Extreme Political Organisations

Should The BNP Be Given A Public Forum?

With the recent revelations that the BNP is asking for public money to fund it's campaign in the next general election, which is of course reprehensible to most people. They should be trying to raise the money for themselves. And realistically they will not make much impact on the political scene at a national level. No self respecting voter with any Judo-Christian ethics would ever bring themselves to vote for a bigoted and misguided party anyway. The real question is should parties such as the BNP be allowed to put candidates forward for election into public office?

Regrettably the answer to this question is yes. Any person whose views no matter how disgusting most good thinking people find them are afforded this very right. They should also be allowed to speak at public forums to get their message across, with the proviso they don't incite their followers to take violent action to get what they want. This is the most fundamental thing that our grandparent's generation suffered so much privation and hardship for, the right of a free press and the freedom of speech of the country's citizens and free and fair elections.

To allow anything other than this would dishonour the memory of the fallen in both past and present conflicts. To bar a political organisation from entering into the political process would be a violation of the right to freedom of speech, and would make this nation no better than any other state that imposes dictatorial rule over its citizens. In all honesty it is better to hear the ranting of a right wing fool, than to be arrested for vocalising your opinions in public.

We should allow this to happen not because we agree with these parties, but that it makes us better tolerant people for doing so. It also sends a clear message to those who want suppress and mute their citizens that we practise what we preach. No matter how morally wrong the policies of such a party might be. If we were living under a different regime this very transmission would not be permitted. And when the leader of the BNP appeared on the BBC's Question Time he came across exactly as what everybody thought he was a mindless buffoon with an extremely low moral constitution, if any at all.

In closing it is testament to our society and system of government that we allow these foolish parties to be given a forum with which to air their opinions and grievances. And it is the best way in which we can honour the memory of those brave soles who died fighting for freedom in Europe and the South Pacific. Otherwise it would have been a pointless waste of life and a waste of resources on a global scale.