Nursing union lodges Flouquet complaint
Saturday 29th November 2008, 9:30AM GMT.
THE world’s largest nursing union yesterday lodged a formal complaint against Deputy Bernard Flouquet for his racist ‘joke’.
Royal College of Nursing chairwoman Sandra James (pictured) delivered a letter to the Bailiff’s Chambers for the States members’ code of conduct panel to deal with.
‘We are a professional trade union with nearly 4,000 members and we represent multi-ethnic, multi-racial and multi-faith people and issues of diversity and equality are very high on our agenda,’ said Mrs James.
‘We feel such comments need to be challenged.’
She said members in the UK who had picked up the story via the national media had complained to the RCN’s London headquarters.
‘But we would have complained whether members had or not because we feel such racist comments are so abhorrent,’ said Mrs James.
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My god, is this getting out of all proportion or what? Can’t we humans of this planet take a little joke poked at ourselves, whatever our colour or race?Are they going to ban the cartoonists next who draw all the caricatures?
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C’mon Guernsey nurses. I’m disappointed to learn of such politically motivated views from a group of medical professionals. I wouldn’t have thought that nurses would be so sensitive and petty minded.
Flouquet is human. It was mistake. He has apologised. Now let’s all get over it and get on with the real business in hand. Grow up Guernsey!
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WHy do these women see the need to interfere?! its a proper joke now…. leave it be & keep your noses out!!
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To WH Bonney
I believe you will find there are also men within the nursing profession. Goodness me doesn’t your comment tell us quite a bit about you!!
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How ridiculous, it was a joke, a repeated joke at that which he learnt from someone else. People seriously need to lighten up. At the end of the day Guernsey folk are well known for picking on the Latvians and polish, so it’s ok for the locals to be racist yet it’s not ok for deputy Flouqet to make a light hearted joke. As for the nurses union shouldn’t they address their own issues first rather than political issues?
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CANADIANS AND AMERICANS ARE NOT AMUSED..
What would have happened if Senator John McCain had made the same comment made by Deputy Flouquet during the recent televised debate with President-elect Barack Obama?
Sorry Deputy Flouquet, we do not believe you should be representing Guernsey at any time.
Imagine commenting in a similar way whilst in Africa, India, or in fact, anywhere else for that matter. You must step down Deputy Flouquet, regrettably, you have no choice.
Terry Lear, Toronto, Canada.
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With regard to the racists that support DCM. You have fallen into his catch net. Maybe you are much of the same?
Those against must be applauded. This needs to be stamped out and this is an opportune time as any to make it happen.
Racists support racism. Others do what they can to put an end to it. We can’t let this go. The DCM must go and others will learn from this.
Message to DCM.
Take your racist views and visions for a commercial future whereever. They don’t wash with the majority. Most are laughing at you actually!
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I think the postings so far illustrate more about the people that posted them rather than the Nursing Union. Firstly it’s their sexisum, only women are nurse’s when if fact many men are nurses’s and black to boot.
The election of a Black American is next to the abolition of slavery the greatest moment for black Americans. It is also an indication of what black people world wide can acheive. When one looks at where black Americans started out it is an incrediable acheivemnet.
Yet Deputy Bernard Flouquet’s response is connect this achievment to Golliwogs even though he was advised not to, he made it a political issue by not taking that advice.
Guernsey is may be an island but it made itself accountable to the world when it became an International Finace Centre.
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Some one refers to the “racists that support DCM”.
I can’t see anyone supporting whta he said. Most of those who appear to be labelled racists have accepted that Floquet was a fool. Where some of us differ is in what happems now.
Some, as they have the right to, want him, in the poitical sense to be hung, drawn and quartered. Others see it as a stupid slip up and the sort we might all make, at some time.
Those who feel that Floquet’s action was stupid and unacceptable but not necesssarily justifying his sacking, are entitled to that opinion, without being defamed, by being labelled racists.
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lets hope that you never see a black girl with a barbie…what on earth would the world become then? this has become bigger than the joke now…lets see how far we can drag guernsey in to the dark ages….by the way…i had that joke on my phone days before this started, i am sure many more had read it and laughed (or not)…another point i would like to make is that you should read this:- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_guilt
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This whole thing to me now seems like the equivalent of getting a thorn in your finger and rushing to A&E. Yes, I agree,Pete, it’s a great and wonderful thing that a black man has been voted president of the United States, BO seems like a genuine and decent bloke,(time will tell) but that’s above and beyond this little joke of Flouquet’s, in fact I think we’re all rascist for even admitting a golliwog MIGHT BE a caricature of a black person!!
