Britain’s talent for missing the point
OFCOM, the TV watchdog, has said it will NOT launch an investigation into Diversity’s dance interpretation of Black Lives Matter on Britain’s Got Talent.
Hallelujah! Why the hell should anyone in their right mind even think they should have considered that in the first place?
According to Ofcom, it was because the subject of the complaints included concern that themes of violence and racism were inappropriate for family viewing, that it expressed support for the political organisation Black Lives Matter, that it encouraged violence against the police, and that it was racist towards white people.
REALLY? So it wasn’t the fact that it portrayed the shocking killing of an innocent black man, then?!
Are you racist? I would love to know.
And I’d be intrigued to know why, because I just don’t get racism and I won’t even hear any justification
for it. Unfortunately, though, it happens every single day in towns, cities and homes across the UK, as well as on the telly and at the cinema.
And kids, whatever their ethnicity, witness violence of some kind, through whatever medium, most days, whether at home, in the playground, on their phones or on the telly. So to suggest the dance re-enactment of a real-life event that changed the world would be mind- warping just doesn’t bear scrutiny.
Ashley Banjo and his group performed a memorable, moving, profoundly affecting version of the unspeakable events leading to the death of George Floyd.
His killing happened. His life taken in the name of hatred. Sorry, and you can call me thick if you like, but I do not get why over 24,000 people felt they had to complain.
Why, why, why? It was a vital, raw, angry, poignant performance that surely delivered a shot to the heart of what the Black Lives Matter movement stands for.
WHO was complaining? Hands up if you were.
I’d love to hear from you as I really don’t understand why a powerfully moving portrayal of a heinous race- hate- based crime that was reported across the world seems to have been, to some, more offensive than the crime itself.
Our kids have witnessed violence at home and in the playground