Oh no - not racism again (but Jewish not Muslim this time)

[Oneeyedvic]

Much as I hate Red Ken - surely he shouldn't have been suspended over Nazi Jibe.

Surely by saying that someone is a jobsworth (like the Nazi prison camp wardens) is not offensive to a Jew?

Is anyone offended?

[Oneeyedvic]

Oh, and following on from W-Ms post a few below - Oliver Finegold - if you are reading this through a google search, I think you are a repulsive, odious, evil little man.

[Loosehead]

I am offended by Ken livingstone, full stop!

[kick3m0n]

I don't know, I think using the Nazi remark just cos someone is doorstepping you is trivialising what went on during the war. Livingstone used it as a flippant retort to the journalist. It's unneccessarily crass and I thought inappropriate. To be honest, I find Livingstone so appalling that most of what he says is offensive to me.

[jump79]

I don't think it was right what Livingstone did, and I don't mean to divert this topic, but it's kind of ironic, isn't it? If a certain ethnic minority is offended by something similar, they are shown to be making a big fuss over nothing and anyway, what about our 'freedom of speech'? If it's anybody else, then forget all that..... justice is prompt

[Drusilla1S]

I think this is wrong because Livingstone was elected by the people of London as our mayor and has been suspended by an unelected quango. His behaviour should have been judged by other elected officials.

The Evening Standard has waged a niggling campaign against Livingstone for years and I can understand his getting fed up with their constant sniping. However, a grown up would have apologised and put the incident behind him.

[flashpig]

Really, what were they thinking? He said it before he knew the chap was Jewish, and then he says "you might be [Jewish], but..."

As Oneedyedvic says, he was just calling a reporter a jobsworth, overdramatically perhaps, but it was a comment about NAZIS, not Jews.

What precautions would the reporter like to see in place so that people don't offend himself and other Jewish people when talking about Nazis? Perhaps he thinks Jews should wear a yellow star of David?

[Lonnie]

That remark, said in a serious context, would be offensive to most people, regardless of race, religion, creed or colour, wonder what would have happened if he'd said it in Austria.

As for suspension for a month, a waste of time, three months community service would have been better.

[keyvan]

Kenneth should not have made those comments but I don't think it should go any further than that. He is not anti semitic and I do not consider him a racist. Frankly, the story has dragged on for a while now and I'm slowly getting fed up with all the fuss.

I am with Drusilla on this. Evening Standard has waged a long campaign against him and have b*****ed him for some time.

[flashpig]

This reminds me of the election.

I didn't know Howard and Letwin were Jewish until Anti-semitism was cried over posters of them as flying pigs.

[Doggy2]

Frankly I am happy that we live in a country where proper freedom of expression is exercised. Saying those things by Ken was inappropriate but suspending him for a month you gotta be kidding!

It's quite convenient to use the term offensive to religion or race for a certain ethnic community when it suits us and turn a blind eye on other events. Mmmm sounds a little hypocritical. The rule is the same for all the religions and races. Exercise freedom of speech and let the people be the judge of it!

[gary baldy]

Oh dear! The snivelling little journalist's feelings got hurt cos the nasty man said something naughty.
Grow up you little toad - take it like a man - give an intelligent comeback to the comment and show you are better than your opponent - dont go crying to teacher claiming racism. I think ken was quite restrained - i would have called him a lot worse.
Journalist's on the whole are big baby bed wetters who think they can change the world by making other people look bad when they should take a long hard look at themselves.
If this was a 90 year old holocaust survivor in a wheelchair then maybe i would sympathise but this Finegold is using his race/ religion to suit his own selfish ends and to make him feel superior about his sad little worthless life.

[WaldoMcFroog]

Completely pathetic.

It appears that some people are not clever enough to understand the art of simile. Unfortunately, those people appear to be the ones judging Ken's case.

[jump79]

I don't approve of using any form of racist terms against anyone, but would Livingstone have got off lightly (not suspended) if he had apologised to the journalist afterwards?

[brionon]

His inference was that Naazi's are horrible,not nice. So how did he offend ? Or can't Jews be horrible ?

[Lynn_M]

OK, it was offensive. But is it worth suspending him for it. He made a horses arse of himself first of all, by making the remark, then made a horses arse of himself again, several times over by refusing to appologies.

I don't think much of the IRA ********; I just think it's enough that he further made a fool of himself to people who didn't realise he was a fool already.

[flashpig]

I hope he gets another 4 months because N9S take offense at being compared to Jews.

[jno]

Livingstone's rationale seems to have been that the newspaper in question is published by the same people as the Daily Mail, which notoriously supported Mosley's British Fascist union before the last war. (I think 'Hurrah for the blackshirts!' was their headline.) Presumably Mr Finegold is more ready to forgive his employers than to forgive the man his employers consistently campaign against. How surprising. But Londoners elected Livingstone, like him or not. Nobody elected the dogsbodies who have been given the power to leave London mayorless. Is that democracy?

[Joefish999]

I feel it is about time that certain groups of citizens grew up and stopped feeling that they have to get on their joint high horses and be "culturaly offended" by one individuals comment to another.
If individuals from any group want to be treated with respect then they should have to individually earn that respect.
Terrible things have happened in history, they mustn't happen again but why should modern day, blameless groups feel the need to apologise for them!

Ken shouldn't have to apologize and he shouldn't be suspended he should be allowed to get on with his job,

Mind you if anyone wants to suspend me for a month on �11,166/month then just show me who I need to insult!

[keyvan]

Well said Joefish999, couldn't have put it better myself.