Vagueness and the Aftermath - A sporadic diary

[doubleup]

My perception of the post was that it was perhaps an unfair stereotype of Gays Red, the sort of sterotype that you might understandably not be so happy about if it was about Gypsies.

I thought this tbh ?

Just because your homosexual doesn't neccesarily mean you are feminine or that you would be "soft".

Jesus H Christ guys, am I not allowed to speak "because I wouldn't like it if someone said it about Gypsies"?

I made a tiny weak joke about a naff TV soap, not about gays, who by the way, I would expect to be somewhat feminine, and who I would also suspect, wouldn't take that as an insult. It's not harmful, spiteful stereotyping.

Policemen stopping you twice a day because you live on a caravan site, or asking if they can search your home because it will satisfy the neighbours. Teachers refusing to teach your children, parents refusing to allow their kids to go to school with yours. Getting beaten up. Being told you stink, or that you are a dirty thief when you're a little boy trying to buy sweets in a shop. Having to fight for 10 years for the right to live in your own home on your own land. Picking the newspaper up and reading blatant anti Gypsy headlines, Seeing signs in pubs that say "No Gypsies" in this day and age. That's Harmful Hurtful stereotyping.

Once again. I'm very sorry if I offended anyone, I will try to be more careful in future.

Gays suffer from a lot of similar things to those listed above too - I'm sure they can draw many parallels with some of the predjudices you mention that Gypsies suffer from.

Very true.  Gay people have suffered discrimination and persecution throughout many periods of history, and although nowadays it could be argued that there is a lot more tolerance, there is still a great degree of prejudice and discrimination towards them. Gay couples turned away from hotels, discriminated against in the work-place, by the armed forces, education, sport, etc.

Tying it in to Remembrance Sunday, one very famous gay person can be remembered: Alan Turing.  His work, along with other 'codebreakers' at Bletchley Park were key in helping the Allies win WWII.  In return, he was treated terribly by the British government.  Instead of being treated as a hero, he was punished for being gay (homosexual acts were a crime at the time) and chemically castrated.

A documentary about him soon on Channel 4 that will be fascinating.  A true genius, one of the greatest Britain has ever produced.  Sadly, prejudice meant his life ended in ignominy. 

[Karabiner]

Speaking of amazing facts there was a guy on the Antiques Roadshow with his grandfather's medals which included the George Cross and another very rare one (the Military Cross?)which he was awarded for his job in the bomb disposal business during the war.

He had his eardrums blown out after he had to dive into a trench with seconds to spare during one of these operations but he apparently used to enthrall his grandchildren by performing his party trick of smoking a ciggy and blowing smoke out of his ears.

[RED-DOG]

My perception of the post was that it was perhaps an unfair stereotype of Gays Red, the sort of sterotype that you might understandably not be so happy about if it was about Gypsies.

I thought this tbh ?

Just because your homosexual doesn't neccesarily mean you are feminine or that you would be "soft".

Jesus H Christ guys, am I not allowed to speak "because I wouldn't like it if someone said it about Gypsies"?

I made a tiny weak joke about a naff TV soap, not about gays, who by the way, I would expect to be somewhat feminine, and who I would also suspect, wouldn't take that as an insult. It's not harmful, spiteful stereotyping.

Policemen stopping you twice a day because you live on a caravan site, or asking if they can search your home because it will satisfy the neighbours. Teachers refusing to teach your children, parents refusing to allow their kids to go to school with yours. Getting beaten up. Being told you stink, or that you are a dirty thief when you're a little boy trying to buy sweets in a shop. Having to fight for 10 years for the right to live in your own home on your own land. Picking the newspaper up and reading blatant anti Gypsy headlines, Seeing signs in pubs that say "No Gypsies" in this day and age. That's Harmful Hurtful stereotyping.

Once again. I'm very sorry if I offended anyone, I will try to be more careful in future.

Gays suffer from a lot of similar things to those listed above too - I'm sure they can draw many parallels with some of the predjudices you mention that Gypsies suffer from.

