Is Answerbank a haven for BNP supporters?

[Mustardmit]

...I just need to know, I've read a LOT of posts that seem rabidly royalist / nationalist with just a hint of dogma and intolerance thrown on for good measure. I hope I'm wrong.

[sara3]

not a haven, no. there are some mixed views on here, and some unacceptable ones (in my opinion). generally, the racist ones get shouted down, but there's no accounting for taste...

[B00]

Does it matter if they are?

As faras I was aware we are all still entitled to our opinions and political beliefs, whether others agree with them or not.

[rojash]

"a hint of dogma and intolerance".
A hint? That's like saying a rabid dog is a bit under the weather.

[heathfield]

If there's one thing I won't tolerate, it's intolerance.

[sophie_1003]

It certainly seems that way Mustardmit, attempted to put some humour in that "What should be done about the Muslims" post by answering in a tongue-in-cheek way but no-one seemed to get it, Telephone seemed to be quite concerned to start with that I may be in a relationship with the son of Abu Hamza or some similar extremist!

[society]

People have views and opinions. Answerbank is one media used to express them.

[jake-the-peg]

It's pretty frightening isn't it.

You look at the sort of Propaganda we put out in WWI about Germans bayonetting babies or Hitler's posters about Jews and think - surely we've moved on, surely people are more intelligent now less likely to be tricked into stupid reactionary hate by unscrupulios Newspapers.

Then you go and read a few articles in the news thread.

I guess these are emotions of fear and hate and they are so much easier to provoke than emotions of hope.

Deep down so many people are tiny frightened animals lashing out at the unknown because they're made to feel threatened.

I also don't believe Boo about us all being entitled to our opinions - I suspect that only goes with being entitled to right wing opinions - go and tell the news group you're a paeophile and see who want's to tell you you have the right to your opinions

[R1Geezer]

It's a haven for all sorts, there's a lot of yoghurt knitters about too!

[Teleph0ne]

I have no idea who you are in a relationship with, nor am I racist or a supporter of the BNP. I am just concerned about the current situation in this country and the fact that we are scared as a country to speak our minds. this thread just backs that up!

[Mustardmit]

Boo, "we are all still entitled to our opinions and political beliefs" Did I say you weren't? No.
AFAIC people can say what they like here even if it is right-wing imperialistic b*llocks: I just need to know so that I can take my nasty peace loving self elsewhere if necessary.
So to answer your question, yes it does matter -at least to me.
Telephone, I don't believe people are afraid to speak out -I think they're just baffled by the fact that the population is being deliberately kept in a state of fear by the government/media. I for one don't swallow the notion that (eg.) every other Muslim is a potential terrorist or that swine flu is a serious threat.
There are few things about Britain I'm proud of, I just happen to have been born here. One of those "few things" is our embracing of other cultures -its fantastic, we can learn loads from cultures that have become established here.
LOL "yoghurt knitters"

[Teleph0ne]

Mustardmit what you have seen is a lot of people debating a subject that they care about. This does not mean they are racist or BNP members. The fact is that people are scared because they feel threatened, the majority of terrorists that threaten us at the moment are muslim, that is not racism that is fact. We face delays and fear at airports, we are not allowed to take pictures in our capital city, we are under constant scrutiny and constantly branded as racist if we dare complain. Why should we not be proud of our country and want to preserve our heratidge anyway?

[R1Geezer]

what you are saying is that like most lefties you find it incomprehensible that another view exists and therefore form the beleif that anyone with a different view must somehow be inferior. A common left wing approach, don't understand just shout it down. There's plenty of your sort on here you should have a good few mates to run with!

[Mustardmit]

Hello R1Geezer, I knew it was only a matter of time before my post would attract someone like you.
"like most lefties you find it incomprehensible that another view exists" -nope, I full accept and LIKE that other views exist and that, as Boo rightly said "we are all still entitled to our opinions and political beliefs".
You've assumed several things about me which are incorrect. If you think I have taken a superior stance -that's your inadequacy -nothing to do with me; we are all equal in importance IMO.
I'm not interested in shouting down right wing exteremists or rabid imperialists. All I am doing is working out, as a relatively new poster, who to avoid.
LOL @ "your sort" ...who's suggesting inferiority here I wonder ;-)

[R1Geezer]

You announce your beliefs by the usage of phrases like: "rabidly royalist / nationalist ", "impertialist", "intoillerance", Eg you hate the monarchy so anyone who doesn't must be "rabid". See what I mean?

[jno]

a cross-section, I think - though the News section tends to be a VERY cross section. (I too was startled that sophie's light-hearted posts seemed to be taken completely seriously.) As is sometimes the case, those on the right of the spectrum have the loudest voices. I doubt that any other websites/chatrooms are noticeably more tolerant, since the prospect of free speech funded by someone else, which is what much of the internet is about, attracts anonymous ranters. But you also get nice people like B00 who make it worthwhile.

[Mustardmit]

Ok Telephone, firstly I don't think there's anything wrong with people being proud of their country/culture -I only have a problem with it when it encourages a hostile "us and them" attitude. Actually, I have already seen a couple of posts that directly suggest BNP support.
"People are scared because they feel threatened" I firmly believe that the 'threat of terrorism' (amongst many other things) is being deliberately hyped up, police are abusing their "search under the new anti-terrorism powers" left right and centre. "The majority of terrorists that threaten us at the moment are muslim, that is not racism that is fact" this doesnt mean that all Muslims are potential terrorists, most Muslims are peace loving.
The government of the UK (and USA) has a vested interest in keeping its population in a steady state of insecurity because that way, they are easier to manipulate and it looks to me as if you are one of a looong line of folks that have fallen victim to this. The way this country's government continually f*cks us over makes me less than proud. Heritage is another matter, the Queen, our historic buildings/castles, ancient sites etc. this is all very much intact, but things change and evolve -I'm quite happy for the odd mosque or two to become part of our heritage ;-)

[Mustardmit]

You announce your beliefs by the usage of phrases like: "rabidly royalist / nationalist ", "impertialist", "intoillerance", Eg you hate the monarchy so anyone who doesn't must be "rabid".
See what I mean?
I see that you have got it wrong again, you're reading incorrect assumptions into what I've said just because I said "rabidly" and "royalist" does not necessarily mean I hate these non-elected spongers...er, I mean the royal family. I was there flapping me flag at the trooping of the colour, shed a few tears when Lady Di got mangled in Paris etc. I just think people get too emotionally carried away with it then start jumping up and down if someone else doesn't buy into it.

[rojash]

Teleph0ne says "The fact is that people are scared because they feel threatened, the majority of terrorists that threaten us at the moment are muslim".

In 2008, 509090 people died in the UK. Would you care to take a guess at how many were killed by Muslim terrorists?

[Teleph0ne]

Now theres a spin!! I didn't say how many muslims have killed just that muslims are responsible for most of the terorist attacks and threats both here and in the US, not all muslims are bad, Im sure the bad ones are the minority but if I reported that a blonde man had just broken into my house then it would be pointless the police questioning dark haired men would it. I am not racist nor do I support the BNP in any way, I think that they are doing the same damage to decent british people as the extreme muslims are doing to the muslim comunity. you cant deny the facts and call us racist for pointing them out

[rojash]

"if I reported that a blonde man had just broken into my house then it would be pointless the police questioning dark haired men".
Of course.
A much better way of dealing with it would be for the DM to run a 5 year campaign of misinformation and innuendo against blond men, people on here to post inflammatory stuff about blonds 2 or 3 times a day, and the UK government to make noises about invading Scandinavia.