Feature: How You Can Beat Fascism
Did you know that black and Asian British people don't exist? This is just one of the shocking pieces of wrongheaded nonsense recently discharged by BNP chairman Nick Griffin, who claims that Black and Asian people should be referred to as "racial foreigners" in Britain, regardless of their actual nationality. But the really scary thing is that on Thursday 4th June, this man, and members of his party, could be elected to represent Britain in Europe.
The BNP has proven itself time and time again to be a fascist, racist party. For example, it wants all non-white people to be deported from Britain, saying recently in their Language and Concepts Discipline Manual, that the organisation's "ultimate aim" is the "repatriation of the resident foreigners of the UK". The aforementioned Griffin, a European Parliament candidate in the North West, was convicted of incitement to racial hatred for publishing a BNP magazine that described the Holocaust as "the Holohoax", while Simon Darby, who is running as an MEP candidate in the West Midlands, was recently photographed at a fascist rally in Italy. The only reason these guys should be going to Europe is to see for themselves the evidence of atrocity from Auschwitz to Belsen.
In fact, the reason they are seeking election to the European Parliament is purely political - they certainly have no interest in the benefits of European integration and common purpose. Griffin has candidly said that, "ideally, we wouldn't be in the EU. Doing well in the European Elections is a stepping stone to where we really want to be - the Westminster Parliament". Worryingly, his plan seems to be working. In the last few years we have witnessed the election of the BNP to the London Assembly and to 55 council seats across the country, and examples from France and Italy have shown that having an MEP elected can provide a springboard for far-right parties to enjoy more success in general elections.
So what can you do if you believe that there is such a thing as a black or Asian Brit, and don't want to see the BNP scratch out ever more influence? Well, the first thing you need to do is to make sure you have a voice to be heard. If you are not already on the electoral roll, then the deadline to register is Tuesday 19 May. If you're not sure how to register, you can find out more at:
After that, you need to remember to vote on Thursday 4 June, and get as many people to join you as possible. Your vote really does count, particularly as the European elections are based on proportional representation, where the margins between getting a seat or not are likely to be a matter of a few percent. Fortunately it also means that any vote against the BNP will help to stop them, although in some areas, it may be a good idea to vote for the Green Party for the best chance of beating the BNP. For example in the North West, where Griffin is running, there are eight seats up for grabs. Because of the way the voting system works, Labour and the Conservatives are likely to get three seats each, with one going to the Liberal Democrats, and the remaining one going to either the BNP or the Green Party.
A similar story will be played out all across the country, but remember: the biggest threat is not the BNP, it is apathy. The number of people who support the BNP remains a tiny minority, so all it requires for them to be kept out of power is for ordinary people to make their voices heard. "Politics is the art of controlling your environment", as Hunter S. Thompson said. When you see the BNP shouting their racist views from the rooftop of the European Parliament, that is when you will wish you had voted.
Words: Kevin E.G. Perry
