Off The Air

[Gavin Scott]

A large, faceless corporate firm I worked for once had the rule that if there was a group of us from the office out for the evening, we still "represented the firm". The rule was specifically about Christmas parties, but extended to team building drinks and general socialising.

I thought that rule was pretty outrageous myself.

In this case, if the BBC presenter called a taxi firm from the BBC offices then she might have left herself open to the same suggestion of "representing the firm".

In any event, unless she prefaced her comment with, "I do hope you don't take this the wrong way but my daughter had a bad experience before with a gentleman in a turban..." then I would say her comment was ill-advised.

Moreover, I would say that its probably a better idea to allow her daughter to get used to men in turbans, and explain that its not something to get "freaked out" about.

Silly thing to say in the first place.

[Sput]

I'm just baffled about the BBC apologising after Barrowman revealed himself on the radio.

[AJ]

A large, faceless corporate firm I worked for once had the rule that if there was a group of us from the office out for the evening, we still "represented the firm". The rule was specifically about Christmas parties, but extended to team building drinks and general socialising.

Aye, the same rule applies to the company I work for. I can see their point in a way, we have a Christmas party on Saturday, and as we'll all be there, from the same company, we'll be representing the company. If we're a complete bunch of arrogant dicks then the company will be reflected as such I suppose.

Doesn't really bother me in the slightest, it seems pretty commonplace nowadays.

This radio presenter was a bit foolish in what she said, or maybe the way that she said it perhaps? The fact that she's a locally known figure means she should have been a bit more careful.

[iSon]

I'm just baffled about the BBC apologising after Barrowman revealed himself on the radio.

I think this has got to be one of my favourite things at the moment. Apologising for something that was a) on the radio and b) OK on the web but the offending part wasn't actually seen.

What next - after Eastenders - the BBC would like to apologise for the fact Pat Butcher was not in that episode. If you've been affected by this, call the BBC action blah blah yadda.

[James H]

It's a bit like universities and employers checking employees/students out on Facebook or Myspace to see what sort of things they've been up to - when does it become an invasion of privacy?

I was on holiday on Tuesday so woke up to Jeremy Kyle and there was this lovely woman on who, because a member of her family was attacked by a black man, therefore hated all black people because "they're all the same". So even if Sam's family had had a bad experience with a man in a turban, in this day and age she should be working to try and prove to her daughter that they are not people to be reviled.

[Gavin Scott]

It's a bit like universities and employers checking employees/students out on Facebook or Myspace to see what sort of things they've been up to - when does it become an invasion of privacy?

That's why too much info on a social networking site is a foolish thing. Its difficult to argue about invasion of privacy when you make such things public.

So even if Sam's family had had a bad experience with a man in a turban, in this day and age she should be working to try and prove to her daughter that they are not people to be reviled.

I agree.

[cdd]

"I am very disgusted with the BBC making this decision, Sam is a lovely girl, It seems these days there is Black and asian PC KGB ,everywhere, we do NOT live in a Eqaul society, far from it, CAN anyone tell me of a WHITE Eqaulity Commision ???, or Organisation that sticks up for OUR Traditions and Culture, which has been HOUNDED out of us since the 1960s, it is sickening,These rulings CAUSE racism, and as such Grows Hatred, I am sick of My kind seen as second class citezens in my own Country, Go ahead and beat us some more by taking a well loved presenter Off Air, its just one of Many things that is added to the list , causing the indiginous population to Be Racist ,because they are Sick of being dictated too, Thankyou for your stupidity and heavy handedness BBC !!, Thankyou for Fanning the winds of Civil war ,closer to my door, With your contemp for the British working classes, and Loathing of anything remotely to do with Britain and its colourful History/Royalty and Traditions, all in the name of Eqaulity,
I am so tempted to Burn My licence and Never pay you a penny again,
Who do White People turn too, for eqaulity ??,
or not so much white, as Traditionalists whatever the colour of skn ??
No one thats who !, "

[Gavin Scott]

"I am very disgusted with the BBC making this decision, Sam is a lovely girl, It seems these days there is Black and asian PC KGB ,everywhere, we do NOT live in a Eqaul society, far from it, CAN anyone tell me of a WHITE Eqaulity Commision ???, or Organisation that sticks up for OUR Traditions and Culture, which has been HOUNDED out of us since the 1960s, it is sickening,These rulings CAUSE racism, and as such Grows Hatred, I am sick of My kind seen as second class citezens in my own Country, Go ahead and beat us some more by taking a well loved presenter Off Air, its just one of Many things that is added to the list , causing the indiginous population to Be Racist ,because they are Sick of being dictated too, Thankyou for your stupidity and heavy handedness BBC !!, Thankyou for Fanning the winds of Civil war ,closer to my door, With your contemp for the British working classes, and Loathing of anything remotely to do with Britain and its colourful History/Royalty and Traditions, all in the name of Eqaulity,
I am so tempted to Burn My licence and Never pay you a penny again,
Who do White People turn too, for eqaulity ??,
or not so much white, as Traditionalists whatever the colour of skn ??
No one thats who !, "

What's with the random capitalised letters?

I'm afraid, and you know I don't say it often, you are SO wrong about this its bordering on the insane.

White people don't need an equality commission in the UK. They are the majority, and by default have GREATER equality (if I can put it that way) than minorities. "Minority" being the operative word.

Its all too easy to dismiss anything you don't like by saying its "PC".

Use you brain and THINK first. If you were in someone else's place - would you find it offensive? That's the rule of thumb I live by - and CDD, it serves me well.

Would you also be calling it "PC rubbish" if she had said, "Don't send a gay man or it will freak out my daugher". How about "Don't send someone with a port-wine stain on their skin"?

Now if you are the type to pick up the phone and say, "No pakis, no darkies and no poofs, please" then no wonder you're so upset at this decision.

Tell me CDD - are you that type of person?

[James H]

Gav I have a feeling that's just a comment off the Daily Mail website cdd's put up.

[Gavin Scott]

Oh

OH!

*mortified*

[iSon]

Oh

OH!

*mortified*

In your defence Gavin, I should say cdd should have perhaps made it a little clearer where he was quoting from.

So in any case, you're wrong cdd.