Two BNP members in the European Parliament? No thanks! As the ever-eloquent Charlton Brooker tweeted today, “BNP voters have ruined anniversary of D-Day by metaphorically pissing on the graves of all who died fighting the Nazis.” Amen.
I cannot believe that apathy and so-called “protest votes” against the MPs expenses scandal have allowed a racist, fascist organisation like the BNP through the back door. And make no mistake: that is what they are – “voluntary repatriation for ethnic minorities”? Puh-lease. But then you know this, I’m preaching to the converted.
So do something about it: sign your name to the “Hope Not Hate” campaign’s petition that will be delivered the first time these cretins sit as MEPs, show your defiance, give the BNP two fingers, say NOT IN MY NAME. Do it now.
As a wise green puppet once said, "Anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering."
The BNP getting in is a bad thing, but being angry about it makes us as bad as them. Calm, considered opposition is the way to go.
The election of 2 BNP MEPs should be the equivalent of a giant alarm bell going off for all of us. I live and work in Yorkshire, Barnsley (where they picked up a big vote) is on my doorstep and I have personal experience of the way the BNP and their predecessors organise a physical and intimidatory presence wherever they have any strength. The one thing we cannot afford is complacency.
Well said, Caroline — perhaps because Dominic lives in the SW he thinks he can afford to not take action?
Dom, there's such a thing as positive anger – it doesn't have to lead to hate. Positive anger lead to the end of apartheid, the end of British occupation in India, the end of WW2 – #Who do you think you are, Mr. Hitler?# etc. Saying anger means we are as bad as "them" is naive in the extreme IMHO.
I signed, Luce!
There is no such thing as positive anger, any type of anger is negative. And to say my point of view is naive is naive in itself. Anger is what feeds people like the BNP and earns them votes. If a white person gets made redundant while someone from an ethnic minority gets to keep their job, there is going to be a certain amount of anger there, and while that white person would never normally be racist the likes of the BNP can use that anger to steal votes. They are very adept at doing so, or they wouldn't have survived for so long.
And Lucy when did I mention taking no action? I just think anger should have no part in opposition to people such as the BNP.
Writing a children's novel with the theme of right and wrong, good against evil has made me question a lot of things. Just because we perceive the Taliban and Muslim extremists to be evil, does that justify the Americans resorting to torture and locking suspected terrorists away in camps with out trail? I think we both know the correct answer to that.
I always love it when people bring in tenuous links to stuff we're not even talking about. Racism is wrong, end of. Fascism is no good for our country.
Sign the petition. It won't take long. You don't have to get angry about it, just stand up, be counted and say "The BNP do not represent me."
And who says I haven't already done so??????
Then why the bloody hell are you arguing the toss???
Coz of these wise words from the very site the petition is on, "But as the recession goes on, and people lose their jobs and homes, so the anger will grow. Much of it will be directed at the Government but some will be directed at migrant workers and immigrants who will increasingly be blamed for taking jobs."
As I said, lets oppose the BNP, but let's not hate them. Calm, considered opposition…remember that.
I think I'll run as an independent one day, I've enjoyed our little debate.
Spot on Lucy, I signed it straight away.
All it takes for evil to flourish is for good men to do nothing. A lot of good men and women did nothing at these elections.
Shit I'm sorry guys, I voted BNP by mistake. I thought they were some sort of patriotic party, not a bunch of bigots.
On a serious note though. We live in a democracy. Where Dom is entitled to have an opinion and the BNP (if deemed not an organization that encourages racial hatred by the legal or government system) is allowed a voice if elected, unfortunate and disgusting as that may be. I suspect the people who voted them in are at the extreme end of the ignorance scale.
But you know I think the biggest evil we have in this country is our media.
Good luck with the petition Lucy.
Dom – this was a debate?! Warn me next time ; )
Jill – I'd quibble on the idea of apathetic people being "good" ; )
Paul – I just can't understand how a man who apparently has a conviction for inciting racial hatred can get a job as a politician! If he was a teacher, he wouldn't be able to work in any school and rightly so – but politics??? Nevermind, son.
Hey, while we're talking about democracy maybe Abu Hamza could be convinced to run for election in the next European Parliamentary elections?
Paul: Are you calling me unfortunate and disgusting, I'm confused?????
Lucy: No, it was more because I was bored, as no one bothers to go to my blog these days and comment. I thought I'd come and pester you instead.