Very true.  Gay people have suffered discrimination and persecution throughout many periods of history, and although nowadays it could be argued that there is a lot more tolerance, there is still a great degree of prejudice and discrimination towards them. Gay couples turned away from hotels, discriminated against in the work-place, by the armed forces, education, sport, etc.

Tying it in to Remembrance Sunday, one very famous gay person can be remembered: Alan Turing.  His work, along with other 'codebreakers' at Bletchley Park were key in helping the Allies win WWII.  In return, he was treated terribly by the British government.  Instead of being treated as a hero, he was punished for being gay (homosexual acts were a crime at the time) and chemically castrated.

A documentary about him soon on Channel 4 that will be fascinating.  A true genius, one of the greatest Britain has ever produced.  Sadly, prejudice meant his life ended in ignominy. 

Haha!

Excellent find Dave.

Stephen Fry really has become a national treasure.

I was wondering about it the other day. Why has the nation taken him to their hearts so readily? I think it has as much to do with his honesty and vulnerability as his brilliance.

[RED-DOG]

Speaking of amazing facts there was a guy on the Antiques Roadshow with his grandfather's medals which included the George Cross and another very rare one (the Military Cross?)which he was awarded for his job in the bomb disposal business during the war.

He had his eardrums blown out after he had to dive into a trench with seconds to spare during one of these operations but he apparently used to enthrall his grandchildren by performing his party trick of smoking a ciggy and blowing smoke out of his ears.

Are you an Antiques Roadshow fan too Ralph?.

I watch an episode most nights. What a wonderful concept for a show, as attested to by it's longevity.

Did you see the episode where that woman brought in a brass shell-casing with an inscription, and it turned out to have been originally presented to Thomas Alfred Jones, a Victoria Cross winner.

What a story of heroism that uncovered. They went and visited his grave and everything.

He has a short mention on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Alfred_Jones

[RED-DOG]

To all those involved in the stereotypinggate affair.

I don't know why it upset me so much, but it did, and I overreacted badly.

Please accept my apologies.

[RED-DOG]

I've been trying to find out more about my Great Granddad Sylvester "Trout" Taylor.

I've learned a bit about him from oral history and snippets of family folk-law, but I've also found the odd mention in print.



1909
The trivial offences of the fifteen Hampshire Gypsies, Richard Sheen and Alice Day (damaging turf in New Forest and Gadshill Wood), Ernest Smith (pony astray at Yateley),
Margaret Stone and Tom Loveridge (no name on vans at Crookham), John Ayres (obscene language at Crookham), Maurice Ayres (obscene language at Deadwater),
Charlie Green (poaching at Kingsworthy), Alice Day (theft of game-eggs at Broughton), Amos Wells (horses astray at Medstead), Henry and Mary Rogers and Esther Rawlings (bad language at Tadley), and James and Edward Lamb and Nipton Hibberd (killing a pheasant in close season at Hickfield), who were convicted at various dates from the middle of April to the end of May.
Perhaps the triviality of the crimes was due to the influence of the New Forest Gipsy Mission, which, in addition to its spiritual ministrations, assisted fifty families with parcels of warm clothing, provided two families with ponies, four
with hawkers' licences, and several with money for the journey to the hop-fields. Since the work began it has induced over forty couples to marry.

On the 29th of April, too, Stephen Hewitt (husband of Pamela Smith) of Great Yarmouth, and John Taylor of Hopton, were fined at Woodbridge for turning their horses onto growing grass — or, in more familiar language, poovin' the grai. This
John Taylor is no relation to Sylvester Taylor, who, a day or two later, was fined at Oswestry for encamping on the highway ; nor to Isaac Taylor, who, in the first week in May, was convicted at Abergele for allowing his horses to stray ; nor to Benjamin Taylor, who, at the same place, on September 4, had to pay 12s. 6d. for taking his three year old child wdth him into a public-house ; nor to Richard  Taylor, for stealing. John Ward, a groom, was sent to gaol for a week at Mold on November 8. The four last-named all belong to Longsnout's Breed.

