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No Platform

Richard (socialist workers party) | 08.05.2003 15:00

If indymedia is an independent media source to provide discussion, communication of events, and therefore a democratic tool, why are BNP members/supporters allowed to post pro-nazi views and defence of this party. Which is racist, anti-democratic, asylumbashing and homophobic. Why give them a platform, what is the policy ofindymedia?

I couldn't find the policy doc of indymedia....

However, several items have appeared on this website posted by British National Party members/supporters.

I am deeply concerned that an independent media outlet whose audience, i assume, is composed of anti-racists and pro-democracy, anti-war, anti-capitalists etc, allows Nazi supporters to post on this site.
I would hope that we could prevent groups that seek to divide us and undermine our democracy from using this alternate media source to further the aims of the nazi BNP who seek to undermine our democracy.
It should be noted too that the BNP, following Hitler, ultilise the rhetoric of anti-capitalism and opposition to big business.
We should be clear that it was the fascists in Italy who sided with the police during Genoa, as posted on this site at the time, and were therefore complicit in the attack on the indymedia centre in Genoa.
I would hope that indymedia could be a tool to smash the ascendency of the far-right and racism, especially after the recent election results.
Defeating Nazis in argument didn't work in Germany, where Hitler used a combination of the democratic process and intimidation and violence to rise to power and murder 6million jews, left, trade unionists etc
Our society has not yet experienced the scale of economic crisis Germany did, nor has the backing of industrialists given to the Nazis occurred.
We can afford no indulgence in smashing the Nazi menace, this has to begin with No Platform, exposing them, and running them our streets on a mass basis.

Richard (socialist workers party)
e-mail: richmcewan@hotmail.com

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

Try here

08.05.2003 15:10

'I couldn't find the policy doc of indymedia....'

Here is where you can find the editorial guidelines of Indymedia UK. BNP postings will be pulled from the newswrire, as would any fascistic or otherwise offensive piece. However, the editorial team is a group of volunteers who have given up their spare time, and sometimes there is an enormous workload, hence it may take a while for offensive stuff to be removed.

Thomas J
Homepage: http://uk.indymedia.org/censor.php3

Thanks

08.05.2003 15:25

Thanks for the clarification. Could you retain my article and this posting. Rich.

rich

If that was true...

08.05.2003 21:36

..it's only a shame they missed you mate. Twat.

Sean Knighton

Bollocks

08.05.2003 22:24

"No Platform" is the nearest thing to Fascism in Britain today. Denying others the freedom of expression, however objectionable their views, is tantamount to fascism, and needs to be argued against whenever it is raised.

Why is it only the Stalinist SWP and their bastard offspring the ANL who argue for "No Platform"? Is it because they know better than the rest of us? Is it because they wish to help their fellow man?

No - it's because they are a bunch of wasters, most of whom couldn't hold down a job, much less be a 'worker', and whose half-baked Stalinism cannot stand against reasoned arguments, whether from the racists or anyone else.

If you accept 'No Platform' for one group, you'll soon find it extending its tentacles to others. Soon it'll be 'No Platform for Employers'. or 'No Platform for Male Opressors', or any other group who falls out with the SWP authoritarians.

Bollocks to 'No Platform' - if you can't argue against racists, then we may as well give up now.

Bri.

Brian

Ermmm....

08.05.2003 22:37

Doesn't this hysterical Students' Wankers Party rant in itself violate IMC guidelines? To wit:

Non-news: posts which are clearly purely comment, opinion or rants unrelated to a recent event or action, or contradict the imc uk mission statement in an offensive way.

natsocnet

No Platform only option

09.05.2003 16:21

The idea that you can enter into reasonable debates with nazis is simply absurd. It's like arguing with members of a religious cult, there is simply no chance of appealing to sense because they simply don't have any. Debate with nazis is utterly pointless... try banging your head against a wall for a few hours to get a taste of the experience. We are not saying that you cannot engage in argument with the "ordinary" people who vote for the BNP- the vast majority are NOT nazis, just "soft" racists with no knowledge of the real BNP agenda. Engaging in debate with these kind of people is exactly what myself and other ANL/SWP/Socialist Alliance members were doing in the weeks leading up to the recent local elections- on the estates, on the doorstep.Also,it's a bit rich to see your contributors (who probably describe themselves as anti-capitalists, whatever that means) criticising the SWP. This anti-SWP nonsense does no good for the movement (whether your flag is red or black). The SWP have consistently been at the forefront of almost every significant protest action in the UK over the past 30 years, and we actually HAVE AN ALTERNATIVE TO OFFER. And as for calling us Stalinists...!!!!
The SWP welcomes our "fellow travellers" but this constant sniping undermines us all.
By the way, i'm not a student and never have been. The vast majority of SWP members in my midlands branch are over 30,in full-time employment and are trades unionists.

David J (SWP)

surely a typo?!

09.05.2003 17:49

"The SWP have consistently been at the forefront of almost every significant protest action in the UK over the past 30 years..."

should perhaps read:

"The SWP have consistently been jumping on the bandwagon of almost every significant protest action in the UK over the past 30 years..."

amused

propaganda = invented and used by the reds.

10.05.2003 07:24

"If indymedia is an independent media source to provide discussion, communication of events, and therefore a democratic tool, why are BNP members/supporters allowed to post pro-nazi views and defence of this party" ???!??? FREEDOM OF SPEECH... surely?????!??????

anti_marx

UK Indymedia