Griffin on Question Time......what question would you ask?

[pinched_nerve]

BBC's doing this as well now: http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7145&edition=1&ttl=20091022080237

Already one blanket-statement-making twunt has popped in there.

 

[London_Calling]

Sorry, but I fundamentally disagree with the proposition that the growth in support for the BNP is just a by-product of “disillusionment” with the mainstream parties. As I argued in post number 152, the growth in BNP support pre-dated the current political malaise. Just putting it down to “disillusion” avoids dealing with some uncomfortable truths, I’m afraid.

In any case, even if is simply a matter of a “protest vote” (and I don’t think it is), surely some attention should be given to WHY a million people voted for the BNP, and WHAT they were protesting about. Just ignoring them or, even worse, shouting “racist” at the top of your voice has got us where we are now.

The core BNP vote is the long-established runt, the growth in the recent past is disaffected white, working class people, at least around here.

The protest is simple, depressed income, being pushed down housing lists, larger classroom sizes, benefits, etc - once you start down that road it's not long before you see NHS waiting rooms full of immigrants, immigrants driving around the estate while you wait for a bus and immigrants doing jobs you used to do but for less.

It's mainly about wages and work from what I can see, but it doesn't take to long to build up a head of steam.

It doesn't help that economic migrants tend to migrate to specific areas in towns and cities, those specific areas naturally coinciding with the poorest areas, where the BNP's immigration message is resonating.

 

[danny la rouge]

The Independent has "10 Things You Should Know About The BNP When You Watch Question Time Tonight"

The idea is that we'll all be shocked to the core, I suppose, but I actually agree with one of the "flagship policies"

3. Send the Olympics back to Athens.

I've said that for years. Have a permanent home for the Olympics, and pay for its upkeep by having participating countries pay a participation fee.

I'm clearly a pariah.

 

[treelover]

On of the things is the liberal intellegentsia is so detached form ordinary people, part the WWC that they just seem to be floundering, thinking that their outrage will be shared by workers who are frightened and angry. It wasn't always this way: such as during the Miners Strike, when such people gave incredible support to the Miners, i also re-read a article on Grunwick in the 70's in New Society where young lawyers, doctors, media people, lecturers, etc, all went down to support the Grunwick strikers.

will we see these L/I on the picket line with the Posties, unlikely...

 

[Awesome Wells]

And the demented lawsuit to force the BNP to change their constitution has destroyed the best evidence of the organisation's bigotry.

How?

 

[JimPage]

The Independent has "10 Things You Should Know About The BNP When You Watch Question Time Tonight"

The idea is that we'll all be shocked to the core, I suppose, but I actually agree with one of the "flagship policies"

3. Send the Olympics back to Athens.

I've said that for years. Have a permanent home for the Olympics, and pay for its upkeep by having participating countries pay a participation fee.

I'm clearly a pariah.

This is the danger tonight. If the audience allows the questioning to go beyone a strict antifascist/ holocaust denial agenda, the two big issues will be the Afgan election farce/War and the Post Strike. As a London programme, the olympics may come up as well- who knows?

What will Griffins position be? Troops out now- war crimes trials for Blair for fighting an illegal war. Support the posties and keep the post office in state hands- result labour's privatisation agenda.

This is why he must be stopped more than anything else- he will adopt the langauge of the left in order to promote Fascism

 

[treelover]

How can it be anything but a circus tonight, it will be more like Jerry Springer than the usual QT.

 

[sonny61]

Because of the hysterical reaction by anti fascists to Griffin appearing on QT, the BNP is now in a win win situation no matter what happens tonight.
Griffin, from what I have seen on TV in the last few days, seems to be a talented debater.

I dare say there will be hissing from the sheep(audience), maybe a drama Queen fellow panelist walking off during the debate, plenty of your a 'wacist' comments aimed at Griffin.

It matters not what we political anoraks think, it's how the viewing public see it, and QT tonight will have one of it's biggest ever viewing figures tonight thanks to the free publicity stirred up by anti fascists.

The appearance of Griffin being the underdog, being bullied, shouted at, with protesters outside, will not do the BNP any harm, the opposite in fact.

 

[butchersapron]

How?

By giving them formal recognition as organisationally non-racist by the successor body to the Commision for Racial Equality.

 

[treelover]

I've asked this question before but how did Le Pen get treated by the French media and what was the A/F reponse in the early days, eg 80's.

