FFS. Where is the Wigan press officer?! http://www.theguardian.com/football/2014/nov/20/wigan-dave-whelan-accused-antisemitism-jewish-people DTLW
I know he should have kept his mouth shut, but was what he said really that bad? Massive generalisation but, for me, not anti Semitic.. Countless TV shows make exactly the same reference but they're still allowed on the box.
It was a sweeping generalisation about an ethnic group and therefore both anti-Semitic and unacceptable in the public domain.
Oh I totally agree it was a stupid statement to make and he was always going to get in to trouble, given he's a hugely public figure. I guess I view it as he wasn't necessarily saying that it was a bad trait, but just my take! He's one of the most money driven men in the UK so hugely ironic too!
Whelan should know better...when in a hole stop digging. Mackay is indefensible....anyone can shoot their mouth off when angry, but he repeatedly insulted anyone who wasn't a white, heterosexual male...then threw an insult about Jews in just in case he missed upsetting someone. Whelan should just have said he was waiting for the FA decision and left it at that....stupid to get drawn into it.
Fact is, both Whelan and Mackay live in a very public world, and whether they believe the standards of propriety of the modern era or not, they have to behave as such. In short, gob shut, that means, in whatever public forms of communication. Everybody is imperfect, but we try very hard not to be through education and understanding. What Whelan and Mackay have done is to show that they don't believe they need to learn anymore. Consequently, they are both ignorant, insensitive, rude, and not the sharpest tools in the box either.
Lee Hughes was convicted for causing death by dangerous driving conviction and fleeing the crime seen, he served three years, yet there was not the same level of hysteria when he returned to football. Evans' crimes are heinous too, but if he has served his time surely he has to be allowed to reintegrate back into society. Otherwise what is the point in prison you might as well shoot him!
I mentioned this only the other day. The other one is Plymouth Argyle's new captain, Luke McCormick, who ran over two brothers while twice over the legal limit. Fact is, motoring crimes are seen as something that everyone is capable of, so the public perception is easier on these people. It shouldn't be. But that's where the people are at this point. In 10-20 years we might look back on the public willingness to let their crimes slip by as a huge misjudgement by somebody. Anybody but us, probably.
Think it should be up to the clubs whether they employ humor not, he shouldn't be banned from football. You can't compare banning a rapist from being a teacher to banning a footballer in the 3rd division from playing football. People say he's a "role model" - people won't admire his crimes when they see him play. What baffles me is that the people who say he should lose his rights from being a footballer are the same people who say you shouldn't deport terrorists because it's against their rights! Not that I support deporting criminals if their rights are endangered, but there needs to be consistency. Should Roman Polanski be banned from making films?
Mainstream radio still plays R Kelly. Last I checked, he was a convicted sex offender. You're right, there's too many double standards.
Trouble is in our society once someone has served their sentence they are deemed to return to normal society as having served their punishment for their crime. Which perhaps beggars the question, perhaps it is time we were harder on these people and make their sentences longer. Although that still does not exclude them from normal society on their release....only in certain circumstances would they be forbidden to to do what they did before their original offence. Difficult one to take on board but I guess we have to accept it.
Rape is far too singular a word. Comparing Mr Evans' crime with a hooded knife-wielding monster who drags his unsuspecting victims off a footpath into bushes is clearly daft yet he was prosecuted for exactly the same offense and will carry that tag with him forever. It's no surprise that sponsors are up in arms at being associated with a rapist but it's noticeable that his mate who was present and filmed the incident wasn't prosecuted and hasn't been mentioned since by sponsors or media outlets. As there is no smiley for this I suppose I should make it crystal clear that I am in no way defending the actions of a rapist of any ilk, merely making an observation.
