This is a guest post by Andrew McCann from A Tangled Web..
“There was an interesting discussion on Radio Five Live this morning. It followed an interview with the leader of the English Defence League (EDL), Tommy Johnson. That interview came against the background of a statement from a member of the West Midlands counter-terrorism unit – John Larkin – effectively blaming the EDL for the rise in Islamic extremism here. Personally, I wasn’t aware that the EDL was responsible for 9/11, 7/7 or the protests against our brave soldiers on Homecoming Parades. I would also like to ask Mr Larkin where the EDL equivalent exists in Australia? The fact that it doesn’t, and yet you still have incidents like this, proves Larkin’s comments are little more than dhimmified nonsense!! As was to be expected, the tone of the broadcast was the ‘poor wee Muslims’, punctuated briefly by the inclusion of the UK’s most inarticulate speakers who were supportive of the EDL. You see folks, not only does the Left-wing media censor much of the criticism about Islam, it also carefully chooses who its allows to speak out against the‘Religion of Peace’. By permitting the inarticulate but accurate opinions of people like ‘Tommy in Plymouth’ , the BBC can claim to be honouring free speech, whilst simultaneously propagandising the narrative that only unsophisticated members of the public hold anti-Islamic sentiment. When faced with those of us who can hold our own on the air, yet fall outside that particular narrative, they don’t want to know.
I decided to give the show a call. For those who are unfamiliar with the procedure for ringing a talk show, your call is first answered by an intermediary who decides whether your comments are relayed to the programme editor for inclusion. At Five Live there are a number of intermediate ‘researchers’ who carefully vet each and every caller. Most of them are very pleasant on the phone. However, one particular guy, who shall hereafter be referred to as ‘Pompous Git’ because of his uncanny vocal resemblance to Brian Sewell sucking a mint imperial, has this uncanny knack of NEVER forwarding my opinions to the Editor. I knew as soon as he answered the phone this morning that I wouldn’t get on the air. Still, it was worth a try. So below is a transcript of the conversation I had with him, coupled with a written version of what I would have said on the radio. The fact that I had decided to make this the theme of my ATW contribution for today shows my determination not to be silenced by the likes of the metropolitan Leftist elite at the BBC, the controllers at Squarespace, or anyone else when it comes to my opinion on the disastrous impact Islam is having on my country.
‘Good morning. This is Five Live. Can I take your name and where you are calling from, please?’
Yes, it’s Andrew calling from Halifax.’
‘What you you like to say, Andrew?’
‘I’d like to say that I cannot fathom how so many of your callers think that Islam is not the principal problem in this equation. After all, almost every single news story concerning integration into society, protests, religious-inspired violence, women’s rights, public dress code and a parallel law system involves Islam. If it is a ‘religion of peace’, how come so many incidents here and around the world create a contrary impression?’
‘So it’s purely Islam that’s to blame then? You don’t think anybody else is at fault?’
‘Not really, no….. (there then comes a derisory cackle at the other end of the line)….You don’t have Christians fighting Hindus, or Jews fighting Buddhists, or Sikhs fighting Jainists. When you look at the world’s current conflicts and realise that just about every one of them involves Islam in some way, you’ve got to ask yourself who’s really at fault. And I don’t think it is your job to laugh at my opinion just because it is probably different to yours.’
‘My job is to ask you questions’.
Indeed, but not to laugh at my answers.’
‘Well, Andrew, I’ll put your comments through and if we want to put you on air, we’ll call you back.’
‘I shan’t hold my breath’.
‘That’s the Editor’s call, not mine.’
‘Mmm.’
Had I been allowed to make my call on air, written below is what I would have said. For I repeat, no pompous git at the BBC or anywhere else is going to stop me from opining about Islam:
‘Good morning, Nicky. I’d like to start by saying how refreshing it was to hear Mr Johnson’s candour in this age of political correctness and censorship of anti-Islamic opinion. I think that he is entirely right to blame both the Koran and the slavish devotion many Muslims have to every tenet of their creed for the rise in social unrest and Islamic extremism here. I’m not sure what planet Mr Larkin is living on, but it’s not the same one I, and the vast majority of people in this country, inhabit. Where was the EDL when the twin towers came down? Where was the EDL on the Tube at Aldgate station? Where was the EDL when treacherous fanatics were abusing our boys on parade in Luton last year? The EDL is a direct response to the failure of the Establishment to deal with one Muslim demand after another; a response to the failure of the Establishment to tackle one manifestation of Islamic extremism after another. Whether people at the BBC or in government like it or not, the EDL will continue to grow until such time as those demands and manifestations are halted.’
