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Tuesday 28 July 2020

Twitter Boycott Doesn’t Stop Wiley

The BBC reported yesterday that “A 48-hour boycott of Twitter by some of its users, protesting at the platform's alleged lack of action on anti-Semitism has begun … It was triggered by the actions of grime music artist Wiley, who shared several posts on Twitter on Friday … Some of the tweets were deleted, but Twitter was criticised for taking time to act and leaving some tweets up”. And there was more.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman has said Boris Johnson believes ‘Twitter needs to do better’ … The offending messages ‘should not have been able to remain on Twitter and Instagram for so long’, he added, and ‘social media companies need to go further and faster to remove content like this’ … Many of those taking part accused Twitter of ‘breaking its own policies’ for not having taken a tougher line - Wiley has been temporarily suspended by Twitter but not banned”. So who’s taking part?

Actress and writer Tracy-Ann Oberman, who is one of those leading the movement [I never see her Tweets, I blocked her] … radio presenter and activist Maajid Nawaz [just rejoice at that news] … television presenter Rachel Riley [I never see her Tweets, she blocked me] … singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor [is she on Twitter? News to me]”.

One of those supporting this move at least applied a little grey matter to the issue: "Chief Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis, meanwhile, has written to Twitter chief executive Jack Dorsey and Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg, telling them: ‘social media companies have a responsibility to act and must do so without delay’”. And he was right to do so.

Because while so many people have temporarily left Twitter, after telling Twitter that it has to do something, or do better, Wiley has simply moved right across to Facebook and carried on the anti-Semitic abuse very much as before, while many of his critics were looking the wrong way. Well, apart from Rabbi Mirvis. The BBC broke the news.
After an anti-Semitic tirade that prompted a Twitter boycott, rapper Wiley has written abusive posts aimed at his Jewish critics on Facebook … The grime artist posted on his personal Facebook page under his name Richard Kylea Cowie, the BBC has discovered … He specifically named Jewish celebrities - including Lord Alan Sugar, comedian David Baddiel and BBC presenter Emma Barnett”. Hmmm. There was more.

Posts include: ‘Listen Golders Green ring my sister and let's meet asap’; ‘David Baddiel come and talk to my face’; and ‘Who called the police? Are you from Golders Green? I am coming to sit down with you... Labyrinth you could come along as you have forgotten what colour you are’ … A number of comments on the posts also include anti-Semitic abuse”.

Meanwhile, all the anti-Semitic attacks on former Labour leader Ed Miliband by the Daily Mail are still live, as is the Telegraph’s not-really-anti-Semitic-honestly demonisation of George Soros. And no-one is taking the Tory Party to task for the steady stream of sly anti-Semitism that has come from several of its senior MPs - including the Prime Minister.

Anyone might conclude that some forms of anti-Semitism were less unacceptable than others.Which is a place that no-one should ever go. Do better, assembled Slebs.
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11 comments:

Anonymous said...

Only twits use Twitter. Close this useless pantomime down and let's get back to real and news making.

And of course no one is obliged to read anything on it anyway!

Anonymous said...

David Baddiel? Didn't he black up in order to mock Jason Lee? https://talksport.com/football/708915/ex-nottingham-forest-striker-jason-lee-hits-out-david-baddiel-frank-skinner-fantasy-football/

When he returns to twitter, perhaps he can revist his refusal to apologise or even recognise his error: https://twitter.com/baddiel/status/727102286900662272?lang=en

I wonder why a black man might want to 'explain' to the cunt the flaws in his argument in person.

Malcolm Armsteen said...

Wait, isn't it easier just to blame Jeremy Corbyn?

That's what I always do sunbeam.

Anonymous said...

My dear Malcolm, they already have. https://zelo-street.blogspot.com/2020/07/wiley-john-mann-blames-corbyn.html

I was shocked, I tell you, shocked. Clear knocked off my feet.

grim northerner said...

Meanwhile, idf sets German Shepherd dogs on Palestinian children whilst the British great and good play the, 'no but you are' game. at what point is
it acceptable to criticise the actions of Israel?

Anonymous said...

Ahh, remember when Rachel was ranting on Twitter about anti-fascists being 'militant violent extremists'? And how Rache would insist she wasn't a right-winger but would keep quoting right-wingers and went really easy on Trump?

Remember people on the left pointing out that generally extreme right-wingers tend to always turn on Jewish people &anti-fascists usually fight for Jewish people but Rache was too busy whining about Jeremy Corbyn?

Never saw Rache standing up for Ed Milliband. Did see her accuse Noam Chomsky of being an anti-semite.

Is almost as if Rache and her pals are really working at some large-scale propaganda effort rather than genuinely concerned about racism.


Anonymous said...

@anonymous who isn't me & grim northerner

"Remember people on the left pointing out that generally extreme right-wingers tend to always turn on Jewish people &anti-fascists usually fight for Jewish people but Rache was too busy whining about Jeremy Corbyn?"

I seem to recall a famous poem making that argument. My great hero, Charles Mingus, rewrote it in 1965. Where Martin Niemöller's original just denounces the cowardice of those who stand by, Mingus' version accuses them of complicity in the crimes being committed. Just as now, as grim northerner illustrates, this included children being attacked with dogs; as, for example, on May 3, 1963.

"One day they came and they took the communists, and I said nothing because I was not a communist.
Then one day they came and they took the people of the Jewish faith, and I said nothing because I had no faith.
Then one day they came and took the unionists, and I said nothing because I was not a unionist.
They burned the Catholic churches one day, and I said nothing because I was a Protestant.
One day they came and they took me, and I could say nothing because I was as guilty as they were of genocide, destroying the rights of any man to live.”

Martin Read said...

Shut down the real debate and you end up with comments born of frustration!

I'd prefer to argue the issues with R. Riley but circumstances have resulted in me quite despising her!

Arnold said...

Facebook and Instagram accounts now closed.

Stick to weather and food said...

It was obvious right from the start. Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and other social media account holders think that they're empowered when in reality they're targets.

Andy McDonald said...

Such a sacrifice, not visiting a site for 2 days. Mandela would be proud.

And I appreciate the irony here, but surely anyone who thinks that by depriving the world of their 240 character thought-bites (for a bit but not too long) they're somehow making a difference is really proving their shallowness and vanity?