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The Royal College of Nursing is the voice of nursing in the UK. It represents 400,000 members both male and female, with over 500 of these members in Guernsey.
Nurses are no longer the sterotypical group of spinsters who wear twin set and pearls, sitting around drinking tea and afraid to say boo to a goose – as the poster ‘oneanother’ seems to believe.
We represent nurses and nursing, promote excellence in practice and help shape health and social policy.
Government, politicians, Medical Colleges, Kings Fund and many, many other influential bodies seek our advice and opinion on nursing issues.
We influence, promote equality and diversity and challenge robustly injustice, unfairness and racism in all its forms.
Therefore this particular issue is very much our concern.
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The Collins English Dictionary gives:
golliwog or golliwogg n. a soft doll with a black face, usually made of cloth or rags. [C19: from the name of a doll character in children's books by Bertha Upton (died 1912), U.S. writer, and Florence Upton (died 1922)), U.S. illustrator]
I feel sad that some readers find it difficult to mention a soft toy without racist thoughts flooding through their minds. The lady doth protest too much, methinks.
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Dave
The golliwog is a direct function of the view that our forefathers had on black slaves. People *had* slaves. Those people enjoyed their slaves. They made toys based on slaves for their innocent children. Those toys were enjoyed through generations. Those toys are mockeries of the misery caused by a mutually enjoyed ignorance.
You tell me what media would let lie a joke about ‘gas chambers’? Is that acceptable in these days of whatever-is-not-in-the-Daily-Mail is poison?
Flouquet wasn’t malicious. He was stupid. Do we want stupidity to influnece Guernsey’s vital business decisions abroad?
But do we trust that he wasn’t malicious?
No confidence.
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Dave,
Whatever you say about what a ‘golliwog’ is, the joke only ‘works’ as a racist joke. Therefore it is a racist joke made by a senior politician in front of the watching media. Totally unacceptable and a resigning/sacking matter.
SJames,
A big thank you to you and your Union for taking it upon yourselves to make an official complaint. The clear majority of us Guernsey folk are firmly behind your reasoning for delivering the letter.
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Dave – If I was Samuel or Sidney or Simon James – what would your response be?
Methinks it may be different!!
Peace be with you.
:)
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Usual typical follow the sheep guernsey way of thinking….give him a break,get off yr 25×7 rock,start living in the real world…get a life n start worrying about more serious issues,like raw sewage pumped out 2 sea, land fill,recycling etc etc etc….sometimes i cringe that im a guernsey man.so glad im now living in UK!!! yr all narrow minded loosers!!!!
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Well said Dave, I think enough is enough. I can’t beleive that a fleeting comment/joke can cause so much upset. With everything else that is going on in the world I would have thought there would be better things to get up in arms about.
I don’t actually believe that the joke was a racist joke, and I’m pretty sure that Deputy Flouquet didn’t mean it in a racist way. Just like I don’t beleive jokes about taffy’s, paddy’s, poms, english men, Irish men and scots men are meant to offend or upset. I think that the majority here are being way to sensative and are drawing way to much out of the ‘joke’. Sometimes being PC can be taken to far. I can laugh at myself being referred to as a Donkey as much as the next person.
I could think of far worse words to use if a person really wanted to be racist and offend.
Personally I think that this has all been blown out of proportion.
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Gawdelpus (excuse me Old Chap up there, just a joke, you understand) when and where will this ‘political correctness’end? With Islamic terrorists murdering their way around the planet, is a golliwog joke all you can think about? Get a life!
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Dave – Dictionary states the value of the item at hand. i.e. the doll.
If I were to state you only had a marginal representation as you were born in Guernsey, therefore by default would be dumb, unitelligent, emotionally stunted and short arsed then you would probably take offence.
If you are an African, or African American being called a Golliwog is offensive. How thick can you be to not understand this?
