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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think my normally sane DH is in danger of looking like a racist prick?

385 replies

FlamingoCrimbo · 21/12/2009 13:40

DH just forwarded me an email that has been forwarded to him and to other people at his work by one of his colleagues.

I'm hoping he's not forwarded it to anyone except me - it doesn't look like he has.

It's one of those ones called 'border law'. Just found a US version here - swap the US references to UK ones.

DH is just misguided, IMO, sending this on - he ought to know I'd find it offensive. But it's made me wonder if IABU to find it offensive and to think it's probably been written by someone in the US equivalent of the BNP or at least widely distributed by BNP supporters.

So - AIBU and, if IANBU, how would you tackle it with him? He's very lovely, kind, and, sometimes, misguided so I don't want to upset him. I had to stop myself replying with 'you know this email makes you look like a racist prick, don't you' but that's not really very nice, or helpful!

OP posts:
tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 11:57

"No, I'm not ignoring you, just dealing with my cat, I think he's suffering from anxiety."

Now that's funny.

AccioPinotGrigio · 22/12/2009 12:07

Have skimmed the thread so apologies if anybody has made this point already.

I used to work in a North London College, on TEFL and ESL/ESOL language courses. The majority of our students were asylum seekers and refugees. Many of these people lived in appalling conditions, they were not allowed to work because of their immigration status -sometimes for many years, and they lived on the meagrest of benefit payments. Yet they were all so grateful to be here because compared to the horror of their lives at home, living in shitty accommodation in Hendon with fuck all food and no cash to pump the leccy meter was bloody paradise.

It makes me want to cry thinking about it and these decent, hard working people just wanted to assimilate, find a job and live a peaceful, productive life. But this is never acknowledged by the dick head's who circulate emails like the one linked to in the OP. According to them, all immigrants are coining it in and laughing at us - this is a lie and ro me it is ultimately racist and the BNP is a racist party and nothing more.

I live about 11 miles from Burnley and the BNP are active in this area, as is the BPP. The only people these people these parties appeal to round here are the racists, nobody else. The literature they put through my door (BNP and BPP) is offensive, ignorant and hateful. Thank God only a minority of dimwits think like they do.

pooexplosionsonthedustyroad · 22/12/2009 12:08

well wouldn't you be anxious, living with daftpunk? If she finds out hes actually, whisper, persian?

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 12:16

Ha ha Pexp;

I am actually very good at making people feel at ease and comfortable, you need to break down these barriers and let into your heart, you might learn something from me.

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 12:17

Has your pussy calmed down now, DP?

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 12:50

lol, no not really, I think it's the christmas tree, he's not used to seeing trees in the house.

GreensElves · 22/12/2009 12:51
Kaloki · 22/12/2009 12:52

"I believe in putting the people of this country first"

There's a quote which I think answers this, I believe it's a Franklin Roosevelt quote (I heard it on the West Wing though)

"If your neighbor's house is on fire, you don't haggle over the price of your garden hose."

Which I think is another way of saying "Love Thy Neighbour", it's from a book.. not sure the name of it.. I believe it's meant to be quite important to Christians, maybe you know of it DP

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 12:57

Kaloki;

Politics isn't about sitting around like stoned hippies singing Jimi Hendrix songs.

BadgersPaws · 22/12/2009 12:57

"I believe in putting the people of this country first"

And who exactly are the "people of this country"?

The BNPs definition of this appears to be very fluffy indeed and ignores the basic facts of history, it would probably exclude just about everyone living here.

It's all well and good claiming that "the the people of this country" should come first, but what happens when someone arbitrarily decides that you're not one of them?

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:06

daftpunk- Please address any point you fancy from my previous posts. You will find them bout a thousand miles up the thread.

Oh, and most politicians spent their youth as stoned hippies sitting around listening to Jimi Hendrix songs. Definitely Jack Straw. Possibly even Nick Griffin.

Kaloki · 22/12/2009 13:10

"Politics isn't about sitting around like stoned hippies singing Jimi Hendrix songs."

How does caring for your neighbours (and I think you'll find the bible didn't mean the people next door) turn you into a hippy?

ooojimaflip · 22/12/2009 13:12

Never trust a hippy.

AccioPinotGrigio · 22/12/2009 13:17

My former boss used to date Jack Straw when they were at Manchester Uni. She is a stoned hippy to this day. Not sure about him.

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:23

Ha, Accio, my dad was friends with Jack Straw at Manchester Uni- small world, eh?

Oh, and he said they were off their tits for most of the time

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 13:23

You'd have to be stoned to date Jack Straw.

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:23

Allegedly.

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:31

Ok DP, can I take it you don't want to discuss immigration?

It's just that I have to go out in a bit, and I would hate it if a politically astute debate about immigration broke out in my absence...

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 13:34

Can you give me 5 minutes..?

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:36

Give me 10.

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 13:37

If you need to go out, no worries, I'll post my reply to you and you can read it later when your bored.

daftpunk · 22/12/2009 13:38

I'll give you 7 and that's my final offer.

AccioPinotGrigio · 22/12/2009 13:42

Tethers. This small world certainly ain't getting any bigger.

I wonder if your dad knows my friend? I don't think it would be right to publish her name on t'interweb though!

tethersjinglebellend · 22/12/2009 13:43

Well, Christmas shopping and baby calls... will check back later.

Not fair, I always miss the good bits

MsDoctor · 22/12/2009 13:47

So a moderated poorly disguised bit of racism or just a little funny? In a room full of liberals I suppose it's the thin edge of racism, for Mr and Mrs Tabloid it's funny. It's not that harmful is it? It is true that illegal immigrants do get treated better here than elsewhere, thank goodness. It is also true that if the whole issue were handled better there wouldn't be room for people with xenophobic and racist views, immigrants would be seen as the asset they are.