By Tony Attwood
Getting your ideas across in the modern age can be difficult – which is odd when we have more technology to help us do just this, than ever before.
For example, you are reading a website run by a small bunch of Arsenal supporters who believe that there are issues that need to be explored, and which are not getting an airing on the mainstream media, or indeed on the little website that like to pretend they are part of the mainstream media.
Twenty five years ago we (and thousands of campaigning websites in all walks of life) couldn’t have existed, and the mass media had the message all its own way
If you agree that the sort of issues we raise are issues that should be raised (but which are generally kept quiet) then maybe you feel slightly lifted by the notion that at least there are a few other like minded souls out there.
If you don’t agree then you can look away, or write a comment which gives some evidence as to why we are wrong, or perhaps which tells us to “move on” or that we are “obsessed” or “pathetic”. We might, or might not, publish it.
But none of this says anything about change – about the notion that just by being here and giving publicity to issues such as the organisation of refereeing in the Premier League, the way in which Fifa and the FA work, why England have difficulty winning trophies, the fact that transfers or having a top goal scorer has little to do with winning a trophy, the way in which newspapers deliberately mislead their readership etc etc., anything might change.
However I still believe that it is possible to change tiny aspects of the world. Maybe not much, and not very fast, but a bit.
And that belief of mine has grown a little of late.
One issue that made me feel a little better about stuff (despite the decision of a large number of people in the USA who have no medical insurance other than that provided by the state, to vote for a man who claimed he wanted to remove that medical insurance on day one of his tenure as president), involved Stan Collymore (a man whose style of broadcasting and whose history I often don’t personally like) standing up to TalkSprout and leaving when when were taking over by the Murdoch monolith.
That stand didn’t change anything about Murdoch and the way he runs papers, but it did say that Collymore was a guy who would stand by what he believed in. Not too common in sports journalism and I took my hat off to him.
Then more recently I read about Lego, which announced (following numerous comments) that it had finished its agreement with the Daily Mail and are not planning any future promotional activity with the newspaper.
That in turn followed a campaign by people who felt that Lego – the makers of a distinct brand of toy for children – should not be associated with the Daily Mail. Lego didn’t demand that Mail should stop its campaign of creating distrust of foreigners, blaming immigrants for everything, and attacking top judges in the UK for being gay while making a legal judgement. It simply said “no more”.
There is a campaign Stop Funding Hate, that has also been urging companies including John Lewis and the Co-Op to stop advertising in papers that it says are running “divisive hate campaigns” and that too seems to be having a little bit of success too.
Of course the appalling newspapers are still out there still pouring out their divisive vision of humanity, but it’s one little step.
Another came when Gary Lineker, a man again for whom I don’t personally have too much time in footballing matters, went to Walkers Crisps, the brand that is deeply involved in funding him, and talked about Walkers link with the Sun newspaper, after the newspaper called for Lineker’s removal from the BBC.
Walkers at the moment don’t seem that interested in any sort of moral stand. On the other hand Lineker recently publicly supported the Stop Funding Hate.
In essence Stop Funding Hate argues that the same companies that run adverts featuring messages of unity throughout Christmas, then make profits out of Christmas which they spend on advertising in newspapers that spread a message of hatred in relation to foreigners and the refugee crisis. They argue that if these companies really do value the contemporary Christian message of inclusiveness they should not be funding the right wing press.
Walkers however made the classic “not our problem” response saying, “Our advertising approach is not determined by the editorial stances of individual newspapers.”
And that really is the problem that Collymore highlighted. Who you work for, as much as which newspaper a product advertises in, should be influenced by the editorial stance of the newspaper. It is wholly immoral (in my view) for such issues not to be linked.
But the Sun thinks that there is a link between the messenger, the medium and the message as last month the Sun called for Lineker to be sacked from Match of the Day because he described the treatment of young migrants arriving in the UK as “hideously racist”.
The Sun then claimed (without evidence of course) that the BBC was “under pressure to fire” Lineker. To his credit Lineker replied on Twitter. “Getting a bit of a spanking today, but things could be worse – Imagine, just for a second, being a refugee having to flee from your home.”
Of course these suggestions that the messenger (in these cases the right wing press) is inherently linked with the message, and should be avoided as an employer or as a place where your companies adverts are seen, are not new.
But the fact that one or two people and one or two organisations are realising that while (it appears) the majority of people who vote in free elections can choose to associate themselves with messages of separation and isolation, and messages of “them” and “us”, that doesn’t mean that those of us who feel that humanity and linkage are more important, can’t do anything.
Maybe pointing out where things are going wrong can have a bit of an impact after all. We shall see.
Arsenal Ladies – Reflections on the season
Stadium reforms: away fan positioning to change and safe standing proposed
Referees – First quarter Report. This isn’t healthy.
