UPDATE 5:
I've decided to remove the post featuring jokes from Sean Boscott's Twitter account from this blog because, while they reveal the singular unpleasantness of whomever wrote them, their posting no longer serves its purpose.
Mr Boscott claims his Twitter account was hacked for seven months and he wasn't responsible for the jokes. It's a claim I don't believe for a moment as his account was linked to Facebook pages and it was only after people started noticing months worth of these nasty oneliners that this feeble excuse emerged. All of a sudden, despite interacting with his followers just days ago, his Twitter feed became private, endless topless photographs vanished and Facebook pages were altered.
I dislike mobs and initially I posted the jokes to point out to those who were joining his Facebook page what sort of character was behind it. It wasn't a great political point, just an interesting nugget as far as I was concerned.
I know nothing about the people who signed up to the page, which included some of my personal friends, but while I gather there is some unpleasant racist material featured I'm sure the vast majority simply signed up in reaction to the appalling violence on England's streets we have recently witnessed.
But now there are Facebook pages calling for Sean Boscott to be arrested for the nasty jokes; clearly an overreaction and another demonstration of mob justice I dislike so much.
So blogpost removed. If anyone wants to read the jokes and be offended all over again other blogs have put them together with much more dedication. I've still got it of course as well as about a month's worth of @SeanBoscott's Twitter feed, should it ever prove useful. And I'll leave the discussion below for people to argue if they should so wish.
What do the Eurosceptics actually want?
4 days ago
124 comments:
Thank you for putting this together ... I too cannot believe he was hacked. I note that he is rapidly trying to delete negative comments and that mainstream media are trying to DM with him on Twitter
good on ya for putting this together! When I heard he was claiming he had been hacked, I did think that a look at his previous posts would shed light on things... and they have! What an absolute moronic, racist pig.
I'm not condoning the jokes but although he set the page up it is the public that have made it successful so don't bring it down just because your jealous that you think he's getting the credit when in reality we all are.. there are more than one 'support the MET' groups on facebook so I don't think Cameron was just on about his..
To the final Anonymous:
You are of course right that the support the Met groups are getting huge amounts of support and I would be flattering myself in thinking I could bring it down, even if that were my intention.
All I am doing is raising awareness of what @SeanBoscott has been writing on his Twitter feed. He claims he has been hacked, which I doubt. But I gather he will later be doing an interview and maybe he'll convince me.
I am not the only person who has raised what appear to be his old tweets but I think if they are his own work then I think it's perfectly reasonable for them to brought to people's attention and they can make their own judgment.
As for the Facebook pages, I am sure they will continue regardless and the public will keep on clicking the 'Like' button.
Nicely done sir, was going to set up something myself, but you've saved me the trouble. The "hacking" defense holds no water at all, clear cut case of being caught out.
His racist (and other equally disgusting) jokes go back way further than July. Favstar shows he's been posting them for at least 6 months: http://favstar.fm/users/SeanBoscott
he has just suspended his page.
I did join because it was a place to read and voice opinions it does not mean that I support is deas
Thanks for the comments. It is true I only picked the racist jokes as it made the point succinctly. He does of course have many others which are appallingly demeaning to women and maybe I should have included some.
What's racist and thick as pigshit?
Sean Boscott
Ooh, is this going to be a funny 'joke'?
Yes, you SHOULD have included some of the jokes made by Sean Boscott that weren't 'racist', because by posting only racist jokes and making the 'racist' link you are doing nothing but providing fodder for those on all sides of prejudice that would do anything to further their own agenda by taking even the most tenuous link and running with it.
Here's a thing: I DO condone Sean Boscott's jokes, racist or otherwise. Do you know why? Because humorous jokes, even prejudice ones, do NOT point to a prejudice ideology in the individual telling them. I know many, many people - good, law-abiding, non-prejudice people of all ages, genders, background and races - who tell tasteless jokes, and I know plenty of people - good, law-abiding, non-prejudiced people of all ages - who laugh at them. But you would rather paint him as a racist to further your own ambition. Dr Oliver Double, an expert in comedy at the University of Kent believes that tackling offensive subjects can be "a very effective tool of satire as well as a form of therapy."
All you have done with this pathetic piece of pseudo-reportage is marr something good and tarnish the massive support that has been given to the men and women of the emergency services that are helping our country in this dire time.
Well done you. I hope you're very proud of yourself. It's a shame the NOTW closed down; you'd probably have fit right in.
I take it that you are non familiar with the popular site "Sickipedia" nor of the comedians Frankie Boyle or Jimmy Carr? Near the knuckle humour (as that is how it is spelt!) is popular in the UK - whether you like it or not, if you do not like it, do not watch, read, or follow - simple! Even the beautifully eloquent Stephen Fry has cracked a few which has caused offence.
How about, instead of focussing your energy in character assassination, you go and do something useful, by locating, naming and shaming the scum who has made people's lives a misery, rather than targetting your hate at someone who has united many people, and garnered a much needed morale boost for our demoralised emergency services?
As a London resident, I would appreciate that for more than a patronising and sanctimonious goit who seems to think that they have the right to tell people what to think and what pages they should join on Facebook or Follow on Twitter.
Tell me, what have you done to help out, or boost morale in these horrific times? I can tell you this, it will be bupkis compared to the person you despise so much.
Sean Boscott has posted an interview on his FB that he did for Sun News Network. In the interview he claims he has not accessed his account for 7 months and his ex partner used it.
http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/1102911209001#.TkLqX2vaPxY.twitter
Currently 953,150 people like his page so he mst be doing some good.
Who knows what to believe!!
I have no problem with offensive jokes. Jerry Sadowitz, Derek & Clive, all fine by me. I don't think any subject should be taboo of humour, sex, religion, race, go right ahead. Richard Pryor, Lenny Bruce, fantastic.
But if you don't notice the difference between the humour demonstrated by those above & dozens of others and the 'jokes' which appeared on @SeanBoscott's Twitter feed, before they mysteriously were locked away, there is not much point arguing with you. The latter's sense of humour owes more to the Bernard Manning/Jim Davidson school. If you like that kind of thoughtless, objectionable & objectifying, brand of comedy, well, frankly, that's your problem
anyone who tells or laughs at jokes like the ones featured here is racist. End of. If you're not racist, you don't think they're funny.
Whatever brand of comedy someone enjoys is STILL not an indicator of racism. Nor any of your business, really.
@bili - Your comment is grounded in utter, abject ignorance.
To another anonymous poster, if you think Stephen Fry said anything remotely like the jokes on this page, then you don't know his material.
Otherwise, I refer you to my previous comment
So people who enjoy the same brand of comedy as you are good-to-go, people who enjoy other types are not?
Okay, glad we got that cleared up.
I don't believe I have ever said people should not enjoy any brand of comedy. To misquote Voltaire, I may not like your comedy but i'll defend to the death your right to enjoy it. But i'll still tell you you're a bloody idiot if you think Bernard Manning is funny.
And defame someone as racist on a whim, it seems.
I haven't called anyone racist at all. I've been talking about the 'jokes'.
For the record, I don't think racist jokes necessarily means someone is racist. In the same way, I don't think sexist jokes makes someone sexist, or jokes about the Welsh makes some, er, Welshist.
