London mayor approves baby con artist balloon

[someoneyouknow]

The mayor of London, taking a cue from the former colonies, is allowing a First Amendment-like display to take place on July 13th. Specifically, Sadiq Khan will allow a six meter tall balloon in the image of a baby con artist to be flown for two hours over Parliament Square Gardens. The puffed up image will not be able to float any higher than 30 meters (98 feet).

"The Mayor supports the right to peaceful protest and understands that this can take many different forms. His city operations team have met with the organizers and have given them permission to use Parliament Square Garden as a grounding point for the blimp."

His representative added,"However, the organizers will also need to receive the necessary approvals from the Metropolitan Police and National Air Traffic Service in order for it to fly."

This date is the same one when the con artist will arrive for his first visit to our closest ally after repeated attempts to get a ride in a golden carriage upon his arrival were repeatedly rejected. The con artist will then travel to Russia to meet his puppet master for secretive, behind closed door meetings to coordinate their denials of Russia's help during the 2016 election.

The con artist will probably not look too kindly on this display of freedom of speech since he doesn't like it happening in his own country. However, once ensconced in Russia, he will be much more appreciative to his master for suppressing any notions of freedom of speech by the people or the press which only prints what Putin says to print.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/05/europe/donald-trump-baby-trump-uk-intl/index.html

 

[Dazzle1]

He is a bigot

Khan has been a failure and a bigot like most Islamists in politics,

He has no business disrespecting a long time allies of the U.K anymore than the Mayor of NYC would if the conservative leader of Japan or Israel visited

Khan has been quiet on the Islamic terrorism around the world.

Boris was a diplomatic compared to this bufooon

 

[KeithD]

It's not like it's his balloon or was his idea for a balloon.

 

[someoneyouknow]

Khan has been a failure and a bigot like most Islamists in politics,

He has no business disrespecting a long time allies of the U.K anymore than the Mayor of NYC would if the conservative leader of Japan or Israel visited

Khan has been quiet on the Islamic terrorism around the world.

Boris was a diplomatic compared to this bufooon

Considering the con artist has disrespected all our allies, including imposing tariffs, he gets what he deserves.

Payback is a bitch, huh?

 

[beew]

Khan has been a failure and a bigot like most Islamists in politics,

He has no business disrespecting a long time allies of the U.K anymore than the Mayor of NYC would if the conservative leader of Japan or Israel visited

Khan has been quiet on the Islamic terrorism around the world.

Boris was a diplomatic compared to this bufooon

Yes, I read too, that crime rates have skyrocketed in London under the current mayor.
Is Khan at fault, or is it because of the Police budget cuts enforced by Theresa May... Sounds like both to me

But to me that balloon sounds more like a goofy protest.

Has Khan blocked similar protests by the opposition, tho? That would put a different spin on things.

 

[RelentlessOnanism]

Khan has been a failure and a bigot like most Islamists in politics,

He has no business disrespecting a long time allies of the U.K anymore than the Mayor of NYC would if the conservative leader of Japan or Israel visited

Khan has been quiet on the Islamic terrorism around the world.

Boris was a diplomatic compared to this bufooon

Sadiq Khan is a Muslim, not an Islamist. They are different things.

 

[beew]

Sadiq Khan is a Muslim, not an Islamist. They are different things.

I read all the stuff about the rising crime wave in London (by both Christians and Muslims). And Khan has been accused of being too soft on his own people who display radicalization.

But I just googled his name and, interestingly enough, he is among those who took a stance against Labour's antisemitism.

So other than - possibly - being an inefficient mayor, the other accusations are baseless.

 

[oggbashan]

Yes, I read too, that crime rates have skyrocketed in London under the current mayor.
Is Khan at fault, or is it because of the Police budget cuts enforced by Theresa May... Sounds like both to me

But to me that balloon sounds more like a goofy protest.

Has Khan blocked similar protests by the opposition, tho? That would put a different spin on things.

No. London is often the place for demonstrations for and against many issues. What has to be decided is the timetable - who can march when; the risk to the public; and the inconvenience to working Londoners. The last one doesn't carry much weight.

Crime rates? Yes, they are rising and illegal drugs are often the cause. It isn't just a London problem but compared to similar sized cities elsewhere in the world London is usually safer.

