Local Elections - who did you vote for?

[Phanerothyme 12]

Originally posted by Disco_Cat

Personally I value protecting the lives of the people I love and care about over giving Fascists rights. And who knows if there hadn’t been so many people like me wanting to push a no platform line at the Battle for Cable Street, maybe Mosley would have been enjoying respectable and legal electoral success just as Hitler was.

 

I'm sorry I missed that completely the first time round. I guess I must have blanked it out as unreasonably egocentric delusions backed by specious reasoning and comparing the incomparable.

 

Have you read any BNP literature? They really don't have the intellectual wherewithal to even comprehend Mosely and the British Union of Fascists.

 

You said: "if there hadn't been so many people like me wanting to push a no platform line at the battle for cable street"

 

Well firstly you conveniently ignore the fact that the BUF went on to quite some electoral success in the east end, not in spite of, but because of cable street.

 

BUt if there is one thing that irritates more than the BNP it is this sort of mock heroism by association ("if there hadn't been so many people like me...")

 

What do you have in common with any of the revolutionary communists that pelted the police with bricks, overturned vehicles and made burning barricades? Your NUS card?

 

I also opposed the nonsensical no platform policy for fascists in area and national NUS conferences - not one member of the steering committee or the National Exec, could even define the term fascist let alone explain why they should be denied a platform when revolutionary communists, zionists and anarchists are not.

 

This sort of woolly thinking is, in my opinion, more of a danger thank the BNP:

 

"Personally I value protecting the lives of the people I love and care about over giving Fascists rights."

 

Let me translate that for you

 

"Personally I value protecting the lives of the people I love and care about over denying civil and political liberties to everyone including the people I love and care about"

[Disco_Cat 10]

The anti fascist movement is extremely complex. And while events like Cable Street serve their purpose Fascism will only ever be confronted effectively by tackling the issue that cause people to turn toward extreme parties such as the BNP. Thankfully it seems Labour are recognizing that they cannot take there heartland voters for granted and are starting to focus upon the issues and the people they should. I’m not by any definition a Revolutionary Communist but I have in common the belief that in a situation such as Cable Street people should take action against Fascism, and that people should be able to address issues that effect them such as housing without people like Mosley exploiting the situation to enact a holocaust.

 

I think you misinterpreted by what I mean by a non-platform policy. I don’t think I mentioned the government enforcing it. Instead I believe it is the role chiefly of groups such as unions and the media. The fact is that when the BBC broadcast the BNPs attack against Islam the other week it caused a great deal of distress and harassment to a lot of people, and while the BBC has a duty to address issues such as Immigration I am disappointed that they helped to spread ideas and attitudes that were disgusting and offensive.

 

My argument against the BNP is still the same. They see appearances on Question Time, the election of BNP student activist to union positions as small steps to another far more sinister end. It is up to us to recognize the truth about the BNP and make sure that end is never achieved. We don’t live in a Liberal Utopia and it is fair and correct for us to take actions such as no platform, to try and limit their achievements.

 

What I suggest to the large numbers of BNP members and councilors who are non racist is dump people like Luke Smith who have used you to raise the profile of their racist party and are now the reason why you are not enjoying the electoral success you could have, without the Nazi element. UKIP are a nationalist party desperate to strengthen their role in this country by being seen as local and not just a one-issue party. If you are not Racist people, wouldn’t you be happier as members of party not run by dangerous men with race hate convictions?

 

How much easier would it be for you to address the issues you care about if you could campaign and work without the stigma attached to the BNP?

[Disco_Cat 10]

Sorry one more thing

 

The BNP literature is legally checked over to avoid such “taboos” as anti-Semitism, so relying upon the CPS to control them is very hard. But there is a marked correlation between legal BNP activity in areas and racial and political assaults. So while the BNP can broadcast legally on the BBC this helps increase the attacks I am so keen to see stopped. Redwatch is a perfect example. Legally it has nothing to do with the BNP but the pictures on it are taken by BNP members of people who oppose the BNP.

[Tony 10]

Originally posted by royjames

Sorry about the spelling but the intolerance of some people makes my blood boil.

 

Hohohoho!! Surely not!!

 

This is the funniest thing I have heard in months!!!

 

Well apart from more people deserting the 'party' than flocking to it hehehehehe

[Halibut 12]

Sorry about the spelling but the intolerance of some people makes my blood boil.

 

I can't believe you just said that. Me too.