Richard: the rednecks were real

I would invite TG to drive through Oakland, CA or Harlem NY or parts of London with comments written on their cars to inflame Blacks

how about driving in the Castro in SF with Anti Gay or Pro Tea Party slogans? see what happens

Love TG, but this was a steaming pile of crap

This episode, unfortunatelty, exposed the level of abject ignorance that is shared by far too many people in the U.S. “Love Top Gear” and many others missed the point entirely and clearly have little understanding of historical prejudice in the United States. African Americans have a long history of being disenfranchised and pushed to society’s fringe in the United States, so they would have every right to be enraged by public displays of racism, as the previous commenter suggested as a supposed counter-point. Gays and lesbians are also a long persecuted minority in the U.S. The people who physically attacked the Top Gear folks were attacking, once again, a perceived threat from a demographic minority whom they hate for no justifiable reason and that had done nothing to them.

The sub-deliverance gang that roundly embrassed our country with their violent stupidity were attacking largely because they believed the Top Gear gang were gay. The strawman model of “driving through San Fracisco” that so many are making on here also make no sense. African Americans, gay and lesbian people, etc., are still out-of-power minority people, regardless of where they happen to live in the country. People driving through San Francisco with anti-gay or arch conservative slogans would still represent viewpoints from the majority population (regardless of the percentage of the majority who share the extremes of their opinions) – they would still be the people in the historical power roles – they would still be the persecutors. Additionally, that so many are suggesting that specific city as somehow a “counterpoint” also shows the complete ignornace of so many Americans of their own country. There are very vocal conservatives in the Bay area and there are vehicles that drive through with extreme conservative slogans and/or sporting the Confederate flag (which remains a symbol of slavery and the old South for millions, regardless of how one tries to dismiss it as heritage or somehow harmless). Those people do not get attacked. Often the opposite happens, even in the Bay, It is often the GLBT residents of San Francisco who are public about their out-of-mainstream gender partners and roles who risk violence in their own city the moment the opportunity presents itself to a would-be persecutor.

Portions of this episode, while handled with the usual lighthearted wit of the Top Gear gang, were a painful reminder of just how far we have yet to go before we can truly call ourselves a civilized society.

SCOUS. For God’s sake it was a fake!! Its triggered you to write a huge missive on the faults of your wonderful country (mine has plenty too) just because some BBC entertainment programme had to dream up something for their USA episode.
Think about it:
1. Nobody’s face is blanked out – people can sue for being wrongly portrayed on global TV. Unless you’ve signed up with BBC of course.
2. Cameras can keep running in a war zone but have to face the floor in the face of a few rocks.
3. A gang of rough tough red necks throw rocks? (and didn’t break a single car window) instead of walking over there and beating the limeys to within and inch of their lives?
4. Despite being in fear of his life Mr May waits to jump start an old cadillac.
5. No film of them being pursued by rednecks as the story is told? Why not when there’s cars full of cameras?
6. A pick-up truck of tough guys is rounded up in a couple of minutes – to a gas station in the middle of no- where?
Top Gear is entertaining rubbish – I get annoyed when people like James May and Richard Hammond start making pious comments on the basis of a piece of fakery.

@MenfromMars:

You say, “For God’s sake it was a fake!!” like you have definitive evidence. But you don’t.

1. So? Is it really so unlikely that they decided to show their faces at the risk of being sued?

2. What do you mean? You expected the crew to just stand there and let the rednecks throw rocks at them? This is really a desperate point. I mean clearly they wanted to get out of there.

3. Oh come on… Another desperate point. You act like it couldn’t have happened like that.

4. Obviously it has been edited tightly to make it tense.

5. Again, I think it may have been edited for dramatic effect, but their could have easily been another reason.

6. Obviously, it’s not the middle of no where.

Whether it’s fake or not, there is nothing even close to definitive in your evidence. But I doubt that really matters, because you’ve already made your mind up.

I guess the definitive answer would be to go to the State Line Pride gas station and find out for yourself.

David, David, save yourself from this delusion..
1. Its not they who decide, its the BBC who ‘fuzz’ the faces out so nobody sues or a prosecution is not predjudiced ( I can’t spell) its why people are ‘fuzzed’ out on cops with cameras and the like.
2. What I mean is, its strange you can watch on the news film taken with AK47 bullets flying, yet a few stones being thrown (which would make great telly) has everyone diving for cover.
3. I suppose it is desperate – but people are pretty tough in places like that – again strange they would just throw stones. Can you imagine the same with a gang of drunken teenagers in some tough UK town – I’m sure a few punches would be thrown.
4. Tightly edited? Its just if you were ‘in fear’ why stand in the flurry of rocks saving the BBC’s $500 old cadillac.
5. edited for dramatic effect? Mmm.. are you saying being pursued by gun totting rednecks and getting some film of them isn’t dramatic enough? or are you saying they were never pursued by anyone and had to make it look like they were?
6. Take a look on google earth – I’ll grant you there’s a few houses (some with swimming pools) but I can’t find a bar for miles. Unless the owner of the gas station has a pick-up load of desperados on 3 minute warning just in case a TV crew arrives with insulting stuff written on their cars.

Yes is not definitive evidence – but you have to admit I’m getting into ‘beyond all reasonable doubt’ surely?

and another thing.. in the same episode: how did clarkson get a 500kg cow on the top of his car?

Mind how you go.

Bull. If that was real they should have called the Alabama State police. It’s illegal to drive around with anyone in the bed of a pick up everywhere in the US. This is just more of their jingoism.

JerryMander – its illegal in SOME STATES to drive with people in teh back of trucks, but not all states…in fact it’s legal in MOST, just not all

you and the guys should come to to canada, where you wont get shot and it can hit minus 20 one day and get plus 5 another!

Jeremy Clarkson and the British are such nasty bigots.

Nice….