 

[beew]

1. No. London is often the place for demonstrations for and against many issues. What has to be decided is the timetable - who can march when; the risk to the public; and the inconvenience to working Londoners. The last one doesn't carry much weight.

2. Crime rates? Yes, they are rising and illegal drugs are often the cause. It isn't just a London problem but compared to similar sized cities elsewhere in the world London is usually safer.

1. I read quite a few perplexing things about Khan.
For example, that he put the logo "Praise Allah" on London buses which I found to be either inappropriate or stupid. If you want to combat Islamophobia, you put different slogans.
Yes, Christians put slogans on buses too, but that's entirely appropriate. England's cultural heritage is Christianity, ffs.

I never thought he was a radical of course, but I felt that he was advertizing Islam too much. But now I changed my mind, reading about his outspoken attitude against All types of bigotry.


2. You are one of the most impartial Liberal posters, but I feel that you're trying to excuse the rise in crime rates in London too much.

Whatever the cause (drugs, Theresa May's budget cuts, the inevitability that the larger any Metropolis becomes, the higher the crime rates, interethnic conflicts)
-- it shouldn't be like that. I remember when I visitted London in my youth, and how safe I felt walking the streets at night).

 

[DeYaKen]

Yes, I read too, that crime rates have skyrocketed in London under the current mayor.
Is Khan at fault, or is it because of the Police budget cuts enforced by Theresa May... Sounds like both to me

But to me that balloon sounds more like a goofy protest.

Has Khan blocked similar protests by the opposition, tho? That would put a different spin on things.

he mayor of London does NOT control the Metropolitan Police, That is the job of the Home Secretary. Only a small part of their budget comes from funds under the control of the Mayor. This year he has significantly increased his share of the funding following eight years of cuts by the government. He has received a promise from Cressida Dick (The Chief Constable appointed by central government) that the extra money will be spent on combatting violent crime. If she does not do that his only power is to cut back the funding again. He cannot fire her, nor can he dictate policy

Yeah the baloon is a goofy protest, but isn't that what we brits are famous for?

 

[DeYaKen]

1. I read quite a few perplexing things about Khan.
For example, that he put the logo "Praise Allah" on London buses which I found to be either inappropriate or stupid. If you want to combat Islamophobia, you put different slogans.
Yes, Christians put slogans on buses too, but that's entirely appropriate. England's cultural heritage is Christianity, ffs.

I don't know where you got that from but I have NEVER seen a London bus with ANY religious slogan on it. They all carry advertising on the sides, back and inside of the bus. That is a source of revenue for London Transport and yes I have seen them carrying adverts for The 'A' course (an introduction to Christianity)

Englands Cultural Heritage is not Christian. it is Pagan. Christianity is something that was introduced from abroad and largely forced upon us by our conquerors. In the days when we had a state religion, it was Catholicism but Henry VIII put an end to that. However, it prevailed for so long that you could say that Catholicism is our cultural heritage. After all the basis of our legal system was formed under Catholic control. Magna Carta was signed under the auspice of Catholic Bishops. Does that make it right to put God save the Pope on our busses?

 

[oggbashan]

...


2. You are one of the most impartial Liberal posters, but I feel that you're trying to excuse the rise in crime rates in London too much.

Whatever the cause (drugs, Theresa May's budget cuts, the inevitability that the larger any Metropolis becomes, the higher the crime rates, interethnic conflicts)
-- it shouldn't be like that. I remember when I visitted London in my youth, and how safe I felt walking the streets at night).

The rise in crime rates in London is worrying but the streets are still generally safe to walk at night, as they have always been - except close to cheap night resorts at closing time.

Part (not all!) of the problem is that what is reported as a crime has changed over the years. More incidents are classed as 'crime' than used to be. Violent crime HAS increased in recent years and drug dealing gangs are a real problem.

BUT - I lived in what was a rough area of London as a child. The night-time streets were fought over by 'razor gangs' - who carried the old-fashioned cutthroat razors, sharpened bicycle chains and knives. What they did to each other wasn't classed as violent crime because the 'victims' didn't report the crime - they looked for revenge. Some areas that might have seemed dangerous weren't because the big criminals (Krays, Richardsons etc.) wouldn't allow minor criminals to call attention to their 'patch'.

Then, as now, the average person on the street at night was/is unlikely to be a target for anything except for street theft if they are obviously wearing an expensive watch or carrying the latest phone. People carry more expensive items than they used to and are careless about sensible precautions.

