This is about the Tory Homeland Security spokesman Patrick Mercer and his comments about the army. For those who don't know about it, have a quick read here. He has basically said that
he had met "a lot" of "idle and useless" ethnic minority soldiers who used racism as a "cover".
and that:
"If someone is slow on the assault course, you'd get people shouting: 'Come on you fat bastard, come on you ginger bastard, come on you black bastard.'"
Subsequently he was forced to resign his post, without getting too entrenched in the topic (since it isn't exactly what I wanted to discuss) while I don't fully condone what he said I don't think it required him to have resigned. I think his comments were not one of personal belief but of personal observation (Whether right or wrong is not what has been debated) and rather than it being an issue of him being a racist I think its more of a case of a bad phrasing of words and his statement being chopped up and taken out of context.
Whether its racist or not is not the point, its the fact that there is obvious discrimination within the army. A more liberal approach is needed I think, all forms of discrimination is wrong, but not because you’re black/gay/female/disabled/ginger but because it is discrimination.
But thats not what has really ticked me off...
On Thursday Newsnight interviewed a Tory representative to discuss the issue. Despite being in reference to Mercer's comments, the debate focused on one section of Mercers comments. The debate became rather heated and as it continued instead of it being a debate about Mercer it became a opinion struggle over the acceptability of certain terms, "Black bastard", "fat bastard", "ginger bastard". I think a comment posted on the BBC website pretty much sums up my feelings on the proceedings of that debate:
On Newsnight the Tory spokesman implied that it was OK for soldiers to be called 'ginger bastards' but not 'black bastards'.
He criticised Mercer for giving equity to the two remarks. All my family have ginger hair and are disgusted that all sorts of groups of people who are considered different in some respect are given special consideration, but 'anti-ginger' comments are treated as a joke and we are expected to just accept them. All of my children have had to put up with totally unprovoked remarks at school and on the street.
We can no more change our natural appearance than any any other group. many are now protected by law or the regime of political correctness at least, Mr Tory Spokesman, give us the same consideration or keep your mouth shut
So instead of taking a stand on ALL forms of discrimination the tory rep decided to attack the use of racial slurs being used on EQUAL terms to that of other derogatory terms, as if just because the other terms were not racist they were therefore more acceptable/a bit of a joke. WELL THEY'RE NOT. Discrimination is discrimination no matter what the form it takes and is just as valid.
It rather annoyed me... as a redhead I have been a recipient of unwarranted hate... Surely I deserve the same support against discrimination as the "proper" forms of discrimination?
Phew...
So until next time
Nic
GingaNic's PARTY COMPETITION
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