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Angela Gibbins

(43 Posts)
sunseeker Tue 26-Jul-16 11:43:42

For those who haven't read this. Angela Gibbins is a manager with the British Council whose job it is to promote the UK abroad. She has posted on her Facebook page that she thinks Prince George is a f*****g d******d. Now I don't have a problem with her expressing her views as a socialist, atheist and republican but to launch such a vitriolic attack on a 3 year old boy is, I think, unacceptable. He may be privileged but that is hardly his fault

Eloethan Wed 27-Jul-16 01:48:35

I would certainly not agree with the wording used in the original quote.

As it has been pointed out that this was a false version of what the woman actually said, I agree with her sentiments. Whether it was wise, in her position, to voice them is another matter. I expect she will soon find out.

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 27-Jul-16 01:46:05

(Sorry! One thing led to another!)

jinglbellsfrocks Wed 27-Jul-16 01:45:05

She's brave! shock

WilmaKnickersfit Wed 27-Jul-16 00:30:36

He is a very cute little boy.

daphnedill Tue 26-Jul-16 22:37:56

Iam64,

I saw a lovely picture of Prince George in a paper a few weeks ago. He was paddling on a beach (in Norfolk?) with his Grandmother Carole, who was wearing a top and rolled up jeans. The photographer knew who they were, but the strollers on the beach didn't and just walked past.

I agree with you about the sneering at the rich and famous and I think the kind of comments made on Facebook were out of order, BUT I still don't thionk it's national news. A disciplinary meeting and written warning about using social media would have been appropriate.

Luckylegs9 Tue 26-Jul-16 21:36:17

Uses the term, not jerks.

Luckylegs9 Tue 26-Jul-16 21:35:48

White privileges us a very racial comment, it seems if you are white you can be open to abuse, it says more about the person that jerks using the term.

f77ms Tue 26-Jul-16 19:51:40

Wilma it is obvious people don`t read anything except the OP then launch in . I agree with you , she didn`t say it but why let the facts get in the way !!

Iam64 Tue 26-Jul-16 19:31:43

To say that Prince George will never know any difficulties are hardships in life is just plain wrong. Privilege and wealth don't off protection from challenging, tragic life events as George's father and uncle did.
I don't need anyone to remind me that wealth offers some protection as it means no worries about paying the rent or feeding the children. Being a member of the royal family does mean you live your entire life in the public eye and are daily fodder for people who feel that because they pay your wages, they have every right to make derogatory comments about every aspect of your life. I find that as repellent as I do the kind of attacks on benefit scroungers, asylum seekers etc. Our lives would be enhanced if more people showed a bit of tolerance and kindness, even to the people they disapprove of.

daphnedill Tue 26-Jul-16 19:26:25

I agree with you, Penstemmon, that to people living in most parts of the world, being white British and living in the UK, probably seems like incredible privilege.

Looking at Ms Gibbins' linkedin profile, I suspect she's been to parts of the world where anybody knowing where their next meal is coming from, seems privileged.

I also agree with you that there are some very intelligent and educated people in the Middle East.

I think it was a daft thing to write, but not 'vile' and not worth the whole front page of the 'Sun'.

daphnedill Tue 26-Jul-16 19:18:36

Surely the point is that the moment Prince George was conceived, he was destined to be a future monarch. That's privilege.

A child born in Syria over the last few years is most certainly not privileged.

I haven't a clue what Ms Gibbins studied at Goldsmiths and Cambridge or whether she came from a privileged background. Given her age, she would have gone on to higher education when money wasn't a barrier to people who chose to work hard.

Penstemmon Tue 26-Jul-16 19:16:27

To a Syrian refugee though, they might be indicative of the white privilege she denounces.
This was your phrase I was responding to maggie Obviously to a lot of GN posters it is also indicative of the white privilege she denounces.

daphnedill Tue 26-Jul-16 19:11:37

Sorry, but how do you work out that she's the beneficiary of white privilege on anything like the same scale as Prince George?

What she actually wrote was,

“White privilege. That cheeky grin is the (already locked-in) innate knowledge he’s royal, rich, advantaged and will never know ANY difficulties or hardships in life.

“Let’s find photos of 3yo Syrian refugee children and see if they look alike, eh?”

Maggiemaybe Tue 26-Jul-16 19:08:03

Thanks for that, Penstemmon. I'd never have known. confused

The point I was making was that it's a bit rich for the beneficiary of white privilege to rail against the white privilege of others.

daphnedill Tue 26-Jul-16 19:02:46

This should have been an internal disciplinary matter. Depending what her contract says, she would probably have been given a warning.

It seems to be fashionable to run to the press with trivial stories.

Penstemmon Tue 26-Jul-16 19:00:46

Maggiemaybe A Syrian refugee can also be a graduate of excellent universities...just saying!

Bellanonna Tue 26-Jul-16 18:57:12

How could you attribute those words to a two year old? confused

Penstemmon Tue 26-Jul-16 18:55:14

I mean the responses on newspaper threads not on here before anyone gets cross!

Maggiemaybe Tue 26-Jul-16 18:54:19

True. But if this sort of comment - f*****g d******d - about any two year old popped up on my Facebook account, my immediate reaction would be to unfriend the friend who'd posted it, not to add a supportive comment.

I didn't say Goldsmiths and Cambridge put her in the same privileged league as Prince George, daphne. Few are. To a Syrian refugee though, they might be indicative of the white privilege she denounces.

Penstemmon Tue 26-Jul-16 18:54:00

Oh dear! Once again over-reaction to what turns out to be a badly reported media story. AG is correct The child is white and privileged and a member of a royal dynasty which we all know has a very mixed history, including recently. Republicans would not support any member of the royal family though nobody is suggesting physical harm.
Of course he will not 'know' his advantages as he is too young to understand that yet so she was not correct there though he will soon.
I suspect it is simply a bit of Anti-British Council reporting.
The hysterical responses to the provocative press headlines are quite amazing! Do the people who post really think that the royal family care a hoot that Mrs Bloggs thinks Little George is lovely and that wicked lady ought to be shot at dawn??

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 26-Jul-16 18:43:57

sunseeker the photo and offensive comment were not on her Facebook account. The account belong to someone else and she made her comments there.

WilmaKnickersfit Tue 26-Jul-16 18:41:54

I don't know Angela Gibbins, but I do support her right to voice her opinion. She did not say anything negative about Prince George. Someone must dislike her a lot to report her comments which were made on a private Facebook account. I suspect she might lose her job over this and I think that would be wrong.

Bellanonna Tue 26-Jul-16 18:41:29

Just appalling

sunseeker Tue 26-Jul-16 18:39:48

It was reported in several newspapers that she said this - if this is incorrect I apologise (I did try to look up her Facebook page but couldn't find it). However, I do still think aiming a comment about privilege at a child is out of order.

whitewave Tue 26-Jul-16 18:29:43

Just read wilmas first post - I would like my first post considered to have been deleted. I objected to the language but not necessarily the sentiment.