(MP George) Galloway wins damages

[Scurrilous]

<snip>

"MP George Galloway has won £15,000 in libel damages against Jewish community radio station Jcom after it implied he was anti-Semitic and as a result, the station has now closed down.

The MP for Bethnal Green & Bow took issue with a programme broadcast last November in which a spoof character called "George Galloway" had a catchphrase of "kill the Jews, kill the Jews".

According to the judge, Mr Justice Eady, the words used were in "appalling taste" and "Mr Galloway is the founding member of the Respect Party and is prominent in denouncing racism and discrimination, and has no anti-Semitic or racist views."

Following the judgement, Galloway said: "I'm pleased that this judgment has categorically crushed the slur of anti-Semitism. I have fought racism, all forms of racism, all my political life. I continue to do so and will also continue to vigorously defend my reputation."

According to Galloway, he had to take the station to court following a lack of response from them to agree a suitable apology."

more

[BioDan]

1. Galloway is a nut

His hatred of Israel is so deranged that it becomes hard to see him as anything but racist. Even if he doesn't hate Jews, he is a friend and strong supporter of those that do.

[Tempest]

4. LOFL!

Spoken like someone who obviously hasn't heard anything Galloway has said and relies on what he's told by bias sources.

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

7. Well...

Apparently not, as the courts have ruled on it.

Now, Little Green Turdballs can be found in an entirely different place on the Intertubes. Did you know THAT?

[BioDan]

8. He's a little too friendly with hezbollah to be a friend to the Jews

Oh - the court ruled that he is isn't racist? That settles it for sure.

[oberliner]

2. What is the connection between this and I/P?

This seems to be about someone from England. There is no mention of Israelis or Palestinians anywhere in the article.

[Scurrilous]

3. If you feel I've posted this (or any other) article in the wrong forum...

...alert the mods and request they move it.

:thumbsup:

[oberliner]

5. Just seeking more information

Since you chose to post it here, there must be a reason, but you did not include any comments of your own along with the article, so I am not sure what that reason is.

Perhaps you can share some of your thoughts on the article?

[LeftishBrit]

6. Possibly because Galloway has said some very controversial things about Israel...

Mind you, he has said and done lots of very controversial things - certainly not restricted to matters related to Israel. He is strongly against the war, and good for him on that, but there are many other people who are against the war, who are a bit less flaky. The comment from Galloway that I found most offensive wasn't about I/P (though he's said some peculiar things there), but after the 1999 coup in Pakistan that brought Musharraf to power, when Galloway said that in a country like Pakistan, only the armed forces could be counted on to hold it together, and that democracy was 'only a means to an end, not an end in itself'.

He is not nearly as generally respected in the UK (including left-wingers) as by Americans who know him mainly for his smackdown of a Republican senator. His Respect Coalition against the war brought some support, and gained him a seat in parliament in 2005; because at least it was a protest against Blair and his warmongering; but since then this small party has been subject to some rather Monty-Python-esque splitting, and Galloway has gained a reputation as a bit of a buffoon and constant absentee from real work: e.g. taking time off from Parliament to take part in Celebrity Big Brother.

He probably isn't an antisemite but he keeps very strange company at times and is not very reliable.

So the story may interest some here, but probably would get more general interest in the GD and/or UK forums.