I tried but couldn't resist touching on David Starkey's rather disastrous appearance on Newsnight last Friday. Since so many have already opined on the subject far more eloquently than I could ever manage, I'll try to keep it short.
Many have argued that Starkey's comments have been pounced on by the PC brigade with the result being to shut down a much needed debate on race. Indeed, we do need to have that debate. It goes to the very heart of our understanding of our identity, both as individuals and a nation. It would seem strange to ignore something so fundamental when examining why society collapsed catastrophically last week.
But that's the point: this incredibly sensitive and personal debate is crucial if this country is to address the vast problems it faces today. Charging headlong at the issue, wild-eyed and foaming at the mouth like a bull to a red cloth, does nothing to aid that debate. Rather, it offends people to such a degree that it forces them into an ideological corner. Don't blame the PC brigade for shutting down the debate. Blame people like David Starkey.
No comments:
Post a Comment