More red meat for the lions...
In a parallel universe, today's Formula 1 column is about the freakishly terrifying robot fridges that delivered the trophies last Sunday to bewildered drivers on the not-the-podium. Instead, we have to keep talking about Marxism.
It really didn't have to be this way. For instance, if you don't want to talk about sexism, don't ask Bernie Ecclestone this question:
"Who changes the nappies?"
Was he ever not going to answer: "That's what wives are for"?
So that's Bernie cancelled, then.
First, let's just get something absolutely straight: I don't *want* to be talking about racial politics. Since I wrote the last piece on the same matter, plenty have urged me to keep it up. Others have accused me of hurling out red meat for the rabid lions to gobble up.
Seriously: Does anyone actually think Wendy Carey having to delete her Twitter account to hide her affection for Donald Trump is good for my career? People may want to read it, but - trust me - no one really wants to publish it, let alone pay for it.
My business is *real* Formula 1 news, so every minute spent writing about getting politics out of the paddock is a minute that one of my clients can rightly accuse me of wasting. And fair enough.
So to be clear: I'm writing this because apparently no one else has the guts.
The guts to point out that the founders of Black Lives Matter admit they are "trained Marxists". The guts to point out that the BLM website admits the movement wants to dismantle the "Western-prescribed nuclear family structure". Or the guts to observe that these people love ripping down historical statues, de-funding police departments, and making excuses for violent rioting. Or the guts to describe that an actual, real-life, convicted terrorist is on the board of directors and hardly anyone on earth even knows, let alone cares.
What's this got to do with Formula 1, then?
Um ... Lewis Hamilton openly wears a Black Lives Matter t-shirt on the grid and shows a 'Black Power' fist to the empty grandstands. That's what.
Lewis Hamilton on the podium after winning the Styrian GP
Point of clarification: The lives of black people absolutely matter. And Black Lives Matter (the organisation, not the people) is, in my view, a force for evil.
Now, I'm a 100% fair dinkum Aussie, but on the matter of racial politics in Formula 1, it turns out that I actually have a lot in common with the Russians.
Daniil Kvyat, for example, pointed out that the reason he joins a Finn, an Italian, a Monegasque, a Dutchman and a Spaniard in refusing to kneel like Colin Kaepernick (the Nike and Disney-funded millionaire who wears socks depicting police as pigs) is because Russians only kneel for God and Russia.
Or maybe it's because all of us ... you know ... read books.
A while back, Dr Helmut Marko revealed that 26-year-old Kvyat was reading Tolstoy's War And Peace, and prefers Igor Stravinsky over Drake.
(I suppose I'm racist to assume that Lewis doesn't read Tolstoy?)
Either way, it's unfortunately not going to redeem the six-time world champion in the eyes of some Formula 1 fans, after he held aloft his fist of Black Power on the not-the-podium last Sunday.
"I followed your career from day 1," someone told him on social media. "Not once did I think or care about colour. I just enjoyed your brilliance. I'll not watch the sport again. All lives matter. Most of us aren't racists."
Another added: "A multi-millionaire tax dodger telling us we are privileged? We didn't see your colour, but you obviously see ours."
And another: "I'm a big fan Lewis, but the black power salute is actually racist and pro-segregation."
I could go on, but I actually want it to stop! That's why I'm doing this. But I genuinely fear that if some people whose opinions are culturally Verboten right now don't also insist upon exercising their freedom to speak, Formula 1 will go the way of many other huge international sports whose fuming fans are switching off in droves, sick to death of the political invasion.
I'm talking about brilliant sports like the NBA, whose players are now allowed to replace the surnames on their jerseys with 'Black Lives Matter' and 'I Can't Breathe' - but not 'Free Hong Kong'. Is that free speech? It's actually borderline compelled speech, and the ridiculous levels of pressure on F1 drivers to 'take a knee' over the absolutely unnecessary and horrible death of a convicted criminal at the hands of a very bad cop in Minneapolis comes pretty close, too.
So bravo to Daniil and co for - literally - standing up for their right to have a conscience. And, alongside the terrifying robot fridges and ludicrous socially-distanced and cloth-muzzled interviews, if we have to keep watching this political and dangerous lunacy week after week this year, why on earth won't a reporter ask Lewis if he will kneel for the Uighur Muslims next time he's in China?
Free speech, after all.