 

[JimPage]

The appearance of Griffin being the underdog, being bullied, shouted at, with protesters outside, will not do the BNP any harm, the opposite in fact.

You could say the same about the NF at Lewisham in 1977, which was the first nail in coffin for them. For every democratic loon who worries about freedom of speech, there will someone heartened that someone will take a stand agaisnt them

 

[treelover]

The SWP and the Trots live in the past, in the 70's to be exact, thats why they are getting it so spectacularly wrong. It's clear though they will see the undoubtedly big turnout for the anti BNP demo as a victory, there will be plenty of students who want to protest not least because they see the BNP as full of 'chavs'

 

[Fedayn]

You could say the same about the NF at Lewisham in 1977, which was the first nail in coffin for them. For every democratic loon who worries about freedom of speech, there will someone heartened that someone will take a stand agaisnt them

Hello.... Hello, this is not the 1970's.

 

[treelover]

'not seeing the wood from the trees' comes to mind....

 

[butchersapron]

I've asked this question before but how did Le Pen get treated by the French media and what was the A/F reponse in the early days, eg 80's.

A comparison between Griffin's QT appearance with Le Pen's infamous appearance on a current affiars program on Antenne Deux in 1984 - their breakthrough year. Up to that point there had been a informal blackout of reporting or enaging with the FN but Mitterand ordered public television to cover them. Chirac refused to debate with him in 2002 when Le Pen reached the Presidential run off- at that point televised debates between the last two candidates standing had been the norm. So no clear picture really.

 

[sonny61]

You could say the same about the NF at Lewisham in 1977, which was the first nail in coffin for them. For every democratic loon who worries about freedom of speech, there will someone heartened that someone will take a stand agaisnt them

Jim, you just can't compare the BNP to the NF of the 70's, anyway it was the rise of Thatcher which finished the NF off.
While the left today, has the perception to be only interested in the rights of ethnic minorities.
The image of protesters outside the BBC, especially if there is trouble, only helps the BNP, the public seeing them as the underdog.
The protesters should be out supporting the post strike, and not stood outside the BBC protesting against a small political party, engaging with the public, and not being obsessed with the BNP.
Just a reminder, it will be the Tories who will form the next government, then after they had their period in power it will be Labour's turn again.
They are the guys who run the Country.

The reason for the moderate success of the BNP because, like it or not, they say things which connect with the public's thinking.
Just as the protests against the EDL seem to have gathered them support, it is the same for the BNP.
The fact is, that the BNP with Griffin, have a politician of caliber.

 

[schmoo]

For every democratic loon who worries about freedom of speech, there will someone heartened that someone will take a stand agaisnt them

Sounds like you think "some pigs are more equal to other pigs" when it comes to freedom of speech. Of course you are not a fascist - but you sound like one.

 

[treelover]

The protesters should be out supporting the post strike, and not stood outside the BBC protesting against a small political party, engaging with the public, and not being obsessed with the BNP

exactly, not many SWP on the pickets line today i wager

 

[belboid]

how much do you wager? I'm skint and could do with taking the money off you

 

[JimPage]

http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/1269/1/

STWC response on why the BNP is not an anti war party

 

[Awesome Wells]

By giving them formal recognition as organisationally non-racist by the successor body to the Commision for Racial Equality.

now I understand what, thanks.

I wonder, if the BNP comes out smelling of roses, will there be a massive anti-beeb backlash (again) as a lot of people this week in talking about this have spoken, quite vociferously, against the BNP. There might be an expectation that the bbc will make the effort to include people capable of putting Griffin in his place. perhaps in fact that's really the goal the bbc had in mind when deciding to invite Griffin, rather than just ratings.

 

[treelover]

STWC response on why the BNP is not an anti war party

nor is the SWP/STWC, certainly many of the STWC/SWP head honchos, remember the 'we are all Hezbollah' chants, its just 'imperialist wars' they oppose.

 

[durruti02]

You could say the same about the NF at Lewisham in 1977, which was the first nail in coffin for them. For every democratic loon who worries about freedom of speech, there will someone heartened that someone will take a stand agaisnt them

jim have you read this ever .. i suggest you do .. it says the NF's votes was already in declne by Lewisham

http://www.amielandmelburn.org.uk/collections/mt/pdf/09_79_268.pdf.