If I’m barred from expressing my view on the BBC, there’s always the power of the Internet to make amends. That’s something no pompous git or dhimmified radio editor can take away!
You should know by now (and probably do) that unless you’re a member of the BBC “YesMen Club”, or a complete numpty-thicko, you’ve little chance of being aired, especially on Contrive Live…
Good post. I managed to stomach about 15 minutes of that twerp Nicky Campbell before switching to Classic FM. His performance was a model of everything that is wrong with the BBC. Opinionated, arrogant, childish, stupid, politically illiterate, biased, ungrammatical, oafish…. well, you know.
Honestly, try and catch this programme. It any normal democracy the organisation that produced it would be held accountable. But of course, not with our privileged Thought POlice of the stinking lying, treacherous BBC.
Many of the callers to Radio 5 are in fact people that the BBC contact after they’ve sent in a text message. The BBC lie when they claim that they are putting on air the views of callers, because in many cases the BBC only contact those who have texted in views they agree with. I’ve done this by sending in two texts from different phones with two differing views, the one that fits the view of the BBC and one that opposes, I’ve NEVER had the BBC contact me back or leave a message on the phone that has the non beeboid view but I have the other. Try it for yourself.
That whole phone in this morning was a joke, there was no attempt to explain the rise of the EDL (other than some halfwit from the SWP who claimed it was simply full of BNP) and as I posted in the general thread, the biggest atrocities undertaken by Muslims occurred long before the EDL existed.
I should also point out that the BBC spin the lie that ‘most Muslims are peace loving’, so could we also say that most Nazi’s were peace loving? Being a Nazi in my view made you very dangerous as is being a Muslim, Muslims want an Islamic state here in the UK, most Muslims disapprove of homosexuality and the many freedoms women have earned in this land.
It’s interesting that you don’t see any hostility towards Hindus or Sikhs, Jews (only hated from the left as Littlejohn has pointed out beforehttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/columnists/article-466785/The-new-anti-Semitism-How-Left-reversed-history-bring-Judaism-attack.html) or other non Muslim Arabic groups.
There have been plenty of surveys that show large numbers of UK based Muslims support Bin Liner, think 9/11 and 7/7 were inside jobs AND want an Islamic state here.
Only the BBC are in denial.
Martin, I’ve never noticed a strong approval yourself of homosexuality??!!
Bet you never noticed Martin calling for the deaths of homosexuals either. I submit their is a HUGE difference between opposing homosexual marriage and burying them alive. Oddly enough the Left seems to think the former is worse than the latter!
The EDL are nothing more than racist scum and have an ideology based on hate. Yet and a big yet is the sole reason for their existence is how Islam (and islam only) is given excuse after excuse over its own racist,bigoted idealogical background. If Muslims in the Uk were treated like everybody else..as equals and not bloody victims then the EDL would go the way of the Dodo.
This week we have seen a mosque attacked by muslims in Pakistan (the bBC didn’t report it) A child threatened in Coventry (the bBC whitewashed it) A rocket attack today in Gaza and the bbC rewrites it as the fault of the jews. A site in Scotland which has found to bare all the marks of Islamic terrorism and the bBC keeps the reader in the dark.
All this whitewashing of Islamic led hatred towards others is the real reason why people gravitate towards the likes of the EDL. I mean if the BNP and the EDL were to disappear tomorrow (Something i would love to see) would Islamic radicalism go as well…As if.
Exactly, the EDL is simply the venting of anger towards people who seem to hate this Country and want to take every opportunity to attack it.
The plods are totally useless, they happily pile in on the EDL but stand back when Muslims shout hate and spit at people claiming that to try to arrest them would “inflame the situation” then wonder why the people around them get angry.
Unfortunately we’re now stuck with 4 million + Muslims in the UK who are going nowhere and we’re going to have to spend billions on security watching them.
Setting up internment camps would save a great deal of money.
