Pendle Borough Council

[Mitch]

Coming shortly - I'm just sorting through my list of 'woodentop' antics by Pendle Borough Council.

To commence - an email reply from them in December 2003 in response to a complaint I made to them concerning a disgusting BNP leaflet posted through my door - which as far as I was concerned contravened the Race Relations Act and was inciting racial hatred.

There response:

"The BNP is a legitimate political party". Perhaps they might wanna rethink this statement after the recent documentary on the BNP. Also, when Pendle Borough Council make statements like this, are they speaking for councillors also?? I'm confused as if this is the case how come Gordon Prentice, Tony Greaves and others were clear during activity with Unite Against Fascism that the BNP were NOT a legitimate party, but rather fascists and a danger to the community that had to be confronted. Would very much be interested in Lord Greaves' comments on this.

I might add I had a similar response from the Commission for Racial Equality, when I forwarded a copy of the leaflet, and asked them for advice on how to proceed.

This incident over the recent local elections made me ponder on the question of what the bloody hell I was VOTING FOR??? I might also add that there were many within the left who thought that my complaining about this leaflet was a waste of time. I would challenge this also.

So - Wooden Tops as follows:

BNP fascist wankers

Pendle Borough Council - a do-nothing institution who swarm in opportunist style at the last minute to confront rascism and fascism, but have been complicit in their 'do-nothingness' in facilitating the BNP fascists to gain ground locally.

Everyone on the left who said my complaint about this leaflet was a waste of time - bloody woodentops!!

And last but not least The good old Commission for Racial Equality - They need to get bolder in their confrontation of racism and fascism. Seems to me Trevor Phillips is saying one thing, and the institution is enacting another.

Selina Cooper is currently turning in her grave!!

[michele cryer]

LOL Mitch...wondentops they are, indeed...

Michele

[octoberlost]

This incident over the recent local elections made me ponder on the question of what the bloody hell I was VOTING FOR I might also add that there were many within the left who thought that my complaining about this leaflet was a waste of time. I would challenge this also.

I wish to make some points about this....

I dont see any harm in using institutions, policies, etc which are geared up to counter the racism of the BNP but a) we must not rely on them, b) must not encourage the growth of any new procedures, policies etc, because in all likelyhood they will be used against us, c) we concentrate on doing our own seperate grass-roots work.

Otherwise I dont see a voting issue and yes I wouldnt have personally pursued this issue, but then Im a wooden-top arent I? ;D

[Mitch]

As you know Octoberlost I spend a considerable amount of time focusing on separate grass-roots work (something you might want to consider spending more time on!), and yes you're right you are a woodentop!

Firstly my point in complaining about this BNP leaflet was in the longterm to expose the futility of the Race Relations Act and in a wider sense legislation in this country which is crammed with loopholes (certainly you're right we shouldn't rely on it) - in this case because the particular leaflet concerned did not actually call for direct action by racists and fascists to meet together to incite racial hatred - I had no case. The fact that the leaflet contained explicit fascist lies concerning asylum seekers and was posted widely in Pendle was not deemed to be inciting racial hatred by both the police and the CPS (who did look at my complaint).

I don't see any harm in challenging and exposing the futility of the legal system in this country, in fact the more it's done the better in my mind - this in itself could be a grass-roots campaign.

In homeworking campaigns I have consistently challenged the futility of employment law which only applies to those classified as employees, whilst exempting any employment protection for workers - atypical workers on casual contracts, homeworkers, those working in prisons and asylum seekers.

It's the loopholes in the legal system which I think are important to challenge and draw attention to, plus simultaneously highlighting again how institutions like local government increasingly act like 'businesses' and seem to be completely devoid of an 'ethos of care' for the community they claim to represent. I think it important to keep highlighting these issues - perhaps you think this a waste of time.

It was my intention to write a letter on my complaint about this leaflet (reflecting on the above) to the Nelson Leader, with copies of comments made by Pendle Borough Council - unfortunately I seem to have mislaid the bloody paperwork in my mound of bits and bats! But it will no doubt turn up!

On the voting issue - I was alluding to my thoughts, and perhaps my journey, on whether really there was any point to voting - Firstly, because I had a dilemma at the time because a BNP candidate was running in my ward in Nelson and I felt compelled to use this vote to keep him out. You would disagree with this I know - but I knew that if this fascist became a local councillor he could cause much harm within the community I live in so I voted to keep him out.

Secondly, I am well aware of the corruption of the state, particularly around the current policy of 'Best Value' in local government (instigated by central government)- which is increasingly pushing public services into private hands and turning local authorities into ruthless businesses - Pendle Borough Council's statement that 'the BNP were a legitimate political party' was not a surprise - local government, the police and the CPS have no 'ethos of care' for the communities they claim to serve.

It was a 'voting' issue for me because these dilemmas weigh heavy for me in the community I live in and care much about. But then I have been working for rather a long time now in my community on separate grass-roots activity. I see no harm in consistently challenging legislative loopholes. Do you??

I'm not USING useless do-nothing institutions and their policies which serve the interests of an elite - I seek to highlight their futility and further would want to encourage this as a mass grass-roots activity.

Separate grass-roots organising is the key to change, (and I am intimately involved in this building in my community - are you?), but as this builds I think what exists at the moment particularly as regards legisation and law must be challenged, and it's futility exposed.

I consider this important work, and I'll continue with it, but thanks so much for your thoughts and advice. ;D

[octoberlost]

Then the central issue is one of publicising the event and not of challenging it through local institutions....maybe there was a misunderstanding on my part, but I meant no offence so please save your grrrrrrrrs

[Mitch]

[michele cryer]

LOL Mitch and Octoberlost...you two wanna hire a boxing ring for an hour or so???

Michele