Home Politics & Debate
If you need urgent support, call 999 or go to your nearest A&E. To contact our Crisis Messenger (open 24/7) text THEMIX to 85258.

Is this tweet offensive?

Danny!Danny! Deactivated Posts: 560 Incredible Poster
_79175400_34c45ad5-b8d9-4fc8-a964-99b65d0e3e8d.jpg

Emily Thornberry caused a massive row by tweeting this picture. She's been forced to resign and accused of being a snob and out of touch with working people.

What do you think - offensive piece of snobbery? A silly mistake?

Is it foolish for people in the public eye to use Twitter, when one tweet can cause so much damage? (The Queen limited her first tweet to a formal:"It is a pleasure to open the Information Age exhibition today at the @ScienceMuseum and I hope people will enjoy visiting. Elizabeth R").

Comments

  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    I think it is mildly offensive. I think twitter is a useful tool for finding out what people really think. At least now people know that Ms Thornberry is a bit of a snob, happy to take the piss out of hoi polloi she's supposed to represent. :wave:
    Weekender Offender 
  • AndyAndy Deactivated Posts: 185 Helping Hand
    I understand the reasons why Emily Thornberry has resigned - but it's clearly political posturing, with the Labour party saying they are the party of the 'White Van Man'. Really? Does that mean anything or make any sense?

    Also - is the tweet or picture in itself offensive? Absolutely not. The media decided that because of the person that it came from, it was snobbish, so once again, context is everything.

    I quite like the picture, it's a very typical suburban street anywhere in England (APART from in Islington), and reflects a lot of different aspects of our culture and society. What's sad about this is how clearly in a bubble Emily Thornberry and the Labour party as a whole are.
  • Danny!Danny! Deactivated Posts: 560 Incredible Poster
    Andy wrote: »
    Also - is the tweet or picture in itself offensive? Absolutely not. The media decided that because of the person that it came from, it was snobbish, so once again, context is everything.

    That's a really good point - Nigel Farage could have tweeted exactly the same thing, and it wouldn't have been seen as offensive. So it's about the person, not the tweet.
    Andy wrote: »
    I quite like the picture, it's a very typical suburban street anywhere in England (APART from in Islington), and reflects a lot of different aspects of our culture and society. What's sad about this is how clearly in a bubble Emily Thornberry and the Labour party as a whole are.

    I think people have a rather rosy image of Islington. It's actually one of the most deprived areas in the country, with the fourth highest child poverty rate in England.
  • AndyAndy Deactivated Posts: 185 Helping Hand
    That's a good point Danny, but you can't deny that Emily Thornberry's version of Islington is much in the same vain as Tony Blair, Upper Streets and town houses.

    There was an article in the New Statesmen - http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/2014/11/tweeting-picture-house-not-act-class-warfare-whatever-sun-says - that I think makes a similar point to what I was trying to make but with a much more New Statesman hat on.
  • Danny!Danny! Deactivated Posts: 560 Incredible Poster
    I agree that she probably has a quite sheltered social environment. But I used to live in Islington, and I've seen her talking to and helping her constituents in awful situations. So I think she probably sees a lot more of the rough end of the country than a lot of the media commentators on the situation!
  • Annaarrr!!Annaarrr!! Posts: 876 Part of The Mix Family
    i don't understand, what about it is supposed to be offensive?
  • Annaarrr!!Annaarrr!! Posts: 876 Part of The Mix Family
    is she..?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Annaarrr!! wrote: »
    is she..?

    God knows what she was implying, she didn't really have time to say before Miliband went into full panic mode and told her she had resigned. I'm surprised he hasn't gone round and apologised to the homeowner in person given the rest of his spineless performance. I'd suggest that Miliband's not the man to stand up to Putin or Assad if it wasn't so obvious and that I don't think he'd even stand to the PM of Isle of Sark.
  • Annaarrr!!Annaarrr!! Posts: 876 Part of The Mix Family
    People are far too sensitive. Or just care too much about stupid pointless shit. What has happened to society?
  • SkiveSkive Posts: 15,282 Skive's The Limit
    Annaarrr!! wrote: »
    People are far too sensitive. Or just care too much about stupid pointless shit. What has happened to society?

    As an MP she should not be mocking the working class. And to do so on twitter is fucking stupid.
    Weekender Offender 
Sign In or Register to comment.