Home Blogs & Views Birmingham Mail Columnists Maureen Messent

Hideous views

Aug 1 2008 By Maureen Messent

Maureen Messent

I HOLD no brief for the race relations lobby.

I feel they whip up ill-feeling – after all, there would be no need for them if offence was neither taken or given – and cause ill-feeling to fall on the heads of those they purport to protect.

This week came a telling remark from Trevor Phillips, chairman of the Equality and Human Rights Commission.

“British television,” he announced, “is hideously white.”

Imagine the uproar if a journalist on this newspaper were to describe Alum Rock, say, or Handsworth, as “hideously Asian” or “hideously black”.

Mr Phillips, known for his verbal agility, showed his true hand. If he meant what he said, then he’s implying that the phrase “hideously white” is acceptable but “hideously black” is not.

Aren’t we whites allowed sensibilities?

News AlertsForums

Read more of Maureen Messent's views

Hapless Jacqui needs to talk to the sisters

IF YOU’VE ever watched prostitutes picking up their kerb-crawling clients, you’ll know that conversation is kept to a minimum – just the matter of how much and for what. Read

Why complain at death of terror suspect?

I CAN hardly believe that a clutch of our MPs are complaining at the likely death – at present unconfirmed – of terrorist suspect Rashid Rauf. Read

Site Tools