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Louis Smith apologizes for video mocking Islam

http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/37604781/louis-smith-says-he-is-deeply-sorry-for-offensive-video?ocid=socialflow_facebook&ns_mchannel=social&ns_campaign=bbcnews&ns_source=facebook

Louis Smith has apologized for making a video mocking Islam. The film appears to show Louis, with fellow gymnast Luke Carson, laughing while pretending to pray and shouting "Allahu Akbar".

That's not the best part of the article though...

"Reaction to the footage has been largely negative, with some calling him a racist for appearing to mock a religion"
How is he racist? Islam isn't a race..
Original post by MrsSheldonCooper
How is he racist? Islam isn't a race..


Haha! I get that. :smile:
Original post by MrsSheldonCooper
How is he racist? Islam isn't a race..


I know. It's just ridiculous that some people don't seem to be able to recognise what the word "racist" actually means, even after all this time. I'm getting sick and tired of people being called "racist" for mocking or criticising a religion that has followers from many different ethnicities. I can't put into words quite how stupid that is.
Reply 4
Avatar for Pulse.
Pulse.
18
Lol good decision before someone expired him.

Posted from TSR Mobile
Shameful, apologising just makes the problem worse.
Reply 6
Avatar for viffer
viffer
16
Original post by Jammy Duel
Shameful, apologising just makes the problem worse.
Yup
Original post by Jammy Duel
Shameful, apologising just makes the problem worse.


It's similar to the Streisand effect -- trying to fix the problem just draws more attention to it.

It also fosters a greater sense if wrongdoing. "Oh, he apologised? Must've done something wrong afterall."

The very idea of a public apology (made under pressure) is rather dumb in itself. Very rarely are they genuine apologies, but rather attempts to save face and pander to people.

The best comedians, critics, thinkers, and social commentators all share something in common: they rarely (if ever) apologise for causing offence. Why? Because it's dumb.
Reply 8
Avatar for Globalism
Globalism
The way things are going he'll have his medals taken away and receive lashes.
British Gymnastics forced him to do it, on pain of having his funding cut.

In order to get financial support Olympic athletes have to sign away away their right to make critical comments about anyone pretty much. That is why he apologised.

It is a complete assault of freedom of speech, and panders to political correctness, but there we are. Until a concomitant pressure is applied on bodies such as these, which are publicly funded, people like Smith will continue to be forced to make humiliating and insincere fake "apologies."
Original post by Jammy Duel
Shameful, apologising just makes the problem worse.


Yeah, it just encourages the people behind it to do it again because they know it works.

For once I want to see someone in this situation actually stand up for themselves, rather than the usual "I apologise for any offence caused" nonsense. Especially when it's for a claim which is so blatantly wrong like saying it's somehow racist to criticise or mock a religion - that kind of stupidity is very very easy to argue against if you want to.
Original post by RF_PineMarten
Yeah, it just encourages the people behind it to do it again because they know it works.

For once I want to see someone in this situation actually stand up for themselves, rather than the usual "I apologise for any offence caused" nonsense. Especially when it's for a claim which is so blatantly wrong like saying it's somehow racist to criticise or mock a religion - that kind of stupidity is very very easy to argue against if you want to.


Agreed. He won't though, depend on it.

This kind of censorship is like a ratchet, it only goes in one direction. Twenty years ago this would never have happened because such a video would have caused no stir and gone unreported.

In twenty years time it won't happen either because someone in his position will be too terrified to even dare make such a video.

Islam is beyond any kind of criticism in a Muslim majority country. Soon it will be here too.

The ratchet tightens, it doesn't go back.
Original post by astutehirstute
Agreed. He won't though, depend on it.

This kind of censorship is like a ratchet, it only goes in one direction. Twenty years ago this would never have happened because such a video would have caused no stir and gone unreported.

In twenty years time it won't happen either because someone in his position will be too terrified to even dare make such a video.

Islam is beyond any kind of criticism in a Muslim majority country. Soon it will be here too.

The ratchet tightens, it doesn't go back.


Salman Rushdie had to have round the clock protection from the fatwas/death threats he faced back then after he wrote his book.*
Original post by RF_PineMarten
Yeah, it just encourages the people behind it to do it again because they know it works.

For once I want to see someone in this situation actually stand up for themselves, rather than the usual "I apologise for any offence caused" nonsense. Especially when it's for a claim which is so blatantly wrong like saying it's somehow racist to criticise or mock a religion - that kind of stupidity is very very easy to argue against if you want to.


Milo? Trump? Charlie Hebdo? Actually the Alt-right and people closely aligned to it in general.
Original post by KimKallstrom
Salman Rushdie had to have round the clock protection from the fatwas/death threats he faced back then after he wrote his book.*


Yes. That was the first example of it in the UK, the whip was cracked.

And the lesson as learned.

The Danish cartoons controversy indicated that. There was no need to crack the whip by that time, fear of it was enough.

No mainstream British newspaper or TV station published those cartoons even though it was THE story of the moment at the time. Not one.

I'll try to now. How long will they stay up, I wonder? Take a screen grab...

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