From: Robert Henderson on
As part of their World Cup build-up last night (8 June) BBC R5 devoted
90 minutes (8-9.30 pm) to debating the question "Do you have to support
England if you're English?" in what they called their Sporting Moral
Maze.

There was a panel of three: An Asian Matthew Syed, an Observer
journalist Will Buckley and Prof Ellis Cashmore who has the glory of
holding the Chair of Culture Media and Sport at that world renowned
place of higher learning Staffordshire University.

I think we can all agree that is a pretty standard BBC panel for
designed to ensure the "right" pc message gets across, with not a single
unambiguously patriotic Englishman on it. Just to make absolutely sure
the panel was chaired by a BBC staffer Eleanor Oldroyd.

Buckley and Cashmoor were extremely disturbed by the idea of English
patriotism and spent the whole programme saying how dangerous it was to
allow the English to have what is allowed to every other people on
earth, to show pride in their country for that could so easily slip from
patriotism to nationalism, that favourite liberal bigot misuse of
language because there is no difference between patriotism and
nationalism. Their hatred of the very idea of English patriotism drove
them to say such things as "Being English means supporting the underdog
so I shall be happy to see an African side win" and "The World Cup is a
celebration of diversity and that is what is important not the winning"
and "I can support the team which is most aesthetically pleasing".

Syed was the propaganda trump card. Oldroyd introduced him as being
wholly in favour of saying yes to the question "Do you have to support
England if you're English?" Being Asian he inevitably kept commenting on
his experiences of racism but the really clever propaganda ploy was the
fact that far from being in favour of English patriotism he was merely
the vehicle for the increasingly used pc tactic of "managing" English
national feeling by defining what patriotism is permitted within very
narrow limits, the limits being in this case an "inclusive" patriotism
which included everyone living in England.

Phone calls from the public were dotted throughout the 90 minutes. I
tried to get on but without success - the phone cut out with a message
saying there was no one to answer after thirty seconds or so which
suggests that they had lined up their callers before the programme
started.

I waited and waited or an authentic unambiguous English caller. The
first caller was suprise surprise a mixed race man of white and black
parentage. He wasn't supporting England. There were several other
ethnic minority callers. Then we had a white Chelsea supporter who is a
regular on phone-ins who invariably pushes the club before country
line. Any bets against his phone number featuring in R5 journos' phone
books? He was followed by a white England supporter who had lived most
of his adult life in Germany.

Finally, around five minutes from the end an articulate white
workingclass man got on the programme and asked why it was that the
programme existed because no one but the English were ever asked to
justify their patriotism. There was much spluttering by the panel who
were getting much the worst of things. At this point Oldroyd did what
any BBC presenter worth their politically correct salt does in such
situations, cut the caller off.

