One Of Us

Now theres a phrase that can have dfferent meanings. If you are a Tory, LD (or Jane Griffiths) it has racist overtones.

Reading Labour are defining it as "a resident, a family, someone being effected by the harsh cuts brought about by national government, a worker, a parent, a Labour member."

When I see someone being attacked I like to look at the facts for myself. In the last few years I even defended my General Election rival LD Daisy Benson .

I said at the time. 'In the past Reading Labour have said the Greens were linked with terrorists or another year they said we had links with the bnp. Again these attacks were so ridiculous that they did more damage to Labour, calling into question everything they said.' And following this Jane tries to link me to the Latvian Green Party, she seems a bit focused on WW2. "In Latvia they were overtly racist in government, promoting the expulsion of all Jews from Latvia." If true this would make them the opposite of every Green Party I have heard of, and they should be removed from any link to the rest of us.

So yesterday I pointed out how the phrase 'born and bred' is not uncommon. Jane Griffiths says that two of my examples are 'black', which she thinks makes me wrong. Actually that makes my case, it isn't a white supremecist code word if its in common usage by non white candidates.

Tory Cllr Isobell says Labour's behaviour was 'arrogant' and 'unjust'. Jane claims that Isobel says 'She also directly criticises Green Party chairperson Adrian Windisch for attempting to defend Labour, saying he has been taken for a fool.' Jane says 'She's right.' Actually Isobel says 'Unlike Adrian, they are not fooled.' So much for accuracy then. And this sort of 'untruth' gets repeated.

LD Orangepan says 'She is supported by Green Party stalwart (and former Battle ward resident)' Adrian Windisch. But when repeating this Jane says '(and Battle ward resident)'. I moved to Earley a couple of years ago. Perhaps Orangepan updated this when he realised his error and just didnt say he had done this. Poor journalism in either case.

LD Cllr Warren says 'Now no-one is accusing Labour themselves of being either racist or homophobic' But Jane says 'Reading Labour's racist campaign in Church ward' so he is wrong too.

Try googling 'one of us'. Rather than racist hits, I got many things including the following:
Songs
"One of Us" (Joan Osborne song)
"One of Us" (ABBA song)
"One of Us", a song from the film The Lion King II: Simba's Pride
"what if god was one of us" Alanis morissette

One of Us (TV series), a 1995 Australian show starring David Wenham
Episodes
"One of Us" (The 4400)
"One of Us" (The Adventures of Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius)
"One of Us" (The Bill)
"One of Us" (The Ghost Squad)
"One of Us" (Lost)
"One of Us" (Mysterious Ways)
"One of Us" (Yes, Prime Minister)
"One of Us", an episode of M.K. 22
"One of Us", an episode of The Newsroom

Other media
One of Us (novel), a 1998 novel by Michael Marshall Smith
One of Us (Echad Mi'Shelanu), a 1989 Israeli film directed by Uri Barbash