Live And Let Die

This kind of thing rings a bell.

And then I discovered that I was party to a hate crime. By which I mean, I happened to glance at Twitter. In the past, when people had ugly thoughts, they tended to keep them to themselves or shared them with their mate. Now, we all get to listen to Tim Osmond: "#bigfatgypsyweddings an advert of ethnic cleansing. And don't worry, they aren't offended…they don't have computers."

And Kane Evans: "Oh #bigfatgypsyweddings i'm still waiting for the episode where they go round tarmacking peoples [sic] drives and nicking the baskets from Tescos."

And Mikeoohhh: "#bigfatgypsyweddings are ideal if you're looking for venereal diseases and witchcraft."

And Knownasthegreek: "Final thoughts!! Ermm frankly all gypsies should be given a mandatory snip! #bigfatgypsyweddings."

Yes, forced sterilisation – nobody's thought of doing that to Gypsies before.

Don't bet on it, Carole. Media-inspired bigotry, sweeping generalisation, and hyperbolic vitriol can be incredibly inventive in its inhumanity. Check out some of these, for example.

It's admirable that this Graun journo is presenting an opposite view to collective stereotypical denunciation, but a bit rich considering she is a member of the profession which almost exclusively fuels it.

For all the whipping up of hatred towards Gypsies and Travellers in the Mail, lefty rags (and the parties they champion) are just as guilty with regard to those who choose to enjoy a legal product such as tobacco ...

... or alcohol, fast food, fizzy drinks etc etc etc.

To paraphrase HMRC, intolerance has never been so intolerant.