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Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Lewis Hamilton and anti racism

155 replies

Changemyname901 · 17/09/2020 09:34

I don’t really understand Hamilton’s anti-racism stance. He is loudly campaigning against Black racism and that’s great, no complaints at all, good for him. But then he spends his free time hanging out with Philip Green, enjoying the spoils of Greens wealth, hanging out on his yacht, wearing his clothes. All of which Green has got from using slave labourers in places like Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. He is well known for exploiting people in such countries from young ages.

This makes no sense to me? How can you talk about slavery, as Hamilton has, but then enjoy the spoils of and be good friends with a man who uses slave labour to create his clothes and his empire? I feel like it’s selective. If you’re fighting racism, shouldn’t you be anti all aspects? I’m not saying he should be campaigning about other aspects of racism or modern slavery, if his passion is Black racism then that’s not a problem, he doesn’t have to shout about all other issues in the world, but I feel very cross that he can overlook Greens behaviour and physically benefit from it when he is such an advocate of anti-racism? Green has also been accused of racism and a black worker reported that he said something which I won’t repeat. How can Hamilton overlook all this? Am I being unreasonable to think this? It’s pit me off him to be honest, and I have zero desire to listen to him because I feel like it’s so hypocritical?

Before anyone questions me, I try very hard to shop ethically for food (and clothes when I bother to buy them), so I feel as though I can comment. I wouldn’t support someone like Topshop. Hamilton May also shop ethically, but to hang out on holiday on his yacht and enjoy his wealth just seems such bullshit to me?

OP posts:
SchrodingersImmigrant · 17/09/2020 09:37

Money.

Also. Most people seem to not regard modern day slavery a "proper slavery".

LonelyFromCorona · 17/09/2020 09:37

He is raising awareness and doing some good.
Nobody can be perfect.
Seems like you're trying to be picky and find hypocrises to undermine the awareness he is trying to make.

I feel you could find similar for most famous people doing stuff for good causes.

Changemyname901 · 17/09/2020 09:41

@LonelyFromCorona did you read all I wrote? I said that I don’t expect him to campaign or raise awareness and that I think what he is doing it a good thing.

But I don’t understand how you can say no to one form and yes to another in such an extreme way. I feel like benefiting from racism and slave labour as he is is a very extreme thing to do when you’re so against it in other aspects? I am not expecting him to campaign at all, or stop his campaigning, I said that very clearly.

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DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 17/09/2020 09:43

He is doing a damn lot more than many/most others, why choose someone who is using his position for good to have a go at because he isn't doing it perfectly?

You said yourself you 'try very hard', so does he, but you won't get it 100% right, neither will he.

Changemyname901 · 17/09/2020 09:47

@DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult I just feel like this is different though, it’s not about him trying hard he is financially benefiting from it? I would remove someone from my life if they turned out to be racist and have done. It feels so wrong for him to enjoy all the riches from a man who is racist/uses slave labour to me? Maybe I have more extreme views, but I just don’t get it.

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araiwa · 17/09/2020 09:49

Do you mean slaves or low paid?

Changemyname901 · 17/09/2020 09:52

I think paying people a few pence in hour to work is awful conditions IS a form of slave labour. Slave labour doesn’t mean working for free, how he treats his workers is considered slave labour in the industry.

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DifficultPifcultLemonDifficult · 17/09/2020 09:58

As far as I'm aware phillip green hasn't been arrested/charged with any sort of crime related to racism. Happy to be corrected about that.

He does sound like an utter asshole, but accusations are often thrown about and found to be untrue.

I can see where you're coming from to a degree, but Lewis Hamilton is using his platform to raise awareness on important issues, that is a great thing. It's pretty much impossible to hang out with anyone in showbiz/high profile circles who hasn't been accused of something awful.

I don't think questionable friendship choices should negate the good he is doing.

NoPointInWednesdays · 17/09/2020 09:58

Doesn’t matter if they are paid, as op said it’s slave labour.

Slave labour
noun
persons, especially a large group, performing labor under duress or threats; a labor force of slaves or slavelike prisoners.

SurreyHillsGirl · 17/09/2020 13:21

As far as I'm aware phillip green hasn't been arrested/charged with any sort of crime related to racism

Because the victims never get that far, Green always pays them off..

www.theguardian.com/business/2019/feb/08/philip-green-accused-of-racial-physical-and-sexual-abuse

AlwaysCheddar · 17/09/2020 13:26

He also works for Mercedes and Hugo boss .... he’s a two faced idiot with too much money. I’ve gone right off him.

