How is this racist?

[Gemmill 44265]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england...rts/6191832.stm

 

The basic story is that an email was sent round the police station which showed a black man running from police in the US and being decapitated when he jumped from a flyover. The investigation into the emails showed that of all of the replies and comments that were added as it was forwarded on, NONE were found to be of a racist nature.

 

And yet on the way home last night on Radio 5, the head of the Black Police Association is on the radio denouncing the whole thing as racist. No matter how many times the lass that was interviewing him said, "But it could just as easily have been a white person. There were no racist comments. Are you telling me it would have been racist then?". His response was just "But it wasn't a white person. Let's not play hypotheticals."

 

When she pointed out that it had been forwarded on by black and Asian officers, his response was "Well maybe they're racist too."

 

It was infuriating listening to the bloke. As far as I'm concerned, the email was in poor taste and is definitely something that should be dealt with internally as a "mis-use of IT" matter, but for this idiot to blow it up out of all proportion and call it racist and "disrespectful to the black people that live in Hertfordshire" is pathetic.

[snakehips 0]

I had heard about this matter, but didn't know much about it. Having read the title of the e-mail as 'Do not run from the police' it seems fairly straight forward a non-racist item.

 

I would, though, suggest that there was a certain amount of 'YES! One less criminal to worry about'' sort of attitude from the police, who, I imagine, are feeling more and more frustrated and targetted by all sides these days. If you know what I mean???

[Gemmill 44265]

It was definitely in poor taste, especially with the "Don't run from the police" caption, but I would have thought that the whole point in the Black Police Association is to highlight genuine instances of racism in the police, and defend their members accordingly. Not try and get themselves on TV playing the race card when no racism is evident. He sounded like an idiot with no argument on the radio last night and judging by the response from listeners he did nothing to help the profile of the organisation he's heading up.

[Guest alex]

When I heard the Black Police Federation has said this is racist it infuriated me tbh. Load of cobblers. Merely inappropriate to be passed around at work for an organisation like the police. A minor disciplinary matter imo. By the way, I saw this on Snopes a while ago and the pictures are meant to be genuine, if you fancy a gander

[Gemmill 44265]

Are they as minging as they sound? Think I might give them a miss tbh.

[Guest alex]

Are they as minging as they sound? Think I might give them a miss tbh.

As I remember, it a blokes head on a set of railings. With his body a few feet away. Pretty graphic high quality pics leaving nowt to the imagination.

[nufc4ever 0]

Absofuckinglutely. This story was doing my head in all night on the radio bulletins.

 

Those pics have been on the net for years, they are on Snopes. Nothing to do with race whatsoever, yet they kept referring to it specifically as a black man in the images.

 

Apparently someone texted in and asked why the headlines didn't specifically state that the killers of that lawyer were black men.

 

Media sensationalism.

[Guest alex]

Absofuckinglutely. This story was doing my head in all night on the radio bulletins.

 

Those pics have been on the net for years, they are on Snopes. Nothing to do with race whatsoever, yet they kept referring to it specifically as a black man in the images.

 

Apparently someone texted in and asked why the headlines didn't specifically state that the killers of that lawyer were black men.

 

Media sensationalism.

Good point made in that text there.

[ewerk 30221]

A case of the head of the BPA trying to increase his own media presence and sense of self-importance IMO.

[snakehips 0]

Absofuckinglutely. This story was doing my head in all night on the radio bulletins.

 

Those pics have been on the net for years, they are on Snopes. Nothing to do with race whatsoever, yet they kept referring to it specifically as a black man in the images.

 

Apparently someone texted in and asked why the headlines didn't specifically state that the killers of that lawyer were black men.

 

Media sensationalism.

 

'caus everyone with half a brain knows it doesn't work that way!

[Jimbo 172]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

[snakehips 0]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

 

Of course not.

 

I'm sure if someone had started a White Police Federation they would have been welcomed with open arms

[Guest alex]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

[Jimbo 172]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

[Gemmill 44265]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

 

Representation being the solution, Jimbo. I can understand the necessity for the organisation, but they could do with someone with a brain in charge of it, cos this bloke carrying on like he did yesterday makes them look like a joke.

[Guest alex]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

No, just someone or some persons have incorrectly interpreted this as racist imo. I would imagine the organisation does more harm than good in general though. To call the organisation itself racist is wide of the mark though I reckon.

[Meenzer 15371]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

[Jimbo 172]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

 

 

My comment was suggesting that should a "White Police Federation" have been set up it would be instantly branded racist, however a black version has clearly been tolerated, a racially themed group does little to enhance unity, and is another barrier in my opinion.

[Guest alex]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

 

 

My comment was suggesting that should a "White Police Federation" have been set up it would be instantly branded racist, however a black version has clearly been tolerated, a racially themed group does little to enhance unity, and is another barrier in my opinion.

The vast majority of the police are white though, making the difference obvious to most I would have thought.

[Meenzer 15371]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

 

 

My comment was suggesting that should a "White Police Federation" have been set up it would be instantly branded racist, however a black version has clearly been tolerated, a racially themed group does little to enhance unity, and is another barrier in my opinion.

Just out of interest, does your objection to minority groups having representation, identification and a forum to debate the issues specific to their circumstances only apply to race-based minorities, or is it an across-the-board thing? It just seems laced with paranoia somehow.

[ewerk 30221]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

 

 

My comment was suggesting that should a "White Police Federation" have been set up it would be instantly branded racist, however a black version has clearly been tolerated, a racially themed group does little to enhance unity, and is another barrier in my opinion.

 

The difference is that whites generally don't need protecting.

[Jimbo 172]

Isn't the existance of a "Black Police Federation" in itself racist ??

Necessitated as a result of the police being a racist organisation I would say.

 

and further division and alienation being the solution, GREAT.

By that logic, no minority group should ever be allowed to acknowledge itself as such.

 

 

My comment was suggesting that should a "White Police Federation" have been set up it would be instantly branded racist, however a black version has clearly been tolerated, a racially themed group does little to enhance unity, and is another barrier in my opinion.

 

The difference is that whites generally don't need protecting.

 

I don't deny that, and was never my point.

[ewerk 30221]

But that is why a White Police Federation would be viewed as racist. The BPA is there to protect and promote black members and interests, white have no need for this.

 

I agree with what you say in the the BPA can create barriers and endorse the whole "us against them" mindset.

[Meenzer 15371]

I agree with what you say in the the BPA can create barriers and endorse the whole "us against them" mindset.

Well exactly, that's the challenge faced by any organisation representing a minority group, ensuring that they don't become "anti-majority" as a matter of principle. It doesn't mean that all such organisations are divisive and counter-productive by definition, nor should the majority (whatever that may be) feel automatically threatened by their existence, but as Gemmill says it does depend on the people involved and whether they can argue the toss without coming across as militant, unrealistic or just plain daft.

[The Fish 10685]

not surprising tbh.

 

but how do you combat this?

 

You can't flat out deny that racism exists within the police force, you can't call the BPA racist, you can state the cold hard facts til you're blue in the face, it won't get in the way of a good dose of media hysteria.

 

Minorities do need representation, but they should work with the majority not against them at all points. Sick of the cult of celebrity infecting every level. If you're on tv you can change opinion, effect policy, create hype and hysteria.