To timidly suggest that Nigel Farage is not a racist

[Millyonthefloss]

Can I just start by saying that I am not a racist. Thanks.

This is my AIBU.

Lots of people on mumsnet say Farage is a racist.

But this is what I think.

He is a geezer. He is a city boy. He smokes. He wears dodgy coats. He looks weird. He says non PC things, like my FIL does. He doesn't like overcrowding and change.

But I am beginning to think that he is not a racist.

What he is in fact is a man with an absolute obsession with British parliamentary democracy and an absolute hatred of EU waste, extravagance and unaccountability. He is totally obsessed with getting the UK out of the EU and independent again.

He is enraged and infuriated by the wasteful things the EU does like moving the EU Parliament from Strasbourg to Brussels all the time and wasting millions and millions of British taxpayers money that could be spent in his beloved UK.

I don't even think he is that interested in immigration.

But he is so obsessed with his aim of UK independence that he will work with anyone. So when free movement of labour became the big issue - years after he started his campaigns - he was willing to embrace it. And there have therefore been racists in UKIP. He is not choosy.

But I don't think Farage himself is a racist.

He seems to be genuinely delighted now that he can stand on a platform with Kwasi Kwateng or Frank Field.

He does his weird grin when he is with people like them.

All he wants is UK independence.

What do you think? AIBU?

"O'Brien: "What about if a group of German children [moved in]? What's the difference?"

Farage: "You know what the difference is … We want an immigration system based on controlling not only quantity but quality as well."

An "open door" to immigration has been "an open invitation to the traffickers", Farage added.

O'Brien: "I asked you a question about Romanians and you started talking about people traffickers.""

How is that not racism? Racism isn't as narrow as skin colour, he's classifying people by country of origin - of course it's racism.

eatsleephockeyrepeat - its not the immigrants that are causing the bottle necks in health and education its the conservative government who have taken away the money in favour of giving the rich tax breaks

Ego.

That is a very interesting question.

And the answer is not at all.

And I'm sure I haven't changed anybody elses mind either.

The Internet just doesn't work if the subject is too emotive.

I am interested in the hostility about the geezer comment. What do you mean by a geezer? Is there a regional difference?

When he started his furious campaign against EU corruption and waste and unaccountability, Europe was entirely white

What date was this? I'll settle for the decade.

For what it's worth eyebrowse I completely agree with you.

Totally agree with OP. the EU parliament moves twice in one month to make up for the fact it is on holiday in August. The accounts have not been approved by an auditor for over a decade. If it was a company it could not get away with its lack lack of management.

I am interested in the hostility about the geezer comment

I think it's easy to read into that that someone can be excused saying some pretty vile things (in the opinion of many) because he's just "that kind of guy".

its not the immigrants that are causing the bottle necks in health and education its the conservative government who have taken away the money in favour of giving the rich tax breaks

OK, so who was behind the funding when there were bottle necks under the Labour Government?

I think the point is more., there were bottle necks then, in fact a crisis on maternity wards, so why did Blair decide to lift work breaks for EE?

Do you think adding people to a bottle crisis is a good thing? I would also like to know if anyone here actually blames Mr Immigrant for this?

I think our immigration is out of control but personally I do not blame anyone for coming here at all. I blame the government for allowing them, esp when as Frank Field declares, its hurting the very poorest in our society.

I have it when posh gits pretend to be "one of the lads".

I speak as a posh got.

Nigel Farage is a vile racist and a disgusting homophobe too.

Here's the evidence:

www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/jun/06/nigel-farage-accused-of-age-old-racist-claim-in-linking-migrants-to-sexual-assault

Do you think adding people to a bottle crisis is a good thing?

adding people when there is a crisis...

Git. Unless got is the feminine form of git....

entirely white. Sorry I meant to say Europe was thought of as being White, posh even. There was no race issue in joining the EU,

I used to work with him. You're 100% right OP

I have to say I never thought I would find myself in this position, sort of defending Nigel Farage.

Bertrand in what way do you think he pretends to be "one of the lads"?
Because standing in pubs with a pint is not, pretending to be one of the lads.

OK, so who was behind the funding when there were bottle necks under the Labour Government?

One phrase for you

PFI....

Not that the Torys are any better

I think it's easy to read into that that someone can be excused saying some pretty vile things (in the opinion of many) because he's just "that kind of guy

ok

I think I am older than most of you.

For example, if a beery bloke says something un PC down the pub I do not take offence.

I think younger people do not really get that.

I am more outraged by hypocrisy.

"I am a bit sad because Kerry Smith is a rough diamond, he's a council-house boy from the East End of London, left school early and talks and speaks in a way that a lot of people from that background do," Mr Farage said"

That's exactly the kind of thing I might think. I would make excuses for somebody's language if they came from a background where it was normal.

As long as they weren't a real hater I woudn't really mind.

I just do not fit in with the Mumsnet way.

Bran we were looking mainly at primary but it was a couple of years ago.

I hate it when people play the generation card to excuse 'un-pc' language. It's nonsense, it's not ok whatever the age. I know you don't like the golliwog discussion, but I remember those jam jars collection and asking as a very young child why we couldn't get one. My grandmother (born in the 1920s) explained how inappropriate they were. Ignorance is never an excuse.

"That's exactly the kind of thing I might think. I would make excuses for somebody's language if they came from a background where it was normal."

Why?

Nigel Farage defends racism in his party because 'the guy's a rough diamond from that background'

He also said that he'd get rid of the anti-discrimination employment laws, including those that protect applicants and employees against racism (and sexism, and homophobia).