Peter Tjittes on January 9th, 2004
It's a matter of principle, this is a country with freedom of speech. You don't have to agree with him. But he has the right to speak his mind. No, he should not be sacked for his comments
Mike Toone on January 9th, 2004
Power to his elbow I say. The PC luvvies have had their way for far too long. If Kilroy Silk is to be "arrested" for Racist comments, then so should certain hooked handed Muslim Clerics !!!!
Adam on January 9th, 2004
Robert is merly voicing the opinions that many of the residents of the UK feel; sure he has made generalisations but dont millions of people do that everyday? Everything he has said is true and he SHOULD NOT be punished for doing so.
Alex Varley on January 9th, 2004
He's told it how it is. Some people are afraid to acknowledge the huge problem that is the middle east.
John Marsden on January 9th, 2004
Simon is wrong, we DON'T live in a free country, its a sad misconception. I don't think he should be sacked - but forced to choose between his column or his chat show.
Carl A on January 9th, 2004
Its a free country, he can say what he likes. His comments have nothing to do with the BBC so why have they taken this action. If he was talking about the USA instead of Arab nations the lefty PC people would be quite happy. I'm not saying everything he said is correct but there is quite a bit of truth in it.
steven livingston on January 9th, 2004
i think he is absolutely right -and should be able to say what he wants--this is a democracy--we should stop giving in to the arab boycot
Andrew Gasking on January 9th, 2004
I cannot believe Kilroy has gone ahead and said this. He doesnt seem the type of person to say something so untoward. But he cannot be slated for expressing his view. He clearly has a very strong view on this which he felt cannot be ignored. Gutsy i must say.
Alex Oughton on January 9th, 2004
Whether or not his comments were right, or justified, he certainly shouldn't be sacked for speaking his mind. That's what freedom of speech is all about, and I thought that was the point of some of these conflicts!
J Rogers on January 9th, 2004
It's a sad day when we cannot state our feelings in our own country. I am one of the most moderate men in our age group that I know, always getting flak from some biggoted associates for my tolerance to our ethnic brothers. I somewhat ashamedly agree with Kilroy.
Mr_X on January 9th, 2004
Kilroy is not a foolish man, and he has obviously put some thought into what he has said. I think what he has said reflects what many, many people in the Western world think - and he is going to pay the price for voicing his "personal" opinion publically. However, what concerns me is what is said about the Western world in the Arabic media ? Not even twelve months ago Al-Jazeera broadcast pictures of DEAD western soldiers which breaches the Geneva Convention (broadcasting pictures of Prisoners of War) and there was no problems seen there. Surely we are discriminating against ourselves here ?
Mark B on January 9th, 2004
Is anyone really surpised at Kilroy's treatment ? The BBC don't like free-speech, hence their reaction. They are made up of left-leaning control freak luvvies farting around at the public's expense who believe that the BBC can engineer some sort of multi-cultural utopia in Britain. The main characteristic of such people is that they believe that their doctrine is unchallengable and so therefore anyone who disagrees is considered an unfortunate looney who should be punished. Overall, all I can say is well done Kilroy, keep up the good work and bad move BBC, the sooner they get rid of the licence fee the better !
Muhammad Ibrahim on January 9th, 2004
His comments are based on prejudice, a sheer lack of understanding of Islam. Many Arab nations are puppet nations to the developed world and do not have the infrastructures to contribute more than he is suggesting. The footage broadcast by CNN after 9/11 was clearly old footage from another event, spliced in, that should not have been broadcast at such a sensitive time, it was a sheer distortion of fact reinforcing prejudice. Suicide bombing is a serious sin in Islam, the destruction of the lives of thousands of innocent people is abhorent and contravenes the Islamic laws of warfare. The perpetrators of such actions are often from Islamically degenerate backgrounds in the first place (having girl friends, drinking alcohol, involved in other illegal crimes, forging passports, money laundering etc) The head covering (hijab) should be a liberating feature, not a submissive one. This is an injunction not made by man, or imposed by men, it should be one of free choice. Kilroy's comments are not only ill informed and prejudiced, they are very dangerous and only but fuel extremist views, racism and will contribute to making the world in to a more dangerous place. Kilroy should certainly be held accountable for such comments, even taken before the crown prosecution service to see if there are any charges he could be held accountable for. If he is guilty, his journalistic days will have to come to an end. It would be as equally outrageous for him to deny the holocaust happened, blamed the ills of current society on Jews. Such forms of prejudice can lead to the holocaust happening again. Just like Jewish organisations that speak out against anti-semitism, so to must Muslims speak out against such forms of Islamophobia. Here all moral, conscientious, law abiding citizens of the United Kingdom can stand united.
