Why Clarkson's Comments Are No Laughing Matter
Infantile Disorder | 01.12.2011 14:02 | Analysis | Workers' Movements
As you've probably heard by now, Jeremy Clarkson is in hot water this afternoon. Last night, following the biggest show of working class power in many people's lives, he straightfacedly told BBC's The One Show that striking public sector workers should be killed:
"I would have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families. I mean how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed, while the rest of us have to work for a living?"
Notwithstanding the obvious hypocrisy of these comments, coming from someone who's idea of "working for a living' is driving about in cars and occasionally writing drivel for Rupert Murdoch, they do set a dangerous precedent. As Deterriorial Support tweeted, the Top Gear presenter has "opened up the discourse of ritual slaughter as part of the class war."
No doubt Clarkson's defenders will claim that he was 'only joking', and indeed Jimmy Carr has already complained that "The largest public sector strikes in a generation" are being overshadowed by "a joke".
Carr had already Tweeted support for the strike, so he is partly concerned that the strike will be overshadowed by a celebrity controversy. But Carr is also worried that if Clarkson is hauled over the coals, his own 'it's only a joke' schtick will be weakened. Carr - like his friend Frankie Boyle - is a genuinely thoughtful comedian, who nevertheless often resorts to scapegoating of the vulnerable to get a cheap laugh.
As I wrote in a comment on the comedy evolution of Boyle:
"It's one thing to attack "political correctness" - the 'moral' norms of the establishment - but comedians have to go beyond this if they are going to make most of us laugh. Especially in these times of great economic crisis and naked political corruption, people increasingly want to see those at the top - rather than those scraping along the bottom - cut down to size."
The danger of Clarkson's 'joke' is made clear by the political context. The man is a friend of Prime Minister David Cameron, at a time when the latter is leading an unprecendented attack on working class living standards. Yesterday's strike is sure to be only one battle in an escalating class war. Just last week I wrote how the European appointment of financial placemen to government was:
"[...]another big step in the eventual abolition of bourgeois democracy. When the time comes, military and para-military forces from the far right will be used in an attempt to crush the fighting battalions of the working class."
Some politically confused, utterly misled people amongst the working class - members of the EDL for example - will doubtless be laughing at Clarkson's 'joke' right now. But let us not forget, shooting trade unionists and activists is not some outlandish idea plucked from Clarkson's brain - it does happen. It regularly happens in Colombia. One hundred years ago, Winston Churchill gave orders for the army to shoot striking Welsh miners. At the end of this October - police in the 'land of the free' shot rubber bullets at Occupy Oakland demonstrators, nearly killing a man. And just three weeks ago, Met Police Commander Simon Pountain threatened protesting students and electricians with rubber bullets.
This time, the BBC may be compelled to severely censure Clarkson, but his idea is now out there. It is an option 'on the table' - perhaps discounted for now, but still, it remains there until a time when the ruling class is more desperate to maintain its grip on society.
Notwithstanding the obvious hypocrisy of these comments, coming from someone who's idea of "working for a living' is driving about in cars and occasionally writing drivel for Rupert Murdoch, they do set a dangerous precedent. As Deterriorial Support tweeted, the Top Gear presenter has "opened up the discourse of ritual slaughter as part of the class war."
No doubt Clarkson's defenders will claim that he was 'only joking', and indeed Jimmy Carr has already complained that "The largest public sector strikes in a generation" are being overshadowed by "a joke".
Carr had already Tweeted support for the strike, so he is partly concerned that the strike will be overshadowed by a celebrity controversy. But Carr is also worried that if Clarkson is hauled over the coals, his own 'it's only a joke' schtick will be weakened. Carr - like his friend Frankie Boyle - is a genuinely thoughtful comedian, who nevertheless often resorts to scapegoating of the vulnerable to get a cheap laugh.
As I wrote in a comment on the comedy evolution of Boyle:
"It's one thing to attack "political correctness" - the 'moral' norms of the establishment - but comedians have to go beyond this if they are going to make most of us laugh. Especially in these times of great economic crisis and naked political corruption, people increasingly want to see those at the top - rather than those scraping along the bottom - cut down to size."
The danger of Clarkson's 'joke' is made clear by the political context. The man is a friend of Prime Minister David Cameron, at a time when the latter is leading an unprecendented attack on working class living standards. Yesterday's strike is sure to be only one battle in an escalating class war. Just last week I wrote how the European appointment of financial placemen to government was:
"[...]another big step in the eventual abolition of bourgeois democracy. When the time comes, military and para-military forces from the far right will be used in an attempt to crush the fighting battalions of the working class."