Two of my daughters travel in London by public transport and on foot at all times of day and night. They don't feel worried by doing that but they don't make themselves obvious targets. Their phones are cheap and easily replaced and unattractive to street thieves. They don't walk down the street with earphones on listening to music or watching videos.

The advice for people visiting London, like any major European city, is conceal or don't carry your expensive belongings, be aware of your surroundings, and act sensibly. That advice has been true since the 1940s.

But yes, violent crime in London is still increasing. To avoid it - don't be involved with drugs as a dealer or user, don't belong to a gang and wear gang colours, and avoid areas where drug dealing is rife. And remember. Almost anywhere in London is covered by multiple CCTV cameras. You are being watched more effectively than George Orwell's Big Brother ever imagined. Crimes are being reported because they are seen.

 

[Dazzle1]

Considering the con artist has disrespected all our allies, including imposing tariffs, he gets what he deserves.

Payback is a bitch, huh?

Trump is far more respected by Israel Japan, South Korea and the Gulf States than the racist and terrorist appeaser Obama

 

[beew]

The rise in crime rates in London is worrying but the streets are still generally safe to walk at night, as they have always been - except close to cheap night resorts at closing time.

Part (not all!) of the problem is that what is reported as a crime has changed over the years. More incidents are classed as 'crime' than used to be. Violent crime HAS increased in recent years and drug dealing gangs are a real problem.

BUT - I lived in what was a rough area of London as a child. The night-time streets were fought over by 'razor gangs' - who carried the old-fashioned cutthroat razors, sharpened bicycle chains and knives. What they did to each other wasn't classed as violent crime because the 'victims' didn't report the crime - they looked for revenge. Some areas that might have seemed dangerous weren't because the big criminals (Krays, Richardsons etc.) wouldn't allow minor criminals to call attention to their 'patch'.

Then, as now, the average person on the street at night was/is unlikely to be a target for anything except for street theft if they are obviously wearing an expensive watch or carrying the latest phone. People carry more expensive items than they used to and are careless about sensible precautions.

Two of my daughters travel in London by public transport and on foot at all times of day and night. They don't feel worried by doing that but they don't make themselves obvious targets. Their phones are cheap and easily replaced and unattractive to street thieves. They don't walk down the street with earphones on listening to music or watching videos.

The advice for people visiting London, like any major European city, is conceal or don't carry your expensive belongings, be aware of your surroundings, and act sensibly. That advice has been true since the 1940s.

But yes, violent crime in London is still increasing. To avoid it - don't be involved with drugs as a dealer or user, don't belong to a gang and wear gang colours, and avoid areas where drug dealing is rife. And remember. Almost anywhere in London is covered by multiple CCTV cameras. You are being watched more effectively than George Orwell's Big Brother ever imagined. Crimes are being reported because they are seen.

Many thanks, Ogg for graciously answering.

England continues to intrigue me.

Growing up, I remember the haughty attitude of members from the British library. And my mom worked in her youth in a Commonwealth African country, and told me a horror Story about how she and her boyfriend were chased away from a British Club, even if they had been invited by a nice Brit.

Then in my youth, I worked for a couple of years on farms in Canterbury, during my summer holidays.
I was treated So. Well. by the English employers and by the Scotts seasonal workers. I didn't like tho, the way they treated some Indian immigrants at our weekend outings at the Pub.

British Immigrants - some were outstanding human beings, others were bigots with their heads up their ass, the Des type.
Someone told me that it's because England is still a classist society.

 

[Adder4321]

lmao Imagine caring about a balloon.

 

[oggbashan]

Many thanks, Ogg for graciously answering.

England continues to intrigue me.

Growing up, I remember the haughty attitude of members from the British library. And my mom worked in her youth in a Commonwealth African country, and told me a horror Story about how she and her boyfriend were chased away from a British Club, even if they had been invited by a nice Brit.

Then in my youth, I worked for a couple of years on farms in Canterbury, during my summer holidays.
I was treated So. Well. by the English employers and by the Scotts seasonal workers. I didn't like tho, the way they treated some Indian immigrants at our weekend outings at the Pub.

British Immigrants - some were outstanding human beings, others were bigots with their heads up their ass, the Des type.
Someone told me that it's because England is still a classist society.

