WAFFLE
AT CITY RACISM HUSTINGS
Source: Evening News, Norwich
Pub date: Tuesday, May 10 2005
Pub LTE: Waffle at
city racism hustings
Author: Alun Buffry,
http://www.ccguide.org.uk/ab_lte.php
Web: http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/
Cited: Legalise Cannabis Alliance http://www.lca-uk.org/
Don
Barnard http://www.ccguide.org.uk/donbarnard.php
I attended an election Hustings meeting in Blackfriars Hall
on Tuesday 3 May on the issue of racism - I was appalled.
First I noticed an absence of Tory, English Democrats and UKippers,
and wonder whether they had been invited as neither had the Legalise Cannabis
Alliance, although our candidate, Don Barnard, was there.
Also present were Ian Gibson (Charles Clarke had a previous
appointment in London), Adrian Ramsey for the Greens, Roger Blackwell from the
Revolutionary Workers ("The only Socialist party standing" as he
explained), and two Lib Dem candidates one of whom drove all the way from
Southend.
As I say, the issue of the evening was racism - and what a
lot of waffle was given in response to the very serious issues raised from the
floor.
On most issues such as the invasion of Iraq, all the
candidates agreed.
I feel they would have also all agreed with abolishing
tuition fees, scrapping plans for ID cards, freeing up procedures for genuine
immigration applications and treatment of immigrants, and legalising cannabis (although I'm not sure if that applied to
Roger) and of course all were anti-racism.
A hustings where all the candidates agreed!
My greatest disappointment came in response to a question on
how would candidates, whether elected or not, work after the election to help
businesses run by immigrants or people from different ethnic backgrounds and
how they would personally combat racism in Norfolk.
Neither the chap whop asked the question, nor I, were happy
with the waffle given in response.
The LCA regards this as a very serious question and we do
not know the answer, so I would like to use this page to invite to get in touch
with the organisers and the professional bodies and campaign groups present, to
arrange a meeting so that they can advise us of how to help and what to do.
It is indeed a great shame that this issue has to be raised
- that there is such a problem
- here in Norfolk.
It is a problem that needs to be tackled.
We need to work together to bring an end to all forms of
prejudice and bigotry.
Alun Buffry
Legalise Cannabis Alliance
PO Box 198
Norwich
NR3 3WB