All it takes for evil to thrive in this world is for good people to do nothing.

Personally I have had a rather dim view of the conflicts and antagonism between the racists and the anti-fascists. There seems to be all rather childish infiltrating one or other organisations, petty calling the police out etc. It amuses me that the BNP were rather proud to have said that two of its members infiltrated one of the left wing student organisations up in Manchester. As far as I know, they managed to make friends with some nice Jews, socialists and liberals and then helped them deliver loads of pamphlets. Big victory there !!!

I know I should get involved more, after all, I'm of East European Jewish stock, I'm a pagan, I'm supposedly an intellectual, I'm a liberal, a socialist; these are all things I am proud of, all things that mark me out as a target for 'Nationalist' organisations. I love my country, more than any of them ever could. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland has become a world leading nation because of integration, because people have come here to build a better country, and believe me that over 99% of the peoples vilified by the BNP and their like love this country more, and do more for this country than they ever could.

I'm proud to be British, and dare I say it, proud to be English. The British National Party have made the English cross of St George (a black Maltese guy who beats up dragons) a symbol approaching the Swastika in terms of signifying hatred. The sight of gangs of boozed up skin heads toting the red cross of St George and various remains of wooden furniture on St George's Day still fills me with horror of what my country has become.

And now I hear that a BNP activist is trying to get elected to run the Student Paper of The University of Manchester. I've had a number of run-ins with it over the years, so my opinion of the paper is not a good one, however there should be no way that a paper reaching tens of thousands of people should become a BNP mouth piece.

So on Sunday, I went down to the Burlington Rooms in Manchester University for a Love Music – Hate Racism gig. Sadly the stench of bigotry was in the air (why can't fascists wash??) as a BNP activist had already tried to call the police saying there was a hate mob forming. Sensibly the police and campus security ignored him and the night passed off peacefully.

Ten artists played or were booked, as well as some DJs and a good time was had by all. Big mentions should go to Lotte Holmes, Dead Men Win Fights, Midland Railway (yep, them again), Angel Hurricane, Robin Nature-Bold and Band(ism), Mr Thompson, Rapid Pig, Killing Fantasy, Up the Racket, and all the others who played who I didn't get the names of. Not forgetting Renegade Playboys, up from London to headline, and there are few better rock bands on the circuit than them. Also bigger thanks to those who organised it; it was a great event and much fun was had. I hope that a point was made that people will stand up for what is right, that this great country shouldn't be afraid to be proud of itself and they'll play great music while they are doing so.

Hopefully, and this is just a personal view, some of the bigots and narrow minded hatred mongers that exist will come along, find out that we are just like them (albeit with better personal hygiene), can learn to accept those of us who don't fit the stereotype and can learn to like those of us abused in the streets. We can't fight hatred with hatred. We can fight it by teaching them the error of their ways and we have to make the average joe on the street aware that their vote counts, be it in a uni election or in the upcoming general and local elections. How can we be proud of our country when we have elected BNP officials? We cannot sit back and hope other people will do our job for us. Party politics may seem like a load of spin and mud flinging but, by voting Lib Dem, Labour, Tory or Green, you are keeping the evil out of government.

Added Gig Plug – Tuesday 15^th – Box of Delights (my new band) debut at Jabez Clegg – Flyers from mbluesman.com/bod/.

Till the next time,

Love peace and blues

tjm

Mancunian Blues Archive

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