Unfortunately some who call themselves English (instead of British) can still be racist. Locally black people are rare and women wearing obvious Muslim clothing are even rarer. There are a few women wearing Muslim headscarves around but none wearing the face veil.

My daughters work with many nationalities and are aware that some of them face prejudice in the street. But even people from ethnic minorities can be unaware of significant differences. In my town a woman wearing a face veil would be a curiousity, not a threat or an object of hatred. However she could find the attention she would receive as unsettling.

But one family my eldest daughter works with and has known for more than a decade is planning a UK holiday for the extended family. At least half of the adult women wear a face veil in the street. The woman organising the holiday was intending to book several holiday caravans on a site in Essex. My daughter, patiently has been trying to explain that a holiday caravan park in Essex is not likely to be tolerant of different cultures, certainly not as tolerant as the London borough where the family lives.

Many years ago my eldest daughter's live-in boyfriend was West Indian and as black as one can be. He was also massive at well over six feet tall and 250 pounds of athletic muscle. They moved to a rural Suffolk town where he was the only black. The locals were concerned until he joined the cricket club. Initially he was given a trial in their 3rd best side. Within weeks he was in the 2nd side, and next season in the 1st team as their demon bowler, a more than competent batsman and a good fielder. As a youth he had been considered for a professional cricket team but he was already too old to join their junior training.

As the town's best bowler, the terror of the team's opponents, he was accepted despite his colour. However he and my daughter thought that if he hadn't been such a good cricketer he could have faced real hostility. That town now has about five or six black families but they are not allowed to integrate as quickly as white families might. However, any new family that hasn't lived in the town for generations is never permitted to be considered as locals. The difference between the treatment of black and white families is that the black family has to work harder to be accepted. Rural communities are reluctant to let any new residents be part of the established groups.

Class? Yes. It exists. The real upper class don't care. They don't have to. You are either one of them or you aren't. There is nothing you do to join them. You might be made a Knight and start your name with 'Sir'; you might be made a Life Peer, a Baron of the Realm; but you aren't upper class. You can only be that if you were born into an aristocratic family and have ancestors as landed gentry for generations.

The differing graduations in the middle and working classes matter far more. The Table of Precedence is a social minefield. Is the wife of a Bishop more important than a holder of a CBE? I don't know. I don't care. I could look it up if I had to.

As in other countries people try to buy social status - a better house in a better area; a more expensive car; sending your children to private fee-paying schools; taking holidays in exclusive destinations - but that can cause envy not respect.

The most conscious of class are those closest to the bottom. Do we have a car? Do we own it? Do we own our house? Or rent it? Are we in social housing? How educated are we? The tiny differences matter and can be significant. Recent immigrants can be seen as the lowest status yet they can move upwards quickly through hard work and saving to improve themselves.

My ancestors were working middle class tradesmen. My wife's ancestors were a mix of agricultural labourers and semi-skilled workmen but with some European immigrants who had been middle class before they had to flee repression.

In my town we are seen as among the 'great and good' but we aren't really. It's just that we have worked hard to try to improve the town and have participated in its institutions. As incomers, even if we have lived here for decades, we aren't fully accepted. Our children, who went through the town's schools, are locals. We aren't. We will always be newbies, useful newbies perhaps, but never accepted as locals.

That is the problem with small communities. Everyone knows who everyone else is. Any newcomer, especially a very different newcomer by race or religion, will face obstacles in becoming accepted as an integral part of the community.

PS. Canterbury still has a Hugenot community several hundred years after they arrived fleeing persecution in France. They still have a Hugenot church in the crypt of Canterbury Cathedral and services are in French. After hundreds of years, although accepted as locals, they still preserve their differences.

 

[beew]

Thanks, ogg.

Despite my youth prejudices against and generalizations re Brits, I had overall far more good experiences with Brits., than bad ones with the insular types that you mentioned.
And contrary to public myths, I've seen Eastern and South Eastern White immigrants encounter more judgmental attitudes from other E or SE Europeans, or from non-White Commonwealth locals than from White locals. It has to do with the notion of "internalized oppression," according to some. Contrary to the Intersectionality movement and theory, stigmatized or marginalized minority groups aren't always kind to each other.

I became interested because I was surprised to see so many different accents, so many different worldviews among Brits. They are not a monolithic block, as perceived by so many people.

