British TV Host: Striking Workers Should be Executed ‘In Front of Their Families’
- Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:01am by
Jonathon M. Seidl
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It‘s a comment that’s taking Britain by storm. And now, even Prime Minister David Cameron is being dragged into it.
While appearing on the British show “The One Show” on Wednesday, BBC TV host Jeremy Clarkson made some strong comments about striking public sector workers. Mainly, they should be shot and executed — in front of family.
The London Telegraph has the quote:
During his interview, Clarkson was asked what he would do with strikers, he replied: “I would have them all shot”.
He continued: “I would take them outside and execute them in front of their families.
“I mean how dare they go on strike when they have these gilt-edged pensions that are going to be guaranteed, while the rest of us have to work for a living.”
Here’s what viewers saw:
But Clarkson wasn’t done there. He also complained about his train having to stop when people commit suicide by throwing themselves in front of it:
Later he added: “‘I do sometimes use the train to come to London but it always stops in Reading. It’s always because somebody has jumped in front of it and somebody has burst.
“You just think, why have we stopped because we’ve hit somebody? What’s the point of stopping? It won’t make them better.”
The comments prompted the show to issue an on-air apology at the end: “Although we enjoy Jeremy’s views, which he sometimes exaggerates for comical effect, we are seriously sorry if his comments about deaths on the railways has upset anyone.”
It’s sparked outrage across the UK.
“No one wants these strikes but most of today’s strikers are mums, not militants,” said Jon Trickett, Labour’s shadow minister for the Cabinet Office. “Clarkson should apologise. And [his friend] the Prime Minister should make clear he disassociates himself from the distasteful remarks uttered by one of his friends.”
Even CNN host Piers Morgan commented via Twitter:
But Telegraph columnist James Delingpole was quick to come to Clarkson’s defense, noting that the comment was clearly a joke:
This is silly. It should be patently obvious to anyone who is familiar with his style or has seen one of his programmes – ie: everyone in the world – that Clarkson didn’t mean it. [...]
Oh, plus, he was employing it as a figure of speech. I know this won’t mean much to half the morons who complained to the BBC yesterday, but the English language is an extraordinarily rich and nuanced thing. Sometimes, when the speaker says that someone should be shot, he really does mean it: if, say, it’s an officer giving orders to a firing squad about to shoot a deserter or a looter in 1915. More often, though, he doesn’t. For at least the last fifty years “they should be taken out and shot,” has been a socially acceptable, perfectly unexceptionable way of expressing colourfully and vehemently one’s distaste towards a particular category of unpleasantness, be it striking Unison workers, revolting students, poorly performing members of your football team or the Lib Dem members of Cameron’s cabinet. Context is all.
What do you think?
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Comments (76)
OniKaze
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:12amI completely agree with Clarkson… Although his delivery is gruff and cold, he speaks the truth. Anyone who doesn’t work, doesn’t deserve to be paid (the mentally and physically handicapped excluded). No Society should suffer having to drag a large chunk of it populous out of poverty. It is an individuals responsibility to do that, not the state’s.
But on a partially related note, maybe we should have the Stig run for POTUS… Or better yet… Since we have already let Obama (who very well could be foreign born) take the big chair (although he needed a giant booster seat) Maybe we should allow Jeremy Clarkson to run for President. After all, if your gonna have a foreigner in the White House, it might as well be someone we like
Report Post »JRook
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:50amYep this is exactly the type of insightful, intelligent and open minded views that have brought the world to the place it is at. I’m right, your wrong, My religion is good, yours is bad. My country is honorable, yours is not…….. So what exactly is the interest in an individual in England who makes money feeding the angry mob. Seems to be great business here. I guess we do send things across the pond. Even ignorance.
Report Post »Lotus503
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:12pmI think Clarkson should run for President. He has as much of, if not more qualifications as the bozo that’s currently in the office. And, we can prove where he was born…lol!
The only thing is, I’d sure miss him on Top Gear…
Report Post »Marci
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:44pmIt was a figure of speech and comical. His point still hits home—public sector union workers striking? Screw them. They constantly demand raises while those who fund it have no say in the matter.