NiceTwin · 17/09/2020 13:29

He's just paying it lip service.

Didn't agree with his t-shirt stunt at last weekend's GP, I know the FIA were investigating but haven't heard of the outcome.

contrmary · 17/09/2020 13:31

When privileged people like Hamilton start preaching I'm always reminded of the Bible, the advice to take the speck out of your own eye before trying to remove the speck from your brother's eye. It's rank hypocrisy. Much like David Attenborough, a man who has spent his life jetting round the world, telling us that we're causing damage to the planet.

contrmary · 17/09/2020 13:31

@NiceTwin the FIA decided he hadn't broken any rules but are going to clarify their guidance on what drivers can wear.

aintnousernamelikenousername · 17/09/2020 13:31

Most people who campaign about a specific thing aren’t perfect, he’s campaigning about something very important to him and he’s doing more than most.

WetdreamBeliever · 17/09/2020 13:38

"...benefiting from racism and slave labour as he is..."

This is ridiculously OTT. No newspaper would ever say this because they'd be sued to high heaven. It looks like you have some kind of axe to grind.

dontlikebeards · 17/09/2020 13:41

He is a complete hypocrite.

EverdeRose · 17/09/2020 13:42

Hamilton is a hypocritical asshat.

He wanted a united stance against racism in f1, complained very loudly that some drivers wouldn't take the knee which made them look like they weren't united, but after the first week wore a different t-shirt to the rest of the drivers supporting a political movement and then wore 'arrest the cops' one last week.

Massive PETA supporter but owns a dog that he's made vegan.

Squaking on Instagram about how people aren't kind to the environment yet races in f1 and travels the world by private jet.

Described where he grew up on Stevenage as 'being in the slums'.

Absolute entitled prick.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 17/09/2020 13:42

@aintnousernamelikenousername

Most people who campaign about a specific thing aren’t perfect, he’s campaigning about something very important to him and he’s doing more than most.
There is imperfect, which we ALL are and then there are bit ridiculous situations. Kind of like if animal rights activist spent time with owner of butcher shop. Or preservation activist spent time with developer who is famous for taking down historical buildings.

It's great someone is speaking out, but some things need to give too.

GoldfishParade · 17/09/2020 13:43

There's a lot of this double standard crap around. People tearing down statues of slavers from 400 years ago while wearing clothes made by modern day slaves. It's about virtue signalling while retaining your privilege: the privilege to shop and live at the expense of others' wellbeing. It's easier to campaign against something intangible than tangible, because you can be directly measured against the tangible.

Shouldershrugger · 17/09/2020 13:45

@everderose I could by have said it better myself. This guy just grates on me. The sheer hypocrisy is astounding. It's not a racist bashing as im bame myself.

SchrodingersImmigrant · 17/09/2020 13:47

Anyone who gets meat eating pet and makes them vegan (unless health reasons) is an animal abuser imho😑
Get a rabbit (though even they eat meat sometimes)

Changemyname901 · 17/09/2020 13:47

@WetdreamBeliever I really don’t have any other issue apart from the one I’ve stated. He always seemed like a decent guy to me, didn’t even care about all the tax stuff. Think him appealing about about race issues is great, as I have said repeatedly. But I take issue with the hypocrisy of damning one form of slavery, whilst benefiting from another. That doesn’t make any sense to me. I also don’t get what newspapers have to do with it, are you saying that I shouldn’t be allowed call out what I believe to be selective hypocrisy?

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Runningjump · 17/09/2020 13:50

We all know racism exists.

Shouting about it like Lewis is doing isn't going to change anything.

ImaginaryCat · 17/09/2020 13:52

@contrmary are you deliberately trying to be controversial having a pop at David Attenborough like that? I've never heard such crass whataboutery in my life.
It may surprise you but there are no orangutans, gorillas, pandas or blue whales living wild in the UK. Therefore, in order to demonstrate the vulnerability of these species and make people actually want to give a shit and start protecting them, DA has to go to where they are to film them in their natural habitat.
So what, pray tell, have you done that marks you out as such a flippin saint? Because clearly you must be to be so short sighted about the need for filming in situ to raise awareness of the plight of these species.
I mean seriously, I'm not saying the man's perfect but that remark is just ridiculous.