The post you are reporting:
I have discussed the Saturday Observer issue with Marijke and cleared the air with her.
She didn't write the "Comment" piece on page 36.
This issue has certainly underlined the need for myself and other public figures to be oh so careful about what we write - almost to the point where the value of what we want to say/write, is minimal.
It also shows the narrow-mindedness and bias of the one person who reported this to so many bodies, for what I am convinced was not a racist reason, but purely to cause me problems - in that perhaps, your support has shown that it has backfired on him.
Can I ask Paul, that this episode be now closed and we return to "normal" - whatever that is.
As I said in an earlier posting, I have been overwhelmed with all your support and I can't tell you how much it has meant to me; if the local Press have been looking in, then I'm sure they realise that too.
But surely, enough is enough ? this joke has been disected, discussed and even demonised, which obviously takes away any humour there was in it.
Looking at this joke with different eyes to the ones I used to post it, it now suggest to me that it has nothing to do with racism or discrimination against anyone, but against the perception of Government policy and if that perception is wrong, then surely the Government should work to change that (wrong) perception.
PaulB, I think the Forum itself would benefit from having an end to this and a return to normal postings and a wider range of threads created for discussion.
Roger
