Politics and Idiocy

[Departed]

This will likely crash the servers once the examples start flowing in....here is the latest from Quebec......

Quebec language watchdog backs down on demand for French posts on shop’s Facebook page

National Post Staff | March 4, 2014 | Last Updated: Mar 4 11:54 AM ET
Chris Mikula / Ottawa Citizen

After nearly a week in the news, Quebec’s language watchdog is reversing course on its demands for French updates on a local boutique’s Facebook page.

“I think I can do what I was doing before,” Eva Cooper, owner of Delilah (in the Parc), told the Ottawa Citizen. “They have certainly softened their position.”

Putting aside all of the other considerations at play here — freedom of expression, the right of Canadians to use the Internet as they please, fair play for Anglophones living in Quebec — it is quite appalling to see a provincial government so thoroughly mired in debt wasting its resources on the harassment of small, bilingual shop owners. Chelsea, Quebec, a town where people switch easily from English to French and back again as it pleases them, is the very model for how bilingualism is supposed to work.

The bilingual Quebec native received a letter Feb. 18 informing her that her Facebook page had violated Article 52 of the Quebec Charter of French Language — Bill 101 — which requires catalogues, brochures, folders and commercial directories to be offered in French. It doesn’t, however, include social media, Cooper’s lawyers advised.

Which didn’t stop the Office québécois de la langue française from threatening legal action if she didn’t start posting French updates to match her English ones.

“I’m interested in posting bilingually,” she told the National Post last Friday. “[But] how much of a status update is it when you have to post it twice?”

On Sunday, after a week of widespread media coverage, Cooper got a “conciliatory” call from the watchdog’s office, which reinforced her lawyers’ initial advice — Section 52 doesn’t apply to Facebook.

“I guess I don’t have to be nervous about sitting in front of my computer anymore,” she told the Citizen.

In the days since the story emerged, Cooper’s Facebook page has gone from 600 likes to 10,200.

The watchdog was sticking by its claims as late as Friday. “Commercial offers should be in French — also in English — but it has to be in French first,” OQLF) spokesman Jean-Pierre Le Blanc said at the time. “Because you have French customers in Quebec.”

Cooper says her staff is fully bilingual, but that her Facebook page is more targeted to English speakers.

“We have great relations with our customer,” she said Monday. If this was an issue, why didn’t [the complainant] talk to me?”

The case is the latest in a series of public spats between businesses and the language office.

In February 2013, the office wrote the first chapter in “Pastagate” when it targeted Buonanotte — an Italian restaurant — for using Italian on its menu.

Among the offending words: “pasta,” “pesce,” “antipasti,” “calamari” and, on the wine list, the Italian word for “bottle.”

“My menu is completely French, what I have in Italian are the names of my dishes,” said owner Massimo Lecas said at the time.

In the end, Lecas got to keep his semi-Italian menu, but watchdog head Louise Marchand resigned after the barrage of ridicule over Pastagate and a series of similar stories.

http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/03/04/quebec-language-backs-down-on-demand-for-french-posts-on-shops-facebook-page/

 

[Departed]

The U.S. tells Ottawa: O Canada, stop pouting

Mary Anastasia O'Grady, Special to Financial Post | July 1, 2014 4:07 PM ET

President Obama once promised to remake America’s image around the globe. He has kept that promise — only not in the way many voters who backed him had hoped.

Mr. Obama’s latest step in the image makeover is to tell Canada — the U.S.’s largest trading partner, largest supplier of energy and most loyal ally in war and peace — that its long-nurtured special relationship with the U.S. is not so special after all. To carry out the mission, Mr. Obama has sent a new U.S. ambassador to Ottawa.

Bruce Heyman, a former Goldman Sachs banker based in Chicago and a top Obama campaign bundler in both 2008 and 2012, may have deserved an ambassadorship for his services. But that’s what all those tiny islands in the Caribbean are for. Appointing Mr. Heyman — who is diplomatically challenged, to put it diplomatically — his top representative to Canada says a lot about what the president thinks about his northern neighbour.

Mr. Heyman made his debut in Ottawa earlier this month with a dinner speech at the National Gallery followed by a Q&A with former Canadian ambassador to Washington Frank McKenna. Mr. McKenna used the event to raise what Canada sees as troubling “irritants” in the bilateral relationship. Mr. Heyman used it to explain to Canadians how insignificant they are in the eyes of Washington.

