Zoomchat with David Baddiel about new book 'Jews Don't Count'

[JuliaMumsnet]

Hello

We’re delighted to announce a Mumsnet Zoomchat with critically acclaimed comedian, author of children's and adult's books, screenwriter and TV presenter David Baddiel.

If you'd like to hear from one of the UK's most successful comedians, discuss how anti-Semitism manifests in progressive politics, argue about the merits of the 4-4-2 formation, or just shout 'that's your mum that is', now’s your chance to grab one of our free places.

We’ll be particularly focusing on David’s recent short book which looks at how (in the words of the dust jacket) 'identity politics has failed one particular identity... those who think of themselves as on the right side of history have often ignored the history of anti-Semitism'.

David will be chatting with Mumsnet HQ and answering your questions on Wednesday 28 April at 8pm, and you can book your place now by registering here.

Please note 1 If you join the Zoom chat, your camera will be turned off by default. Your screen name may be visible if we ask you to read your question out ‘live’, so consider whether you’re happy to use your RL name or want to use your MN posting name, or something else entirely.

Please note 2 We can only take questions from Zoomchat attendees on the night - please don’t use this thread to ask questions in advance as we can’t promise we’ll be able to put them forwards.

Register for free (only 100 places are available) here

Thanks
MNHQ

So I have ordered the book from Amazon. Arriving tomorrow morning. It better be good now

There must be a precedent for this type of behaviour/racism and provocation here on mumsnet. If so it should be dealt with in the same way. There must be consistency.

This is now embarrassing. Shame on mnhq and I wouldn't blame David Baddiel for dropping out.

Will the event be moderated on the night? I don't want to attend if it is going to be some sort of uncivilised free for all. If i want to see a bunch of half wits spewing their racist crap i could spend half an hour on twitter.

I still don’t know how to submit my bloody question! No response from MNHQ

Does anyone know?

😂 No sorry

You have to attend the zoomchat to ask a question and registration is closed, so unless you have a place you’ve missed out.

[quote HermioneWeasley]@JuliaMumsnet, how do we submit questions?[/quote]
Hello @HermioneWeasley - we're only taking questions on the night, attendees can put questions into the Q&A box.

Ok, thanks.

@noraclavicle

CommunistLegoBloc

“It's not exactly a no tolerance approach to be racism / anti-Semitism if that's the case, is it?”

No, it certainly isn’t. And MHQ seems to have a tin-ear on this. The fact that they haven’t quite grasped that a user carefully keeping on baiting and prodding whilst no longer using the actual word they deployed to deliberately upset in the first place is still employing race-baiting behaviour is pretty depressing. The fact that it’s happened on THIS thread re Baddiel’s book should be slapping them collectively round the face like a wet fish with mind-awakening powers. But no...

We could have acted more quickly here for sure, but our policy is certainly a zero-tolerance one and we’ll try to be quicker off the mark in future.

let's hope the chat is attentively and fiercely moderated.

I fear that the oldest hatred is still acceptable on MN. Time to think hard about whether I want anything to do with this site.

murbblurb I am seriously thinking of calling it a day on MN over this. It seems as if every other form of racism is stamped down on but when it comes to antisemitism there’s a trite message saying ‘we could have acted more quickly ‘. It took around 5 pages before anyone was prepared to step in at all. The fact is yes, they could have acted quicker but there was clearly no will whatsoever to do so and a very lacklustre effort to reassure any Jewish MNers that this is a safe space for them.

I reported it on about page 3 and they just let it run all weekend.

Sad that people feel like leaving. This is rubbish but it was actually good to hear other people stand up. Nice to know people are about that will fight this stuff.

CommunistLegoBloc. I know. I can’t imagine many other threads where there was obvious baiting of a minority group that would have been left to run for days.

MN instead of saying you will try to be quicker off the mark in future how about assuring Jewish MNers that you WILL put a stop to anti semitism as soon as it is reported? Out of respect for your upcoming guest David Baddiel I think you owe him and us that promise . If not, I know what question I will be asking at the zoomchat.

@Zzpplant

CommunistLegoBloc. I know. I can’t imagine many other threads where there was obvious baiting of a minority group that would have been left to run for days.

MN instead of saying you will try to be quicker off the mark in future how about assuring Jewish MNers that you WILL put a stop to anti semitism as soon as it is reported? Out of respect for your upcoming guest David Baddiel I think you owe him and us that promise . If not, I know what question I will be asking at the zoomchat.

Yes absolutely - we're happy to commit to that.

RowanMumsnet. Thank you for that.

@zzzplant I'm on the edge too. Still no promise of attentive and forceful moderation for the chat, and the late response to concerns despite tagging smells strongly of, well, the usual.

or as I've said elsewhere less politely; 'some fuckups are not retrievable'. This looks to be one of them.

sorry - tag failure above. @zzpplant

I agree murbblurb. I’m going to keep going for now because I do enjoy quite a few boards on here but any more very half-hearted and/or slow responses and I’m gone. If there are further poorly dealt with racism on here it will prove DBs book title is spot on. It will also prove that MN has pretty double standards.

What an embarrassing thread. If people who are the targets of particular labels tell you they're offended and that it's not appropriate for you to use that language, then surely you'd stfu immediately and apologise?
Anyway, I've downloaded the book. Look forward to reading it

Since the poster in question said they were registering for the chat, and I assume wanted to ask that question, I wonder what MNHQ's response will be if they do.

On the evidence so far - lukewarm if anything. It's not good, is it?

Good point 🤨

Surely they are not still allowed to take part?
Though I think David Baddiel would be able to educate them (Not that I think they would actually listen)

haha! Let David Baddiel deal with them! Mind you won't be tricky as what they were saying was barely intelligible.