It's worth a RT: http://www.sunnewsnetwork.ca/video/1102911209001#.TkLqX2vaPxY.twitter
Above is the interview with @SeanBoscott in which he talks about standing up to the looters with his Facebook page and he claims his Twitter has been hacked 'for seven months' until just the last few days it seems (though when control was reestablished remains unknown).
Only fair to give the other side....
"For the record, I don't think racist jokes necessarily means someone is racist. In the same way, I don't think sexist jokes makes someone sexist, or jokes about the Welsh makes some, er, Welshist."
Well that's nice - you're not stupid.
"I haven't called anyone racist at all. I've been talking about the 'jokes'."
Oh come ON, North Briton. You are apparently a professional journalist. Despite recent goings-on, I presume that takes at least a basic level of intelligence. The implication of your blog post is crystal clear. I don't know what's worse - your attempted defamation of Sean's name, or your refusal to admit it.
Maybe a more rounded article would have been more appropriate. You may not have out and out called Sean Boscott a racist but it certainly is implied with the jokes you have chosen. How I love selective journalism!
I think he's just one of those who is naively using the jokes for attention I mean they are not even his! But unless he was a real racist or sexist or whatever then he isn't going to shout about it in a tv interview is he? And you can't tell me you or anyone you know at some point has not laughed at any form of insultive joke be it racist, sexist or not, in which case you would be lying if you do and also a hypocrite.
A 'comment' on the blog post is simply not sufficient. If your goal is balance, edit the original post or make a new one.
Preferably make a new one so anyone subscribed to your blog will see it.
I credit readers of any blog to read the comments, after all you lot read well, maybe a couple of the comments.
And as there's plenty of criticism the posting is perfectly balanced, hell even two links to @SeanBoscott's interview are included. And, someone claiming to be Sean Boscott has even commented, though the veracity cannot be proved.
As for the jokes themselves, they remain perfectly in context.
"I credit readers of any blog to read the comments."
While this would be ideal, it is not an assumption that you should make. And something that changes the nature of your empty accusations as much as the interview posted deserves a post of its own, or at the VERY minimum an edit of the main article. You were more than prepared to update it time after time after time when you found more jokes with which to defame Sean Boscott.
Shame on you.
Every article has a print deadline.
Right of reply has been met. In the updates, @SeanBoscott's defence was quoted in full and the link has been attached when it became available below.
I think the responsibility for the jokes featured, some of which were posted only at the weekend, lies somewhere else.
I guess those people choosing to believe Sean's story will also need to believe that his "partner" had sole use of Sean's Facebook page... the one he set up to publicise his Twitter, where he goes on about his filthy jokes... the one he still publicises.
I don't think that this is a hard one to get to the bottom of.
his Facebook is here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/TeamBoscott-for-Twitter/215752305135873?sk=wall&filter=1
get it whilst it's still up. He even cross-posts some of his slightly less offensive jokes.
To be fair I couldn't give a crappy about his style of jokes, I am more concerned with what is being acheived by his name and shame. So what if he tells jokes that are for some in bad taste. Lets not lose focus on what is trying to be acheived naming and shaming the looting rioting scumbags.
So apologists for the offensive Sean Boscott apparently have 3 arguments:
1. His 'jokes' are in the fine old tradition of offensive humour. They do not highlight his underlying racism and bigotry.
2. The jokes are offensive and racist but he did not tweet them. His account was not under his control for several months during which they appeared. This is Sean's own preferred explanation - which perhaps suggests he is well aware of the implicit racism.
3. His jokes are offensive. He may indeed be a racist bigot. But none of that matters when he is doing 'good work'. Well, at the risk of invoking Godwin's, you-know-who loved dogs.
You can't have it all ways. Pick a line people, pick a frickin' line.
Let's make it clear I am not appologising for him. I just don't care about his humour at all. What ever style of comedian he wishes to be is entirely up to him.
Couldnt care less. I am applauding him for the work done on the naming and shaming of little twats who think they are above the law.
Was he hacked I doubt that very much, at least be honest in the type of comedian that you are.
Just on this naming & shaming practice is it going to be based on facts or on blurry photos with mobs claiming 'well, these two look a hit similar'. Are we going to see the equivalent of paediatricians blamed as we did after lynching of paedophiles?
Ex pat In Greece.
I'm not a great fan of some of these jokes and i have heard and seen worse on the BBC and on my face book wall,after every disaster there are some very borderline jokes going about,some of the 9/11 were bad,but where jokes are there is life,life moving on and forward is good.
As for Sean,i don't care whether he is a racist,sexist. ageist, homophobic pig,for a short time,he made a group up in support of the police,i joined as i got updates every few seconds of what was happening in areas of where the troubles were.(quicker than the telegraph) People joined so they didn't feel alone,people came together in support of our police forces for the better good,yep he is enjoying the attention,but lets be honest that group,possible saved lives those few nights,the people who joined gave other people reassurance and for that i am happy i joined and if it makes me a racist pig,then so be it.
There are so many bad things going on the world but a few bad jokes get folk riled up and i bet death to banker jokes are fine right now,we cannot pick and choose what jokes are flavour of the moment,life gives us the choice of what to listen too and enjoy.
He is not a saint far from it,but who is but his group did a great job and for some reason a handful of folk,don't like it.
@ North Briton:
"Every article has a print deadline."
Pathetic. You are not writing an article for print; it's a blog. The fact that you are subjectively self-imposing an arbitrary 'print deadline' to allow yourself to keep your original article in the same obvious character-assassination style you intended it, having already edited it several times in an attempt to make Boscott look worse, speaks volumes about you.
As for the last-but-two anonymous poster...
Apologists? Really? Did you even read that before you hit the submit button?
Sean Boscott, a man who has a penchante for near-the-knuckle humour (humour that anyone who does even the smallest bit of research will know is NOT indicative of underlying prejudice) makes a Facebook group that attracts nearly a million supporters in a time of discontent and does almost unimaginable good. The vast majority of people join and support, while a few naysayers cannot bear to watch someone else getting their fifteen minutes so they create small-time, vindictive, entirely unbalanced blog-posts like this one, attempting to defame a man who has done good even while the riots are still going on and people are dying and losing their livelihoods.
What is the world coming to when a country is being torn apart by its own citizens and people have nothing better to do with their time than bitterly attempt to turn a positive into a negative? What is the world coming to when someone is so utterly swept along by - and blind to - propaganda, that they start calling those who actually understand humour and the psychology behind it 'apologists'.
The 'pick a line' finisher is -almost- golden in its display of just how ignorant a person must be to think that ALL people opposing one thing MUST be a part of the same group. They couldn't possibly have their own minds and their own quite separate reasons for supporting something now, could they? When people who are not tearing apart our streets display this level of willful stupidity, I suppose it becomes easier to accept that those that ARE tearing our streets apart really could be stupid enough to have the lines of morality blurred.
The fact your comment is still on the blog means everyone is getting a fair comment.
Your straw poll on twitter? Were you actually trying to prove anything other than the fact that people who follow your tripe generally share the same humour as you? The comedians you mention all made a living out of doing what they did, so there were obviously quite enough people who did find them funny. What would you do? Have brands of comedy you dislike banned? Or just ensure that anyone who enjoys it is demonised and defamed in a blog that claims you to be left-wing liberal?