[RED-DOG]

February 18, William Harris, a Gypsy labourer, was summoned for discharging a catapult in the highway, and Charles Lee (whose real name was said to be Green) for playing a game of chance.

On February 23, Henry Gaskin (generally known as Wally Gaskin) was sent to gaol for three months at Cambridge, for being drunk whilst in charge of a horse and cart, and for assaulting the police. Later in the year Saunders Gaskin and William Cooper Gaskin appeared before the magistrates at Spalding and Ipswich respectively. Surely this notoriously lawless family cannot be reforming themselves.

[Laxie]

I know breaking the law is breaking the law, but I find meself giggling a bit at what's considered 'illegal' in certain cases.  Setting a horse out to graze on growing grass?  Really?!  Had me thinking of some of the crazy old day laws in America.  Now I know where the Yanks got it from.

[RED-DOG]

I know breaking the law is breaking the law, but I find meself giggling a bit at what's considered 'illegal' in certain cases.  Setting a horse out to graze on growing grass?  Really?!  Had me thinking of some of the crazy old day laws in America.  Now I know where the Yanks got it from.

I Liked "Playing a game of chance"

[Woodsey]

I know breaking the law is breaking the law, but I find meself giggling a bit at what's considered 'illegal' in certain cases.  Setting a horse out to graze on growing grass?  Really?!  Had me thinking of some of the crazy old day laws in America.  Now I know where the Yanks got it from.

Depends whose grass it is and whether they have their own animals to feed on it.

Some of my family are farmers and I know they get upset when random animals from neighbouring fields get loose into their fields and start chomping down. Moreso at certain times of year when there isn't much grass to eat even for their own animals.

[RED-DOG]

I have to say I don't know if this is true or not, but it I'm going to throw it out there anyway to see what Gatters has to say about it.



Just before the US started bombing Baghdad, nearly $1 billion dollars was stolen from the Central Bank of Iraq and is now the largest bank robbery in history

[RED-DOG]

I would really like to see this trial.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15716320



What are your thoughts on televising court proceedings, USA stylee? I'm in favour.




Lord Hewart from Rex v Sussex Justices; Ex parte McCarthy:

“… it is not merely of some importance but is of fundamental importance, that justice should not only be done, but should manifestly and undoubtedly be seen to be done.”

[Karabiner]

Speaking of amazing facts there was a guy on the Antiques Roadshow with his grandfather's medals which included the George Cross and another very rare one (the Military Cross?)which he was awarded for his job in the bomb disposal business during the war.

He had his eardrums blown out after he had to dive into a trench with seconds to spare during one of these operations but he apparently used to enthrall his grandchildren by performing his party trick of smoking a ciggy and blowing smoke out of his ears.

Are you an Antiques Roadshow fan too Ralph?.

I watch an episode most nights. What a wonderful concept for a show, as attested to by it's longevity.

Did you see the episode where that woman brought in a brass shell-casing with an inscription, and it turned out to have been originally presented to Thomas Alfred Jones, a Victoria Cross winner.

What a story of heroism that uncovered. They went and visited his grave and everything.

He has a short mention on Wiki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Alfred_Jones

They have a version of the Antiques Roadshow in China where if someone brings in a fake the experts smash it to smithereens at the end of the show. I quite like that idea.

[GreekStein]

To all those involved in the stereotypinggate affair.

I don't know why it upset me so much, but it did, and I overreacted badly.

Please accept my apologies.

Was a minor thing - it made me realise how often I use the word gay though!

[RED-DOG]

To all those involved in the stereotypinggate affair.

I don't know why it upset me so much, but it did, and I overreacted badly.

Please accept my apologies.

Was a minor thing - it made me realise how often I use the word gay though!

My daughter just came in and told me I was in the wrong. Mrs Red agrees with her /