BBC Suspends Talkshow After Anti-Arab Row

[L@mplighterM]

BBC Suspends Talkshow After Anti-Arab Row
Fri January 9, 2004 11:17 AM ET

LONDON (Reuters) - The BBC on Friday suspended a popular daily talkshow after its presenter made anti-Arab comments in a newspaper article.
Show presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk, a former parliamentarian with the ruling Labour Party, angered racial equality bodies with a column which asked whether Arab nations had contributed anything to civilization.

The BBC said it would suspend his daily "Kilroy" talkshow from Monday while it conducts an internal investigation into his article in the Sunday Express newspaper.

"The BBC strongly disassociates itself from the views expressed," the publicly-funded broadcaster said in a statement. "We stress that these comments do not reflect the views of the BBC."

The article, headlined "We owe the Arabs nothing," asked: "What do (Arabs) think we feel about them? That we admire them for being suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors?"

Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Commission for Racial Equality, a publicly-funded body which campaigns against racism, said it was "indisputably stupid."

"Our lawyers have considered the column and, in the light of widespread concern, we are referring the article to the police to consider whether it might constitute an offence under the Public Order Act," Phillips said on Thursday.

Iqbal Sacranie, secretary-general of the Muslim Council of Britain, complained to the BBC and the Press Complaints Commission.

"Kilroy" was launched on the BBC 15 years ago and attracts ratings of 1.2 million with audience discussions on topical issues. Kilroy-Silk was not available for comment.

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.j...toryID=4102095

If individuals are stifled by Islamic lobbyists for telling the truth there’ll be no way to stop their goal of world domination. The very laws that have helped build our civilization will help collapse it.

[minusthejihad]

Someone mentioned on LGF that there are Muslim reporters in England who've said much more hateful things and got away with it, compared to Kilroy, who got sacked.

[L@mplighterM]

Originally posted by minusthejihad
Someone mentioned on LGF that there are Muslim reporters in England who've said much more hateful things and got away with it, compared to Kilroy, who got sacked.

It seems obvious to me whats happening around the world. As soon as someone says anything negative about Islam they get pounced upon or canned. As far as I'm concerned Kilroy spoke the truth and away he goes. I've heard/read a lot worse directed at Israel by the BBC and the news commentators/reporters still have their jobs.

[Mediocrates]

Then one must conclude that it is policy.

The

Bedouin
Broadcasting
Corporation

[L@mplighterM]

Kilroy 'regrets' anti-Arab comments


The Kilroy programme will be suspended from Monday
Television presenter Robert Kilroy-Silk has apologised for a newspaper article in which he made anti-Arab comments.
He said he greatly regretted the offence caused by the Sunday Express article, which was written in April but "republished last weekend in error".

In it, he branded Arabs "suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors" and asked what they had given to the world other than oil.

Earlier, the BBC suspended the Kilroy show while it investigates the matter.

The corporation stressed the comments did not reflect its views as a broadcaster.

In a statement, Mr Kilroy-Silk said: "I greatly regret the offence which has been caused by the article published in last weekend's Sunday Express.

It has obviously caused great distress and offence and I can only reiterate that I very deeply regret that

Robert Kilroy-Silk
"The article contains a couple of obvious factual errors which I also regret."

Mr Kilroy-Silk said the article had not prompted such an outcry the first time it was published, adding it was "not what I would have said today".

"It was originally written as a response to the views of opponents to the war in Iraq that Arab States 'loathe' the West and my piece referred to 'Arab States' rather than 'Arabs'," he said.

"Out of that context, it has obviously caused great distress and offence and I can only reiterate that I very deeply regret that."

'Ignorance'

BBC media correspondent Nick Higham said the Sunday Express had accused the BBC of overreacting and gagging free speech.

The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) described the piece written by the discussion show host in last week's Sunday Express as a "gratuitous anti-Arab rant".

Mr Kilroy-Silk's article included comments saying the toppling of despotic regimes in the Middle East should be a war aim, and questioned the contribution of the Arab nations to world welfare and civilisation.