DR FAYLSZALALAL AL-WARITH on January 9th, 2004
As an Arab I condemn his rant. He should be arrested under the race relations act. He obviously stands by what he has said, and that's why he hasn't apologised. Any aplology now would be too little, too late. He should never have spoken like this. The vast majority of Arabs are anti-terror, and condemn it in all forms.
Steve on January 9th, 2004
Wasn't only racist, but he also basically accused all Arabs of being responsible for September 11th which is a terrible thing to say, especially as Arabs died in it too. He should be sacked for that comment.
Moleman on January 9th, 2004
Wasn't modern civilsation born in the middle east???? Oh well, suppose it doesn't count for anything. Apparently anything done againt a muslim leads to outrage from their spokepersons, but they never denounce the suicide bombers that kill innocent civilians.
Tony C on January 9th, 2004
The debate is not about muslims its about Arabs. RKS' questions the contrbution of Arabs to civilisation forgetting alchemy, algebra, astronomy annd architecture (and we're only only on A). He calls Iran and Afghanistan 'Arab states' when they clearly are not and generalises about Arab people in a clearly stereotypical way - these are all the charges laid in front of him.
Gordon Hedley on January 9th, 2004
"We are told by some of the more hysterical critics of the war on terror that 'it is destroying the Arab world'. So? Should we be worried about that?" Yes, Mr K-S, because that is called genocide. "what do they contribute? Can you think of anything? Anything really useful?... No, nor can I... " Your ignorance of history astounds me Mr K-S! (actually it doesn't - I've seen your shows!) You have clearly not heard of the many brilliant Arab scholars and philosophers that were teaching many great things in the past, while 'the west' were landing craft on the west coast of Africa to chain up every black man they could find and enslave him, or crusading through the know world torturing everyone who didn’t believe in god. Clearly 'the west' is superior Mr K-S, Clearly.
Martin Adamson on January 9th, 2004
If Newnight arts pundit Tom Paulin - who called for all Jewish settlers in Israel to be "f*****ng shot" - is still allowed to broadcast on the BBC, why should Robert Kilroy-Silk be banned?
Sajad Nawaz on January 9th, 2004
Yes, he should be sacked and the BBC should so that it realy does cater for all but not supporting such presenters as Kiljoy!!, it was a VERY dated show anyway and BBC should use this as an excuse to get something new in place.
Ben Cook on January 9th, 2004
Whilst I disagree with the sentiment, I don't see why he should be sacked for giving an opinion.
Dave McCabe on January 9th, 2004
No one's free speech should be stiffled, the muslim taleban in this country are quick to come out with anti british/US comments and they remain unchecked. It seems to me that muslims are unable or unwilling to take responsibility for the actions of some of the barbaric governments in the world based in the middle east. If the British government carried some of things thak Kilroy quite rightly pointed too, there would be a revolution, shame the muslims can't see beyond the blinkers of their Islam
Tony C on January 9th, 2004
The reason why its not the same to compare the comments to France/the French or Germany/the Germans is that Arabs constitute a race and therefore he is racist. Replace them with the word 'Blacks' or 'Jews' and you'll understand that he has crossed the line. No-one should be sacked for airing their views but that isn't a licence to be racist. Racists have no place on the BBC. The Sunday Express is another matter!
George Davis on January 9th, 2004
The pompous ass that is Kilroy should have been taken off the air years ago. However, having lived and worked in many countries of the middle east for the last 15 years I can only say that his rant is accurate. Most of the arab world is morally, socially and fiscally corrupt and do have a real hatred for western culture and ideals.
Tony on January 9th, 2004
Thank goodness someone has the courage to say this. Hope he has lots of money as he'll never work again though.
Rima Taha on January 9th, 2004
I think that someone who believes himself to be educated and knowlegable should be disgraced for these kind of comments. They are not only racist and incredibly predujiced but very hurtful to an Arab who is not a terrorist or an amputator but merely a normal human being living and paying taxes in this country. Also, Afghanistan is not an Arab country and not all Arabs are muslim and vice versa. It's about time that people know what they are saying before they say it. It is wrong to go about making such accusations!!!! I am disgraced and will consider continuing to live here.
Colin Stone on January 9th, 2004
Maybe the comments were OTT. However I do not think that he should be sacked, as he was not stating the comments in his role as TV presenter. We have become far too touchy about what people say. Freedom of speach ... ?
Paul Smith on January 9th, 2004
Yes, I think he should be sacked. That said, however, if somebody had written a similar 'rant' about the French or the Germans... or even America, as regularly happens in the left-wing media... there might not be quite so much outrage.
Tony Crayshaw on January 9th, 2004
A stupid article from a very stupid man. The article was nothing more than a pub rant and was peppered with inaccuracies. The Kilroy Show should have been replaced ages ago with something a little bit up-to-date - but please God nothing like the Rod Liddle chat show that appeared on BBC2 on Saturdays.
simon on January 9th, 2004
why should he not be able to voice his opinions, after all we live in a free country.
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