Some politically confused, utterly misled people amongst the working class - members of the EDL for example - will doubtless be laughing at Clarkson's 'joke' right now. But let us not forget, shooting trade unionists and activists is not some outlandish idea plucked from Clarkson's brain - it does happen. It regularly happens in Colombia. One hundred years ago, Winston Churchill gave orders for the army to shoot striking Welsh miners. At the end of this October - police in the 'land of the free' shot rubber bullets at Occupy Oakland demonstrators, nearly killing a man. And just three weeks ago, Met Police Commander Simon Pountain threatened protesting students and electricians with rubber bullets.
This time, the BBC may be compelled to severely censure Clarkson, but his idea is now out there. It is an option 'on the table' - perhaps discounted for now, but still, it remains there until a time when the ruling class is more desperate to maintain its grip on society.
Infantile Disorder
Homepage:
http://infantile-disorder.blogspot.com/
Comments
Hide the following 58 comments
Why we need to make formal complaints about this
01.12.2011 14:19
Send this link to ALL your mates
Jase
Some people have way too much time on their hands
01.12.2011 14:44
Grown up
this video link will amuse most!!
01.12.2011 15:06
jd
stewart lee on top gear humour
01.12.2011 15:50
And the 41st best stand-up in the world's Top Gear routine outraged The Daily Mail reading nuts.
hamsterhammond
Jeremy Clarkson - 4,700 complaints and counting ;)
01.12.2011 16:00
As for Jeremy Clarkson laughing all the way to the bank, Jeremy Clarkson's stinking rich anyway, and his vile comments are a done deal, so, given that no-one can stop him from making comments he's already made, a punt on getting him sacked doesn't risk anything if it fails, but will seriously hurt him if it succeeds.
4,700 complaints and counting ;)
Direct
Let's get this in perspective
01.12.2011 16:28
Looks like Clarkson's going for a world record
Mark Thompson
How to complain to OFCOM
01.12.2011 16:34
Link Wray
Nothing will happen
01.12.2011 17:12
Clarkson and the Top Gear team with all the overseas film sales, DVD's, Live Shows and Magazines are the BBC's biggest money spinner and the top brass think the sun shines out of his and Andy Wilman's backsides.
People at the BBC have already moved this to the category of "Clarkson upset someone new - who cares"
BBC employee
Make joking comments about riots and you'll get locked up...
01.12.2011 17:12
What about all the people who jokingly asked who was up for a riot on Facebook and got the book thrown at them? But because this is a millionaire with friends in high places, he'll get off scot free. Another reason why the law is a joke and you should have no hesitation in breaking it.
anon
Have you watched the interview
01.12.2011 17:17
Calm down dear
The BBC is clearly part of the problem
01.12.2011 17:23
People at the BBC have already moved this to the category of "Clarkson upset someone new - who cares"
Just like they did with Jonathon Ross and Russell Brand then.
You can get 4 years for suggesting a riot on your facebook page and nothing for advocating killing people in front of their families on national TV?
non licence holder
Stewart Lee is number 40, not 41!
01.12.2011 17:32
Disagree strongly with that.
Stewart Lee is now the 40th best stand up/celebrity/personality/TV tartlet in the world. You're forgetting that Jimmy Saville died in October.
Jeremy Hitler.
It's all about money
01.12.2011 17:32
Clarkson and Top Gear makes MILLIONS for the BBC
BBC employee
As was said already "watch the video"
01.12.2011 17:35
Has sense of humour
Faux suspension
01.12.2011 17:39
Doesn't care much either way
BBC, its a gas!
01.12.2011 17:44
I certainly don't pay my licence fee so this inbred mongrel can swan about slagging off the people who would be stitching this fuckwit back together again if he had the car crash we all want so badly.
Just shut the fuck up man and leave it alone. No-one gives a shit about your badly written book/comic.
James May
Reply to "BBC employee"
01.12.2011 18:26
Fast forwarding to 2011, please remember that one of the biggest newspapers in the UK was destroyed outright by public protests, so I suggest you shut the fuck up and stop trolling Indymedia to try and cover your stinking fat ass.
Chipping Norton
Reply to "sense of humour"
01.12.2011 18:34
Chipping Norton
E-mail the links to all your friends
01.12.2011 18:36
Kodak
Good grief , you stole your ice cream ?
01.12.2011 18:36
Shall we agree to meet here in a month and see which one of us was right ?
