Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post - Video: Jeremy Clarkson hates the G-WIZ electric car

Clark · 08-02-2008, 02:04 PM

Dear Katana,

Thanks for the reply. I am directing my thoughts at Americans that watch BBC America and other American broadcast stations where advertising saturates every program. While I understand boycotting would have no effect there in Britain, it would/will have an effect on advertisement driven (no pun intended) programs here.

I agree with your summation on humor and thick skin, but there is no humor intended by Clarkson. His statements are based on hatred; he gleefully said so himself. More importantly, he is not a comedian, he's a journalist. He is not performing a comedy routine or telling jokes. He is stating his opinions (not as a joke), and those opinions happen to be very funny to many British (which is fine with me).

Even if Clarkson were making jokes (and not merely expressing opinions), those jokes would be based on his avowed hatred of Americans, and the same offensiveness would hold true.

If making people laugh was a valid reason for expressing an avowed hate (whether expressed as an opinion or as a joke), African Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Mexican Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Chinese Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Japanese Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, and so on. Is the skin of blacks (et al.) too thin - after all, it's just a joke? No, the hatred that gives rise to statements, let alone jokes, against others is intolerable.

If Clarkson were making pointed jokes that were tongue-in-cheek, with an edge of truth, I would not be doing this. If Clarkson said he didn't hate American/Americans, I would not be doing this. But don't be fooled: he's not "taking the mickey" in good fun or reading scripts prepared by others. He states the same hatred whether it's on Top Gear, in his book, or in his newspaper articles.

His opinions, erroneously taken as jokes and barbs, are intended as INSULTS. Your point is well taken: "...he just puts attitudes in public a lot of British people have about Americans...." Granting to you that's true, then those that find his statements funny are those who know their attitudes of contempt shouldn't expressed in public.

Are you wondering why I'm doing this? Here's a bit of background: I've been married to a beautiful British woman for 21 years (and her teeth are adorable). While I know it's politically incorrect in Britain to have such pride, our children (17, 15 and 12) take great pride in their British roots, just as they are equally proud of their American roots. As part of exposing them to their British roots, we thought our kids would enjoy watching some British programs. At first, my wife and I quizzically looked at each other when we heard Clarkson's statements. When it became even obvious to the kids, we knew we had to stop watching. It would have stopped there, but many of my son's friends also knew of BBC America's Top Gear and they focused their feelings of insult on him.

I'm not telling Clarkson to stop, he's entitled to express himself. I'm just asking others to stop enabling him.

08-02-2008, 02:04 PM	#10 (permalink)
Clark EcoModding Lurker Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Laguna Niguel, CA Posts: 3 Thanks: 0 Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts	Dear Katana, Thanks for the reply. I am directing my thoughts at Americans that watch BBC America and other American broadcast stations where advertising saturates every program. While I understand boycotting would have no effect there in Britain, it would/will have an effect on advertisement driven (no pun intended) programs here. I agree with your summation on humor and thick skin, but there is no humor intended by Clarkson. His statements are based on hatred; he gleefully said so himself. More importantly, he is not a comedian, he's a journalist. He is not performing a comedy routine or telling jokes. He is stating his opinions (not as a joke), and those opinions happen to be very funny to many British (which is fine with me). Even if Clarkson were making jokes (and not merely expressing opinions), those jokes would be based on his avowed hatred of Americans, and the same offensiveness would hold true. If making people laugh was a valid reason for expressing an avowed hate (whether expressed as an opinion or as a joke), African Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Mexican Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Chinese Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, Japanese Americans would have no reason to complain about jokes directed at them, and so on. Is the skin of blacks (et al.) too thin - after all, it's just a joke? No, the hatred that gives rise to statements, let alone jokes, against others is intolerable. If Clarkson were making pointed jokes that were tongue-in-cheek, with an edge of truth, I would not be doing this. If Clarkson said he didn't hate American/Americans, I would not be doing this. But don't be fooled: he's not "taking the mickey" in good fun or reading scripts prepared by others. He states the same hatred whether it's on Top Gear, in his book, or in his newspaper articles. His opinions, erroneously taken as jokes and barbs, are intended as INSULTS. Your point is well taken: "...he just puts attitudes in public a lot of British people have about Americans...." Granting to you that's true, then those that find his statements funny are those who know their attitudes of contempt shouldn't expressed in public. Are you wondering why I'm doing this? Here's a bit of background: I've been married to a beautiful British woman for 21 years (and her teeth are adorable). While I know it's politically incorrect in Britain to have such pride, our children (17, 15 and 12) take great pride in their British roots, just as they are equally proud of their American roots. As part of exposing them to their British roots, we thought our kids would enjoy watching some British programs. At first, my wife and I quizzically looked at each other when we heard Clarkson's statements. When it became even obvious to the kids, we knew we had to stop watching. It would have stopped there, but many of my son's friends also knew of BBC America's Top Gear and they focused their feelings of insult on him. I'm not telling Clarkson to stop, he's entitled to express himself. I'm just asking others to stop enabling him.