Next you will be asking the co-op to have two lines at Checkers, one for Blacks and one for Guernsey folk. Sorry make that 5 lines, two for blacks and Guernsey folk, 1 for people from the UK (as they are not liked either), one from people from Jersey (as they are hated) and 1 for people from Eastern Europe who make up 20% of the population now.
Guernsey has always been predominantly racist and sexist and this just reflects Guernsey people’s view (predominantly) as a whole.
It doesn’t suprise me however how can this dimwit still be in office.
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It really is pathetic… The media haven’t helped either… The Guernsey Press is acting more & more like the Daily Sport or the Star – just stirring it up looking for controversy….
They were begging for someone to complain & to get a bit of publicity the nurses have jumped on the band wagon… its got nothing to do with them but they just want the limelight!!
I have so much time for nurses & supported their every act in trying to get payrises etc but i’m afraid they have gone down in my estimation now…
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Has Mr Flouquet gone up in your estimation perchance? He is a ‘man’ after all. Leigh Haines, would you care to declare any business dealings with our DCM? Well done the RCN.
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Bonney
Since we need to attract nurses from places where their meagre pay seems like a fortune, I suggest you shut up.
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Well done Barry Brehaut – got all your mates on board eh!
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HURRAH FOR THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF NURSES!!!
Everyone on Guernsey who is enlightened, intelligent and broad-minded loathes Flouquet’s ‘joke’ and subsequently there is no way he can continue in office. And all of his supporters (like the ones on this website) are as pathetic and backward as he is. Try getting off the island a bit more!!
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Why doesn’t everyone who supports BF read ‘Lawrence’ (above) – he is obviously educationally and morally head and shoulders above the rest of you.
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Bridge
I get ‘off island’ all the time but that doesn’t change my opinion.
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Matti
I don’t care how often you get off island – you are still morally wrong.
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Bridge
And I think you’re the one who’s wrong, so there!! ha ha isn’t this developing into a fiasco?!
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Matti, Pah!!
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Please get a life, as a youngster I used to save Golliwogs off jam in the hope of getting a real badge, also remember having the cuddly toy, why oh why is this such a big thing, beginning to see them appear in shops again also, so why are the shopkeepers not done for racism. Leave the man alone and get on with your petty lifes.
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The witch hunt continues then.
BF will be burn at the steak soon..
Who care what damage sacking will do the Islands
It’s only another nail in the coffin of Islands economy
Gollygate… you are so right John G.
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No one is doubting the innocence of children, just the acceptability of a leading politician to have so little appreciation of what to say and when. Yes it was a ‘joke’, yes we all used to play with golliwogs as children, but you just can’t make jokes about the colour of someone’s skin in public. What’s so hard to understand about that?
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Me
When you say ‘BF will burn at the steak’, are you implying that he will burn the steak that he intends cooking for his dinner??? On the other hand, do you mean that he will burn at the STAKE, in which case, i suggest you consult your dictionary before writing nonsense on this website.
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It is one thing – bad maybe – to say such a thing to 12 people in a closed room. The media in attendance were only recoding – nothing was going out live.
Something else to broadcast it to 60,000 people on radio (x 2 stations) and to 120,000 on TV and the whole world on the internet.
All the local media have played a very guilty part in this matter.
It is they that have ensured that Guernsey’s political reputation might have been damaged worldwide.
It is they that might have broken trust with educating children.
Their editors did not have to publish/broadcast what was said. As in the recent BBC case – the editors were at fault – not Deputy Flouquet. Maybe as in that case, the editors should be sacked.
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Henry
It would have got out whatever. It was highly offensive and I think the media have played this correctly. The public need to know how our leading politicians behave. We must feel that our representatives are accountable for their actions. Calling black people golliwogs is a sackable offence in all walks of employment. It looks like he is going to force the issue and take it to be debated. (I can’t wait to read the speech transcripts, we’ll soon find out who the closet racists in the States are – it will be illuminating). Is this your advice to him?
We live in a small island, for that reason we must be able to trust our politicians to represent us directly.
He may be an excellent facilitator for contractual building work (what did happen at Fallagate?) and is quick on the mark about sewage and the like, but external relations? With a penchant for repeating racist jokes? Are you sure?
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Fast Robert
Rubbish
Although Deputy Flouquet used the word Gollywog – in what he said it was not applied to anybody in particular.
The editors jumped to a conclusion, gave insufficient thought to the implications of their actions and should now be held responsible for the outcome. Just like the Ross & Brand case!
