Dear Lawrence Fox,
On the off chance you are reading this board because we all know luvvies like fan mail....
Do you think the police in Rotherham and other places conveniently used fear of accusations of racism as an excuse for their own failure - and frankly unwillingness - to deal with crimes against women and girls (of all colours)? These same forces don't seem to be scared of racism when it comes to other crimes. Who was telling the police not to investigate brown people? Was it the brown people themselves? Was Mr Khan from the cornershop so very powerful that he had that influence? The police say they feared a race riot. Who said to them, if you arrest a few brown rapists and paedophiles, the whole community will be up in arms because they love their rapists and paedos so much, and they are sick of their rapists and paedos being unfairly targeted? They've managed to carry out counter-terrorism raids across the country without ensuing race riots. Drugs raids also. People of colour and none UK nationalities arrested. Where were all the riots, Lozza?
Could it be that the delightful South Yorkshire Police, who used to turn up for overtime to beat up white, working class miners (and probably the odd brown one), just didn't give a fuck about white, working class girls, like they don't give a fuck about Muslim girls, or in fact any girls, and use excuses like "cultural sensitivity" for inaction. For me, the blame for the Rotherham failures (not the crimes, which lie firmly with the groomers, I'm talking about the lack of arrests) lies with the police, who knew full well what was going on for years. They had years to prepare themselves for their race riot. They could have called on the Home Office to draft in reinforcements to squash any civil unrest - you know, like they did during the miners' strikes.
Why didn't they? Who held the power cards? A few shopkeepers or the authorities? Did those nasty brown men get a free pass because they were brown, or were they given one because it was convenient? Why aren't you complaining about the lack of accountability for the police? Why has nobody been fired over these failures. Please, please, Lol, use your shiny new high profile and prime time acting investigation skills to get to the bottom of this pressing matter. I just can't believe the police were so helpless, am I deluded?
But beware, should you decide to take on this challenge! This is the same crew, along with their West Yorkshire colleagues, who are incapable of dealing with daily cases of DV, rape, harassment against women, but who themselves are harassing gender critical women and indeed, some men. You better watch out, my friend, because they may seem to be your natural ally, but they may be coming for you next if you go on about the trans stuff; plus you won't get any acting gigs on the Beeb again. Both would be a disaster!
Lawrence Fox I absolutely uphold your right to say whatever you like wherever you like. All power to you. No doubt you will accept that people have the right to listen to you and call you a fool if they want to.
Your brand new fans are very happy that you are now calling all the spades, well, spades. I'm sure they will be equally excited when you move on to western societal power structures in general. Do you agree with Douglas Murray, who thinks women are all these sexy little minxes who use their allure to wield power over all the men, and then confuse the poor men with big words like patriarchy? What are your thoughts on the patriarchy, Laurie? Do you think it exists? If structural racism doesn't, then does structural sexism? Just because you are a man, doesn't mean you can't school the women on these matters (or does it, I mean you're entitled to your opinion and all, but as you've never been a woman, do you really know? I'm confused!).
Now, I must talk to you about Question Time. This is supposed to be the (publicly funded) BBC's flagship current affairs programme that allows members of the public to participate. The inclusion of people like you, Russell Brand, Lily Allen and the like has reduced the programme to a bit of a farce, in my humble opinion. Sorry, Laurie, I didn't enjoy your appearance. I want interesting debate from people who know what they are talking about and are at the heart of policy making; not the coke addled musings* of someone who has zero experience in public service or anything outside the entertainment industry. They and you have a zillion other outlets to have your voices heard. Let the plebs have a go, won't you?
(*I'm talking about other celebs there, obvs, not you, you seem like a very clean cut sort of fellow).
I was, however, bloody delighted when Nick Griffin was on QT, because I really like free speech. I wanted people to hear what he had to say, he was leader of a political movement after all. People listened, and largely laughed. Thems the breaks, my friend; whilst you should take all the airtime you are offered as the new National Sage on Prejudice (and the chance to promote your album with a bit of a jolly controversy), you have to accept that, like Griffin, some people might think you are devoid of any original thought.
White privilege, for the hard of thinking (not you of course, Lawrence, you look like you think very hard all the time), is not asking anyone to wear a hair shirt and self flagellate for the crime of being born white and middle class. Nobody can help the circumstances they were born into. It's asking people to walk a mile in someone else's shoes and appreciate that you may have had a head start in life because of what you were born into, and that others will be playing catch up, may never catch up, and their children may never catch up either. It's not just about race, it's about power, opportunity, exposure to a different way of life, connections. Lawrence Fox, it's not just your whiteness that is an advantage. You grew up in beautiful surroundings, filled with books and culture and a first class education, and your parents don't seem at all scary or troublesome. All those happy times and no doubt many a jolly afternoon picnic with scones and lemonade and top directors in attendance will have, I am sure, given you a fabulous start in life. And I hope you thank your blessed parents every day for for giving you this wonderful leg up into the world. But denying that your birth into an acting dynasty has conferred you a privilege makes you look a bit lacking in self awareness. You attacks on working class actors, who probably didn't have all your avenues into the industry, looks a bit mean. (Although, you have some big hairy white balls going after national treasure, Julie Walters, I give you that, I mean, what did she have to do to get ahead, eh?). Having said that, I largely would agree that any Tom Dick or Harry off the council estate could have played Lewis's side kick. It was hardly Shakespearean, was it.
The tiny little lives of the hoi polloi has got a bit better in this country over my nearly 50 years, my friend, but to my mind, not that much power has shifted downwards. However, for all our sakes, if you truly believe that power has shifted away in any meaningful sense in this country, from born to rule white men, then I hope it is I, and not you, who is deluded. Come on here and tell us all the patriarchy is dead, racism is a myth, and that if you wear a frock and offer me a tampon, that's just free speech too. The FWR ladies (sexy little minxes that they are) will have your back!
Good luck with the album, bro!
Yours affectionately,
FoxyFan x