Gary Lineker's tweet

Eloethan

If it is deemed acceptable for governmental ministers to use words like "swarm" and "invasion" to refer to migrants, then I think it is incumbent on those who do not want to see people demonised to challenge such statements.

The comparison with the language used in Germany in the lead up to increasing repressive and aggressive acts towards Jewish and other minority groups is, I think, a reasonable one. Lineker was referring to the political and social atmosphere that was gradually being created - not to the atrocities that then followed.

Amnesty International has also voiced concerns about the growing use of a type of language which is commonly used to describe immigrants.

To illustrate why they feel this is important, they refer to a video of a Greek coast guard ship apparently trying to capsize a boat full of refugees, and of the coast guard firing into the sea near their dinghy. A right wing commentator tweeted a caption accompanying this footage "love me a bit of Greek coast guard. Come on you wondrous people of Greece. Rage against the INVASION" (my caps).

Amnesty International goes on to say that words such as invasion, swarms, floods, etc. are now commonly used throughout the world to describe migrants.

This growing feeling that asylum seekers are some sort of pestilence that should be repelled does not just affect asylum seekers. It feeds into a narrative that defines all immigrants as somehow undesirable. In the Jeremy Vine show the other morning, when this subject was being discussed, a listener from Suffolk called in to say that Enoch Powell was right and he used words to the effect that foreigners should not be welcome in this country. This is how hateful people like Hitler come to power - and he was elected. Democracies do not guarantee that the people who are elected do not then go on to seize control and become very dangerous.

Gary Lineker is a freelance sports commentator - he is not a news reader or a political commentator. Had he aired his views on air during a sports programme, I think that would not be acceptable. Some posters refer to the fact that Lineker went to Qatar as a commentator, despite the serious abuses of human rights that occur there. But I believe he made it a condition of his going that he made a statement pointing out these abuses - the BBC thus allowing him to make what was, in effect, a political statement, albeit relating to another country.

Well said Eloethan!

Yes, thank you. So well said.

Language indeed does matter. And the language and pictures shown in the tabloids do matter. I am amazed that some people can't see why reading, and therefore supporting, giving credence, to those papers- is supporting what they say, and how they say and picture it. No, it is not about 'just having a different opinion' at all, It goes far far beyond that.

Birmingham, 53 years ago- and some people, on GN and across the community, and the papers they buy, read and support, still say the same. And get away with it ...with all the insidious and inherent racism that goes with it

youtu.be/qjbZi2hTLVw

Eloethan, Thank you.

Forsythia

MaizieD

Forsythia

Gary Lineker was a footballer turned TV pundit. There are many of those quietly getting on with their jobs that they are paid to do.

Gary has always been arrogant thinking he is better than the rest. This is what happens when they are given big contracts, huge money and allowed to believe they are indispensable. The way forward is a rolling one year contract. If it works, continue it for another year. If it doesn’t, there are many retired players and managers who would give their views on FOOTBALL on TV and be glad to do so without controversy.

Gary should disinherit his 4 sons and put his money where his big mouth is and house numerous refugee families, not one carefully handpicked person for a few weeks, and let’s see what happens.

Rod Stewart put his money where his mouth was. He paid for people’s scans on the NHS but did not bad mouth anybody while doing it. Saintly Gary could learn from him.

Let’s see big mouth Gary Neville turn his hotel over to refugees too.

I didn't know we had Sun Journalists posting on Gnet

Nor did I MaizieD but it’s good that you’ve outed yourself! Now we all know.

I wouldn't associate myself with the stuff you posted.

A bit of context. Gary was 15 when large numbers of Ugandan Asians arrived in Leicester. He worked at the market with his dad, selling fruit and veg, and saw the sheer racism aimed at some, right in front of him. Same at his school, where many of the children arrived, the massive controversy about the bussing of children from town centre to the suburbs where his school was (City of Leicester) and the other 2 schools next to it. And at the football stadium and training grounds. The huge backlash to one of the local parks renamed after Nelson Mandela, and so on. So he doesn't speak from his TV pedestal, but from what he saw, right in front of him.

More context

According to this analysis the most ethically diverse European countries in order are:
Liechtenstein
Belgium
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Spain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Albania
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Finland

and finally UK

Jon Snow

What
@GaryLineker
has done is to have awakened the country to the Government's plans for dealing with migrants and hopefully forced us all to understand the humanitarian consequences, and involve us all, at home and abroad, in finding a solution.

On the TRIP’s they said there was a worldwide plan of action to help the Vietnamese boat people. Surely this is what is needed now. (by the way if I hear another news report that mentions the word Nazi I think my head will blow off…)

Word on the street says that Richard Sharp, Conservative Party donor and fixer of loans for spendthrift Boris, won't see the day out as 'impartial' BBC Chairman.

