BBC Presenter Fiona Bruce was charged with ‘unconscious racism’ for asking the only non-white panel member on Question Time last night to respond to an audience member’s question about racism.
A panel of three MPs was asked the question about Azeem Rafiq’s alleged racism. It was also addressed to Jordan Peterson, bestselling author and psychologist, and Nazir Afzal, former Crown Prosecutor.
Julian Lee (Audience member) asked this question:What does the evidence say about racism in Britain today?
Ms Bruce immediately turned to Mr Afzal, asking him for his answer. He replied: “The brown person will respond first.”
The presenter asked him whether he felt it was wrong to have him ask first. He replied, “I think so.”
Following a heated exchange, Ms Bruce added that she didn’t want to do it. It’s not a sarcastic comment. It’s just how I feel.
A Twitter user reacted to the episode and called Ms Bruce’s “unconscious racism” “incredible”.
One other said that Fiona Bruce was being put in her place by Nazir.
BBC Presenter Fiona Bruce was charged with ‘unconscious racism’ for asking the only non-white panel member on last night’s primetime program Question Time to respond to an audience member’s question about racism.
Stella Creasy, a fellow panellist, said later in the discussion that she was unsure if we were normalizing forms of racism.
“Actually, I think Nazir called that you.” [Fiona]Fiona’s account tonight consisted of the following: “We normalize the notion that, if we want to discuss racism, we should first talk to the person who is black and then ask them their opinions.”
Ms Bruce explained that she always tries her best to “go to everybody on the panel before” so that everyone has the chance to answer the first question.
When the program was about to end, Mr Afzal called Ms Bruce and asked him to “forgive” him for his previous answer. But then he added, “Reality is that brown people and black people are tired of continuing to describe how much race we experience daily.”
Twitter user another person said, “Nazir Alfzal was right on the money.” Fiona Bruce was able to give a great look, even though she was being asked about it.
Another said: “Fiona Bruce is screaming after she was called out for asking the sole ethnic minority about racism. The BBC must put her on unconscious bias training.”
Jordan Peterson, a panellist from the Scottish National Party was joined by Stephen Flynn of the Conservative Employment Minister Mims Davis. Ms Bruce defended Jordan Peterson after Mr Ali claimed that it was unfair for her to question him on racism.
According to him, Ms Bruce’s decision to first go to Mr Afzal was a sign of respect.
“That could have been considered inappropriate or taken in an unprofessional manner, but it didn’t make it racist,” he said.
Peterson responded to the question from an audience member and said, “Things should be particularized rather than generalized. Let’s just say.
“This cricketer faced racism by his own admission. It is now up to you to answer the question “who?” When? What? Exactly.”
“Because it is otherwise, it becomes something like a discussion about structural racism.
This question, partly related to the racism allegations directed at Azeem Rasiq as a cricketer, was posed to three MPs, Jordan Peterson (bestselling author) and Nazir Afzal (ex-crown prosecutor).
Ms Bruce instantly turned to Mr Afzal, asking him to answer. He replied: “The brown person will respond first.”
“And when it gets abstracted up at that level, first off that pits groups against groups, which I think it’s entirely counter-productive and actually does not address the issue.
The panel was then critical of the author when he spoke out saying that racism is a “global, vague term”.
Flynn yelled angrily, “We are sorry, but that’s not what we would do. Was that what you meant?…As if it wasn’t a real thing?’
Peterson replied by saying that the sign on his hand was indicative or low resolution thinking.
Ms. Creasy stated that “He” was her next comment. [Rafiq]Recurringly called abusive terms that were directly connected to his ethnicity.
Ms. Creasy replied to Mr Peterson, “By whom?”.
The rest of the panel criticized Mr Peterson when he claimed that racism is a “global, vague term”
He replied that he thought so when the presenter asked him whether he felt it wrong for Ms Bruce to first ask him. Ms Bruce added, “Well, let’s just not do that.” No, I am not being facetious. That’s what I meant. If you’re feeling that way, I’m fine with that.
“If it moves like a duck Jordan, and speaks like a Duck it is a duck,” It’s racism.’
Peterson insisted, however that he didn’t deny the cricketer his experience.
He said, “What I wanted to know was exactly who and when,” and he then added that he had just answered the question.
“And so I’d say that those particular people should be held specific accountable before any movement down the abstraction hierarchy to discuss something like structural racist, which I don’t believe is helpful.
On Twitter, one viewer called the episode’s “unconscious racism” by Ms Bruce ‘incredible. One viewer said, “Fair play Nazir for putting Fiona Bruce into her place.”