salaam
London's mayor has been suspended from office on full pay for four weeks for comparing a Jewish journalist to a concentration camp guard.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/london/4746016.stm
pls share your thoughts:
should he have been suspended?
or was it injustice?
is this double standards?
are the jewish community protected by the law and other faiths arent?
where does this leave freedom of speech?
is 'everything' now labelled as antisemitism?
wasalaam
He was not suspended for making the jibe, but for not backtracking afterwards.
While the suspension is excessive, it does have merit.
From Southpark:
'Oh My God! They killed kenny!'
'You B******S!'
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
He shouldn't have been suspended, it was an overreaction. Still, Ken should just have just said sorry at the time and left it at that. It was no big deal, he is just too stuburn for his own good sometimes.
Salam
The Lord Mayor of London is kicked out of his office for insulting a Jewish reporter.
I think this is going to create more hatred against the Jews.
Now the extreme far right are going to have a field day. And this can only lead to negative consequences.
[url=http://today.reuters.co.uk/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=topNews&storyID=20... News[/url]
Omrow
This has been a very good week for anti-jewish interests.
There was the whole anglican church issue, then Irving and now this.
He made tasteless remark and has to pay for it.
Unfortunatley being the mayor of London and being in the publics eye means hes supposed to watch what he says/does. Any mistake on his part will have reprocussions.
Back in BLACK
Salam
Exactly.
These type of stories only go to serve the interests white supremisist movements.
Omrow
I cannot agree to argue that enforcing egalitarian laws weakens the power of the argument to enforce egalitarian laws.
salaf,
I appreciate the openmindedness of sympathy for Jews but I consider:
The Anglican church has taken a highly disturbing hostile stance to Israel. That is in itself upsetting.
Irving has been held bang to rights.
A decision has been taken about Mayor Livingstone that takes a strong stand against the mayor calling a Jewish reporter he did not know a Nazi. We could debate the harshness of the penalty but I anyway dislike the mayor so much that I am not going to. Four weeks' suspension is good by me, and if he's thinking of penance he could also lower the huge cost of public transport, make it reliable, end the petty victimisation of motorists and cut out the ridiculous expenditure on promoting himself to Londoners. Half of London is at a standstill and going bankrupt.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
The only problem I have is that there is a job to do.
How is suspending him (with full pay) gonna affect the job he does?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
What did he have planned? I'll do it.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
naah I will do it.
just give me 50% extra.
Well he must have had to do something? right?
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
:?:
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
While I agree that managers do not seem to do anything, they must surely do something.
Otherwise there would not be so many.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
How does that matter?
He WAS elected either way.
You cannot demand democracy and then shun it when it does not favour your chosen outcome.
That is hypocrisy.
even If he won by one vote, he is the elected mayor of London.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Point is he routinely lies.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
I like the guy.
He is the small guy that habitually gives the two fingers.
There was a case for him being sanctioned in some way for his jibe.
But at school I thought of suspension as cool. you do not have to study/work. Just put your feet up. chill out.
can I have a 4 week suspension from work with pay? hell no.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
I agree with most of that and I'm sure he's personable. I appreciate your support for the embattled little guy but that isn't what he is by a margin.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
I am not supporting him in this issue.
read the second post in the topic.
right now we seem to juts be discussing personality and not the topic...
not too bothered either way...
but he was the little guy when he stuck it to Newlabour. Then he rejoined.
He uses his own brain. That may lead hiom to trouble, but at the same time he is not a crony, and will say what he thinks.
I like straight talkers. Even if I disagree, I respect them for straight talking.
"For too long, we have been a passively tolerant society, saying to our citizens 'as long as you obey the law, we will leave you alone'" - David Cameron, UK Prime Minister. 13 May 2015.
Fair comment.
[size=9]Whatever you do, know that I will always love you. Or else.[/size]
Why should he get any special treatment. Some ppl have implied the suspension is too harsh. But would you say it were too harsh had he made a derogatory comment about the Muslims somehow I doubt it.
No he didn't know the reporter was Jewish, but once he was informed he could have apologised, instead he continued with his disgusting comments, knowing it would cause offence. So do I feel sympathy for him er....NO
He deserves the suspension, but I don't think he'll learn any lessons from it, he's far too arrogant for that, i've never liked him.
One thing I will say about this case is the stupidity of people who say that he wouldn't have called a black guy a Klu Klux clan member or something along those lines.
The difference is that jewish people don't clearly stand out (because it isn't a race whereas black is). More importantly though is that the image of concentration camps has become part of western culture so calling someone a nazi is quite common whereas the clan is not as promenant an image.