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Thread: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

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    A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Tonight Nick Griffin, Leader of the BNP will appear on Question Time for the first time. How do others feel about this.

    Myself I am in two minds on one hand I am a believer in the freedom of speech even when it is something you don’t want to hear but on the other I find it difficult to stomach the fact that this party holds such abhorrent views IMHO and whose leader has been convicted of racial incitement is given a platform to speak and therefore normalise his views.

    I believe he will moderate his language and come across as a reasonable person and that he will find some sympathy across the country for his views especially as the country is still in recession

    I would be interested in your views

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    Tonight Nick Griffin, Leader of the BNP will appear on Question Time for the first time. How do others feel about this.

    Myself I am in two minds on one hand I am a believer in the freedom of speech even when it is something you don’t want to hear but on the other I find it difficult to stomach the fact that this party holds such abhorrent views IMHO and whose leader has been convicted of racial incitement is given a platform to speak and therefore normalise his views.

    I believe he will moderate his language and come across as a reasonable person and that he will find some sympathy across the country for his views especially as the country is still in recession

    I would be interested in your views
    I dont like the man and I dont like his politics, but there is still (despite the goverments efforts) a right in this country to hold a view. That view should be aired and then challanged by the alternatives. IN PUBLIC.

    Good people are dying in foreign parts to defend that right which many would take away from us and only impose Their views etc.

    Chrisu.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Ignorance is not the answer.

    Any person can hold any view. That is their right. If someone in politics holds a particular view, which is deemed to be "wrong", then the best way to counter that is to show the holes in their view publicly. Let them argue their case, then pull apart their arguments and show them up for what they are...

    By driving these people underground, their support networks grow... the blind follow the ignorant, etc...

    Let him air his views and, hopefully, someone will tear him apart in debate.

    Light is the answer. Reasoned, intelligent discussion is the only answer to such a challenge...

    O, I do hope he's not surrounded by numpties on the panel!!!
    Last edited by CJ; 22nd-October-2009 at 09:51 AM.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    I dont get involved in politics at all and wouldn't watch the programme but as much as I dont like the guy and what he stands for he has the right to his opinions.
    What I would enjoy would be listening to the verbal battering that I think he might get from the others on the panel and indeed the audience.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Whilst on the one hand I believe in freedom of speech and I would love to see that vile, hateful little man publicly humiliated by an intelligent, articulate panel, there is a risk of this helping his cause.
    Of course, reactions are different in different countries, but look at what happened in France with Jean-Marie Le Pen (of France's Front National party). His appearance on National TV was considered to be a milestone in his "acceptability" and he went on to come second in France's 2002 presidential election!

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by Maxine View Post
    Tonight Nick Griffin, Leader of the BNP will appear on Question Time for the first time. How do others feel about this.

    Myself I am in two minds on one hand I am a believer in the freedom of speech even when it is something you don’t want to hear but on the other I find it difficult to stomach the fact that this party holds such abhorrent views IMHO and whose leader has been convicted of racial incitement is given a platform to speak and therefore normalise his views.

    I believe he will moderate his language and come across as a reasonable person and that he will find some sympathy across the country for his views especially as the country is still in recession

    I would be interested in your views
    According to wikipedia, taking the information with a pinch of salt of course, the BNP believe "that preference for one's own ethnicity is a part of human nature"

    Is that anything other than ridiculous? As we grow up and experience more of the world around us, hopefully we begin to understand our world and our species and leave such simplistic thoughts behind. Yes, we do prefer our own kind because what we are used to makes us feel safe, but it depends on your upbringing what you consider "your own". If you are white and you grow up in a loving community of only black people, are you forever yearning for other whites to take you away? The very idea is madness. And thats us using the BNPs simplistic of idea of what "ethnicity" is in the first place i.e. skin colour. Ethnicity is much more than skin colour.

    But "Ethnicity" is just the most common thing that people think of when the BNP is mentioned. As far as policies are concerned, there are good and bad - they would return to the barbaric days of corporal and capital punishment but want to regenerate the farming industry, and they were apparantly the first UK political party to suggest banning sexual inequality. So while much of what they stand for is hateful and extreme there are areas of opinion that are worth hearing. So yes, I think they should be debated on TV, we can't shy away from views that clearly some members of the public do hold. But, and a big but; their leader, and others, have been convicted of various crimes - so in a sense we risk giving them and their more extreme views and illegal actions an air of legitimacy whether they are members of a valid political party or not.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by CJ View Post

    O, I do hope he's not surrounded by numpties on the panel!!!
    Politicians - Numpties. Whats the difference

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by djtrev View Post
    I dont get involved in politics at all .
    Put 3 people in a room, and there are politics. Every aspect of our life comes down to politics... Banks getting a huge bonus sum at taxpayers' expense is politics. Ceroc taking over Ginger Jive's venue and whateer the truth may be is politics. That we pay too much for our energy supplies is politics.. That Scotland is cose ti independence today than at anytime in the last couple of hundred years comes down to politics... That we pay more for our fuel than almost any other country in the world is politics...

