"The Kilroy programme will be taken off air immediately following comments made by Robert Kilroy-Silk in a newspaper article, the BBC has announced. The presenter branded Arabs "suicide bombers, limb amputators, women repressors" and asked what they had given to the world other than oil" Full story: here For our American readers Killroy hosts a chat show which is like an undramatic (slighly more) civilised version of Jerry Springer.
I was reading in the paper today that he regards it as being a big mistake at the newspaper for republishing the article that was first released last April but they changed all the instances of 'Arab countries' to 'Arabs'. Personally I don't think the fact he wrote this racist propaganda during a time like the gulf war v2 excuses it, neither does the wording change (though I believe the wording change changes the severity). I also fundamentally disagree with his assertions over the useful nature of Arab majority nations, to name only two they 'discovered' algebra and they're responsible for the survival of lots of pre-dark ages manuscripts etc. So yeah, I think he's probably racist and islamaphobic, and he should be checking everything that goes out bearing his name if he's in the public arena. Alaric.
I seem to have heard that from a couple of other well-known figures, who actually went and did it. I suppose the difference is Bush & Blair meant "unfriendly despotic regimes". There's a very thin line between fair criticism of another nation's legal and cultural system, or their religion's attitudes to women, and racism. I think K-S is getting an anti-war backlash from powers that can't touch Bush & Blair.
No, he's just a muppet. If someone had said "all Jews are baby eaters" or "all americans are fat morons" or "all chinese are murderers" then there would be the exact same outcome. You simply cannot make sweeping general comments like that and not expect people to pull you up for it! Sam
Definately an idiot.. but i just don't understand how this didn't get picked up 8 months ago when the article was first published? Also his excuse that his secretary sent the wrong e-mail is appauling .. what a prat :S.
It may be worth pointing out that in 2002 Tom Paulin (Appears on a BBC art review programme on Fridays) said in the Egyptian Newspaper 'Al-Ahram' that Israel is "an historical obscenity" and that US born Jewish settlers are Nazis and "should be shot dead". I don't remember him being suspended by the BBC.
Perhaps he should have been. However, just because someone got away with something similar a few years ago doesn't mean we should let it slide now. If that were the case we'd still be using slaves, women wouldn't be able to vote, and homosexuality would still be illegal. Sam
As far as I'm aware he has refused to back down on this. He apologised if what he had said had caused any offence, but he isn't saying what he said isn't true. Good for Kilroy.
So you're saying the act was wrong. eg. running me over ...or voicing an opinion. Hmmm, I can't even be bothered beginning to justify why people should be allowed to voice their opinions.
Oh I know- "i may not belive in what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it"... But BBC presenters are meant to be objective- it undermines the whole (admittedly, already not great) image of the BBC if they keep someone who has made racist remarks on their books. If Kilroy had said "I think we should kill all black people" then they would have had to act in the same way. Just because he has the right to voice an opinion doesnt mean the BBC has to give him a platform to voice it from... Sam
