Trust the BBC

On the one hand, the BBC World Service Website did put up a story about the anti-Islamist letter signed by 12 writers (it probably quite liked the fact that they choked on the word Communism and substituted Stalinism instead).

On the other hand ... well, on the other hand, they asked their readers on the "Have Your Say" website the following two questions:

"Do you agree with a group of writers who say the "world now faces a new global threat"?

Is it responsible for them to make a statement like this in the current climate?"

Well, golly gosh! How irresponsible can you get? I can only surmise that the BBC thought in 1940 that criticizing Nazism was seriously irresponsible in the "current climate". And, of course, it would have asked its listeners whether it was a good idea to report the fact that Soviet tanks were rolling into Budapest in November 1956 in a way that might imply the slightest criticism.

That "current climate" is a mighty powerful force.

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