Truly, a textbook example of BBC balance. RH



--
Robert Henderson
Personal website: http://www.anywhere.demon.co.uk
From: Flotillagate on
On Jun 9, 7:44 am, Robert Henderson <phi...(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk>
wrote:
> As part of their World Cup build-up last night (8 June) BBC R5 devoted
> 90 minutes (8-9.30 pm) to debating the question  "Do you have to support
> England if you're English?" in what they called their Sporting Moral
> Maze.
>
> There was a panel of three: An Asian Matthew Syed, an Observer
> journalist Will Buckley and Prof Ellis Cashmore who has the glory of
> holding  the Chair of  Culture Media and Sport at that world renowned
> place of higher learning Staffordshire University.
>
>   I think we can all agree that is a pretty standard BBC panel for
> designed to ensure the "right" pc message gets across, with not a single
> unambiguously patriotic Englishman on it. Just to make absolutely sure
> the panel was chaired by a BBC staffer Eleanor Oldroyd.
>
> Buckley and Cashmoor  were extremely disturbed by the idea of English
> patriotism and spent the whole programme  saying how dangerous it was to
> allow the English to have what is allowed to every other people on
> earth, to show pride in their country for that could so easily slip from
> patriotism to nationalism, that favourite liberal bigot misuse of
> language because there is no difference between patriotism and
> nationalism.  Their hatred of the very idea of English patriotism drove
> them to say such things as "Being English means  supporting the underdog
> so I shall be happy to see an African side win"  and "The World Cup is a
> celebration of diversity and that is what is important not the winning"
> and "I can support the team which is most aesthetically pleasing".
>
> Syed was the propaganda trump card. Oldroyd introduced him as being
> wholly in favour of saying yes to the question "Do you have to support
> England if you're English?" Being Asian he inevitably kept commenting on
> his experiences of racism  but the really clever propaganda ploy was the
> fact that far from being in favour of English patriotism he was merely
> the vehicle for the increasingly used pc tactic of "managing" English
> national feeling by defining what patriotism is permitted within very
> narrow limits, the limits being in this case an "inclusive" patriotism
> which included everyone living in England.
>
> Phone calls from the public were dotted throughout the 90 minutes. I
> tried to get on but without success - the phone cut out with a message
> saying there was no one to answer after thirty seconds or so which
> suggests that they had lined up their callers before the programme
> started.
>
> I waited and waited or an authentic unambiguous English caller.  The
> first caller was suprise surprise a mixed race man of white and black
> parentage.  He wasn't supporting England.  There were several other
> ethnic minority callers. Then we had a white Chelsea supporter who is a
> regular on phone-ins who  invariably  pushes the club before country
> line. Any bets against  his phone number featuring in R5 journos' phone
> books?   He was followed by a white England supporter who had lived most
> of his adult life in Germany.
>
> Finally, around five minutes from the end an articulate white
> workingclass man got on the programme and asked why it was that the
> programme existed because no one but the English were ever asked to
> justify their patriotism. There was much spluttering by the panel who
> were getting much  the worst of things. At this point Oldroyd did what
> any BBC presenter worth their politically correct salt does in such
> situations, cut the caller off.
>
> Truly, a textbook example of BBC balance.  RH
>
> --
> Robert Henderson
> Personal website:http://www.anywhere.demon.co.uk

BRAZIL!
From: Paul C on
"Robert Henderson" <philip(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
news:Ou3SFZIuoyDMFwwq(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk...

>
> Finally, around five minutes from the end an articulate white workingclass
> man got on the programme and asked why it was that the programme existed
> because no one but the English were ever asked to justify their
> patriotism.

That's odd because during the last World Cup I recall lots of Scots (Andy
Murray, for example) getting vile abuse from the English for not showing
patriotism to England.

From: Farmer Giles on

"Paul C" <paul(a)thersgb.net> wrote in message
news:878rkuFufhU1(a)mid.individual.net...
> "Robert Henderson" <philip(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
> news:Ou3SFZIuoyDMFwwq(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk...
>
>>
>> Finally, around five minutes from the end an articulate white
>> workingclass man got on the programme and asked why it was that the
>> programme existed because no one but the English were ever asked to
>> justify their patriotism.
>
> That's odd because during the last World Cup I recall lots of Scots (Andy
> Murray, for example) getting vile abuse from the English for not showing
> patriotism to England.

As usual, your prejudices are playing tricks with your memory.

No-one would expect Andy Murray to be patriotic to England - simply because
he isn't English. He was criticised for his comments about England, but that
is a different matter. And the only 'Vile abuse' that is regularly dished
out is against England on that Little Scotlander ng that you and you little
gang of mates permanently infest.


From: Robert Henderson on
In message <878rkuFufhU1(a)mid.individual.net>, Paul C <paul(a)thersgb.net>
writes
>"Robert Henderson" <philip(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk> wrote in message
>news:Ou3SFZIuoyDMFwwq(a)anywhere.demon.co.uk...
>
>>
>> Finally, around five minutes from the end an articulate white
>>workingclass man got on the programme and asked why it was that the
>>programme existed because no one but the English were ever asked to
>>justify their patriotism.
>
>That's odd because during the last World Cup I recall lots of Scots
>(Andy Murray, for example) getting vile abuse from the English for not
>showing patriotism to England.


There was a piece I missed out. Scotchmen in the form of "ordinary
members of the public" were wheeled on to say how much they hated
England and how they always supported the side England were playing. RH
--
Robert Henderson
Personal website: http://www.anywhere.demon.co.uk