Wrongs have rights too

I don't want to go into the rights, not that I can think of any, or wrongs of the British National Party but it is a recognised political party and it is not illegal to be a member which makes the witch hunt of some of those who found themselves declared as BNPites on the internet all a bit scary.

The whole point of freedom of speech, of religion, of association, assembly, beliefs, Press and thought is that the same freedom we expect for our beliefs should extend to those who beliefs we find abhorrent, offensive or even just plain loopy. That is what freedom is all about, the only thing that gives it credence.

Whether a member of the teaching profession, police, armed forces or any job for that matter is a member of the flat earth society, Labour, Tory or Tupperware party . . . or the BNP . . . should matter not a jot. If membership is legal then so be it. Once the state or authority starts to decide what organisations or religions we can or cannot belong to then the road becomes downhill and slippery very quickly.

I hate to say it but the right of someone to belong to the BNP has to be defended with the same vigour as every other right and freedom otherwise they are all devalued.