A sad state of affairs in which it is equal in measure that the campaign against Swindon venue MECA hosting known far right extremist and racist celebrity Katie Hopkins will have a diverse effect in actually promoting the event, the reactions to the outcry highlights how deep and ingrained the issue of racism is locally. I put this to campaigner Kate Linnegar of the group Swindon Stand Up to Racism, who replied, “a risk I considered, but if it raises awareness, the people who go to it are probably lost to our beliefs already.”
Evidently, one Facebook commenter lambasts, “really shows who the snowflakes are,” yet equally, it shows who the gammons are too, as another writes, “without freedom of speech – we wouldn’t know who the idiots are.”
And freedom of speech is a phrase being knocked about quite a bit over this controversy, the only issue with it is the wonky interpretation of the term by those in support of racism. If we’re talking leftwing, rightwing here, historically it’s the latter determined to stifle freedom of speech, something George Orwell warned us about. I would challenge anyone to find me a liberal or leftwinger which denounces freedom of speech, but sorry, being allowed to incite prejudice and hate is NOT freedom of speech, not even in the same ballpark, neither is it legal.
Amnesty International states “in certain circumstances free speech and freedom of expression can be restricted. Governments have an obligation to prohibit hate speech and incitement. These are dangerous. Restrictions can also be justified if they protect specific public interest or the rights and reputations of others.”
Furthermore, you’d like to think it should be in everyone’s moral standing not to incite hate, as is the golden rule from Luke 6:31, to “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” But hey, if “freedom of speech” is all fine and dandy with you guys, it would be acceptable for me to suggest you are wrong, Katie Hopkins is not a comedian, rightwing extremists do not do jokes, they are the fucking joke. She’s an egregious xenophobic, homophobic and fascist hag, but I didn’t say this, I only suggested if I wanted to, according to your philosophy of the issue, it would be inoffensive and acceptable.
But Swindon MECA seem adamant a vociferous racist homophobe, who incites hatred at every available opportunity and has been banned from several countries such as South Africa for doing so, will not be tempted to voice such bollocks at this event. They told us, “as a venue, whilst we do not agree with or condone many of the statements Katie has made in the past, we firmly believe that everyone has the right to a place on our stage. The event in question is not a hate rally as it is being portrayed by some. It is a comedy show, reviews of which state that Katie pokes more fun at herself than anything else and we do not have concerns that the event will be anything other than the comedy show that has been promised.”
Reviews direct from her PR agent, ahem, if I said in reference to this statement, MECA hasn’t got the balls to stand up for the decency and equality it claims to uphold against the idea it’s going to make some serious wonga from this and stick two fingers up to the cultural diversity of the town it’s located in, but I purposely slip on a banana skin whilst saying it, MECA would, in effect, honour my right to do so, as it’s comedy, and provide me my place on its stage? Remind me to ask them!
They unbelievably continue thus, “To limit those able to perform here because they may have opposing views and opinions to us would do a great disservice to the community. In the past we have played host to many controversial figures and comedians without issue and, as a venue, are not willing to play into the harmful cancel culture of recent years.” Cancel culture, I give you. They. Said. This. Shite! A random muse generated by the far right as an excuse to incite prejudges at will and get away with it. There’s no such thing as cancel culture, you fucking knobjockey grand national winners, the only thing cancelled is the braincells of anyone using the utter piffle!
It is nothing to do with limiting “opposing views and opinions;” does it look to you from this article that I am what you call a “snowflake,” or in any manner opposing the usage of freedom of expression when I try so desperately hard to get this through the concrete breeze blocks you call your cranium?! It’s about stopping the spread of unjustified hatred due to prejudges, like the colour of one’s skin, their gender orientation, weight, if they happen to need glasses, choose not to eat meat, or whatever pathetic and inane slurs this washed up, hateful, cobblestone slag posts on her dire, wank-stained Twitter account!
Ah, evidently, two can play that game, you go waste your hard-earned dollar on this complete bollocks when there’s a hundred better events at a hundred other local venues who seem to have a better moralistic standing. We are boycotting this glorified bingo hall, clearly with an agenda supporting racism is not something we will entertain here. Naturally, you are welcome to your opinion, but this is not “cancel culture,” you shinest spanner in the toolbox, it is common fucking sense in what is supposed to be a caring and compassionate country, slowly being overrun by dickwarts of the highest calibre.
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