Top Orangeman will contest poll for fascist British National Party (BNP)
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rights, freedoms and repression |
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Sunday March 28, 2010 12:08
by Barry McCaffrey - The Irish News
Irish Klu Klux Klan type organisation leader joins with British fascists
Top Orangeman will contest poll for BNP
Irish News, 26 March 2010
by Barry McCaffrey
The Orange Order has refused to disassociate itself from a leading member who is due to stand as a BNP candidate in the Westminster election.
Yesterday the order was widely criticised after calling on members to protest against Pope Benedict's visit to England in September.
Last night it emerged that Nick Blake, a district master of the Orange Order in Devon, had been selected to stand for the far-right British National Party.
The order's leaderships in Northern Ireland and in England yesterday rejected calls from Alliance MLA Anna Lo to disassociate itself from Mr Blake, who will contest the poll in the constituency of Torridge and West Devon.
"I don't believe that the Orange Order can allow itself to have people within its ranks who belong to a political party with such overtly racist views," Ms Lo said.
"The order must show leadership by making it clear that it won't tolerate racist or sectarian views.
"For the order not to disassociate itself from this individual would send out a very disturbing message to people in the ethnic minority communities in Northern Ireland."
A Grand Orange Lodge of Ireland spokesman refused to comment on Mr Blake.
"It's a matter for the grand lodge of England and not a matter for the grand lodge of Ireland," he said.
"People stand for all sorts of political parties."
English grand master Ron Bather also refused to condemn or condone the BNP candidate's political views.
"We're not dictators," he said.
"As an institution we try not to interfere with the political views of any of our members.
"We're not a far-right organisation. We have members from all over the world but our members are entitled to stand for whatever political organisation they so wish.
"It doesn't mean that the institution supports those views in any way."
The organisation's refusal to distance itself from the BNP candidate, less than 24 hours after it called for protests against the papal visit, is likely to raise further concerns about British and Irish government funding for the loyal orders.
Earlier this month it emerged that BNP leader Nick Griffin's daughter Jennifer had moved to Co Down to promote the party in Northern Ireland.
Comments (8 of 8)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8On some sites the BNP fascist Orange Order member is Nick Baker on others he is Nick Blake.
Which is it?
Does it matter - all Orange Men and women are fascists so why is this such a surprise.
"All Orange Men and women are fascists so why is this such a surprise."
Most Orangemen can't even spell the word "fascist.".
It's just the way we were brought up.
90% percent of Catholics go to Mass because they were told do do so as kids.
Young Catholics and Prods are taught to fear Hell if they don't conform.
Some say this is a form of child abuse (Richard Dawkins for instance.)
Early education is a form of brainwashing.
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Yes Orangeman I agree with you about the brainwashing of children to believe Christian nonsense like heaven and hell. A strange comment from a man who's order is founded on the Protestant religion.
And yet you think you have the right to march where you want including through Catholic areas.
You do not care about the feelings of the residents or the fact that you are not wanted in those areas.
You think it is your god given rite to march where you want and if you do not get it you give out hell. Remember the Drumcree standoff? Belfast in flames. Riots in Derry. The country brought to a standstill because you could not march through a Catholic area. Sounds a bit fascistic to me.
Most Orangemen are not as extremist as you might think Jamie S.
Parades are just a bit of fancy dress fun for bored working class Prods who dress up like London businessmen dressed up 100 years ago.
The hats Orangemen put on their heads have not been seen in London for more than a century.
This guy's sad. Protest against the Pope coming to England. How ignorant and pathetic.
Just as sad as the people who stir up a storm when a member of the British Royal family come to Ireland. Pathetic, ignorant bigots the lot of them.
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The leaders of the Orange order should make a statement condemning the BNP. Its disgraceful, not content with being sectarian they now want to be seen as a racist organisation?
Is the orange order fascist?
Does the Pope help peadophiles get away with their crimes?
Presumedly the Orange Order though happy to talk up its African lodges
would send home its Ghanan brothers and sisters if they thought of seeking work, careers, housing & love in Ulster...
Ghanan Orange Order members implicitly insulted by their BNP candidate brother & scorned by their Ulster brethren.
one of the key "friendly non-racist all-embracing but proddy nonetheless" images on the Orange Order's website & in it's printed material.
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