Report Post »quiet little lamb
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 1:07pmContext is key. I was expecting a story more along the lines of the Racist Rants you’ve posted(which I have no freaking clue how that is news).
Report Post »You’re quickly becoming an online rag Blaze. Get back to actual stories!
lossfactor
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:04amI recommend they pull a Reagan….. and FIRE THEM ALL!!!
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:27pmSince they refuse to accept reductions in the increases of their wages and paying a small percentage of their benefit package, aside from being shot, that will be the only alternative available.
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:52amI guess this makes all the Alec Baldwin stuff OK. Right? Good.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:48pmLeft.
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:53pmViet Pet . . . Thanks for acknowledging my irrefutability.
Report Post »JQCitizen
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:51amA sick thing to say, especially in such a tense, divided society. I am DEAD SET against Unionisation of Public Workers, but this kind of Speech may be Free, but it IS IRRESPONSIBLE!!!
Report Post »sWampy
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:55amThe honest truth is never irresponsible.
Report Post »Lucifers Hammer
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:22amA very simple change is needed. You are welcome to unionize…but if you do…you work for the union and the union is subcontracted by the corporation. If the union fails to deliver or negotiation becomes impossible, the company can fire one subcontractor and go to another or hire individual employees.
There isn’t a union member alive who would actually be an employee of their union. Why? Because unions have rules against their own employees unionizing. Weird, huh?
Report Post »ChiefGeorge
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:47amThe genocidal Left speaks. This is really how they feel about the rest of us. Anyone who does not go along must be dealt with in the most severe way.
Report Post »DavidZion
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:12amMr Clarkson isn’t LEFT he is a physical conservative and he is a comedian he is a host one worlds most watch english language television series TOP GEAR(350 Million viewers) Might want to at least google before you start throwing out those dang lefty killer statements.
We have a responsibility to search for the truth not the lefty communist in the shadows.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:51pmComedians in the U.S. are leftists. All the good people, like Bob Hope are gone.
Report Post »sndrman
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:15amhow did the commies slow and steadly warp our society?
Report Post »True American66
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:16amI think you answered your own question.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:31pmIt is an intrinsic manifestation of communism.
Report Post »mike_trivisonno
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:12amI think his anger would be better directed towards the real problem the British people face.
Islamic Jihad and the growing muslim problem they have. Britain has a huge number of non-productive, reproducing muslims on benefits. That is were the working man’s money is going in Britain; it is being used as jizya payments to the muslim parasites.
It is so bad that The Archbishop of Canterbury has admitted that certain aspects of Sharia law will have to be accepted.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:41pmA few years ago when the muslims in europe were on the rampage we learned that the Imams were admonishing muslims to live on the welfare system, that to work a job was to help the infidel’s economic system.
Report Post »Walkabout
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:04amThey banned handguns & that stopped suicide? Right!
Report Post »mikenleeds
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:56amgreed , they want it all till they put the company out of business
Report Post »Trez
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:40amFire the teachers and hire ones that will get the job done.
Report Post »Bluenose177
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:39amIf Clarkson comes to power in the UK (as he is so fond of saying on Top Gear) Then I’ll definately go home and give him my vote.
And why oh why is Piers MOrgan so offended? This is the guy while editor of The Mirror newspaper published fake pictures of British soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners and then had to quit when the truth came out
what a liberty
Report Post »Spencer100
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 3:05pmPiers Morgan and Clarkson HATE HATE each other! They had a fist fight on the last flight of the Concorde!
Plus Top Gear is the number one watched TV show on the planet!!!! 350 million viewers per week!!!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Top_Gear_(2002_TV_series)
Piers is on just on CNN.
Report Post »Wyratt
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:21amPoowwweeerrrrr!!!!! By the way, I AM THE STIG..
Report Post »Jumper
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:32amWait, I thought I was the STIG, what’s going on here? Except for having to live in the land of the terminally politically correct, that would be a great job! What guy wouldn’t want to have keys to some really cool cars tossed to him and the boss say “here you go, drive that thing around the track as fast as you can make it go a few times and tell us what you think” ? I’m in the wrong business…….
Report Post »Wyratt
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:02pmTake That!