He said Arabs "murdered more than 3,000 civilians on 11 September" and then "danced in the streets" to celebrate.

I certainly think he's entitled to his opinions

Perry de Havilland
Libertarian Alliance

The MCB secretary general Iqbal Sacranie praised the BBC for "taking the matter seriously".

Earlier, he wrote in a letter to BBC One controller Lorraine Heggessey that Mr Kilroy-Silk had failed to distinguish between the terrorists behind the 11 September attacks and 200 million "ordinary Arab peoples".

Mr Sacranie condemned the "bigoted and ill-informed ideas" in the piece, which he said was "ignorant, extremely derogatory and indisputably racist".

The Commission for Racial Equality (CRE) reported the matter to the police.

CRE chairman Trevor Phillips commended the BBC for taking swift action on the matter.

He said: "It is unbelievable. It's not just what he says, but the way he says it, which is completely offensive, and the level of ignorance he shows."

TV host defended

But Perry de Havilland of the Libertarian Alliance defended the television host's right to free speech.

He told BBC News: "Blackening everyone in an entire civilisation is intemperate, to put it mildly.

"But I certainly think he's entitled to his opinions and I don't see why he's been whipped from pillar to post for it."

He said anti-American views expressed by newspaper columnists did not prompt as much uproar.

BBC Breakfast will continue for an extra half hour on BBC One, to 0930 GMT, while Kilroy is off air.

Mr Kilroy-Silk owns the company that makes the programme.


http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3384573.stm


Wimp!

[Johnny Yuma]

Originally posted by L@mplighterM

But Perry de Havilland of the Libertarian Alliance defended the television host's right to free speech. .............

..............
He said anti-American views expressed by newspaper columnists did not prompt as much uproar.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/3384573.stm

Someone once said, "The smartest thing the devil ever did was convince the human race that he didn't exist." I'm beginning to see a pattern.

[L@mplighterM]

Originally posted by Johnny Yuma
Someone once said, "The smartest thing the devil ever did was convince the human race that he didn't exist." I'm beginning to see a pattern.

That’s a great way of putting it and you’re right on the money. Perhaps the devil could tell me how the hell all these demonically possessed Muslims made their way into the west. I wont argue that there’s Muslims that seem to be moderate but I doubt very much they would stand up for Jews or infidels if push came to shove. If and when that day comes they’ll most likely just go with the flow out of survival or cowardice.

I just wonder where our last stand will be and how Asian countries will play into the picture.

[Communication]

I watched the BBC World last night. I see it so infrequently that it's shocking. They had a peice on Israel, the Palestinians and Syria. They interviewed Yassir Arafat, a PA spokesperson, a guy on a street in Damascus and not a single Israeli. Yassir Arafat looked half pathetic and half crazy, the Syrian said only, "Israel always says that they are going to do something and then they never do it, " and he PA spokesperson said that Israel was making it impossible to have a two-state solution with the "Wall". Out of everything that has happened in the territories over the past few weeks, they show a dead guy being carried around in a stretcher with the Hamas shiat all draped over him and the overhead saying, ""witnesses" said that the guy was shot while trying to open his bedroom window."-cut to a middle age heavy-set woman looking out her window. Again with the overhead, "Israeli army declined to comment, saying that they would investigate the incident."

The editting was fantastic. The images they selected, what recent information to include and what to exclude. And I realized that Israel is being hardcore sold down the river. And it's not just the BBC. At one time, The Economist had very balanced and often informative pieces on the Arab-Israeli conflict but the last six or so months worth have been skewed towards making Israel look intransigent, manipulative, cruel, and aggressive. I had gotten somewhat used to seeing this in the European media and to some extent in the US media, but what was most shocking is the way the media is handling recent events. In this weeks Economist, they open with an article on Assad that starts out:

"PITY Bashar Assad. A modest eye doctor, he did not wish to succeed his father, Hafez, but his big brother's death in a car crash changed all that. He would rather have inherited a quiet, rich country, not a poor weakling bordered by such enemies as Israel, which sits in taunting occupation of a mountain-top that can be seen from his palace windows on a clear day."