BBC employee
Chipping Norton
01.12.2011 18:39
Much calmer person
What killed the News of the World
01.12.2011 18:43
Was it fuck ! The NOTW was destroyed because all the other media organisations took the opportunity to put the boot into Murdoch when they had the chance. The NOTW will be relaunched as the Sun On Sunday next summer. The key journalists have been kept on the books and the rest told they will be re-hired by April.
Journo
"BBC employee" & 5,000 complaints
01.12.2011 18:51
As for what the latest BBC News report says the jerk said about seeing comments "in context" - the context for these comments IS the fact that you earn a million a year from the public sector that you hypocritically condemn, the context for this IS the reactionary and homophobic bullshit that you constantly come out with, and the context for this IS the relationship between influential media types like Melanie Phillips and the impact she has on people like Anders Breivik.... now FUCK OFF
Everyone else, KEEP ON SENDING IN THOSE COMPLAINTS
Chipping Norton
Are you deaf?
01.12.2011 18:54
Reckon you can try to be a bit MORE patronising next time?
X
TIPS ON COMPLAINTS - IT'S EASY
01.12.2011 19:42
2/ So, keep on sending them in
3/ You don't have to give ANY personal details (not even an e-mail address) if you specify on the BBC's on-line complaints form that you don't wish to receive a reply from them
4/ Don't be put off by the bit that says something like "is your complaint addressed by the stupid excuses contained in this pop-up window" - just carry on and register your complaint anyway
Unison
"Journo" knows nothing about The News of the World
01.12.2011 19:51
The News of the World was brought down by an advertising boycott that was sparked by members of the public joining an on-line campaign started by activists like the Political Scrapbook blog. Sure the NOTW's loyal friends in the media turned on their former allies to help bring them down after they realised defeat was inevitable, but the other papers wouldn't have got involved at all if these people hadn't started the ball rolling. And even if NOTW does re-launch next year, a 2.5+ million selling newspaper still lost most of a whole year's revenue, so, predictably, your bleating is way off the mark
Gordon Bennett
Own goal
01.12.2011 21:03
Striker
Ignore the professional buffoon
01.12.2011 21:59
Having said that, I'm sure even Clarkson has his bins emptied by council workers. I'm sure when Richard Hammond had his car crash, he was not transported to the nearest private hospital. No, he would have been looked after by those lowly public sector workers at an NHS hospital. And it's a bit rich for Clarkson to refer to himself as a 'worker'. I don't think spouting crap about fast cars counts as work. Treat this guy as the inconsequential idiot he really is and don't take him seriously. The guy is a caricature. An idiot. A buffoon.
Bob
EDL attacks on Occupy camps and pickets etc ....
01.12.2011 22:33
Geotherm
"Large number of people" report Clarkson to the police
01.12.2011 22:42
A striking teacher has called for Jeremy Clarkson to be sacked - after the Top Gear presenter joked activists should be executed in front of their families. Father-of-two Ken Muller was outraged his children - who are big Top Gear fans - had to hear one of their favourite TV personalities saying their dad should be killed and has reported the outburst to police. The BBC has already received 5,000 complaints about the comments made on The One Show yesterday (Wednesday), which goes out at 7pm and has many young viewers. Speaking of striking public sector workers, Clarkson said: “I’d have them all shot. I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families.”
The City and Islington College teacher Ken Muller, who is the assistant secretary of the National Union of Teachers’ Islington branch, said: “My kids love watching Top Gear, so it’s pretty appalling for them to hear the presenter say I should be executed in front of them. I have reported it to the POLICE and they told me I was one of a large number of people to do so. There are enough nutters around who might see that on TV and get inspired to do something. It’s absolutely outrageous and he should be sacked. This was on early in the evening. Thousands of parents might have been on strike, and then their kids came home and heard their parents should be shot. If I had said something like that on TV, I’d have police knocking on my door."
Max
camerons friends
01.12.2011 23:43
thalia
e-mail:
oldlabour1@gmail.com
Obituary
01.12.2011 23:55
Requiem
A
02.12.2011 01:51
This is nothing to wonder about. You live in a country with civil "democracy" and the civil "democracy" is a mechanism of the state, a mechanism of violence and oppression by which the economic and political elite ensure its sovereignty over the rest of society. The justice therefore as key institution of this state is not neutral or independent of course but fully oriented to defend the interests of the class which represent. What is more to worry is the second part of his stupid speech when he is saying " while the rest of us have to work for a living”. Insidiously - despite the fact that he is not a worker but a parasite because if he stopped his "work", he won't miss to anyone like a nurse or a teacher for example - he is trying to split the workers into those working in the private sector and those who are working in the public sector. He divides the workers into "good" (private sector) and "bad" (public sector) and using this trick because he knows the terrorism in the private sector and how hard is to go on strike. Additionally supports the apathy and takes for granted that the right is with those who bow their heads. Well there is not such a thing like neutrality in this world and the time of fat cows of capitalism has gone for good.
