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Author Topic: Bahrain  (Read 8979 times)

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #15 on: April 15, 2013, 09:41:32 PM »
I can't boycott Bahrain because I have a swimming gala that clashes with it anyway. But I wish I could...

I have no problem watching the race. My boycotting it will do nothing to help anyone there. What I can do is tell people about the situation (as no doubt you also do), try to open their minds up a bit as to what's going on, and generally spread the word about what I think is the nastier side of F1. Information is everything, put the information in front of people so they can make an informed decision. I'm against F1 being in Bahrain, but it's there, so I'll watch it like I watch every race.

I'm only saying this Alianora as I don't want you to miss it!

The problem I have is that I don't have any tools at my disposal that will get the race stopped, the way I did last year (and only failed in getting the race stopped through lack of time, if my information sources were anything to go by). The organisers have been careful not to breach any FIA regs, unlike last year. Remember also that human rights violations don't stop the races in China, the UK or any other country. So the FIA and teams are powerless to stop the race unless the insurance companies refuse to cover them for the trip. Suffice to say that it is beyond my baliwick to endorse the severe and sustained violence necessary to make that happen.

As it stands, F1 made its own bed and is now stuck in it. The best it can hope for is that nobody notices the FIA implicitly turn itself into a political organisation. Otherwise the FIA is in danger of losing the authority to govern sport, either officially or practically.

I've already had 2 rebel groups ask me via Twitter to spread messages to boycott the race - and then fail to reply to my requests for information that might lead to the race actually being stopped. If they don't want the race stopped (and their silence makes me suspect that), why should I? Indeed, the requests came in such a way as to make me suspect the rebel movement has split and the different fragments don't talk to each other any more. This indicates I'd have to be careful what I say because the nature of the battle on the ground has changed. There isn't "the government" and "the rebels" any more. There's "the government", "one bunch of rebels", "another bunch of rebels" and possibly other rebels - not including the people who just want everyone to shut up and stop being silly so that they can live in peace.

Boycotting wouldn't have changed anything on F1's side, especially now that F1 has turned its back on viewer figures as a success metric. It would, however, ensure I didn't have any blood on my hands, and I'd prefer a clean conscience. But boycotting implies a choice in viewing, and I can't view it anyway because I can't watch races from inside a swimming pool ;)
« Last Edit: April 15, 2013, 09:44:11 PM by Alianora La Canta »
Percussus resurgio
@lacanta (Twitter)
http://alianoralacanta.tumblr.com (Blog/Tumblr)

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #16 on: April 16, 2013, 03:52:41 AM »
F1 has a history of going places regardless of the political climate. They went to Batista's Cuba, Peron's Argentina, and South Africa during Apartheid that I remember off the top of my head. All of those situations changed and F1 no longer goes there anyway. Certainly China is a worse regime than Bahrain, and I am embarrassed to say the US does not have clean hands in this area.  :-[
Lonny

vintly

  • Guest
Re: Bahrain
« Reply #17 on: April 16, 2013, 01:27:45 PM »
I'm somewhat appalled by Joe Saward's latest views on Bahrain. Very one-sided in my opinion.

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/perceptions-and-realities-in-bahrain/#comment-149595

Not impressed by his replies to my comments either, but neither was he with mine.

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #18 on: April 16, 2013, 03:22:51 PM »
I'm somewhat appalled by Joe Saward's latest views on Bahrain. Very one-sided in my opinion.

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/perceptions-and-realities-in-bahrain/#comment-149595

Not impressed by his replies to my comments either, but neither was he with mine.

Joe said a fair amount of nonsensical stuff last year, including a giant piece on 3 supposedly-neutral people who were later discovered to have staged the entire interview to get a pro-government viewpoint across. When anyone pointed out the obvious holes in his thinking, he whinged. It doesn't surprise me that he hasn't learned his lesson.
Percussus resurgio
@lacanta (Twitter)
http://alianoralacanta.tumblr.com (Blog/Tumblr)

Offline Scott

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #19 on: April 16, 2013, 06:44:25 PM »
Maybe he's got a cheap government subsidized bit of waterfront?  He's surely in bed with someone there.  ;)
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline F1fanaticBD

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #20 on: April 16, 2013, 07:12:08 PM »
I'm somewhat appalled by Joe Saward's latest views on Bahrain. Very one-sided in my opinion.

https://joesaward.wordpress.com/2013/04/16/perceptions-and-realities-in-bahrain/#comment-149595

Not impressed by his replies to my comments either, but neither was he with mine.

Clearly you hit him in the nuts vintly  :DD :DD
Keep running the fast cars, you will be never out of girls

Offline Alianora La Canta

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #21 on: April 16, 2013, 11:09:31 PM »
Maybe he's got a cheap government subsidized bit of waterfront?  He's surely in bed with someone there.  ;)

Nah, Joe just doesn't like changing his mind. He liked the place in 2004 and he's not going to change it unless they put up a statue to Vijay Mallya or something (to say he doesn't like Vijay is like saying the Pacific Ocean has water in it)...
Percussus resurgio
@lacanta (Twitter)
http://alianoralacanta.tumblr.com (Blog/Tumblr)

Offline Cam

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #22 on: April 17, 2013, 02:00:18 PM »
Wow! Not much respect here for one of F1's premier journalists. I'm guessing he gets touchy when people piggyback on his work to push their own barrow.

