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BNP Guest-writers for Basil Brush episode

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
in Politics & Debate
http://www.bbc.co.uk/mediaselector/check/player/nol/newsid_7300000/newsid_7301800?redirect=7301840.stm&news=1&bbram=1&bbwm=1&nbwm=1&nbram=1

Seriously, I fell out of my chair in fits of incredulous laughter - how the hell did this get through to TV?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Oh for God's sake it's a slightly dodgy joke - it's hardly reminiscent of Triumph of the Will.

    a letter of complaint to the Beeb would have been more appropriate than calling in the peelers (who probably could have used the time wasted to deal with some real hate crimes)
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Why didn't the BBC have the guts to tell the morons who brought about this stupid non-complaint to piss off? How many gypsies pay the licence fee, I wonder?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Let's assume that the ones watching BBC One have a TV license, shall we, and stop sinking to Kilroy-Silk's level?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Don't have to have a tv to wath bbc, they put it online themselves.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    Don't have to have a tv to wath bbc, they put it online themselves.
    That is true, and the terms and conditions don't require a TV license, but even giving him the benefit of the doubt there, SG's point appeared to me to be that if they don't pay the license fee they are fair game for discriminatory jokes and that's beyond the pail.
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    BunnieBunnie Posts: 6,099 Master Poster
    oh dear god, it was just a joke!
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    stargalaxy wrote: »
    Why didn't the BBC have the guts to tell the morons who brought about this stupid non-complaint to piss off? How many gypsies pay the licence fee, I wonder?

    ^That.

    Fucks sake. OMG a joke that barley is even hateful on TV. Then we have racist comedians coming on later like fucking Bernand Manning.

    NEWS STORY POINTLESS. Fuck off. Leave Basil alone.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    That is true, and the terms and conditions don't require a TV license, but even giving him the benefit of the doubt there, SG's point appeared to me to be that if they don't pay the license fee they are fair game for discriminatory jokes and that's beyond the pail.

    aye, agreed.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    What was the joke, my hearing's pish today.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Basil: The chap told me I would be going on a long and difficult journey.
    Bloke: And what happened?
    Basil: He'd stolen my money and watch, I had to walk.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    Basil: The chap told me I would be going on a long and difficult journey.
    Bloke: And what happened?
    Basil: He'd stolen my money and watch, I had to walk.

    My goodness is that it? Hardly news worthy.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    piccolo wrote: »
    That is true, and the terms and conditions don't require a TV license, but even giving him the benefit of the doubt there, SG's point appeared to me to be that if they don't pay the license fee they are fair game for discriminatory jokes and that's beyond the pail.
    Way to miss the point, Piccolo. I think the BBC should introduce an Equal Opportunities Offence policy - take the piss out of everyone. That way, no one is left out.

    Let's try this again. It's a stupid complaint. It's a total waste of police time. I'm sure coppers have got better things to do than investigate something a TV character once said. I wonder if you'd be as vocal in your complaining if this was the late Bernard Manning we were talking about? Or is this simply another case of "oh, but a cute little puppet isn't supposed to say naughty things about people like that"?

    Let's say he'd taken the piss out of some Christians - would you be as vocal then? Why do I suspect your silence would be deafening?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    reinforcing negative stereotypes about people to children? I don't understand how everyone isn't a bit aghast.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    reinforcing negative stereotypes about people to children? I don't understand how everyone isn't a bit aghast.
    Because kids are going to come across these stereotypes at some point in their lives. The key is to make sure they are able to challenge such stereotypes by educating them properly, not trying to pretend such ideas don't exist.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Not if we stamp them out they won't, if we turn a bling eye they'll perpetuate, if we hard line stamp them out, they'd be gone in a generation.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    ...if we hard line stamp them out, they'd be gone in a generation.
    Translated into English, what does that actually mean?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It means, why introduce negative racial stereotypes as the norm and an accepted form of humour when we could just not?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    It means, why introduce negative racial stereotypes as the norm and an accepted form of humour when we could just not?
    In other words, pretend they never existed in the first place. What a terrifically awful idea. Germany suppressed memories of the Nazis for many years, and what happened? Neo-Nazi groups flourished. Ideas and stereotypes can only be beaten by having open debate about it, by crushing them with solid arguments. Pretending that such stereotypes don't exist is ridicilous.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Refusing to perpetuate them is different from pretending they don't and never did exist.
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    Refusing to perpetuate them is different from pretending they don't and never did exist.
    And how are you going to hide such stereotypes from them forever? You can't. Take a look at the press. Today, The Sun revealed that there's a gipsy camp a few minutes away from Olympics minister Tessa Jowell's house. It'll be all over the other newspapers tomorrow. A perfect opportunity for all those who hate stereotypes about gypsies (which will inevitably be featured prominently in the reporting) to crush them with firm arguments. But I assume you'd prefer not to take such an opportunity?
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    katralla wrote: »
    Not if we stamp them out they won't, if we turn a bling eye they'll perpetuate, if we hard line stamp them out, they'd be gone in a generation.