I wonder how Pounce can explain the EDL Jewish, Hindu and Sikh members or the fact that they protested outside the Israeli Embassy in support of Israel. I wonder if he’d like to explain how the EDL was set up by 12 guys, 6 white and 6 black. I wonder how he’d explain the EDL Lesbian, Gay, Transgender division?
Sure they have some bad apples, but most are ordinary people who are very very concerned about the issues you raised about Islam. Not racists at all.
The only scum I see around are those who oppose the EDL.
Surely this question from QuietMan is best put to the BBC?
Absolutely DP, Quiet’s question should be directed at the BBC. But also to ALL MSM. It is like ‘global warming/climate change/climate disruption/<insert this months title about weather>. All MSM have lied. But, the BBC is the biggest liar of them all and its propaganda reaches more people.
Great post Pounce. It really is tragic to see the number of people delude themselves about the (at least) semi-BNP/football hooligan nature of the EDL. They are not pleasant chaps. Unfortunately, there is no mainstream, democratic voice taking it to Islam and its Dhimmi apologists.
Don’t know if this link has been posted before but the Indy sticks the knife into Dame Nicki (from a while back)
http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/profile-nicky-campbell–this-scots-got-under-our-skin-1112946.html
You can judge the balance of the debate by the fact Nicky Campbell admitted to the odious Salma Yaqoob of Respect when she joined the debate that he follows her on Twitter. Enough said really.
Yes and moaned that she didn’t ‘tweet enough’
Andrew, if I was to call in (which I don’t think I ever will ), I would insist on being referred to as Mr and my surname. Using your Christian name, without your permission, is a subtle form of manipulation. I would also ask to speak to the git’s supervisor and make a complaint about his behaviour. It might not get you on the show, but, like all good fascist organisations, I suspect the bbc keep records of such things and if Mr git has too many complaints made against him, he might just be sent off to a Gulag or a some other socialist method of conditioning.
Good post and interesting insight into how the Beeboid Corporation operates. I agree with your penultimate paragraph re the EDL being purely a response to government (including the Beeboid organ of government) failures and problem-creation.
Great post. Yes the only way to get on air is to tell the researchers what they want to hear, then say what you intend once through to the studio. Judging by the occasional shock and panic of presenters on 5 live this does happen.
You won’t see this type of thing on the BBC.
The victim was one of many white kids who were attacked by Muslim youths after Salma Yaqoob had whipped them up in to a frenzy of hate at a UAF ‘anti-racist’ demonstration.
(note the way they pick his pockets after beating him senseless)
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xa5uu1_birmingham-racist-attack-on-white-k_news
It was very difficult to tell exactly what was going on. I notice this vid seems to have been posted by a BNP supporter. Nazis and Islamists are equally loathsome in my book.
I think some of us have commented before about the panic the EDL causes to the power structure and the determination to silence them and close down all discussion around the matters the EDL raises
The BBC is perfectly in step on this and will remain so. It has no choice.
It is what comes of allowing unreality to become the driver of public policy.
A conservative mind, mistrustful of human nature, and acquainted with the lessons of history would have paused before allowing an unprecedented level of immigration into an old and settled country with clear and defined customs and laws. There was no pause. The twin drivers of greed for cheap labour and an idealistic but irrational belief in human goodness came together and we now live with the result.
I am surprised the EDL has taken so long to appear. Old cultures have never willingly given up their customs and land without a struggle. How many examples do the powers that be need?
I know little about the EDL but I predict that their support will not be at a thoughtful or intellectual level but one asking for an emotional response- are you with us or against us?.
The power structure will find this very hard to counter whatever they do and however oppressive they become. It is actually very English this appeal to the man or woman standing next to you and very ancient. It could all have been so different if we had been guided by conservative minded men who understood the past , were not dazzled by money, and were mistrustful of human nature.
Tell me to F…Off if you wish, but I didn’t realise that Danny Dyers character from the film “The Football Factory” was the leader of the EDL.
Tommy Johnson?
Have you guys noticed how the BBC World advertises Islam in its daily program, “The Hub”? Please pay attention to the background flash of world cities; you will see “‘Islam’abad” appearing big. How pathetic!
“effectively blaming the EDL for the rise in Islamic extremism here. Personally, I wasn’t aware that the EDL was responsible for 9/11, 7/7 or the protests against our brave soldiers on Homecoming Parades.”
