did his statement say that all Scots were idiots (or had one eye) and even if he did, it's still not racist. It might be a generalisation, and it might be considered insulting...you could even argue that it was ill-advised, but I think we're pushing things way too far to suggest it was racist.

rac?ism (rszm)

n.

1. The belief that race accounts for differences in human character or ability and that a particular race is superior to others.

2. Discrimination or prejudice based on race.

If he hadn't used the word "Scottish" his comment would have been fine by me...

Nail on the head Johnboy .

[Johnboy]

"One eyed" and "stupid" is more than enough identification as far as GB's concerned...

There was no need to mention he was Scottish... by doing so he was implying that there exists some kind of association between the Scots race and the one eyed and stupid.

I've clearly won this debate CD....Can we close this thread now and move on? :thumb04:

Thanks...

Jb

[DALNEIGHCALEY]

To put another twist on it , would it be racist if he said " a one eyed pakistani idiot " ?