Worse than fascist.
I was interested to see people's reactions which, I'm pleased to say were mixed. Bernard Manning got praise for his skill & timing, early Roy 'Chubby' Brown was complemented. There was universal dislike of Jim Davidson.
If you bother to read some of my previous comments you'd know I have no desire to ban anything or impose my comedy on anyone. In fact quite the opposite. I wouldn't ban any forms of comedy.
People can laugh at whatever they want. It does not mean I can't mock knuckle-headed racists.
"If you bother to read some of my previous comments you'd know I have no desire to ban anything or impose my comedy on anyone. In fact quite the opposite. I wouldn't ban any forms of comedy."
I have read some of your previous comments. That is precisely what makes this post all the more vile. It seems you are entirely willing to brand someone racist based completely on the brand of humour they like, thereby immediately posturing the humour they like as 'bad', while pretending to respect a person's right to enjoy any kind of humour they want to. You have focused solely on jokes posted and not at all on the man's well-wishes toward people of other races during this time.
10 August 2011 22:59: "I haven't called anyone racist at all. I've been talking about the 'jokes'."
11 August 2011 10:30: "People can laugh at whatever they want. It does not mean I can't mock knuckle-headed racists."
So wait, you haven't called anyone racist at all, or you are mocking a knuckle-headed racist? Which is it?
That was a fast turnaround. It took you less than twelve hours to make a 180. I take it you've been bolstered by your fellow tweeters and friends, eh? Then again, we've already seen how much a mob-mentality can downgrade the morality of the weak-minded plenty this week.
I've specifically not called anyone racist. The jokes I have published are decidedly racist, not 'near the knuckle comedy' as some contend.
Mob mentality is terrible thing and something which should be avoided while we pursue and punish those who are responsible for wrecking the streets over the last few nights.
Hey, anonymous, have you picked a line yet? You're veering all over the place old son.
"Sean Boscott, a man who has a penchante for near-the-knuckle humour"
But haven't you heard, that isn't him? He says his account was controlled for 7 months by an ex-partner.
Pick a line, bud, pick a line
This blog has devoted far more time in questioning whether the hacked Twitter account claims stands up:
http://wosblog.podgamer.com/2011/08/10/david-camerons-new-best-friend/
"I've specifically not called anyone racist."
Okay, buddy. Whatever you say. You were obviously talking about a different knuckle-headed racist.
And you're right - the jokes that YOU PUBLISHED are all decidedly racist, which is why I entirely agree with your own statement...
"It is true I only picked the racist jokes as it made the point succinctly."
Precisely. It furthers your agenda of branding the guy a racist, which I suppose is your 'succinct point'. I can't decide if your blatant admission of it is testament to stupidity or spitefulness...
"He does of course have many others which are appallingly demeaning to women and maybe I should have included some."
Ya think?
You're right again about mob mentality. It is a terrible thing. And getting caught up in it is very easy, isn't it? I suppose people would argue that you shouldn't be blamed, really. I'm not one of those people.
As for the 'pick a line' comments, yet again, I do believe I've already pointed out the abject stupidity in this statement.
If the guy is lying about his account being hacked - is it any wonder? Really? Do you think he knew his facebook group would take off the way it did? No. It has nearly a million members, and because the poor guy happened upon something that got massive public support, because his name was mentioned by David Cameron, he now has the 'media monster' after him for any small thing they can portray as a past 'transgression'. And the transgressions, might I remind you, go as far as tasteless jokes on a twitter feed, and no further.
Again, I would advise you to at least research the psychology of humour at a very basic level before you throw around words like 'racist' and potentially destroy a young man's life for your own ends.
Oh, and those presuming I'm male... is that sexism at work there?
"Again, I would advise you to at least research the psychology of humour at a very basic level before you throw around words like 'racist' and potentially destroy a young man's life for your own ends."
Priceless. Armchair academic and apologist for racism. Neat!
"If the guy is lying about his account being hacked - is it any wonder? Really?"
Yes, poor bloke. If only he'd had you on hand with cod-psychological justifications for his racist dross, he could have stood up proudly and defended his marvellously outre sense of humour.
@ the last Anonymous
Thanks for your input.
I'll keep coming back and checking whether you have anything more informed to add to this debate.
@anonymous
Happy to help. Feel free to drop by to offer more defence of racism dressed up as academia (aka 'something wot I read') anytime you like.
Ahh yes, the old "you must be racist because you defend someone's right to tell racist jokes" routine. Original.
Might I remind you that Sean Boscott did NOT tell only racist jokes, and that this blog post and others like it have been heavily skewed (as admitted by the hack that wrote it) to make it seem as though he did. I am defending a person's right to make any joke they want, to enjoy any kind of humour they want, and to not have their name besmirched and their life turned upside-down purely because their name was mentioned once by "call-me-Dave".
That you would attempt to brand me as a racist or racist-apologist rather than acknowledge and discuss this does nothing but comfort me.
Glad I'm offering you comfort.
That you dress up your apologies for racism in cod-academic justification does nothing but amuse me.
Simple solution for poor ickle Boscott - don't want to be called a racist? Don't make racist comments. Easy.
No, it's more like "don't want to be called a racist - don't make tasteless jokes of all sorts that could later be construed and hand-picked to make you look like a racist."
There is a distinct difference, and what is going on in this blog and others like it is quite frankly dangerous.
Are you seriously pretending you can't tell the difference between Jim Davidson/Bernard Manning and Frankie Boyle/Jerry Sadowitz/Lenny Bruce/Richard Pryor?
Tasteless jokes are absolute fine, indeed the tasteless the better in my mind. But there is a difference between a tasteless & offensive joke and racist bile.
This is so out of hand. People seem to be forgetting the good @seanboscott has done. I work outside all day and having his updates on Facebook was a lot quicker than sky news/ BBC news on my 3G connection. It meant I knew where riots where happening and I knew my friends were safe. To forget all of the good hes done because of a few jokes is ridiculous.
I also view 'sickipedia' and laugh at some racist/chauvinistic/insensitive jokes, not because i'm racist but because of the shock value. Political correctness has gone too far nowadays. Police didnt act as aggressively as they should have during the riots just because of risk of media accusing them of police brutality while people tore shops apart shops and started fires. It angers me so much that this can happen and then when someone tries to support the police in the difficult situation they're in, people judge him on the type of comedy he enjoys.
It's So petty. Nelson Mandela was forgiven for terrible crimes because Of the good he did... So surely we can all just get over a few jokes?
I posted this already on another page discussing this issue, and feel it is relevant here too.
"As usual, the over-analysis by someone else ager to scupper a positive message.
The group is a good idea, and the sheer volume of support shows there is no nationwide antipathy – my thoughts however concern you and your reporting here….
Interesting article, but I would be intrigued to know if you put every single joke quote in there, or whether you simply handpicked a selection of the more racist ones to prove a point… I like most jokes, afer all, it's only a sense of humour; tell me a joke about an englishman and I'll laugh just as much, provided it's funny….
