Dogwash

As I have intimated before, my knowledge of futebol is on the level of the learned judge who interrupted counsel's peroration to interject, "And who precisely is this Stanley Matthews person?" but when did higgerance stop anybody confidently posting random guff on the interweb?

The Terry-Ferdinand nonsense, as helpfully laid out in this Telegraph piece, becomes less creditable the more you examine it. Apparently Mr Terry mouthed the remark, which the Telegraph daintily and pointlessly transcribes as "... you —— black —— ...", actually "... you fucking black cunt ...". Mr Ferdinand was, it would seem, unaware of this cordial remark until an unidentifed member of the public, or self-righteous fucking lip-reading cunting busybody, to use the correct legal expression, painstakingly reviewed the match video and made a formal complaint.

And then the process had no option but to swing into action. Although Anton seems to be dong his best to be suitably enraged, it is essentially out of his hands.

I have long thought that the elite preoccupation with "racism" and "racist language" is a major barrier to good relations between ethnic groups in this country. (I originally wrote "the single biggest barrier" in the last sentence, but on reflection that's nonsense. It pales into the proverbial insignificance compared with the perpetual year-zero mythologizing about the nation of immigrants and how our verdant terra nullius is equally open to all comers, but hey that's a rant for another time.)

Anyway, it encourages and constantly reinforces a sense of victimhood, if not indeed victimism, among "people of colour". And instead of inculcating, or perhaps more accurately beating, a warm and dare I say vibrant joy of diversity into us pallid types, each such incident merely stokes our sullen resentment and our nervousness, nay actual fear, of the consequences of attempting to interact with yer Darkie folk in anything approaching a normal, relaxed and equal manner.

The correct response from John Terry should be as follows:

— Kay Burley (mysteriously shaggable flame-haired tyrant siren of the airwaves): And now over to the lovely Jon Desborough for an important update on the Blackcuntgate saga.

— Jon Desborough (ever cheerful voice of sport): So then, John Terry, did you in fact refer to Anton as "you fucking black cunt"?

— John Terry (for it is he, innit?): Yes, I did, cock, guvnor me ol' mucker, gorblimey, awright.

— JD: And how do you claim to justify that disgraceful racist language?

— JT: 'Cos he is a fucking black cunt, in't he? (Exits stage left, whistling nonchalantly.)

(Fade to advertisement showing happy young Black couple bouncing up and down on hideous sofa available on special buy now, regret later terms.)


I bother to revisit this because some chappie called Sam the Amoeba, a young player with Sponge Bob United, has had a racist tweet from an unsupporter. Say what you like about the Guardian (and I'm sure you will), at least it doesn't bowdlerize:

Police are making inquiries into racist abuse directed at the Newcastle United striker Sammy Ameobi on Twitter. A tweet posted by a user called @JonnnnyPhipps on Sunday said: "@Sammy_Ameobi your hand is nearly the same colour. #nigger".

As St Bob of the Ethiopes said in quite another context, ""Was that it?"

It has to be said that this remark is a trifle opaque. Perhaps this provides some context.

Dunno, you tell me. I don't really understand Twitter and don't especially want to.

But Ameobi's rather mild response seems to be all that's needed to counter this rather rude remark. Instead it's been elevated into yet another racism "crisis", wasting police time and titillating the tabloids.


Rant ends.