Oh dear

[djm4_lj]

I understand the temptation, but I very much doubt that anything Nick Griffin could have said in his press conference could have got him the publicity and made him look good to those who voted for him as being pelted by eggs outside Westminster. Doing this just makes him look like a martyr.

As a Liberal, I disapprove of treating any democratically elected representative this way, but even if you don't, I challenge you to convince me that this sort of protest doesn't just play straight into the BNP's hands. They want to be seen in the media being attacked and silenced - a lot of their core support are people who feel that they have no voice, so anything that looks as though this is a deliberate conspiracy to silence them will ring true.

Comments

[ajva.livejournal.com]

That may be the message you would like to send by it, but that's not the one that I'd expect to be heard by everyone, and certainly not by BNP supporters. Walking off-stage and refusing to listen is a little bit too much like taking one's ball home in a fit of pique.

I think this goes to the heart of the matter, really. What I am really hoping for is a society where the BNP becomes less popular, and that's the single most important thing. If, as I believe, encouraging a martydom/plucky underdog complex will increase its popularity, then I perceive that as something to be avoided. I think the crux of the disagreement here is whether that is actually the case or not, and that's a valid and interesting debate in my view.

[djm4]

...and that's a valid and interesting debate in my view.

Very much my view as well.