In the BBC Question Time has granted a platform to the BNP, the BBC sets a dangerous precedence; legitimising the BNP as a political party. In doing so they legitimise their views. This is anti democratic as the BNP wish to disenfranchise a huge cross section of British society. They are giving the ‘right’ to a platform to a party that seeks to take away the rights of others.
http://m.guardian.co.uk/ms/p/gmg/op/sQM_rwtdvuF-uj41C1_S3Xg/view.m?id=170227&tid=120787&cat=UK_news
As feminist activists I propose we must unite with anti fascist protests to no platform the BNP and expose them as a party of hate, division and social exclusion. This is in the name of cross liberation campaigning, but also because the BNP seek to impinge on women’s rights directly, and their brand of ‘women’s rights’ tarnish the name of feminism which is an obstacle to all women’s rights advocacy.
• BNP members have publically glorified and ridiculed rape.
• Further policy to clamp down on reproductive and LGBT rights, banning mixed marriages, and banning religious dress and food from public arenas, disproportionately affects women.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article3716550.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/7326987.stm
• The BNP use women’s rights as a tool to incite racial hatred, for example saying that all of the sexual assaults in Norway this year have been committed by ‘third world immigrants’.
• This false claim that sees feminism as a repository of white western supremacism can lead to an antifeminist backlash in the defence of multiculturalism.
http://barnsley-nationalists2.blogspot.com/2008/02/womens-rights-third-world-style.html
http://bnp.org.uk/2009/09/third-world-rape-nightmare-grips-oslo/
• In BNP strongholds aggression and harassment on the basis of race and religion rises.
• Many students have been directly affected by encounters with fascist groups in the last few months, such as the BNP’s presence at pride, and recent riots in Birmingham and Doncaster.
• The affects of this are not restricted to the targeted social groups, but affect the welfare and unity of the entire student body.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2009/sep/06/rightwing-rally-arrests-birmingham
http://www.uaf.org.uk/news.asp?choice=90808
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Sign this statement by sending an email marked "Question Time" tounite@ucu.org.uk
• Complain to the BBC by phoning 03700 100 222 or online athttp://bit.ly/bbccomplaints
• Join the Facebook group protesting at the BBC decision athttp://bit.ly/0909uaffb
• Take the UAF petition round your workplace or community: http://bit.ly/0909uafqt
• Make a donation to Unite Against Fascism at http://bit.ly/uafdonate
At the activist conference this Saturday, 12th of September we will have a workshop on cross liberation campaigning at 12am in SOAS KLT and there will be a workshop on black students and feminism in FG05 at 2:50pm. Email londonstudentfeminists@googlemail.com to register.
Facebook invite- http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118834994502&ref=mf
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