Too many people looking too hard into this – the guy provided a service, people appreciated it – and while his prior jokes may be a bit n near the knuckle for many peoples taste, does it necessarily reflect the guys actual political views or stance toward society? Or could it just be that txt message mentality of cycling jokes through society? I get all kinds of jokes through on the phone: some funny, some not; some racist some not. It's in the eye of the beholder, but just because someone makes a simple remark, don't assume you know anything about his motivations and so on.
I agree with you about the statements above, they are sickening and abuseful, and have no place whatsoever in our society.
BUT, we are all aware that there is an underground racist element in this country, after all, why else would we even know the name Nick Griffin :( So when an event such as this occurs, it is commonplace knowledge that it is only a matter of time until this ugly reality rears its head. The many thousands who are not aware, or who read through these comments and feel sick, or continually clicking 'report abuse' is not enough – Facebook itself is seemingly not concerned enough with spam, abuse and racism – look at the narrow list of options when you come to report someone. Anyone who set up a group of this nature would unfortunately attract the racist posse – even if YOU had done it NorthBriton, the result would be the same… Just you would spend more time deleting and reporting than this Boscott does.
This group is being taken primarily as an informative service by many people, simply seeing what has/hasn't happened recently. So to tar these unfortunate concerned citizens with the same brush as the hideous BNP-ites is simply not on. Anyone can see from the illiterate and ignorant bile above that the views DO NOT reflect the majority of the groups members; I am sure if you copy and pasted comments sections in full, there would be numerous folk decrying and denouncing the racist propagandist bull.
Their mentalit is ignorant, shallow and unacceptable in ths country and modern society; a primitive mentality that needs to die a swift death. BUT – I will not be associated with this (just as) ignorant grouping of people together. Death by association – isn't that in the racial profiling of the past too? For all the sweet rhetoric you show, there is an element of repression within your posting too"
North Briton, I have read each and every entry down to the current one posted by Anon @ 10 August 2011 23:41 , in which he levelled the accusation that each and every update you pushed upon finding new material from Boscott's page, yet cannot find it within yourself to edit or post a new retort with a slightly more balanced viewpoint.
Why is this? You note briefly about th time constraints on publishing, but pardon m if I am wrong - an online blog is, as such, editable at ANY point in time? So why are you running from the challenge, if you feel it could indeed be valid?
Not impressed, and the credibility you had at the opening of the article is deteriorating rapidly now.
Solar, you are obviously not reading properly.
In the 2nd Update of the blog is Sean Boscott's own defence on his Facebook page and in the comments section links to the interview in which he defends himself is quoted twice, including by me.
Furthermore, there is plenty of reaction critical of myself and this blog, defending Boscott and the 'jokes' which appeared on his Twitter stream.
By its very nature a blog is more subjective than any newspaper article and yet there has been more than enough criticism than any newspaper letter's page would ever allow.
I haven't deleted or edited a single comment.
In fact, I'm just going to copy and paste it until it gets on the page for people to read.
(*this has been answered and referred to already in comments - this article is a Ctrl+V from elsewhere, I couldn't be bothered to type it all out again…)
As usual, the over-analysis by someone else ager to scupper a positive message.
The group is a good idea, and the sheer volume of support shows there is no antipathy nationwide – my thoughts however concern the irresponsible reporting here…
Interesting article, but I would be intrigued to know if you put every single joke quote in there(*), or whether you simply handpicked a selection of the more racist ones to prove a point. I like most jokes, afer all, it's only a sense of humour; tell me a joke about an englishman and I'll laugh just as much, provided it's funny….
Too many people looking too hard into this – the guy provided a service, people appreciated it – and while his prior jokes may be a bit n near the knuckle for many peoples taste, does it necessarily reflect the guys actual political views or stance toward society? Or could it just be that txt message mentality of cycling jokes through society? I get all kinds of jokes through on the phone: some funny, some not; some racist some not. It's in the eye of the beholder, but just because someone makes a simple remark, don't assume you know anything about his motivations and so on.
I agree with you about the actual statements above (not ones which are genuine jokes), they are sickening and abuseful, and have no place whatsoever in our society.
BUT, we are all aware that there is an underground racist element in this country, after all, why else would we even know the name Nick Griffin :( So when an event such as this occurs, it is commonplace knowledge that it is only a matter of time until this ugly reality rears its head. he many thousands who are not aware, or who read through these comments and feel sick, or continually clicking 'report abuse' is not enough – Facebook itself is seemingly not concerned enough with spam, abuse and racism – look at the narrow list of options when you come to report someone. Anyone who set up a group of this nature would unfortunately attract the racist posse – even if YOU had done it North Briton, the result would be the same… Just you would spend more time deleting and reporting than this Boscott does.
This group is being taken primarily as an informative service by many people, simply seeing what has/hasn't happened recently. So to tar these unfortunate concerned citizens with the same brush as the hideous BNP-ites is simply not on. Anyone can see from the illiterate and ignorant bile above that the views DO NOT reflect the majority of the groups members; I am sure if you copy and pasted comments sections in full, there would be numerous folk decrying and denouncing the racist propagandist bull.
Their mentalit is ignorant, shallow and unacceptable in ths country and modern society; a primitive mentality that needs to die a swift death. BUT – I will not be associated with this (just as) ignorant grouping of people together. Death by association – isn't that in the racial profiling of the past too? For all the sweet rhetoric you show, there is an element of repression within your posting too
Yes North Briton, but "letters to the editor" don't get the same reaction as a fully published apology or update to show a more level and unbiased playing field.
Solar, you seem to be suffering under some misapprehension. There is absolutely nothing to apologise for.
The jokes stand for themselves. They are racist and objectionable and anyone who defends them deserves any criticism they get.
In a free society, I don't want to see any such jokes banned and similarly I don't support any claims, which have been made elsewhere, for Sean Boscott to be sacked or arrested. That simply betrays yet more mob mentality.
Sean Boscott claims his account was hacked, which seems highly dubious but he's still had a right of reply.
But at the same time as far as I'm concerned those who defend these desperate, unpleasant, and unfunny, jokes apologists for racism.
And my other comment still not appearing :@ Yet another attempt to get it posted. (I am aware of the selective nature of the jokes and that you have answered it, I just can't be bothered to type all of this out again from elsewhere, so not all remarks directed at this blog either)
"As usual, the over-analysis by someone else eager to scupper a positive message.
The group is a good idea, and the sheer volume of support shows there is no antipathy here – my thoughts however concern you and your reporting here….
Interesting article, but I would be intrigued to know if you put every single joke quote in there, or whether you simply handpicked a selection of the more racist ones to prove a point… I like most jokes, after all, it's only a sense of humour; tell me a joke about an englishman and I'll laugh just as much, provided it's funny… Too many people looking too hard into this – the guy provided a service, people appreciated it – and while his prior "jokes" may be a bit too near the knuckle for many peoples taste, does it necessarily reflect the guys actual political views or stance toward society? Or could it just be that text message mentality of cycling jokes through society? I get all kinds of jokes through on the phone: some funny, some not; some racist and some not. It's in the eye of the beholder, but just because someone makes a simple remark, don't assume you know anything about his motivations and so on.
I agree with you about the statements above, some are sickening and abuseful, and simply not jokes, nor do they have a place in our society.