 

[beew]

Another intriguing topic that you introduced me too is the history of antiSemitism in Europe, and the fact that it's on the rise.
Because it doesn't make sense intuitively: With all the latest conflicts between Muslims and non-Muslim Europeans (Islamophobia from a few Christian Whites, hatred of the West and Jews from a few Muslims) , one would expected a drop in anti-Semitic attitudes among White Christians, not the reverse.

I just came across some very good podcasts this weekend:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1C_95a3LJgY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uwN1WuDwIf0
Leaving aside the topic of anti-semitism, this guy Jonathan Sacks (of whom of course you must know about), is a fascinating speaker.

 

[oggbashan]

Thanks, ogg.

Despite my youth prejudices against and generalizations re Brits, I had overall far more good experiences with Brits., than bad ones with the insular types that you mentioned.
And contrary to public myths, I've seen Eastern and South Eastern White immigrants encounter more judgmental attitudes from other E or SE Europeans, or from non-White Commonwealth locals than from White locals. It has to do with the notion of "internalized oppression," according to some. Contrary to the Intersectionality movement and theory, stigmatized or marginalized minority groups aren't always kind to each other.

I became interested because I was surprised to see so many different accents, so many different worldviews among Brits. They are not a monolithic block, as perceived by so many people.

Eastern and South Eastern Europeans? I'm not surprised. Nor should you be. The conflicts in what had been Yugoslavia were recent and bitter. Those from the former Communist states of Eastern Europe had racial and tribal tensions for hundreds of years. Greece and Turkey are still antagonists over the Turkish invasion of North Cyprus. The Italians under Mussolini invaded the Balkans and succeeded with German help.

Bosnian? Serbian? Croat? They have to forgive atrocities when the perpetrators and survivors are still around.

When they move to other parts of Europe the tensions can still fester.

Romanians are disproportionately represented in UK jails. It's not because Romanians are criminals but because Romanian criminals saw the UK as a rich country they could exploit, and Romanian Gypsy (Roma) gangs used freedom of travel to commit crimes and then flee back to Romania. Not all Roma are criminal but the Roma gangs shoplifting in London are obvious.

The public perception of Romanians in the UK remains that too many are criminal.

 

[beew]

Which explains Brexit. Remember when Romanians ate all the swans from a lake?
You were spot on about the root causes. Never have I met a block of individuals that were more split. Muslim and Indian immigrants are tribalistic too, but unlike E and SE, they stick together and if any, their hostility or sabotage tends to be directed towards other -seen as competing- immigrant groups.

 

[beew]

Now regarding anti-semitism.
Those were interesting videos but - for balance- I'm posting the link to another video that gives the other side of the coin. Horrible stuff.

Abby Martin used to post on RT at one point indeed, but I doubt that the abuse of Palestinians that she says she witnessed, was fabricated:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBRxt5ufnGg

 

[beew]

P.S.
Sorry that I was so intrusive about Brits and England, ogg.
I don't know much about what's been hapening there other than what I read in Massmedia and the GB.

I'm very curious about England because there are many British ex-pats over here.
But their experiences here are at odds with what one reads about what's happening in England in the media: with few exceptions most Brit. ex-pats are laid back and don't give a toss about politics, and They are more likely to be discriminated against by locals ("poms" and such, probably because they're seen as competition) than other White ethnic groups. You often see Brits preferring to hang out with other Brits or other White immigrants, than with locals.

It's such a weird world that we're living in.

 

[oggbashan]

Ex-pats hanging together?

It's not just confined to the British. Take a look at other ex-European peoples in America. They celebrate their heritage and have social events together.

For example: Germans, particularly Bavarians, have competitive dance competitions. They stage their own versions of the Munich Beer Festival.

This sort of thing:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddy4LJCC7bk

 

[beew]

I'm getting tired of the perpetual Right versus Left wars on the GB and wars around the isms,
I'm getting tired of the fact that I got sucked into topics that never crossed my mind before, and that I too contributed to the GB splitting.

But those seem to be the main topics at the forefront of most people's minds these days, and make 99% of political debates. And other political boards are so bland.
I wish that people would diversify the topics in the GB.

 

[KeithD]

I'm getting tired of the perpetual Right versus Left wars on the GB and wars around the isms,

Then stop contributing to it. You are a major contributor to it.