    So you're saying some stereotypes don't have an element of truth to them...?
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Jarvey Of Suburbia wrote: »
    My goodness is that it? Hardly news worthy.

    I agree in that it doesn't seem like much, but racism against gypsy's generally goes unchallanged and that's wrong.

    If this joke had implied it were a black man rather than a gyspy that stole his wallet then there would have been uproar. I don't see much of a difference here.

    I think it's just irresponsible and thoughtless writing, but that's not to say it shouldn't be an issure.
    Weekender Offender 
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    As a website put it, better than I can:

    Racism isn't funny. Racist jokes often are.

    Get over it. If we all went out of our way not to offend people, no-one would EVER say ANYTHING to ANYONE. People need to lighten up. Possibly take real life more like you would take the internet, and not expect to be protected from everything. You go online, someone will be a dick and post something nnoying/rude/disgusting/offensive. Expect it to happen. But you don't take it seriously and run off to the internet police and go "OMG this guy he liek put GOATSE on my forum WTF! Arrest him!". You just sigh, and move on.
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Teh_Gerbil wrote: »
    Racism isn't funny. Racist jokes often are.

    That doesn't mean they're right and certainly doesn't mean racist jokes are OK on kids TV ffs.
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Skive wrote: »
    That doesn't mean they're right and certainly doesn't mean racist jokes are OK on kids TV ffs.

    Far from it. But this joke isn't specifically racist, is it? You could replace the fact it was a gypsie with ANYONE AT ALL and it would still be funny(ish, it wasn't a great joke).

    So a white middle class man does it, it is still a joke. It just happens that gypsies have a repution for such things as both fortune telling and thievery. Would though, there be this controversy if it was a joke about council estate dwelling chav children? I think not.

    Gypsies can shut up. This is television, and I bet the gypsies don't pay thier license fee. Also can we have back the Angel of the North kthx. I wanted to put rockets on it and fire it to space.
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Teh_Gerbil wrote: »
    Far from it. But this joke isn't specifically racist, is it? You could replace the fact it was a gypsie with ANYONE AT ALL and it would still be funny(ish, it wasn't a great joke).

    It is racist for the reasons you decribe below.
    Teh_Gerbil wrote: »
    It just happens that gypsies have a repution for such things as both fortune telling and thievery.


    Teh_Gerbil wrote: »
    Would though, there be this controversy if it was a joke about council estate dwelling chav children? I think not.

    No, chavs are not a race though I do think it would be very poor . Romany gypsies are a race however and have been persecuted for hundredes of years.
    Teh_Gerbil wrote: »
    Gypsies can shut up. This is television, and I bet the gypsies don't pay thier license fee.

    That's a very stupid thing to say and makes you look like a cock.
    Weekender Offender 
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Teh_Gerbil do you really think it's acceptable to call or imply that Romany gypsies are thieves?
    Weekender Offender 
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    Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    It's not acceptable - but the reaction (and the headline of this thread) did more harm than good. A letter of complaint to the BBC would have been justified, but its an over the top reaction to call in the police. The result is pretty obvious - the BBC is backed publically into a corner and refuses to back down, the police don't do anything and everyone launches into a tirade about 'thieving gypos'
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    SkiveSkive Posts: 15,286 Skive's The Limit
    Flashman's Ghost wrote: »
    It's not acceptable - but the reaction (and the headline of this thread) did more harm than good. A letter of complaint to the BBC would have been justified, but its an over the top reaction to call in the police. The result is pretty obvious - the BBC is backed publically into a corner and refuses to back down, the police don't do anything and everyone launches into a tirade about 'thieving gypos'

    The police shouldn't have been called but it is racism, and racist jokes on kids TV is a news story I think.

    An Teh Gerbils comments just go to show how people still think it's acceptable to be racist as long as it's aimed at Romanies, so it is an issue and it deserves discussion.
    Weekender Offender 
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    Teh_GerbilTeh_Gerbil Posts: 13,332 Born on Earth, Raised by The Mix
    Skive wrote: »
    The police shouldn't have been called but it is racism, and racist jokes on kids TV is a news story I think.

    An Teh Gerbils comments just go to show how people still think it's acceptable to be racist as long as it's aimed at Romanies, so it is an issue and it deserves discussion.

    Did I say that? No. I didn't. I said the joke would still be funny with any group put there, and that gypsies have a repution for this.

    The English have a reputation for being louts and drunks. Do we complain when this is expressed on TV? The Germans have plenty of people still mocking them for the Nazis. The Russians still get called communist dogs. The Americans... well, there is more comedy material there than anyone could need.

    So. When I have seen childrens shows often making material from other groups, not least Noddy, this sudden uproar here... is a bit pointless. What makes gypsies excluded from the common treatment everyone gets? Can they join Israel in this little club now?

    Sigh. If Gypsies want a good reputation, they should organise themselves better and exclude and grass up to the cops the groups amounst them that are the theiving cunts. This is the problem - they are too protective of thier own, even when they DO commit crimes. This is why people dislike them. Follow the example much of the Islamic community has set, with many helping the authorities in cases of possible terrorists.
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