Another kicking for Boris Johnson

[Kuciwalker]

And that post confirms it

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by *End Is Forever*


I read the comments from Mrs Lawrence with interest. I also read James Cleverly's response to them. I agree with Cleverly.

Yes, what could possibly make Mrs. Lawrence's views on Boris Johnson germane.

After all, this is only the man, who in his privileged position as M.P. and well-paid media operator (on the Telegraph, The Spectator) mocked the investigation into the causes of Stephen Lawrence's death (who just happened to be Mrs. Lawrence's son) and somehow failed to spot that institutionalized racism in the police force might have had some slight bearing on the mishandling of the murder investigation.

The same man who employed a 'journalist', although perhaps 'scribbler' would be a better description, whose racist views outdo even those of Mr. Johnson.

Diane Abbott is a partisan Labour MP

Imagine. Is she also perhaps slightly black, and does she live in and represent a London constituency ?

Mr. Cleverly- now was he ever a failed Conservative candidate ? Or perhaps, following your wording, should that read a failed 'partisan Conservative candidate' ?

If she thinks Johnson's views are so unacceptable, surely they were equally unacceptable for him to hold when he was (a) MP for Henley, (b) shadow culture spokesman and (c) shadow higher education spokesman?

Remind me- where does Mrs. Lawrence live ? Not in Henley, methinks.

And unbelievably, Mrs. Lawrence has been trying to cope with the murder and the aftermath of the murder of her son, with the failure of a police investigation into his death and with the failure of a prosecution of the men arrested in connection with his death.

Perhaps she should have criticised Mr. Johnson's antediluvian views on race when he made them, but I'm not aware there's a time limit on criticising stupidity and ignorance.

Johnson wasn't running for Mayor of London at the time he made the comments either, and unlike Johnson, Mrs. Lawrence isn't a well-paid, over-educated media 'personality'.

All the better for her...

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by C0ckney


true. however taking quotes out of context from a 5 year old article, in a lame attempt to paint someone as a racist clearly is.

I'm sorry you find the subject of racism boring. If only Mrs. Lawrence had the luxury of doing so....

I'm not sure what good would have been served in quoting the whole article- demonstrating Johnson's lack of subtlety and what a waste an Eton/Oxbridge education clearly was ?

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Lazerus


Why is Boris a racist in this case and not just "foolish on this occasion" ?

Because he made statements directly related to people's ethnicity.

Because given his own statements about his 'diverse' ancestry, one might expect a greater sensitivity about race, ethnicity and racial stereotyping from someone who describes himself as a one-man melting pot.

Instead we get the kind of language that one would expect from particularly dense 'Imperial' political commentators circa 1895, not someone hoping to be Mayor of a major world city with a diverse ethnic makeup and a significant population of Afro-Caribbean and African citizens and residents.

[molly bloom]

Originally posted by Lazerus
I agree with the media tart comment.

Yeah, she's everywhere- 'Have I Got News For You', 'The Daily Telegraph', 'The Spectator'- oh, wait, that's non-media tart Boris Johnson.

Her opinion is less valid then the bloke who runs my local fish and chip shop .

Her opinion is ' less valid ' because Boris Johnson wants to be Mayor of the city she lives in and he thinks that referring to the inhabitants of places such as Papua New Guinea and the Congo with racial and cultural stereotypes that would have fitted in neatly with the thinking of Kipling and Rhodes is somehow suitable for the 21st Century ?


I look forward with great amusement to his rendition of 'You've Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two' to the Chief Rabbi and to his asking 'Where's Gunga Din ?' if he visits a Hindu temple.

Should go down a treat.

...since she'll be clouded by emotion and yet she's held on a platform and used by anybody who wants a figurehead to further their cause.

Yeah. That stupid Mrs. Lawrence- two strikes and she's out. Firstly she's female, so obviously less clever than the man who runs your local chip shop and emotional to boot, and secondly, she's a black woman !

It's been downhill since they were liberated and given the vote.

Clearly she can't think logically and certainly can't think for herself.


Unlike those black women, Oona King, Diane Abbott and, erm, Condoleeza Rice....

[*End Is Forever*]

See, Molly, your argument would be stronger if you didn't persist in taking people's words completely out of context.

