Is Boris Johnson racist?

[KenDodd]

YABU = No
YANBU = Yes

Could you also please say how you voted in the election?

My reflex response on seeing this question was, "Is the Pope a Catholic?"

Well, this won't turn into another Labour vs Tory thread will it? Sure it will be the epitome of calm reasoned discourse.

In answer to your post, he's definitely said things which are insensitive, and comes across as racist (certainly when taken out of context as most of the quotes are). I voted Tory this election (I'm not blind to the faults of the current leader. That's the operative word to me however).

Yep.
Also racist: Justin Trudeau, Jeremy Corbyn = its not unique to the right side of politics

Then there was the Chinese (I think) flight attendant whose accent he took the piss out of.
Many remarks against Nigerians.
Black kids made his hair turn and he used to run away.
In an article, he wrote tiny fit of prejudice" was "disgraceful" and "disgusting", but claimed it was "as natural as sewage".
He said some very derogatory things about the whole of Papua New Guinea.

THat's without the sexist shite he says, or what he said about Hillsborough. Single parents. Working-class people. I could go on.

He’s not only a racist.... he looks down on anyone beneath him regardless of colour.

Let's face it, he appoints people like Javid because it's politically expedient and helps to get votes, not because he wouldn't rather have a WASP old Etonian in post.

That’s some interesting far-left propaganda there. It’s almost as if you’re determined to condemn him whether or not he appointed the most diverse Cabinet in UK history.

Spoiler alert: he did.

So opinion seems to be holding steady about about three quarters of people think he is.

If you voted that he's not racist I guess that means you think that 75% of people are wrong about him?

Yes I think he is.

Although I think he's racist in that sort of public school way, of ribbing people for not fitting in, seeking to find people's weakness and using it against them and using self-consciously offensive language to wind people up.
In fairness to him I don't think he's racist in his job: or at least he has given at least two senior cabinet posts to BAME people.

Not that that makes it OK. But worth qualifying this as I think there are lots of different ways to be racist.

I'm a Labour voter btw if its relevant.

Yes he is. Even if he has offered jobs to non whites People can be racist and have black/muslim/Asian family members, it's not uncommon for some racists to date ethnic groups. But what remains the same is his opinion on them (and poor people) they are beneath him, he is much better etc. What a great example for the youth to look up to.

I will say though and I'm not defending the weasel. There is a fine line between racism and ignorance. His views come from how he was raised, educated etc. His dad comes out with some ignorant shite aswell

And what about the context of the book he wrote?

There have been other articles he has written about Nigerians that we not directed at the Blairs.

A lot of what he has previously hurled at Labour has been homophobia.

On mn, ken

So opinion seems to be holding steady about about three quarters of people think he is.

We had quite a big national opinion poll a few weeks ago - it’s called a General Election. Boris won the largest share of the popular vote since 1979.

But I’m sure this thread’s poll is much more informative.

Do we just accept DOE racism then because of how he was raised, and just blame it on ignorance?

Funny that. My family are racist, homophobic cunts. Funny how I am not ignorant and follow their lead.
We used to hear a lot of but I don't mean your children. It's not aimed at them, it's the others.

And don't forget his quip to the young Irish journalist sent to interview him: "I didn't know the Irish could write."

Cut from the same cloth as Jeremy "There's a slope on that bridge" Clarkson, all jolly in-group japes at the expense of the out-groups, secure with your safety net of connections, status, privilige and a lifetime of cultivating a sense of entitlement.

Scum.

Yes Running that's exactly what I meant. He is used to running in certain circles and not mixing with the likes of people he sneers at.

Yes, Boris Johnson is a proven racist and has also written a terrible novel called "72 Virgins" full of anti-semitic stereotypes:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/11/boris-johnsons-record-of-bigotry-antisemitism-and-far-right-politics-must-not-be-forgotten

Yes and so is his father. Absolutely hideous video of him being interviewed on channel 4 on election night and expressing his views on burkas. Disgraceful

Even if 100% of people on this thread think he's racist - so what?

Haven't you got any shopping to do? Or Bailey's to drink? Or anything Christmassy and positive?

Personally, I am keeping an open mind about him

Genuinely interested, @recrudescence: how do you reconcile that with the use of the terms quoted?

If you want more samples, there's the interview when he talked about immigrants treating the UK as their own country; the Spectator article where he talked about a Chinese flight attendant saying "velly solly"; the one where he talked about being alarmed if he came across black kids when running in the park; the Telegraph article where he characterised people in the Congo as hacking human flesh with their pangas; the book where he talked about Jewish oligarchs controlling the media, hook-nosed Arabs, and half-castes; the Spectator column where he talked about people having an almost Nigerian interest in money; the essay where he said that Islam meant that the Muslim world is literally centuries behind the west; the statement that the police are stuck on racial awareness programmes.

Is the sky blue?