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Bridge…
How true, there lots of nonsense writen on this site but that called freedom speak.. Everybody has the right to say what they wish about anything. Regardless if it’s right or wrong..
Henry…
Another hurtful true. If it wasn’t for the BBC making a big issue out of it. would it have damaged Guernsey worldwide reputation as much .
It’s now just a BBC witch hunt to burn someone at the stake.
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Me:
Everybody has the right to say what they wish about anything.
WRONG!!!! See my posts on the other thread. Freedom of speech is not a licence to be racist, sexist, bigoted or perverse. Our rights to free speech are enshrined in a complex set of checks and balances which ensure that such right is not used as a weapon.
But you are quite right in one respect….nobody would be prosecuted for just being stupid (although ignorance wouldn’t be a defence if such “stupidity” led to the utterance of racist or abusive comments….)
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Henry
Don’t be deluded. If a black man had not been elected in the US then he wouldn’t have used the word. It was a racist joke implying that golliwogs being removed from jam-jars was an overreaction and now that Obama is in power maybe we can revert back to ‘friendly’ racial caricatures.
Just because you come from a generation that espoused lazy racism as normality it doesn’t mean the general public still think like that (if they do then it is out of belligerent ignorance).
People who think like that and find these jokes amusing enough to share should not be trusted with public duties.
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Yes Belinda i’ve heard it all before and I know your views.. we’ve got to bend over backwards and take anything that comes our way.. I am not allowed to feel discus and revulsion and should feel sorry for those miss understood terrorists cuz we don’t understand their religious beliefs.. and it’s wrong for me to discriminate against them poor fellows , Tell that to the famly of 9/11..
Yes I do understand your views, But thankfull I don’t have to agree with them
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Now the apologists feel hard done by!
Priceless!
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Me: I have never ever found any authority for freedom of speech not being allowed in terms of legitimate comment on terrorist atrocities. However, when you start calling all Muslims terrorists, that is when there is an offence and quite rightly so.
Similarly, you can have a joke about anyone you want, but when you start defining people in a derogatory manner based on the colour fo their skin, you have moved away from what is acceptable.
So no, “Me” you don’t understand my views (which are based on fact: legislation and case law) at all.
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“Some of the kids used to scratch the golliwog off the Robertson’s jam jars and put my name on it. It wasn’t easy…..”
To find out the author of this quote and view it in its full context please click on the link below.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article4935302.ece
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I think what every one of us agrees on here is that a golliwog is a caricature/depiction of a black person. What SOME of us are saying is ‘does that really matter?’ If a black person drew me as a little white monkey I wouldn’t mind, I’d have a laugh, and that’s what you should all be doing.
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Yes well Matti, you and your family weren’t subject to generations of tyranny by white people who stole you from your land of origin, sold you and treated you worse than an animal.
So that is why most people agree that alluding to a golliwog is not acceptable and why is DOES matter.
Martyn – thanks for the link to a very insightful article.
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Belinda,
what on EARTH has the history of the slave trade got to do with a little comical rag doll? (incidentally you may be interested to know that black people also kept slaves).
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Belinda
I agree with your comments entirely. Matti you have no insight into how badly black people were treated back in the day. Thousands died whilst being shipped from their homeland on their way to be sold off to slavery. They would be simply discarded over the gunnels like rubbish. Those that have more of an understanding have every right to feel upset by this!
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SJames
Hello S James, if you were Samuel or Sidney or Simon James my posting would have been no different.
If you would like to check the posting times you will see we both posted at the same time, and your apparent association of my comment with yours is due solely to moderation delays, but I don’t feel offended.
Perhaps quoting Shakespere is a bit non-PC though … a possible Shakespere ban do you think?
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I had a lot of time for Nurses, why do they have to be involved in this, surely this is all being blown out of proportion. Dont you have anything else to talk about in Guernsey, please all get a life. I am buying open market, now wondering am I making a mistake. My Family are originally Islanders, this would never have happened in their day. I could be local markey but decided to go open, how many Islanders are there left I ask myself???
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I think some of you have spent to far to much time inbreeding on a rock, the biggest insult of the lot is you all seem to think that a “none European” would not have the intelligence or ability to take the micky out of you guys..
