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Lily Allen reports 'racist' soldier to MOD

PerkyPerkinsPerkyPerkins Posts: 268
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Lily Allen reported a twitter user to the Army today for making what she felt were racist comments towards her; http://www.frontlineclub.com/blogs/danielbennett/2012/07/british-army-lily-allen-twitter-row.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

The original comment was apparently made as part of a 'BroxiWindUp', which seems to be a thing where groups of people organise through Twitter to all tweet a certain celebrity regarding a fictional rumour - today's was that Lily Allen was adopting a baby from Africa. She received other tweets as part of the wind-up, congratulating her on the adoption etc.

The tweet that Harry Wilson sent said 'all the best with your new family just seen you bought sh** I meant adopted a child from Africa'. She drew the MOD's attention to the tweet, asking if they condoned his 'racist comments'. They are investigating and he has been branded a racist on Twitter and apparently radio one, and accused of calling her baby a sh**. (all asterisks are mine)

To me it is obvious that Lily has jumped to the wrong assumption and has been too quick to accuse him of racism. I believe the original tweet was missing punctuation and should have read 'Just seen you bought - sh** - I meant, adopted a child from Africa'. If anything he's mocking celebrities who use their riches and fame to fast-track adoptions from the third world.

I like Lily, but I think she should be more careful in future as she could have really damaged this man's reputation and career. In my opinion she owes him an apology. Apart from anything, her denouncing this innocent (admittedly silly and ungrammatical) comment as racist actually trivialises the very nasty genuine racist abuse that exists on social networking sites.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,179
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    Lily Allen is one celeb that really pisses me off on Twitter - total overreaction here!!
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,583
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    I cannot stand this whole "report everybody" culture that seems to have crept up on us recently. Very sinister indeed.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 443
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    Nyota wrote: »
    I cannot stand this whole "report everybody" culture that seems to have crept up on us recently. Very sinister indeed.

    I agree. It is like 1984. When did grassing become so acceptable? It certainly became more normalised under New Labour with their hundreds of new laws. Also without the Internet and the media promoting mass hysteria (Shilpa & Jade) there wouldn't be this grass up mentality.

    I also agree with the OP, in her haste to show her right on credentials Lily has mis interpreted the quote.
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    Hit Em Up StyleHit Em Up Style Posts: 12,141
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    Nyota wrote: »
    I cannot stand this whole "report everybody" culture that seems to have crept up on us recently. Very sinister indeed.

    It does feel like freedom of speech is fast becoming a thing of the past with so many people getting into trouble over innocent remarks.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,538
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    Innocent remarks?
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,583
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    downtonfan wrote: »
    Innocent remarks?

    I think racism is absolutely unacceptable, but the culture of us all reporting each other can't lead to anything good either.
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    intoxicationintoxication Posts: 7,059
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    Why are people that write random comments on Twitter and facebook arrested but sites like stormfront and Nazi forums are not even looked into?
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    Big Boy BarryBig Boy Barry Posts: 35,389
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    It's not a racist comment, but it's moronic.

    But to suggest she owes HIM an apology is arse-backwards.

    It's his fault, first of all for posting like a 6 year old, and secondly for talking bollocks.
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    spaniel-loverspaniel-lover Posts: 4,188
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    Lily Allen reported a twitter user to the Army today for making what she felt were racist comments towards her; http://www.frontlineclub.com/blogs/danielbennett/2012/07/british-army-lily-allen-twitter-row.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter

    The original comment was apparently made as part of a 'BroxiWindUp', which seems to be a thing where groups of people organise through Twitter to all tweet a certain celebrity regarding a fictional rumour - today's was that Lily Allen was adopting a baby from Africa. She received other tweets as part of the wind-up, congratulating her on the adoption etc.

    The tweet that Harry Wilson sent said 'all the best with your new family just seen you bought sh** I meant adopted a child from Africa'. She drew the MOD's attention to the tweet, asking if they condoned his 'racist comments'. They are investigating and he has been branded a racist on Twitter and apparently radio one, and accused of calling her baby a sh**. (all asterisks are mine)

    To me it is obvious that Lily has jumped to the wrong assumption and has been too quick to accuse him of racism. I believe the original tweet was missing punctuation and should have read 'Just seen you bought - sh** - I meant, adopted a child from Africa'. If anything he's mocking celebrities who use their riches and fame to fast-track adoptions from the third world.

    I like Lily, but I think she should be more careful in future as she could have really damaged this man's reputation and career. In my opinion she owes him an apology. Apart from anything, her denouncing this innocent (admittedly silly and ungrammatical) comment as racist actually trivialises the very nasty genuine racist abuse that exists on social networking sites.

    Silly cow.:mad:
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    Zack06Zack06 Posts: 28,304
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    I'm glad she reported it. I find comments like that unacceptable in today's society, and neither she nor anybody else should have to put up with those kinds of remarks. I hope he sanctioned severely for this kind of behaviour.
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,179
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    What pisses me off about this story, is that Allen publicly tweeted ‘How do you report someone on here. That guy I retweeted should be banned.’



