Class OAP

By Alan Tyers

A remarkable day for the grey brigade today, starting with the news that a 77-year-old grandmother has been jailed for cocaine smuggling.

It just goes to show: you’re never too old to try new things.

But maybe the fact that the smuggler’s age is of such interest tells us something about society. The court was repeatedly assured that she was a willing participant. Imagine! Is it really so amazing any more when older people do stuff?

Pensioners are now the single largest age group in the UK: when will the media cotton on to this? Similarly, fuel prices are back on the agenda, with Friends of the Earth and Help the Aged trying to sue the government for not doing enough to help the “vulnerable” keep their homes warm this winter.

Is this idea that all old people are by definition helpless victims of circumstance, huddled at home in front of Alan Titchmarsh, worrying whether to treat themselves to a quick razz with the electric fire, getting a bit, well, old?

A study at Yale University has found that elderly patients who are spoken to in a patronising manner – “how are we today, dearie?” etc – and shown negative images of ageing perform worse on memory and balance tests. It has even been claimed that people with positive attitudes towards the ageing process live longer.

In short, maybe older people don’t need all this hand-wringing concern about their welfare as much as to be treated like members of society. Maybe not drug dealing members of society, but if the cap fits…

Comments

[TheConsumption]

The airport bombing was in the name of religion and so irrational dogmatism is to blame, not race.

[Marcus Garvey]

"... how can you possibly blame socio - economic factors for highly paid , well educated doctors wanting to blow up Glasgow airport?"

This was down to frustration at the waiting time to get a new BMW. But to equate terrorism with everyday crime is not only absurd, it's also the perverse manipulation of data in the extreme. I blame those notorious black criminals ... the Krays!

[Bob]

The Consumption , how can you possibly blame socio - economic factors for highly paid , well educated doctors wanting to blow up Glasgow airport ?

[Bob]

The proof of the pudding is in the eating . I know you might find the truth hard to take but thanks to modern technology , the web of lies and deceit is being exposed for the world to see .
Stop making excuses .
The " racist morons " are the ones who want to see my race extinguished , through murder and miscegenation .
I hope you , The Consumption ,do not become the multicult globalists next victim of the failed experiment .

[TheConsumption]

I have no doubt that there are statistics demonstrating that ethnic minorities commit a disproportionate number of crimes. However, what these racist morons fail to realise is that this is due to a vast array of socio-economic factors. The idea that people commit crimes in virtue of their skin colour is beyond absurd.

[JR]

Blimey this has all got a bit out of hand hasn't it. I would genuinely like to see these so called statistics proving that any one ethnic group are responsible for all/most of a particular type of crime because that sort of information is never published. All Rich is basing his opinions on is what he sees in the newspapers. (Unless he has a mole friend in a government agency he's talking out of his bottom.. or are we supposed to accept his personal survey carried out on crime figures at his place of work because I for one feel that a sample of three offences is possibly a trifle small) Anyway it all goes to show that we are being successfully manipulated by the press and selective reporting and should all grow up.

[rich]

john, im not saying stabbing is a black crime, im saying its a crime more likely to be commited by a black person and because of that people relate it to the black community, and wether the press and tabloids report more on black stabbings and shootings isnt the point, shooting and stabbing goes on more in the black community than it does in the white. so its not a black crime, its a more commonly commited crime in the black community and because of this people will regard it more as "a black crime" until the gangsta wanna be youths in south london etc, get their acts together and stop proving the likes of me right.

[Froddo Baggins]

It was bad enough when all we poor people of Middle England only had to deal with Elves and Dwarves, but now we've got Orcs everywhere. There's nothing wrong with Orcs over in Orcland, but we hairy footed Hobbits don't want to have to live next door to such nasty, dirty, violent, drug taking creatures. Send them back to Mordor!

[sadly, for the BNP types, it was racist fascists that Tolkein was attacking]

[John]

I can see what you are getting at now, but still think that your view is misguided. I agree that the immigration policies, enforcement and housing has been inept at best and thats one thing that needs changing drastically. But "next time there is a shooting or stabbing of a teenager i guarantee that the victim or attacker will be black, im not being racist im going on fact!" is completely misguided as the media are more likely to report "yet another victim of the black gang culture" than john smith getting drunk and stabbing someone in a bar. Basically what im saying is there is a huge difference between what is reported in the press and what ACTUALLY goes on in the world. Im not denying that gang warfare is about or that it is fairly widespread, im just saying that even though statistics indicate a crime is MORE LIKELY to be committed by someone who is black, that doesnt make it a "black crime" just the same that drunk and disorderly is not a "white crime"

[rich]

"Rich - I took you up on that and asked a copper why they wear stab vests - he said it was to protect him from being stabbed - funny he didnt mention anything about colour"
Thats the stupidest comment ever, he's not going to answer that question with "the blacks" is he.
you petulant fool

[rich]

john, yes there were bombings a few decades ago, but there werent stabbings headlining the news every other day.
we see again that a foregin black man called mulenga will probably get life for shooting someone in london.
it was never going to be a steven smith now was it.
im not being racist or facist im just saying that its a crime you'd typically expect of the black community.
it seems to me that the more foreigners (not just black people) that come into our country the more our crime rate goes up.
in my job we see a vast amount of people as we are a customer facing side of a large company, over the last year we have had 3 thefts,
2 by polish immigrants and 1 by a coloured gentleman.
this issue goes back to the government not policing immigration properly, if people come over with no work etc they are going to resort to crime, im babbling and getting off the point now.
basically drug, gun and knife crime is stereotyped towards the black community and time and time again, they prove us right. next time there is a shooting or stabbing of a teenager i guarantee that the victim or attacker will be black, im not being racist im going on fact!

