The British National Party
Anti-fascist groups are protesting and are enraged, due to the BNP fielding 118 candidates in the May 5th election. As the BNP have candidates in one sixth of all consituencies, they were permitted to create a party election broadcast, which was shown on Thursday 21st April 2005.
I saw this broadcast and thought the premise of it was comical and ludicrous. Supposedly the BNP were attempting to state they were 'out' for the 'oppressed' British person, as to support the rights of British people.
A BNP spokesman, Phil Edwards, said it was fielding many more candidates as it wanted to be seen as mainstream. He said: "We are not racist. We are race- realist. We are not a fringe group of lunatics. The only thing that holds us back is the fact we get such bad press. We are convinced there is a conspiracy against free speech for people like us.
IMO, the BNP ARE a racist party. Perhaps they don't advocate repatriation of non-whites from the UK anymore, but many of their supporters are racist.
Luke Crawley, a senior official at the BBC staff union Bectu, agreed. "We do not think that the BNP should be given a platform to express their racist views."
Like Mr. Crawley, I don't like or respect the BNP. But IMHO they possess every right to express their views.
Freedom of expression in itself does not initiate force or fraud against the person or property. I could call someone a poof or a paki and, whilst possibly 'hurting feelings' or causing emotional/psychological harm or distress, I wouldn't violate the person or property of a homosexual or southern Asian person. In a liberal democracy, surely all political viewpoints should be tolerated. Isn't liberal democracy BASED on the concept of pluralism?
In a libertarian society, no individual should be punished by the state for what they think or believe. They should only be punished if they infringe on anybody's person or property based on their beliefs.
Anti-fascist groups are protesting and are enraged, due to the BNP fielding 118 candidates in the May 5th election. As the BNP have candidates in one sixth of all consituencies, they were permitted to create a party election broadcast, which was shown on Thursday 21st April 2005.
I saw this broadcast and thought the premise of it was comical and ludicrous. Supposedly the BNP were attempting to state they were 'out' for the 'oppressed' British person, as to support the rights of British people.
A BNP spokesman, Phil Edwards, said it was fielding many more candidates as it wanted to be seen as mainstream. He said: "We are not racist. We are race- realist. We are not a fringe group of lunatics. The only thing that holds us back is the fact we get such bad press. We are convinced there is a conspiracy against free speech for people like us.
IMO, the BNP ARE a racist party. Perhaps they don't advocate repatriation of non-whites from the UK anymore, but many of their supporters are racist.
Luke Crawley, a senior official at the BBC staff union Bectu, agreed. "We do not think that the BNP should be given a platform to express their racist views."
Like Mr. Crawley, I don't like or respect the BNP. But IMHO they possess every right to express their views.
Freedom of expression in itself does not initiate force or fraud against the person or property. I could call someone a poof or a paki and, whilst possibly 'hurting feelings' or causing emotional/psychological harm or distress, I wouldn't violate the person or property of a homosexual or southern Asian person. In a liberal democracy, surely all political viewpoints should be tolerated. Isn't liberal democracy BASED on the concept of pluralism?
In a libertarian society, no individual should be punished by the state for what they think or believe. They should only be punished if they infringe on anybody's person or property based on their beliefs.
posted by Christopher at 22.4.05
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