Is this any worse than the myriad of "sick" jokes that go round every day?

[Loosehead]

http://news.sky.com/s...toning_To_Death_Tweet

[jno]

should politicians call for the assassination of voters they don't like? Doesn't strike me as highly funny. Do such jokes normally target named individuals and urge their deaths?

Henry II: 'I didnt really mean Becket to be killed, it was just an ill-conceived attempt at humour.'

[ummmm]

Think before you type. What sounds funny in your head is completely different to how it is read...

He's in a job where he should know that..

[Loosehead]

well voters regularly call for the deaths of politicians they don't like, works both ways.

[ludwig]

He's an idiot - but a police investigation seems a bit over the top.

// ...arrested for an offence under section 127 (1a) of the Communications Act of 2003 on suspicion of sending an offensive or indecent message. //

..I mean if that's a crime there's a few people on Answerbank in trouble. Who defines what 'offensive' or 'indecent' means?

[jno]

do they? Even on AB I don't recall this happening.

But voters are not politicians. We elect politicians to behave responsibly. If they aren't up to it, they should become stand-up comics instead.

[Bbbananas]

Jeez - in CB, 70% of us would be arrested.

[jno]

you say that like it would be a bad thing.

[123everton]

What's she done to upset him?
A stupid thing to say, it wasn't serious, but it is offensive.
Arrested, maybe a bit much.

[jake-the-peg]

There's a growing awareness and lack of tolerance of cyber bullying I rather suspect that is the reason that it was taken so seriously

[andy-hughes]

ummmm is quite right - what appears as humour in speech, with vocal inflection and facial expression to accompany it, can loose any semblence of humour in print - as any regular poster on the AB knows quite well.

I have fallen foul of writing something that has been understood in a way different from that intended, on several occasions.

That said, if I were a politician and by definition accountable to the public, and by definition a defender of others, and by further definition a good communicator, i would not need to trouble my thoughts about whether such a post was appropriate in any way shape or form - much less have to apologise for being misguided.

This manis either devoid of what can reasonably called a sense of humour, or he is sufficiently insenstivie as to think such a remark would be considered amusing by anyone at all anywhere,. or he is a right-wing bigot who doesn't care if his observations upset anyone.

Any or all of these call his fitness for public office into serious question.

So yes, for those reasons, it is worse than any sick jokes.

[Gromit]

I have been getting about 5 emails a day for the past month about this woman. Part of me is beginning to agree with him. It is right we should be concerned about her plight, but we are really powerless to do anything about it. I am sure his unfunny joke was prompted by a desire to stop the bombardment of campaigning material. he should know better, especially living in such an ethnically diverse place as Birmingham.

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[anotheoldgit]

/// A Conservative Birmingham City councillor has been arrested and bailed over allegations he said a female Muslim journalist should be stoned to death.///

Is it any different from Muslims shouting "Death to the British soldier" or "British soldier burn in hell"

No arrest here I see, it's as it has always been, 'a law for one and a law for another'

[Zeuhl]

Which British soldier?
What is his name?
Have the police interviewed him?

You can't be charged with threatening a vague idea of someone under the same laws as inciting violence against a particular, identified person.
.

[Zeuhl]

However, I think any idiots who carry banners such as 'kill the british soldier' should be arrested and charged under some laws and if they don't already exist they should be created.
.

[naomi24]

Yes it is worse. He's a public servant and as such one would hope he had more sense. What's funny about stoning women to death? Stupid man!!

[anotheoldgit]

The first thing these Muslims should learn is a British sense of humour, or even one of their own,

How many times have you heard a parent say, "when little Johnny comes home. I'll murder him"

Should they be arrested?

[Zeuhl]

Perhaps if they went into the town square and broadcasted:

'will someone please kill my child'

they might expect a visit from Old Bill and the Social Workers.
.

[naomi24]

I'm not a Muslim AOG. Would you say I need to learn to have a sense of humour then?