(no subject)

[shapinglight]

I don't know if it'll do any good, but it certainly can't hurt. Please follow this link and sign Searchlight's anti-BNP petition.

I just read the blog on Searchlight's site and feel sort of heartened to discover that Griffin barely scraped in by about 1,200 votes, when before the election, he'd been crowing that the BNP could end up with as many as 12 MEPs. Not to mention they were massively outvoted by UKIP, who are basically a shower of venal idiots with only one policy. But he's still an MEP with access to funding previously beyond his wildest dreams, so the damage is done.

Comments

[http://users.livejournal.com/woman_of_/]

Well, it might not get him kicked out, but does show how many people are not in support of his views, and willing to sign the patition to make it known. It must be something, even if too late.

Thanks for getting the word out about the patition.

[shapinglight]

Just since I signed it this morning, another 8000 people have signed, which is heartening.

[twilightofmagic.livejournal.com]

Depressing to see BNP types getting seats. Apparently the voter turnout was very low. A very good example of why it's extremely important to get out and vote no matter how uninspired you might feel, just to make sure the fringe doesn't sneak in because the fanatics turn out.

[shapinglight]

because the fanatics turn out.

Yes, exactly.

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

My tiny attempt at a ray of hope is that UKIP have had Euro money for some years now and it hasn't made them more significant contenders in national elections as far as I can tell - only in the Euro-elections which seem to abide in some netherworld of political consciousness, as though voting for a party in Europe doesn't count somehow.

But I'm horrified nonetheless.

Out there in the interwebs is a nasty piece of 1930s propaganda describing my grandfather as part of the grasping Jewish cabal of international art dealers, or words to that effect. He wasn't of Jewish descent or belief, as a matter of fact, but that isn't the important thing. Which is, that for about ten chilly seconds reading it, before logic and history kicked in, I had a chance to feel what it's like to be despised and reviled for your genes. And it shook me senseless. I knew this rationally before, but that was in my gut. We are not going back to that. We are not.

[shapinglight]

We are not going back to that. We are not.

No, we're not. And you are of course right about UKIP, though they're such a shower that it's never, ever occurred to me to be worried about them, even though they're sometimes described as the BNP in blazers.

I'm sorry you had that experience. I know how it feels, or by proxy anyway, as I've had some pretty vile things said to me for being with S.

[brutti-ma-buoni.livejournal.com]

Well, it must be the mildest possible experience of anti-semitism, really - more a salutary reminder of how incredibly privileged I've been. But still, I couldn't just think 'Not true, so that's ok' and forget it. My grandfather's friends and colleagues, as listed in this article, certainly were Jewish, and they didn't get to ignore it.

Somehow UKIP, though I find them pretty offensive in their anti-European nationalism, just don't scare me. That's the difference.

[shapinglight]

Somehow UKIP, though I find them pretty offensive in their anti-European nationalism, just don't scare me. That's the difference.

Same here. It may be a false sense of security, but they just give the impression they couldn't punch their way out of a paper bag.

[rahirah]

Is there any point to a non-UK person signing? Because if it will do any good, I certainly will.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

same question here.

[shapinglight]

As I said to rahirah, if the post code mandatory field will let you make an entry, why not?

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I signed and I'll go look if there's something similar for our local idiots as well...

[shapinglight]

Did you find anything?

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

Nothing concerning the european parliament members, unfortunately they're so established here, that nobody bothers to feel ashamed anymore.

What I found was a petition against Martin Graf (third president of the austrian parliament), who's constantly talking antisemitic and openly fascist bullshit.
(in german only unfortunately)
http://www.ruecktritt-martin-graf.at/index.php?id=73819

[shapinglight]

Well, I don't know how much good these petitions do, but it's certainly better than nothing. For instance, it does make me feel better to see that Searchlight's petition has gone up from the 11,000 it was when I sighed it to over 33,000 today.

[shapinglight]

Well, post code being one of the mandatory fields, I'm not sure it would work, but if it does, why the hell not?

It's just a form of protest really. It can't change the result, sadly.

[kassto.livejournal.com]

I suspect he will be a one-term wonder.

[shapinglight]

I hope you're right. Also, there's no way he can repeat this result in a General Election, as we don't have the PR system.

[kassto.livejournal.com]

Yes, we have PR and he would have done a lot better here. IF, and that's a big IF, we had the same issues as you. The sooner you guys have a general election the better, in my view. The current situation is not good for the relationship between Parliament and the people. And, as people have already commented to you, the BNP getting a good result should draw the apathetic nonvoters out of the woodwork — a good turnout isn't going to favour extremists.

Even the Daily Telegraph thinks they're appalling. :)

[shapinglight]

I'm not sure I agree about a snap election being the best thing. I think it would just make things 10 times worse.

[missmurchison.livejournal.com]

My sympathies. We have to deal with so many similar idiots here, and the only way to do it is to keep talking and keep protesting them.

[shapinglight]

Yes, for sure.