To feel upset that a good friend of mine has joined a "Ban all immigrants" group on Facebook?

[NorkyButNice]

Couldn't believe my eyes this morning to find a friend of mine has joined a "Britain is full - ban all immigrants" group on FB - I never had any idea that she harbours such DM style views, having always been a lefty liberal at uni and since.

My dad was an immigrant from Africa, and I know she's got immigrants in her recent family too - just feel a bit that she'd join such a group.

Sent her a message saying "Surprised to see you on here" and she said it's just for a laugh.

I know someone who joined the Get Huntley off Facebook group just to wind people up who join it thinking that it's true. Maybe she goes on there to post anti-anti-immigrant stuff?

If not, then that's a nasty situation to be in. How good a friend is she? It'd really upset me if I saw that.

I recently kicked a friend for joining a Support BNP group, but he was just an old school friend and not that close.

It's not a laugh though, is it? I wouldn't be laughing. And we're all immigrants - descendants of Vikings, Normans, Saxons etc. This "let's not take it seriously/it's all overly-PC" bollocks really winds me up.

However, if she has rational, reasoned anti-immigration arguments that she's thought long and hard about, then fair enough - she's entitled to her views.

Doesn't sound very funny to me
yanbu, maybe ask her to explain why it's so amusing

That would be a friendship breaker for me, tbh. I'm zero tolerance in the bigotry department!

I'd be finding people other than her to hang around with.

Well, to be devils advocate, being anti immigration isn't the same as being racist or a member of the BNP. There will be lots of members who do harbour such feelings and opuinions but also a few who are maybe just interested in the politics.

Though I ha\ven't seen the site so am assuming it's moderate

Lots of people join these groups on FB without really thinking. I would tell her you are annoyed and see wha tshe says. I would be cross too - both my parents were immigrants. And I agree, it is different from racism. Racism is a blind hatred of people different from you, regardless of where they were born.

I think there is a distinction between being anti the policy on immigration and being racist so for me it wouldn't necessarily be a deal breaker. My BIL is suffering from being directly undercut by firms using cheaper foreign labour & he can't pay himself and his employees the same low wage. He would like to see a points quota for immigration as operates in Australia. Deal breakers would be racist comments and actions, joining the BNP etc.

From the tone of the name of the group, I'd say it's almost entire membership would be of the bigoted ignorant variety.

A really, really good mate of mine, who always had fairly moderate political views, joined the BNP 2 years ago. I was distraught he had done it. It was the end of our friendship, so YANBU

YANBU, this would upset me too Norky. Don't see how it's a laugh really.

and politics is all about dialogue, however unsavoury

I know being against limitless immigration is not the same thing as being racist, and she's welcome to have her own opinion. I just never knew she thought like this, and it's surprised and upset me as it changes her as a person in my mind.

One of the "related groups" on the page is "Bring back the death penatly in the UK" - full of similarly minded people no doubt.

YANBU.

Not a bit.

I'd be bloody shocked and not want to be friends with her, tbh. You poor thing.

I'd be shocked too.

Re the death penalty, isn't there statistically a high proportion of the population who'd vote for that?

I can see dh's and my family dividing down the line on that one too.

YANBU

Related groups are just groups other people are in, not directlty linked with that site. One of my friends is in a 'don't you secretly want to punch people in the back of the head' group which shocked me, but you know, what people think, (or even explore) and what people do are very different things. You need to talk to her about this and ask her what her real feelings are, discuss it (try not to argue) and then make a decision then.

Is this sort of group allowed on Facebook? Presumably it's only a matter of time before it's removed - still doesn't change the thoughts and views of your friend though.

My SIL is a member of the 'bring back the death sentence' group and was in an 'anti breastfeeding in public' group. I avoid her as much as possible anyway but her virtual actions only confirm what I suspected about her in rl. It's worrying that such vitriolic and bigoted views can be reduced to a 'bit of fun' on the Internet.

Am astonished there is an 'anti-bf in public' group!

I am always astonished at people joining groups like this so publicly. Lots of employers search for candidates/employees on Facebook and other sites to see what they're up to, and this doesn't give a good impression to anyone.

I'd be all for keeping strong views personal and reasonably private rather than plastered all over the internet.

YANBU.

MT - you were shocked by the punching people in the heads group?

It's quite clearly a pisstake - it's called "I secretly want to punch slow-walking people in the back of the head" it's for people who get annoyed at walking around in crowds, I don't think it's actively advocating violence of any kind.

Hmm yeah flowerybeanbag. Pretty bloody stupid, innit?