Is Our Foreign Secretary Just Making It Up As He Goes Along?

[Ellipsis]

Is our Foreign Secretary, Dominic Raab, fit for purpose when he knows so little about "taking the knee" that he thinks it's to do with Game of Thrones, which features an unrelated concept called "bending the knee"? Bear in mind that he is the Foreign Secretary, the USA is one of our biggest allies and this is a key issue in the USA right now as well as here.

To quote Raab: "I don't know, maybe it's got a broader history, but it seems to be taken from the Game of Thrones. It feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than one of liberation and emancipation."

"I don't know", "it seems", "it feels to me" ... how can he be so clueless?

* https://talkradio.co.uk/news/dominic-raab-responds-criticism-over-game-thrones-comment-20061833449
* https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-53093244

[Ellipsis]

Yep, it's wonderful having someone talking on your behalf around the world who is happy to talk about stuff he knows nothing about, while pretending he knows all about it, isn't it TTT?

[naomi24]

Ellipsis, that doesn't make it any less ridiculous.

[Ellipsis]

> Never seen Game of Thrones, so don't know about that bit. What I do know is that kneeling before someone has been for centuries an admission of lower rank or submission. One knelt to one's feudal lord in the middle ages, I believe. I will kneel to God and my sovereign, but I'd need a bit of help go get up again these days, no-one else. He was quite right if he said it was an act of submission.

So who do you think all these black people taking the knee are submitting to?

[Ellipsis]

> Ellipsis, that doesn't make it any less ridiculous.

Your opinion that it's a ridiculous expression is a ridiculous opinion - in my opinion. The expression describes the action, that's all. But you'd probably prefer to argue over the expression than the competence of our Foreign Secretary.

[Atheist]

Ellipsis, I don't think they are submitting to anyone. They have devised a non-confrontational way of expressing their lack of acceptance of the white hegemony. A bit like Ghandi, really.

[jourdain2]

Don't know, ellipsis, that's up to them. I just won't do it.

[royfromaus]

So who do you think all these black people taking the knee are submitting to?




Go on...do tell.

[Ellipsis]

They're not submitting. The action is not indicating submission.

[Atheist]

Roy; see my post above at 18:36.

[ToraToraTora]

elipsis 18:24, he knows nothing about it and demonstrated that, so how is he "pretending he knows all about it"? - You seem to have a juxtaposition there me old china.

[weecalf]

I’ve said it afore I’ve said it in Brighton ....

[ToraToraTora]

athiest: "They have devised a non-confrontational way of expressing their lack of acceptance of the white hegemony." - yep all that non confrontational looting and vandalism is just part of the deal is it?

[Atheist]

TTT I thought we were discussing bending the knee. How did you manage to get violence into this? You seem to be a bit obsessed with that aspect. Bending the knee is in on the one hand accused of being submissive, and then accused of being violent. Is bending the knee some kind of ironic gesture which means 'I hate you and I will attack you when I get the chance'?
There, I've cued you in to an aggressive response; I hope you 'bend the knee' and don't indulge in a knee-jerk reaction. Best wishes, me old china.

[royfromaus]

I know they're not submitting, Athiest.

Why did Ellipsis say

''So who do you think all these black people taking the knee are submitting to?''

If he knew they weren't submitting?


Back to how the current 'take a knee' started...

[royfromaus]

Atheist
TTT I thought we were discussing bending the knee. How did you manage to get violence into this?




Probably the same way BLM manage to get violence into their marches.

[Atheist]

Roy; I think it started by people deciding to answer back without using explicit confrontational language. A bit like Ghandi perhaps. Or like Jesus - turn the other cheek but don't pretend you didn't notice the insult to you.

[Atheist]

Roy, and so do the anti BLM's get violence into their activities. In fact, violence is their modus operandi. That's what right wing means - I won't discuss with you, I'll hit you instead. Any validity in my view?

[LadyCG]

I have never enslaved anyone, so I won't be apologising or bending the knee and shame on any lily-livered grovelling apologist who does.

[Atheist]

Roy, should have been quote marks round my 'I won't discuss with you, I'll hit you instead. '

[Atheist]

Lady, who's asking you to apologise for anything?