Taking The Myth – 12 May Edition 2016

This week on Taking The Myth, Stephen Knight and A Scotsman Abroad discuss the big topics with guest callers. We talk about: The police and free speech, Islamic advertising, Sadiq Khan becoming London Mayor and the ASLAN Awards.

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4 comments

  • Thanks for retweeting CPO Khan’s tweet, Stephen. The view he endorsed is shockingly common among well-meaning types and people who like to play the victim and take offence.

    People like Mr Khan think that the “free speech without offence” type of FS is just a minor, happy, harmonious tweak to FS. They don’t get the point that the right to offend, mock, insult etc is the point. Afterall, who is to decide what is offensive and needs protecting?

    It was a bad week for Great Manchester Police as they also gave a fawning and cowardly apology yesterday for the perfectly reasonable use of the phrase “Allahu Akbar” during the terror drill at the Trafford Centre.

  • Another great audio podcast folks, can I suggest Scotsman abroad gets a swear jar like Homer did in the Simpsons!

    https://youtu.be/eWDLCTBwyn8

    Thanks

  • The apology for the de rigeur criticism of “racism” for using the term “Allahu Akbar” in a terror drill was deeply disappointing if predictable. Just because its used in a terror drill casts no logical aspersion of Muslims per se but I suppose in this day and age the police have to apologise and then (hopefully) continue as per normal doing whats necessary to guard against terrorism. What would the complainers want? Next time they will do a Tibetan buddhist chant in their drill.

    And thanks Stephen for pointing out the total lack of legal basis for, and the undesirability of, the police chief inspector’s utterly inappropriate tweet and getting him to back down on it. Pity you have to put up with idiots at Brietbart as well.

  • I think you’ve misunderstood the ‘well rehearsed argument’ thing, Stephen. It doesn’t mean that you have rehearsed the argument well; it means that it’s an argument that is frequently used, i.e. it’s not just you making this argument – other people often use it too.
    Sorry to be a wet blanket but I get more than a little frustrated by the Scotsman. I used to find him amusing on Twitter. On your podcast, however, I think he drags the ‘cast into quicksand. Where you could be having a nuanced discussion with someone who can clearly express well-thought out ideas, you’re spending time doing the verbal equivalent of a parent trying to help a toddler walk. That might be amusing once or twice but it wears thin very quickly. Besides which, hearing someone make a definitive statement then having to completely wind it back (after much prompting by you) might even be mildly amusing if the speaker were your adversary but not so much when he’s the co-host of the show.
    Sorry, Scotsman; you’re a nice chap ‘n’ all but I’m definitely over it.

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