The Love Music Hate Racism campaign has a simple but strong message. Without cultural diversity Britain, not to mention all countries around the world, would lose out. With the 2010 elections in front of us, the campaign is once again hoping to get as many people as possible to stand up to the BNP.
The campaign is needed to counter the increased support for the extreme right British National Party. Under threat of being taken to court for breaching equalities legislation with its membership restricted to people of “Caucasian origin”, the BNP had recently changed its membership rules so that anyone could join a group dedicated to blaming non-whites for all the ills of society.
The BNP remains a threat to multiracial harmony. The founder John Tyndall saw Hitler’s Mein Kampf as an inspirational text and there has always been a strong message of ethnic intolerance, with mixed race relationships strongly discouraged. Nick Griffin, BNP member of the European Parliament, would see me as one of “the most tragic victims of enforced multi-racism”, as he described mixed race children. Not quite how I see myself as a half Chinese, half English twenty year old Brit, but then again most of the country fortunately have the brains to disagree.
The Anti-Nazi League and Unite Against Fascism set up the Love Music Hate Racism campaign in 2002, with festivals held to raise awareness, hoping to trigger people to use their vote to keep out the BNP. We only have to look to France to see how people’s wasted votes can result in unexpected and wholly unwelcome results. In 2002 France were faced with the all too real possibility that Le Pen and his far right National Front party could be elected into office due to extremely low voter turnout. Democratic elections exist so that the opinions of a nation can be heard and acted upon, not so that the bigotry of a racist minority can flourish when the majority erroneously think that their one vote won’t make a difference.
All too often I hear people grumbling about how all political parties are the same. I appreciate that it often seems as if MPs and political leaders are increasingly camouflaging their policies until it’s hard to distinguish what exactly a Conservative, Labour or Liberal Democrat policy is but there are some clear divisions. One need only take the time to look closely at the fundamental points that they stand by, whether it be about education, health or tax in general. But even if, after looking at their policies, you still feel no particular sway one way or another, ask yourself this. Be you right wing, left wing, in between or undecided, would you want the BNP to become a growing political force in this country? Intimidation, hatred, intolerance would spread. In place of an enriching diversity, you would have cultural anorexia.
So if it takes the wonderful medium of music to help people to realise just how important using one’s vote is in the 2010 elections, then I for one will be turning up my radio and making my voice heard.
Check out one of their previous effective campaign videos:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0xf4TTZOEs
Their current, 2010 campaign video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k-ybsEtDZDE and have a look at:
For information on how to get festival tickets, visit http://lmhrfestivals.com/
