Shocked and outraged at list publication
It has been a bad week for members of the BNP with the publication of its members’ details on the internet, making it much easier for the rest of us to make prank calls to them.
I didn’t join in myself, but then I have been sending pizzas round to Nick Griffin’s house for years.
The media has been shocked and outraged that the list of members includes clergymen, teachers and even the odd police officer, despite the ban on cops joining the party.
Now, as much as all the BNP stands for is utterly anathema to all of my beliefs, I can’t help thinking that making it illegal for some people to join the political party of their choice is rather scary.
Many believe the BNP is a racist organisation with a gossamer veneer of politics, but as long as they actually operate within the law, shouldn’t everyone be free to join?
I rather fancied that that was the whole point of democracy.
Surely everyone is entitled to their own beliefs? Even if those beliefs are ignorant and bigoted.
I can’t help feeling that if everyone who is stupid and uninformed were prevented from voting for who they pleased, there would be a pretty poor turnout on polling day.
I appreciate that there is a danger of police officers treating certain members of the community unfairly if they happen to hold racist views.
But surely if they hold such beliefs anyway, they are going to act accordingly, and being a member of a political party is not going to make much difference.
Perhaps more effort should be ploughed into community cohesion, and less into harassing bigots or creating legalisation banning people from joining political parties.
Actually, scratch that, I’m all for the persecution of bigots in general.
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The BNP is perfectly legal, law-abiding and democratic.
I suggest that you take a look into their web site and see what is really happening in this country today. 12 of their people arrested recently for handing out legal material, one asks if we are living in Britain or communist Russia?
"It has been a bad week for members of the BNP with the publication of its members’ details on the internet, making it much easier for the rest of us to make prank calls to them."
...and easier for anonymous callers to harass, intimidate and threaten them, and their families, simply for their political beliefs.
Before you cry "But the BNP are racist thugs, they deserve it!", please do your research. A good starting point might be the police reports from this year's BNP 'Red White and Blue' gathering in which law-abiding, peaceful BNP members and their families came under attack from a mob of 'liberal' hooligans.
Not a single BNP member was arrested or cautioned. Don't take my word for it, you have Google at your disposal.
http://www.metro.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=268046&in_page_id=34&in_a_source=
I'm happy to have my details published - but let's have an even playing field, shall we?
Perhaps you won"t mind being forced to wear a burkha in the future ms cherry green ? because people think differently to you ,you assume you are right.
I am seriously considering voting BNP at the next election. Not because I agree with there stance on race, but because I am fed up with mass increases in immigration and the politicial parties refusing to support ordinary working class white people.
did you know that a white police officer is not allowed to become a member of the black police association? thats racist.
how many 'diverse' workplaces offer a 'white' network but already offer a 'black' network? thats racist.
Why do you have music of black origin (MOBO) awards but not allowed to have music of white origin awards? thats racist.
...shall i go on?
I'm a well paid city professional, If I am thinking of voting BNP - and i'm not exactly their target audience - then I think support will grow.
Any chance that MP`s will publish details of their second homes so that you guys can make prank calls to them ?
Perhaps some of them have pads in the Wharf that you know about.
What do you think would happen to you if you released a list ?
Answers please pranksters.
Im not a BNP fan nor am I a racist but this article is disgusting. There were family details on that list and many people who were members to simply see inside an organisation that they disapproved of. Also, its an outdated list - lets say someone moved into a new house...they now have the fear of getting a brick through their window because of an ex-residents LEGAL political stance.
I put it to you, Cherry Green, that you should put your address, email, phone number and political stance online in your next column. And I would also like to question the editor of Wharf and why this has been allowed to go out. Its condoning the actions of idiots who may make abusive/prank calls.
Cherry, you claim to be a comedian. Having watched footage online of you, I would suggest something more suitable. You are not funny but do have a way of getting people wound up. Job in a call centre maybe?
Kelly
Now hang on, all of you. There's a lot of knickers getting twisted here over a piece of observational writing that is designed to provoke reaction:
- Martin, I think you'll see that Ms Green fronts up for people's right to join the party of their choice, provided they act within the law and suggests that their being unable to do so is undemocratic;
- Jay, good points well made, and ditto the "behaving within the law" aspects;
- Carl, er what? I'm far from convinced that Cherry's views are remotely likely to result in her "being forced to wear a burkha" at any point in the future;
- Andy, I don't agree with you but freedom of speach prevails, etc - though if you want to go ahead and hold a Music of White Origin awards I doubt the authorities would not ALLOW you, you may just struggle to hit a mass audience...
- Kelly, yours are the knickers most in a twist. I agree with the sentiment, that the publishing of personal details is unfair, and in some cases dangerous. There have been other similar cases in the past, in some instances purpetrated by the mass-media tabloids, and I am not supportive. So to then follow up with a suggestion that Cherry publish her own personal details is at best perplexing and at worst downright hypocritical. To follow up with personal opinion ("you are not funny") is rather more amusing again. What gives you sole right to judge this? I think you'll find she's won awards for comedy and just because her humour is not your cup of chai is not grounds for suggesting she changes career direction (though the call-centre gag was pretty good - perhaps it's you that should be in stand-up?).
Boris J