LadyHonoriaDedlock

Word on the street says that Richard Sharp, Conservative Party donor and fixer of loans for spendthrift Boris, won't see the day out as 'impartial' BBC Chairman.

Apparently no one is willing to step up, and support him.

We shall see. The BBC has a lot to do to show that it is indeed impartial.

Record it then fast forward through the bits you don't want.
🤣🤣🤣

I found this very helpful from a month ago.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAv_7KnXAq4

I've run through the newspapers; his position being very much under review rapidly is reported from the different POV in different papers.

The Daily Express for example did a readers poll that said three-quarters of its respondents said he should resign (I've deliberately not chosen a leftie paper)

"Apparently no one is willing to step up, and support him."

Oh, Boris did, in the Express Article.

Eloethan

If it is deemed acceptable for governmental ministers to use words like "swarm" and "invasion" to refer to migrants, then I think it is incumbent on those who do not want to see people demonised to challenge such statements.

The comparison with the language used in Germany in the lead up to increasing repressive and aggressive acts towards Jewish and other minority groups is, I think, a reasonable one. Lineker was referring to the political and social atmosphere that was gradually being created - not to the atrocities that then followed.

Amnesty International has also voiced concerns about the growing use of a type of language which is commonly used to describe immigrants.

To illustrate why they feel this is important, they refer to a video of a Greek coast guard ship apparently trying to capsize a boat full of refugees, and of the coast guard firing into the sea near their dinghy. A right wing commentator tweeted a caption accompanying this footage "love me a bit of Greek coast guard. Come on you wondrous people of Greece. Rage against the INVASION" (my caps).

Amnesty International goes on to say that words such as invasion, swarms, floods, etc. are now commonly used throughout the world to describe migrants.

This growing feeling that asylum seekers are some sort of pestilence that should be repelled does not just affect asylum seekers. It feeds into a narrative that defines all immigrants as somehow undesirable. In the Jeremy Vine show the other morning, when this subject was being discussed, a listener from Suffolk called in to say that Enoch Powell was right and he used words to the effect that foreigners should not be welcome in this country. This is how hateful people like Hitler come to power - and he was elected. Democracies do not guarantee that the people who are elected do not then go on to seize control and become very dangerous.

Gary Lineker is a freelance sports commentator - he is not a news reader or a political commentator. Had he aired his views on air during a sports programme, I think that would not be acceptable. Some posters refer to the fact that Lineker went to Qatar as a commentator, despite the serious abuses of human rights that occur there. But I believe he made it a condition of his going that he made a statement pointing out these abuses - the BBC thus allowing him to make what was, in effect, a political statement, albeit relating to another country.

We don't hear from you often enough Eloethan but yet again you have treated us to such a well written, cogent argument.

Thank you.

Eloethan 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

Fleurpepper
It’s good to see that Albania is climbing up the ethical ladder.
I assume they’re not still showing these racist comedy programs on mainstream tv.

www.errc.org/news/blackface-stereotypes-and-prejudice-albanias-racist-comedy-shows

The stats don't mention at all the attitude towards foreigners, just % numbers.

Albania was not an Empire btw, so they do not have the historical links to immigration, as the UK.

And I do not think they had massive campaigns begging those from its ex Empire to come and rebuild it after WW2-did they?

So the Government has been using BBC presenters in their own propaganda films without permission and the BBC has asked for a clip of Huw Edwards to be removed
www.theguardian.com/politics/2023/mar/12/home-office-removed-image-huw-edwards-tweet-migration-bill-bbc-complaints

The treatment of Gary Linacre for making an entirely truthful statement on twitter (no mention of nazis but a warning about the intemperate language of government ministers akin to that which was the start of an escalating "othering" in the early 1930s in Germany), is conclusive proof that the Tory Party thinks it can control the BBC and only allow its propaganda to be fed daily drip drip drip by a broadcaster set up for the people, and not for the Tory Party.

Fleurpepper

More context

According to this analysis the most ethically diverse European countries in order are:
Liechtenstein
Belgium
Switzerland
Luxembourg
Spain
Bulgaria
Croatia
Czech Republic
Romania
Slovakia
Slovenia
Albania
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Finland

and finally UK

Not finally at all, you’re just suiting your agenda.
Having looked up this list there are many other European countries further down on this list than us, including Italy, Sweden, Netherlands, Austria and France amongst others.

We need a non government appointment to head up the BBC as a matter of course. The the BBC was formed it was the voice of the Establishment (broadly speaking) but its come a long way and it makes more sense to have at least cross party agreement committee or something similar to get someone who is a professional broadcaster but politically not associated with the right or left. So much has changed, for example outsourcing a lot of work unlike at the start when all were employed directly by the BBC.