BUT, we are all aware that there is an underground racist element in this country, after all, why else would we even know the name Nick Griffin :( So when an event such as this occurs, it is commonplace knowledge that it is only a matter of time until this ugly reality rears its head. The many hundreds of thousands who are not aware, or who read through these comments and feel sick, or continually clicking 'report abuse' is not enough – Facebook itself is seemingly not concerned enough with spam, abuse and racism – look at the narrow list of options when you come to report someone. Anyone who set up a group of this nature would unfortunately attract the racist posse – even if YOU had done it North Briton, the result would be the same… Just you would spend more time deleting and reporting than this Boscott does.
This group is being taken primarily as an informative service by many people, simply seeing what has/hasn't happened recently. So to tar these unfortunate concerned citizens with the same brush as the hideous BNP-ites is simply not on. Anyone can see from the illiterate and ignorant bile above that the views DO NOT reflect the majority of the groups members; I am sure if you copy and pasted comments sections in full, there would be numerous folk decrying and denouncing the racist propagandist bull.
Their mentality is ignorant, shallow and unacceptable in ths country and modern society; a primitive mentality that needs to die a swift death. BUT – I will not be associated with this (just as) ignorant grouping of people together. Death by association – isn't that in the racial profiling of the past too? For all the sweet rhetoric you show, there is an element of repression within your posting too
my other comment still not appearing :@ Yet another attempt to get it posted. (I am aware of the selective nature of the jokes and that you have answered it, I just can't be bothered to type all of this out again from elsewhere, so not all remarks directed at this blog either)
"As usual, the over-analysis by someone else eager to scupper a positive message.
The group is a good idea, and the sheer volume of support shows there is no antipathy here – my thoughts however concern you and your reporting here….
Interesting article, but I would be intrigued to know if you put every single joke quote in there, or whether you simply handpicked a selection of the more racist ones to prove a point… I like most jokes, after all, it's only a sense of humour; tell me a joke about an englishman and I'll laugh just as much, provided it's funny… Too many people looking too hard into this – the guy provided a service, people appreciated it – and while his prior "jokes" may be a bit too near the knuckle for many peoples taste, does it necessarily reflect the guys actual political views or stance toward society? Or could it just be that text message mentality of cycling jokes through society? I get all kinds of jokes through on the phone: some funny, some not; some racist and some not. It's in the eye of the beholder, but just because someone makes a simple remark, don't assume you know anything about his motivations and so on.
I agree with you about the statements above, some are sickening and abuseful, and simply not jokes, nor do they have a place in our society.
BUT, we are all aware that there is an underground racist element in this country, after all, why else would we even know the name Nick Griffin :( So when an event such as this occurs, it is commonplace knowledge that it is only a matter of time until this ugly reality rears its head. The many hundreds of thousands who are not aware, or who read through these comments and feel sick, or continually clicking 'report abuse' is not enough – Facebook itself is seemingly not concerned enough with spam, abuse and racism – look at the narrow list of options when you come to report someone. Anyone who set up a group of this nature would unfortunately attract the racist posse – even if YOU had done it North Briton, the result would be the same… Just you would spend more time deleting and reporting than this Boscott does.
This group is being taken primarily as an informative service by many people, simply seeing what has/hasn't happened recently. So to tar these unfortunate concerned citizens with the same brush as the hideous BNP-ites is simply not on. Anyone can see from the illiterate and ignorant bile above that the views DO NOT reflect the majority of the groups members; I am sure if you copy and pasted comments sections in full, there would be numerous folk decrying and denouncing the racist propagandist bull.
Their mentality is ignorant, shallow and unacceptable in ths country and modern society; a primitive mentality that needs to die a swift death. BUT – I will not be associated with this (just as) ignorant grouping of people together. Death by association – isn't that in the racial profiling of the past too? For all the sweet rhetoric you show, there is an element of repression within your posting too
If there is problem with the comments page, it's nothing to do with me. I haven't amended or deleted any comments. I think all the comments entered are still visible for me.
But to be honest, I don't think any post I've done has had this many comments so maybe it's just overloaded!
It was directed at you - when you said the first time you hadn't deleted it, I believed you...
I just want to know why it keeps posting, then being removed a few minutes later? Is there a charactyer limit on it, and if so, why does it apparently get posted and then disappear... *mystified*
(ps, you probably havent seen it, as it was a whopper of a post lol, which is what makes me wonder about the char.limit)
wasn't* directed at you sorry.... :$
my other comment still not appearing :@ Yet another attempt to get it posted. (I am aware of the selective nature of the jokes and that you have answered it, I just can't be bothered to type all of this out again from elsewhere, so not all remarks directed at this blog either)
"As usual, the over-analysis by someone else eager to scupper a positive message.
The group is a good idea, and the sheer volume of support shows there is no antipathy here – my thoughts however concern you and your reporting here….
Interesting article, but I would be intrigued to know if you put every single joke quote in there, or whether you simply handpicked a selection of the more racist ones to prove a point… I like most jokes, after all, it's only a sense of humour; tell me a joke about an englishman and I'll laugh just as much, provided it's funny… Too many people looking too hard into this – the guy provided a service, people appreciated it – and while his prior "jokes" may be a bit too near the knuckle for many peoples taste, does it necessarily reflect the guys actual political views or stance toward society? Or could it just be that text message mentality of cycling jokes through society? I get all kinds of jokes through on the phone: some funny, some not; some racist and some not. It's in the eye of the beholder, but just because someone makes a simple remark, don't assume you know anything about his motivations and so on. (To be continued)
(cont.)
I agree with you about the statements above, some are sickening and abuseful, and simply not jokes, nor do they have a place in our society.
BUT, we are all aware that there is an underground racist element in this country, after all, why else would we even know the name Nick Griffin :( So when an event such as this occurs, it is commonplace knowledge that it is only a matter of time until this ugly reality rears its head. The many hundreds of thousands who are not aware, or who read through these comments and feel sick, or continually clicking 'report abuse' is not enough – Facebook itself is seemingly not concerned enough with spam, abuse and racism – look at the narrow list of options when you come to report someone. Anyone who set up a group of this nature would unfortunately attract the racist posse – even if YOU had done it North Briton, the result would be the same… Just you would spend more time deleting and reporting than this Boscott does.
This group is being taken primarily as an informative service by many people, simply seeing what has/hasn't happened recently. So to tar these unfortunate concerned citizens with the same brush as the hideous BNP-ites is simply not on. Anyone can see from the illiterate and ignorant bile above that the views DO NOT reflect the majority of the groups members; I am sure if you copy and pasted comments sections in full, there would be numerous folk decrying and denouncing the racist propagandist bull.
Their mentality is ignorant, shallow and unacceptable in ths country and modern society; a primitive mentality that needs to die a swift death. BUT – I will not be associated with this (just as) ignorant grouping of people together. Death by association – isn't that in the racial profiling of the past too? For all the sweet rhetoric you show, there is an element of repression within your posting too
Just an example of the jokes coming through about the whole scenario as well (bearing in mind how famed the brits are for their black sense of humour)
"My mate Paddy was among the rioters who ransacked Argos in Manchester last night... He's got 500 catalogues if you want one..."