10 reasons why England fail and will always fail in international football
Commons Committee questioning of Greg Clarke, Chairman, The Football Association,
Open letter to FIFA on Remembrance Day
Violence and corruption in Greek football, humanity and respect at Rochdale
Do you not think this is open to costing up to the PC brigade at the BBC…..so easy critise UKIP, Farage, any thing thats there to be shot at….as a way of promoting yourself within the BBC. the same way to be involved in specific charities just to get a knighthood.
People like Lineker do not live on council estates in Oldham or Bradford….so easy for them to pontificate from there ivory towers.
Beware the great mass of society that is left behind…the same ones Labour were set up to represent ironically.
Not sure where the Arsenal Football Club link starts or finishes by the way
Very good article. I work in branding and companies are naive in the extreme if they think consumers won’t make the link. Every action and association that a brand makes defines its personality, including its views. If Walkers wants to be known as the racist crisp then they are going the right way
Adam Korpolewski writes
”People like Lineker do not live on council estates in Oldham or Bradford….so easy for them to pontificate from there ivory towers.”
Well, there’s a lot of people who live on Bradford estates who you can tell you exactly who the Daily Mail supported in the 1930s.
Obviously we all know that Lord Haw-Haw, William Joyce, spent years campaigning in Oldham, lived on the moor outside the town. He was hung for his treason January 3, 1946.
It’s great news that LEGO – a toy produced and sold around the planet – are taking this action.
Any person who stands alongside UKIP stands alongside Trump’s ”Grab them by their pussy.” If you want to stand in that line, you can do so, but you’re up for measuring by every woman on the planet.
Adam Korpolewski writes
”Beware the great mass of society that is left behind…..the same ones Labour were set up to represent ironically.”
Nobody is ‘left behind’ – people are not suitcases. They live and breathe.
A better phrase is – ”People who are fucked over the most.” People ‘who are fucked over the most’ will always find someone to fuck over themselves.
As for Brexit – the overwhelming number of people who voted for Brexit have great homes, gardens, live in nice neighbourhoods, they just don’t want anyone else getting it.
When push came to shove, and they suddenly stood naked in the world and had to explain their greed and selfishness and bigotry and racism we had the great ‘Left Behind’ presented to us.
I grew up on an estate. I’m one of those stereotypes you don’t have a clue about.
@Adam
If I may reply about the connection with Arsenal FC and the whole story…
Of all big European clubs, Arsenal have been the biggest victims of xenophobia ever since Arsene Wenger’s arrival. From the xenophobic comments at the expense of the French influence on our team over those racial chants in Eindhoven to the whole FA, PGMO and media treatment of Arsenal in the last twelve years.
Arsenal FC represent more than a club in terms of values we have been standing for in the last 20 years. There are still a few steps to be made as Ivan Gazidis pointed out at the last annual meeting but there is a lot of progress.
The Sun, with their witch-hunt, and (FI)FA, with their eyes wide shut, don’t see what the real problem is.
Given that Arsenal FC exist in the world where The Sun is part of the media world and (FI)FA rule the football world on local/global level, it is very much Arsenal related.
Just to clear up a sentence from 11.24.
”Adam Korpolewski writes
”People like Lineker do not live on council estates in Oldham or Bradford….so easy for them to pontificate from there ivory towers.”
Well, there’s a lot of people who live on Bradford estates who can tell you exactly who the Daily Mail supported in the 1930s.
Obviously we all know that Lord Haw-Haw, William Joyce, spent years campaigning in Oldham, lived on the moor outside the town. He was hung for his treason January 3, 1946.
It’s great news that LEGO – a toy produced and sold around the planet – are taking this action.
Any person who stands alongside UKIP stands alongside Trump’s ”Grab them by their pussy.” If you want to stand in that line, you can do so, but you’re up for measuring by every woman on the planet.
There we go again thinking that these companies are “left wing” / “right wing” and we let ourselves be fooled.
Just like billary (the secret racist – just follow her actions in the world to see this) and trump (the open racist), the left and right wings are projected as two opposing forces.
They all work for the same end product, keeping control of the masses using the same divisive pattern that is now used all over the world.
All of these companies are being swallowed up by the massive corporations(even though they keep their name) and have to follow the agenda that is dictated to them.
This has not changed since the Rothschilds started their banking system some time ago in Europe, which has grown into the IMF.
And we all know what the IMF really does. If you don’t then maybe you should find out.
Tony, my understanding of why Stan Collymore left TalkShite was purely financial. The boy felt he deserved a bigger wage but the bosses didn’t think so. His contract was therefore not renewed.
I therefore don’t think he deserves to be called a hero who is campaigning for the “public good”.
I have never liked Stan Collymore’s style of broadcasting. He is very rude to listeners and portrays a know-it-all attitude. He is one of those former footballers who think that only someone who has played in the Premiership has a valid opinion regarding football.
I remember Stan Collymore as a player who was talented but failed to live up to expectations. His football career was in my view a failure. He big-money transfer to Liverpool was a disaster. He failed to deliver so Liverpool got rid of him.
