HOPE not hate

Political

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Saturday, 28 June 2008, 07:30

I'd like to say a big well done to Blackpool TUC and the good voters of Park ward who soundly defeated the BNP in a council by-election on Thursday. The BNP polled 218 (12.3%), which was considerably lower than the 339 (17.1%) they gained in May 2007, despite the personal involvement in the campaign of BNP leader Nick Griffin.

Blackpool TUC went out on a number of occasions distributing Searchlight anti-BNP leaflets.

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 27 June 2008, 10:22

There seems a real eagerness to discuss the future direction of the anti-fascist movement. Much of it is supportive of the Searchlight approach, some of it is not. What is important however is that we have a real debate.

However, at some stage the debate must stop and the work must begin. Searchlight believes that we should use the next two months to have this debate and then it is time to move on.

To join in the debate please go to the Where Now section on our website http://www.hopenothate.org.uk/Where_now

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 6 June 2008, 05:42

Barack Obama’s victory in the Democratic Party Presidential nomination is a truly historic event. Whatever the outcome in November the fact that an African American can today be in this position would have been unimaginable in the 1960s. Back then, black Americans were still being systematically murdered because of the colour of their skin, forced segregation still existed in many southern states and, until the Voting Rights Act in 1965, there was widespread institutional disenfranchisement of the black community through literacy tests.

A poll conducted this week found that 68% of Americans thought their country was ready for a black President, up from just 38% eight years ago. (Click here)

However, while times have moved on racism is still widespread within American society and is sure to play a significant role in the Autumn election. In the same poll a quarter of respondents said “most of the people they know” would not vote for a black President.

This week we are also remembering the fortieth anniversary of the assassination of Robert Kennedy. I have to admit that I am mystified with the almost saintly status for his brother John F Kennedy, who himself had been killed back in 1963. Robert, I do believe, was far more committed to ending racial divisions in the country.

Delivering the news to the nation that Martin Luther King had been assassinated, an emotional Robert Kennedy said in a speech on 4 April 1968:

“What we need in the United States is not division; what we need in the United States is not hatred; what we need in the United States is not violence and lawlessness, but is love, and wisdom, and compassion toward one another, and a feeling of justice toward those who still suffer within our country, whether they be white or whether they be black.

“… the vast majority of white people and the vast majority of black people in this country want to live together, want to improve the quality of our life, and want justice for all human beings that abide in our land.” (Click here.)

My question to you is can you imagine Britain having a non-white Prime Minister?

posted by: Nick Lowles | on: Friday, 6 June 2008, 05:40

Hi there, apologies for my long silence I guess I was suffering from bloggers block - if such a thing exists!

Anyway, I'm back, I feel refreshed and will pen my thoughts as often as possible.

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