So this is an interesting thing. The BNP – British National Party – is a racist, anti-immigration whites-only political party. They’re on the fringe of British politics, but they recently won seats in the European parliament. So the BBC is having the leader of the BNP on for the “Question Time” political program. People are protesting this decision because of the BNP’s blatant racism. Further complicating this is that of course BBC is not a private broadcaster, but in fact run by the state. So, if they exclude the BNP is the government now vetting political parties? Or if they include them, is that an endorsement?
My initial impulse is that I would err in favor of having the loons on tv to have their say, knowing that the argument of a racist always collapses under scrutiny. But it’s not a slam dunk. What do you think?
Freedom of speech includes odious speech.
In a town where I used to live, they responded to a Klan rally with a “Friendship Festival.” They are still having annual Friendship Festival. No Klan rallies in recent memory.
The solution to these loons is food, fun and good times. Returning hate with hate just doubles the hate.
So instead of protests outside the BBC, I suggest an everyone-is-welcome block party.
Wow I didn’t know BBC was state run.
What people can do is not watch. I am not in favor for hate speech that will divide people, but I am also not in favor of having someone rights be taken away.
Only thing people can do in this matter is switch the channel.
It can’t be any worse than Pat Buchanan being on PBS every week for The McLaughlin Group
Praise be! As a UK resident I finally get to comment on something I have direct contact with, instead of just cheering/booing from the sidelines…
Free speech is free speech. If you start trying to attach conditions to it then it ain’t free anymore. As Oliver says, far better to have them on TV where a rational light can be shone on them, and have their position exposed as the fearful hatred that it is.
BTW, not only is the BBC state run, but all UK residents are legally required to buy an annual TV License which is used to fund the running of the BBC.
It’s not optional. You have a TV? You buy a license.
Sounds hideous on paper, I know, but when I see our commercial stations taking the rapid slide towards the US practice of making the ad breaks last almost as long as the segments of programme sandwiched between them, and then taking up 50% of each segment with a re-cap of the previous segment, and then a preview of the next segment, I’m eternally grateful that there is ad-free TV in the UK. An I’ll gladly pay for it.
CJ — You didn’t know that the BBC was state – run?
The working philosophy here in the US on commercial television is that provocative television can have serious consequences. While it is likely that the racist MP will be shown up, there might be some other people that are roused to dangerous actions.
Funny that this should come from a blogger who finds racism under every stone.
Yeah, being interested in US politics has certainly made me thankful for the BBC and the way it’s funded. I don’t think state-run is really accurate. If they’re beholden to anyone it’s the Queen (the BBC was basically created by Royal decree) and she remains the Queen regardless of who’s in power.
i think this is going to be like the post 9/11 episode, where there were a lot of stupid people being unsympathetic towards the US ambassador on the panel, who ended up in tears or nearly in tears.
You don’t need to own a TV to need a license either. If you can stream TV onto your laptop you need one. In the days when you could have a black and white license (far cheaper but shit for snooker games), your VCR bumped it up to a colour one (because it received colour signals you couldn’t watch.
It is great having no advertisers, but the BBC always advertise themselves between programming.
They should allow it, but only if the interviewer is nonwhite.
The best anti-septic is daylight. I say let the people see what they voted for.
Funny that this should come from a blogger who finds racism under every stone.
Nope, just from people who say racist things.
And we have non-commercial government-partially supported tv here too (and not surprisingly it produces some of the better journalism around).
The BNP – British National Party – is a racist, anti-immigration whites-only political party.
Thank goodness that could never happen here!
@Frank- “CJ — You didn’t know that the BBC was state – run?”
Did you not understand me when I said “Wow I didn’t know BBC was state run.”? And why is that so surprising to you?
Since it’s based in the UK I don’t know much about their television programing, sorry.
I am a big fan of BBC America mostly their tv shows (the office, Absolutely Fabulous, Doctor Who, How Clean is Your House?, Skins, etc).
I do know that BBC America is not subjected to the TV License fee in the UK because here in the US there are commercials running though the programs.
But I have no idea if it’s the same as BBC in the UK.
Perhaps, CJ, it’s because you portray yourself as someone who knows everything. Not that I blame you. Nearly all the lefties on this blog portray themselves as people who know everything about everything.
it’s because you portray yourself as someone who knows everything
Someone needs to look at the mirror.
look at a mirror AND stfu! geezus……
Well, calling the BBC state-run over simplifies some of the nuances of its set-up, funding, and operation. It is set up by charter to be an autonomous corporation independent of direct or indirect oversight by Parliament or any agencies of government. If I’m not mistaken the licensing fees spoken of above are not commingled with any other government revenues and Parliament has no control over the purse strings.
Historically, oversight and operation of the Beeb is in the hands of a board of directors, now a ‘trust’ who once appointed to the board are supposed to be free of governmental interference.