@Geotherm
You are going too far. It is not the same a stupid comment on t.v by someone who is known for his stupid sense of humor and the EDL members who are posing with knives and guns. Fascism is the crutch of civil "democracy" and this is proved magnificently from what you mentioned. It is more than dumb to planning a direct violence and have it published on ratbook but because EDL is a political party and those morons are taking orders by someone they are just get used as alibi. I do not say to sit back and take this abuse but I do not think the right way to act is to ask from bbc to sack him or call the cops. We have to act as a movement. Everyone through the places are involved (unions, political teams, squats, etc etc) has to write a statement - and leaflet it to working places, to neighborhoods, to schools etc etc - which makes clear the mentality of his comment and the role that BBC plays and also we have to start to build and strength - indymedia is an example- our own structures and culture. These if you want to create a better world and build a strong movement which are going to help you to achieve it, otherwise you can keep act spasmodically and wait for your turn. We have to put our conditions and not begging those who are fighting us.
@Max
You do not understand that with this attitude you legitimize the cops and the anti-"terrorist" laws. I would worry more that my child spends his time watching crap on TV rather that my child heard the foolishness of Clarkson. The kids are not stupid and I think this comment make them more consciousness rather scary. At the end though Clarkson is Clarkson and not a poor kid from hackney and that's why nothing is going to happen to him as nothing happened to the war criminal Blair, to the cop killers, to Mr topshop and etc etc. If you really want to hurt him just stop watch his programmes.
A
Just as I predicted
02.12.2011 07:37
While a number of Indymedia readers think that writing emails of complaint to us makes a difference the BBC has now moved on and is pleased to see the increased fees it will get as part of the DVD sales.
BBC employee
Reply to "BBC employee"
02.12.2011 09:34
1/ Three trade union leaders now say they "accept Clarkson's apology"? > Unfortunately you havn't provided any proof, so we can take that claim with a pinch of salt, but even if this is true the fact is that both the BBC and Clarkson have been forced to apologise as a result of the pressure brought to bear on them by members of the public, so under any circumstance this is a victory for the people Clarkson abused
2/ Spokesman for the BBC says "matter is now closed"? > Of course the BBC would say that.... so fucking what, the complaints are still pouring in to the BBC website
3/ WH Smith says sales of Clarkson's Christmas DVD "up by about 30%"? > And Berlusconi's popularity increased as a result of him fucking teenagers... among scumbags. Granted that Clarkson got the publicity he wanted anyway. Given that irreversible fact, after that, the options for the people whose murders Clarkson called for were either to take it lying down or to try to fight back. Many chose to do the latter, and both the BBC and Clarkson have been forced to apologise as a direct result. As for the future, a number of complaints have already been referred to the POLICE for INCITEMENT TO MURDER, and, over the next few months, we'll see how those progress.
4/ While a number of Indymedia readers think that writing emails of complaint to us makes a difference the BBC has now moved on and is pleased to see the increased fees it will get as part of the DVD sales? > I'm sure the BBC are delighted by the money they stand to rake in from publicity generated by Fascist-style threats to kill trades unionists, no mystery there Sherlock, why the fuck do people like you think that increasing numbers of people turn to outlets like Indymedia in preference to the BBC? Stroll on...
Chipping Norton
this is about hypocrisy - of course ex public-schoolboy Clarkson was joking
02.12.2011 09:56
Ordinary people who joked about rioting got 4 years. Why? Because they government was worried that despite them knowing it was just a joke, some people might take them seriously, and that it could increase the general feeling that riots were acceptable.
Jeremy Charles Robert Clarkson was educated at a public school (surprise, surprise) - Repton School in Derbyshire:
Despite portraying himself as a man of the people who speaks what the common person thinks. So many of these supposedly working class right wing loudmouths turn out to actually be from the privileged elite.