Terrible broadcaster. Arrogant Man. And definitely left TalkShite because they didn’t renew his contract on the sort of money he hoped for. Even TalkShite knew he wasn’t worth the money.
better yet Tony, who ripped the reward behind all this scaremongering and hate campaign. aren’t u curious’ why the mainstream media always protect and act like Israel government can do nothing wrong n always right. the fact is, the Israelis Elite who control the mainstream media n continues to used US n Britain government like their puppet always had a hidden agenda up their sleeves. in the end USA n Britain will be surprise n be left looking like an idiot when they found out that Israel n Iran was colluding together for a very long time n the real reason why they orchestrate the war in the middle east.
I was referring to Linkers comments NOT the daily mail, Brexit Trump or anything else
My point was that if you want to move up the ladder the best way is to align your opinions
It is easy to preach to others when you have a millionaire lifestyle visiting top restaurants in Mayfair
But as always comments are twisted out of context……
And why should the thoughts of Linker or Collymore be of any interest to anyone???
I really enjoy this website, however, when we start talking about politics on here I get annoyed.Please do not preach to me. This a forum for football supporters and for Arsenal fc.
You can see why some people do not say who they will vote for in any election.They are concerned their views will be shouted down.Lineker and Collymore standing up for the masses.Do me a favour!
Tony,
good article, as always you are making clear statements and have evidence.
The election in the US disgusted me on 2 main issues :
– reading that the religious right was supporting Trump and even finding biblical justification to do so
and worse
– reading that 53 % of women voted for him…most of them white (added to all these fathers)
I mean, in some ways this meant that if he had grabbed their daughters by the pussy the’y asked for a selfie or a tattoo ?!?!
Yet if it had been done by some latino or black dude they’d asked for the guy to be put on death row ?
Something is definitely wrong in our world
Reminds me of Louis XIV, the ‘sun king’. A woman had it made if she ended up in his bed.
And reminds me of pictures of one Adolf H. receiving all these kids into his arms for a kiss …..
Well done Tony……..excellent fusion of the traditional Christian(and a few other religions’)basic philosophy with modern moral certitudes about the poor and abandoned,abused. We need more people to take a stand against elitism,class-arrogance, fear and loathing of the poor, xenophobia and chauvinism etc. Arsenal have always stood tall in facing down bullies, racists, cheaters and Mourinho’s of this world!
Nice to see the mainstream media getting a right old proper bashing worldwide.
Especially as all their experts and presenters seem to have read from the wrong script !
I for one am not complaining , as I laugh my head off at their bewilderment and backtracking !
18 Habits of Mentally Strong People-
Building mental strength takes hard work and commitment, but it’s the key to reaching your greatest potential.
By Amy Morin
http://www.inc.com/amy-morin/18-things-mentally-strong-people-do.html
omgarsenal 🙂
In this world we have:
the innocents – childlike in their demeanor and character.
the brainwashed – formed into a certain type of character by media etc.
the culprits – willingly going along with the agenda for self profit and preservation.
the evil – those carrying out the brainwashing and making policies.
Some of the brainwashed are waking up.
“Another came when Gary Lineker, a man again for whom I don’t personally have too much time in footballing matters, went to Walkers Crisps, the brand that is deeply involved in funding him, and talked about Walkers link with the Sun newspaper, after the newspaper called for Lineker’s removal from the BBC.”
So that actually had absolutely nothing to do with some sense of moral integrity, but rather, just because he didn’t want to be associated with someone/something that “slagged” him off? I would be willing to bet that Linekar wouldn’t have given two shits about the “stop funding hate” campaign if the Sun hadn’t mentioned him.
bushido
..and control of all the world debt and control/ownership of all the world’s banks.
Rothschild could pay off ALL world debt, and still have 250 trillion dollars left in his personal fortune to help him make ends meet.
So, when it comes to Arsenal FC,they have a lot more in common with supporters than we might imagine.
Little pockets of “elitists” trying to make the top table.
Jammy, the mere fact that you are willing to bet on something does not make it true. A modest amount of evidence would be helpful.
@ Tony – Ah yes, but I never said it was 100% fact did, did I? It’s just what I believe. And evidence to back that claim up? Well, considering he only spoke out about the “stop funding hate” campaign (which I fully believe in, as the mainstream media disgusts me) after he was mentioned in a negative light is evidence enough for me to believe that he is only doing this due to his own selfish motivations.
It’s all well and good repeatedly asking for evidence to be shown whenever someone disagrees with anything written on this site, but where is your evidence that Linekar acted this way for any reasons other than his own pride and selfishness? And where is your evidence that Collymore left TalkShyte for any other reasons than financial gains?
I agree with the vast majority of things written on this website, but I simply can’t applaud these two men for doing something that they have most probably done for their own personal reasons and shrouded them as “sticking it to the man” to appear that they actually have a sense of moral integrity.