Letter to the Observer
Dear Sir
As one who is generally in favour of political platforms which include the 'democratically' elected BNP, in order that it may be discredited, I fully endorse what Andrew Rawnsley had to say in his article – ‘The more people see of the BNP, the worse for the party’ – Comment, last week. I am only sorry that the BBC missed a better opportunity than it took to even further expose Nick Griffin and his party's reprehensible policies.
Unfortunately David Dimbleby early on in the recent Question Time programme (unusually for him) lost the plot and, in his rage, initially allowed himself to become part of the mob baying for Griffin's blood. This, although he (a little too late) pulled himself together, meant that serious debate could not be entered into.
Griffin, when he did get the chance to respond, was showing himself to be the shallow fascist that we knew him to be. However on each occasion, just before he was left to wordlessly flounder, one or other politico on the panel saved him by intervening and spouting diatribe in an attempt to promote their own party.
No one was really challenged on the question of why there is a rise in support for the BNP, i.e. the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it. In view of this the representatives of the 'major' parties were permitted to resort to the use of the fascist deception of scapegoating, so that they could provide a smokescreen for their own shortcomings. In view of this Griffin was quite possibly no less honest than any other politician on the panel!
In any event I suspect that many members of the BNP (with or without hindsight) probably would have preferred their leader to have been refused the opportunity to put forward their policies, as they then may then have been able to gain some sympathy from attacking our ‘selective’ multi-cultural democracy.
Nevertheless sadly for him - and thankfully for all decent folk - he and the BNP were portrayed on Question Time - and in the aftermath throughout the media - as the least acceptable face in British politics.
Yours faithfully
Ashley Gunstock
Racism begins with our families, parents, brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles, grandparents, people we admire, respect and love.
ReplyDeleteHowever, as we grow and mature we come to the realization that what we were told by our family when we were children were slanted lies base on their prejudices. We realize that most people are like ourselves and not so different and want the same things, like a home, steady work, a Medicare plan and schools for our children (if you travel you will see this). We realize that most people are of good hearts and goodwill.
This reminds me of a parable from the good book where a Levite and Priest come upon a man who fell among thieves and they both individually passed by and didn’t stop to help him.
Finally a man of another race came by, he got down from his beast, decided not to be compassionate by proxy and got down with the injured man, administered first aid, and helped the man in need.
Jesus ended up saying, this was the good man, this was the great man, because he had the capacity to project the “I” into the “thou,” and to be concerned about his fellow man.
You see, the Levite and the Priest were afraid, they asked themselves, “If I stop to help this man, what will happen to me?”
But then the Good Samaritan came by. And he reversed the question: “If I do not stop to help this man, what will happen to him?”
That’s the question before us. The question is not, “If I stop to help our fellow man (immigrant) in need, what will happen to me?” The question is, “If I do not stop to help our fellow man, what will happen to him or her?” That’s the question.
This current climate of blaming others for our woes is not new. We have had this before and we have conquered it.
Remember “Evil flourishes when good men (and women) do nothing”. Raise your voices with those of us who believe we are equal and we can win this battle again.
Saying things like “the failure of New Labour, the Tories or the Lib Dems to represent the 'working class' and address the issues which most trouble it” only serves to perpetuate the myth that the BNP are somehow an anti-establishment party speaking up for the forgotten white working class.
ReplyDeleteBNP voters are not in the main disaffected Labour voters; 65% of BNP voters didn’t vote for one of the big three parties before, they just didn’t vote. Sadly support for the BNP is not based on apathy and general disgruntlement, the majority of BNP voters positively support BNP policies – but we are talking about less than 4% of the electorate. The Green Party gets the highest percentage ABC1 voters - so GPEW is the least successful political party at representing the 'working class'.
It is not the GPEW's fault; however it has the unfortunate distinction of having a parliamentary candidate defect to the BNP. Keith Bessant was a Green Party parliamentary candidate in two consecutive general elections, before he joined the BNP.
Paul said,
ReplyDeleteHowever, as we grow and mature we come to the realization that what we were told by our family when we were children were slanted lies base on their prejudices.
So as we grow and become parents and grandparenst ourselves we develop our OWN prejudices which we pass onto the young?