On second thoughts, maybe we can leave this sort of questioning for - oh, I don't know - POLITICAL journalists, maybe. And maybe the FIA and Formula 1 will tap Hamilton on the shoulder at some point and urge him to leave his political activism for - oh, I don't know - the next round of Black Lives Matter protests and riots in his local neighbourhood.
Monte Carlo, Monaco.
Oh, I forgot - there are no riots in Monaco. Deep down, millionaires tend to be quite delighted with the system, as it happens.
I'm going to conclude this piece by getting back to those Tolstoy-reading and Stravinsky-listening Russians, who - and this is to put it mildly - have not been shy to chime in with fervent nationalistic support for their never-kneeling racing hero Daniil in recent days.
"It is no longer difficult to be a mass market hero, because that means acting like a goat or a ram," said Vitaly Milonov, a politician with the United Russia party.
"But to be different, not succumbing to profitable and false heroism but becoming a real hero, is a rare case. Kvyat has earned the right to be called this," he said.
"History will be the judge, but he is already right for not wanting to be in a herd of sheep, licking shoes. Some want them to do it out of meanness, like Biden and the American Democrats. For them, this is simply a manipulation of the masses for cheap popularity among blacks and the socialists who are now helping in this movement. These are people of the mass market, people of McDonald's, people who follow the general trends. Kvyat, in fact, is a typical representative of the dystopian hero - someone who breaks out of the system of cattle, and there should be more like him," Milonov added.
I'm not going to say 'hear hear', because I don't know anything about United Russia - and some of Milonov's more forthright views sound backwards to us instantly-offended, virtue-signalling, and utterly hypocritical Westerners. I'm just going to say that *true* diversity in Formula 1 means celebrating the fact that Russians revere their national racing hero. Twenty drivers on their knees, fearing the dire career consequences of daring to be the proudly black sheep, would indicate that something has gone horribly, horribly wrong with our magnificent sport - and, indeed, the world.
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F' n YES! Great article... your, Sir are my hero...if for some reason you catch flack for "all your true facts", I'll be in your corner. Oh BTW, you forgot to add black on black crime specifically in Chicago where innocent children are being murdered... wonder what lh thinks abut that... no matter, no F1 reported has the balls to ask.
(In Sean Connory voice): Thankyou Junior!
Being "colour blind" has become a term in recent time, the concept is good, doesn't matter what colour or sex, if you are right for the role you are hired. Lewis is right for the role of multiple world champion, his talent is undeniable and over the last decade and more I have been colour blind, I have seen him as a proud to be "British" racing driver. But now he has chosen to be a black "international" spokesman. We have to see him as being black and we are white. There is more than two metres between us and the gap is growing! The black power salute is as contoversial now as it was in the 60s. It's a thinly disguised fascist salute invented by black separatist's. Even Malcolm X to some degree realised it was an error, so why are we going down this root again! I'm rambling I know, but i'm frustrated and fed up with this. Leave the politics for when you retire. I just want to see the brilliant racer that I can cheer and admire.
Lewis needs to sit down with his dad and heed his advice on this matter,
Unfortunately his Dad seems even more woke than he does!
This is a brutally honest assessment of F1 or should I say the Lewis Hamilton show. Like you we have decided to switch off as its far to painful to witness the destruction his toxic politics are causing. He is now hassling drivers and trying to recruit as the world stands by. I will miss the racing but enough is enough.
Sad to hear. Perhaps knowing there are plenty cringing in unison makes tuning in all the more bearable?
Andrew I haven’t necessarily seen eye to eye with you in the past but you are turning into my Yoda.
Great work on your statement, which I, for one, are happy for it to he presented to F1 on my behalf as well!
Off topic slightly....but its referenced in the article.
Don't be fooled by the Marko “Dr” title. He is a lawyer, an LLD. It is an undergraduate degree in Law, not a post grad doctorate,as we'd all reasonably assume. Its just a historical juris anomaly in Austria.
In most other countries (and reality) the claim to the title of Doctor is bogus.
It’s also kind of insulting to those of us who actually have sacrificed time in our lives to legitimately achieve a post grad doctorate.
Yes, my bias is showing. I love Herr Doktor!
p87587t
Great article well written and oh so true. The real racist in all this is hamilton himself. I remember when he started out he just wanted to race he never cared what colour he was! Now he can spout blm all he wants. Guess you can when you're a privileged multi-millionaire living in Monaco with little idea how people live in the REAL world!
It’s sad that the prevailing cultural winds make it difficult for the message to get through, but I will keep trying and trying. Cheers.
