The Reactionary Right strikes again in Great Britain?
Scientist have discovered a new strain of fact resistant humans. They are not sure what has caused it, but it could be genetic, with the brainwashing on mainstream media at the root of it. As more facts arise, their defense get even stronger.
Yes, I can agree that some humans are fact resistant - it's just a question of which humans they are. I suggest you read my comment about that video on YouTube.
By the way the main argument they were making in that video is that the killer of Jo Cox did not shout 'Britain first!' Today in public court in full earshot of everyone, he shouted 'death to traitors, freedom for Britain!'
Thanks Credence very much. To be honest I actually support the Brexit (British exit from the EU) campaign, because I believe we should have greater control over issues such as immigration. But I'm more passionate about honesty and objectivity, and that was singularly lacking in that video which attacked the Remain (in the EU) campaign.
I've actually been impressed with the way the aftermath has been handled by politicians and journalists. Senior politicians have suspended campaigning for two days as a mark of respect, even though the referendum is less than one week away. And the Conservatives are not going to contest the election for a new MP which will now have to be held in Jo Cox's (Labour) constituency, because it would be wrong to benefit from the murder of an opponent. Of course there are people on Twitter and other social media who have been really obnoxious in their comments - that would have applied whether the killer was right wing or left wing - but they are not typical.
The evidence at the moment is that the killer is a right wing fanatic but with mental instability as well. Whether it was a lethal combination of the two will possibly come out in court, but as far as political motivations are concerned, it was probably more to do with Jo Cox's support for Syrian refugees and increased immigration of refugees from that country than her broad support for Remain. But that's speculation at this stage. By all accounts - and even allowing for the natural tendency to eulogise after an event like this - she does seem to have been an especially decent and compassionate person who put human values above political values.
On a slightly different matter, and without wishing to open up a whole different can of worms, Jo was killed when meeting members of the public in her constituency in open consultation, without appointment or any security checks. That's normal practice for all MPs every week, and yet this is the first time since 1981 that one has been shot, and that previous occasion was in Belfast during the Irish troubles. Something to be said for gun control
mrpopo, thank you very much for giving me the opportunity. As you ask, I will reprint here what I wrote on YouTube although it's pretty long! Basically it was a plea for objectivity and honest and fair assessment regardless of which side of a debate people are on. As I say in the comment, (which is quite forceful for me!
) I actually support 'Brexit', but nonetheless I dislike the way the video attacks the 'Remain' campaign. I should emphasise for others that what follows relates to the people who presented the video, Paul Joseph Watson and Stefan Molyneux, rather than anyone writing here on HubPages, and will be pretty meaningless to those who haven't seen the video. Anyway this is the comment for what it's worth:
"First let me make clear - I support Brexit, I support stronger immigration controls, and I have never voted Labour in my life. So I've not got a political axe to grind in support of the Remain campaign. But there are are things more important than Brexit, and among them are honesty, fair reporting and a lack of hypocrisy. This YouTube video is dishonest, unfair and utterly hypocritical. Much is made of whether 'Britain First' was shouted by Jo Cox's attacker. It was not Hicham Ben Abdallah who claimed he shouted 'Britain First' - it was two other witnesses who did NOT subsequently retract their report. Now whether their version could be trusted, I do not know - neither do you - but it seems credible, and it is entirely reasonable and not at all suspicious that other eyewitnesses did not hear it - in the chaos and confusion of a traumatic event of course some will not hear what others hear. But you have decided on no basis whatsoever to take one version of events and categorise the other version as 'absolutely shameful lies'. According to you the attacker never said 'Britain first'. You do not know that.
You then claim that Tommy Mair was simply mentally unstable and suggest that he was not politically motivated. Well, whether or not he said 'Britain First' which you dispute, today in a public court when he was asked his name, Mair shouted 'Death to traitors, freedom for Britain'. I take it you will now accept that he probably did indeed shout 'Britain First' and that he did have some political motivation, albeit exacerbated by mental instability? Will you retract your comments, as you have suggested others should do?
At one point, Stefan Molyneux says 'where the Hell are the journalistic ethics that you need to get some confirmation?' - Where the Hell are yours? The hypocricy is wonderful.
Almost everything in the video is a bigoted distortion of the truth. First, the suggestion that Jo Cox was a prominent campaigner for Remain. Well, I've followed the debate and to be honest I'd never heard of Jo until this tragic event. She was just one of hundreds of MPs who supported the Remain campaign. Second, you talk about Vote Remain supporters exploiting the murder on Twitter. Of course some did. That is the nature of social media unfortunately. The same would have applied in reverse if a Brexit supporter had been killed. Sadly Twitter attracts the virulent and bigoted minority. I guess you are probably very active on there? But the leaders of the Remain campaign did not exploit this and are not exploiting it now. Finally you try to scaremonger by saying that the referendum is not legally binding. True, but it would be political suicide for David Cameron not to accept the result.
I spoke of hypocrisies. You say 'the left doesn't care about the facts.' Neither, apparently do you. Paul Joseph Watson says 'some people are incredibly stupid and they will believe and remember only the first thing they hear'. Yes I can agree with that, but I will amend it slightly. Some people are incredibly stupid and they will believe and remember only what they WANT to believe and remember.
I will conclude by saying I don't know why Jo Cox was murdered. It seems likely that mental illness played a part, but it also seems likely that Jo's support for Syrian refugees and immigration may have been a bigger factor than her broader support for Remain. Whatever the truth, it will probably come out in the trial, but I suspect that it will not be revealed by the people who put forward this appalling video. Sad to see over 6000 people have so far 'liked' this video. Despite being pro-Brexit, I don't.
(My condolences to the family of Jo Cox who does seem to have been a truly decent and good member of parliament during the short time she was there.)
Very much so! Most Brits are incredulous that Donald Trump has such high levels of support in America. Much of what he says is just ridiculed here by people of all main political persuasions. But then we find it hard to comprehend much of American right wing politics, just as I guess supporters of Trump would also find our political viewpoints difficult to understand.
For two nations so very similar and so close in so many ways, we nonetheless have huge differences in thinking on some issuesRegarding what you say about the 80s, that tallies with my perceptions as I remember them. My impression is that long ago when I was a child, Americans tended to rally behind the president, and Republicans and Democrats were closer together? Today politics seem much more polarised in America than in the UK (even though Labour last year elected its most left wing leader ever).
The polls are very very close. The Remains had always been in front but last week Brexit edged ahead. Since the murder of Jo Cox, there may be a slight backlash if her killer is perceived as a Brexit supporter. But probably not, because most people recognise him as an isolated nut job, rather than part of a major movement.
There are a significant number of 'undecideds' who could make a big difference. The feeling is that the majority of undecided voters will probably ultimately vote for things to stay the same ie: 'Remain' (on the basis of 'better the Devil you know than the Devil you don't). So my guess is that Remain will probably win. However, it's believed that Brexit supporters are generally more passionate and are more likely to make the effort to turn out to vote if, for example, it's raining heavily. On such things can the result of campaigns turn!
Hi. Hope you enjoyed your time in Scotland. Believe it or not, I've never yet been north of the 'border' from England! I think that most Western democracies are much more similar to Britain than to America in their level of governmental involvement in the way we live. Indeed I believe many are more 'nannyish' than the UK. Personally my view would be that Britain has gone just a little too far in some areas, whilst America hasn't gone nearly far enough.
But how one describes a situation reflects how one views it. For 'nanny state' some would say 'organised society for the benefit of all including the disadvantaged'. For 'independence and self reliance' some would say 'self-interest and paranoia about central government'. We'll have to agree to disagree on that one - a freedom we both enjoy
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