There has always been criticism and debate about how controlled or not it may be. When the tories were in office there were always accusation by Labour of bias and the like. On the other hand Tony Blair hated the Beeb because of what he perceived to be unfair coverage of Blair taking Britain to war in Iraq.
All that said . . .of course the should have the BNP leader on. They won seats in the European Parliament and that alone makes them a legitimate (no matter how loathsome)subject for an interview.
cj, a couple of those programs you see on BBC America were not made for the BBC (skins and How clean is your house?), but we have channels here which show old BBC programs (with Ad breaks) called Dave as well. btw check out “The Mitchell and Webb look”, “Peep show” and “Armstrong and Miller”. The BBC also funds itself from selling stuff abroad.
Anyway, have just watched the programme, and I thought Griffin came out of it looking a bit of a dick. So did most of the others on the panel, and many of the audience and the host. Bonnie Greer (US born, sits on the board at the British Museum) came off best, and put Griffin in his place without breaking into a sweat.
One of the main points of this debate IMO is that, as was previously said, daylight is the best antiseptic. Griffin squirmed when asked about the holocaust, and other issues, and could not do a “Cheney” (ie outright denial in the face of video evidence in existence to the contrary), because he wasn’t let.
Another think the BBC does (and actually the Murdoch run Sky news too): reporters ask difficult questions, and press for answers. BBC has Jeremy Paxman (his books are also fascinating) and John Humphries.
Funny that this should come from a blogger who finds racism under every stone.
Nope, just from people who say racist things.
e.g.,
http://www.oliverwillis.com/category/republican-bigot-eruption/
@Frank-I never portrayed myself as a know it all. It’s okay not to know everything. Not knowing everything enable us to learn, explore new things, and fix our preconceived notions. Never be afraid to learn, okay.
Bryan-Thanks for the info.
Its regrettable but my whole family has been forced by economic reasons to join the BNP. Their English/ British world has been stolen from them by incessant legal and illegal immigration. Where is Sir Winston Churchill, Admiral Lord Nelson and Iceni Warrior Queen Boudicca? My heritage, language and culture has been trodden into the feces by Brown and the labor party. The Conservatives are not that better. Bring on the British National Party. This would have been the last political organization, I would have accepted. This is insane and now our little island has been compromised by the demagogue Diplomats in Brussels.
GOD HELP US ALL
“forced by economic reasons to join the BNP”??????
Trust me, the “heritage, language and culture” that you speak of is, and has always been, a melting pot of invaders (Norsemen, Romans, Normans) and migrants (Afro-Carribean, Indian, Polish etc.). This is the big myth that weasels like the BNP spread (and that fools like you believe, apparently). The is NO such thing as a pure-bred Englishman – we are all mongrels.
Your misplaced loyalty to a racial heritage that you don’t even understand would be funny if it weren’t so pathetic.
Its regrettable but my whole family has been forced by economic reasons to join the BNP.
You regret joining a racist political group, but you have no choice? Whaaa???
“Only thing people can do in this matter is switch the channel.”
Or worse, watch it. I say ban the party and give it Zero air time by legal decree. No to racists parties. NO.
Freedom of Speech isn’t just for speeches that we favor it also protects vile asinine talk. Sorry that’s just the way it is.
“The best anti-septic is daylight. I say let the people see what they voted for.”
Wrong. If we put petty criminals in jail who have merely stolen “thing” then haters who hurt or potential harm other should go to jail. Prison a very good septic system for racists and it could also be fun!!
Yeah we totally need to crack down on thoughtcrime. Cmon.
Terrible grammar and spelling. Too mad to proof read.
They’re not thinking, they are doing.
Bonnie Greer was a delight. Watching her calmly tearing Nick Griffin a new one was terrific.
Yes MadDog, she had his number.
Glenn1980, you remind me of people in work who will make comments about immigrants, etc, but actually don’t know enough to back up their claims, or don’t realise their claims are just wrong (both morally and in terms of accuracy).
Your potted history fails to realise that Churchill’s mam was from the USA btw.
You say economic reasons and then bemoan language and culture being stolen. What rot. English is the most widely spoken language on Earth (I know that Spanish, Mandarin and Hindi (?) have more 1st speakers, but 1 billion people speak English as a 2nd language), and our culture has been enriched by allthe peoples coming to the UK over the centuries. Chicken Tikka Massala was our favourite dish up to recently.
Truly the more BNP talk, the more they are opposed, the better. By their own words shall we know them.
We gave David Duke ample room to self-hoist on his own petard, why not let these fools show themselves for what they truly are. A roach in darkness is a roach hiding, a roach in daylight is more easily squashed.
I think Glenn1980 is on a windup. What self-respecting Brit spells it ‘Labor’?
Actually deiseach, you have a point. He also mis-spelled Boudica (you’d know how to spell the names of your heroes IMO (who incidentally we only know of due to Roman recorded history)), and talks of Englishness, but supports the BRITISH National Party.
That said, I’ve seen this happen a lot amongst the dim-bulbs this party attracts. They’re morans!