The news about Hillsborough today and the assumptions about Liverpool that underpinned the injustice has reminded me of a stereotyping incident involving Dover and the similar marginaiisaton and demonisation process it has been subjected to.
I know that this is recycling old news, but the following report clearly gives the impression that Dover alone has the second highest rate of smoking in England, whereas if you read the report through it appears that the figures relate to the District as a whole.
That means not just Dover but Deal, Walmer, Aylesham, sandwich, and the villages too.
So why is Dover portrayed as the sole source of this smokey problem?
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Dover-revealed-second-highest-rate-smokers/story-16561889-detail/story.html
I met an otherwise charming Walmer couple today who were chortling gleefully over the stat.
I will have a gentle word tomorow.