Fury at ‘Tory pig’ poster (U.K. Labour Party unveils breathtakingly anti-Semitic ad)

The Sun (U.K.) ^ | January 28, 2005 | GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON

[Stoat]

Fury at ‘Tory pig’ poster

Flying into a storm ... Labour poster showing Howard and Letwin as pigs
 

By GEORGE PASCOE-WATSON

 

A LABOUR poster showing Michael Howard and Oliver Letwin as pigs was condemned as deeply offensive last night.

Mr Howard and Mr Letwin are Jewish. Jews do not eat pork, and critics accused Labour of deliberately using their faces on images of pigs to cause offence.

Just 24 hours earlier, Mr Blair had led solemn tributes to the memories of Jews murdered by the Nazis.

Yesterday, Labour unveiled its new “pig” poster of the Tory leader and his Shadow Chancellor.

The stunt is costing Labour £1million.

Last night Carol Rossen of the Association of Jewish Refugees said: “This is extremely offensive. It is particularly difficult for our members with the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.”

Rabbi Danny Rich, chief executive of Liberal Judaism, said the poster was irresponsible.

He said: “Politicians have a responsibility to ensure their actions cannot be misconstrued.

“It is hard to believe it isn’t intended to cause controversy.”

Labour chiefs have refused to scrap the posters, soon to be seen on 1,900 billboards nationwide.

They say the flying pigs message is meant to suggest that Tory economic policy does not add up.

A spokesman said: “We reject absolutely suggestions that this poster is in any way anti-Semitic.”

But some party figures are deeply uneasy about the campaign.
Mike Katz, chairman of Labour’s Hampstead and Highgate association, said: “If there are objections, the poster shouldn’t be used.”

Last night Mr Howard’s team refused to comment.

[Stoat]

What is it with the Left and their unrepentant embrace of anti-Semitism?  This is just astonishing to me  (well, actually it's not, after some reflection)

And on the 60th anniversary of the Auschwitz liberation?  Have they completely gone out of their minds?

Do they feel that they have to embrace EVERY insane tendency of those who oppose the West?  Will Labour members be doing terrorist acts and synagogue desecrations next?

"shaking head in baffled disgust"

[spyone]

Well said. I agree.

[Redcloak]

And to make matters worse, that has to be the worst Photoshop job I've ever seen!

[185JHP]

The poison is out there...

[MEG33]

I realize this is a culturally sensitive issue and offensive but it is a reference to the oft used term.."when pigs have wings" or "when pigs fly"..meaning an incredible assertion, event or statement.

[MEG33]

Best take it down..There are other ways to slam a proposal.

[squirt-gun]

Ho-Hum

[Stoat]

I realize this is a culturally sensitive issue and offensive but it is a reference to the oft used term.."when pigs have wings" or "when pigs fly"..meaning an incredible assertion, event or statement.

Of course we all know the expression Meg.  The point is that even marginally-intelligent people are expected to use language in a discretionary way.  The U.K. Labour Party is spending a Million Pounds ($1.887 Million dollars as of this evening) on an ad campaign with huge billboards all over the country featuring two prominent Jewish lawmakers' heads on pig bodies.  Even an eight year old should understand that this is utterly wrong.

 

[MEG33]

#7..

[trumandogz]

The British Political Parties never seen to amaze me.

The Liberal Party produces a hero like Tony Blair and the Conservative Party produces dopes like Neville Chamberlain.

At least the Tories did have Churchill.

[peyton randolph]

At least the Tories did have Churchill.

And Thatcher.

[trumandogz]

Oh, yes, Mrs. Thatcher was a wonderful woman, one of the greatest Britons ever. Of course not a Winston but up there none the less.

And Chamberlain is one of the most dreadful Torris to ever step into Commons.

[Blackyce]

You wouldn't think of Blair as a "hero" if he were the head of our country. And to be fair, Blair is the only man of any quality the Labour party has EVER produced.

[tx_eggman]

Even an eight year old should understand that this is utterly wrong.

Or, at the very least, incrdeibly stupid.

[risk]

Oh come on. We're talking about Great Britain, land of the Angles and the Saxons. If the people can't poke fun at each other with traditional aphorisms because of two or three levels of imported tradition, isn't that asking too much?

What's the origin of the phrase "WHEN PIGS FLY"?

Here's an attempt to satisfy the teenaged heir to the legacy of mrlucky, Mak Dolnick. The Makster wants to know the origin of the phrase, "When pigs fly".

To the Oxford English Dictionary we return, where the aeronautic properties of swine are first cited in Clerk’s Withal Dict. Eng & Lat. The year is 1616 when he reports the observation, "Pigs fly in the aire with their tailes forward." This same statement, identified now as a proverb, appears in a couple of other 17th century tomes. mrlucky is unsure of exactly what bit of practical wisdom is idealized in this expression.

The proverb has evolved by 1860 to, "Pigs may fly; but they are very unlikely birds." Who among us can argue with this sapient observation?

Then, in 1865, the mathematician Reverend Charles Lutwidge Dodgson writes, "I’ve a right to think," said Alice sharply..."Just about as much right," said the Duchess, "as pigs have to fly." Of course, you probably know the author as Lewis Carroll. The cited book is Alice In Wonderland. This usage is the first that explicitly implies the meaning ‘never’ to the notion of pigs flying.

Tails forward or not.

From Mark G Dolnick, A.K.A. "Mr. Lucky."

Has everyone lost his sense of humor?

[risk]

http://pw2.netcom.com/~mrlucky/pig.html

[kingsurfer]

Rubbish.

The reason these two are featured rather than any other is because they are shadow Prmine Minister and Chancellor of the Exchequor (like President and Vice-President).

Of course they are going to use their faces on the poster.
No one in Britain would think this was anti-semitic.

[kingsurfer]

I would bet a lot of money that both of them eat pork.
They have not complained about it or deemed it anti0semitic so why should anyone else.

Throwing the term anti-semitic around is plain wrong.

British political poster tend to be extereme but would never be anti-semitic.

Anyone on here who believes that they are are cleary insane and does not know the British people at all.

Perhaprs I should remind you of the British Socialist institution "Labour Friends of Israel"

[kingsurfer]

The fact that one our biggest political parties has people of non-christian faith at sucha high level is a testament to the tolerant nature of the British people.