In Defence of Democracy

Two events in recent months have made me, yet again, question the worrying and despicable tactics used by those who claim to be defenders of truth, equality and fairness.

The first concerns the recent 10th anniversary of the Soho pub bombing, at the Admiral Duncan pub in London's Old Compton Street. I attended this along with several of my old friends who, at the time of the bombings, were regulars at that pub.

Although none of us knew directly any of those who died, but we did know or were familiar with numebrs of the staff and management. We were also all very lucky in that, had that blast occurred half an hour or so later, we were due to be in that pub, in our usual spot very close to where the bomb was detonated.

We all understood that event to be one of remembrance, of paying respects. We were all therefore quite surprised to see, as soon as numbers of members of the press appeared, to see a small group of anti-fascist group members unfurl a banner and start handing out leaflets.

This, to us, was both opportunistic and disrespectful. What was supposed to be an event of rembrance and respect was effectively hijacked and used as a shameless publicity stunt. What's more, it was done by a group of people pretty much all of whom appeared far too young even to have been around at the time.

The second event occurred this week, following the UK Local Government and European Elections. Specifically, the shameless and appalling - in democratic terms - actions of, yet again, so-called anti-fascists in their 'mob-handed' assailing of the BNP's attempt to hold a public address outside Parliament.

Now, this is in no way a defence of ny party or their manifesto, idealogy or beliefs.

The point is, however, that the United Kingdon is still supposed to be a democracy. Free speech, freedom of association, the right to open-ness, honesty, freedom of expression: these are all supposed to be givens. Hard-earned rights, earned by those good men and women, military and civilian, who have this very week been commemorated on the 65th Anniversary of the D-Day campaign from WWII.

The irony is clearly lost on almost everyone, but notably the major political parties, those other candidates who walked off the stage where Nick Griffen's election was announced, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London who apparently refused to answer questions from the London Assembly BNP member because of his party affiliation, as well as the so-called anti-fascists.

Now, before you all go into spasmodic paroxysms of rage, indignation - staged or genuine, or whatever, consider for a moment the actual, real issues here.

These were democratic elections, in a supposedly democratic country.

For whatever reasons, whether protest votes, irritation with the major parties and a desire to 'spank' them, or even genuine agreement with the policies of those elected, ALL of the candidates elected were elected through a full, free, and fair democratic electoral protest.

The whole point of democracy is election of the people, by the people, for the people. The people have expressed their opinion and made their selection. These selections must be, if not supported or liked, at the very least respected.

You cannot have a situation where only those candidates elected that you like are allowed to speak, or go about their business in safety, security, and unfettered execution of their office: this is not democracy.

Nor can you have a situation where, even as everyone claims to acknowledge the problems besetting democracy, where public interaction and participation with the democratic process is at an all-time low, trust in politicians almost rarer than belief in unicorns and other mythical beasts, the views of all those form the electorate who DID vote, and elect candidates, are so clearly ignored. This is not democracy.

Whatever anyone says, the electorate has spoken, opinions have been expressed and for whatever reason these must be acknowledged, respected. To do otherwise is to maintain the very same system of disdain and arrogant refusal to listen to the electorate that the main parties are now regularly accused of.

It is also completely appalling that the politics of mob-rule are used so cynically, in 'defence' of democracy, freedom and equality etc. What makes these tactics any less despicable than those of the Nazi book-burners? Any better than the current crop of politicians currently, and so regularly, despised and reviled in the daily press and media?

The answer is that there IS no difference! There is no nobility, no decency or moral advantage or high-ground in such tactics. Such tactics are shameful and abhorrent, they are the tactics of the mob, and mobs are never - read NEVER! - morally, socially, even politically superior.

There are so many hypocrisies here that it is almost unbelievable that those who form the mobs from the so-called 'morally right' factions cannot see in their actions that which they claim most to despise.

Besides - WHO appointed these people, these who think THE have the RIGHT, let alone some moral obligation, to tell ANYONE, let alone EVERYONE, who they should listen to, what they should think?

Again, these are the exact same politics and tactics of repressive regimes everywhere, from Communist Russia and China, to Nazi Germany, to any one of the numerous nasty, unpleasant, thought-policed regimes to be found with such unfortunate regularity across the globe.

If nothing else, then if the opinions, policies, actions of such groups are indeed so abhorrent, so despicable and so outrageous, then the wider population, the electorate, is not only able to fathom this for themselves, but they are legally and morally able to decide this for themselves, and at the ballot box.

One must ask why the so-called anti-fascists (who, by their very natures and behaviours are so clearly the very creatures they claim to revile!) are so unwilling to allow the rest of us our own freedoms to listen to the arguments ourselves, the right to choose, to right to choose our own representatives.

Perhaps because they are aware - no matter how dimly - that if they WERE to shut up, respect the very freedoms they claim to prpotect even as they strip them from us by their own actions and then out-do even those they claim to be 'protecting' us from, they would be very quickly joining those such as the BNP in the 'persona non grata' category, leaving those of us who truly DO respect democracy to get on with it!

Jade Goody: Jaded Goody, or Jade Baddy..?

Interesting yet again to note the rapidly changing fortunes of Jade Goody who, as the title to this piece attempts to demonstrate, is somewhat of an oxymoron even down to her name. In fact, you could say she PUT the 'moron' into oxymoron, aided and abetted by the publicity-whore that is the modern media.


Today she, and her now husband Jack Tweed, are as popular as ever with both the 'showbiz elite' and the general public. How quickly tides turn, and how quickly a touch of tragedy can turn such tides of opinion.


As with Kate Moss and so many others we see how low are our expectations as well as our general standards and expectations of behaviour.


Remember that this is someone who at the start of her career was derided for her lack of intellectual abilities, who was later roundly condemned for her behaviour on Celebrity Big Brother, and whose then-fiance is still under a curfew order after a conviction for attacking a 16 year old boy. Nothing laudable here, yet this is now being swept under the carpet and in the same month that Peter Sutcliffe, the Yorkshire Ripper, was told by the Government that he is unlikely ever to be released. This in a country where certain convictions can result in whispering campaigns, lives destroyed - look at men accused of rape even where this is later proven to be lies on the part of the accuser, or those wrongly accused of child abuse by social workers or othe so-called 'professionals'.


So, to those who would accuse me of callousness, or of being petty and mean, I say simply: no. I just refuse to be hypocritical, to suddenly change a constantly held opinion because of someone's personal tragedy, for such it is.


In fact, the more deeply cynical part of me (although, interestingly, a viewpoint echoed by others I have spoken to) finds the whole speed and timing of this latest set of developments to be such that, in terms of publicly 'rehabilitating' Goody, this could not have worked better. All that is missing now is a sudden turnaround in her health fortunes or a 'miracle' cure or recovery, and my tongue would burrow out the side of my cheek.


As I type this final few sections, and in the week that the lovely Wendy Richard herself dies of cance, Sky News is posting footage of Jade Goody and Jack Tweed in another offensively foul-mouthed row with their neighbours.


On top of this, her 'friends' are also planning a walk to raise yet more funds for her sons. On the fishiness scale, why DOES she need to keep grasping for yet more money? I recall numerous reports of her multi-million pound fortune, from her tv work, books, dvds and so forth - where did that all go?


While a personal tragedy for her two sons at least, I find it impossible to be hypocritical and change my constantly-held view of Jade Goody. This latest set of incidents does not elicit sympathy, especially when so many others, including the afore-mentioned Wendy Richard, bear such ills with infinitely greater grace and dignity.