to think a teenager should not be declaring their support for the BNP on FB?

[VelvetSpoon]

It is not done in an obviously jokey way. I suspect they are being serious, albeit in a completely ignorant, unthinking way.

This is a young teenager, ie under 16.

Not my child, so therefore nothing to do with me, and I'm expecting to be told IABU in concerning myself with it.

(If it was my DC though, I would be making them delete it immediately. And possibly banning from FB at least temporarily).

completely agree heidihole.

Pumpkin I know that I changed my beliefs between my early teens and 18. I wouldn't want to be judged on ill-thought out beliefs from my childhood. If he still agrees with the BNP in a few years, I completely agree with you.

Maybe your son should challenge him, OP. I wouldn't want anybody influencing my son in that way.

It is ill advised to put political beliefs on any forum for all the above reasons but the best way to discourage objectionable views is through debate and reasoned argument...if you have to shout down, ban or supress it, you have generally speaking lost the higher ground in the argument. its the equivilent of I'm right, you're wrong, I'm big, you're small

that's freedom of speech for you. Just make sure your kid knows better and does not associate with this child or its parents. Only one person ever thought up racism by themselves, everyone else was taught it.

The first time I ever voted, I put my cross in the BNP box. I have since learned the error of my ways, and vote UKIP now. They will find their way. Don't worry.

Free speech, yep.

Please exercise your right to free speech but explaining that the BNP is solely populated by fuckwits/racists/thugs and the type to generally end up dying virgins. If the first bit doesn't convince him then the last bit definitely were.

BNP membership is actually less sexy than spock ears.

If it were my kid, I'd not them leave the house until I had deprogrammed him until he had learned the error of his ways

Invite kid over and educate him on what the bnp do

We had the BNP knock at the door recently. I did my normal No thanks.
It was a little old lady and she said can I ask why dear?
My mothers training to be polite kicked in, so I said I don't support Racists.
Oh no we're not racist, we just support the British workers.
British jobs for British people.
Ok then says I you'd better speak to my partner as I'm not British(though am white) my Indian OH walls in to the hall just then.

She physically recoiled and spat you filth! You whore at me.
I have to admit it was so Little Britain I laughed.
OH was completely confused had no idea what was going on.
I just said I thought you said you weren't Racist and shut the door.

Btw: OH is 4th gen English I think, me I'm a Paddy

Bunch of fuckwits

YABU

if they are over 13 they are entitled to be on FB
if they are human they are entitled to their own opinion
if their posts are offensive report them to FB

Aghhhh keep posting too soon.
I have never meet an intelligent BNP member
I have meet intelligent racists and tbh they scare the fuck out of me.

I'd politely mention it to the parents, how they react should tell you all you need to know

"Only one person ever thought up racism by themselves, everyone else was taught it. "

that's rubbish. racism comes from ignorance and small mindedness- there's a fuckload of that about and has been since the beginning of time. it's a bit more than 1 person deciding to hate different coloured skin and teaching it to everyone else.

There was a boy in my school who used to shout "BNP, BNP" at me (in between shoves, pushes, kicks etc) in the corridors. He wasn't stupid either. He just knew I'm not English. He put something or other showing his support for the BNP on facebook in Y11 or so, think he's taken it down now. He seems to be nicer now anyway. Kids grow out of stuff. But if it were my kid, I'd kick them out as soon as I could. What's the legal age, 16, 18? Of course I don't know how I'd really react (don't have kids), but the thought of having a racist child is so horrible, even knowing they'd probably get over it after a while- I'd do anything to speed up the process! I'd hope that my parents would react in the same way, to shock me, if I ever declared something like that so calmly and confidently.

Ideally find out if they have any non-white friends first, so you can drop that in ("so the BNP think X should be sent back "home" to Y, where they have never lived. Do you think that's a sensible policy to adopt?")

If I were X and I came across that post I'd feel a bit punched in the stomach to be honest, leave them out of it. Good tactic in theory, bringing it closer to home, but maybe not on a public forum!

YY heidihole. Interesting that some posters here who I recall are quite anti smacking are advocating kicking a childs arse. Nice.

A few people on my facebook post BNP slogans without actually realising their source. It does make me wish facebook had a face.

Ideally find out if they have any non-white friends first, so you can drop that in ("so the BNP think X should be sent back "home" to Y, where they have never lived. Do you think that's a sensible policy to adopt?")

I think that's a good idea, though I daresay OP will get a nice big public up yours.

Interesting that some posters here who I recall are quite anti smacking are advocating kicking a childs arse. Nice.

There's a difference between smacking a nine year old for being disobedient and slapping a fully grown 18 year old for his incredibly disgusting and cruel views comparisons are naive, jeez

quirrel i'm not sure violence is an appropriate way to deal with either behaviour TBH.

Pam, I use "arse kicking" as a metaphorical term. Untwist your knickers, dear.

It's highly unlikely they really understand what the BNP stand for are unlike to have the same political views in a few years time....I did something very similar when I was 16. Needless to say, I do not agree with the BNP in any way now. Kids rebel and try and antagonise, it's all part of growing up.

Santa (haha)
I'm not sure I said it was appropriate, I was more arguing that whichever posters don't agree with smacking kids and do agree with hitting thugs aren't necessarily being the hypocrites that Pam seems to think they're being. So that their arguments still stand without being discredited.

Dola when I was doing my "I hate the world" bit, I rebelled by wearing panda makeup and refusing to cooperate in school. I didn't rebel by joining a racist organisation. It does say more about their personality than their age- and yes, personalities change a lot between teens and mid twenties, but all the same.....I do think we need to be wary about saying "oh it's a teen thing". They do need a kick up their arse to make sure it's a) toned down so while they do hold those convictions they're not too vocal about it and b)eventually stamped out.

I think anyone is BU in supporting the BNP, teenager or not. But at least a young teen can grow out of it and is possibly doing it for effect.
I'd be more disturbed if one of my adult friends actively supported the BNP.

i do think they are being hypocritical though quirrel.

Sure ok, I was just making it clear that I don't necessarily think violence will solve much :)

Gosh "it does", "I do", "they do", I'm really trotting it out there aren't I