Time to Ask Real Questions

Although people go on about democracy and freedom of speech, I believe that the BBC should represent the law and common decency. While I'm all for freedom of speech, I mush object giving a platform to people who evoke an illegal opinion. It is illegal to be racist and that's exactly what they're doing. Just because they have seats in the election, they are still breaking the law and should not be able to air their opinion. Especially not on the BBC.

Vernon, your points are understood but the thing is, you raise the question - freedom of speech as long as we like you.

Sadly the BBC were stuck between a rock and a hard place. As much as I can not stand the BNP, they sadly are a legal party, and by the mandate set out for QT, they do have a right to be represented as long as Griffin and his ilk are in a position where by their inpartiality, the BBC can not be seen to be favoring against them - especially when Griffin deems them part of the so called loony left.

The thing is, the only way you are going to get the public to see their real side is to hear them. Griffin will never be allowed on TV to be overtly racist because the law does not allow this. But at the same time, and as was seen on the TV that night, Griffin was shown to be exactly what he was - a racist, ignorant idiot hiding behind a suit.

If you stop them going on TV, they will claim censorship and you play into their hands of martydom, you also play into the hands of being fascist yourself - democracy and freedom of speech sadly can not be determined by who you like and who you don't.

If you give them an inch they will hang themselves everytime - and sooner or later the country, except for the bigoted minority, will see them for what they are.

Anyway if you want to have a go at anyone, have a go at Hains who spent a week giving the BNP free publicity by screaming shut them up. The more yuo push against them the more people will side with them - you can not ask for freedom and then determine who can have that - it's what is happening already to Muslims and other races by Griffin and his thugs and those that listen to the bigoted columnists and small minded idiots.

But to blame the BBC is unfair - and I have to take point with the BBC saying they will be on annually - the BBC did not say this at all, what they said was they could be on again if they are still in power. They didn't open the door to a floodgate of BNP'ers on the panel.

And from what I saw of the program, Griffin came across as a leering, bumbling idiot who was unable to keep to his media lines for too long before his true colours were shown - and I'm glad they were.

Hi Vernon, sorry for the spelling mistake - genuine error, and I keep anon as I already have a well known web presence so like to keep some things to myself.

Yes BBC probably did see in some ways a ratings opportunity, but lets not forget, Hains gave the BNP much free publicity in the week leading up to it, so more people tuned in based on him - it annoys me when people from our government and other main parties do not see that by being as vocal as they are, they are missing the point and only serving to make Griffin into a martyr as I pointed out.

I have to say that a lot of people in the BBC were annoyed that the format was changed, and that it served as a shot in the foot - by making Griffin into the victim, by showing him being 'bullied' they only fell into his trap - if they had just allowed him to trip himself up like he did but not keep banging at him, as they did, then the sympathy from the people may not have come. It annoys me that there was.

All I am saying with the BBC they did have a legitimate reason for airing Griffin, it's just a shame that they and guests - other than Bonnie and the Baroness, went on a vitriol against him - I can't say it was undeserved but take Straw for example, his governments handling of things have helped propel some disenchanted voters to the BNP which is sad.

Saying that as a committed Liberal, I was appalled at the way Unite didn't see that by asking for the show not to be aired or Griffin to be banned, they play just as much into the fascist line - see we have freedom of speech and we do have laws that protect us - and Griffin will fall apart at the seams if he steps over the line - and I'm waiting for him to do it - the only way these people will be stopped is if she watch them car crash themselves.

And yes I know what you mean about the parrallels with Nazi Germany - but I still think this country has a long way to go on that - see Griffin is still a one policy party - he will never adequatley address the issues - as vile as Hitler was, he was a seasoned orator and could talk the talk as well as walk the walk - I wish he had been as bumbling as Griffin was.

I think we are in a cycle at the moment, and we can see examples back in history - the National Front in the late 70's and of course Mosley's Blackshirts, but I do have faith enough that we are still a country of moral sense - the BNP are still a minority party, their proponents are few and far between and if you give them an inch they will dig their own hole.

To be honest I worry more about the disturbing rise in racism in politics in America from the right than I do about it here.

Take care

That's OK!

Thanks for your educated comments.

Veron