Is this racist too? Or simply humourous? You see the difficulty in applying labels and tags to things...
I know I mentioned the FB group at the top of the original piece but I haven't attacked it or its members.
I gather from elsewhere that there is some pretty objectionable stuff on it but that is hardly surprising considering it has 1million members or whatever.
I simply noticed there might be something unpleasant about its founders background.
I don't like the FB group, I have no intention of joining it. Equally, I have no intention joining the one calling for Sean Boscott's arrest.
I respect that over-view more :)
It's just the main bulk of my response was to those who were cticising the members of the group too.
I wouldn't give him the time of day i that proves to be his outlook, ut I just got offended by t full on outpouring ofhate and categorical statemnts that he is racist without a second thought. As I say, I agree, a large number of those aren't jokes (not to me at least), but his personal profie and the entity created to lead tht group appears to be different. Anther one I can't comment on is the racist stuff in the comments section, as I have only use the group for the updates, not the dialogue on he page. But for every one racist remark, I will lay odds there were 4 or 5 positive ones in support of the police.
sorry, I'm not as illiterae as the typing makes me look lol, I just have an extremely temperamental keyboard :(
As someone who used to know Sean (haven't spoken to him in 5+ years since he moved away), I remember a decent enough lad - a good giggle, liked a drink and a dance on a Friday night, etc. Hence I was shocked to learn it was he who started the FB page in question. I had one of those "Hey! I know that dude!" moments over it. Then I was doubly shocked to find there was a FB page group calling for his arrest for being a racist bigot, some of the members of which are people he used to call friends.
How can one seemingly ordinary lad who I knew, chatted to, drank and sometimes danced with a few years back suddenly be the focus of so much attention? One day (leaving aside the hacking stuff) he's sharing a few inappropriate jokes with his online mates, then he starts a page on FB about the recent situation, and all of a sudden he's viral. If I were him, I would be beyond bewildered right now!!!
"How can one seemingly ordinary lad who I knew, chatted to, drank and sometimes danced with a few years back suddenly be the focus of so much attention?"
He just happened to be 'that guy' that started the page of the right name and at the right time to make it popular. And then because of that popularity got named by David Cameron.
Pot luck, basically. It could be any one of us having our backgrounds trawled by amoral journalist cretins.
That said, kudos for changing the post, North Briton. It took balls, and was the right thing to do.
I don't like mobs. It's as simple as that. Mind you, if Sean Boscott posted the jokes, he's still an idiot.
North Briton, I salute you :)
I only saw you had amended it because of the most recent comment lol, had just been F5 to see any further responses to that point.
I have utmost respect for you in the context - it takes a lot to acknowledge possible judgement errors or over simplifications, and while I know you still have the same opinion, have tempered the public aspect of it somewhat.
This article is more rounded, and puts stake in both sides of the debate, unlike the previous blog, which led me here initially. That viewpoint appears to be "if you don't agree, you are wrong", whereas this has ended being considerably more civilised.
Apologies if anything offended earlier, I had misconstrued a proportion of what you were initially saying.
Cheers :)
Oh yeah, that was the other point I was going to make - the account hacking allegation. From the very offset that did sound rather hooky to say the least - and was one of the reasons I had some doubts, and didn't just say it was muck spreading as seemed originally the case (on the other blog)
I don't apologise for a second for the initial blogpost. There were so many objectionable jokes it was a question of which to ignore not pick. The post was of course subject to my pinko liberal ways but there was plenty of balance. And I didn't even get into ad hominem abuse.
But the blog is linked to a FB group calling for Sean Boscott's arrest which I don't want and is palpable stupid.
Oh yes, no offence ever taken. I don't offend easily.
I'm a very liberal minded individual too, and even so, I have to amit, the original post was a little too slanted - but as you said, and have in the disclaimer, these are personal views only. I think the main issue with it was the constant upgrades of new jokes found, but other material or jokes not shown to provide context or history; 10 jokes out of 500 is just poor judgement of posting, but 10 out of 10 implies racism outright I'd say. I hope this makes sense, but that's why I didn't immediately jump on the wagon.
It's just a shame that a group with seemingly so noble a cause can be caught up in the shitstorm afterwards, whether justifiably or not, considering the job it has done, and the praise recieved for the efforts of people involved.
The updates with more jokes were chosen to demonstrate claims he had been hacked were highly implausible. They dated from July until days ago.
I'm pretty leftist and anti-racist myself, and I wouldn't have a problem with a twitter page devoted to 'twisted' humor, provided (a) there was a disclaimer saying such and (b) the page was invite only -- so the unwilling aren't subject to a torrent of stupidity.
Another thing I don't get about the anti-PC closet bigots is how they never throw stones at their own race. Listen to black and Asian comics: 80% of their routine is hurling dirt at their own race. I bet that's where most of their fans come from. Not counting Jews ( I don't consider them white), there was not a single joke about whites on Boscott's page. Not enough material? Please. I'm white and I could go on for days.
The anti-PC crowd just likes to use comedy and 'entertainment' to sublimate their bigotry. This kind of comedy should have died with out Pryor's generation. It's not remotely clever.
I set up the FB group 'Support the Met Police in Arresting Sean Boscott'. It was meant to be a satirical name but the satirical point got lost as the group took off. We never really meant for him to be arrested - he isn't actually in the Met's area but in Brighton! But we did want to collect together the evidence that showed someone who was posing as a moral crusader was not all he pretended to be, and let everyone see it - as other blogs have done. We have not stopped discussion on the group by many people who supported Boscott or who thought we were a bunch of vindictive sad losers. They have had the freedom to slag us off all day - a freedom of speech that was not allowed on other pages. I feel between us, we have now allowed the truth to be seen and people can make their own minds up. I would like t close the group now but people are having such detailed conversations going on it would seem like censorship!
Looks like it's been picked up by the Guardian on their live feed:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2011/aug/11/uk-riots-day-five-commons-debate-live#block-74
And the New Statesman:
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2011/08/london-rioters-police-group
From Zero to Hero to Zero again, in as many days :)
I notice the FB group is now down, as is his Twitter account. Too late mate!
Nice work in putting this together.
No idea if it had been mentioned before but some of the jokes referred to were about having sex with children and rape/rapists.
Still think that's funny?
Hacked account or not, not really what we should be laughing at.
No idea if it had been mentioned before but some of the jokes referred to were about having sex with children and rape/rapists.
Still think that's funny?
Hacked account or not, not really what we should be laughing at.
http://seanboscottisabigot.tumblr.com/
I was told once, by a visitor from Johannesburg, that in South Africa they called Lord Baden Powell the 'Laughing Hyena'. That he was resolutely hated by the black natives, and it was opinion he earned. The creator of the scouts was, apparently, a terrible racist.
What you seem to have forgotten is that racists bleed. Racists cry. Racists feel pain. Racists have the same right to life as anybody else.
In this country they have the right to pronounce their views, all be them misguided.
They also have the right to watch the scenes on Monday, the same as every other non-racist, and be just as horrified.
They have the right to feel they need to do something, just like everyone else.
Now I never saw colour being used to discriminate against any of the rioters on any of his postings, so I'm guessing he never did.
