O'neill left as well so actually they're in profitGranadaJoe wrote:I don't think we should be too worried. di Canio joins, David Milliband leaves, so the NorthEast's arsehole equilibrium is maintained and the Universe can continue.

O'neill left as well so actually they're in profitGranadaJoe wrote:I don't think we should be too worried. di Canio joins, David Milliband leaves, so the NorthEast's arsehole equilibrium is maintained and the Universe can continue.
Great post. This is turning into a witch hunt against someone who has dared to admit his political views are on the right. If he had come out as a communist there would have been no problem at all (despite what that political ideology has brought to the world in terms of death and oppression and dictatorships). Let’s have a witch hunt to get Chris Houghton out of Norwich FC. He was a supporter of the Workers Revolutionary Party in the past - a group that favours violent revolution against the State and hates people simply because of their social background. It is pathetic to see the showboating from Milliband (is he in New York yet?) and the Durham Miners. They must have little to worry about.safcftm wrote:A few things, Di Canio doesn't "idolise" Mussolini. The oft spouted quote was, as often is the case, cherry picked by reporters looking for a story. What he actually said was ""I am fascinated by Mussolini, I think he was a deeply misunderstood individual. He deceived people. His actions were often vile. But all this was motivated by a higher purpose. He was basically a very principled individual. Yet he turned against his sense of right and wrong. He compromised his ethics.". The bold bits being taken out when quoted make it sound a lot worse than it is, he doesn't idolise Mussolini. Finding someone fascinating and idolising them are two very different things.
Next, the Durham Miners lot asking for the flag back. Well, thats a load of shite, did they really have time to poll all of their members and come to a democratic decision? Did they fuck. The bloke who has released the statement is basically speaking for a load of people, many of whom have said that they do not agree with his stance and who have not been asked - the bloke wouldn't make a bad little fascist himself to be honest. The appointment of Di Canio has basically been a good chance for a few nobodies (many of whom didn't go to the matches anyway) to get a bit of air time with some faux outrage (as seems to be popular at the minute).
Then there is the question of whether we should be judging Di Canio purely on his political beliefs. There is nothing inherently wrong with being an Italian fascist, just as there is nothing wrong with being a communist - despite being very different both ideologies have their problems and there are examples of vile human beings who have followed both, people of all political leanings have been arseholes so what has Di Canio specifically done to warrant having to answer question after question on it? I'd be very interested to see any statement he's made where he seems to suggest an irrational hatred of any race/ ethnicity etc, he hasn't come out in support of any historical atrocities or anything of the sort.
So basically he just happens to be an Italian fascist, are we now deciding that no-one who is a fascist can ever be given a job? When did we turn into a country that so actively discriminates against a particular part of the political spectrum? If he had made disgusting statements etc then fair enough but simply being an Italian fascist? I'm sorry, that's nowhere near reason enough for me to not want him at the club and I, along with all the sensible supporters, will be giving him 100% support. A few liberal, whining, self serving, attention seeking pricks won't make a difference - they seem very good at telling us what we should and shouldn't believe, what we should and shouldn't accept and I'm bloody glad that none of them are in positions of power, trying to set themselves up as leaders and tell the masses what to think is more dangerous than a bloke who, by and large, keeps his beliefs to himself and just wants to get on with his job. I don't agree that Italian Fascism is a particularly good ideology but I support Di Canio's right to believe in it as long as he doesn't start advocating hanging people from lampposts or anything daft.
Hypocrite, hope he enjoys his "charity work"As foreign secretary, Miliband fought an unsuccessful legal battle to prevent the public seeing part of a court judgment that showed MI5 was aware Binyam Mohamed was being tortured in Pakistan before one of its officers was sent to interrogate him. He also resisted calls for the publication of the secret interrogation policy governing MI5 and MI6 officers, on the grounds that to do so would "give succour to our enemies". Since then he has been sensitive to questions about the role he played in authorising counter-terrorism operations.
Miliband declined to answer a number of questions put by the Guardian 12 days ago about his role in granting MI6 permission to proceed with such operations, and his assertion that he always struck the correct balance. As a consequence it was unclear whether he knew that people were being tortured. He also said he was unable to say how often MI6 asked for permission to proceed with such operations, and how often he refused.
