So I was having a read of the Times online last night, specifically : http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6917817.ece
In short; BNP leader Nick Griffin plans to stand against Margaret Hodge (Labour) in Barking at the next general election (thrilling stuff with all the usual rhetoric you come to expect from politicians regardless of their party).
No need to bore you with the details, but reading the comments from other readers provided a fascinating insight (as always) into what many people feel and lends support to what I was saying recently regarding the distinctions between the three different types of ‘racists’ a term I use loosely for categorical purposes, as really I believe only C1 (see below) should be considered a ‘proper’ racist.
Class 1 – 3 Racists
Class 1 Racist (C1): Actually believes in what they say, advocates racial/religious/social supremacy and violent militant activity in order to achieve goals. Such people will always find someone to hate as the need for conflict (or competition in the extreme) is an essential part of human nature as it is a catalyst for social change, good or bad, and this is how this trait manifests itself in some people. The ‘hows’ and ‘whys’ are for the most part irrelevant here.
Class 2 Racist (C2): Weak minded followers with no real personal identity or opinion of their own. These persons are often (but not necessarily) lacking in extensive exposure to anything outside their direct sphere or learning/experience and essentially ‘follow the crowd’. They may not fully understand or even appreciate the rhetoric of far-right policies, let alone comprehend the consequences of such a rule, but seeking the ‘safety of the herd’ will follow whatever appears most relevant to them if their peers are in agreement. Not necessarily ‘bad’ people, just misguided and foolish.
Class 3 Racist (C3): The most interesting of all, these are intelligent people who are aware of the world around them. They do not possess an actual hatred of other races/cultures/religions etc, however, have come to feel alienated in their own country as a result of biased decisions by successive weak and/or corrupt governments. These people at first direct their malcontent towards their government, who they feel has neglected their needs in favour of outsiders who are either being brought or allowed in by that same government and then seemingly given more rights than ‘native’ inhabitants.
This goes further still when differences in culture come into play and the government in place takes a preferential stance towards the culture and identity of the ‘invaders’ to the detriment of the ‘natives’ (I’m using terms ‘native’ and ‘invader’ merely to illustrate a point of view). These acts in the name of tolerance although accepted at first, begin to appear more and more like concessions and ‘surrender’ which increases the disenfranchised feelings of C3 (let alone the likes of C1). This can (and increasingly does) have the unfortunate knock-on effect of evolving what was initially a disdain towards the ruling powers to an actual hostility and mistrust of immigrants, outsiders, other cultures etc. Although to some extend this can also be self-inflicted. Not a popular view, but there is some truth in this.
Obviously these are rough outlines without supporting sources etc, (as I really don’t have the time to flesh this out, and the chances are someone will write something similar if they haven’t already), but for the time being we’ll use these definitions. It cannot be argued that BNP support has not increased significantly, as has their coverage in mainstream media. What sort of reactions do we get from members of the public? Which categories (if any) do most people fall under?
It would take a fair deal of field work before these questions can be answered with any validity, yet surely it cannot be denied that the failures of this government as well as the ones which preceded it have lead to where we are now. The question which follows on from this must then surely be: ‘where do we go from here?’.
It’s unlikely that the BNP will ever gain the level of support needed to actually gain any real power, however, the mainstream parties have shown their colours with even more impunity than living memory can recollect and now more than ever seemed detached from their electorate. On the other hand, the fringe parties have yet to prove themselves electable in the eyes of the public and are unlikely to ever gain the financial backing necessary to become viable contenders. So what are we then left with?
Among the many comments being posted in response to the article in question, here a few which I find to be particularly relevant to the present situation as well as corresponding with my own speculations:
Harry West wrote:
If anyone saw Griffin's appearance on Question Time, or has ever heard him speak about anything, and still believes he's worth your single vote towards who governs us for the next five years then it's not immigration we need to be concerned about, but the intelligence of British people.
No government has, is, or ever will be without corruption, scandal or rotten parts. The thought that the BNP - or any party - will be any different is laughable at best. Not to mention that the party has just been forced to reconsider its equality policies; if that doesn't smack of a fascist narrow-minded gang who care less about leading a country and more about pointing fingers, then I've no idea what does.
Any government will treat the public in the same way it has for centuries. The BNP won't bring about a fresh new start or change, just some hastily-scribbled weak ideas that will break what's left of this place.
November 16, 2009 1:41 AM GMT
Andrew Carpenter wrote:
I wonder if it has occurred to the powers that be, that the rise of the BNP has very little to do with Politics. In actual fact it is psychological reaction whether fact or fiction..a perception that the Islamic invaders in our land get a better deal than those who were born and raised here.
If there is any misconception here, the British Public are not at fault..it's the many many tired old years of bias being rammed down our throats..We're almost taught that we're not as good as the immigrants who want us to adopt their values. New Labour is to blame..not these people who came to our lands..New Labour must pay the price.
November 15, 2009 9:59 PM GMT
Michael Loftus wrote:
The 3 main parties will go on kidding themselves that votes for the BNP are mostly protest votes. They should read the comments on this page, and then read them again and again until the message starts to dawn on them. We are tired of you taking us for chumps ....
These last two go together and should be read as such…
Lakshman B wrote:
It is history and not the BNP manifesto that you need to read to know where the policies of such groups lead. Their main attributes are divisive, insular policies based on race/bloodline and finger pointing or blame everyone else for the problems in the country. The world is changing and we need to change to compete and not hark back to some past "utopia" because the tsunami of change will wash over us whether we like it or not.
I have not read the BNP policies and I won't be voting for them!
November 16, 2009 2:39 PM GMT
keith dutton wrote:
Lakshman B
You seem to be typical of those who decry the BNP. You cannot even be bothered to read what they have to say in their policy statement. You reject them on the basis that you THINK you know what they stand for.
Politics is a fluid subject. many of today's cabinet were communist in earlier life. Are you going to assume that they practice the policies of Stalin? (Occasionally they come close!)
The BNP is addressing those concerns of the electorate which are being ignored or dismissed by the three main parties. Gordon Brown is just cottoning on to the concerns re immigration for which he has been responsible. He never delivers what he promises so he can be dismissed.
Good luck to the BNP. If only Cameron would start listening to the electorate.
I’ve little more to add for now, other than to say that this era of western civilisation is perhaps approaching its zenith before being succeeded by something new, whether or not this will be any better; who can say? No doubt I’ll have more thoughts on these matters to share with you as things progress. I may even (if I ever have the time) research these phenomena properly and present them in a much clearer fashion than I have here, but until then these writings shall remain speculative musings based on my inferences and empirical experiences. If you have any thoughts to share, feel free.