Don’t kid your selves
This blog show your intellignce leaval
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Caroline,
around 60,000 islanders.
What is your point?
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The Golliwog was DESIGNED to be insulting. The very fact that the apologists cannot see this is the saddest thing for Guernsey. Nothing wrong with black dolls, everything wroong with perpetuating negative racial stereotypes.
Why is this Guernsey politician more special than anyone else in the public sphere?
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“This blog show your intellignce leaval”
Just shows how intelligent you are! ‘JJB’
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Julian
Is that because I’m a none “EEC person”, we’re all the same under our skin mate.. go ask you doctor ?.
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You seem to be suffering from an identity crisis, JJB, or is it Me, or should it be Melec? Your little yellow gravatar gives it away, as does your consistently bad English. You’re also doing not too badly with your various ‘noms de plume’ for someone who finds the whole matter boring and wants it laid to rest!
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Martyn..
No flys on you mate. Sorry I know my enlish is not the best in the world, But I keep trying to improve it. In my best Guernsey “bloody foreigners hey”
But I will quote Paul Le P who really says it well and I totally agree with.
It’s politically correct zealots like yourselfs that create racial tension by playing pathetic word games and labelling normal, respecful people racists because they happen to use a perfectly normal word.
I’m no racist, in fact many of my friends are black yet I use the word foreigner to describe foreign workers – it’s purely a descriptive term.
High time you step off your PC high horse and realise that it isn’t the words you use, it’s the attitude in your mind/heart that’s important
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First of all, I am a Nurse, I’m also not a native of these shores, I am a member of the RCN.
As one of the Nurses quoted as living in Guernsey, I was not consulted about this formal complaint and Sandra James does not speak for me.
I wonder if the Nurses she represents took this petition to the vote before firing it off, if it would have ever been sent.
I also wonder who the royal “we” are, because it certainly isn’t me.
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Ok Me, first an apology for being condescending about your English. I must admit I was a little narked by the use of your different names on these threads. As for me, myself, ‘labeling’ people racist I think you will find, if you go back through my own posts, that I haven’t actually done this – and if I have done (in the heat of the moment) I apologise again!
Just to clarify, I don’t think the DCM is a racist, although he repeated a racist joke, and I don’t think you’re necessarily racist for supporting him. Can’t you see, though, that the argument is about whether it is right in this day and age for someone IN HIS POSITION to do it and expect to carry on as if nothing had happened?
As for labeling people, I think you’ve shown yourself to be just as guilty of this as anyone in the opposing camp. It is just as easy, after all, to slap on the ‘PC zealot’ label as it is to apply the ‘racist’ tag. I’ll get off my high horse (or should it be donkey?) now!
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Martyn.
Doesn’t worry mate, I happy to call you Donkey too. And that is racist, But it’s the attitude in your mind/heart that’s important. And minds not to hurt you feelings, just to have fun.
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“I had a lot of time for Nurses, why do they have to be involved in this, surely this is all being blown out of proportion”
So did I. It’s reasonably obvious this is being run by their ‘representatives’. Reasonably opportunist if you don’t mind me saying and I would suggest it is politically driven.
As silly as BF has been, this faux shock is clearly a hang over of the old and previous Houses, Steere, Brehaut and ex-ganger Leon? (now that surprised me)
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“With regard to the racists that support DCM. You have fallen into his catch net. Maybe you are much of the same?”
Is that all you got Paul. Someone disagrees with you and they are a racist? I’m half expecting the next disagreement will you telling anyone with an alternate view that they ‘have a chip on their shoulder’.
Yawn
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Good for you SJAMES
Unlike the other main union in the Island, whose main man seems, according to his radio comments, to not only support the racism, but has no qualms about making it public! what encouragement would that give for newcomers to the Island, or indeed locals, to look to that place for support?
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OK So I been doing a little survey among my associates her in the US (remember the joke was about OUR president-elect). Not one person I asked had even heard the word golliwog until today let alone knew it’s connotations. The only people keeping this word alive is, ironically, the PC crowd who are (once again) overreacting.
I have news for you. Everyone is a little racist and everyone holds some form of prejudice. Anyone that says they don’t is a liar.
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Jackie.