With that in mind, it appears Sean never wrote anything about anyone which assumed the worst based on skin colour.
So with that in mind, even if he is a racist, I am not going to condemn a positive action by pre-supposing it was based on anything than the feelings we all had to what we had seen.
For to do so would be automatically assuming that just because I find some of their beliefs wrong, then everything they do must be wrong. That somehow they must be evil, and everything they do originates from the one thing I find distasteful.
Racism is bad, but demonisation of what someone has done because they hold some beliefs you find distasteful isn't good either.
If you disagree, then I suggest you write to the PM asking them to close the Cub/Scout movement.
Or if you believe that these beliefs are so important in the context of what they do, maybe when a Cub gets inducted for the first time, we should make sure they know how the creator of the movement used to wip black people and laugh.
I don't know Sean, so I don't know if he is a racist. The only think I really do know is he did something positive for the community when it was attacked.
For that, I thank him.
To Mike,
I sympathise with the dilemma. Mobs, eh? You can't trust 'em.
Hench the reason I removed this blog and I understand your thoughts too.
Like you, I've left the blog open for whatever comments, but despaired of many.
That's the life of pinko liberalism....
'Racists bleed. Racists feel pain. Racists have the same right to life as anyone else'
Er, yes. I don't think anyone was advocating execution.
As for the rest of your diatribe, relatively drivelish. I spent quite a lot of time trying to come up with a coherent response but then realised it was impossible as the comment itself was incoherent.
Sean still has a Facebook Page live here, it seems he didn't like the News of The World (then again don't blame him!)
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Boycott-News-of-the-World/107560552672425
incoherent?
Ok, let me simplify it.
Basically: If you condemn everything he does because he is racist then you are almost as bad as him.
I get where Mike was coming from with his group, I do. However, to suggest there was an agenda behind the page without proof is condemning his actions based on preconceptions of how a racists brain would work.
It's also generalisation. In the same was as racism is rooted in generalisation.
If you don't get that now... I'm afraid you never will.
Why post saying the looters hacked his account and put the jokes there to discredit him, i saw a post where he said that.
The looters hacked his account before the riots?
Why lie about it? Dishonesty!
Why lie about it?
Simple answer, because he was backed into a corner. Look at it from his perspective:
One minute you're nobody in particular, then you become a so-called national hero (to users of social media anyway) and attract the attention of the PM. Then, as with all who achieve their 5 seconds of notoriety, the moment you poke your head over the parapet, everyone starts trying to shoot you down. Suddenly, something that was just a good laugh and the sharing of some very politically incorrect jokes a few months ago has every chance of becoming your undoing. Completely unprepared for the media shitstorm that now hits you, you have three options and a split second to choose: 1 - tell the truth and take the force of the hurricane (remember Jade Goody?) 2 - Stay silent and hope it goes away or 3 - Lie and make the first excuse you can think of. Option 3 is by far the easiest. Hacking is such a big issue at the moment that it's the easiest thing in the world to jump on the wagon.
As the (and it really pains me to say this) "singer" Shaggy crooned in his "song" of the same name: "It wasn't me".
"I dislike mobs and initially I blah blah blah rationalising"
Congratulations, scummer. Mission accomplished. You should work for a tabloid, or maybe the Indy will give you a blog like they did with Jody McIntyre before they realised that he is a massive fuckwit.
Too often being politically incorrect is used as an excuse to be racist. there is an enormous difference.
And quite what Jade Goody or Jody McIntyre have to do with anything is anybody's guess.
Derp, in all fairness to NorthBriton (and we had a share of the verbals too, so not like I'm biased) he has metered the articl no end, unlike the blog page which I came here from, the Wings over Sealand one... There, the sheer arrogance and pigheadedness was astounding; o matter the points raised or debated it was a case of "nope, he is racist end of, and anyone who joins that group and stays there after we publih this is wrong".
One of the tossers on there even anaged to get hold of the guys boss's mobil phone number, and rang her to speak to her o ask if she condoned what her employee was doing - relating t ONLY to the jokes on twitter, not actual events.
Thee are the worst kind of hypcrites - "if you don't think like us, we will drag you down, and force you to change your views to match ours"; much like the very same oppressive and totalitarian stance they so heavily denounce. The similarities on this 'thought police' and censorship is unbelievably hypocritical considering they stand for "everyone should have their own rights to free speech" etc - yet only if that free speech coincides with their agenda.
NorthBriton overall has stated that this mob mentality has gone too far, and while for portion at least he was culpable for spreading the anger, once became clear what the upshot of it was, he amended it, and for that I do praise him.
By the same token as you stated NorthBriton, bing racist is too often a term bandied around for politicaly incorrect jokes. Just because someone repeats what they have heard, it does not make them a racist inherent. So where you say P-iC is a mask for racism, it also can be the case that racism is the same card played by the ultra left against someone who uses politically incorrect jokes in an effort to smea them and force a change of viewpoint.
Repeating a joke is one thing, Sean Boscott's twitter feed was full of offensive material. The jokes didn't mock stereotypes, they abused them.
The punchlines were black men were thieves and rapists, women were whores who should be treated like dirt and get what they deserve.
They can't be rationally defended.
And, to Solar found those comments you said went missing. An automated spam system started because of the volume of comments. Just found them and posted them now.
To North Briton - when I mentioned Jade Goody, I mentioned her in the context of her having been at the centre of a race row herself. If I had been Sean Boscott a couple of days ago, when faced with a sudden braying mob at my (albeit cyber-) door, I think I would have remembered Jade and what happened to her at the time (although she managed to recover herself later), how she was both destroyed and defended by the media and the public, and I would have made up a quick lie, i.e. "My account was hacked...", to cover my transgressions.
Maybe the trick is not to be abusively racist in the first place
Someone, in the comments on this page, compared Sean Boscott's racist jokes to Jimmy Carr's material. Thing is, Jimmy Carr's material knows no boundaries in terms of topic; but I'm not aware of any of his jokes depending on prejudice for their humour, when taken in context. Generally, they are either solely about word play, or use an objectively true feature of the targeted group (rather than a prejudiced assumption about it).
So, for example, Jimmy Carr has a joke where he criticizes someone's choice of sunglasses, and then say 'Is he blind? ... Oh.' He follows this up with "It's okay, he won't see this." He's just saying that blind people are blind, and basing his wordplay on this. He's not saying blind people are, say, stupid.
There are some rare occasions where a joke in isolation appears to reflect prejudice, but in these cases he goes to great length to surround it with other, related, material that makes clear that he is not condoning the prejudice.
In contrast, Sean Boscott's joke "Why is Batman white?Cos if he was black, he'd be robbin'", posted two months ago according to favstar.fm, relies on a prejudiced stereotype about black people.
In my view, there are no unacceptable topics for comedy; but there are morally positive, morally neutral, and morally repugnant ways of approaching them.
Incidentally, some of Sean Boscott's jokes (well, I don't know whether he wrote them or Chegwinned them) that I can see on favstar.fm, and which don't rely on prejudice are pretty good, imo; e.g.:
"Do prostitutes call their private parts "public parts"?"
