Some MK's reactions on the Paris Attacks?

[peterromer]

Blimey, genuinely shocked, I've never seen that before. Speechless.

Same here, I am shocked. I would never have thought he said those things. Drugs and alcohol hhmm. He has always used black people in his band. Has he not (?)


 

[Lis]

I believe it was in Birmingham and the local authorities banned him from performing there for many years afterwards.

This happened at the Odeon Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands - 5 August 1976.

Now can anybody explain me why someone of the like of Mark Knopfler did in the eighties extensively share the stage with that "presumed racist", or coloured  musicians accepted to play with him? We have to assume that EC can't be be reduced to to that shocking and reprehensible incident?

We all make mistakes - and hopefully, we learn from them.  I am assuming that EC at some point realized that both his thinking and his actions were wrong. 
That MK shared the stage with him and remained his friend after all this, just goes to show that there is a place for forgiveness and understanding, and that we should not be nullified by mistakes we made. 

[dustyvalentino]

I believe it was in Birmingham and the local authorities banned him from performing there for many years afterwards.

This happened at the Odeon Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands - 5 August 1976.

Now can anybody explain me why someone of the like of Mark Knopfler did in the eighties extensively share the stage with that "presumed racist", or coloured  musicians accepted to play with him? We have to assume that EC can't be be reduced to to that shocking and reprehensible incident?

We all make mistakes - and hopefully, we learn from them.  I am assuming that EC at some point realized that both his thinking and his actions were wrong. 
That MK shared the stage with him and remained his friend after all this, just goes to show that there is a place for forgiveness and understanding, and that we should not be nullified by mistakes we made. 

In my opinion before forgiveness is given remorse should be shown.

[Lis]

I believe it was in Birmingham and the local authorities banned him from performing there for many years afterwards.

This happened at the Odeon Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands - 5 August 1976.

Now can anybody explain me why someone of the like of Mark Knopfler did in the eighties extensively share the stage with that "presumed racist", or coloured  musicians accepted to play with him? We have to assume that EC can't be be reduced to to that shocking and reprehensible incident?

We all make mistakes - and hopefully, we learn from them.  I am assuming that EC at some point realized that both his thinking and his actions were wrong. 
That MK shared the stage with him and remained his friend after all this, just goes to show that there is a place for forgiveness and understanding, and that we should not be nullified by mistakes we made. 

In my opinion before forgiveness is given remorse should be shown.

Agreed.  I suppose I was being Pollyannaish again...  I couldn't imagine that MK could ignore what EC said.  And I was hoping that MK was aware of some remorse that we are not.  However, after having re-read this thread, and in particular fletch's post:
"in his auto biog he states the remarks were "drunken...never meant to be a racial statement.. more of an attack on the governments policies on cheap labour.." He also gives two incident excuses by which he explains the outburst, and says he has since learnt to keep his opinions to himself. But you're right, I can`t see an apology anywhere."
I am inclined to think that there may not have been any true remorse.   

[ds1984]

Blimey, genuinely shocked, I've never seen that before. Speechless.

Same here, I am shocked. I would never have thought he said those things. Drugs and alcohol hhmm. He has always used black people in his band. Has he not (?)

No, first colored members in his band were in 1986 with Nathan East on Bass and Greg Phillinganes on Keyboards.
At the time of the incident EC was only on alcohol, the years of drugs abuse were already behind him.

[ds1984]

I believe it was in Birmingham and the local authorities banned him from performing there for many years afterwards.

This happened at the Odeon Theatre Birmingham, West Midlands - 5 August 1976.

Now can anybody explain me why someone of the like of Mark Knopfler did in the eighties extensively share the stage with that "presumed racist", or coloured  musicians accepted to play with him? We have to assume that EC can't be be reduced to to that shocking and reprehensible incident?

We all make mistakes - and hopefully, we learn from them.  I am assuming that EC at some point realized that both his thinking and his actions were wrong. 
That MK shared the stage with him and remained his friend after all this, just goes to show that there is a place for forgiveness and understanding, and that we should not be nullified by mistakes we made. 

In my opinion before forgiveness is given remorse should be shown.

Agreed.  I suppose I was being Pollyannaish again...  I couldn't imagine that MK could ignore what EC said.  And I was hoping that MK was aware of some remorse that we are not.  However, after having re-read this thread, and in particular fletch's post:
"in his auto biog he states the remarks were "drunken...never meant to be a racial statement.. more of an attack on the governments policies on cheap labour.." He also gives two incident excuses by which he explains the outburst, and says he has since learnt to keep his opinions to himself. But you're right, I can`t see an apology anywhere."
I am inclined to think that there may not have been any true remorse.   

EC has been back on this incident at least once in an interview, explaining its though on the subject  and thus going further than just the "I was drunk" common justification. I have not this interview  but it was available on the net some time ago.

[vgonis]

The EC racist subject has come up in AMIT before, from a new member,  again in a completely unrelated subject, so I can't trace it now. Although the speech itself is "alleged"  because there is no actual recording, Clapton never denied the fact that there was such a speech. I also posted this video back then, . He explains quite clearly what he thinks (thought, anyway). And I also believe that,  that generation of people, were not racists in the way we characterize  people today. National characteristics were stronger and deeply planted in the  minds and hearts of people. We judge them with our own current criteria, while they are coming from another age.

[dustyvalentino]

Quite shocking that he laughs about the whole thing while trying to justify it.

A great musician yes but not too clever going by that interview.  A lot of muddled thinking and contradictions there.

I bought his book. It was very boring, especially after he got sober.

But I still like some of his music, don't want to sound like I have something against him. However I don't think we should just brush this side of him under the carpet.

[vgonis]

Quite shocking that he laughs about the whole thing while trying to justify it.
A lot of muddled thinking and contradictions there.
However I don't think we should just brush this side of him under the carpet.

Well you can tell that he takes it lightly, either because he doesn't think it is serious, or because he doesn't see the point of view of the other side.
 
Forgive but never forget is the right thing to do. Because if you forget you will be fooled again and then the mistake will be only yours!

[ds1984]

However I don't think we should just brush this side of him under the carpet.

Of course we should not but the thing that really disturbs me is when used out of context for easy EC bashing. And I think it was when used in relation with last week Paris events.

[Banjo99uk]

All said and done I still love his unplugged album, and when I saw him in Hyde Park in 2007 he was incredible. Much more rocking than MK.

[WaterofLove]

For all we know, maybe MK shares the same view as EC on immigration. It is not that unusual for people growing up in all white societies and seeing the changes, even though EC's ramblings were quite too much

[Lis]

 

[stormbreaker]

For all we know, maybe MK shares the same view as EC on immigration. It is not that unusual for people growing up in all white societies and seeing the changes, even though EC's ramblings were quite too much

How do you know that? A right-wing Republican friend of me said always MK is left-wing and gives him the SF feeling.

[Lestroid]

For all we know, maybe MK shares the same view as EC on immigration. It is not that unusual for people growing up in all white societies and seeing the changes, even though EC's ramblings were quite too much

Given that Mark's father was an immigrant, I suspect that he is pretty sympathetic towards other immigrants.

Besides, consider his songs, particularly "Balony Again".  He certainly shows a lot of empathy with those who are on the margins of society. 

I would be shocked if MK shared those views.