[John]

Rich - I took you up on that and asked a copper why they wear stab vests - he said it was to protect him from being stabbed - funny he didnt mention anything about colour.

As for "a few decades ago when the uk was predominantly white protestant, the people of britain as a whole had much better morals and had more respect for the country they were living in." a couple of decades ago was around about the time of the pub bombings - are you trying to say that the people responsible for these had much more respect for where they lived?

Noone should be needed to be FORCED to appreciate other cultures or societies, but they should at least be educated that people who look very different are more alike to them than some would like to believe - for example, discrimination happens on all sides, its not just a "white" thing. and criminals come in all shapes, sizes and colours.

Yes "statistics" can indicate that a certain crime is mostly commited by one type of person, but that does not mean that crime is specific to that group, which is why I abhor the term "black crime" as if its any different to "white crime".

This crime has been highlighted due to the age of the criminal (which for some in the media seems to be a surprise but obviously these people never get out much) not their colour.

[phil]

John, no one says what they think of their ethnic neighbours because if you do a whole new raft of 'offences' have been especially created to ensure that you can't. Racially aggravated abuse etc. So if you can't express any other way what you REALLY think then posting on web sites is your last refuge for free speech. Give another 5 years, if we're all not eating out of dumpsters by then, and the powers that be get GCHQ the equipment to monitor all emails and mobile calls then even that will be taken away inless you want a call from the thought police at 3 in the morning.
Basically some people don't like other people either by colour , red hair or whatever and the more you you try and force them to the more likely they will resort to extremist groups as the only outlet for their opinions and its nice to belong to a gang who think the same way.
And they may just have a point noone has asked joe public if he wants 1 in 10 of his fellow citizens to be black , brown or yellow they have been thrust opon him by the chattering classes who in the main are protected from immigrations nastier side by their income and live styles. Should be interesting if unemployment starts to rise with the economic mess. Mind you there always the Polish whipping boy to blame or have a go at now which is all right because the're white and don't count!

[rich]

i can see ron and wendys point, however racist it may be.
there is more black crime in england than there is white crime FACT.
there is more black crime that is gun or knife based FACT.
hate to say it, but it was never going to be an old white woman who got caught smuggling in a mother load of coke was it. its not suprising the woman they caught was black and had dredlocks.
people can kick up a fuss all they want about it being nothing to do with colour or creed, but it is.
im not saying all black people are criminals or have dredlocks, what i am POINTING OUT is that the statistics show that it was never going to be an elderly white woman smuggling drugs into the uk in her mobility scooter.
and the next teenager that gets stabbed to death in the uk has a 90% chance of being black and being stabbed by another black person.
i know my next comment is going to sound very BNP but just hear me out.
a few decades ago when the uk was predominantly white protestant, the people of britain as a whole had much better morals and had more respect for the country they were living in.

[Graham N]

Why is it that a black police association is allowed and not a white one, surely this is racist in itself

[Rich]

John, ask any police officer why they have to wear an anti stab vest

[Jason]

Kids falling out of their prams?

The only thing surprising about the Grandma case is the length of the sentence - 13 YEARS!!! - instead of an ASBO.

I'll bet she's out in 3. The Man Of Straw will make sure of it.

[John]

Ron, how dare you critise people purely based on their skin colour its disgusting. do you express your views to people who arent white to their faces, or is it a habit you only reserve for being behind a keyboard? colour, creed or beliefs dont breed criminals. People often hide behind ethnicity and use it as an easy reason to explain their actions but the truth is everyone is individual, and therefore responsibility lies squarely at each individuals door. "Black crime" is no different to "white crime" "old crime" "young crime" etc etc, crime is crime and is dealt with on an individual basis, its about time you accepted that and kept your racist remarks to yourself.

[ron]

I can see by these last few blogs that the truth hurts

[Mrs Ron]

Ron... have you been drinking? You are either pretty ignorant or completely bladdered.

[Ron's mum]

Ron, you are a very naughty boy. Are you leaving these silly messages on this page because you wet the bed again? Or because i drank heavily when you I was pregnant with you?

[Ron?]

What?

[JR]

A few more decades and geriatric crime will overtake youth crime. Why wouldn't it - morals standards are in general, declining, and well brought up people will all soon be dead!
This is not a race issue (Ron & Wendy) it's about criminals getting older. Twenty years time there'll be wheelchair-by shootings I reckon.

[Wendy]

Ron, as a white woman who lives in north london I couldn't agree with you more

[james]

More than it would cost for the government to snap out of zero-tolerance policing and actually tackle the main socio-economic causes of black crime.

[Yani]

Ron - What has this got to do with being Black?
It's costing this country just as much as white crime. I'm Black, tax payer, non criminal, i don't condone what the old Dear has done.
Ron's comments are even worse - he's ignorant.

[ron]

How much is black crime costing this country?

[John]

People find stereotypes to describe groups of people, rightly or wrongly, its just a fact of life.

Its like most people who see someone in a hoodie hanging round on a corner with a group of mates will more than likely think they are up to no good rather than they are just bored and go there to socialise with friends as there is nowhere else for them to go.

As long as the stereotype creates awareness that there are people that seriously struggle to look after themselves and helps ensure that they looked after then the stereotype serves a purpose in this instance, but obviously everyone is different and should be treated as such when face-to-face - such as this smuggler getting the same sentence anyone else would.