Mr. McKenna began with the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a proposed free-trade agreement among 12 countries that Canada is eager to see completed. He thanked the U.S. for inviting his country to join but then pointed out that the members are “all hung up because we’re waiting for fast track” negotiating authority, which would assure an up or down congressional vote on any deal. When will it happen, the Canadian wanted to know.

Mr. Heyman called this “focusing on the wrong things.” With or without fast track, “I don’t think that should be a reason for anybody not to negotiate.” He even told Mr. McKenna that TPP “could be” completed without fast-track.

This is nonsense: No country is likely to put the opening of its most protected markets on the table until they know that the U.S. Congress will not be allowed to pick the deal apart. Mr. McKenna seemed incredulous that the ambassador was trying to spin it otherwise. He politely moved on.

The Keystone XL pipeline, he told Mr. Heyman, “in many ways is a proxy . . . for the relationship” with the U.S. That is to say, from Canada’s perspective, things are not good and Keystone is the reason. He asked why, after five years, the pipeline has not been approved.

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What followed was a lecture from Mr. Heyman that was more suited to children than a foreign-policy audience. The government has received three million comments from Americans since the beginning of the year, he said. “Maybe tonight on your drive home” — boys and girls — “you can think about how long it would take to process each individual memo.” Then he added: “This is a very, very large and significant number of comments and we have to process it. It’s going to take some time.”

Things didn’t go too well either when Mr. McKenna tried to get a U.S. commitment to fund the customs plaza that Canada needs to support a new bridge it is building at the Detroit-Windsor crossing, where the U.S. trade with Canada is greater than with all of Japan. “We support nice infrastructure between our two countries,” Mr. Heyman said. “This is a financing issue and I think it’s best that we wait and have those discussions privately.”

When Mr. McKenna moved to raise “another issue that has turned out to be bothersome,” Mr. Heyman cut in: “Do you have any good issues here you want to talk about? I try to take this at a high level and make this a lot of fun. I’m sorry you’re all bummed out here. We have this incredible relationship. C’mon.”

Mr. McKenna kept his cool: “When you’re the small partner in a relationship the irritants do become quite significant,” he calmly explained.

Mr. Heyman remained clueless. “Frank,” he asked, “did you ever buy a new car? You get a new car? And you have that new car, it smells great and it looks beautiful and everything else. And you bring that new car home and you realize there’s a scratch on the bumper that you didn’t notice when you bought it. And you go inside and start thinking about the scratch all day long. Ever do that?”

Mr. McKenna deadpanned: “No.” But the American went right on with his analogy that effectively belittled Canada’s concerns as trivial next to its good fortune in being a U.S. neighbour.

Many Canadians have already been saying that they’ve given up on Mr. Obama and now count the days until he leaves office. That may be a good survival strategy for Canada. But it can’t be good for the U.S., which doesn’t have so many allies that it can afford to offend one of the most important.

The Wall Street Journal

http://business.financialpost.com/2014/07/01/the-u-s-tells-ottawa-o-canacda-stop-pouting/

 

[Spursex]

I think the list of Obama's 'special' friends must have shrunk every year he's been in office..

The Germans are furious with him, and the French Gov can barely hide their distain for him.

 

[Departed]

Puzzling to say the least.

 

[Departed]

Oh FFS.......

'Accentism' similar to racism, suggests new research
By Chris Hemmings

EastEnders 'changing Scots accent'
A language expert has told Newsbeat how "accentism", where people are discriminated against because of how they speak, is similar to racism.

Dr Alexander Baratta from Manchester University asked people why they changed their accents and how it made them feel.

He says "people make snap judgements based on accents" and it's "how they identify us".

He said a third of people are "ashamed" about it, but that we want to "fit in".

During the initial research, the first of its kind in the UK, Dr Baratta spoke to 98 students and staff at various schools and universities to ask them about their attitudes to their accent.

This isn't about hating their accent, it's about being afraid of how others will think about them. From 9 to 5 they're one person, but when they're home they become someone else

Dr Alexander Baratta, Manchester University
It suggests many people don't feel they need to change anything.

It also shows some are comfortable about faking it, while others feel unhappy about themselves.

"You can't underestimate how important accents are," said Dr Baratta. "Changing it can undermine your sense of being.

"This isn't about hating their accent, it's about being afraid of how others will think about them.

"From 9 to 5 they're one person, but when they're home they become someone else."

The findings suggest those who do adapt their speech may have identity issues.

