Clear Channel and the BNP

Spot the smug racist

Clear Channel are an advertising company. They have chosen to accept money from the BNP and provide advertising space for them in the run-up to the European Elections. I would urge anyone to get in touch with them via the email addresses, snailmails and phone numbers on this page and inform them that you will be boycotting any and all other companies who use Clear Channel as their advertising partner.

I note that the name of the PA to the Regional President is somewhat non-British. I wonder how they feel about their employer providing advertising for the largest group of organised racists in Britain?

While I am all for free speech, any company has the right to decide where they want to get their money from. In a way, that’s them using their freedom of expression. A publisher doesn’t have to print a book decrying Islam should they choose not to. Likewise I’d not expect a printers run by and for Christians to print copies of Anton LaVey‘s Satanic Bible. In the same way, Clear Channel did not have to accept the BNP’s cash in exchange for advertising space.

All it takes is a quick email to let Clear Channel know that people aren’t exactly pleased.

I did get a (form) reply back regarding this so it seems they must have had a few emails already. I do thank them for the response, and I can accept their viewpoint that every party has a right to be heard and advertised at the standard rates. Where my view would differ, though, is that a party is not a normal customer. It has certain viewpoints and beliefs which it stands for. To help them express those beliefs shows either some agreement by the advertising company(I am not saying this about Clear Channel)  or – alternatively – an attitude whereby they don’t mind as long as money’s coming into the coffers.

While all political parties have a legal right to be heard, no company is obliged to accept that advertising. By refusing to be a part of the BNP’s campaign, Clear Channel could have made quite a statement.

If Clear Channel had not accepted the advertising budget, I’m sure someone else would have. It’s business after all. I just find it sad that cash is coming before principles, as is all too common in the world today.

If you’re not aware of the BNP, how about the following as some recent zingers from their membership?

“Rape is simply sex. Women enjoy sex, so rape cannot be such a terrible physical ordeal… [it] is like suggesting force-feeding a woman chocolate cake is a heinous offence.” – Nick Eriksen

“I honestly don’t hate asylum seekers – THESE PEOPLE ARE COCKROACHES and they’re doing what cockroaches do because cockroaches can’t help what they do, they just do it, like cats miaow and dogs bark.” – Mark Collett

“This wicked, vicious faith has expanded from a handful of cranky lunatics about 1,300 years ago, to it’s now sweeping country after country before it, all over the world. And if you read that book (the Koran), you’ll find that that’s what they want.” – Nick Griffin on Islam

“A FRIENDLY DISEASE because blacks, drug users and gays have it.” – Mark Collett on AIDS

“WHITE WORKING CLASS SCUM will be swept away by a future BNP government.” – Simon Smith

Actually, if the last one means “chavs” or “BNP members” then I can kinda see the appeal.

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