BNP

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Stop the
Fascist
BNP

Why should we "stop" any party?  Don't they have a right to exist?  It's not like they're trying to kill anyone - just deport all the non-British, cut off all foreign aid, nationalize 80% of the economy, take over Ireland, end civil liberties, institute Singapore-esque caning of petty criminals, isolate the UK economically, teach racial supremacy in the schools, isolate the UK militarily, and reinstitute the draft.  Is that so bad?  If you don't like them, don't vote for them!

(Actually, given the choice between the BNP and the UK being a Muslim state in 10 years, I'd choose the BNP.)

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Stop the
Fascist
BNP

Why should we "stop" any party?  Don't they have a right to exist?  It's not like they're trying to kill anyone - just deport all the non-British, cut off all foreign aid, nationalize 80% of the economy, take over Ireland, end civil liberties, institute Singapore-esque caning of petty criminals, isolate the UK economically, teach racial supremacy in the schools, isolate the UK militarily, and reinstitute the draft.  Is that so bad?  If you don't like them, don't vote for them!

(Actually, given the choice between the BNP and the UK being a Muslim state in 10 years, I'd choose the BNP.)

By "stop" I mean stop them winning anything... not ban them... they are poisioning the politics of most of Cottonopolis.
g Nazi's...
And yes they would kill people. A lot of people.

It's a testimony to the vibrant political fabric of Britain that a party with such unique and innovative ideas is able to flourish at all - while in the USA we're stuck with our two boring parties.

*removes tongue from cheek*

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

They aren't flourishing (unless a handful of councillers counts) if you want to see a flourishing ultra-right wing fascist party try France, but the problem is that just one counciller a council poisions the political climate in the area and makes ethnic minorites very, very afraid.

The thing that makes me very sad is that in European politics, for some reason issues of national sovereignty and independence get mixed up with racism and fascism.  Can't a nation be independent AND have racial tolerance and equality?  We Americans (the 0.01% who actually pay attention to world politics) scratch our heads at this.  

How many wars were fought to keep Germany and France separate from one another?  How many lives were lost in that cause, only to see a new Franco-German Empire organize peacefully and slowly swallow up Europe, and national distinction and independence?  What a waste.  We should have let Napoleon have his way.  Or Wilhelm II.  Save us a lot of trouble and lives in the end.  And yet the only people who stand up against this are Nazi bastards like Le Pen.

I'd like to see the UK out of the EU.  It's a shame the only people to take up that position are a bunch of bigots and hooligans.

America's interesting in that it's never actually had a major far-right political party or politician.
David Duke is the obvious exception...

Oh, we've had plenty.  The Know-Nothing party of the 19th Century is a great example.  As more people are added to our Melting Pot, there have always been those who wanted to exclude the new people.  First it was the Irish, then the Italians, then the Eastern Europeans and Jews... and we've always had the Black/White problem.  But I think what makes America distinct is that we have a national identity that has nothing to do with ethnicity, religion, or ancestry.

So... we can stand up for our independence and sovereignty without tying in racism.  You can come from any corner of the earth, and still be "American."  Maybe that's the crucial difference.

Another interesting difference in the USA is that the far-right tends to be economically (classically) liberal.  You wouldn't find a single right-winger in this country that would stomach any of the types of economic policies that the BNP supports.  Not even Pat Buchanan, which is the closest thing the US has to the BNP.

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

actually I heard the Populists at the end of the 19th century were pretty racist, I'd probably mostly agree with their economic views, but they sound pretty horrible otherwise.

Some of the leaders were (but this is the 1890's we're talking about...) but Populism was the first political movement that sharecroppers and Bubba's both supported.

I would think that the Democrats of the Guilded Age would be more akin to the European Far-Right.  But outside of the South, I'm not sure they were all that racist.  (Although racism is, after all, not the ONLY defining feature of the European Far-Right.)

[Beefalow and the Consumer]

Very good post Beef.

I agree with your points, it is a horrible waste. In Sweden nationalist, racist, fascist and national socialist are pretty much synonymous, which is very sad.

There is a trend towards more reasonable EU-scepticism arising though, so there's some hope at least.

From what I understand, your neighbor to the west has it right.  Very enlightened, forward-thinking, and tolerant, while at the same time maintaining their independence and national identity.  Although I've heard Norway is moving towards EU integration

I have a Norwegian grandmother who wears her Norwegianness on her sleeve (she's also a right-wing nutjob, but that's another story for another day...) so I tend to be very pro-Norway.

They also have one of the most enlightened approaches to copyright law in the world.