Go and spend this weekend looking at:
- Slave trade
- The Deep South of America
- World War 2 American Fighter Pilots of the Tuskagee fighter squadron
- Apartheid
- South African / ANC / Mandella
- Auswitch
- Nazi’s and Jews
Then when you have had a read and used both your brain cells to absord the information come back to us and the other hundreds of people who read this site and give an insightful, perceptive objective view on why Bernard Flouquet presented a joke, and not a racist remark aimed at demeaning other human beings.
Believe me – I am not PC, however this goes too far in modern society, especially at someone in the political arena who represents the island.
Perhaps what you are really saying, as well as ME and Caroline, is that you WANT Bernard to say he hates black people, as you three do and you think there should be a forum for being racist – open free speech I think ME called it.
Racist, small minded, ignorant, bigoted dimwits I call you.
Do me a favour – fly to Brixton with a large whit T-shirt on with ‘Can you believe a Golliwog runs America’ on the front and back and tell me if you still wish to be racist when you have been admitted to ER.
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Darren.
nice to know that I’m that much white or that much English ?… LOL
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Jimbo… I totally agree
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You are losing the argument Darren. But that’s ok, it’s quite common for those with less than honed debating skills to resort to flailing and anger.
“Racist, small minded, ignorant, bigoted dimwits I call you” Gosh, how manly of you.
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I have no doubt that BF is NOT a racist. I also have no doubt that he did NOT want to cause offence. Whether people find the term racist or not is their opinion (although it really does have roots in the ridiculing of black folk – the same with Minstrels etc). The issue is the confidence the electorate have in him not making an offensive gaffe like this in the future.
It is a shame that the apologists have no time for understanding the history of racist slurs. I lived in Brixton for 5 years and I can tell you, NO ONE would have got away with making such a joke without much scorn.
This is not a major incident, but it is a failure of judgement and I’m not sure we can afford too many failures in the dwindling world of cut throat finance. Next time it might be a joke about concentration camps, or muslims being terrorists, or disabled people.
It’s not PC. It’s the business of politics. It’s about representing the majority.
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FR, I really wouldn’t put too much store in online or telephone polls. They are, as I’m sure you well know, hardly representative of the majority view.
All polls whould be caveated with ‘Anyone who can be bothered to click a button, is over sensitive, or has an extremely held view on a particular issue believes that……..’
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Jackie
Only 900+ voted for him in April. That’s 900+ on a ticket where you had six votes to throw around. If you spread the percentage Island wide, it would not be an indication of resounding popularity. Has this incident increased or decreased his standing amongst voters?
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Jackie – what makes you think that Darren is losing the argument? I take it that you have elected to do none of the research that he suggested…Ignorance is bliss, perhaps? Could you please point me in the direction of any posts of your own that have been anything other than dismissive of comments not aligned with your own, and in any way demonstrating “well honed” debating skills.
If you stood up in a court of law and said, in response to your opponents case “Yawn” I do not imagine that anyone would place much credence on your views.
I suggest that if you want to criticise other posts, you do so with an intelligent rebuttal of the points raised, rather than making sweeping statements about people “flailing around”.
Do you refute that any of the following may have left a lasting impression on groups of people who can be defined by their race?
- Slave trade
- The Deep South of America
- World War 2 American Fighter Pilots of the Tuskagee fighter squadron
- Apartheid
- South African / ANC / Mandella
- Auswitch
- Nazi’s and Jews
Do you refute that comments made whether in public or in private may belittle the suffering of those who have experienced persecution on grounds of race/nationality/religion?
Do you agree that we should encourage the younger generation to continue to make cultural references that reinforce the beliefs of those who said that black people were inferior?
In July this year, the US House of Representatives offered an apology to African-Americans, recognising that:
slavery was . . . one of the greatest crimes of history . . . The racial bigotry fed by slavery did not end with slavery or with segregation. And many of the issues that still trouble America have roots in the bitter experience of other times
It is unfortunate that, even with all the knowledge we have, racist attacks (physical and verbal) are increasing across the Western world.
People still hate other people purely because of the colour of the skin, their nationality or religion. Comments like those made by our DCM at a press conference highlight the racism that undelies our society.
Will you deny that racist attacks take place?
Will you deny that racist cartoons exist?
Will you deny that “jokes” made by leading politicians only reinforce racial stereotypes and pave the way for increased racist incidents.
