Verdict of the Week


Leaked List of BNP Members

Several people have lost their jobs after their names appeared on a leaked list of people who are members of the British Nationalist Party. Many more fear that their jobs are in jeopardy after a number of other people have been “outed” as BNP Members.

The names listed on the far-Right organisation include some quite sensitive professions like: police officers, soldiers, teachers, doctors, army personnel, an actor, leading businessmen, former civil servants, radio and TV presenters, and even a vicar have all appeared on the leaked list which was made public.

We cannot speculate as to who are why this list was leaked into the public domain, but it is thought to have been done either by a disgruntled former associate or by another party to try and score political points.

Certainly the BNP has had some unsavoury characters associated with it in the past, whose views would have been seen as racist. Many of them have acted as bullying thugs and have been quite rightly dismissed as bigots.

On the other hand many of the BNP members would disassociate themselves from these violent bigots and I'm sure would prefer to be judged as nationalists who are just naturally proud of the country. Indeed, an innocent floating voter just reading their manifesto may well be attracted to some of their more nationalistic policies and the obvious pride that the party shows in their country.

It is not eCourt's job to pass judgement on a collective of people with diverging views, who come together under one political banner. The point that is of concern is the question of whether it is right or wrong to sack somebody for their political beliefs, as is going on here.

If someone has proved to be good at their job in the past and showed no signs of racism, bigotry and have not tried to thrust their political viewpoints on others, especially the young and vulnerable, should we judge them by what they do in their spare time?

Are we in danger of becoming bigoted ourselves if we judge these people to be unworthy of holding down good jobs? Some have compared what is going on here to what McCarthy did to the Communists in the 1950's. If we censor it we only drive the movement underground and that makes it worse and more sinister.

Surely we should allow people freedom of expression, it is our greatest asset. Censoring people with political correctness and forcing them to hide their true feelings is surely worse. Whether you are bullying people into submission using Political Correctness if you bullying them with violence or weapons, it is still bullying.

This issue, like so many, is obviously is a difficult, sensitive and highly emotive one, but people should be allowed to be a member of whatever political party they choose. In England one of the last great bastions of our legal system is that we are innocent until proved guilty, and as long as the person in question has proved to be reliable in the past, and has not given any cause for concern or shown any signs of offensive behaviour like racism, bigotry, bullying or tried to use their influence or position to ill effect, then they may well be good people, who just happen to hold strong nationalistic views, and we must give them the benefit of the doubt.

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