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Denise
Barsoom
129 Posts |
 Posted - 30/05/2007 : 07:23:41
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Nobody can be unaware of my attitude to a certain despicable organisation, but there are others just as despicable. Thankfully, Equity at least seems to have principles, and good for them.
Members’ political freedom upheld by Equity
Proposals to change rules so members of the British National Party could be expelled from the union have been rejected.
The ARC voted to remove clauses in a motion put forward by the union’s Minority Ethnic Members’ Committee, which sought to delete Equity rule 3B(p), acknowledging “the right of individual members to hold and express their personal political and other beliefs both in their private and personal categories.”
If passed unaltered, the motion would have given the union the power to expel members who “encouraged, or participated in the activities of, any organisation whose policies and aims, either expressly or by implication, promote racial hatred or the supremacy of a particular racial group or groups over others.”
The proposal was made in response to events earlier this year when English National Ballet principal and Equity deputy Simone Clarke was exposed as being a member of the BNP. At the time, Equity offered the performer support in response to mass protests outside the London Coliseum, where she was performing, and said that if she was treated unfairly by her employers it would offer to represent her.
Speaking at the conference, Roxanne Clinch, from the union’s Minority Ethnic Members’ Committee, claimed that rule 3B(p) ought to be deleted. She said: “We object to the fact that a rule within our own rule book could have required the union to defend at a tribunal a member’s right to belong to a far right racist organisation… the rule should be bloody deleted.”
Vice-president Jean Rogers warned that the removal of the rule would be a “disaster to democracy and civil liberties.”
She added: “The rule protects all members from the sinister shadow of the thought police and protects the rights for us all to have the freedom to be ourselves.”
An amended version of the motion was passed which decided to put to referendum the suggestion that two new clauses be entered into the Equity rule book, saying that the union would “promote equality” and “oppose actively all forms of harassment, prejudice and unfair discrimination.” Rule 3B(p) will remain, unaltered.
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Voice of Reason / Norfolk Unity |
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Miriam Binder
Earthsea
United Kingdom
5821 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 07:31:36
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| Good for them. That whole Simone Clarke thing was a farce from start to finish but at least we have had something decent come out of it. |
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety" - Benjamin Franklin |
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n/a
deleted
66 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 16:55:46
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The organisation’s decision to remove Chamberlain from her position comes despite insistences from management at the venue that her political beliefs had not affected her work and widespread praise for the level of results she has achieved. The theatre’s website reports a 100% pass rate in London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art accredited examinations for children in her classes, which involve youngsters aged up to 14.
http://www.thestage.co.uk/news/newsstory.php/12391
Its a shame political freedom is not more widespread. |
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The Duke of Uranus
Barsoom
294 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:06:54
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quote:
Its a shame political freedom is not more widespread.
Couldn't agree more |
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n/a
deleted
66 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:14:19
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quote:
Originally posted by The Duke of Uranus
quote:
Its a shame political freedom is not more widespread.
Couldn't agree more
Shooting someone is hardly an example of political freedom. |
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The Duke of Uranus
Barsoom
294 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:16:37
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| I'd suggest being able to lampoon a political party and their supporters is a pretty good example of political freedom. |
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n/a
deleted
66 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:21:02
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quote:
Originally posted by The Duke of Uranus
I'd suggest being able to lampoon a political party and their supporters is a pretty good example of political freedom.
So you think its ok to call for the shooting of the members of a poitical group, its hardly lampooning a political party, more a call for violence and if he had called for the shooting of another group, im sure the call would have gone out for him to be prosecuted. |
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The Duke of Uranus
Barsoom
294 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:29:09
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So you think its ok to call for the shooting of the members of a poitical group, its hardly lampooning a political party, more a call for violence and if he had called for the shooting of another group, im sure the call would have gone out for him to be prosecuted.
I believe he actually stated that the country would be better off off you took all BNP members and supporters, lined them up and stuck a bullet in the back of their head. He didn't call for anyone to do it or even suggest that he would do it.
Hardly a call for violence. Unlike "Behead those who insult Islam". |
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n/a
deleted
66 Posts |
Posted - 30/05/2007 : 17:44:09
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quote:
Originally posted by The Duke of Uranus
quote:
So you think its ok to call for the shooting of the members of a poitical group, its hardly lampooning a political party, more a call for violence and if he had called for the shooting of another group, im sure the call would have gone out for him to be prosecuted.
I believe he actually stated that the country would be better off off you took all BNP members and supporters, lined them up and stuck a bullet in the back of their head. He didn't call for anyone to do it or even suggest that he would do it.
Hardly a call for violence. Unlike "Behead those who insult Islam".
So if someone stated that the country would be better off if if you took all SWP members and supporters, lined them up and stuck a bullet in the back of their heads, that would equally be acceptable? |
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The Duke of Uranus
Barsoom
294 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2007 : 09:03:53
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So if someone stated that the country would be better off if if you took all SWP members and supporters, lined them up and stuck a bullet in the back of their heads, that would equally be acceptable?
Indeed, and i'd have to applaud the person who said it. |
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FUBAR
Barsoom
425 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2007 : 12:28:19
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Alternatively the members of the BNP and SWP could be lined up opposite each other and happily fire away, saving the rest of us the bother and fullfiling both their political ambitions all at once..... |
I came into the world with nothing and still have most of it left.. |
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The Duke of Uranus
Barsoom
294 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2007 : 12:52:46
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Very keeping with the title of this thread |
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Borninhove
Discworld
1028 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2007 : 13:04:16
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A BNP thread? On the "all new and de-loused" forum?
Well, I do have a picture of a goat dancing to accordian music.
This is an outrage! A British goat being forced to dance to the tunes of a foreign accordian?? Why can't we have British goats dancing to good old British hurdy-gurdy music? This country is going to the dogs! Line 'em all up and shoot 'em, I say.
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 Valhalla, I am coming! |
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Denise
Barsoom
129 Posts |
Posted - 31/05/2007 : 18:24:28
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quote:
Originally posted by Borninhove
A BNP thread? On the "all new and de-loused" forum?
Not really, BIH - I would have posted something similar whatever organisation had made a stand against its pocket tyrants.
Nice goat. |
Voice of Reason / Norfolk Unity |
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Common sense prevails