I love Fridays:)
Somehow, our opinion is suddenly causing offence-what a joke:) Normally I am not getting involved in forums-email from colleague and what I saw there made me think again, about how people treat each other.Libel is libel for one opininin but libel is not libel for other?:) Therefore, I was sitting in the computer room along with few colleagues and while talking (Especially after the few last posts) we decided to drop a bomb and see the reaction. I manage to write a post on this discussion forum: “I really do think that no one from very high up in the government get involved in this case. Is there any reason for that? The most supporters of Michael Shields are Liverpool fans. There are many opinions around me but if you allow me, I would like to share email from my colleague criminal psychiatrist Proff.Rodney on his behalf: “It was only a matter of time before it came out: Sankey was paid to confess. This was the mobs only hope to get Michael off the horrendous crime that he committed whilst in a drugged and drunken rage that night in Golden Sands. This type of thing is very common in the UK amongst organized crime syndicates and football hooligans. Now it all makes sense. This is why the united hooligan gang who has been supporting Michael has not replied to the countless appeals to send Sankey back over to Bulgaria. That is something we all know. I do feel for Michael’s friends and family as it must be very hard for them. Hopefully Michael’s case will act as a detergent for this type of behavior.”
Personally, it does seem strange that the Liverpool fans have not sent Sankey back. It does make their entire argument look very suspicious indeed. Especially after Mirror’s publication:
“29 July 2005 BREAKTHROUGH IN JUSTICE FIGHT Michael Shields By Brendon Williams And Tom Reilly THE man who admitted the crime for which Liverpool fan Michael Shields (left) was jailed in Bulgaria signed his confession yesterday. Graham Sankey’s solicitor has already faxed it to the Bulgarian authorities in a move, which it is hoped will pave the way to the release of Shields, 18. But Sankey, 20, is so far still refusing to bow to pressure to stand trial in Bulgaria. Shields was sentenced on Tuesday to 15 years for a brutal attack on a waiter. After days in hiding following death threats, Sankey said in a statement issued by his solicitor David Kirwan: “I am making this signed confession in the hope an innocent man will no longer have to take responsibility for what I admit I did.”
The Sun newspaper launched a subscription list in support of Michael Shields under the slogan “Save Michael.” After the initial reports, the trial is now covered mainly by the tabloids and the regional British press - mostly in Liverpool, with a stress on the confessions of Graham Sankey and how would his appearance in court affect the trial’s further development. The initial sharp remarks and comments, provoked by headlines like “Innocent Fan Sentenced to 15 Years in Jail”. Despite its mass popularity, many people hold negative views of the paper. They accuse it of being coarse and unprofessional, its journalistic style amateurish and sensationalist, and designed to appeal to individuals of limited intelligence. “The SUN newspaper takes a right-wing view, staunchly anti-European and conservative, although this has not stopped it giving support to the ruling “New Labour” Government under the leadership of Prime Minister Tony Blair since 1997. This was repeated in 2001 and 2005. Outside celebrity-based content, common story themes include immigration, security scandals, the so-called “destruction of the British way of life” by Europe, domestic abuse and pedophiles - though some people suggested that the latter was once undermined by a beautiful baby competition (with plenty of photographs of young children) run at the same time which they claimed might attract the attention of unsavory individuals. The Sun was condemned for its coverage of the 1989 Hillsborough football stadium disaster in Sheffield, where it printed allegations against Liverpool football fans that were later found to be untrue. This caused a boycott of the Sun in Liverpool. It made a full page ‘apology’ on July 7, 2004, 15 years after the disaster which has been criticized by some as self-serving. Also controversial has been the paper’s alleged homophobia. The Hillsborough disaster was a deadly human crush that occurred on April 15, 1989, at Hillsborough, a football stadium in Sheffield. The crush ultimately took the lives of 96 people, with 766 fans receiving injuries. Following the disaster, Kelvin MacKenzie, then editor of The Sun, used the front page headline ‘THE TRUTH’, with three sub-headlines: ‘Some fans picked pockets of victims’; ‘Some fans urinated on the brave cops’; ‘Some fans beat up PC giving kiss of life’. The error staring them in the face was too glaring. It obviously wasn’t a silly mistake; nor was it a simple oversight. Nobody really had any comment on it—they just took one look and went away shaking their heads in wonder at the enormity of it. It was a “classic smear”.’ Lord Justice Taylor’s official inquiry into the disaster disparaged The Sun’s story and was unequivocal as to the disaster’s cause: ‘The real cause of the Hillsborough disaster [was] overcrowding, the main reason for the disaster was the failure of police control.’ Following The Sun’s report, the newspaper was boycotted by most newsagents in Liverpool, with many refusing to stock the tabloid and large numbers of readers canceling orders and even refusing to buy from shops which did stock the newspaper. MacKenzie explained his reporting in 1993. Talking to a House of Commons National Heritage Select Committee he said “I regret Hillsborough. It was a fundamental mistake. The mistake was I believed what an MP said. It was a Tory MP. If he had not said it and the chief superintendent had not agreed with it, we would not have gone with it.” This explanation was not accepted by families of Hillsborough victims. Even fifteen years after the Hillsborough disaster, the circulation of The Sun in Liverpool is still believed to be only 12,000 copies a day where previously it was around 200,000. The Sun itself issued an apology “without reservation” in a full page opinion piece on 7 July 2004, saying that it had “committed the most terrible mistake in its history.” The Sun was responding to the intense criticism of Wayne Rooney, a Liverpool-born football star who then still played in the city (for Everton), who had sold his life story to the newspaper. Rooney’s actions had incensed Liverpool dwellers still angry at The Sun. The Sun’s apology was somewhat bullish, saying that the “campaign of hate” against Rooney was organized in part by the Liverpool Daily Post & Echo, owned by Trinity Mirror, who also own the Daily Mirror, archrivals of The Sun. Thus, the apology actually served to anger some Liverpudlians further. The Liverpool Echo itself did not accept the apology, calling it “shabby” and “an attempt, once again, to exploit the Hillsborough dead.” Do you remember? The Sun attracted particular opprobrium for its use of the huge “THE TRUTH” headline and its subsequent refusal to issue an apology. Much of Europe dissented from the US/UK war drive against Iraq but even that is not evidence that they are more politically advanced than the UK. This racism and xenophobia are on the march everywhere – in Sofia and Varna as much as in London or Liverpool. That said it does not change the fact that the Sun and its ilk are drumming up reactionary, right-wing hate with nearly every “article”. Surely the posts from The Sun illustrates that this is just a media game - does anyone believe that the paper’s leader writer actually wants to see “THE TRUTH”. Of course not. He or she is just trying to write what they think their readers want to read.
