Bobby Anwar, Ukip candidate, 'stabbed by Labour supporters'

[GommeInc]

Also as if Xenophobia (which I recall dan saying was 'made up' and not real) and Racism don't overlap.

They're incredibly distinct. One is an irrational fear (that if often ignorant - Farage saying he is afraid of two male Romanians moving next door being an example) and one is a specific "crime" that belittles another nation on the belief the nation the offender is part of or arguing in favour of is superior to that of the criticised nation. UKIP are mostly just xenophobic. The posters UKIP deployed aren't really xenophobic as there is no fear of other countries - it's just a misguided belief or ignorance. As they only want controlled immigration, not a complete cease to immigration, it's kind of obvious they're not racist. In fact, they mentioned not long ago they want to give all immigrants equal footing, as favouring EU nationals over commonwealth nationals (and others) shows a prejudice and makes the EU institutionally racist.

Interestingly, the comment Farage made wasn't even xenophobic! Seeing as he distinguished between female and male Romanians he arguably became sexist

[The Don]

To be fair though xenophobic is a better way to describe the party rather than racist, I do stand by calling that particular campaign as racist though.

[FlyingJesus]

"They're coming to steal your jobs" isn't racist OR xenophobic it's just ignorant and wrong

[The Don]

They're incredibly distinct. One is an irrational fear (that if often ignorant - Farage saying he is afraid of two male Romanians moving next door being an example) and one is a specific "crime" that belittles another nation on the belief the nation the offender is part of or arguing in favour of is superior to that of the criticised nation. UKIP are mostly just xenophobic. The posters UKIP deployed aren't really xenophobic as there is no fear of other countries - it's just a misguided belief or ignorance. As they only want controlled immigration, not a complete cease to immigration, it's kind of obvious they're not racist. In fact, they mentioned not long ago they want to give all immigrants equal footing, as favouring EU nationals over commonwealth nationals (and others) shows a prejudice and makes the EU institutionally racist.

Interestingly, the comment Farage made wasn't even xenophobic! Seeing as he distinguished between female and male Romanians he arguably became sexist

I don't see how saying you don't want to live next door to Romanians is anything but racist considering he'd happily live next door to Germans. When questioned on it he said "you know the difference" as if somehow Romanians are inferior or something.

[GommeInc]

"They're coming to steal your jobs" isn't racist OR xenophobic it's just ignorant and wrong

Precisely It's when people say all black, African Americans are great at basketball. It's just ignorance, as saying they're great defeats the point of there being an inferiority trigger. Intention is also important too.

It reminds me of that image that went around of an Asian girl holding up a poster saying "I'm not great at maths"

I don't see how saying you don't want to live next door to Romanians is anything but racist considering he'd happily live next door to germans. When questioned on it he said "you know the difference" as if somehow Romanians are inferior or something.

He specifically said male Romanians which makes him sexist. Also he says he would be concerned or "fear" them moving next door. Seeing as xenophobia is about fear it's textbook that it was a xenophobic remark. If he was racist he would say "I'd be concerned if (male) Romanians moved in next door as they're lazy, worthless and simply not as great as us Brits". His comments, from what I remember, were referring to crime statistics of the number of male Romanians allegedly committing crime. He (ignorantly) believes he would be the subject of crime by the neighbours - he fears being subjected to crime.

Racism needs some sort of superiority (or inferiority) and his remarks lacked it. Racism isn't about fear but belittling tactics, and he simply didn't show that.

[The Don]

"They're coming to steal your jobs" isn't racist OR xenophobic it's just ignorant and wrong

But wouldn't you say that those posters incite hatred towards those specific minorities?

[FlyingJesus]

Yes and ignorance is always problematic, especially when it's being taught. That doesn't make it racism

[The Don]

Yes and ignorance is always problematic, especially when it's being taught. That doesn't make it racism

I guess you're right. I suppose what I should have said was that it panders to racists. Although there is a fine line.

It doesn't help though that the billboard could be mistaken for one of the BNP's