ECHO Comment: "Fears of Witch-hunt Against Liverpool FC"

[Matt Damon]

I wasn't really talking about it being illegal or not, more the moral issue, but surely if nobody at the club raises a concern nothing can be done about it?

There is no other concern other than it being illegal. The written text of the law as passed by parliament plus all of the subsequent case history shows it is illegal. The law as it was originally written reflects the morality of discrimination. So moral issues are irrelevant.

They (THE CLUB; the company) are legally obliged to do something about it. They are a big company employing more than 150 people. Therefore they have statutory obligations to investigate any possible discriminatory behaviour I believe under UK employment law, and do so every year.

Their HR department should be screaming blue murder at them over what has allegedly been going on. In training, too.

This is why its not going away.

 

[Frank Drebin]

I think Antonio's right in that it should be personal discretion, didn't Prince Harry attract attention for calling an asian colleague
something or other? Just thought of that.
Anyway personal discretion takes a backseat to what language is acceptable in a workplace environment. If he worked in the NHS for example they would have bounced him straight out the door.

 

[Matt Damon]

There is no other concern other than it being illegal. The written text of the law as passed by parliament plus all of the subsequent case history shows it is illegal. The law as it was originally written reflects the morality of discrimination. So moral issues are irrelevant.

They (THE CLUB; the company) are legally obliged to do something about it. They are a big company employing more than 150 people. Therefore they have statutory obligations to investigate any possible discriminatory behaviour I believe under UK employment law, and do so every year.

Their HR department should be screaming blue murder at them over what has allegedly been going on. In training, too.

This is why its not going away.

Apologies it is not a statutory requirement, it is however recommended by the CRE especially when employing more than 150 staff even as a private company.

http://equalityhumanrights.com/uploaded_files/code_of_practice_on_racial_equality_in_employment.pdf

4.68 Page 63 is an example of the requirement to investigate.


What this shows to me is that LFC's HR department have either been asleep, ignored or bypassed and Kenny Dalglish has it could be argued, been negligent in his role as coach by allowing one player to refer to another as "blackie" in training.

The questions just keep on coming as to what the hell has been going on at Melwood for this to have arisen in the first place.

 

[ToffeeDan]

Curious lack of comment on Twitter on the subject from the RS. Obviously guilty - indefensible.

I guess we can now see this 'negrito' mate bollox was just a smokescreen - his ever changing story never added up to much anyway & they having defended him (a reasonable thing to expect them to do) they have to hang him out to dry - I guess they won't like, being the RS. They are still relying on the Evra not credible line (nicely squashed by the commission btw) as well as the "no video evidence" line (wrong) - what else have they got left to force feed the stupid minions with..they could embarrass themselves with an appeal I suppose - that would be fun. I was utterly convinced they'd screwed up trying to take on a QC's findings by doubting his judgement but now they've seen the written evidence (which of course they pretty much should have expected). We're talking football people here - what would they know about the law compared with a QC?


In summary - negrito was actually negro. It was compounded with lots of aggressive acts & denial, story changing, counter accusation, obfuscation, fan bile (including) hate messages to the press, ex-footballers & blind faith. We were promised that they would act on racism - instead they've actively ignored the commission (t-shirts, official statements, player comments). YNWA - You'll Never Whitewash Again

 

[chicoazul]

Where did negrito come from in this whole thing?

Dickheadish of Evra to go at him with the concha de tu hermana thing but it sounds worse than it translates, similar to puta de madre.

 

[ScouseBlueBoy]

In an imaginary scenario Dalglish, having some sort of pub opinion, believed that Evra HAD made several 'unfounded' accusations of racism.

Seeing an opportunity to play a 'boy who cried wolf' card, Suarez was instructed to goad this particular opponent with a view to getting him sent off. Suarez may well have received assurances that he would be in the clear due to Evra's perceived 'history'.

And the rest, as they say, is 'history'.

Perhaps Dalglish's ego - fed by unquestioning fans - has grown so large, he not only thinks he is bigger than the game, but also society. In some ways he has thrown Suarez, the club and the fans 'under the bus'.

Good to read from a previous poster that some fans may be questioning this whole affair.

Over 20 years ago, people kept telling me that Everton had a racist agenda - hence no black players. I found it very hard to argue - so I didn't. All I could do was hope that we signed one sooner rather than later. I am sure many Evertonians felt the same. I know of no Evertonians who refuted this 'charge'. It was a period of silent shame for us.

We, as a club and fanbase, do not have a reputation for defending the indefensible.

Oh - and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

 

[peteblue]

Lyingfool Football Club deserve all of the embarrassment that will now be heaped upon them.

 

[ScouseBlueBoy]

If we can accept as a defence that 'Suarez can't be racist because he has played with black players', then we cannot in all seriousness charge any footballer with racism.

What's a guy to do? Say 'I am not going to sign for X because they have a black player'????

