AVFCDAN Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Nothing to defend in my opinion regarding Danny Baker. I genuinely believe he didn't even see it a racial issue or with racial connotations, isn't that exactly how it should be. Firing him over that means that we continue to highlight race as an issue and tread on eggshells around it, how can it ever be inclusive when incidents like this are commonplace? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Chindie Posted May 9, 2019 VT Supporter Popular Post Share Posted May 9, 2019 I don't think anyone could sensibly argue Danny Baker is a racist. But posting that is **** stupid. And it gets him on the wrong side of royalists as well as the right thinking anti-racist demographic. I can only assume he was pissed. 7 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 (edited) 1 hour ago, Stevo985 said: In a weird way I almost feel like he’s too clever to have done that on purpose. He would know how offensive it is and that it would probably get him sacked. Not defending the tweet or him by the way. Just playing devils advocate here but why is a picture of 2 people walking with a Chimp offensive? He may have been naïve to not consider how it may be taken but it can be as innocent or incredibly racist as you want to make it. Edited May 9, 2019 by AVFCDAN 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 He wasn't being racist at all but he wasn't particularly thoughtful, especially in this climate. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharkyvilla Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Do you really have to compare any baby to a chimp anyway? It's not particularly funny or original. Just an unbelievably dumb thing to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genie Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Such a stupid thing to do for anyone, let along someone in his position. It goes with the territory as a high profile employee of the BBC you have to be extremely careful with anything that might cause offence. Can anyone explain what he said about it was meant to be a joke about royals and circus animals and not about race? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowychap Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 43 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: I genuinely believe he didn't even see it a racial issue or with racial connotations, isn't that exactly how it should be. No, especially from an intelligent man like Danny Baker. It was a disappointingly monumental lack of judgment from someone who ought to have considered the obvious connotation of posting a chimp picture in relation to this specific baby. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterms Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 55 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: I genuinely believe he didn't even see it a racial issue or with racial connotations Considering the history of racial taunting at football matches down the years, the monkey noises, the bananas thrown onto the pitch, and the fact that he's pretty steeped in football culture and cannot possibly be unaware of this, that's an extremely generous interpretation on your part. Not that football is the only context in which comparisons with chimpanzees are used as a racist taunt, just to say that he is very obviously aware of the connection simply from his interest in and exposure to football culture over decades. It is simply impossible to believe he's not aware of it. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevo985 Posted May 9, 2019 VT Supporter Share Posted May 9, 2019 32 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: Just playing devils advocate here but why is a picture of 2 people walking with a Chimp offensive? Is this a real question? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 6 minutes ago, Stevo985 said: Is this a real question? Without context or interpretation it isn't offensive though is it? Using it in this context was a mistake on his part I guess but if he genuinely didn't see the racial connotations in it is it fair to blame him for the offence it causes? I really don't think that was a sackable offence on his behalf but then I'm not the "victim" of the joke as it were so I'm not really in a position to say either way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Paddywhack Posted May 9, 2019 Popular Post Share Posted May 9, 2019 The BBC quite rightly don’t tolerate anything that could be considered racist. Anyway, I see Farage is on Question Time again tonight. 11 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 12 minutes ago, peterms said: Considering the history of racial taunting at football matches down the years, the monkey noises, the bananas thrown onto the pitch, and the fact that he's pretty steeped in football culture and cannot possibly be unaware of this, that's an extremely generous interpretation on your part. Maybe but then what is the alternative? He is a racist and used this very specific event for his outlet. If it wasn't an honest mistake on his part and he's not a racist then where is the middle ground here? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blandy Posted May 9, 2019 Moderator Share Posted May 9, 2019 1 hour ago, AVFCDAN said: I genuinely believe he didn't even see it a racial issue or with racial connotations.. Me too. It was dumb though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peterms Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 17 minutes ago, AVFCDAN said: Maybe but then what is the alternative? He is a racist and used this very specific event for his outlet. If it wasn't an honest mistake on his part and he's not a racist then where is the middle ground here? That's quite hard to say, and perhaps he will try to explain. I assume he won't claim to be unaware of the racist connotations of comparing or juxtaposing black people and chimps, because I don't really see how anyone at all could possibly believe that. Perhaps he'll claim to be unaware of her black heritage or something, since he says he's not a "royal-watcher", not that you'd need to be to know about that, with the coverage it's had. Possibly he'll claim not to understand that the BBC expects certain things from presenters, which would be equally implausible. I really don't know. Let's see if he has more to say that might explain the situation a bit more. I gather his first reaction was to criticise "the suits" for "throwing him under a bus" in "a masterclass of pompous faux gravity", which doesn't come across as greatly self-aware or showing that he thinks he did anything seriously wrong. He's now saying they were right to fire him, so perhaps he's being advised not to play the victim, in the hope of defusing it a little. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ml1dch Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 54 minutes ago, peterms said: Considering the history of racial taunting at football matches down the years, the monkey noises, the bananas thrown onto the pitch, and the fact that he's pretty steeped in football culture and cannot possibly be unaware of this, that's an extremely generous interpretation on your part. Not that football is the only context in which comparisons with chimpanzees are used as a racist taunt, just to say that he is very obviously aware of the connection simply from his interest in and exposure to football culture over decades. It is simply impossible to believe he's not aware of it. Particularly considering a huge part of his exposure to football culture consisted of crowds at Millwall matches in the 70s and 80s. As you say - it's a very generous interpretation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVFCDAN Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 10 minutes ago, ml1dch said: Particularly considering a huge part of his exposure to football culture consisted of crowds at Millwall matches in the 70s and 80s. As you say - it's a very generous interpretation. I would say it depends how closely related posting a picture involving a chimp and actively making monkey gestures at a black footballer are. That’s where the interpretation lies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Pangloss Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 1 minute ago, AVFCDAN said: Maybe but then what is the alternative? He is a racist and used this very specific event for his outlet. If it wasn't an honest mistake on his part and he's not a racist then where is the middle ground here? I think it was irresponsible and stupid, he lacked even a moment of contemplation and thought around how the image could be perceived. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rodders0223 Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 Even if he did not intend for it to be racist, which I am sure he didn't...what exactly is the bloody joke? He should be sacked purely on garbage humour alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 2 minutes ago, rodders0223 said: Even if he did not intend for it to be racist, which I am sure he didn't...what exactly is the bloody joke? He should be sacked purely on garbage humour alone. He's posted the same image loads of times. It always has the caption of something grand and important happening in the news, then you scroll down and it's a funny picture of a monkey in clothes. It's a silly little joke, and it's one of those things that became funnier with repetition. I have no doubts at all he just saw another opportunity to post it and didn't think twice. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Davkaus Posted May 9, 2019 Share Posted May 9, 2019 8 minutes ago, Davkaus said: it's a funny picture of a monkey in clothes. I regret this post, and apologise to any chimps that are offended. They are apes, not monkeys. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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