I take your point and can understand why people could say that. For me though, it isn't the same thing. Mainly this is because Di Canio isn't wanting to push a controversial topic as an issue, he believes in fascism as an ideal and (other than when asked repeatedly by reporters about it) gets on with his job. He doesn't mention it in interviews, on social media sites etc and since no one can prove that he holds any unpleasant opinions I don't think it should be an issue. Basically if it wasn't dragged up by journalists and people with an agenda, you'd never hear about the bloke's political beliefs whilst he's at Sunderland.northbank123 wrote:Mackem - I understand what you're saying and agree with much of it but playing Devil's Advocate is this not similar in many ways to the McLean situation which you took the opposing view on?
Daft thing is that none of these papers/ journalists gave a flying fuck when disgusting fascist Di Canio was manager of little Swindon Town. Now he's at a PL club (well, until we get relegated like!) its suddenly a big deal. Anyone would think they don't really care about Di Canio's politics but know that it wouldn't sell papers when he's at Swindon but might do now. Maybe if he'd taken Swindon to the PL they'd suddenly have kicked off about it then! They should either think its unacceptable for him to be in football or they shouldn't, it shouldn't depend on which club he's at just like I hate Lee Hughes just as much now he's at Port Vale in league 2 as I did when he was in the championship.TeeCee wrote:I think people are over-reacting about Di Canio even if Mussolini is up there with some of the biggest 20th century dictators, people who ruled 'their' way, refused to accept any opinion but their own, put their own personal ideals and beliefs onto others, who ultimately refused to accept responsibility for their actions.....like Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Tito, Wenger........
Don't the Whammers have an executive lounge named after him at Upton Park? Probably not worth them renaming it given that that shithole will be demolished soon enough.safcftm wrote:Daft thing is that none of these papers/ journalists gave a flying fuck when disgusting fascist Di Canio was manager of little Swindon Town. Now he's at a PL club (well, until we get relegated like!) its suddenly a big deal. Anyone would think they don't really care about Di Canio's politics but know that it wouldn't sell papers when he's at Swindon but might do now. Maybe if he'd taken Swindon to the PL they'd suddenly have kicked off about it then! They should either think its unacceptable for him to be in football or they shouldn't, it shouldn't depend on which club he's at just like I hate Lee Hughes just as much now he's at Port Vale in league 2 as I did when he was in the championship.TeeCee wrote:I think people are over-reacting about Di Canio even if Mussolini is up there with some of the biggest 20th century dictators, people who ruled 'their' way, refused to accept any opinion but their own, put their own personal ideals and beliefs onto others, who ultimately refused to accept responsibility for their actions.....like Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, Tito, Wenger........
Delicious ironyMartin Hayes wrote:If Di Canio doesn't idolise Musolini, why the tattoo?
Mussolini advocated racial superiority and segregation, as Chippy says. The comments in his book are clearly racist - not those repeated here.
One final point - The Arsenal have more Jewish supporters than any other team, and the most diverse fan-base in England. Would we, as a microcosm of all that is great about London, want to welcome someone whose views are the antithesis of what makes this city great?
If Di Canio wants to make his politics so transparent, which he does, we can't start claiming that it doesn't matter - it was his choice to behave like this and no one has had to 'dig the dirt'.
Unite against the fascist...
You're quite right Daryl.DarylAFC wrote:Delicious ironyMartin Hayes wrote:If Di Canio doesn't idolise Musolini, why the tattoo?
Mussolini advocated racial superiority and segregation, as Chippy says. The comments in his book are clearly racist - not those repeated here.
One final point - The Arsenal have more Jewish supporters than any other team, and the most diverse fan-base in England. Would we, as a microcosm of all that is great about London, want to welcome someone whose views are the antithesis of what makes this city great?
If Di Canio wants to make his politics so transparent, which he does, we can't start claiming that it doesn't matter - it was his choice to behave like this and no one has had to 'dig the dirt'.
Unite against the fascist...![]()
I'm not anti-fascist, but I'm not a fan of fascism either. They have a right to freedom of speech as much as anyone else. Like those UAF idiots who go to EDL/BNP rallies to stop it happening. Fascist much?
Besides, he's not exactly flaunting his beliefs is he? The only time he speaks about it is when someone asks him. Also, while Mussolini may be a racist, fascism itself is not a racist ideoligy. Plenty of black fascists. I dont believe in the slightest that Di Canio is racist.
On a side note I'd love someone like Di Canio as Arsenal manager. He's got a genuine desire to win, 4th place wont be a trophy to him.