to think a man who made a bomb is NOT just an "angry Romeo"

[PotholeParadise]

The local newspaper has this as the front page. If you can't see it, it says:

Angry Romeo Turns Vacuum Cleaner Into A Bomb

If this man had threatened anyone else other than an ex-partner with a homemade bomb, how would it be reported? Would people be reacting to it with laugh-reactions on facebook?

In fact, what would the headline have been if this man wasn't white? He tried to make a bomb, for crying out loud.

Full article here: www.swindonadvertiser.co.uk/news/18167550.angry-romeo-used-fireworks-vacuum-cleaner-build-bomb/

clicky link

God. That is shocking.

He is not a Romeo, his an unhinged individual.

It's so irresponsible of the newspaper to report it in that way!

This is the kind of example that makes me incredulous when people claim that white male privilege doesn’t exist

Where is the gravity in that headline? Where is the disapproval?

Where is the message to other men that such behaviour is totally unacceptable?

Nowhere, that's where.

YYY to everything that has already been said about male white privilege.

How is it an example of white male privilege versus male privilege?

@PlanDeRaccordement just consider what the headline would say if he was Asian

Do you honestly think that headline would have accompanied a picture of an Asian defendant walking into court on charges of making an improvised explosive device?

By the way, if you google this man's name and read earlier reports from the same newspaper, he has been putting his ex-partner through hell since 2016. So far he has threatened to behead her, and held a knife to her throat in front of their children.

But they still saw fit to call him a Romeo about the current charges.

Actually, it doesn't say the children saw him holding the knife to her throat. But the point stands.

In fact, what would the headline have been if this man wasn't white?

^He would have been labelled a dangerous terrorist without a doubt

Is it worth a complaint to whatever regulating body deals with the press?

Yy @misspiggy19. The article would gave included a list of other terrorist attacks in the UK as well, along with photos of the perpetrators.

But thinking what it might say “if” the man were nonwhite is purely speculation? If it were an Asian man who built a bomb to kill an ex partner, I have no idea what they’d choose as a headline.

I agree it’s male privilege because we see they did chose Romeo and published it like that. Horrible choice they made.

But I don’t see how we can say it’s white male privilege unless there was a published U.K. headline showing a nonwhite man in similar circumstances treated differently?

Come on plan, we all know what would happen if this guy was non white. It is just ignorance to claim otherwise.

You can't possibly hazard a guess at what they'd print if an Asian man got caught with a homemade bomb? Ok, @PlanDeRaccordement. We believe you.

Ugh. What a horrible man.
The headline should say “Man Attempts Murder of Partner with IED”

You can't possibly hazard a guess at what they'd print if an Asian man got caught with a homemade bomb? Ok, @PlanDeRaccordement. We believe you.

No, I cannot. But I see many are putting on their “if I were a racist” hats and coming up with some inflammatory speculations about terrorists and terrorism.

YANBU. It's bloody depressing yet not surprising. If I had it in me I might make a book of inappropriate reporting of DV just so that I could throw it at anyone that says misogyny doesn't exist, I can think of at least ten instances of the top of my head. No one fucking cares though.

Plan just stop it. Fine. You think it's only male privilege. Fine.

Arguing about whether white people actually have it better is not actually a constructive use of data when violence against women has, yet again, been minimised in the press. So what should be done about it?

RuffleCrow

Sounds like an idea. Except, does the headline break any rules or guidelines?

Ugh I hate this shit. IMO would have been called "spurned lover" or "bunny boiler" if it was a woman - YES that is speculation on my part only based on my own experience of working in the media.

I've just tweeted them. That's appalling.