    She's such an attention seeker, she could have reported him without tweeting her 'followers' :rolleyes:
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    zx50zx50 Posts: 91,270
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    It's definitely not racism. He's criticising her for using her wealth to fast track an adoption process.....if she did.
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    Betty BritainBetty Britain Posts: 13,721
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    zx50 wrote: »
    It's definitely not racism. He's criticising her for using her wealth to fast track an adoption process.....if she did.

    She didn't .. It was a wind up... How pathetic to target a person for no reason.
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    SarahJamSarahJam Posts: 522
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    Has he said he missed punctuation on his tweet?

    I'm not a fan of the reporting culture...but that is offensive if the context its written in is what he intended.

    I can't believe some people are saying she's overacting, I'm completely on her side.
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    gold2040gold2040 Posts: 3,049
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    Zack06 wrote: »
    I'm glad she reported it. I find comments like that unacceptable in today's society, and neither she nor anybody else should have to put up with those kinds of remarks. I hope he sanctioned severely for this kind of behaviour.
    Oh get over yourself
    Why are people that write random comments on Twitter and facebook arrested but sites like stormfront and Nazi forums are not even looked into?
    The Stormfront site is based in America so we have no jurisdiction over the site
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    [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 2,583
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    Zack06 wrote: »
    I'm glad she reported it. I find comments like that unacceptable in today's society, and neither she nor anybody else should have to put up with those kinds of remarks. I hope he sanctioned severely for this kind of behaviour.

    How on earth did people like you coped before this "report everybody" culture?
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    Zack06Zack06 Posts: 28,304
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    gold2040 wrote: »
    Oh get over yourself

    'all the best with your new family just seen you bought sh** I meant adopted a child from Africa'

    Really? It's a sad world if you think these kinds of comments are acceptable, particularly from a member of the Armed Forces.

    It's a disgrace and Lily had every right to report him. I'm not the one here with something to get over....:)
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    Check it outCheck it out Posts: 1,231
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    Surely that IS a racist comment. Comparing a child in Africa to "sh**"? Or am I missing something?
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    Zack06Zack06 Posts: 28,304
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    Nyota wrote: »
    How on earth did people like you coped before this "report everybody" culture?

    This isn't the 1960s. It's comments like this that keep the barriers to equality up. I'm sure most people would react differently if he made homophobic comments, but apparently racist comments like that from a member of the Armed Forces is fine and anybody disputing that has a problem. That person should be made to suffer the consequences for his actions.
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    Zack06Zack06 Posts: 28,304
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    Surely that IS a racist comment. Comparing a child in Africa to "sh**"? Or am I missing something?

    Yes it is, but apparently myself being disgusted at that means I have something to 'get over' and am a 'reporting' person. I never knew such ignorance still existed.
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    viertevierte Posts: 4,286
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    Surely that IS a racist comment. Comparing a child in Africa to "sh**"? Or am I missing something?

    I thought the same too, so confused as to how it's not racist
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    SarahJamSarahJam Posts: 522
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    Zack06 wrote: »
    This isn't the 1960s. It's comments like this that keep the barriers to equality up. I'm sure most people would react differently if he made homophobic comments, but apparently racist comments like that from a member of the Armed Forces is fine and anybody disputing that has a problem. That person should be made to suffer the consequences for his actions.
    Nyota wrote: »
    How on earth did people like you coped before this "report everybody" culture?

    What bad about reporting racism?!:confused:
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    Check it outCheck it out Posts: 1,231
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    Zack06 wrote: »
    Yes it is, but apparently myself being disgusted at that means I have something to 'get over' and am a 'reporting' person. I never knew such ignorance still existed.

    By reading the above comments I thought I had misread what he meant because of how Lily was getting condemned!

    How can any of you justify condemning Lily, but not condemning this man who made a clearly racist remark? I'm intrigued to hear.

    And yes, she was just right to report him. A man like that shouldn't be allowed out of his house never mind out in a foreign country representing his nation.

    Zack is just right when he says that it is stuff like that that is blocking equality in our nation. Fair play to Lily.
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    LemonPledgeLemonPledge Posts: 6,277
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    Surely that IS a racist comment. Comparing a child in Africa to "sh**"? Or am I missing something?

    Exactly. You might not like her but that comment was disgusting.
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    gold2040gold2040 Posts: 3,049
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    Zack06 wrote: »
    'all the best with your new family just seen you bought sh** I meant adopted a child from Africa'

    Really? It's a sad world if you think these kinds of comments are acceptable, particularly from a member of the Armed Forces.

    It's a disgrace and Lily had every right to report him. I'm not the one here with something to get over....:)
    I take back what I now said

    Though it probably wasn't worth reporting him to the MOD, she should have just reported it to Twitter and have done with it

    Bad taste or not, it was obviously in a mocking fashion
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