    May I humbly suggest we owe it to ourselves, and each other, to get involved, and stay involved, in politics??

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    I'm interested in what will be said. More from the other parties than from the BNP.
    As the BNP is using some current worries and twisting them to help get some attention and support... More attention than support.

    It is also worth pointing out that the votes for the BNP for the European election was lower than the time before, but less people voted overall
    As it's annoying how the news etc made it out to be that more people are racist etc cause they got a seat. It was more due to people being sick of politics and not enough improvements and therefore not voting. I think this will be different at the next election.

    But then comes the question of the other parties. Are they really much better. i.e
    Tax evasion.
    2 houses and we pay for them
    extra money per day for going to work ... on top of the wage!
    etc
    etc

    All of this doesn't help the average person want to vote. They (i.e myself) get sick of the parties.
    Where as the people that have these different view still vote.
    The above money / tax evasion really p'd me off more than anything as if we (the normal people) did that at work.We'd be locked up
    ....not allowed to pay it back and wait 6 months before quitting the job (and getting a cash sum for leaving)

    The BNP have a right to a view, but they also have human right to follow.
    I completely disagree with there view but they have a right to it.

    I find it funny more than anything. As there is no documentation that can ever directly say that immigration is the reason for a contries problems etc.
    So the BNP aren't going to be able to win on that front. (but they are trying) I think the banks are a bit more of an issue (yet they kept there jobs etc...)

    My worries are that they are going to be the only party that will have something to say on the show. Everyone else too afraid to say something incase they cause some controversy.
    Parties do need to have an opinion and want to look out for the people of the country not just themselves.

    The one last thing i think that has been 'good' from this is that we are starting to talk about race / religion etc etc. This shouldn't be a topic that we don't talk about it should be something that we look at and are happy about our differences, but not controlled by them.

    Sorry got into a bit of a rant there

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by knightengale View Post
    My worries are that they are going to be the only party that will have something to say on the show. Everyone else too afraid to say something incase they cause some controversy.
    Parties do need to have an opinion and want to look out for the people of the country not just themselves.

    The one last thing i think that has been 'good' from this is that we are starting to talk about race / religion etc etc. This shouldn't be a topic that we don't talk about it should be something that we look at and are happy about our differences, but not controlled by them.
    well said. I hope the other politicians come across well, the BNPs positions have holes big enough for even the lamest politician to score a goal or two. I hear there is no Tory on the show tonight, very poor show if they want to be taken seriously as the party of the next government.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by Gav View Post
    I would love to see that vile, hateful little man publicly humiliated by an intelligent, articulate panel, there is a risk of this helping his cause.
    Of course, reactions are different in different countries, but look at what happened in France with Jean-Marie Le Pen (of France's Front National party). His appearance on National TV was considered to be a milestone in his "acceptability" and he went on to come second in France's 2002 presidential election!
    This was one of my concerns and why I said it could normalise his views


    Quote Originally Posted by CJ View Post
    May I humbly suggest we owe it to ourselves, and each other, to get involved, and stay involved, in politics??
    Can’t agree more apathy is dangerous and if we don’t speak up for what we believe in we could lose the things we take for granted


    Quote Originally Posted by knightengale View Post
    Parties do need to have an opinion and want to look out for the people of the country not just themselves.

    The one last thing i think that has been 'good' from this is that we are starting to talk about race / religion etc etc. This shouldn't be a topic that we don't talk about it should be something that we look at and are happy about our differences, but not controlled by them.

    Sorry got into a bit of a rant there
    I think that politicians often stay clear of these controversial subjects for fear that their words will be misconstrued and therefore could be labelled racist for expressing an opinion that could be taken out of context.

    Lastly Killingtime, it’s good to rant sometimes as shows you still have passion, which is so much preferable to apathy

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    So what are the policies of The BNP?

    Would one of you computer experts care to put up a selection of their good and bad policies up on this thread so some discussion can ensue.

