When did any view expressed make you 'genuine' and not bigoted

[Brokenme]

I'm really struggling to get my head around people saying Jacob Rees-Moggs views are ok because he is being 'genuine' and expressing himself. Where do we draw the line? Is it ok for politicians to be racist as long as they are 'genuinely' expressing their views. AIBU to be completely appalled by this stand point?

Anjem Chowdhury expresses his "genuine views" (many of which are similar to JRM's). Is that good that he is "genuine"?

Genuine and Bigoted are not mutually exclusive terms

I think it's great he spoke so freely, what a breath of fresh air from a politician

I'd trust him as a result and certainly way more that Corbyn and Mcdonnel who say all the right things but are actually hard left agitators who want to destroy the country as we know it

Is that good that he is "genuine"?
I must be broken because my immediate response is 'yes, it is a good thing to be genuine'. I have, in my head, an exceptionally clear separation of why 'being genuine' is different to 'being fair/nice/etc'.

I agree that the word "genuine" is incorrect as is the word "biggot," they are people's personal opinions which they are entitled to.

I'd trust him as a result
I wouldn't. He's a bellend. He told us. He went on TV and told us live.

Despite women being the most discriminated against (particularly if you count murder as being in the extreme end of the discrimination scale..) groups...

I don't follow this - about twice as many men get murdered as women in the UK. Doesn't seem like an area where we should be looking for equality...

I do not agree with his views or opinions but I do defend his right to express them and would rather he was honest about his view. I have more respect for people who express their views honestly than those who say what they think people want to hear.

daisybelle

I wasn't clear, sorry. Many women are murdered because they are women - in DV, sexually motivated murders etc - so was considering these murders as part of overall discrimination. I didn't mean more women in total were murdered, but that women are the most discriminated against group.

Aaaagh - just typed a massive reply Broken and lost it as my iPad ran out of power.... will try again in the morning!

I would rather trust him than the Labour Party members including Jc who lie about being anti-Semitic

I don't agree with JRM. I would describe myself as reluctantly pro choice and broadly ambivalent on gay marriage however he has a right to express his views and I'd rather a politician was honest rather than following the latest focus group or opinion poll. He doesn't seem to have any desire to impose his views on the country he's just stating his own personal moral beliefs. Are we really that surprised that a Catholic with 6 kids is against abortion and gay marriage ?.
If he became PM or was running to become PM in an election him holding those views would not affect how I voted. If the conservative manifesto was promising a ban on abortion and gay marriage that would affect my vote.

Just to clarify I would not vote Conservative if they were going to ban abortion and gay marriage.

@ clairewilliams999 I don't think Corbyn and Mcdonnel are trying that hard to hide it.

A pre-election leaders debate between JRM and JC would certainly be interesting. The 1870's vs the 1970's. It would be like a Princess rap battle.

I do not agree with his views or opinions but I do defend his right to express them and would rather he was honest about his view. I have more respect for people who express their views honestly than those who say what they think people want to hear.

My thoughts exactly. At least you are less likely to vote for someone then get a nasty surprise as their views slowly change into something very different to what you voted for. Which happens quite regularly.
However, I rarely believe anything that comes out of a politician's mouth anymore.

MaidOfStars

I'd trust him as a result
I wouldn't. He's a bellend. He told us. He went on TV and told us live.

I meant I would trust him to be honest, not that I'd trust his judgment. One of the reasons politics is so grim is that they are populist and say what they think they need to to win votes. look at Corbyn's promise to 'look at' existing student debt, it was totally misleading.

If a politician stands up and makes their unpopular view known, they prove that they have integrity.

I think it will be a big plus for him personally

Also there's no way that this would become policy or get voted in so it's no different to Corbyn hating jews which didn't seem to bother 13m labor voters

I think people's view points say a lot about the state of politics in this country. I totally agree that people have a right to express their view. However I can't get my head around people saying that because he expressed a view (that they say they totally disagree with) that this someone how makes him a good politician. For posters saying he would never act on his beliefs in politics, everyone is influenced by their own lens. He had told us his. Allowing views that marginalise others to become acceptable (after many years of society fighting this) in mainstream politics is frightening to me. And to clarify I'm not talking about his right to say it... but the response of others saying that it's good, when we have legally excepted as a society that his viewpoint is wrong.

*accepted

And to clarify I'm not talking about his right to say it... but the response of others saying that it's good, when we have legally excepted as a society that his viewpoint is wrong.
I think you're going to have to clarify further for me OP. As far as I can see, those of us saying it's good he expresses his honest viewpoint are not saying that the viewpoint is good, merely that it is good he appears to be honest... Now we can avoid him and his policies amounting to anything...

I would say a politician who is honest and straightforward about his/her views is a good thing, as a voter I would know what I was voting for. Therefore yes an honest straight talking politician is to be applauded even though I might totally disagree with their views, for this reason I fully respected both Tony Benn and Ann widicombe.

People are allowed their own opinions and beliefs. I get sick of people being called bigots etc, just because they feel different and don't tow the sheep line. Bla.

Broken Have we accepted that his viewpoint is wrong though? It seems to me at times that the parameters of the abortion act have been widened and need revisiting. It's also worth remembering that JRM is concerned about the rights of the foetus, as the rights of the mother are well established.

Abortion is legal in this country, and that won't be changed, and he knows that. Presumably whilst we all recognise that some things are law, we disagree with them, and we have the right to say so.

I'm glad this discussion came back round to sensible discussion - I picked up on this idiotic statement though - I think I'm right and he's wrong. Not all ideas and opinions are equally valid. - which really just goes to show, no matte your belief/faith their are those who seek to ram their thought process down your throat no matter what; they have no regard for democracy, freedom of speech, differences and really are little better than your fanatical fully paid up flag waving pulpit shrieking pastor/imam/EDL supporter that they profess to dislike so much.

^^ bit of autocorrect going on there/their