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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:27

I’ve asked for this thread to be shut down as I don’t want it to become inflammatory etc
I regret starting it.

OP posts:
Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:20

username299 · 23/01/2025 23:11

To what end? Are you rolling up your sleeves for more riots? She's a Tory and they did fuck all to address it, rejecting a national inquiry. Her colleagues appear to be exploiting the issue by using inflammatory language to describe certain ethnicities.

She wants to know if there are Muslim grooming gangs in London. Perhaps she shouldn't have played patacakes and come out with what she meant.

If Khan says yes there are, what outcome are you expecting? Do you think it would assist police investigations or do you think it would stoke further tension given recent riots and pot stirring foreigners?

Show quote history

No - I definitely don’t want riots. I agree with you about the Tories who did nothing. I’m not in favour of inflammatory language or demonising any group. I just felt frustrated at his lack of response.
I get your point of view.
Im not sure what the answer is.

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HRTQueen · 23/01/2025 23:20

Khan could have answered that yes we do have gangs that are grooming and raping girls

the situation is different to those in Rotherham etc as we are not looking at gangs within particular ethnic communities

but then he woudl be admitting that there is an issue in some parts of the country with Pakistani grooming gangs

also the girls are not being used for sex they are being raped. This is again dismissive of the crimes committed against these girls

and we are talking about children being raped

username299 · 23/01/2025 23:11

OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:02

I would have preferred him to prioritise the need to safeguard children and talk honestly about the challenges of that rather than play political games with language.

Show quote history

To what end? Are you rolling up your sleeves for more riots? She's a Tory and they did fuck all to address it, rejecting a national inquiry. Her colleagues appear to be exploiting the issue by using inflammatory language to describe certain ethnicities.

She wants to know if there are Muslim grooming gangs in London. Perhaps she shouldn't have played patacakes and come out with what she meant.

If Khan says yes there are, what outcome are you expecting? Do you think it would assist police investigations or do you think it would stoke further tension given recent riots and pot stirring foreigners?

Spirallingdownwards · 23/01/2025 23:07

OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:05

I honestly don’t care about Susan Hall. She could be a complete idiot /bigot whatever.
I just want a clear answer and no obfuscation on an issue where obfuscation and political game playing has caused incredible harm to young girls.

Show quote history

Are you Susan Hall?

Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:06

Nigellasrockyroad · 23/01/2025 23:04

Another example of why normal (actual) people will leave Mumsnet. Good grief!
Sort it out, Mumsnet!

Not sure what you mean?

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Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:05

PeriPeriMam · 23/01/2025 22:16

I can't get past the fact that Susan Hall keeps saying "country lines" when talking about county lines.

I honestly don’t care about Susan Hall. She could be a complete idiot /bigot whatever.
I just want a clear answer and no obfuscation on an issue where obfuscation and political game playing has caused incredible harm to young girls.

OP posts:
Nigellasrockyroad · 23/01/2025 23:04

Another example of why normal (actual) people will leave Mumsnet. Good grief!
Sort it out, Mumsnet!

Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 23:02

username299 · 23/01/2025 22:28

Having read the article, it seems as though he was pushing her to be more explicit in what she was asking.

From my understanding, he wanted her to refer to either ethnicity or religion. He kept asking her to spell out what she meant.

The Tories seem to be using this in order to garner popularity. Using dehumanising and inflammatory language which will increase tension.

I would have preferred him to prioritise the need to safeguard children and talk honestly about the challenges of that rather than play political games with language.

OP posts:
Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 22:57

Lambington · 23/01/2025 22:27

Susan Hall is using the victims to score cheap political points. I don't remember her mentioning this issue once during her failed Mayoral campaign. Totally disingenuous hypocrite.

You could be right but that still doesn’t change the fact that the question needed a proper answer.

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Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 22:56

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 21:58

@OpheliaWasntMad

• Why do you think it is racist to ask if there are grooming gangs operating in London?
Because talking about "grooming gangs" has become a way of passing all responsibility for organised child sexual abuse onto Asian men- when it is actually something the happens in all communities and cultures.
• Do you agree that fears about being thought “racist” had a detrimental impact in the way the perpetrators of sexual abuse were dealt with in Rotherham etc
Yes, I do agree that happened.
• Do you realise that “child exploitation” is a very euphemistic way of describing the ongoing rape, torture and abuse of children as young as 9?
No. Nobody with half a brain would think that "child exploitation" describes all of those appalling things.