I've learned more about what is happening in Bahrain from Joe's blog than any other source.  That's different from claiming he tells the whole story, by the way.

A lot of the reporting on Bahrain has been incredibly tabloid, but if anyone tries to point that out, they get howled down by the very mob that the sensationalist press pander to.  Somehow simply presenting some actual insight and facts is equated to condoning everything the Bahrani regime has done.
I am a lover of what is, not because I'm a spiritual person, but because it hurts when I argue with reality - Byron Katie

vintly

  • Guest
Bahrain
« Reply #23 on: April 17, 2013, 02:40:56 PM »
Joe's 'insight' is very biased, and I can prove it beyond doubt. His article also happens to be exactly what a lot of people would like to hear, a more convenient version of events if you like.

If you would like a more balanced perspective, in my opinion, I'd be happy to mail you a load of information. PM me if you do.

Here's a flavour from Amnesty International http://www.amnesty.org/en/news/bahrain-s-dark-side-empty-promises-while-repression-goes-unabated-2013-04-17
« Last Edit: April 17, 2013, 04:52:01 PM by vintly »

Offline Scott

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #24 on: April 17, 2013, 06:38:47 PM »
Any time an unelected regime beats down peaceful protest, it is worth paying close attention to.  When someone who is considered 'one of F1's premier journalists' writes a piece obviously only for Bahrain and Bernie's tastes, we should be even more concerned.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline lkjohnson1950

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #25 on: April 17, 2013, 06:58:45 PM »
I think the area's history lends some validity to Joe's claims. Egypt overthrows a dictator and "democracy" skews Fundamental Islamist, leading to more riots. Iran overthrew a dictator and look where that lead, worse oppression and more riots brutally put down. One of the US' greatest fears is Iraq turning fundamentalist, and there have been signs that could happen. So, truly, which is worse, The current oppressive regime, where most people have at least some freedom, or another Iranian style regime straddling the Straights of Hormuz?
Lonny

Offline F1fanaticBD

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #26 on: April 17, 2013, 07:25:45 PM »
The Bahrain situation is not so black and white, and with so many agenda's on the table it is really difficult to make your stand. I am a Formula 1 fan who likes to see racing, no matter wherever it is being held, as because I have no say about it. If I had I would have replaced Korea with Austrian A1 GP, I would have enforced mandatory presence of Spa and many other decisions. Unfortunately I cannot, and neither can you. The only way it could have been done is a massive drop of audience, which would have enforced Mr. Bernie to think about. As it is unlikely to be happening as because there is massive amount of different opinion regarding this GP, I decided to enjoy it, because there is nothing else I could do.
Keep running the fast cars, you will be never out of girls

Offline Scott

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #27 on: April 17, 2013, 07:32:47 PM »
I don't know what is better in the Middle East, to leave strong dictators in power for stability's sake or push for democracy and then stand back waiting to see how it shakes out in a decade or two. 

I think most of us agree that perhaps a race shouldn't be held there just to fuel the propaganda of everything being right in Bahrain though, so to have an F1 journalist dive in on the same side is a bit shameful.   :DntKnw:

That said, yeah, I'll be watching from my couch.
The Honey Badger doesn't give a...

Offline Irisado

Re: Bahrain
« Reply #28 on: April 17, 2013, 07:44:03 PM »
As far as the politics is concerned, we just have to let them figure it out.  Too many problems have been caused by western interventions in that region, and trying to continually manipulate things, so that pro-western governments remain in power is really little better.  If they elect anti-western governments, the question that we really ought to be posing to ourselves is why?  Still, this isn't a politics board, so I'll leave that as rhetorical point.

In purely racing terms, it's not even a good circuit.  Were it not for the money that Ecclestone receives, there would be no race there anyway.  This all comes back to his, and CVC's, needs (greed in my view), combined the investments of some of the teams.  I'd rather have an old European track reinstated in its place, but that won't happen because European governments don't tend to fund Formula 1 race venues.
Soņando con una playa donde brilla el sol, un arco iris ilumina el cielo, y el mar espejea iridescentemente

Offline John S

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Re: Bahrain
« Reply #29 on: April 17, 2013, 08:06:21 PM »
 
I think most of us agree that perhaps a race shouldn't be held there just to fuel the propaganda of everything being right in Bahrain though, so to have an F1 journalist dive in on the same side is a bit shameful.   :DntKnw:

That said, yeah, I'll be watching from my couch.

So life does not go on in the face of unrest in a country?  :confused:

In most states what the violent Bahraini protest groups are up to would be cracked down on with both police and military force as necessary. Somehow because it's a Middle East state bombings by opponents of the government are given more validity by the media, laying the blame for such awful actions on the authorities.

When bomb atrocities have happened in Europe everyone rightly blames the perpetrators and the powers that be try to ensure life and events go on as normally as possible to prove violent disorder can't win. Hooligans and thugs are just hijacking the agenda ahead of this F1 event because the worlds media revels in a holier than thou crusade against Arab rulers.

Since when has it been wrong for an F1 journo, or anyone else, preferring on side of a political argument to any other?  ::)

     
Racing is Life - everything else is just....waiting. (Steve McQueen)

 


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