Ambrosio Spinola
01-28-2006, 07:49 AM
Some Shabbos Goy just do not know when to stop kissing up.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1696934,00.html#article_continue
The Metropolitan police commissioner yesterday provoked a polarised reaction to his claim that the media were institutionally racist, with supporters rushing to his defence despite widespread criticism over his use of the Soham murders to illustrate the point.
Sir Ian Blair apologised for using the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to demonstrate his contention but stood by his original point.
"I obviously have to unreservedly apologise to anyone connected to the Soham murders, especially the parents of Holly and Jessica, for reigniting the story," he told Radio 4's Today programme. "It was not intended to diminish the significance of this dreadful crime."
At a meeting of the Metropolitan police authority on Thursday, he had said that "almost nobody" could understand why the disappearance of the girls in August 2002 dominated the news headlines and became "the biggest story in Britain".
The comment was part of a broader attack on the media for routinely giving extensive coverage to the murder of white, middle-class victims while often relegating those from ethnic minorities to "a paragraph on page 97".
He highlighted the murders of two men from different ethnic backgrounds on the same day. While the killing of white lawyer Tom ap Rhys Price, 31, in north-west London had received blanket coverage, the murder of an Asian father of two, Balbir Matharu, 54, had not been covered in anything like as much detail. "That death of the young lawyer was terrible, but an Asian man was dragged to his death, a woman was chopped up in Lewisham, a chap shot in the head in a Trident murder - they got a paragraph on page 97," said Sir Ian. With a few exceptions, murder victims from ethnic minorities appeared "not to interest the mainstream media", he added.
The London mayor, Ken Livingstone, endorsed Sir Ian's comments, saying the tabloid press in particular had much to do. "The situation has improved over the last 20 years but there is still a considerable way to go. Murders and attacks on black and Asian people - with one or two very obvious exceptions - simply do not dominate the news agenda in the same way as many of those affecting white people."
Various community groups and charities also praised Sir Ian for opening up the debate. The Peace Alliance said: "The experience of many families within black communities mirrors this reality." Tanuka Loha, director of The 1990 Trust, said the media had a problem empathising with victims from ethnic minorities, particularly if they were young and male.
Metropolitan police colleagues were frustrated that his comments on Soham had obscured the wider debate. It is understood that the Home Office is relaxed about Sir Ian's position, despite the outrage of the tabloid press and others.
The Sun called his assertion absurd, while several pressure groups attacked him for appearing to belittle the significance of the Soham case. Shy Keenan, from the Phoenix Survivors group for abused children, said Soham was a "landmark moment" and if the commissioner could not understand this "he should never have been a policeman".
The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman Lynne Featherstone said it was not clear whether his comments were "based on reality or perception".
Richard Barnes, a Conservative member of both the London assembly and the police authority, said: "He couldn't understand that this one became the biggest story in Britain - well, I can."
But the chair of the police authority, Len Duvall, pointed out that Mr Barnes and others who had subsequently criticised Sir Ian had not spoken out during the meeting. "We are pleased to confirm that the commissioner has apologised unreservedly for his comments about the Soham murders, but we note that none of the members who have since raised concerns about this voiced their objections at the authority meeting.
"The ensuing media furore has highlighted the necessity for a reasoned, mature debate about policing and the press. This is one which will be taken forward by the authority at the earliest possible opportunity," he added.
Sir Ian, appointed commissioner last February, became a high profile presence after the July 7 terrorist attacks and the subsequent controversy over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station.
He argued yesterday that he had tackled the subject of racism to highlight the need for press support on all murder investigations. "I was responding to a question and that led to an entirely legitimate discussion about the difference between investigative needs and news values.
"The last thing I need is a war with the media. The Metropolitan police service needs the media and does get their help much of the time."
http://www.guardian.co.uk/frontpage/story/0,,1696934,00.html#article_continue
The Metropolitan police commissioner yesterday provoked a polarised reaction to his claim that the media were institutionally racist, with supporters rushing to his defence despite widespread criticism over his use of the Soham murders to illustrate the point.
Sir Ian Blair apologised for using the murders of Holly Wells and Jessica Chapman to demonstrate his contention but stood by his original point.
"I obviously have to unreservedly apologise to anyone connected to the Soham murders, especially the parents of Holly and Jessica, for reigniting the story," he told Radio 4's Today programme. "It was not intended to diminish the significance of this dreadful crime."
At a meeting of the Metropolitan police authority on Thursday, he had said that "almost nobody" could understand why the disappearance of the girls in August 2002 dominated the news headlines and became "the biggest story in Britain".
The comment was part of a broader attack on the media for routinely giving extensive coverage to the murder of white, middle-class victims while often relegating those from ethnic minorities to "a paragraph on page 97".
He highlighted the murders of two men from different ethnic backgrounds on the same day. While the killing of white lawyer Tom ap Rhys Price, 31, in north-west London had received blanket coverage, the murder of an Asian father of two, Balbir Matharu, 54, had not been covered in anything like as much detail. "That death of the young lawyer was terrible, but an Asian man was dragged to his death, a woman was chopped up in Lewisham, a chap shot in the head in a Trident murder - they got a paragraph on page 97," said Sir Ian. With a few exceptions, murder victims from ethnic minorities appeared "not to interest the mainstream media", he added.
The London mayor, Ken Livingstone, endorsed Sir Ian's comments, saying the tabloid press in particular had much to do. "The situation has improved over the last 20 years but there is still a considerable way to go. Murders and attacks on black and Asian people - with one or two very obvious exceptions - simply do not dominate the news agenda in the same way as many of those affecting white people."
Various community groups and charities also praised Sir Ian for opening up the debate. The Peace Alliance said: "The experience of many families within black communities mirrors this reality." Tanuka Loha, director of The 1990 Trust, said the media had a problem empathising with victims from ethnic minorities, particularly if they were young and male.
Metropolitan police colleagues were frustrated that his comments on Soham had obscured the wider debate. It is understood that the Home Office is relaxed about Sir Ian's position, despite the outrage of the tabloid press and others.
The Sun called his assertion absurd, while several pressure groups attacked him for appearing to belittle the significance of the Soham case. Shy Keenan, from the Phoenix Survivors group for abused children, said Soham was a "landmark moment" and if the commissioner could not understand this "he should never have been a policeman".
The Liberal Democrat home affairs spokeswoman Lynne Featherstone said it was not clear whether his comments were "based on reality or perception".
Richard Barnes, a Conservative member of both the London assembly and the police authority, said: "He couldn't understand that this one became the biggest story in Britain - well, I can."
But the chair of the police authority, Len Duvall, pointed out that Mr Barnes and others who had subsequently criticised Sir Ian had not spoken out during the meeting. "We are pleased to confirm that the commissioner has apologised unreservedly for his comments about the Soham murders, but we note that none of the members who have since raised concerns about this voiced their objections at the authority meeting.
"The ensuing media furore has highlighted the necessity for a reasoned, mature debate about policing and the press. This is one which will be taken forward by the authority at the earliest possible opportunity," he added.
Sir Ian, appointed commissioner last February, became a high profile presence after the July 7 terrorist attacks and the subsequent controversy over the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes at Stockwell tube station.
He argued yesterday that he had tackled the subject of racism to highlight the need for press support on all murder investigations. "I was responding to a question and that led to an entirely legitimate discussion about the difference between investigative needs and news values.
"The last thing I need is a war with the media. The Metropolitan police service needs the media and does get their help much of the time."