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This topic comprises 7 pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
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Author
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Topic: Kramer's "racist" rant
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Leo Enticknap
Film God
Posts: 7474
From: Loma Linda, CA
Registered: Jul 2000
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posted 12-03-2006 07:06 AM
John: I saw that story too; and suffice as to say that the thin-skinned individuals in question are of the variety that get their kicks out of banning things. Can't really say much more without voicing potentially controversial political views. Anyhow, this particular pommie bastard doesn't take them in any way seriously, and neither do the overwhelming majority.
quote: Jim Ziegler
Since when did English people get their own race?
Good point. There has been ongoing, large scale immigration to and emigration from England throughout its history, pretty much since the Romans turned up in 0043. If you're defining race on genetic/biological grounds, then 'English' simply isn't one. In terms of national identity, though, this is becoming more of an issue, and it's been caused largely by Scottish devolution. In 1997 the Blair government held a referendum in Scotland, which resulted in the formation of a Scottish Parliament. This has jurisdiction over everything except taxation and foreign policy, which is still determined at UK (i.e. the Westminster parliament) level. A similar referendum was also held in Wales, but they voted against full-scale devolution and now have a Welsh Assembly, which has far more limited powers.
The referendum in Scotland was a response to a growing feeling that Scots had previously got a raw deal from Westminster, and also to a resurgence of nationalism north of the border. But, IMHO, it was badly thought through, because the devolution process didn't take into account the overall balance of power between Scotland and England. The result was that Scots members of the UK Parliament can vote in Westminster on policy issues which affect only England, but English MPs can't do likewise in relation to Scotland, because those laws are now passed in the Scottish Parliament, in which they don't sit. It's been increasingly pointed out that this has led to a fundamentally undemocratic sitation on a number of points. For example, the ruling Labour party has an overall majority in the UK Parliament, but not in English constituencies. So, when they want to pass laws which only apply in England, they rely on the votes of Scottish MPs to get them through. Increased tuition fees in universities and unpopular changes to our state-run healthcare system have both been passed because of this imbalance - without the Scottish votes, they would have been thrown out. Also, the proportion of government spending per head of population is around 40% higher in Scotland than it is in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. The popluation of Scotland is around 5 million, compared with 52 million in England. An increasing number of English people are now wondering whether the UK is still viable in its current form, added to which the Scottish Nationalist Party, which advocates complete independence (i.e. the break-up of the UK into separate sovereign states - in that scenario Scotland would be a separate country from England, and you'd need to show your passport when crossing the border), is gaining support among Scots.
A recent opinion poll showed that a clear majority in both Scotland and England support constitutional change: and if the SNP win next spring's Scottish Parliament elections my gut feeling is that this could be seriously on the cards. It would be a huge change for all of us - but there again, the UK has only existed in its current form for 299 years, which in terms of our history isn't all that long.
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Mike Heenan
Phenomenal Film Handler
Posts: 1896
From: Scottsdale, AZ, USA
Registered: Mar 2000
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posted 12-03-2006 07:43 PM
Nothing to do with Kramer but thought it was funny anyhow
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061202/ap_on_re_us/police_tv_show_9
TEMPE, Ariz. - City leaders have apologized after a program on Tempe's cable channel showed a white police officer telling two black men they could get out of a littering ticket by performing a rap.
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Tempe Mayor Hugh Hallman and Police Chief Tom Ryff apologized for the show Thursday and suspended its future production after black community leaders voiced outrage and disappointment.
"I accept responsibility for the actions of my staff and apologize to any members of our community who have been offended," Ryff said during a news conference Friday.
The segment appeared on "Tempe StreetBeat," a program produced by police in the Phoenix suburb that followed several officers on patrol. It shows Sgt. Chuck Schoville pulling over two men in August in a mall parking lot.
He first asks for a name and ID from the driver and then asks the two men if they know how much the fine is for littering.
The officer then tells the men that they can avoid getting a littering ticket "if the two of you just do a little rap about — what do you want to do a rap about? Littering? About the dangers of littering."
The two men agree, and each performs a short rap, laughing afterward. One says, "The dangers of littering, you will get a ticket. If you ain't wit' it, you better be experienced."
The second man raps, "Yo, I just got pulled over 'cause I threw my trash out the window when they rolled over. They got behind me and pulled me over."
Later, Schoville talks football with the men, one of whom agrees with his prediction that the Oakland Raiders will make it to the Super Bowl this year.
Schoville then says, "You know why you say I'm right? Because I got a gun and badge. I'm always right. That's the way it works, right?" The three laugh and the two men get in their car.
Leaders of chapters of the
National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the National Action Network expressed outrage and demanded that the city act.
The Rev. Jarrett Maupin of the National Action Network, who was at Friday's news conference, said he had accepted Hallman's and Ryff's apologies and intends to make sure the police department makes good on a proposal for an African American advisory board and increased diversity training.
"It's important for police officers to realize that black people do not speak hip hop," Maupin said. "We're not all rappers and thugs and gangbangers. We speak the English language and we're entitled to the same amount of respect."
Ryff said the department is investigating how the video got on the air, who watched it and who edited it. He wouldn't discuss whether there would be any punishment for those involved.
The chief said that he hadn't been able to contact Schoville, a 25-year veteran of the Tempe force, because the officer is on vacation. A message was left with the department seeking comment from the sergeant.
Because the men in the video were not cited, Tempe police had no record of their names.
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Associated Press Writer Terry Tang contributed to this report.
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Michael Schaffer
"Where is the
Boardwalk Hotel?"
Posts: 4143
From: Boston, MA
Registered: Apr 2002
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posted 12-03-2006 11:27 PM
That's really silly. If a police officer told me I could yodel to get out of a ticket, I would do it, except I can't really yodel because I am from North Germany, and yodelling is more a Southern thing. But I would try. Better than paying, right?
After all we are not talking about anything "indecent", like "show me your (insert normally covered body part here)" or "run down the street naked".
I don't mind if people call me "Kraut", my friends do that all the time. It's just a word. What matters is how you behave towards people. All that pseudo-PC stuff is just hypocritical.
Although it is a cliché though that all Germans eat Sauerkraut all the time. Many find it too, well, sour. I do actually love it, but I don't eat it all the time. But sometimes I ladle the stuff into my face directly from the jar. So I guess calling me a "Kraut" is not entirely wrong.
BTW, what is a "Pom"?
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