to think that people claiming that BNP voters aren't racists are being disingenuous?

[MrJustAbout]

I don't get the argument "that these people aren't racist, but they vote just BNP".

For me, If you vote BNP, you are a racist. I know this is guilt by association but I think it's fair. What's more, making excuses for those who choose to support these hatemongers makes it more acceptable for them to do so.

I know I wouldn't vote for a party when I didn't know their policies and if I did, I'd feel pretty ashamed that I voted without bothering to find out. To be honest, anyone who votes for the BNP and claims that didn't realise they'd just cosied up to facists needs to give up voting for good.

"I can hear the laughter from Spain from here. "
poster on MN recently was talking about someone so sick of being surrounded by foreigners he was thinking of emigrating - no irony intended i don't think

I dont want to just wade in as i have never voted BNP but a lady i used to work with was telling us on the day of 9/11 in Bolton where she was from the local 'Muslim' community held a street party & claimed it was the day of reckoning & they were getting ready to take over GB too.

Maybe it is instances like this that make people vote for the BNP?

I did wonder why no one picked NG up on his comment that he doesn't like Islam because of their views on women...because of course his views are totally fair and defensible

Do you really believe that booing? Does it sound plausible?

Most muslims I know looked upon it with same horror that I did, while in the back of their minds fearing the inevitable backlash against ordinary muslims that followed.

Fascism breeds on anecdotes made up for effect, and stirring.

I also don't think that any party is in favour of unlimited immigration. Some of the arguments as to what can be done just aren't practical. Others are, like getting a much clearer idea of how many people leave the country. Of course, that might also be a good way of creating very long queues at airports - probably longer than those complained about with anti-terror searches.

Whilst I've got sympathy for the idea of unlimited immigration, I don't think any country in the world actually does it.

I dislike the Aussie-style points system, but it is probably a reasonable way forward if the government wishes to limit immigration to a rough number each year. A fixed number might also work, but it's much harder to see how you can guarantee this without a nightclub-style queue at heathrow, with anyone foreign having or needing a visa having to wait until someone else leaves. Other than delays, the only thing a queue would cause is a flight from the UK from foreign businesspeople (who need to come and go), and everyone else staying put in fear of not being allowed back in.

And possibly anecdotes spread by the BNP just to prove how right they are...?

Yes i believe it did happen,the lady in question was as honest as the day is long,she said it was mostly one street & it was mainly made up of the younger,coloured muslims - not the white muslims - who she said were suitably disgusted.

Apparantly they were driving up & down the streets shouting out of their car windows obsenities about America & GB.

yanbu I think they are ignorant.
I do get a bit pissed of with the slagging of of "white" males though.
I take it the people who come out with this crap haven't tried to get a job in the building trade lately.....it has been swamped by people with little english and the polish, who under cut the british builder.
then people complain about the british builder being unemployed.
crazy

Riven - And Christianity is inherently sexist too anyway. He's so frustratingly disgusting, but I'm glad he was given a platform to show what a lying, odious individual he is and what a hateful party he represents.

Did you notice him shaking more and more as the show went on? He was clearly terrified and could see that it was looking very, very bad for the BNP.

How can the poles undercut the British builder?

Do the guys organising it accept lower profits, or are the builders paid closer to minimum wage?

Oh, and to the OP. I think YANBU - I think that people who vote BNP are either racist or very ignorant and naive and believe the crap that NG is spouting now to try and undo the terrible things he's said in the past.

well I just searched on that link that Posie posted and one of DH's friends was on the list.

I knew he had voted BNP as he had already told us that since this info was available online he has had numerous threatening phone calls.
He is not a BNP activist or someone who has threatened others.

I don't agree with the majority of BNP policies and wouldn't vote for them but a vote is based on personal views and opinions and people should not be subjected to calls like the ones DH's friend received IMHO.

Personally I think our immigration policy should be more like Australia where they take people who add 'value' to the community.

Can someone just clarify something for me - the woman in the audience who 'cringed' whenever the phrase 'afro-carribeans' was used...is that because it shortens the just-as-important 'african' bit? I've not heard of that being the wrong phrase to use now!

Sorry i said coloured as i dont know what country they were from & didnt want to say in case it was the wrong country.

girlsyearapart - how do you propose that people who ignorantly vote BNP have their eyes opened then?

I agree that violence and threats of violence are wrong, but what is happening now with the BNP is the same thing as happened in the early days of the Nazi party. It must be stopped and general apathy is what will cause it to grow.

It's a list of members, isn't it, rather than a list of voters - which would be impossible surely? And surely if you are a 'member' you must be very, very clear that you do actually support the BNP's views.

My youngest brother is a landscape gardener & he was made redundant in April,he has applied for over 30 jobs & not had one interview yet.

I feel sorry for him & many of his friends who are in the same situation,there are simply no jobs out there.He cant even get a job in the local food factories as they are all tempory contracts & the Poles are given the jobs first.