Fatuous argument. No one has blamed the EDL for 9/11, 7/7 or the rest; but hat it “feeds Islamic extremism”. Or in other words “makes things even worse”.
Who do you blame for the fire that burnt down your house; the person who struck the match or the moron who chucked a gallon of petrol over it?
“I would also like to ask Mr Larkin where the EDL equivalent exists in Australia? The fact that it doesn’t, and yet you still have incidents like this, proves Larkin’s comments are little more than dhimmified nonsense!!”
Seriously? You’re claiming that a Muslim woman jailed for six months for “making a false complaint against a police officer” is an example of “Islamic extremism”?
“By permitting the inarticulate but accurate opinions of people like ‘Tommy in Plymouth’ , the BBC can claim to be honouring free speech”
Or, in other words; “all the EDL supporters I heard on the radio today sounded like complete idiots”.
Strange that isn’t it 😉
Dez stated!
Or, in other words; “all the EDL supporters I heard on the radio today sounded like complete idiots”.
Strange that isn’t it <img src=”extra/tiny_mce/plugins/emotions/img/smiley-wink.gif” title=”Wink” border=”0″ alt=”Wink”/>
Job done BBC.
job done EDL.
Dez: I’ll spell it out.
All the EDL supporters YOU! heard sounded like complete idiots.
Hence the Thread.
you never got the chance to listen to the ones that they did not want you you to hear and you made your Judgement from what you did get to hear.
Once again I say Job done BBC.
Dez wrote:-
>>Fatuous argument. No one has blamed the EDL for 9/11, 7/7 or the rest; but hat it “feeds Islamic extremism”. Or in other words “makes things even worse”.<<
Dez, do you actually read posts before commenting?
This is the classic bully response: a bully punches you; you hit him back; he, and several of his mates, then beat the crap out of you. The bully says, “Well, if you hadn’t hit me, this would never have happened.” When the police turn up and start telling you the same thing, you know something is very wrong with society.
Here’s a list of other things that feed Islamic extremism.
“Who do you blame for the fire that burnt down your house; the person who struck the match or the moron who chucked a gallon of petrol over it?“
I blame the person who struck the match, and the firemen for standing by letting the flame turn into a firestorm. Analogies are fun.
Dave S
A penetrating analysis indeed. But who were the politicians who engendered this in the 1950s and 60s? Political leaders who on close scrutiny, (Sandbrook, Barnett et al), were no better than today’s third raters.
The EDL held a “protest” in my town earlier this year. This was no intellectual argument on display, just a collection of bullyboy tactics designed to provoke hostility and induce a sense of fear.
Thankfully, they failed. All they ended up doing was forcing local shops to close on what would otherwise have been a busy weekend, and encouraging the whole community to reject wholesale their pitiful excuse of an argument.
I find it hard to fathom why anybody in their right mind would think that the EDL has anything of substance to offer, other than provide an aggressive outlet to the sort of people who believe the nonsense that Andrew from Halifax was spouting.
The EDL held a protest in a town near me as well the funny thing is the media didn’t touch the story with a barge pole. I came across it by accident while visting a DIY shop and found a picket of 10 or so EDL people at the entrance to the fast food chicken outlet next door. The protest which appeared to peaceful was about the chicken place using Halal chicken without telling anyone. I was told later in the day they were joined by a couple of bored PCSO’s to keep an eye on things but that was all.
This little protest was spotted by several of my family , friends and colleagues but the odd thing was that it wasn’t mentioned in the local paper , local radio or regional TV. This wasn’t either a side of the EDL they wanted us to know about or something they would rather we didn’t think about.
So heres the thing I just don’t know what to think about the EDL as I’m not provided with impartial or rounded information with which to make my mind up. Sadly I have seen the MSM at work and simply don’t trust what they tell me anymore.
Job done BBC.
Indeed. In the bottom left corner of this blog, there is a quote by one-time BBC liberal Anthony Jay, Here’s another quote from the same article.
“But the topics we chose and the questions we asked were slanted against institutions and towards oppressed individuals, just as we achieved political balance by pitting the most plausible critics of government against its most bigoted supporters.”
That was in the late fifties and early sixties, and of course, the government in question was Conservative. The cast of BBC liberals may change, but the methods employed don’t.
The only thing I would take issue with Jay on is his use of the words “achieved political balance…” The BBC has never achieved balance – merely feigned it.