Apparently it makes some of us feel like we're betraying who we really are, making us angry and bitter.

BBC presenter, Steph McGovern
Steph McGovern says people have been prejudiced to her because of her accent

A teacher from Rossendale, near Blackburn, told researchers he was advised to change the way he spoke to his pupils.

When he did as he was asked, he said he felt "disgusted with himself".

BBC presenters used to be taught Received Pronunciation, where they'd speak with no accent at all.

These days there are a wider variety of accents on TV and radio, but that doesn't stop "accentism" from happening.

BBC Breakfast's business presenter Stephanie McGovern said that people inside the BBC treated her as "too common for telly" because of her accent.

Writing in the Radio Times, the presenter said that she was overlooked for promotion because of the way she spoke.

Dr Baratta said: "Any form of discrimination, including accentism, shouldn't be tolerated in an inclusive society."

Alexander Baratta says the research will now be carried out on a larger scale.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/28225710?

 

[Spursex]

Idle hands....or in his case, idle minds...

I'd like him to prove the 'discrimination'.

That said, I am prejudiced; one accent I can't stand is broad Brummie (it makes me want to put red hot pokers in my ears). If I had to listen to that all day, I think I'd kill.

 

[Departed]

Spursex - 9/7/2014 18:03

Idle hands....or in his case, idle minds...

I'd like him to prove the 'discrimination'.

That said, I am prejudiced; one accent I can't stand is broad Brummie (it makes me want to put red hot pokers in my ears). If I had to listen to that all day, I think I'd kill.

Ottawa Valley. Giday. Our version of Deliverance.

 

[Departed]

We have 3 U18 rugby players staying with us from Leicester. Just getting used to the accent.

 

[Departed]

Kelly McParland: Canada has helped the U.S. in Cuba, Iraq and Ukraine, but gets little respect back from Obama

Republish Reprint
Kelly McParland | December 17, 2014 | Last Updated: Dec 22 12:01 PM ET
More from Kelly McParland | @KellyMcParland
President Barack Obama between the prime ministers of Canada and Australia, two countries he seems to feel he has no more need of.
MANDEL NGAN/AFP/Getty ImagesPresident Barack Obama between the prime ministers of Canada and Australia, two countries he seems to feel he has no more need of.
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Last Wednesday President Barack Obama formally thanked Canada for hosting the secret talks that led to Washington’s historic re-opening of relations with Cuba. Two days later, just before jetting off on a Christmas break, he devoted part of his year-end press conference to heaping scorn on the Keystone XL pipeline, a key Canadian concern that has been held up for six years by his refusal to render a decision on its future.

“It’s very good for Canadian oil companies and it’s good for the Canadian oil industry, but it’s not going to be a huge benefit to U.S. consumers,” he said. “It’s not even going to be a nominal benefit to U.S. consumers.”

The pipeline actually offers a good deal of benefit to Americans, but that’s another issue. It has been obvious for some time that Mr. Obama is keen to stick a dagger in the project. Why he’s delayed so long is a mystery, given how happy it would make his fans in Hollywood and the Democratic party’s populist wing. But his eagerness to deride an issue that is of major interest to a country that just did him a considerable favour is a bigger riddle. Perhaps it explains why his record on foreign relations has been so poor.

In his six years in office, he hasn’t been much of a friend to Canada. Like many Americans, what started as a relationship with high hopes has instead become a serious disappointment.


Americans by the millions registered that sentiment in November when they handed both houses of Congress to the Republicans. Europeans have similarly been let down – after helping to deliver a premature Nobel peace prize, they’ve watched the president dither over Russia, over Ukraine, over Egypt, over Syria, and over the effective use of U.S. power in general. (They’re also not very happy about discovering the U.S. has been spying on their phone conversations and internet use). After delivering a groundbreaking speech in Cairo, offering Islam the hand of friendship, Mr. Obama has managed to alienate both Israel and Egypt, while bombing Syria, which takes some doing.

Related
Obama’s ’Colbert’ show appearance no laughing matter for Canada’s oil patch
The president came to office with much sympathy from Canadians, and was treated like a rock star on his first visit here after taking office. It has probably taken longer for expectations to erode than it has in the U.S., where his healthcare law and the struggling economy ate away at his support base. But it’s difficult to make a case that he’s been a respectful ally to Canada, or even a sympathetic neighbour. Casual disregard would be closer to the mark.

THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred Chartrand
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Fred ChartrandCanada is supporting U.S. efforts in Iraq and Syria, but Obama seems to have little appreciation of the effort.
It’s an attitude that’s been evident in matters large and small. A recent example is Washington’s determination to apply “Buy America” policies to the construction of a ferry terminal in Prince Rupert, British Columbia. The terminal is on Canadian land leased by Alaska, which wants to block the use of Canadian iron and steel products in the project. The construction cost, $15 million, is a pittance between two countries that share hundreds of billions of dollars in trade, but the triviality just adds to the sense of insult. Why alienate a friend over something so minor?

Washington’s attitude was similarly on display when it dawdled so long over construction of a new bridge between Detroit and Windsor that Ottawa volunteered to pick up the entire cost, only to have the U.S. resist paying even for its own Customs plaza. Only after he left government for work as a consultant did Mr. Obama’s transportation secretary, Ray LaHood, denounce the U.S. stance and declare the bridge “critically important to our relationship with Canada, critically important to trade with Canada, and critically important to jobs.”

Mr. Obama long ago quit pretending he was open to an unbiased view on the 1,900-kilometre Keystone XL pipeline project from Alberta to the Gulf Coast, parroting attacks on the project from U.S. environmental lobbyists in direct contradiction of the findings of his own experts in the State Department. Rather than acknowledge his opinion and simply reject the project, Mr. Obama has deliberately drawn out the process at great cost to the builders and to Ottawa, which has been forced to mount an extensive campaign arguing its merits against a White House that simply chooses not to listen. As a result Canada has had little choice but to work closely with Mr. Obama’s Republican opponents, who are now pledged to force a showdown with the President at the first opportunity. The incongruity of the situation is evident in the fact Canada’s point man in defeating Mr. Obama’s obstructionism is the former NDP Premier of Manitoba, now Ambassador to Washington, Gary Doer, who probably never expected to find himself rallying right-wing legislators against a left-wing President over an oil project.

Wayne Cuddington, Ottawa Citizen.
Wayne Cuddington, Ottawa Citizen.Obama was warmly welcomed on his first trip to Ottawa in 2009.
Mr. Obama’s remaining supporters would presumably argue Canada is to blame for the poor relations. Prime Minister Stephen Harper unquestionably raised hackles when he suggested Keystone was a “no-brainer” and said he wouldn’t take no for an answer. But Mr. Harper has more than offset that remark by actively supporting U.S. military efforts in Libya, Iraq, and Afghanistan, joining the coalition against ISIS, publicly reprimanding Russian President Vladimir Putin and backing western efforts in Ukraine.

Ottawa may have annoyed the White House with its reluctance to take tougher steps against global warming, but Canada’s policy has been to match U.S. efforts, and until recently Mr. Obama had done little to back up his rhetoric on the climate file. The Washington Post Fact-Checker file recently reported that Mr. Obama’s remarks on Keystone during an Asian tour (during which he also lectured Australia, another long-time ally) were so filled with falsehoods it awarded him “three Pinocchios” on a scale of four, representing “significant factual error and/or obvious contradictions.”

The President still has two years in office during which he can continue to treat one of his country’s closest historical allies with disrespect. Canadians can only hope his successor is less careless of U.S. relations with its friends.

National Post

http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2014/12/17/kelly-mcparland-canada-has-helped-the-u-s-in-cuba-iraq-and-ukraine-but-gets-little-respect-back-from-obama/

 

[Spursex]

I think for many people Obama has been disappointing, but then I guess it goes with people having such high expectations of any US President.

As for his record on climate control; did anyone seriously expect anything different from North America as a whole?

 

[Departed]

Trudeau Junior is putting the climate at the fore front. The drive to get elected/re-elected will kill it. Although he is a teacher so he might just ignore common sense......on everything.

 

[ST2]

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

 

[Spursex]

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

 

[Galvin's Shinpads]

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

 

[Spursex]

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 18:16

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

So if say he were a murderer of Women and children, would you say that after serving his sentence he should never work/be near them - or be able to live and work in any community that would harbor/have him?

 

[Galvin's Shinpads]

Spursex - 5/1/2015 18:24

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 18:16

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

So if say he were a murderer of Women and children, would you say that after serving his sentence he should never work/be near them - or be able to live and work in any community that would harbor/have him?

But he's not a murderer of women and children, or anyone else for that matter.
He is a convicted rapist.
That is a deep dark place that is not simply remedied by a quick stint in prison!

