May 14th 2024.
In the latest edition of MetroTalk, our readers were asked to weigh in on a hypothetical question: would they rather be alone in the woods with a man or a bear? Surprisingly, the majority chose the bear. However, one reader pointed out that this question cannot be compared to the reality of stop and search, which sparked this discussion in the first place. Is it fair to conflate the two?
There were also discussions about politicians using defence spending as a tactic for the upcoming election, and a reader shared a reminder to keep in mind while driving to the supermarket. We want to hear your thoughts on these topics and more in the comments.
In this debate, Matt compared the experiences of young men from ethnic minorities who are unfairly stopped and searched with innocent men being treated as potential sexual predators by women. He argued that both situations involve being treated as guilty of something they haven't done. Matt was referring to a popular social media question about being alone in the woods with a bear or a man, and how many women chose the bear. However, he failed to see that this hypothetical question cannot be compared to the real-life issue of stop and search.
It's important to note that while both situations involve men, they are not remotely comparable. As the saying goes, they are as different as apples and pears. Matt's comment did not mention race, but it is clear from the content and structure of his post that he is a white male who has not been personally affected by stop and search. Instead of understanding the reasons behind women's choices in the hypothetical scenario, he chose to feel victimized and hijacked the conversation to focus on his own feelings.
Another reader, Chloe O from London, pointed out that the man vs bear debate is not racialized, while stop and search is. She also called out Matt for either being deliberately obtuse or genuinely unable to comprehend why most women would feel safer with a bear. She argued that instead of feeling victimized by a hypothetical question, Matt should focus on the real-life issue of stop and search and its consequences for others.
In response to Matt's comment, Matthew from Birmingham argued that Matt missed the point and that women are choosing the bear because they know a bear will "bear" (pun intended) while a man may or may not be a threat. He also highlighted the tendency of some men to victim-blame and manipulate women, and how it is important to understand why women make the choices they do.
Another reader, Nick from London, defended the use of stop and search by the police, arguing that it is necessary to combat the increasing level of crime in recent years. He questioned what people want the police to do and suggested that they should stop and search little old ladies instead. However, he failed to understand the issue at hand - the unfair targeting and treatment of young men from ethnic minorities.
In other news, the Prime Minister gave a major speech on Monday, stating that Britain's security cannot be trusted in the hands of Sir Keir Starmer. However, the Labour leader hit back, accusing the government of hollowing out the armed forces and wasting billions on procurement. The debate then turned to the percentage of GDP that should be spent on defence, with Sunak proposing a rise to 2.5% by 2030 and Sir Keir promising the same if a Labour government is in power and the country can afford it.
However, one reader, Alan Jensen from West Hampstead, argued that 2.5% is not enough and that Britain's defence spending should be increased to at least that amount now in preparation for a potential war in the future. He criticized politicians for only making speeches about increasing defence spending now, when they have known for years that the world is becoming more dangerous. He also questioned their priorities, asking why they don't put the country's safety and security before political party interests.
In other news, shoppers were reminded to follow their nose and think before reversing in when parking at supermarkets. One reader, John from Edinburgh, questioned why people insist on reversing into parking spaces, causing inconvenience when loading their groceries into their cars. He suggested that it would be easier to reverse out of a parking space and park nose first.
Now it's your turn to share your thoughts on these topics and more in the comments. We want to hear from you!
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