Only a Joke

I am sick and tired of hearing people try to defend that arsehole who filmed himself teaching his girlfriend's dog to perform a Nazi salute whenever he said 'Seig Heil' or, even worse, 'Gas the Jews', then uploaded it all to You Tube.  He wasn't subsequently prosecuted over a 'joke', he was prosecuted for inciting racial hatred by continuously repeating 'Gas the Jews'.  His prosecution most certainly isn't a repression of free speech.  As I've noted before, 'freedom of speech' does not and never has meant that you can publicly say anything you like.  The use of racially or sometimes religiously inflammatory language is restricted by law - for good reason.  The defence of 'Oh, it's just a joke' is the standard defence of bullies and bigots whenever they are confronted over their behaviour.  Indeed, the 'It's only a joke' defence is the stock in trade of the far right - it's an attempt to make them look like 'ordinary guys' and their victims and accusers like humourless kill joys. To get back to this specific case, let's not lose sight of the fact that this 'joker' is no innocent victim of so called 'political correctness' - the fact that he was supported in court by 'Tommy Robinson', former EDF leader, speaks volumes.  Moreover, if we are to take his story at face value - his girlfriend thought the dog was cute so he, as a joke, decided to teach it to do something grossly offensive - he hardly comes comes up smelling of roses.  I mean, he's basically admitting that he was jealous of a dog.  A dog, for God's sake!  What sort of inadequate is he?

The thing which has irked me most about this whole business is the number of people who see themselves as being on the left supporting this moron's 'right to free speech'.  They clearly think that they are somehow establishing their 'liberal credentials' by being see to stand up even for the rights EDF-friendly Nazi dog trainers.  Except that all that they are doing is enabling racists and bigots to keep getting away with passing off their bile as 'humour'.  They are normalising the use of language associated with race hated in mainstream discourse.  Personally, I'm bloody glad the nasty little bastard was prosecuted, although, frankly, a fine wasn't enough for the likes of him.  It's about time we started cracking down on racists.  In fact, I'm sick and tired, not just of racists of this sort, but also that legion of right wing whingers on social media who facilitate them.  Not that they are racists themselves, of course.  Oh no.  They're just 'regular' people who are fed up with 'political correctness', (whatever that is - in my experience much of what the right likes to label 'political correctness' is simply common courtesy and being polite to people by not calling them by names they find offensive).

But they always seem to be moaning about something.  Indeed, they seem incredibly easily offended.  Just today they were busy moaning about the announcement of a 'Stephen Lawrence Day' to commemorate the murdered black teenager.  Jesus, what's their problem? Bloody snowflakes!  Then there's the whole debate about the government trying to stop people from voting unless they provide ID at polling stations - 'Passport, driving licence, other proof of identity - why are black people less likely to have these than anyone else?' tweeted one of these rightie snowflakes.  Careful mate - your racism is showing a bit there!  (The issue is actually that poor people are less likely to have those things and as voter fraud in the UK is extremely rare, it has to be asked what the real motivation behind the scheme is).  They are just so sensitive, these right wingers.  Take Brexit - they won, yet they spend all their bloody time whingeing and whining about it!  Talk about bad winners.  But you know, as far as I'm concerned, the absolute worst of all the scumbags I encounter online are those supposed 'centrists'.  You know, the ones who claim to be equally frustrated with both major parties, (but still seem to spend a lot of time 'liking' and retweeting stuff posted by right-wingers).  Their refrain used to be that there was no difference between Conservative and Labour, so it didn't matter which way they voted, (they voted Tory, as they always had).  Yet, as soon as Corbyn becomes Labour leader and the party remembers that it is meant to be a bit left of centre, they start screaming about 'extremism' rendering the party unelectable!  Make up your minds - either you want a clear ideological differentiation between the main parties or you don't!  Bloody middle class Tory voting snowflakes!