And by the way, I did not capitalize the entire word PITY in the beginning. http://www.economist.com/displaystor...ory_id=2337703

[Communication]

I mean, it almost seems comedic and then I realize that it's not a joke. There is a lot of hate in the world towards Israel right now and this has a lot to do with it. You don't realize it when you read Haaretz and Jpost everyday for your information on the ME. Haaretz is very critical of Israel. I was surprised at one time by some of the reporters they allow to write for the paper like Akiva Eldar, Amira Hass and Gideon Levy. I read it for that reason, but rarely have I seen such obvious villification and bias coming from what is suppose to be respectable media. I actually think they have gotten much worse since the war in Iraq when it comes to Israel. At least with Haaretz, they present a fairly wide range of perspectives (perhaps not as far to the right as many people on this board would like, but nonetheless...).

[L@mplighterM]

A trend is developing where the whole of Islam shouts foul when the media presents something that’s not to their liking. Demonstrations are going to take place across North America to protest the French Governments steps to ban headscarves. I’ve heard that similar protests will take place throughout other EU countries. That’s called unity!

Where are the Jewish demonstrations to protest that government’s decision to also ban skullcaps? That’s called I’m OK you’re OK!

[Semite]

Kilroy of course infamously said in the past: They (Muslims) are backward and evil, and if it is being racist to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so” (The Daily Express, 15th January 1995)

C@ndlelighter, let's say this gentleman changed two words in the statement above and tell me how you would react.

They (Jews) are backward and evil, and if it is being anti-semitic to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so”

[ibrodsky]

Originally posted by Semite
Kilroy of course infamously said in the past: They (Muslims) are backward and evil, and if it is being racist to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so” (The Daily Express, 15th January 1995)

C@ndlelighter, let's say this gentleman changed two words in the statement above and tell me how you would react.

They (Jews) are backward and evil, and if it is being anti-semitic to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so”

To you, words are just playthings. They are to be interchanged to determine which combination is more effective.

But to honest people, the question is not what is the reaction to the latest lie, but which combination of words convey the truth.

[Semite]

ibrodsky, you basically said nothing other than, you're wrong but I refuse to explain.

If all of the 1.4 billion muslims around the world were terrorists, there would be no war on terrorism. There would be an entire Islamic state around the globe. Making broad statements about an entire group of people based on a few individuals makes you a bigot.

Majority of prisoners in US prisons are black. Is it right to say that all Blacks are criminals?

All KKK members are white, are all whites racist hicks who lynch?

[L@mplighterM]

Originally posted by Semite
Kilroy of course infamously said in the past: They (Muslims) are backward and evil, and if it is being racist to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so” (The Daily Express, 15th January 1995)

C@ndlelighter, let's say this gentleman changed two words in the statement above and tell me how you would react.

They (Jews) are backward and evil, and if it is being anti-semitic to say so then I must be and happy and proud to be so”

Well I think Kilroy has a pretty good handle on the situation in the ME. It might be argued that he went too far because he included all Arabs but I would agree with a figure of 80+/-% whereas others on this board have a smaller percentage in mind.

I think that there are many farmers that just want to do their own thing like milking their goats and camels like they’ve done for the past several thousand years.

I don’t think that Kilroy literally meant that 100% of Arabs are terrorists.

By the way I do think that Muslims are backwards and evil. Let me explain that statement

For starters I think any society that treats females in the manner they are treated in Islam is a society that’s inherently evil. Don’t get me wrong I’m not jumping to the defense of Muslim women like a gallant warrior because I don’t give a damn what they do to their daughters, wives and other women within Islam.

[Semite]

I don’t think that Kilroy literally meant that 100% of Arabs are terrorists.

Oh, ok. Thanks for clearing that up.

You know what, I don't think Mahathir literally meant that 100% of all Jews controlled the world via proxy.

For starters I don't think any society that denies nearly two million Arabs living in its nation, basic god given rights is a society that’s inherently evil. Don’t get me wrong I’m not jumping to the defense of Israel, like a gallant warrior because I don’t give a damn what they do to their people within their self-righteous Jewish state.