Jeremy Clarkson's Bullying, Racist and Sexist Behavior is not an Aberration - It Reflects That of his Class.

Mick Hall takes a class perspective on the Jeremy Clarkson story. Mick Hall is a veteran Marxist activist and trade unionist who blogs at Organized Rage.

Clarkson's behavior when he struck a producer of Top Gear and threatened him with the sack; and the failure of the BBC to act in an appropriate and swift manner, is an indictment of our age.

When I was younger I worked on construction sites big and small, yet not once did I see a worker striking another at work. It was just not done, even the most volatile individuals knew they must control their hands, for they understood if they failed to do so there would be consequences beyond their control. If differences could not be resolved, and this was very, very rare, any physical stuff was taken off site. Why? Because the overwhelming majority of workers understand people do not go to work to be given a slap and if anyone cannot control themselves and ignores this fact they deserve the sack.

As to a chargehand, foreman, or site engineer striking a worker, it was unheard of, a throwback to the dark ages when management treated workers like serfs.

Clarkson.

Steve Bell is spot in the above cartoon, he portrays perfectly why Jeremy Clarkson is a protected species: just like the Banks, he's being portrayed in the media as being too big to fail.

Clarkson is far from a free thinker who "says what he thinks' as the media proclaims, the reactionary tosh which he speaks was instilled in him from a very young age. His hatred of political correctness, and health and safety merely reflect the views of a great many of his class. His carefully constructed image as a maverick outsider belies the fact he is a fully paid up member of the English establishment, and you cannot be more of an insider than that. He went to public school, in his case the archetypical Repton, which was used as the backdrop school in both the 1939 film and the 1984 BBC television drama version of Goodbye, Mr. Chips.

With his vicious stupidity he is reflecting the class prejudiced outlook of his class. Anyone
who had the misfortune to come across the Bullingham Club on a night out in the 1980s would understand this. Better still attend a session of Prime Minister's Questions, the static camera's which beam it to our TV's do not do it justice, as you get little idea of just how god awful the behavior of the Tory party MPs, and front bench is.

Weekly during PMQs, Tory MPs* can be seen puffing and preening themselves, as they holler out petty minded and often sexist insults against their political opponents while braying like a pack of rabid hyenas.

Clarkson did not become a friend of the Prime Minister nor a member of the Chipping Norton set for his scintillating personality or good looks, but because he and his outlook on life were a close fit with that unruly herd. His so called public banter is not funny, it's not cheeky, its not banter, as it targets people who are less powerful than himself.

He and his ilk look back to the British Empire as the United Kingdom's glory days. Clarkson is a mean spirited individual whose world view has stood still circa 1930s, when British imperialism, small government, aristocratic and upper middle class rule, country house parties, low taxes and private medicine prevailed and there was no welfare state worthy of the name, and the working classes were kept beaten down.

Hence words like nigger and slopes come easily off his lips. If anyone doubts this is how this class speak they should remember 'prince' Harry Windsor introduced a fellow military cadet as "our little Paki friend" and his brother calls a 'friend' of his father Sooty and sees nothing wrong with that.

Clarkson is a bully, class prejudiced bigot, racist, and sexist. In this he is made of the same stuff which sits in Parliament on the the government front bench.

As one blogger wrote:

Clarkson doesn't like cyclists, thinks the state is too nannying, and rejects climate change because it threatens his inalienable right to tear arse around the world in growling, gas-guzzling, CO2 emitting monsters without sanction like his empire forefathers did. He is a living, breathing middle finger to anyone who wants to make the world a half-decent place to live in.

The BBC

Clarkson's behavior when he struck a producer of Top Gear and threatened him with the sack; and the failure of the BBC to act in an appropriate and swift manner, is an indictment of our age.

It’s a repeat of the too big to fail nonsense we witnessed in 2008 with the Banksters and which we continue to see over and over again right up to this day. Yes Top Gear is a big money earner for the corporation but so what. Does this make its presenters immune from decent behavior, are the rules just for the little people. Like paying taxes and the rule of law seem to be these days.

The BBC has a responsibility to its viewers to do the right thing and not allow Clarkson to get away with breaking all decent values. If they do not dismiss him without compensation what type of example does it set? Sadly few will be surprised if the BBC finds a work around which allows Clarkson to keep his job. A corporation which keeps the less than fragrant Bankster Rona Fairhead as chair of its Trust is hardly in a position to sanction a senior employee for bad behavior.

What a nation we live in, profit is king and to hell with the loss and the norms of civilised behavior. Top Gear's viewing figures, and the money the program brings to the BBC coffers should not even be taken into consideration when deciding Clarkson's position. Did he bully and strike a fellow worker? Was he on a final warning? These are the only questions which need to be asked. If so he should be out the door and pronto.

If 720,000 people have signed an online petition in his support it only makes it more important to deal with this issue quickly and decisively for what message will it send out if they keep the man on? Might is right, some people are more equal than others, and if you have powerful friends and supporters you can bully workmates and override all common decencies and not a few laws.

* Admittedly they are mainly males.