Is This An Unnecessary Witch Hunt?

[ToraToraTora]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-22231653
Ok, like millions of others she's a dopey teenager. She's resigned, clearly mortified by the whole process. I see no reason to villify this young woman further.

[Quoi]

I think its a little inappropriate to deal with her so heavy handedly but I wonder which path she will take in life from here - will it match her naive comments as a 14 year old or will she fight against racism and homophobia in the future?

[emmie]

these tweets according to the news were when she was aged 14 to 16, i think it's a harsh lesson, but one that she can build on hopefully. I don't agree with the appointment, it seems foolish in the extreme and a waste of money, no matter who's purse it comes out of.

[Gromit]

Miss Brown was not 14 when she posted her comments. If she was, the police wouldn't be interested. She was 16. The posts are from within 6 months of her being given the job.

// Miss Brown wrote the messages during the last six months before she was given the role of helping the force 'stay in touch with young people'. //

Her views are not going to have matured in 6 months. Her comments do not offend me but they are stupid and immature, and really do not represent the young people she was paid to represent. That is why her appointment was wrong and why she had to go.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2312044/Paris-Brown-Foul-mouthed-youth-commissioner-quit-offensive-tweets-questioned-police-caution.html

[jim360]

Lose her job, yes. Be persecuted and potentially even prosecuted and damaged for life, no.

[Kromovaracun]

I agree with Gromit and Andy. It's not at all clear why this job was necessary in the first place.

[jim360]

Some relief as she is not being prosecuted after all.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-22238147

[Orderlimit]

Sensible decision, on this occasion

[Orderlimit]

Remember this nonsense back in 2008 in East Kent

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2453866/Grandmother-charged-with-racism-after-telling-off-gang.html

She commented "The authorities today are so sensitive to being criticised for being racist themselves that any claims of racism just raises their antennae, instead of using common sense."

There is a lot of truth in her comment, particularly in the police 'service', who are regularly accused of being racist mainly due to nonsense about the stop search powers.

[jim360]

On this occasion the difference is that some of what Paris Brown said was actually pretty objectionable. It's just that so are most tweets if you look hard enough, so there's no reason to pick on her except to make an example.

[Orderlimit]

I agree Jim, but the disproportionate and over-reactions are evident in both these cases and sadly very common.