    I know of 1 of their policies, ie bring the Armed Forces out of Afghanistan.

    Now this is a personal opinion, of someone who has spent a bit of time in the Army, I think we are fighting a people in their own country who was supplied and trained by the Americans, who have never been conquered. I think we should pull out of Afghanistan and then Neutron bomb the bloody lot of them, a Neutron bomb kills all living things but leaves the buildings and infrastructure intact, same for Iraq, pull out kill the lot of them and then have cheap oil.

    We are but mere puppets of the american's, with politicians who are too spineless to tell the yanks that no more of our Armed Forces are going to die ensuring they have cheap oil.

    This is the only policy of The BNP that I am aware of. Somebody put up some policies for discussion please.

    DTS XXX XXX

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by dave the scaffolder View Post
    So what are the policies of The BNP?



    This is the only policy of The BNP that I am aware of. Somebody put up some policies for discussion please.

    DTS XXX XXX
    Basically the BNP are a far right party that started out life as the National Front and metamorphosised into the BNP to try and make themselves and their policies more acceptable. They are against non white immigration. I have included a link from Wikapedia (yes I know take some of what's written with a pinch of salt)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_National_Party

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Here you go, - not that i've got the time to read them myself.

    http://bnp.org.uk/policies/

    I did hear that they'll get rid of speed cameras, - i'm all for that one

    Oh - agree with DTS, - heartbreaking seeing young boys/ex-soldiers in my gym with missing limbs

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    One of the problems in this muti everything country of ours is that if one wishes to show any form of patriotism they are immediately branded racist.
    I neither vote for nor support the BNP (I'm an SNP voter and supporter) but I believe that a lot of people, especially in England, support many of its views but keep quiet about it for fear of being accused of racist fascism.

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Quote Originally Posted by Brian Doolan View Post
    One of the problems in this muti everything country of ours is that if one wishes to show any form of patriotism they are immediately branded racist.
    I neither vote for nor support the BNP (I'm an SNP voter and supporter) but I believe that a lot of people, especially in England, support many of its views but keep quiet about it for fear of being accused of racist fascism.
    I'm sure thats true, but it only takes one abhorent policy to brand a party - having a few good ones hardly make up for it. The stigma with the party then exists because most people wonder how the supporters could ignore the abhorent policies.

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    Registered User knightengale's Avatar
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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Another thing that i find 'funny' about the BNP is the idea that we weren't a Multicultural country to start with. i.e look at the English language its a mixture of French, Latin, German, Scots etc etc. We all are different cultures and have been for 100s of years. The UK has never been 'British' we as a people and as a language are Multicultural .

    I also find it funny how they can say immigration is wrong, but then are happy with the idea of moving to a nice holiday home in Spain.. Isn't that the same thing. some people are fine with us wanting to move to another country and use there systems but not when it comes to here isn't that stupid

    I agree that we should be able to celebrate our origins, i.e I'm Scottish and love it's history and proud of it, but i don't think that should excluded me celebrating the other cultures of the world in the process or from question all cultures (including my own) in the process.

    We should be able to disagree with people no matter what the race or sex etc. It's also wrong you can't disagree with someone cause of there race without being classed as racist.

    My way of thinking is if you are a good person then i treat you as such. If you are an arse then i treat you like one.. I don't care what colour of skin or sexuality you have

    Hopefully this isn't to off topic..

    I'll try and keep back on the BNP part next reply lol

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    Cool Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    If you don't like the BNP and what they stand for, don't worry you can still show them your support by not getting involved in all aspects of government right down to the local level.

    Political apathy... it's like candy to extremists like the BNP, sadly this country has it in spades

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    Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Well, as Voltaire is claimed to have said: "“I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it".......

    and I have to agree with that - being a libertarian at heart.

    Yes - I remember the ugliness that was the National Front - and going on those Rock Against Racism marches back in the 1980s - which did make a difference. So, the lesson is: it has to be confronted - and as some people have said - argued through step by step in a reasoned way (with a bit of fisticuffs to let off steam on the way).

    One party I would support is the English Democratic Party. They only have one policy: to create an English Parliament!

    If it's good enough for Scotland and Wales - why can't we have our own Parliament? This would go some way to addressing the current democratic deficit we have in England (and then move on to the anomalous and anachronistic Barnett formula).

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    Cool Re: A Little Bit of Politics – BNP on Question Time

    Great link posted on Facebook by Mel and Tonic:

    10 Things to Know About the BNP

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