I do understand that this issue can be exploited by people who are more interested in stoking racial hatred than in addressing a real problem.

BUT it is worrying that the Mayor of London refused to treat the question seriously. He could have answered in a much better way - by acknowledging that the terrible things that happened in Rotherham/Oldham etc could happen again in any city and we must make sure it is never ignored or minimised by those with responsibility again .
Instead he chose to pretend he didn’t understand the question…

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HRTQueen · 23/01/2025 22:45

He is the mayor of London why shouldn’t he be asked such questions it’s very much in the news at present the government announced there would be a nationwide review into such gangs only last week

why shouldn’t he be asked. He repeatedly said child sex exploitation no it’s child rape and replied young girls were being groomed for county lines and some of those girls are being used for sex

no they are not being used for sex they are being raped they are girls/children

wtf 🤬 once again the treatment of young girls and they will be working class girls probably a number under social services/in care isn’t being labelled what the crime actually is

username299 · 23/01/2025 22:28

Having read the article, it seems as though he was pushing her to be more explicit in what she was asking.

From my understanding, he wanted her to refer to either ethnicity or religion. He kept asking her to spell out what she meant.

The Tories seem to be using this in order to garner popularity. Using dehumanising and inflammatory language which will increase tension.

Lambington · 23/01/2025 22:27

Susan Hall is using the victims to score cheap political points. I don't remember her mentioning this issue once during her failed Mayoral campaign. Totally disingenuous hypocrite.

Babadookinthewardrobe · 23/01/2025 22:20

BallerinaRadio · 23/01/2025 18:03

To be fair I don't think I'd answer anything Susan Hall asked me either

Such a mature response given the gravity of the rape gangs. Such empathy for the victims.

PeriPeriMam · 23/01/2025 22:16

I can't get past the fact that Susan Hall keeps saying "country lines" when talking about county lines.

Hussle · 23/01/2025 22:09

Grooming gangs don’t just prey on girls and young women. They prey on all children and the majority are white. There are plenty of white men in London so it was a stupid question.

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 21:58

@OpheliaWasntMad

• Why do you think it is racist to ask if there are grooming gangs operating in London?
Because talking about "grooming gangs" has become a way of passing all responsibility for organised child sexual abuse onto Asian men- when it is actually something the happens in all communities and cultures.
• Do you agree that fears about being thought “racist” had a detrimental impact in the way the perpetrators of sexual abuse were dealt with in Rotherham etc
Yes, I do agree that happened.
• Do you realise that “child exploitation” is a very euphemistic way of describing the ongoing rape, torture and abuse of children as young as 9?
No. Nobody with half a brain would think that "child exploitation" describes all of those appalling things.

scorpiogirly · 23/01/2025 21:54

I'd like to also ask him why he's allowing all these stabbings.

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 21:51

@OpheliaWasntMad

Asvoria · 23/01/2025 18:14

HRTQueen · 23/01/2025 17:59

He was goading her he wanted her to say asian or Muslim grooming gangs so he could deflect that authorities are struggling to manage crime in London

there are many gangs in London from all different backgrounds and often gangs are from one area/one ethnic background because from all walks of life you will have criminals and they flock together

politicians are just not willing to acknowledge that high immigration has come with issues and anyone that dares suggests this is racist

and what can be worse than being called a racist

This ^

The truth is oozing out all over and making a right mess of the place. It can no longer be contained.

BallerinaRadio · 23/01/2025 18:03

To be fair I don't think I'd answer anything Susan Hall asked me either

HRTQueen · 23/01/2025 17:59

He was goading her he wanted her to say asian or Muslim grooming gangs so he could deflect that authorities are struggling to manage crime in London

there are many gangs in London from all different backgrounds and often gangs are from one area/one ethnic background because from all walks of life you will have criminals and they flock together

politicians are just not willing to acknowledge that high immigration has come with issues and anyone that dares suggests this is racist

and what can be worse than being called a racist

Letsbe · 23/01/2025 17:46

Anyone else tired of this point scoring by all parties whilst life in this country goes to shit.

Original poster
OpheliaWasntMad · 23/01/2025 16:48

CurlewKate · 23/01/2025 10:39

Anybody who thinks Hall is asking this question simply to gain information knows nothing about her record.

Oh yes - another case of let’s smear and denigrate the question to deflect from answering question.
I think people are wise to this tactic

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