 

[Spursex]

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 19:00

Spursex - 5/1/2015 18:24

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 18:16

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

So if say he were a murderer of Women and children, would you say that after serving his sentence he should never work/be near them - or be able to live and work in any community that would harbor/have him?

But he's not a murderer of women and children, or anyone else for that matter.
He is a convicted rapist.
That is a deep dark place that is not simply remedied by a quick stint in prison!

How do we know that?

 

[Galvin's Shinpads]

Spursex - 5/1/2015 19:01

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 19:00

Spursex - 5/1/2015 18:24

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 18:16

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

So if say he were a murderer of Women and children, would you say that after serving his sentence he should never work/be near them - or be able to live and work in any community that would harbor/have him?

But he's not a murderer of women and children, or anyone else for that matter.
He is a convicted rapist.
That is a deep dark place that is not simply remedied by a quick stint in prison!

How do we know that?

How do we know what? That he is not a murderer? or his crime cannot be remedied by a quick stint in jail??

Well, I nothing stated he is a murderer and as for not be a solution for his crime, prison does not remedy the victim's case. She has to live with his crime, for the rest of her life. He was the perpetrator, ergo, let him deal with it.
This is not a pay-off event.
What he did has consequences in the big bad world. It is a marker to other young footballers, who may think they can get away with such deviance.

 

[Spursex]

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 19:06

Spursex - 5/1/2015 19:01

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 19:00

Spursex - 5/1/2015 18:24

Galvin's Shinpads - 5/1/2015 18:16

Spursex - 5/1/2015 17:46

ST2 - 5/1/2015 15:51

what's this all aboot? (ha ha, couldn't resist that)

I'll tell you what's wrong - MOB RULE, aka Social Media whereby tedious bellends get faux agitated about someting or other and force the issue. Others and organisations leap on asap so as not to be seen as racist/whatever the 'issue' is. For Example:......

Chet wotsit the convicted rapist footballer

Now rape is a terrible, terrible thing but under law he was charged, found guilty and sentenced and served time.

Now nobody wants him to play again and every potential employer is hounded. Personally I couldn't care less whether he gets a gig or not but I DO care about justice and justice has been done so all the digital weasles should shut the fuck up now. OK, complain if you want for sure but do not act as if he has got away with it

Good point - see the poll in the other section...

A stint in prison doesn't change what you are.
He is a convicted rapist. That will always hang over him.

So if say he were a murderer of Women and children, would you say that after serving his sentence he should never work/be near them - or be able to live and work in any community that would harbor/have him?

But he's not a murderer of women and children, or anyone else for that matter.
He is a convicted rapist.
That is a deep dark place that is not simply remedied by a quick stint in prison!

How do we know that?

How do we know what? That he is not a murderer? or his crime cannot be remedied by a quick stint in jail??

Well, I nothing stated he is a murderer and as for not be a solution for his crime, prison does not remedy the victim's case. She has to live with his crime, for the rest of her life. He was the perpetrator, ergo, let him deal with it.
This is not a pay-off event.
What he did has consequences in the big bad world. It is a marker to other young footballers, who may think they can get away with such deviance.

I've changed my view on allowing him back in the game now - (I didn't realise at first, or didn't take in that he hadn't fulfilled his whole sentence) - but none the less it's interesting to see what peoples views are on the justice system and whether it's adequate in cases like these...or is that we all simply seek long term retribution and justice only applies to others?

 

[ST2]

didn't know he hadn't served his whole sentence but who does?

Alot of hot air re him not apologising which is pretty shoddy on his part EXCEPT I hear he is appealing. There are 2 possible things here: one he raped, didn't apologise and got prosecuted for it. Or two, he had sex with her that was not rape and is contesting it......

If you were the person in the frame and truly believed you had not committed rape would you apologise?

I'm not making any excuses for him if he ultimately found guilty, my point is there a big difference between punishment and retribution. Add mass hysteria to that and we are where we are.....

On the current approach should every single person who has been convicted of anything never be allowed to move on and/or work ever again????

Justice may be rickety but its purpose is to blindly apply the law and make mob rule unnecessary.

The whole Ponce Andrew thing feels an awful lot like bullshit -- she's said it about others, she was 17 and she's sold her story to the tabloids. p.s. I am in no way shape or form a royalist btw.

Not suggesting the girl in the Atkins case is lying btw, the appeal needs to go ahead to determine the facts, not the mob