He's a toff like his pal Cameron, and that is why the double standards mean he will not be spending the next four years locked up. THAT is what people are complaining about - NOT that they think he genuinely meant what he said to be taken literally. He is just a self-caricature making outrageous comments to pad out his already bulging bank balance..
anon
Comment approved by BBC producers BEFORE the show
02.12.2011 10:23
Self defence
I think you are confused
02.12.2011 10:29
If you really think that the readers of Indymedia are influential in deciding BBC policy then you go for it girlfriend !
BBC employee
ex Public schoolboy Clarkson went on strike himself as a young reporter!
02.12.2011 10:44
The hypocrisy here is getting worse. As another former public schoolboy, Richard Littlejohn is fond of saying: "You couldn't make it up!"
anon
21,335 complaints by 9:30 this morning
02.12.2011 10:47
Clarkson's hiding in China, where strikers are in fact often killed by the authorities
Flash mob
Want to make a bet ?
02.12.2011 11:02
OK money on the table then.
Want to bet 50 quid that a month from now absolutely nothing has happened as a result of this ?
Want to bet that those 21,335 people will be ignored by the BBC ?
I'm happy to.
BBC employee
killing strikers
02.12.2011 11:12
Indeed, makes me grateful to live in the UK and not under Socialism.
Grateful to be here
Hiding ?
02.12.2011 11:24
Very funny
Thanks + very funny
02.12.2011 16:39
If (hypothetically speaking) the Nazi regime had survived in Germany, then guess who'd be off filming TV shows on the test tracks of National Socialist enterprises like Volkswagon.... you prat?!!!!
Norm
tanks
02.12.2011 16:49
non-tankie
easy tiger
02.12.2011 21:59
Yes, in 5-10 years time, the government will sit down and think "Remember that option that clarkson mentioned? YEah the one about shooting them...."
GET A GRIP!!!!!!!! You are full of crap
1. It was a joke. Do you really believe that Clarkson wants the protestors shot? Really?
You actually don't think it was said as a joke? The man who says offending jokes about everybody but actually has never acted on any of them. You suddenly believe he wants a Beretta put into the mouth of a protestor and have the trigger pulled?
2. There are many people on this site who when they say they want someone shot they actually do mean it. Consider the conspiracy of cells of fire etc. These people want a gun put to the head of another person and the trigger pulled.
3.If you think Clarkson is going to start somekind of World War 3 ethnic genocide you are deluded and cannot be taken seriously. If you persist in this persecution then you must be stopped by any means that is lawful
4. ITs people like you that constantly week on week try to stir up trouble because it is basically your hobby. What do you call yourselves? Cant remember - but its something along the lines of a disruptive citizen. Therefore you cannot be taken seriously, because if you werent moaning about this then you would be moaning about something else.
5. In 1 week from now you will have moved onto the next big moan
Guaranteed. This will blow over and you will be moaning about something else that has happened. And on and on it will go until your life expires. Because that is your passion, your hobby. The most upset you would be int the world is if you didn't have anything to moan about.
anon
Pull the other one
02.12.2011 23:46
Global Citizen
If you work for the BBC, tell us how many people have complained now?
04.12.2011 14:44
You might pretend this is "absolutely nothing", because you focus your myopic perceptions around what the BBC do or don't choose to do, but we ALREADY KNOW the BBC don't give a fuck, because if they gave a fuck, The One Show producers would never would have approved Jeremy Clarkson's incitements to murder strikers, before the broadcast, in the first place. If you want to post something USEFUL on the internet, find out how many complaints the BBC have now received in total, because I can guarantee you that the other thing that you owe £50 for is the increase in complaints the BBC have been keeping quiet about since you posted your comment about making a bet
While you're struggling to work all that out please donate the £50 you owe to a reputable charity.
Jeremy Clarkson went on strike when he worked for the Rotherham Advertiser
Rebekah Brooks
@Rebekah Brooks
04.12.2011 15:02
no one gives a shit
ITV
Portrait of Jeremy Clarkson
04.12.2011 15:09
Rupert Murdoch
Clarkson did NOT apologise, the BBC have LIED
04.12.2011 20:36
Insist the BBC sack him now
Dan
how?
04.12.2011 23:23
Or else what? Whats your leverage?
stevey jones
Reply to Stevey
06.12.2011 09:39
Diane Coyle
JEREMY CLARKSON - LATEST UPDATES
11.12.2011 22:37
Denise
Ofcom confirm they're investigating Clarkson 20/12/2011
20.12.2011 21:05
Dean
New Clarkson racism
02.01.2012 13:16
Complain to -
Complain to -
Sportz
Even more Clarkson racism
10.01.2012 00:39
Trey
The morality of the BBC
10.12.2012 14:35
Update