I have two young children and am disturbed that they will grow up in an island society where our “leaders” send out the message that making offensive racist comments is humorous.
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“I have two young children and am disturbed that they will grow up in an island society where our “leaders” send out the message that making offensive racist comments is humorous.”
Well if you believe that your children have been in some way been damaged by this; then I would suggest it is more a reflection on your lack of parenting skills.
You are being rather melodramatic, in my humble opinion.
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FR
Your statistics can be applied to practically all of our deputies and are therefore irrelevent.
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So back to the topic. Nurses Union representative of all on their members? Increasingly unlikely as they weren’t balloted. Politically motivated – very likely.
Shame on them for abusing their power
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notanotherone
Can you please advise as to when and where these comments were made as I would like to listen to them.
Cheers
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Jackie
Not irrelevant at all. The ones who were in power in the last House (mostky) suffered a large percentage drop in votes. Yet they got all the top jobs.
Were the voters in those parishes showing loyalty or disaffection?
Why are they (RCN) abusing their power? Who are you to say? Typical unthought out nonsense once again.
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So we’re playing the numbers game now. Does the RCN have the backing of its membership? Does the DCM have the support of his parish/the island? Yes, Jackie, a lot of this is irrelevant. However, the only meaningful ‘poll’ we have to go by is the GP online vote that dealt with the actual issue in hand. In case you forget, about 800 ‘voters’ took part in that one before it was closed – and roughly 70% felt that he should at least resign from his DCM seat. Dismiss it if you will but even if it had been a more scientific opinion poll and the outcome had been 60% or 50% or even 40% no confidence in him, this is still a big enough swathe of the island’s population to make him a divisive politician who should no longer be the number two honcho in our government.
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“In case you forget, about 800 ‘voters’ took part in that one before it was closed ”
It’s the interweb, 800 people out of 6 billion on the planet? Not particulalrly convincing. No audit, no demographics, not particulalry convincing.
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Jackie – a reflection on MY PARENTING SKILLS???? How rude and base do you need to be in order to argue your pathetic point?
My children are too young to be remotely affected by this at present, and believe me, they are receiving a truly diverse education from me.
How can you think that young people will not be at all impacted by the DCM’s comments. Thank goodness we have the likes of Deputy Jenny Tasker to set the record straight.
And “shame on [the nurses] for abusing power”?
Are you now saying that it is wrong for people or groups of people to make statements about political, ethical or moral considerations?
It seems that you are in favour of a police state.
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Oh – also for “jackie” – I take it that you have not yet bothered to do any research so that at least an informed debate is possible!
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Jackiwe
What has the DCM done to oppose the RCN politically? How can it be politically motivated?
I don’t understand the logic (there is none). All the representative was doing was asking the Bailiff’s chamber if his comments conformed to the Code of Practice.
What’s wrong with that?
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Jackie, as you can see by some posters’ passion they feel ashamed that people can; first of all find laughing at racial stereotypes in public funny, second that those people then stand up and keep repeating how funny they think they are, and then that their apologists criticise them for holding progressive viewpoints.
Attacking someone who does not want their children to grow up on an ignorant island, who would obviously hope that our ‘top ten living standards in the world’ jurisdiction would educate its youngsters into a tolerant and democratic society without need for casual (if unintentional) discrimination against other races is not constructive.
The very fact that children have repeated the joke shows how slips of the tongue (this was a preprepared joke I must add, told with express advice not to) by high media profile people perpetuates the problems that have been endemic for centuries.
If it was a joke (leigh haines’ dictionary definition), why weren’t the assembled members of the media and civil service rolling around in the aisles clutching their sides? Instead it was met with frosty disbelief and cringing silence.
Why? Because it shouldn’t have been said. What did the man do? Defended the fact that it was a joke. Was it a joke? No, because no-one was laughing and as far as I can gather the only laughs derived from this sorry idiocy are of frank astonishment.
To then criticise a Union of misrepresentation is laughable. A ballot doesn’t need to be taken. It just needs a few heartfelt expressions of shock and a sense of responsibility (they employ many foreign people from ex-colonial countries where subjugation and derision were the norm). That is their job. To speak for those who can’t or won’t. By saying that it is political implies political manouevering. I repeat, what do they have to gain for responding to a distasteful joke with outrage? Roy Bisson will have us believe that ‘factions’ have got their ‘knives out’. Does this imply that Bernard Flouquet is such a divisive character that at the first sign of a chink in his thick armour the predators strike? If this is the case then why has the House elected such a character for a top job? It sounds highly counterproductive to me.
