I have heard many people defending UKIP since the start of the European elections. It’s seemed to get progressively worse after the announced results. And the amount of people who think that voting for UKIP or supporting them isn’t racist, sexist or homophobic is honestly incredible.
I rarely write about politics, but UKIP’s win got my blood boiling.
Apparently yes. Someone recently said that their vote for UKIP was a protest vote. Erm, what? If you wanted your vote to be a protest vote against Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. Why would you use this ‘protest vote’ to give more support to a racist, homophobic and sexist party? “But I’m not racist?!” I hear the UKIP supporter cry. Well, sorry to say this, but by voting for them you’re aligning yourself with their racist, homophobic and sexist views. So, yes, you are racist. You gave your vote to a party promoting racial hatred and discrimination. One that claimed gay people need to be shot, one that plans to scrap maternity leave and make it legal for a man to rape his wife. Nice one.
Another favourite argument of mine: “Don’t infringe on my freedom of speech! I can vote for whoever I want! You claim gay people have the right to have their freedom of speech for gay marriage and stuff! So why can’t I have my own freedom of speech! OMG don’t oppress me!” Ah, the ‘freedom of speech’ rhetoric, loved by Men’s Rights Activists and UKIP supporters everywhere. Well, pal, there is a huge difference between people defending their freedom to love whoever they want (using your example of same sex marriage) and using your ‘freedom of speech and free will’ to oppress minorities and increase hatred and discrimination - which is what UKIP promote, and what, in voting for them, you’re supporting. Big sarcastic thumbs up emoticon for you.
A theory I recently heard for the surge in UKIP votes was related to the big EU question: the votes were simply to get Britain out of the European Union and once this was achieved, UKIP would lose supporters. This seems like a reasonable theory. In theory. However, can you really be that desperate to get out of the EU that you give your vote to a party like UKIP? A party which plans to make life significantly worse for groups of people? To me, the ‘getting out of the EU’ argument seems like code for: ‘I support UKIP’s other policies but am too afraid to say so’. The EU policy is a convenient curtain to hide racism, sexism and homophobia.
The defenses of UKIP are quite frankly, (excuse my French) bullshit. The claims that you’re ‘itching to get out of the EU’, you ‘hate the other parties’ and you need a ‘protest vote’ are handy get-out clauses to disguise the rise of fascism in Britain... and It’s bloody disturbing.
I rarely write about politics, but UKIP’s win got my blood boiling.
The results of the election genuinely shocked me. I spent most of the evening in a state of rage and then desperately tried to keep hold of my faith in humanity. Did people honestly, seriously, actually vote for UKIP?
Apparently yes. Someone recently said that their vote for UKIP was a protest vote. Erm, what? If you wanted your vote to be a protest vote against Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives. Why would you use this ‘protest vote’ to give more support to a racist, homophobic and sexist party? “But I’m not racist?!” I hear the UKIP supporter cry. Well, sorry to say this, but by voting for them you’re aligning yourself with their racist, homophobic and sexist views. So, yes, you are racist. You gave your vote to a party promoting racial hatred and discrimination. One that claimed gay people need to be shot, one that plans to scrap maternity leave and make it legal for a man to rape his wife. Nice one.
Another favourite argument of mine: “Don’t infringe on my freedom of speech! I can vote for whoever I want! You claim gay people have the right to have their freedom of speech for gay marriage and stuff! So why can’t I have my own freedom of speech! OMG don’t oppress me!” Ah, the ‘freedom of speech’ rhetoric, loved by Men’s Rights Activists and UKIP supporters everywhere. Well, pal, there is a huge difference between people defending their freedom to love whoever they want (using your example of same sex marriage) and using your ‘freedom of speech and free will’ to oppress minorities and increase hatred and discrimination - which is what UKIP promote, and what, in voting for them, you’re supporting. Big sarcastic thumbs up emoticon for you.
A theory I recently heard for the surge in UKIP votes was related to the big EU question: the votes were simply to get Britain out of the European Union and once this was achieved, UKIP would lose supporters. This seems like a reasonable theory. In theory. However, can you really be that desperate to get out of the EU that you give your vote to a party like UKIP? A party which plans to make life significantly worse for groups of people? To me, the ‘getting out of the EU’ argument seems like code for: ‘I support UKIP’s other policies but am too afraid to say so’. The EU policy is a convenient curtain to hide racism, sexism and homophobia.
The defenses of UKIP are quite frankly, (excuse my French) bullshit. The claims that you’re ‘itching to get out of the EU’, you ‘hate the other parties’ and you need a ‘protest vote’ are handy get-out clauses to disguise the rise of fascism in Britain... and It’s bloody disturbing.
Read more of what Laura has to say on www.laurajanemaw.wordpress.com
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