"When my girlfriend showed me footage on her Blackberry" You just couldn't make it up. You really just couldn't make it up. The "victim" of this "crime" saw footage of someone calling him something on his girlfriends Blackberry. I just can't believe that so many people could get sucked into feeling sorry for this millionaire cry baby. For Christ's sake people open your eyes! All you have to do is go out your front door and likely within 20 minutes you'll see real victims of real crimes and real injustice. Yet here you all are welling up at the misfortune of some over-paid punk who had a neanderthal-like slagging match with another over-paid punk. I f*king despair, I really do. What a bunch of Lemmings.
Just heard on the BBC that Terry's attempt to have the prosecution claim thrown out, has been dismissed. So the court thinks there is a case to answer. Terry started giving evidence in his defence at 2pm.
Despair all you like, Swords. The law of the land still says that what he is accused of is a criminal offence, irrespective of whether there''s someone being mugged outside your front door. He's the victim. Stop hating him for something he didn't do, will you? Bemoan the fact that it's gone to court all you like, even continue with the dumb belief that racist abuse shouldn't be an offence if you must, but stop hating Anton - because he hasn't done anything wrong.
But Ferdinand F-ing and blinding Terry isn't according to our Criminal Justice system. You are of course correct Eamo. Its still wrong though IMO. (Willy, I thought you and I were going to debate others instead of each other. I know this means a lot to you but I can't change my opinion just for that reason. )
Swords mate, I'm not asking you to - you're intitled to your opinion, just as much as anyone else. However, you are right in saying that this subject means a lot to me, and for that reason, I'm trying to discuss it logically and calmly. Feel free not to respond! There's a difference between something being wrong, and somethign being illegal. In any matter where a court case is concerned, this is the only real distinction that matters. Anton isn't on trial, because he has done nothing illegal. He may have behaved in a manner some may consider wrong, but that is immaterial. He's been called as a witness, and has told his version of the events before, during, and after the offence, under oath and in a court of law. Once called, he had no option but to do so. John Terry, on the other hand, crossed the line between wrong and illegal when he brought Anton's race into their sledging match. That's why someone complained, and that's why Anton has said that he would have spoken with the officials at the game had he heard it at the time. Yes, it should have been dealt with earlier - but that's partly due to Terry's failure to front up and apologise at the time, and Chelsea's actions in insisting the case be delayed for so long. Equally, it could have been avoided altogether, had Terry been intelligent enough to keep race out of the insults he was trading. But even though it's eight months later, and even though there are more 'important' issues, and even though there's possible culpability on both sides, this still needs to be resolved properly.
Amazing that low-life Terry is attempting to turn the tables on the person he aimed racist comments at. Sledging happens all the time, but the law is clear. Terry is the accused transgressor - it is HE who has to answer to the CPS who prosecuted him. Anton has been asked questions, which he has answered honestly... and now they try to make out that Anton is not a suitable witness!! It's on the camera!!! An ex-policeman made the complaint - so will JT claim he is not of suitable character? The sooner JT is held accountable and the case is closed the better. JT doesn't like to take his medicine for his actions does he!! Not a man - just a bully!! How low he is!!!
Swords I think enough has been said on your Unique posting style but even when people agree with you , you want to antagonise. Perhaps a more balanced attitude towards others would make you easy to agree with. Decided to swim against the tide late on perhaps just means I've consider my thoughts rather than being a coward.
IN REAL LIFE - IN THE REAL WORLD... A white and a black person have a disagreement call each others a few choice names and leave it at that. If police are involved it would be nothing more than a verbal warning. Same two having an argument and the white man calls the black man a f*cking black c*nt, the police would arrest him and charge him, that's the law, end of... This trial is the REAL world, sorry if that upsets certain people, Anton did not make the complaint nor did he have a say in whether the CPS brought the case to court...
I was just being sarcastic for the hell of it as your description was spot on Eamon and anyone not getting the point seems silly.
Terry stating under oath that he repeated the offending fbc words out of shock that Anton Ferdinand could possibly have thought he would use such words. He then told Ashley Cole what Anton was accusing him of. Terry is a lying, perjuring hound, and if he gets off this, there's no justice
If he gets off or not (hopeully not), the atmosphere at the Chelsea game 15th September should be pretty tasty. I am sure there will be a nice welcoming committee at the doors to Loftus Road as the Chelscum coach pulls up.
That, dear friend, is a matter of opinion. You'd be singing a different tune if it were our player in the dock and Chelscum's accusing.
If one of our players was dumb enough to call another player a f*cking balck c*nt he'd get what he deserved, it's not banter and I wouldn't jump through hoops the way you do trying to defend the indefensible. You're not Sepp Blatter in disguise are you?...
For me context does matter. I disagree with those that say using the words is enough. Remember Terry isn't on trial for uttering the words he is on trial for the alleged racial abuse of another human being. I'm a firm believer in innocent until proven guilty so am trying to be as open minded as possible. What has become clear to me given both accounts of Anton and Terry is no matter what was alleged against him, Terry should not have used the term "Black C**t". As Willy said, if Terry doesn't use the word we not here today even discussing this. He could and should have responder by saying "I didn't call you that, you ****ing knobhead" using his terminology if what Terry is saying is accurate. That's where I feel the prosecution have a case, but everyone is different. Terry isn't a racist but he certainly isn't intelligent either. His vocabulary and use of the English language is evidently quite limited. If I were accused of racially abusing someone I would rather not repeat the phrase alleged against me but everyone's different. I know friends that would have reacted in the same way as Terry. That's only Terry's side of the story though. Anton says he was not aware of the alleged abuse at the time. If Terry did racially abuse him it's perfectly understandable how he would feel differently having seen the reply. Perhaps Terry did racially abuse him and in trying to cover his tracks he called Anton to the dressing room as a form of reassurance. At this point it's all guesswork. The worse thing about all this is no matter what the outcome this may just incite more racial tension. I have no doubt that if Terry is found guilty, EDL and right wing groups/individuals will rally and claim "if Anton had called JT a white c**t nothing would have happened" and if Terry is found not guilty I've no Rio Ferdinand, Jason Roberts and other black footballers that have already condemned Terry guilty will claim "injustice" and perhaps rightly so. This is not just damaging for Anton, JT, Chelsea or England but also for society in general.
Yes DL, wise words but there is only one person responsible for all this and the damage it has caused/will cause and thats John Terry. Nobody else.
