November 26, 2008

Anger over BNP's 'white history month'

In the wake of publication of the BNP's membership list, Tim Lezard reports on the anger over the far right party's bid to promote 'white history month'

Teaching unions have attacked BNP plans to promote White History Month in schools, colleges and universities across England.

As the party reels from the leaking of its membership list, its youth and student wings have launched an alternative to Black History Month, saying: “This is our month, where we can be proud to be white and express it openly.” The campaign aims to counter 'white guilt trips in the national curriculum' by teaching children the 'truth' about slavery, colonialism and imperialism.

Matthew Collins from anti-fascist organisation Searchlight, said: “This odious campaign reveals the BNP’s true colours. Their views on history have always been selective – [BNP leader] Nick Griffin has denied the Holocaust ever happened. They also conveniently neglect to mention their own history, which is ridden with racism, fascism and violence.”

The BNP claims to have sent out thousands of leaflets to teaching establishments and to have emailed headteachers, university deans, student groups, campus groups, scouts and guide groups.

“The world would be a very different place if it wasn’t for the British Empire,” according to the literature.

“The only way the government can get British people to allow themselves to be dispossessed in their own homeland is to make them ashamed of themselves and their history. Never be embarrassed of the Empire or ashamed of it, no matter what your teachers say. Be proud of it. It was a time of great improvement and advancement in the world and it was all thanks to the British.”

As part of the month, the BNP is promoting 'The March of the Titans - a history of the white race', a tome that glorifies the Ku Klux Klan and praises Adolf Hitler for backing an anti-smoking drive, discouraging alcohol abuse and outlawing vivisection, whilst admitting "he will always be associated with an outburst of anti-Jewish sentiment".

The book then attempts to justify the Holocaust by saying: "No-one would question that the Jews, like everyone else in the Second World War, suffered great misfortune and were in particular subjected to unprecedented persecution and harassment on racial grounds. International Jewry had however publicly and openly declared war on Nazi Germany and the Nazis therefore regarded Jews as a hostile combatant group of special significance."

The campaign was condemned by University and College Union (UCU) General Secretary Sally Hunt, who said: "The BNP has no interest in the freedoms that UCU or the majority of people in this country believe in. The academic community is one that is built on diversity and tolerance. The BNP has no interest in sharing those values and preaches only hate and fear.”

The NUT’s Acting General Secretary Christine Blower, said: “The BNP's latest publication, like all of its literature, has no place in the school curriculum. A key purpose of education is to promote respect and equal opportunities. These values are in direct contradiction to BNP policies.”

The Guiding Association of Great Britain also condemned the initiative. A spokeswoman said: “One of the core values of Girlguiding UK is promoting equality and diversity and throughout our membership we build a respect and understanding of a range of cultures."

New Statesman

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Through his book, Anti-Semitism returns with a bang.

Isn't that nazi book March Of The Titans one of those stored by apartheid villian bKemp in that garage?

Anonymous said...

See the posts by Denise on the Unity forum, which knock the BNP's version of history for six.

Anonymous said...

March of the Titans is Arthur Kemp's baby - literally he gave up his kids for this book and what it stands for. This whole white history month is nothing but a marketing exercise by him to promote his book - no doubt supported by old one eye who is getting his cut of the proceeds - it is not about white history but money for Griffin and Kemp, just like everything else that involves the BNP.

Anonymous said...

I see that Mr Kemp is also making wild statements about state assets being sold off - "DHL and TNT were two other foreign state owned firms whose ability to ‘cherry pick’ the most profitable business puts our own Post Office at risk."

This statement is based information he came by while employed by Royal Mail - I am pretty sure that Royal Mail would not like all their confidential information which was given to Mr Kemp while employed as a "consultant" to be used by the BNP, but it seems this is what is now going to happen.

Anonymous said...

I did some plagerism checks on "British Pride" some of which came up with a very high probability of coming from white-history.com aka the online version of "March of the Titans"

Other stuff looked as if it might have come from online sources - simply topped and tailed with their take on the information.

When they ramble on about the Empire they simply avoid the shits we were when it came to treating other people.

I'm angry, so I'll shut up!

Anonymous said...

Let's not forget the anti-Christian writings in The March of the Titans book. Good old BNP ideology.

Anonymous said...

On the plagarism issue - do you really believe that Mr Kemp had the rights to use all the photos in his books - of course not - maybe it is time someone looked into it!

Anonymous said...

It should be called March Of Odin, lol

Anonymous said...

At the risk of being politically incorrect, one sided views of history are not confined to the British Nazi Party.

Pray Mr Kemp what particular benefit to us "Titans" was the deportation and enslavement of British rebels and prisoners in the Americas and West Indies.

An aspect of white history the Nutzies will gloss over.

Old Sailor

Anonymous said...

Quote"March of the Titans is Arthur Kemp's baby - literally he gave up his kids for this book and what it stands for. This whole white history month is nothing but a marketing exercise by him to promote his book - no doubt supported by old one eye who is getting his cut of the proceeds - it is not about white history but money for Griffin and Kemp, just like everything else that involves the BNP." Unquote

I am Stephan Kemp, Arthur Kemp's son, what has been said right here is nothing but the truth. Picture this situation, I am fast asleep in bed on thursday morning and when i wake i find that he is gone and then i recieve a phone call from him telling me that he is on a flight to London... THIS ASSHOLE DIDNT EVEN HAVE THE MANNERS TO SAY GOODBYE TO MY FACE!! I have not seen my father in now bout 2 and bit years. All he EVER cared about was that stupid book.

Anonymous said...

Assuming that "Stephan Kemp" is the genuine article, I think it is very sad that he writes something like this about his father on a public website BUT it does clearly demonstrate the type of person who is directing and influencing the strategic thinking of the BNP and should send a clear message that this is not the type of person to be driving "eduction" or literature that should be distributed to gullible young people, which is the thrust of the BNP recruitment approach.
How does this defective logic and attempt to make hatred and racism respectable, influence and twist our youngsters?

Both this white history month rubbish and the racism cuts both ways campaign are dangerous and evil and are an underhand way to influence young people. All the BNP is doing is using the youth.

I hope that the majority of young people can see this for themselves.

Anonymous said...

Wow Mr Kemp is a real model of father hood and family values (so called BNP principles)- seems like he has the right credentials to be educating the youth.

Isn't this the same prson who was making a guest appearance at a BNP meeting teaching young children to fire guns...or tie knots or something!