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andy-hughes | 20:34 Sun 13th Jan 2019 | News
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A considerable amount of time was given over to a group of black people who have formed a walking group.

It was ludicrous enough that the piece was edited in such a way as to make it appear that a group of black people walking together receive some sort of unspoken affirmation denied to them in the society in which they live, but to intersperse it with footage of Martin Luther King's Civil Rights marches, inviting a parallel that is simply not there, was insulting to every viewer, black or white.

An earnest woman referred to the cultural diversity of Sheffield and Manchester, bemoaning the absence of similar diversity in the 'land in between'. Since the 'land in between' is the Pennines, and does not possess any cities even approaching the size of Manchester or Sheffield, her point was utterly ridiculous.

If a group of black people want to join a walking group, fine, exercise is good for everyone, but the implication that doing so is some sort of cultural and political statement was frankly barmy.

Coupling that with images of Doctor King's marches, which were mixed race, was reaching for a comparison that is simply not there to be found.

Finally, since the film advised that the group was formed in 2004, I fail to see how it qualifies for the term 'news' in any shape or form.

Any thoughts?
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It's a walking group. To try and politicise it is nonsensical. The spurious link to the American civil rights movement is utterly ludicrous.

That's channel 4 news for you though I guess. If it'd been a feature on Countryfile we might have got a nice, informative piece about a group of black people that meet up every week to go rambling in the Peak District because they enjoy it.
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dave50 - // Are they implying that black people are banned from joining walking groups and they were trying to make a statement? It's ludicrous, if there arent many black people that are currently members of walking groups it is simply because they arent interested, there is no hidden racism involved. It's like when the national trust were saying they need to attract more members from ethnic minorities, like do what? If they dont want to join then thats it, end of. //

I don't think the implication was that black people are banned from joining walking groups.

It seems that fifteen years ago, a group of black people formed a walking group, and now, Channel 4 News is trying to link it to some sort of defining attitude to civil rights, complete with news footage of the Martin Luther King marches - which were mixed race, which rather defeats their point, not that there actually is one.
Probably picked from an archive of filler material of the correct length to pad the slot, quite a gentle piece with I agree a few mixed messages but nothing overly alarming.
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Mamya - // Probably picked from an archive of filler material of the correct length to pad the slot, quite a gentle piece with I agree a few mixed messages but nothing overly alarming. //

What irked me was the sheer pointlessness of the whole thing.

To stretch a simple walking group into a supposed and imagined modern-day exhibition of ethnic solidarity is demeaning to everyone who took part - Channel 4 ought to know better.
Well, maybe nest time a Bowling Club from Brixham - who knows.
Yes, I can see C's 4 angle on a story from Brixham Bowling Club

http://www.brixhambowlingclub.co.uk/uploads/8/2/6/6/8266649/img-0021_1_orig.jpg
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Almost writes itself doesn't it Talbot!!!

LOL!!
Glad that I don't a TV anymore.
//A considerable amount of time was given over to a group of black people who have formed a walking group//

Or a cosiderable amount of time devoted to the lgbt community,
Or a considerable amount of time to ethnics
Or a considerable amount of time to various religious groups
Or a considerable amount of time given to whoever feels offended nowadays.

Get rid of the TV....feel free!

Love my TV, it doesn't impede my freedom one iota - I plan my viewing to suit me.
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nailit - I have been an adorer of television for as long as I can remember.

I learned very early on, that as with anything you enjoy, there are good and bad bits, the trick is to enjoy the good bits, and skate over the bad bits, something I have learned to do over sixty years of TV watching.

I would never get rid of TV because something annoyed me twenty-four hours ago, and barring this discussion, I would have already forgotten about.
I've walked in the Peak District for years and can count on one hand the number of ethnic minorities I've seen. As a keen birdwatcher I've never ever seen an ethnic with binoculars.
I was working with a Jamaican on a hotel in Grindleford, we saw a black guy in walking boots, the Jamaican said, "I bet he's African, West Indians don't walk in muddy fields."
//I would never get rid of TV because something annoyed me twenty-four hours ago, and barring this discussion, I would have already forgotten about//
Fair enough Andy ;-)
Im one of those all or nothing type thinkers. A bit OCD I think!
AH // To stretch a simple walking group into a supposed and imagined modern-day exhibition of ethnic solidarity is demeaning to everyone who took part //

I found it a bit racist. The implication being that everything black people do has to be somehow part of some political struggle unlike 'normal' people.

It can't just be that they enjoy the scenery around Kinder Scout.

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