I know there is a lot going on around the country right now with everyone working overtime to prevent any more terrorist activity but still there are facts many of us cannot brush away and also not ashamed to admit. If you have not been completely brainwashed by the media, I am sure you can add a few examples to this list. I’ve always been opposed to violence, and I do believe there can be a peaceful solution to everyone’s problems, but when a small group of people make peaceful solutions impossible, and use violence to impose their will upon others, they will always invite violence upon themselves. Either you are seeking justice in government’s crimes and corruption for the betterment of all, or you are profiting by this crime and corruption, perpetuating it, thereby working to increase the suffering of millions. There is no middle ground, and there are no innocent bystanders. There is need of stepping back and replacing the media hustle by deep analysis of the events. Thank you” What happened next was intolerable but expected -all the computers on our network were banned. A message comes up declaring: “You are being blocked from viewing content of the following site(s).” The justification for the seizure was” banned for 7 days based on libel content”:)The funny thing is that notnihg is libel until is not true:)Proff.Rodney share information with collegues of his who is involved in this case so we are deeply aware what is libel and what is not.Of course the deleted posts remind us where we decided to post-forum for defending Shields.Seems the real reason is even murkier. Various theories seem to be circulating, but at the end of the day, pure and simple intimidation of dissenting voices appears to be the most likely motive.. I think all of us decided more then ever to participate on the matter and resolve the problem. So later on,my colleagues started writing on the same discussion board from their homes. I had email from all of them conforming their posts. It was interesting to see all of them however, the post from Proff.Rodney was most important since he was mentioned in the original post: “The reply had been deleted; Mars wrote:” I really do think that no one from very high up in the government get involved in this case. Is there any reason for that? The most supporters of Michael Shields are Liverpool fans. There are many opinions around me but if you allow me, I would like to share email from my colleague criminal psychiatrist Proff.Rodney on his behalf: “It was only a matter of time before it came out: Sankey was paid to confess. This was the mobs only hope to get Michael off the horrendous crime that he committed whilst in a drugged and drunken rage that night in Golden Sands. This type of thing is very common in the UK amongst organized crime syndicates and football hooligans. Now it all makes sense. This is why the united hooligan gang who has been supporting Michael has not replied to the countless appeals to send Sankey back over to Bulgaria. That is something we all know. I do feel for Michael’s friends and family as it must be very hard for them. Hopefully Michael’s case will act as a detergent for this type of behavior.” Personally, it does seem strange that the Liverpool fans have not sent Sankey back. It does make their entire argument look very suspicious indeed. Especially after..ect.” I post in response, letting people know that the poll was unjust and perpetuated homophobia and bigotry by excluding people who are intelligent enough to write sensible view on the matter. This post insulted someone (even though it contained no epithets against the posters) and, therefore, was in violation of site rules. As I can see, many intelligent people already left even without ban. That’s easy to say for someone not excluded. In addition, it is sadly typical for a person in the majority to attempt to minimize the poll’s egregious affront and its casual, ignorant assumptions. I am inclined to believe that the poll poster had no intention to cause harm. However, every day these affronts occur — unthinking people assume everyone is just like them and operate accordingly, not taking into account how they can hurt people. As a site that caters to the public — which includes people of varying orientations, ethnicities, religions, philosophies, etc. — Armin’s Updates has a responsibility to ensure to the best of its ability that its users are not hurt or excluded. Bigotry, even of the mindless, unintentional variety, should not be tolerated. In addition, that the poll allegedly was unintentional neither soothes any wounds caused nor encourages others to be more mindful of the dangers of perpetuating bigotry and intolerance. You can ban me now.” They locked the topic deleting all the posts on this matter-this time removing even the trace that such a posts existed.I suppose realizing legal action we could take and the high level of English to which they had no answers to. I disagree fundamentally with those who argue that the board has any interest whatsoever in defending people’s rights-they abused ours rights.It was nice to see that we are not the only posters demanding tolerance. At least one person was upset by it.That is Armin. If you are a person who believes in the worth of all people -consider yourself warned. When it comes to providing a safe, welcoming place for all Football fans, Armin’s Updates is a joke:) In the end, is not about one person: It is about the bigger picture. Glad we did it!