Whatever happened to the right to free assembly?
It's one of the aspects of a mature democracy that you accept that some people will have ideas and beliefs that others find distasteful. That's no excuse to mount a witch hunt.
Yes if it's the police of some other sensitive employment then there is a justification for taking care over political affiliations of this type, but a bloody sports presenter?
A deeply concerning precedent imho.
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barryheadwound Mul-ti-pass? Multipass!, Thu 20 Nov 2008, 9:49,
Reply)
precedent?
People and parties with views that are considered unacceptable by the mainstream establishment have always been pilloried, victimized and criminalised. This is the same old shit reheated. Intolerance works everywhere and everything you think is right and proper is just a culturally acquired scruple. Politics, morality and law are entirely subjective.
-Until the 60s homosexuality was a prisonable crime. What changed?
-In the reign of Elizabeth 1st England was considered a terrorist state and the Spanish armada was the mainstream European effort to effect regime change.
-Until the 1500s lending money at interest was considered a mortal sin. Now our society fall to pieces when money lenders get their sums wrong.
This whole thing is a great example of how our society has got no direction, and if people turn to intolerant ideals to find answers, that is because there is not a viable rational middle ground. The truth is too difficult for most people to get their heads around to the BNP seems to offer a simple answer and it appeals. Just as the certainties of Fundamentalism Islam appeal to disaffected young muslims. The UK needs some sort of constitution and set of shared cultural values to define Britishness just as the USA has, it won't solve everything but it will give the country a direction.
(, Thu 20 Nov 2008, 10:19, Reply)