Report Post »tzion
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:56amWell I can certainly see why public school teachers shouldn’t be allowed to strike. When people strike they typically go without pay until everything is resolved, making it a game of who’ll break first. But teachers lose nothing by striking because they have to make up all the time they missed WITH PAY. The people who end up hurt are the tax payers not the workers.
Report Post »cemerius
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:54amMore proof that the planet has too many parasites in it!! Get the war industries a-chugging and lets bleed a couple billion people!!!
Report Post »showmerancher
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:47amJeremy Clarkson along with his cohorts Richard Hammond and James May are what make the original (not the poor US copy) of Top Gear. Anyone who’s ever seen that show should understand that this is Mr. Clarkson’s sense of humor; tinged with just enough truth to insure you know on which side of an issue he stands. In other words, there isn’t a politically correct bone in his body… thank goodness!
Report Post »newcleardays
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:14amright on
Report Post »MidWestMom
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:25amExactly
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 11:16amAs I said above, Screw our candidates (which I am sure none of us REALLY LOVE)… Lets urge Clarkson to run for POTUS… Obama may be a foreigner, and everyone seemed okay with that, so there should be no problem with Clarkson (who we KNOW is a foreigner) running. At least we would know where he is coming from, and we all know he doesn’t mince words.
Or Maybe just split the POTUS seat 3 ways, and have the whole Top Gear (UK) crew run this country… I mean Imagine it…. NO MORE SPEED LIMITS…
TOP GEAR 2012
Report Post »Locked
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:46amJust another example of how I don’t “get” British humor.
Report Post »Jack of Hearts
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:42amDon’t worry, nor do the Blaze editors (or anyone who takes the headline seriously).
Report Post »calnaughtonjr
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:42amTypical government waste when the answer is right in front of you. Don’t waste a bullet. Throw them in front of the train.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 12:34pmThere ya go.
Report Post »Wornout
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:42amYou go, Jeremy!!!!
Report Post »Autumknight
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:30amSounds like something Boortz would say. Only real men would get this kind of analogy. I‘m sure those boohoo’ing were mama’s boys, and feminist types. The world is too full of these puzzy’s and their whaaaaa whaaaaa whaaaaa…………… kinda like Wisconsin. : (
Report Post »grudgywoof
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:30amI know how he feels and I have to check myself and remember that just a Jesus said on the cross “forgive them Father, they know not what they do”. Forgive as we have been forgiven, it’s easy to hate and hard to love but we must love.
Report Post »christelle
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:47amGood thing for us to all remind ourselves of. Its one thing to disagree and we DO need to try to get them to see the truth, but Jesus told us to do it through love and NOT hate
Report Post »Locutus
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:26amMost in Britain know what kind of person Jeremey Clarkson is. Why is everyone so surprised? He is a comic genius and TOP GEAR is the best show on tv.
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:06amTop Gear = :)
Report Post »JohnGaltCalling
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:25amI heart Jeremy Clarkson. He‘s not afraid to say what he’s thinking, he’s unapologetic for thinking for himself, and he’s ********* hilarious.
Report Post »amd1044
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:22amYes yes, going against our countries constitution is a great idea when a socialist from another country suggests it.
Report Post »Jack of Hearts
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:17amJeremy Clarkson a socialist?? Ah! I see – AMD 1044 is “Another mental disorder no. 1044″. OK ignorance excused.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:17amNeed any volunteers for the firing squad?
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:50amSure, go stand over there in front of that wall and put this hood on.
Report Post »Viet Vet
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 5:47pmDang, I think she’s a hateful lefty Gonzo.
Report Post »your sensei
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 9:57pmViet Pet . . . Hateful? I’m not the one volunteering to shoot people. Get your mind right, boy,
Report Post »biohazard23
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 8:10amHa ha ha ha ha!!!!!!! Good stuff right there! Stopping a train for someone who threw themselves in front of it? Why bother? “It’s just a flesh wound!”
Report Post »rezgirl
Posted on December 1, 2011 at 10:37amI spent three years there. This happens ALL the time! You do get to the point where you just think…..”why they hell are you stopping now? Another one? Just keep going, pick up the peices after we pass.”
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