It is clear that concensus political systems with such divisive characters is unworkable. There needs to be a complete overhaul of the system and because of Guernsey’s size, the public must be engaged and be spoken to as employers and not as distant annoyances.
We are governed by a Golf Club mentality. If your face doesn’t fit then you can’t come in, if you’re in already we’ll punch your [expletive deleted] teeth out until you get the message. Just like you are trying to do Jackie.
As for the polling issue. Are you saying that people from all round the world are so interested with our DCM’s faux pas that they bothered to click on a voting button? Surely that just plays into the hands of those that say the whole world is watching us? As it is 800 is about as many votes that previous surveys by commissioned survey groups have used to highlight one point or another. It’s nearly the same amount that BF polled in a general election. And they had six votes each to wonder who to tick next to. BF was bound to pick up the stragglers. And straggle in he did. And continues to do so.
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Jackie,
you are insulting, arrogant and ill-informed. Little wonder that you come out defending the indefensible our DCM. You appear to have so much in common.
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Jackie, what would have been your reaction if your children came home from school and said, the headmaster said a joke about golliwogs do you think this would be acceptable?
ps. unfortunately this is not about the joke, but about the way Guernsey people think about the rest of the world, you just have to look at the latest incident, people from outside of the Island living in sheds, paid very low, treated like second citizens, I could go on about the Eastern people working 16 hours + a day 7 days a week and they get treated badly, so it’s no surprise that politicians behave like children.
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The remit of a union is, roughly, to represent its members as one voice on matters of pay negotiation and employent issues. Not get involved in matters of politics. If the head of the RCN wants to make her own personal representation, then fair enough.
She is acting ultra virus and owes her members an explanation and an apology. Flagrant abuse of position.
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Belinda
How on earth do you come to the followong conclusion when you ask Jackie:
“Are you now saying that it is wrong for people or groups of people to make statements about political, ethical or moral considerations?
It seems that you are in favour of a police state”
If you consider your own position on this matter, you seem to be claiming you are right and that everyone who disagrees is wrong. However, no one has suggested you want to impose a police state.
Those of us who don’t share your view accept your right to that view. You should also accept the right of others to have a different view.
As the old CRE said in 2007 “…the question of whether golliwogs were considered racist depended on the context in which they were displayed.
“Some people might find them offensive, some people might not,” said a spokesman”
This 2007 comment still has validity, and reflects common sense; despite the CRE being replaced.
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Jackie
Good Heavens – things have been getting personal in my absence. Whatever your political views, I hardly think there is any need to attack people’s ‘parenting skills’. I think you are shockingly insulting.
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Bridge
Hear hear to that.
Jackie
Having now read your insulting, personal and nonsensical defences of your opinion I would advise you to let the matter lie. No one with any common sense would now take you seriously.
What an interesting echo on the BF situation you seem to have created!
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Jackie – whilst not required, I would like to advise you, I am not an arrogant and pompus individual who abuses my power within the Royal College of Nursing. I know as Chair of RCN Council my comments may be reported world wide, I therefore take my responsibilities very seriously.
This decision to report the matter to the Code of Conduct Committee was taken after much thought and careful consideration not least with the CEO of the RCN.
Our organisation stands for much more than pay and conditions for its members. Amongst many of its objectives is promoting and ensuring high levels of care delivery to patients in the absence of any form of discriminatory treatment.
I would hope that if you or any members of your family required healthcare treatment you would want to be assured this was the case.
Our position of valuing equality and diversity is a fundemental principle of our organisation and all members know that on joining, it is nonsensical to suggest we ballot 400,000 to seek their opinion, it would be akin to balloting the memberhsip and asking them ‘do you want us to improvements your pay and conitions of employment’ – that’s why the nursing workforce join us year on year – our membership continues to grow.
This is not just about the RCN’s position every registered nurse on the UK Central Council register – all 600,000 of them are required to value and demonstrate equality and diversity and if it can be proven they fail in this regard they could be struck off.
So as to the suggestion I should apologise to the membership for taking this action, I should be apologising to our membership if I had failed to take action.
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