Rubbish, perverted footballers in "racist" shock

I've spent a while in Thailand, to put it mildly. Although I live outside Bangkok  (most foreigners seem to think Thailand has only four locations: Bangkok, Phuket, Pattaya and Chiang Mai) - I'm used to seeing tourists of all kind on a regular basis.Most of them are families or younger people on a gap year. Both types often fall in love with Thailand and return.

Then we have the sex tourist type, the sort that falls into the lure of what - and this is important - is a very small part of Bangkok and the bigger cities where the type of activity that these three Leicester players got involved in is possible. Sex tourists are usually not particularly nice people. Not just because of what they do but because they often start to believe their own delusions and actually manage to convince themselves they are David Beckham, just without the money, looks, charisma or talent.

That type of delusion is what leads them to behave the way these three young Leicester players did and yet what is so amazing is that nobody on either side seems to care. Of course the three females consented to do whatever they did in the hotel room, but I very much doubt they agreed to be abused about their appearance. For Thai women to be mocked, belittled and engage on video in what is - believe or not - technically still illegal in Thailand is apparently fine to overlook in the diverse and inclusive media of the UK. But make one stupid (and wrong) remark about "slit eyes", and your career is over.

That's right, the opening paragraphs in Sky News or the BBC did not read: "Players engage in private sex show"  or "Leicester reserves mock women's appearance on video". No, both openers included the word "racist" ahead of the word "abuse" or"sex tape"  in their description of the offence. Take note then, that what is important in the eyes of the moral guardians at the BBC is not that these women were verbally abused about their looks, etc. but that they were racially abused. Whichever player is found to have said 'slit eyes'- and rest assured, the BBC will find, name and shame the heretic - can see his career flushed away by his own poor eyesight. Thai people do not have 'slit eyes' , they are mostly rounded.

The good news of sorts for Leicester fans is that you need not worry about this damaging your support in Siam.The club shop is at the airport. I have never, ever seen a shirt being purchased there in all my times travelling in and out of Bangkok. I have never, ever seen a Thai person a Leicester shirt, either. Leicester are a club of loyal fans and a good footballing squad, but they have a long, long way to go before Newin, King Power and co. make inroads back home,

Archive 8 - Imagine the headlines…

Publicans flee from hate mob

‘Sunday diners tell of “screaming rage” of political thugs’

‘I thought they would hurt my family’

’10 year old tells of her fear as father was besieged by hate mob’

One of the hardest points I always struggled to teach high school students was how the press are not only biased, they also condition the weight, severity and amount of fear they place on events they hear about. The usual example I give is the safety of air travel compared to driving.

dailymail.co.uk

I discussed yesterday how a self-proclaimed group of “LGBT, Breast-feeding women, immigrants and ‘climate guys’” (they couldn’t actually find a proper tag for that last section) descended upon a family pub on a Sunday in Kent to terrorise the family of Nigel Farage and his children, aged 10 and 15 years old. The mob deliberately chose the time and location based on Nigel’s family habits, knowing his offspring would be present. As the family tried to flee, at least one protester jumped on their car. All this in the name of showing UKIP how wrong they are, you understand.

The strange thing was, the incident bought very little in the way of mainstream media coverage. Compare it to the outcry over the incident with Chelsea fans in Paris, the latest UKIP member who said something innocuous but silly or other tiny incidents. Yet a politicians family – including a ten year old child – being blatantly intimidated, forced away from a family meal and having their car damaged as they tried to flee barely makes news.

Imagine if the roles were reversed. Suppose the LGBT group, the “immigrant” group or the ‘climate guys’ (no, seriously) were the victims and UKIP members had done the assaulting (actually UKIP employers a higher proportion of non-white, non-heterosexual and female MEPs than any other party, but the left never let the truth get in the way of a chance to be thugs). Who wants to bet against these headlines screaming from above the fold?

Immigrant man tells of pure terror as UKIP hordes assault his family
‘Their hate was shocking’ says bystander

Ten year old child flees in terror as hate mob surround country pub
PM promises a full police investigation

Britain’s shame: far right mob attack politician’s family
Police to seek maximum jail time for evil thugs

“Family horror as UKIP thugs invade country pub”
‘PM condemns ‘Nazi like’ behaviour

A new low for England – family terrorised by far right scum
‘Kick it Out’ warn of ‘return to Nazi days’