To think Stacey Dooley was right in her response to David Lammy

[CoolCarrie]

“ Africa doesn’t need white saviours” says Lammy commenting on pictures of Stacey Dooley on a comic relief trip. Why pick on her? Loads of celebrities over the years have gone to Africa to show how money is helping the poorest of the poor, and the huge difference it has made over the years.
What Africa does need is governments that are not corrupt and better leaders.

“it would be more discreet to have contacted her privately himself, and would put his point across better ”
I repeat. Does that apply to all interactions between politicians and journalists?

I think it’s great that she’s been humiliated. Self-serving narcissistic that she is. This will do more damage to her brand than it will do to him.

The publicity that he’s got. It worked, didn’t it?

What did he think he would achieve

Errrr - making it the subject of widespread debate?

That's got to be a good thing, whichever side you are on.

But it's not about damage to her brand. It's whether this will ultimately reduce donations and directly impact on women like those in Uganda who are dying through lack of healthcare. The Ugandan govt doesn't appear to be looking after them.
What a lot of people will take from this is that white people are being criticised for trying to help and they may direct their money elsewhere. So yes, DL might be right but his approach may cost those people much needed aid.
I still come back to the idea that it is easy to complain about something but if you are not directly helping those people yourself, then you are on shaky ground.
I think it would have been better to explain his position privately to SD rather than publicly embarrass her and maybe have the conversation about CR generally when they are not in their peak fundraising time.

But according to you, @Iwanna, he should never have got involved at all because it’s apparently outside his remit.

I think it’s great that she’s been humiliated

Has she? DL isn't looking too good from where I'm standing.

This need that people have to do identity politics to make themselves look like they have their finger on the button of trendy issues is starting to have serious consequences. Right now politicians and influential people and media people are bending over backwards trying to please men who want to be identified as women and use womens public spaces and compete with women in sports. You ask yourself why they would along with something so potential harmful to women. It's because it's the latest trendy thing to 'get onside with' and make yourself a name being attached to. Feminism from a point of view of self-aggrandisement is not 'hot' anymore

Now there was a point buried in his argument particularly as it applies to celeb culture. But had he been truly sincere he would have gone about it differently. He chose to pick on SD publicly because it would draw attention to him and he would get massive brownie points as a person defending the underdog. Fuck how much more complicated it is. Lets just separate it into White vs Black. A good simple soundbite is all he needed. It works.

I don't think he should have done this, but if he felt he had to, there were better ways than the one he chose imo.

I agree KingHenry, I believe it has made him look bad, except on here by a select few. I agree, his comments may we'll put of westerners, especally white westerners from donating in case they are seen as being 'white saviours', it coukd also put people off from helping in underdeveloped countries, as they don't want to be seen under the guise as volunteerism, or again 'the white saviour' DL highlighted so distastefully. These countries do need our help and money. Water Aid providing clean water in areas where there is none, or Red Cross Aid helping people in disasters.

Oh dear, white people getting all cross and upset because a black politician pulled them up on the white saviour approach.

He’s right...it’s outdated, he said it wasn’t aimed at SD personally and she (with black baby posed on hip) made it about herself. Silly cow.

And WHY on earth would it stop people wanting to donate? Why?

Only if those donating are so narrow minded they can’t think clearly.

It’s like the people who say rht because a feminist was unpleasant to them once they could never ever be a feminist.

“Someone questioned the modus operandi of Comic Relief-I will never donate again!!!!”

And WHY on earth would it stop people wanting to donate? Why?

Because due to the ineptitude of his approach they have translated his message as:

'Dear white people, we don't need your patronage anymore. You are distasteful to us. This whole charity giving thing that you do is demeaning us. So please White people stop trying to save us. We don't your white help anymore'

That's why.

Right Dolores any view other than the hi e mind on here, is seen as white people stamping their feet, you know some of us who disagree are not white!

It stops people wanting to donate because they feel insulted and criticised when they were just trying to do a good thing. I've said before that CR was just about ordinary people trying to help other ordinary people (both abroad and here), where govts have failed to do so. A lot of people donating don't have a great deal of money themselves. But you can't tell people they are doing everything wrong and in the next breath tell them to keep donating their money. Which is what DL has done.

Hive mind I meant.

I agree - there are plenty of charities who want money. People will just donate elsewhere to avoid being a white saviour. This has done those in poverty in Africa no favours. I feel really sorry for the people who need this money to survive. DL could really have caused some issues for them - and ultimately that is they that will suffer as a result of this - but he won't see that will he?

Interesting. If people are so very sure he’s wrong, why would his opinion change their views? Are they so very fragile in their own opinions that they’ll take their bats home over his?

but he won't see that will he?

No he's quite cushy and comfortable. That's why he has so much to say. He doesn't have to sacrifice anything but gets to look so woke.

“No he's quite cushy and comfortable”

And the problem with this is?

It's not that people think he is right - they will just think sod it if these people don't appreciate that I am donating some of my hard earned cash to help I will give it to someone that will. Surely you can see that Bertrand

The problem with that is that his behaviour will put off people from donating and it is not him who will suffer the consequences

He should not have mentioned skin colour

“
It's not that people think he is right - they will just think sod it if these people don't appreciate that I am donating some of my hard earned cash to help I will give it to someone that will. Surely you can see that Bertrand”
Well, you would have to be pretty unpleasant to think like that-but I suppose some people would.

And I suppose the parents/guardians of the child Dooley splashed all over Instagram feel they have no choice but to let it happen to show proper gratitude. Ironic that some of the people donating money are probably the type who come on here complaining that relations or schools or clubs put pictures of their children on FB........