I really am not I can't call someone an idiot that genuinely isn't one.
Yes you did. You said yourself in your first post to justify your position "Neville reckons BOJO is to blame for racism, I reckon he's a bellend." when Neville has said no such thing. This is the very definition of a strawman argument. This is what you said.
But he did say this, in what way have English football grounds not responded to racist behaviour? It's a nonsense to say they haven't responded so I say again, what more should we do and what does Neville mean by saying we all have a responsibility? Is he suggesting a lynch mob?
In Neville's opinion he stated quite explicitly that he feels the Premier League and FA are not doing enough. He feels the players need to be empowered to speak out more. More generally with regards to racism he is saying it is a societal issue and that everyone has a shared responsibility to call racist behaviour out. He is saying that racism in football is a symptom of a wider issue which is racism in society. He is not advocating a lynch mob, just that society, and that includes everyone in it, has a responsibility to fight against racism.
Thanks for bringing what you believe to be my colour into it, it doesn't alter the fact that there isn't an epidemic of racism ready to envelop us, i'd be more concerned about the epidemic of stabbings and house key robberies it makes more sense.
All I said was that if you happened to be a white person in a predominantly white country that it would be expected that you probably wouldn't be affected by racism. I have no idea what colour or background you are, however inferred that you may be white as you state yourself "I am not worried the epidemic of racists are coming to get me" which is something that I would be surprised to hear from someone who comes from a BAME background. However I could be wrong. Happy for you to correct me if that's the case.
You stated that you don't think there is a "racism epidemic". I was merely pointing out that if my inferences above were correct, then you might not be the most attuned person as to whether or not this "epidemic" is on the rise as you're not subject to it yourself. However, as others on this thread have pointed out, instances of racial recidivism and hate crimes have been on the rise. Arguing about whether this rise is an "epidemic" is semantic at best. I am someone who feels that racism is not acceptable, and increases in racist behaviour are concerning. Just because you may not be worried about it, or that you don't think it is an "epidemic" doesn't mean it is not a concerning trend.
I'm not responsible for what anyone says and by that I mean anyone, what gives Neville and his ilk the right to tell anyone else what to say or think? Bullet pointing your points do not make them right, this has been blown all out of proportion by people who have a narrative and use that narrative to push this agenda, as I said earlier in the thread we are the most welcoming country on this planet IMO.
Apart from telling everyone that he thinks racism is bad, and society has a shared responsibility to deal with it, can you point me to an example where Neville is telling anyone else what to say or think? You seem to state that just because I've bullet pointed the summary doesn't make it right - can you point out which ones are wrong or which ones you don't agree with?
And for someone accusing others of twisting things to suit their narrative you've done a fine job of that yourself. From your own posts you've conflated what Neville said to have a go at the following
- Being pissed off for being accused of "racist for just breathing"
- "Neville generalised because of his political persuasion, he's upset maybe slightly bitter" - as I pointed out he leveled things at both sides of politics. You're insinuating that he is bitter. I thought only us Blues were the Berties here? ;)
- "As soon as a discussion is to be had just like the trans discussion then opinions are shut down by the liberals who want a free run to exercise their agenda, whatever that mat be." How is Neville shutting down anything by using his platform to raise the fact that he thinks that instances of racism are of concern to him? I think the only people he could remotely be accused of shutting down are racists themselves, which unless you agree with racism is actually a good thing is it not?
- "Neville reckons BOJO is to blame for racism, I reckon he's a bellend." He didn't blame BOJO for racism. This is an example of you twisting it to suit your narrative. As clearly pointed out he said both sides of politics were culpable for not dealing with racism.
- "We haven't got an epidemic of racism we've got an epidemic of Tory hating luvvies who are sore about the election." You are setting your narrative quite plainly here.
- "Whilst the world and his Dog celebrates Stormzy the violent homophobic racist, I and my fellow fas get lumbered with the tag casual racist by a media millionaire and millionaires like him." Again where has Neville lumbered you with the tag of being casual racists? It hasn't happened.
- "Bojo isn't a racist and I am not worried the epidemic of racists are coming to get me." Again you're perpetuating the narrative that Neville has called BOJO a racist, when he hasn't
As for Islam? You mentioned it, Maybe it gets criticised because of the terrorist attacks it commits is it racist to criticise them? Some people seem to get more upset about the criticism of terrorists than someone stating a fact that racism isn't all encompassing and we need to do more about it.
Actually I didn't mention it, Neville did when referring to "the leaders of both main parties are accused constantly over the last month of fueling racism and accepting racism within their parties". With Corbyn it was his in regards to antisemitism, and with Johnson it was with regards to Islamophobia. I used those examples as whilst you felt that BOJO wasn't racist he does tend to say some fairly racist and Islamophobic things.
I don't think it is racist to criticise those Islamic extremists/terrorists for their actions, however it is dangerous to paint all Muslims based on the actions of a few which is what Islamophobia is. You stated you're against Neville 'generalising', so I am right to assume you wouldn't want to tarnish a whole religion on the basis of a lunatic/extremist minority right?
