AGAINST
The thought of a fuming, lunatic Nick Griffin perspiring repulsively under the disapproving glare of dear old David Dimbleby, red with rage and spitting insanely with rancid hate, is delicious. No surprise then that the press is gabbling excitedly at the prospect of a gladiatorial clash neatly pitting good against evil, with almost the entire population routing for one side and assured of victory.
The politicians set to take their seats beside Griffin must also be savouring their chance to be transformed for the day from dry, languid tax perverts to crusaders of reason and morality, earning cheap, rapturous applause.
As entertaining as all this would be however, it is naïve and misguided to suggest, as many journalists have, that this spectacle would actually achieve anything, or that the BNP will finally be squished beneath the weight of rational argument. Griffin and his chums will not accept defeat gracefully and mope off, abandoning politics forever to become car dealers and ice cream men, and nor will their supporters become any more enlightened.
The problem is that the BNP and its followers are illiterate in the language of reason. The BNP psyche is jammed clumsily with mad emotion: fear, anxiety, anger, prejudice and hate. A vote for the BNP is therefore an emotional response, a rather pathetic sob of “England for the English”, and not a carefully considered decision open to rational persuasion.
Far from weakening its support, an appearance on Question Time will diminish the stigma that surrounds voting BNP by taking an immediate and irreversible step towards normalising the Party. In its greed for high ratings, BBC bosses are irresponsibly substituting editorial judgment with the rather irrelevant notion of “free speech”, legitimising extreme racist views to the BNP’s extreme racist delight.
Charlie Button
FOR
Whilst it is possible to argue that extremists shouldn’t be provided with a platform from which to air their views, I believe wholeheartedly with the BBC’s decision to allow the BNP to be represented on national television.
By censoring the BNP, we will merely fuel their argument that our government is undemocratic, enabling the BNP to connect with the glut of Britons disillusioned with our political system.
Alternatively, by allowing the BNP to air their intolerance and small minded views, we will give them the perfect opportunity to be embarrassed publicly. I sincerely hope that Jack Straw, who will be on the question time panel, can make the most of his vast experience to expose Nick Griffin for the dangerous fool that he is.
Admittedly, it wont be as simple as this, as the BNP has evolved and now hides their more extreme views behind populist isolationist policies, such as the reintroduction of capital and corporal punishment, pulling out of the EU and cutting foreign aid in favour of impoverished Brits. I’m optimistic that people will see through such ploys.
Griffin himself has become far shrewder as a politician, but is open to criticism. As a former conservative, national socialist and third positionist, he’s been through more changes of face than Dr. Who. Furthermore, he was convicted of ‘Incitement to racial hatred’ in 1998. Griffin is Cambridge educated and a confident debater, yet I’ll be amazed if he escapes the scrutiny of the public and senior politicians unscathed.
The likelihood is that the BNP will emerge from this in a negative light, and the programme itself will be compelling viewing. We should not be scared of these bigots, as they will only appeal to an idiotic minority; I look forward to seeing them fall flat on their faces, as should you.
Ian Horne
