O/T Ollie Robinson.

[ramAnag]

Sorry to disappoint but no I didn’t mean the booers, and my ears didn’t hear a small minority of these at the last England match, nor did the BBC commentator on the night although during the following day his commentary was erased from news reports…

Regarding the difference between respecting anti-racism and the fallen, there ISNT a difference where folk are making their statement with free will and genuine support. I dont believe many taking the knee are, I believe they are virtue signalling. We have a similar issue in my village where an emblem of what is supposed to be inclusion is being virtue-signalled to such an estate it’s causing genuine anymosity

Yes I do go on about virtue signalling a lot, we all have our points of obsession ahem Williamson ahem

All I’d suggest, AF, is that you listen to the words of the great - I use the word advisedly - Michael Holding. He’s just been interviewed, during lunch time at Edgbaston, by Ian Ward and maybe it’s something to do with with us being born just days apart, but every word he said resonated with me. If you get a chance...listen and learn.
He, of course, has a much greater first hand understanding than anything I have to offer, but, as Rob Key said immediately afterwards... ‘sometimes it’s just good to listen’.

P.S. I understand ‘virtue signalling’ when people bang on about how much they give to charity...how much they’ve done to help during the pandemic...how kind they are to their aged parents etc...but I honestly don’t understand how suggesting one’s intellectual support for BLM (blm if you prefer) is any different from wearing a poppy each November, and didn’t those you choose to honour die fighting against a bunch of far right racists?

[Andy_Faber]

All I’d suggest, AF, is that you listen to the words of the great - I use the word advisedly - Michael Holding. He’s just been interviewed, during lunch time at Edgbaston, by Ian Ward and maybe it’s something to do with with us being born just days apart, but every word he said resonated with me. If you get a chance...listen and learn.
He, of course, has a much greater first hand understanding than anything I have to offer, but, as Rob Key said immediately afterwards... ‘sometimes it’s just good to listen’.

P.S. I understand ‘virtue signalling’ when people bang on about how much they give to charity...how much they’ve done to help during the pandemic...how kind they are to their aged parents etc...but I honestly don’t understand how suggesting one’s intellectual support for BLM (blm if you prefer) is any different from wearing a poppy each November, and didn’t those you choose to honour die fighting against a bunch of far right racists?

I listened to it at the time and it was a heart felt performance. The fact that it was (probably) the fifth or sixth such performance on the same subject, and foreworded with reference to the same, lets say, imperfect person, on broadcast TV/radio that day though means that most folk were probably making a cuppa while he was talking - that might sound flippant but I AM serious. To quote my friend Wendy, who is a) accompanying me to the test match later in the summer and b) black, 'Peak GF has been reached'.