h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Yeah - he's a wiser man than me.

Your post to Jimster just now was spot on. And no name calling or sarcasm either

There's alot of unanswered questions. And I've realised that apart from some distinct references to you, I don't know who he is talking about. Who's the other researcher who ignored his warnings? You weren't the only one modded?

I believe I *was* the only one modded. In most of the postings I was after an explanation.

Apart from his inappropriate snideness, I do have a degree of sympathy for Jimster. h2g2 is not the BBC's flavour of the month, so mod resources are limited (I'm guessing it's just him now). He could see a situation brewing which *might* have landed him a lot of workload, so he erred on the side of caution and pulled the plug. There's a slight difference between 'This thread is closed because I haven't got time to keep my eye on it' and 'This thread is closed because a named person is playing silly buggers'

He said that it wasn't just you who ignored his warnings though. I thought at first he was meaning me, because I did question what he was saying and doing, but then I really couldn't tell. So I wasn't sure if his comment about not taking the requests for clarity were aimed at me as well as you. I really wish he would be explicit.

There's 3 Editors currently - Jimster, Natalie, and ... not sure who the other one is, it used to be Paully but he might have left.

I agree that the time shortage thing is alot to do with it. It's hard to know if it's reasonable to expect them to simply post "this is taking too much of our time so we're closing the thread". It's more honest of course, but maybe not more straightforward.

My current () theory, having skimread the first several hundred posts again is that a certain researcher who first posted nearer the beginning of the thread that calling someone racist is slander, made a formal complaint this week. Not just a 'that researcher is being mean to me' complaint, but a serious one mentioning slander and lawyers. Either that or there is something gone on that we don't know about to explain why they're so touchy about 'racist'.

Yeah...that theory might fit - in which case it might be useful to ask if/how we should address racism (noting Jimster's naive justification of what was undeniably a racist remark).

But if there was a complaint...then the Jimster's naming of a politician was a complete red herring. Incidentally - the other politicions I mentioned (apart from Blair, who no doubt you'll have heard of ) were the current and former leaders of the Conservative opposition. I very much doubt they'd sue.

Did you mention Blair? Crikey I wonder how I missed that. Actually I think I didn't see that post. I did see the one with the 2 conservatives but didn't know who they were.


Jimster mentioning the BNP guy didn't make any sense to me at the time. I mean we had previously had a big discussion where I'm sure the BNP man was called racist. Are we not allowed to do that now just because of that court case? Surely just because he was found not guilty of racism on one charge doesn't mean that he doesn't have a generally racist agenda. Or is racism now only something defined by law

However, if there has been a complaint made, then it does kind of make sense. This has come up before, where the Eds have to err on the side of caution in terms of libel.

It's pretty horrendous though if that is what is happening. It's be one thing if someone like novo was objecting to being called racist (and I'm not aware that anyone has but I'm just picking someone somewhat conservative who might object). But for someone who is pretty obviously racist to use slander as a defense is despicable IMO. This is why I am keen to get some clarity from Jimster. I'm really hoping this is about being understaffed and annoyed with you rather than there being a genuine issue about naming someone racist.

Did you know that FB got posts removed for talking about the BNP in a certain light?

I'm tempted to start a thread in Ask called "are the you-know-who racist?" just to make it really visible to everyone what is going on. Assuming my post would get pulled and then I'd have to explain.

I got an e-mail from him. I've suggested that this is quite insidious and should be publicised further - eg to Searchlight magazine.

The mainstreaming of the BNP is quite scary. This from the front page of today's Grauniad:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,1976649,00.html

An Ask thread, you say? Good idea! http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/brunel/F19585?thread=3758363&post=44113887#p44113887

Ha! Good for you. Nicely worded too.


What is Searchlight magazine?


That Guardian article is bloody interesting. Presumably we're allowed to call someone racist who self-identifies (last two paragraphs):

http://www.guardian.co.uk/farright/story/0,,1976613,00.html

Searchlight is a leading anti-fascist organisation. While the Anti-Nazi League is often regarded (with some justification) as rent-a-mob, Searchlight are a respected research organisation.

http://www.searchlightmagazine.com/

Thanks for that.

*

I remembered today about a website that the fascists in NZ have set up. They go to left wing demonstrations, take photos of people there, and put them on their website with really derogatory comments and descriptions, and personal details too I think. It's pretty horrendous, so bad that I haven't even bookmarked it for future reference. NZ is such a small place that the overtone of threat in the website is substantial. I'm sure it'd put some people off.

I tend to think of those kind of fascists as being, as SoRB said, the lunatic fringe (way more so than in the UK, the more seriously problematic racists here are in the National Party), but I'd forgotten about that website. That requires a level of organisation I'm surprised exists.