Round-up

1. Here is a summary of a talk given by conservative thinker Dinesh D'Souza about racism, in which he apparently said a lot of sensible stuff about the playing of the race card, and gave some un-PC truths about the ACTUAL reasons for the apparent behind-ness of ethnic minorities in the West. It seems to me that on most issues, D'Souza is actually pretty much right and a good thinker. It's a shame that when it comes to talking about Islam, he becomes such a blathering idiot.

2. A hate crime complaint made by a traveller against The Basil Brush Show has "turned the Gypsy community in Northamptonshire into a laughing stock", according to the president of the Gypsy Council.

This man - Hughie Smith - I like him. Read his comments in the article; they AREN'T reactionary and nonsensical, which makes a very welcome change coming from the gypsy community.

3. Two Stephen Fry-fronted TV ads for Twinings Tea have been cleared by the Advertising Standards Authority after a complaint that they presented a negative stereotype of a black man as sexually promiscuous. The watchdog accepted the arguments by ad agency Lowe that "race was not central or relevant to the ads", which were based on Fry's character being "older and less cool" than the young black American man he featured alongside.

Read the description of the two adverts and Lowe's justification of them and you will see why this complaint was so ludicrous.

Also, I notice that only ONE person complained about this advert. I feel pity for that person. And I also feel a sense of resentment that agencies are being forced to take seriously any complaint made by any hyper-sensitive, deranged individual. It shouldn't be that way. Things should only be investigated if there is widespread complaint. Same goes for the Basil Brush story - that should NEVER have got past the initial complaint stage.