Why Does Britain's First Directly Elected Asian Mayor Wish To Silence Legitimate Debate?

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/an-investigation-is-not-islamophobia-9256552.html

/// We noted, for example, how he has given about £50,000 in grants to the Bengali media and a further £50,000 a year for "community media advice" to the chief correspondent of the most popular Bengali TV channel. That same channel has three times breached Ofcom impartiality rules by its blatantly biased coverage of the mayor. He counters that the relationship the two have is "professional". ///

There is something worrying when a Mayor of a mainly ethnic minority borough of London, not only tries to stop a BBC 'Panorama' report, but also channels public money toward self interest sources.

[emmie]

me neither -
Mr Rahman seems a rather shady type, and any one proposes that TH gets city status has an agenda.

[Orderlimit]

It got derailed in the usual silly manner SP. Seems like some on here spend their days trying to belittle the OP, its a form of bullying.

[sp1814]

Orderlimit

Please don't believe that the OP is bullied. He has certainly been guilty of some very...forthright...language himself.

It should be acknowledged that whenever someone posts on AB, they need to be adult enough to bat away any arguments thrown at them without thinking that they are being bullied.

Everyone else who posts something that others don't agree with, have their views challenged strongly.

I have never seen anyone else complain of being bullied.

There are very few trolls on AB.

Almost none actually.

[emmie]

sometimes one can feel bullied, by rude posts, sarky comments,
you don't have to be a troll - sure there aren't any on here, however sometimes its difficult to read some responses.

[sp1814]

emmie

If you've ever read AOG's comments about 'black savages', you can understand that it's a very two way street.

For me, I try in most cases, to ignore some go the more 'fruity' language on AB, especially when I understand that it's being used not necessarily to be abusive, but to make a point (albeit, in my opinion...badly).

[emmie]

mine is when some one accuses you of lying, that is a no no, and i don't care for it at all

[sp1814]

Mine is hypocrisy.

The lying thing happens all the time on AB. It's water off a duck's back with me, because to be honest, people make mistakes sometimes and other's should get over it.

I've been accused of statements which I've not made, and some that I *have* made, and I know that I've done the same to others.

In the 'heat of debate', the truth is often the first casualty.

[sp1814]

emmie

My advice would be to flag it, get acceptance from whoever has accused you of lying and not to harbour it...as it does one no good.

That's how ulcers start.

And the really important thing to remember is AB is a virtual environment, where what goes on within this website has no meaning or impact on your real life outside this screen.

[emmie]

but it can affect you, if someone is spiteful, rude, just nasty, you can't just chuck it to one side

[sp1814]

emmie

Hmmm...I see what you mean, but as I say - for me, it's water off a duck's back. If this were 'real life' (weird that I put that into quotes), it would matter, but if it's people who don't know you online, it's different for me somehow.

It's like people who are bullied online. I always think, "Well, these people don't know you - they only know your online presence, which isn't you - it's a cypher.

[bazwillrun]

@sp11
"You do not have the authority to dictate where and when I may post. "

hilarious......whereas you seem to think you do with regards to some others on here.......haha

[emmie]

sp bullying in cyber space can be as bad in real life, how many youngsters have died as a result on on line persistent bullying, if they have your e mail, facebook, twitter details, and can post what they like, however vile and spurious, and its not just limited to teens, adults too have been targeted, like the women who advocated putting a woman Jane Austen i think on one of our bank notes, threats of rape, death were sent - how do you explain that.

[New Judge]

I have difficulty with this, emmie, and it’s probably because I am older than most of those who suffer “cyber bullying”.

Physical bullying is difficult for some youngsters to handle as it often takes place in locations that they have no choice but to attend (usually school). However, cyber bullying does not. If I really got upset about things that were written about me (and it would take a lot, but that’s another issue) I simply would not read them. If I knew that using a particular website caused me upset - particularly upset so severe that it led me to be suicidal - I simply would not use it. Nobody is forced to join or use Facebook. Nobody dies if they do not subscribe to Twitter. People do not suffer irreparable damage if they stop using such sites. So why the *** hell, if it is causing them that much grief, don’t they just stop using it? These youngsters, I am told, are needed to look after me in my dotage. Well I’m none too confident that they will be able to since some of them seem singularly unable to look after themselves with any level of sense.

Or is my approach just a bit too simplistic?