To feel absolute disgust at seeing friends/family sharing Tommy Robinson videos on FB?

[Beadieeye]

It makes me feel revolted on a visceral level. Whenever I see someone share a far-right, xenophobic propaganda video, I really do think differently about that person especially if they have children. I don't know if it's sheer ignorance (which I can't understand, it isn't hard to grasp the agenda behind this crap), or the fact that these people I know are actually in awe of fascists.
I really do feel passionate about...not being a twat, I suppose! But I don't really know why it bothers me so much. Maybe because despite my beliefs, it's knowing I have to sit back and let them get on with it. If there's one thing I know, it's that you can't argue with these people. They believe they are right :/

I think its a tough one. Sometimes ignorance sometimes they agree with whatever he might be saying in that particular video but not his actual ideologies etc. Tommy Robinson (baffles me that he made up a new name by the way) is very clever at how he words things etc to convince some people to agree with him BUT most people that share his stuff probably do not believe in the background behind what he is saying IYSWIM. Hope that makes sense, all I would say is give your nearest and dearest a chance BUT if they're just facebook friends then delete them.

I completely agree with you OP. He was in my area at the weekend, supposedly for a book signing (in a newsagent in a rundown part of the city) but was just there to spread his vile views and cause as much mayhem as possible. I've deleted a few school friends from facebook after they have shared some of his posts.

He has also been instrumental in organising demonstrations in the city for a lady that was raped. He clearly doesn't give a shit about her (or any other rape victims) but because the alleged attackers are immigrants, he has gotten involved. Some locals think he is amazing for doing this, they can't see that it is just to further his agenda.

I had one or two people Ike this and I just cut them out of my life. Racists can fuck off.

I seem to be very fortunate and have never had any friend or family post or share any of this crap on FB. I would have no hesitation both blocking them from FB and ignoring them in real life (including family) if I discovered any level of support for this moron and his views.

Yeah I'm lucky that people I know don't post this shit on Facebook although I have had someone post something similar before and I unfriended them.

If you don't feel you can unfriend without causing drama then you could unfollow instead so you don't see any of it.

It's an instant unfriend from me.

I think it's more useful to listen to what is said and challenge any arguments that you disagree with. It's reasonable to find an individual to be objectionable but unreasonable to assume that every word they utter ought to be disregarded on the basis that you've categorised them as a bigot. If a statement is objectively true, it doesn't become false once it is said by somebody you happen to dislike.

Tommy Robinson has said some disgusting things in the past, his actions with the EDL were appalling at times. That can't be denied. However, if Tommy Robinson highlights failings on the part of the authorities (be that national government, police or local councils) in tackling extremists and he can back this up with evidence then I think we ought to listen. If he wants to draw attention to his lived experiences in Luton, some of which have been played out again and again in other areas of the country (Rochdale, Rotherham, Birmingham), I think it's dangerous to dismiss these concerns without acknowledgement because it creates a toxic environment in which resentment simmers away beneath the surface without being resolved.

You can deal with these things with a free and open exchange of ideas. Don't assume that people are unwavering in their positions and construct a logical, rational argument to persuade them if you think they're wrong. Very recent events should tell you that labelling people as racists (or whatever form of bigotry you perceive) isn't helpful, it doesn't change their views and when they head to a polling station come election/referendum time they still hold those views and their vote is inevitably influenced.

I suppose the short version of what I'm trying to say is let people speak, if they have bad ideas you have the opportunity to defeat them. You have the opportunity to persuade people and you ought to try if you feel strongly about a particular issue.

I know how you feel, OP. I was shocked to see Tommy Robinson/EDL/Britain First videos all over my cousin's fb page - she is a primary school teacher in a school was a pretty high population of Polish and Asian pupils! She shares a FB page with her husband (why on earth does anyone do this?) and it is him who has posted this stuff, but anyone looking at it would think it was her views. Seriously bad judgement there, I suspect she isn't aware of it as she doesn't post much on FB herself, but someone will see it and complain eventually and her job will be at risk then. Am about to message her about this as I spotted it earlier today and was not impressed!

She shares a FB page with her husband (why on earth does anyone do this?)

I always assume one of them was caught cheating.

I completely agree with having a logical discussion and I'm all for objective commentary, but unfortunately past experiences have taught me that I'm leaving myself open to abuse and name-calling. I found that I'm in the minority as either no one else dares to challenge them for fear of showing them up, or because they secretly agree (I really do have some shitty family and friends). The types of things being shared are parts of videos that are taken out of context, and wildly inaccurate statements which are completely made up but taken as facts, usually captioned with something ironic like 'it's time everyone opened their eyes/woke up to what's going on'...or people commenting on crime stories saying things like 'send them back home' about British nationals. Or that the UK should scrap Human Rights.
In the past, I've given statistics, pointed out that nationality and religion are not the same thing, nothing too 'provocative', but just got called a 'terrorist sympathiser' or that I 'don't get it'.

I'm going to probably be slated here, but please before you do take sometime to watch the video on this link

It is an hour long, but truly enlightening

I saw t Robinson on good morning Britain when him and piers had that clash. Because I didn't know much about him I found and watched the video from the link above.

I'm not condoning him at all, some of the stuff he has done is beyond the pale, however a lot of what has happened that has been reported has been doctored and shown to be fake.

Watching some sections of the community in certain cities burning poppies, burning our flag being arrested on charity walks when it's filmed and clear he wasn't to blame.

As I said when only half a story is shown it's wrong to make an opinion.
So please watch the video then perhaps he can be better understood

@beadieeye I know what you mean. Often people don't like to lose face when you challenge them on a public forum and they will use any means necessary to shut you down so that they can feel that they "won" the discussion. Please don't give up though. The reason people share articles and videos on Facebook, Twitter etc is presumably because they hope that their friends/followers will be persuaded by the content. If you provide a good counter-argument their friends/followers will see it and whilst you may not get any real time feedback to confirm that you've made a difference, you will at least have caused the person you are responding to and anyone else who sees the discussion to reassess their position. You will make a difference.

The alternative, which I am seeing more and more, is that people find themselves in echo chambers having blocked or unfollowed people who don't share their views. This often has disastrous consequences and people can become so indoctrinated, so steadfast in beliefs and ideologies which have little or no basis in reality, so unwavering that they (for all intents and purposes) remove themselves from political discussion altogether and find themselves interacting almost exclusively with people who are equally indoctrinated. Preaching to the choir if you like, never allowing their views to stand the test of a challenging counter-argument or properly challenging others. That can happen to people at both ends of the political spectrum and everyone in between.

Pickledeggsandcheese, thank you for sharing. I've only been able to watch part of the vid but will watch the rest.
So far, he hasn't revealed anything groundbreaking for me. He's spoken anecdotally about some of his teen years and hinted these instances- some of which are neither here nor there- have contributed to him feeling a certain way about a whole section of society so far, and mentioned a hate crime (I think his anger is directed at the police and criminal justice system here mainly). I can see where he's going with this, but for me it's logical that in any area with a certain demographic, then crime figures for that area will represent that demographic. For example, where I'm living, the population is mainly white secular working class but if something bad happens here, which often does, I don't think negatively about everyone who fits into that variable. Like him, I was a victim of hate crime more than once as a teenager because I lived somewhere in the world where I was the minority, but it didn't make me full of anger.
But as I say, maybe he's just getting warmed up because I haven't seen the rest of the video yet.