On 23 Nov 2010 at 1:41pm Newmania wrote:
David James Smith will be selling books ...I mean furthering the cause of community cohesion, in the Pelham this very eve ( half past six) . I am debating whether to turn up or not .
The event will be chaired by the leader of the local Council Ann De Vechi and some renta gob academics of the usual sort.
He says he hopes the event will foster understanding which, given what a swivel eyed nut he is ,presumably means other people understanding /agreeing , with him.
It looks to me as if by supporting this event Ann De Vechi is siding with Smith in his campaign to slur Lews and import a poisonous culture of political correctness to the town .Ms. De Vechii folows a long line of Lib Dems who think they can be on all sides at once .
On 23 Nov 2010 at 2:00pm Mr Forks wrote:
Hopefully no one will turn up for this 'bookselling' er, debate debacle. Proving that Mr Smith is on a self publicity overdrive campaign, the sooner he realises that the poeple of Lewes find him an offensive and potentially divisive bore the better. We need him like we need a hole in the head
On 23 Nov 2010 at 2:00pm 'ere be monsters wrote:
There's only two people I can't stand and she's both of them!
On 23 Nov 2010 at 3:15pm Ratty wrote:
David Who? Never heard of him.
On 23 Nov 2010 at 3:22pm sashimi wrote:
This evening's debate is about diversity, a perfectly respectible subject on which David James Smith has expressed a particular and very personal point of view. I don't agree with DJS, but I didn't find his article offensive or unreasonable. Just wrong. I think he has interpreted as 'racist', behaviour that is just rude, bad mannered, awkward or badly expressed. It doesn't help for those speaking for the minority population to take grave offence at every perceived slight and equally, it doesn't help if the majority overreact. If we are to get on and make progress, everyone should calm down. DJS with a foot in both camps is better placed than anyone to see this and to take the necessary steps to bring this about. I hope that tonight's debate isn't going to enflame an already ludicrous row by allowing extremists on both sides to slag each other off.
On 23 Nov 2010 at 3:29pm 'ere be monsters wrote:
There's a quiz night at the Volly
On 23 Nov 2010 at 3:45pm Independent thinker wrote:
It sounds interesting, but I won't be going because, after reading his e-mails to Norman Baker, I know that anything anyone says that challenges his viewpoint can and will be used as further evidence of racism. What it boils down to is this. If he'd said something like "even in a town that prides itself on its progressive values, isolated racist incidents can still occur, and so the battle against racism in the UK isn't over yet" then nobody would have argued against stating the bleeding obvious. Also wouldn't have landed him the front cover of the Sunday Times Magazine. So instead he redefined racism, removing the seemingly crucial element that involves believing one race is superior to another, and thus got to accuse the whole town of being racist. And then acted shocked that people took offence. I've never understood racism. I'm bewildered by people who judge others because of the colour of their skin. It makes no sense to me whatsoever and I've condemned it whenever and wherever I could. But I once smiled and said hello to someone I mistakenly thought I knew, who happened to be black. Of course I've done that dozens of times with white people as well, but according to this new definition I committed a racial micro aggression and am thus a racist. And there's no way in a million years you can have a rational discussion with someone who thinks that way. Or expect them to be the ones to bring progress on this issue rather than further division. So go if you want to, but I'd be very, very wary about saying anything. You can guarantee that anyone who speaks out against him, no matter how calmly or rationally, will be labeled a racist in his next article or tweet on the subject.
On 23 Nov 2010 at 4:09pm Rookie wrote:
Lewes are playing at Shoreham tonight. I think I might go there instead......
On 23 Nov 2010 at 4:19pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
I can't make it unfortunately, but I agree with you, IT.
I read his blog and the Baker correspondence and interestingly DJS could be accused of a certain insensitivity to disabled people himself, telling Baker "I find it extraordinary that you are so blind to my argument".
Mostly DJS comes across as a pompous ass and I'd rather hear his wife's view on racism than his, as she is the one who has been subjected to it in Lewes.
On 23 Nov 2010 at 4:34pm Vesbod wrote:
Wouldn't miss Strictly for anything !! 6:30 BBC2
On 23 Nov 2010 at 5:39pm jrsussex wrote:
As I have stated before I am not a racist. Unfortunately some people are and what you have to accept, like it or not, is that no amount of legislation or discussion is going to change them. I have learned to regard racism in that way, I do not engage in discussion with racist bigots and find that by and large life goes on.
You must always remember that we live in a free society, which in my view entitles everyone to an opinion. That that opinion is different to yours is somethng we have to live with.
On 23 Nov 2010 at 5:39pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I thought about goign but decided I didn't want to encourage him in further airings of his ill-thought through opinions.
On 24 Nov 2010 at 12:16pm bastian wrote:
I don't want to jump on an already overloaded bandwaggon here but I find it slightly odd that DJS considers himself, a white middle class male, better at writing than his wife, female, about a subject far closer to her heart, which could be seem as sexist and racist of him.He has single handedly alianated himself and his familly from the established community.The mear act of putting, not his career but his ego before his families wellbeing is treacherous.Petal my dear I am so sorry that your husband has put you through this.I will not be attending this free for all as I have a cold and would hate to spread this virus to the town.
On 24 Nov 2010 at 10:52pm Brixtonbelle wrote:
Bastian, unless you know Petal personally, and know that she doesn't mind, I suggest you don't call her 'my dear'. It's unbearably patronising and rude.
Did anyone get to the diversity debate and care to report back ?
On 25 Nov 2010 at 8:27am 'ere be monsters wrote:
Why ask that question BB. If you were interested you should have gone. I agree with the "patronising" bit.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 9:38am Clifford wrote:
jrsussex writes, 'You must always remember that we live in a free society, which in my view entitles everyone to an opinion. That that opinion is different to yours is somethng we have to live with.'
I agree with that and, probably like you, I either ignore or argue with anyone spouting racist garbage. But what we can't have is people in a position of power and authority being allowed to use that power to discriminate against a particular race or group on the basis of that opinion by, for example, denying someone a job or a service simply because of their race. Unfortunately, the only way to ensure that seems to be through legislation.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 9:42am DrTrickCyclist wrote:
It was an interesting night. DJS started quite movingly but ended up being rather gracelessly dismissive of any other perspective. Lots of positive stuff about diversity. Woman from Sussex University who spoke was really excellent and gave the impression that DJS's article perhaps wasn't the best way to raise the issue. His wife spoke to endorse what he had said. They both clearly have found aspects of life in Lewes very difficult and several other people supported what they said.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 10:18am Brixtonbelle wrote:
I couldn't attend as I was at work, EBM, otherwise I would have gone.
I was interested to know whether there was any real debate about diversity above and beyond DJS article, or whether it became a slanging match focussed on him. Glad to hear it was positive on the whole.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 3:44pm bastian wrote:
Typically you diverted my point,sexism is the issue here,which is just as corrosive as racism but it is considered old-fashioned to point out that a woman of any race bringing up a family anywhere in the uk rarely has time to write a book...so best leave it to the boys.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 3:49pm DrTrickCyclist wrote:
Well BB I'm not saying that there was no slanging. There was a LOT of emotion on the room.
On 25 Nov 2010 at 10:41pm MC wrote:
Was it well attended? Do you have any idea if Viva Lewes be writing about it? I'd like to know more about it.