How Evra can say that Suarez isn't a racist is beyond me. How Johnson can defend him is also shocking.

Collymore was astonishingly brave visiting Anfield on Friday night.

 

[peteblue]

If we can accept as a defence that 'Suarez can't be racist because he has played with black players', then we cannot in all seriousness charge any footballer with racism.

What's a guy to do? Say 'I am not going to sign for X because they have a black player'????

How Evra can say that Suarez isn't a racist is beyond me. How Johnson can defend him is also shocking.

Collymore was astonishingly brave visiting Anfield on Friday night.

The stewards removed all the hoods and matches.......

 

[Tubey]

If we can accept as a defence that 'Suarez can't be racist because he has played with black players', then we cannot in all seriousness charge any footballer with racism.

What's a guy to do? Say 'I am not going to sign for X because they have a black player'????

How Evra can say that Suarez isn't a racist is beyond me. How Johnson can defend him is also shocking.

Collymore was astonishingly brave visiting Anfield on Friday night.

In fact, nobody could be labelled a racist if that were true.

I bought a Walnut Whip off a black man in a shop once, I can't be a racist etc.

 

[davek]

http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/...y-that-turned-into-a-racist-rant-6283823.html

Shocking revelations...that will go down in the game's annals of infamy

"Liverpool will study the judgment of almost 30,000 words that was finally published last night before making any comment but their case has hardly been helped by the conclusions.Indeed, the gesture of support that was intended by wearing T-shirts with Suarez's name and number on now look more ill-advised than ever."

They are badly wounded by all of this. It'll drag on for ages and chip away at team morale.

And those idiot fans of theirs have been taught a harsh lesson: they might think they can get what they want all of the time by screaming and playing the victim card, but they cant. No amount of their usual lobbying and initimidation of organisations and individulas could swing it for them. And now they and their club look like 100% pricks of the first order.

Made up.

 

[ToffeeDan]

Liverpool FC - 18 (certificate)

 

[Matt Damon]

In an imaginary scenario Dalglish, having some sort of pub opinion, believed that Evra HAD made several 'unfounded' accusations of racism.

Seeing an opportunity to play a 'boy who cried wolf' card, Suarez was instructed to goad this particular opponent with a view to getting him sent off. Suarez may well have received assurances that he would be in the clear due to Evra's perceived 'history'.

And the rest, as they say, is 'history'.

Perhaps Dalglish's ego - fed by unquestioning fans - has grown so large, he not only thinks he is bigger than the game, but also society. In some ways he has thrown Suarez, the club and the fans 'under the bus'.

Good to read from a previous poster that some fans may be questioning this whole affair.

Over 20 years ago, people kept telling me that Everton had a racist agenda - hence no black players. I found it very hard to argue - so I didn't. All I could do was hope that we signed one sooner rather than later. I am sure many Evertonians felt the same. I know of no Evertonians who refuted this 'charge'. It was a period of silent shame for us.

We, as a club and fanbase, do not have a reputation for defending the indefensible.

Oh - and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

There is no evidence to say that that was anything more than coincidence in that 20 years. Additionally you are wrong.

Everton's Mike Trebilcock actually a final scoring cup winning player of mixed race in the 1960's. Additionally people neglect the demographics of Liverpool even to this day being what it is support the coincidence conclusion. Since the demographics of Liverpool at the time were not like London or Birmingham even and still aren't today!

Everton comply with all aspects of the RRA, the equality act and related legislation.

Its a slur to suggest what you said even in hearsay as anything but remotely true.

For one thing Everton would of handled things differently on Suarez. Investigate first. Discipline if evidence warranted it.

Our fans would stand for nothing less.

 

[ScouseBlueBoy]

There is no evidence to say that that was anything more than coincidence in that 20 years. Additionally you are wrong.

Everton's Mike Trebilcock actually a final scoring cup winning player of mixed race in the 1960's. Additionally people neglect the demographics of Liverpool even to this day being what it is support the coincidence conclusion. Since the demographics of Liverpool at the time were not like London or Birmingham even and still aren't today!

Everton comply with all aspects of the RRA, the equality act and related legislation.

Its a slur to suggest what you said even in hearsay as anything but remotely true.

For one thing Everton would of handled things differently on Suarez. Investigate first. Discipline if evidence warranted it.

Our fans would stand for nothing less.

I never made any such claims. These are things which were being said to ME.

I was far from happy about it. I cheered Cliff Marshall on in the 70s too.

 

[Matt Damon]

The point I am making is the first response wouldn't of been "hasn't he done this before" as Dalglish said according to the FA commision report - which was illegal

It would have been:

To take it seriously
To investigate
To if evidence showed inappropriate behaviour to discipline the involved

I also think Everton would have asked for a closed doors hearing and not made ANY public comment until after.

And if wrong doing was shown you bet it would be taken seriously.

Like I said, our fans would stand for nothing less.




No t-shirts. No grandstanding the media. No petitions etc