"Somebody actually complimented me on my driving today. They left a little note on the windscreen, it said 'Parking Fine.' So that was nice"
So we're still insisting that Boscott's jokes make him racist and that comedic material OF ALL TYPES that is distasteful and offensive automatically makes someone racist?
Are we still ignoring the sexist jokes, the jokes about paedophilia and other 'offensive' material (which points to a penchante for 'sick' humour rather than any inherent prejudice)... not to mention his well-wishes to those of other races injured and killed in the riots in order to brand him a 'racist'?
I consider myself fairly liberal, but this kind of self-righteous, self-excused fascism is what makes me glad that I refuse to identify with any one ideological group.
That you 'liberal' fascist-apologist harassers cannot see the flaws in your own logic makes me sad.
I have a friend (it's not Sean) who is one of the nicest, most down-to-earth people, you could ever meet. He works hard and volunteers in his spare time helping the disabled. He has friends of all races, colours, creeds and abilities. Yet he also has a penchant for sick humour. Some of the "jokes" I've seen on his Facebook have made me cringe, and I'm pretty liberal-minded.
So, does that make my friend an evil, nasty bigot, or does it make him a good guy with a bad sense of humour?
Jonsock nailed it - whilst many of his jokes are offensive and abusive ("morally repugnant", but he already used it), it i by no means indicative of his politics or views. The comparables with other joke material he used on the page is the source of my original complaint about this whole mess - the way only ONE side was picked up, rather than a genuine random selection of 'jokes'.
Had this been done to begin with in your article (the original criticism of serving your purpose only) I doubt I would have disagreed with most you said.
The world is not black and white, only shaes of grey, but it takes balance and compromise to spot this and reside in more harmony.
And also the anons @ 12 August 2011 12:13 and 12.34 make the point more clearly than I managed...
To the penultimate anonymous, you successfully contradict yourself in your comment. The jokes on Sean Boscott's Twitter feed are racist, abusive to women and the vulnerable. Distasteful jokes are fine there is a huge difference with boorish racism.
For longer and decent analysis of comedy, there is a very good entry a few posts above.
@ solar, the choice of jokes was a case of which to ignore. The amount of abusive material was enormous.
@ solar, the choice of jokes was a case of which to ignore. The amount of abusive material was enormous.
While the amount of 'abusive material' (on a feed that posited itself as one that contained mostly bad taste/offensive jokes) may have been enormous, it doesn't change the fact that every single blog about the feed has focused solely on the racist jokes. Are we to believe, then, that the so-called 'liberals' posting on these blogs think that women's rights, children's rights, and other things, are far less important than racism? So much less important that they are to be ignored completely? Or should we take the more logical step of realising that the blog authors were interested in finding a racial issue and therefore did so, and screw balance and honesty?
My money's on the latter.
Anonymous directly before this entry...
Nail - head.... can you resurrect the well known phrase indicated?
http://minority-of-one.com/2011/08/12/liberal-laughable/
A more comprehensive representation of my feelings about the 'reportage' that has occurred here and elsewhere.
Thanks for the link - read and commented :)
Just read the link. Pretty astonished. Dim, myopic, stupid.
Quite frankly defenders of these jokes are racist apologists. There is no excuse.
I do NOT condone racism in any way and agree that some of the 'jokes' were close to the mark.
I personally have worked with Sean Boscott and know with absolute certainty that he is not a bigot or racist. To claim he is a racist because of the 'humourous' material is ignorant. Earlier claims about him being homophobic are extremely incorrect as he himself is homosexual.
All of this has spiralled from someone sharing their humour, although may be not in the best taste of course, and then it being twisted by the internet media and social networking sites. They cause nothing but trouble and have ruined the reputation of a very kind young man, who works and is friends with people from every walk of life, whether it be different races, ages and sexuality.
I feel sorry for all of the people who are short sighted enough to believe everything they read especially twisted second rate opinions on the internet/social networking sites,that know nothing of the actual person.
I myself have had my character slandered through such Social networking sites by an ex partner, and feel for Sean. I do not claim to know the in's and outs of if he was hacked or they were his own jokes but at the end of the day it is a persons actions and treatment of others that defines them, not what they post on the internet.
I dislike racists and think they are the ultimate scum. Many comics use racist jokes in varying degree's of political correctness or they may be close to the bone but at the same time this does not make him a racist.
To all of the ignorant people out there, you should be ashamed at ruining a young mans character, without 1) knowing the real person 2)getting actual proof he wasn't hacked 3)jumping on the bigot bandwagon.
Jumping on the bandwagon to slander his character without knowing the person is in itself a form of bigotry.
If you want to find a defence for the jokes, that's fine.
They are racist, sexist, abusive, unpleasant and degrading.
If you find that funny that, as I said, if fine by me.
Your being very small minded. My point is not finding a defence for the inappropriate jokes or racist material found on the twitter/facebook(that is if you actually read my post which clearly states that there is no defence or condoning such material) Merely pointing out that i actually know him and his character, as in real life not whats posted on the internet. It is a very poor sick world we live in that people and bloggers like yourself are so narrow minded and jump to conclusions due to your personal opinions and hang ups. If you read the post again no one is condoning or even saying that the jokes are acceptable in any way shape or form, merely that the person himself is not racist/sexist/sick or whatever else you want to label him. I know this because i have worked with him and know the person, have you ever met him? ever spoke to him? ever seen him interact with different races, sexuality and gender? NO YOU HAVENT! You have just seen posts and jokes on social networking sites and blogs that with the right informtaion anyone can post as someone else. All the people and posts runining his character are themselves being what you are claiming he is. I DO NOT AGREE WITH RACISM/ SEXISM or any other form of derogatory statements or joke but you cannot define a person by their humour. Your return post to my previous one is extremely narrow minded view, which clearly shows that you have already judged someone on second hand information, and judging someone before you actually know the person is itself a form ignorance. you clearly are too narrowminded to view anything objectively
Nicely tempered post.
I clicked "like" on the Facebook page, because I supported the headline message.
Your post and others initiate a very interesting debate about the reputation of those who start web 2.0 campaigns.
Certainly in the future I will check the background of posters, and so, no doubt, will David Cameron.
The consequence is likely to be that I never sign another one of these again, because I will question the motives of anyone without an identical world view as I do.
I would bet money that the people who say they "don't care" if Sean's jokes were racist are all white. When I see a Black or Asian person, who has to put up with derogatory comments and humour on a daily basis, defend Sean-then I will listen even though I may not agree. It is very easy for a white person not to care about such things when they aren't subjected to racism every day. The whole "I don't care if Sean was racist, he did a good thing" would be laughable if it wasn't so sad. For the record, I am a white person-I grew up with rascist humour fro all my family members and have always deplored it. It's about as funny as a hernia.
And how do you think racism should be tackled, anonymous? With an equal amount of hatred and ignorance? Do you think it's right that Sean Boscott has had all of this hate thrown at him? Think it's right that people have called for his arrest and for him to be sacked? Think it's right that one person went to lengths to find out where he worked and call his boss? Do two wrongs make a right? How do the actions of people who have demonised and harassed Sean Boscott help in any way with race relations and diversity? How do they help with tackling the racism that is present in this country, rather than just pushing it underground and into organisations like the EDL and the BNP?
The perpetuation of prejudice is not only done by prejudice people.
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