Remind me- where does Mrs. Lawrence live ? Not in Henley, methinks.

Perhaps she should have criticised Mr. Johnson's antediluvian views on race when he made them, but I'm not aware there's a time limit on criticising stupidity and ignorance.

Johnson wasn't running for Mayor of London at the time he made the comments either, and unlike Johnson, Mrs. Lawrence isn't a well-paid, over-educated media 'personality'.

All the better for her...

Of course, if you'd actually bothered to read my post at all, you'd know that I wasn't referring to Doreen Lawrence with those comments at all. They were in reference to Diane Abbott, who (as I pointed out) has been a colleague of Boris Johnson's in Parliament for a number of years. Surely if she thought he was a racist or encouraged racism, she would have spoken up as soon as she realised.

There are only two conclusions. Either Ms Abbott thinks that Boris is racist, but that it's okay to be racist while MP for a semi-rural constituency and a shadow Parliamentary spokesman. Alternatively, it's a straightforward partisan political smear and can be safely ignored. Which is it, Molly? You clearly think Boris is racist, so why does Ms Abbott think it didn't matter when he was higher education spokesman?

[Lazerus]

Because he made statements directly related to people's ethnicity.

Ditto Livingstone.

Instead we get the kind of language that one would expect from particularly dense 'Imperial' political commentators circa 1895

Parody.

Yeah, she's everywhere- 'Have I Got News For You', 'The Daily Telegraph', 'The Spectator'- oh, wait, that's non-media tart Boris Johnson.

Boris uses the media, the media uses Mrs Lawrence.

Yeah. That stupid Mrs. Lawrence- two strikes and she's out. Firstly she's female, so obviously less clever than the man who runs your local chip shop and emotional to boot, and secondly, she's a black woman !

It's been downhill since they were liberated and given the vote.

*snore* get over yourself, she's got a dead son, that would affect most. I say the same thing for men who turn around and say all wars are wrong because their brother got killed.

[C0ckney]

Originally posted by molly bloom


I'm sorry you find the subject of racism boring. If only Mrs. Lawrence had the luxury of doing so....

I'm not sure what good would have been served in quoting the whole article- demonstrating Johnson's lack of subtlety and what a waste an Eton/Oxbridge education clearly was ?

weak and pathetic. rather like the attempts to portray boris johnson as a racist...

are you sure you don't work for the labour party molly?

[Agathon]

Originally posted by Kuciwalker
And that post confirms it

Aha... I just owned you.

Since you are at university, you should be aware of the distinction between mentioning a word and using it. If you took philosophy, you would understand this obvious and crucial distinction.

However, you have chosen to wallow in the mire of ignorance.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Iain- I'm going to pin you down on this one. Are you going to condone Boris's references to "piccaninnies"?

I suspect you aren't, because I suspect you've got more sense. Am I right?

[reds4ever]

Originally posted by Lazarus and the Gimp
Iain- I'm going to pin you down on this one. Are you going to condone Boris's references to "piccaninnies"?

"Well, year on year and taking into count underlying trends I think you'll find that Boris has become substantially less racist......"

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by Blaupanzer
Okay, for us US folk, who is Iain?

The term you are looking for is "n00b" not "US folk"

[Kuciwalker]

Originally posted by Agathon
Aha... I just owned you.

Since you are at university, you should be aware of the distinction between mentioning a word and using it. If you took philosophy, you would understand this obvious and crucial distinction.

However, you have chosen to wallow in the mire of ignorance.

Truly, I am bested

[kittenOFchaos]

Originally posted by Krill
Given the choice between Boris and any for any position I'll take Boris. Hell, Boris for PM

Boris is a rah-ya who is sometimes funny for his buffoonery, that doesn't mean you should vote him into a position of some power and influence.

Given that he can't help offending people for no good reason, he isn't the sort of person that should be heading up a city such as London where being politically astute and sensitive to peoples feelings matters. In fact, Boris would just be a useless liability in high office and an embarrassment, Chris Patton for Mayor of London in my dreams, a man of intelligence and ability in office.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

Chris Patton would make a good choice. He's an effective diplomat.