BNP Question

[KrazyHorse]

Is there really a difference between a member of the BNP having a government job in the UK and a member of the GOP having a government job in the US?

If you're not being facetious, then yes, there is an enormous difference.

[Drake Tungsten]

I am being completely serious, as always.

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

It's worth remembering that the BNP isn't just a racist organisation. It's an organisation that has, for many years, been controlled by people with serious criminal records.

As well as the near-inevitable convictions for incitement to racial hatred, the BNP national executive also contained convicted bombers, and others with records for crimes of violence. That tends to sit uneasily with employment with the police.

[notyoueither]

Convicted bombers? They're Irish?

[Bugs ****ing Bunny]

There's a strong faction from Northern Ireland, yes.

[Heraclitus]

If I remember right police officers and soldiers aren't allowed to be a member of any political party here. They can however de facto associate with them as much and attend their events as they please.


I'm not sure however if this is just for army personel or for police officers too.

[fed1943]

True, but they must go unarmed and with no military clothes, medals or symbols.

[Kuciwalker]

How the hell would it be close to the line, Kuci?

In general the government would not be able to discriminate in hiring based on religion; freedom of association is in the same sentence.

[Felch]

I have no idea whether there are examples or not that would fit your criteria. I do know that this is NOT a matter of freedom of association.

I America we extend extraordinary leeway in terms of association. It's a Constitutionally guaranteed right. As long as your group stays legal, you can't be punished for being a member. If the BNP advocated lynching, I could see the blanket prohibition. Otherwise it looks like a politicization of police recruitment, i.e. punishing someone for being a member of a rival political party.

[KrazyHorse]

I America we extend extraordinary leeway in terms of association. It's a Constitutionally guaranteed right. As long as your group stays legal, you can't be punished for being a member.

This is simply a false assertion. Google it and you'll find examples of police officers in the US being fired over:

1) Involvement with the KKK or KKK affiliated groups (which are all legal organizations) http://blogs.kansascity.com/crime_sc...affiliate.html

2) Proprietorship or appearance on pornographic websites http://www.metnews.com/articles/2007/dibl090607.htm

and have had the courts uphold the terminations

Come on, Felch....

[Felch]

Okay, that was lazy thinking on my part.

[KrazyHorse]

In general the government would not be able to discriminate in hiring based on religion; freedom of association is in the same sentence.

If the religion involved calling for the extermination of the Jews on a weekly basis then I'd be surprised if a local gov't couldn't ban its cops from belonging to that particular religion...

[Drake Tungsten]

So you're saying we shouldn't let Muslims be cops?

[KrazyHorse]

Field Muslims or house Muslims?

[Drake Tungsten]

Whichever are the ones who deny the Holocaust and want to push the Jews into the sea.