TeaFan Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 If people are denied the right to air their political opinions, we don't have democracy, so the question of whether it would continue is moot. I think it's a bit more subtle than that. If we deny a small group of people democratic rights does that mean we have no democracy? Or does it mean that most people have democracy and a few don't? Remember, prisoners don't have the vote (for now), so by your logic we already don't have democracy. And does democracy consist in being able to vote or being able to stand or both? No-one's arguing that people should have the right to vote taken away from them. Some might argue that a party that is descended from the Nazi party isn't one we want in our political system because it risks the democratic rights of everyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest sibon Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 We need to learn a lesson from our (recent) past. Giving Nick Griffin prime time air time on Question Time exposed him as the seedy, unpleasant, racist that he is. To a massive audience. Subsequently, the BNP has fallen into a spiral of decline which includes them trying to kill each other. We absolutely should let them speak. Sunlight is a great disinfectant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alien52 Posted January 10, 2011 Share Posted January 10, 2011 Ha ha I'm glad the scum got thrown out on his ass. I didn't realise that he was on a donkey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andygardener Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 We need to learn a lesson from our (recent) past. Giving Nick Griffin prime time air time on Question Time exposed him as the seedy, unpleasant, racist that he is. To a massive audience. Subsequently, the BNP has fallen into a spiral of decline which includes them trying to kill each other. We absolutely should let them speak. Sunlight is a great disinfectant. Spot on sibon. Let them be hoist by their own petard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I think it's a bit more subtle than that. If we deny a small group of people democratic rights does that mean we have no democracy? Precisely so. If the franchise is not universal, it's not a democracy. I might be persuaded that there are some offences for which a person should have his franchise revoked, but under no circumstances should it be revoked merely because he has a political opinion that I don't like. If you're going down that road, you might as well strip the vote of everybody except me and anoint me as Lifelong Dictator; it comes to the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flowersfade Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I didn't realise that he was on a donkey. haha the donkey legged it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
azazel666 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 It's unclear from the clip what's happening. Is he one of the many paedophiles in the bnp? You're still banging on about that.............why don't you say something constructive? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Obelix Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 Precisely so. If the franchise is not universal, it's not a democracy. I might be persuaded that there are some offences for which a person should have his franchise revoked, but under no circumstances should it be revoked merely because he has a political opinion that I don't like. If you're going down that road, you might as well strip the vote of everybody except me and anoint me as Lifelong Dictator; it comes to the same thing. Just playing devil's advocate... why is it denied to the under 18's then? Surely a bright 16 year old is more suitable to vote than a disinterested 18 year old? Regardless of that though, the true mark of democracy is the ability to allow someone to hold and espose views that make your blood boil, that make you want with every fibre of your being to oppose that which they are saying in direct opposition to you. I may not like the BNP, in fact I detest all they stand for but they have the abosulte right to promote their views regardless of how anyone may feel about them. If they were ejected for no reason other than their political position - and that's not clear - but if that's why they were removed then democracy just died a little tonight and the world is a poorer place for it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 A bad thing we all have the freedom of speech. However he must have done something.... Lots of ifs and buts but nothing specific other than you deny freedom od speech. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassman62 Posted January 11, 2011 Share Posted January 11, 2011 I agree, but we'll never have a proper democracy in this country until some people are taken out and shot in the head. How very democratic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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