Javea
July 25, 2016
Dear Editor
I despaired when I read the pieces of Tom Draper and Joanna Cruikshank in this week’s CB News. The lack of balance was dire and is becoming a regular feature in this paper. Draper’s comments on Kelvin Mackenzie regarding a hijab-wearing Muslim woman reporting on events in Nice reminded me of a 6th Form debate. Now I don’t like Mackenzie either, but Draper must be aware that Channel 4, where the report was broadcast, is notorious for its left-wing bias. If he doesn’t know that he’s in the wrong job!
Channel 4’s actions are done deliberately and anyone who questions them is accused of racism, just as Draper does as he parades his politically correct credentials. I suspect that when the piece was broadcast there was a collective groan throughout the country, with people thinking that if she’s a lesbian we have the full set.
Similarly, he describes Andrea Leadson’s rejection of gay marriage as ‘abhorrent’, as he shows his ‘right on’ pc views again. Well, I like to think I associate with reasonable people and the consensus of their views is that gays can do whatever they want privately, but gay marriage is a parody of orthodox marriage. It’s not a matter of discrimination; they just don’t think the two are equivalent, for obvious reasons. Or are their views ‘vile or odious’ (the usual adjectives used)?
When I read Ms Cruikshank’s column she spoke of ‘being in a race hate, post Brexit atmosphere’. I thought she was describing 1930s Nazi Germany where Jews were being roughed up in the streets, shops destroyed and literature burned. I have just returned to Spain after six weeks in the UK and saw none of that. Yes, there have been boorish comments from crackpots – that’s all. However, I read on further and the reasons for her ludicrous exaggeration became clear.
Ms Cruickshank described the charity work done by her friends, and very impressive it was too. Now I’m a believer in the old adage that you judge a person by the company they keep. Well, her friends were ‘one who had a cool career’, a mother whose partner works away on sailing events, three women from London who work in Public Relations and a teacher. Hmm, I thought, Ms Cruickshank isn’t part of that Metropolitan Elite against whom so many voted in the Referendum. The ones who said it was all about immigration when it wasn’t. Judging by her regular outbursts she still doesn’t get it, her lack of self-awareness speaks for itself.
Yours faithfully
Peter A Fletcher