A Australian, with their racist treatment of their native people, is hardly the correct choice to lectuere others on their supposed racism.
A native Australian, with that countries documented history of treatment of their native people, is hardly the correct choice to give a lecture on racism he claims to see in other people.
Wow you had two attempts at that? lol
Some people, like you, need to be constantly reminded of the facts
USA summer Olympic team raised black power fists in 1968 and it meant something. Hamilton is grandstanding and not original. Trying donating money and time and protesting in a march. You are a sideshow. Work for organizations and effect governmental changes instead of jet setting. Colin Kaepernick gave up his career on principles. So did Muhammad Ali at height of career. Publicity stunt and cut the dreadlock. You are only going to ruin your legacy.
The world is a warped place! Why do nobody take a knee for the thousands of white farmers murdered in South Africa? All lives matter!
Yes, indeed and don't forget the 30.000 people that starve to death each and every day!
Well done Andrew!!!! Thank you for this voice of logic in those crazy times!
This is all getting really sad isn't it? A pampered, entitled, hypercritical, intellectually stunted, wanna-be whippersnapper but fast approaching middle-ager thinking they know everything and can tell older, far wiser people what's what! Such ignorance is symptomatic of this generation. Very Thunberg-esque!
While my interest in F1 is at an all time low, I just had to voice my support for you Andrew and your work. I'd even encourage you to branch out into other sports, or just politics in general.
That's a really nice comment and greatly appreciated.
Sorry People because this is off topic, but this is important. Covid19 is not the only virus creeping into F1. I regret to report that Marxist Left Wing political hate and Censorship has come to some of our websites. I think that you should know about it.
Grand Prix 247 is just like YouTube, and Twitter. The Communist individuals that run the website have a policy of Censorship, completely blocking all Freedom of Speech, but only for some! If you read the Comment Rules Letter from the Editor, you will immediately understand that Ben Stevens is a liar and a hypocrite, because he allows some individuals to do precisely what he says is not allowed. It seems that if you are Marxist you can spread political hate and lies. You can say anything you want in your comments. If you are Left Wing, you can write vile, insulting comments all the time. When I attempted to reply to some of these disgusting personal attacks, my comments were censored and then finally, I was banned from the website!
Guess what? Despite the fact that I am banned, the Fascist Editor and his Marxist chums are still allowing the same individual to make direct insulting attacks everyday. This is what the Left do. They are Cowards, Liars and Traitors. Truly loathsome creatures. But you know what? I am glad they are doing it because all the other people who use the website see what is happening and understand that the Left and their sickening censorship has now come to Motor Racing. These Marxist scum have no place in our sport. I will be exposing who and what they are on my other channels for everyone to see. Let's see if their advertisers want to be associated with Left Wing scum and Marxist Censorship!
Xi Jinping kills people by the thousand, and his Marxist friends at Grand Prix 247 are killing Freedom of Speech and Democracy Here are the names of the Fascist team that runs Grand Prix 247 Editor-in-Chief: Paul Velasco
Editor: Ben Stevens
Correspondent and Social Media: Sam Tomlinson
Grand Prix 247 showed their true colors very early on in this, and as such I no longer view their website. Glad to hear other's are equally displeased with their biased, hypercritical censorship. I just wanted to add that I applaud f1-fansite's continued class and professionalism. The true, sane fans among us are very appreciative.
Paul is a great guy and a strong supporter (and client) of mine for over a decade, but something weird happened at the site a couple of months ago - when I was kicked out for writing material that upsets the audience. Good to know it doesn't upset most of you guys, so rest assured I'll keep it coming.
Alas Paul is the owner and pays Ben Stevens to be editor. Young, inexperienced and a political bias. Not a desirable mix. Drove me to cancel my app subscription and counsel some mates into doing so as well. Perhaps the under-pinning rationale behind the weirdness you described? Keep up the great articles AM! Whens the next?
Trying to be diplomatic here, but yes his explanation as to why my opinions are so hurtful and offensive to the audience was ... surprising.
I really don't have time for these pieces but I will try to squeeze one in for every race. Depressingly, it's probably the most enjoyable thing about F1 for me now.
Damn, that’s a shame because it is something I really look forward to.
Re: Ben - well it’s a shame Paul doesn’t see that Ben is a fundamental lefty, which is fine (good on him) but it unprofessionally biases the editorial, which is mierda del toro (bs).
Love to buy you a beer one day
bunch of idiots
cheers for your input @benstevens
qq
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