The Sentinel leader column: Michael Coleman conviction for blog comments is liberty's loss
There is little doubt that BNP activist Michael Coleman is an obscure, twisted individual who harbours strange views and exhibits a poor grasp of the English language. There is even less debate that Stoke-on-Trent is a far, far better place without him and his former BNP councillors in the city council chamber. Voters did themselves – and everyone else in the city – a big favour when they booted the erstwhile Councillor Coleman and his gang of misfits out of power. However this week's jury decision that Coleman's regular internet rants warrant a criminal conviction for racially-aggravated harassment, is not a welcome development. Particularly when reflecting that most of the freedoms we all enjoy would not have been won without the important principle of freedom of speech. What was a good day for Coleman's political opponents, might turn out to be a very bad day for British liberty.
One of the great truisms of the world wide web is that the reliability of a huge amount of the material published on there should be dismissed out of hand. Which brings us neatly to Coleman's barmy blog, Stokepatriot.blogspot.com. Suffice to say, its purple prose will never trouble the judges of the Pulitzer Prize. His views are at best weird, at worst objectionable. However, it takes a sizeable mental leap to suggest that the content could, by itself, lead a reader into racial harassment. This week's case against Coleman did not relate to comments he made about an individual, but rather to his views on council policy and his use of the general term 'darkies'. He admitted writing the blog entries but denied intending to incite harassment. Previously, a few thousand people may have read Coleman's blog. It seems a fair bet that thousands more will be logging on this week after his appearance in the dock. Perversely, it may be the defendant – given a wider platform, by the court, to air his views – who has gained most from his prosecution. Worse still, it is certainly liberty and freedom of speech that are the great losers.
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Comments
by fegghayesman
Saturday, September 29 2012, 2:40PM
“Its good to see the Sentinel is neutral in its reporting!
If you think the views of millions of people, indigenous people, are strange and twisted, it's you that shows a poor grasp of the English language!
There is nothing racist in wanting to live amongst your own people in your own country, unless you're some backward third worlder who's spotted the chance to ride on the same gravy train that the establishment do!
There's a document called 'The revised tenancy agreement'. It was a home office publication from David Blunkett, it was published May 2001. It lists in intricate detail all the things that are to be provided for asylum seekers by those who want to be landlords to them.
A 20" colour tv with full tv licence.
All white goods to be brand new, or if secondhand, must come with at least 12 months warranty.
Telephone, but not a payphone, must be quarterly billed.
Carpets, curtains, bedding, towels.
Cutlery, pots and pans, crockery, enough for every person that is to live there.
The list is three pages long.
The money they are wasting on these interlopers should be being spent on securing a safe and secure communty for the native people of this city, and building the potential to make our kids futures as successful as possible. Your comments on Mike are a clear example of the bias and bigotry that exist in todays media, you abuse your position by printing your far left opinions yet never have you offered column space to a nationalist to have their say, instead, we have to read Wolfe, that bloody Tristram Hunt, but never the other side of the argument.
Shame on you.”
by warren-lloyd
Monday, September 17 2012, 7:42PM
“Utter spite filled bulls**t.”
by mole10
Monday, September 17 2012, 3:35PM
“It is the Labour Party apologist mafia that are attempting to hold the high ground of decent responsible opinion by attacking a BNP man for........er...........holding BNP views.
Gosh.
I claim that the Liberalsmwant to tax much less by offering £60 cash to all.
.......and it was Labour who took the sick and the disabled off welfare by forcing cancer patients and heart patients off benefits with the threat of starvation and bali***.
Being a loyalal Sopcialist (notice the capital S?) I knows me stuff.”
by Johntoe
Monday, September 17 2012, 3:08PM
“It's known as 'deflection' Tone,
Oh and lets not forget ,bitter and twisted, as well as inflated and badly bruised ego,
Probably the result of never being told "NO" as a child, See folks, this is what happens when you always let your kids have their own way, What we are witnessing is an adult tantrum,”
by Redtone
Monday, September 17 2012, 2:56PM
“A prominent figure in the local BNP convicted of spreading hate becomes a debate on Lib Dem policy on taxation... absolutely barking!”
by Johntoe
Monday, September 17 2012, 2:53PM
“I don't oppose it, not for one second do I oppose it,
I'll tell you what I DO oppose though, I oppose the poor, the old, the sick, the disabled, the unemployed, in fact ANYONE unfortunate enough to have to claim or depend on ANY kind of benefit, being used as scapegoats for the state of the economy,
YES Labour had their part to play in it, a part that the Tories were OK with in opposition, in fact they complained that Labour didn't give the banks enough 'freedom' and they were also 100% behind Blair and his war, (I wasn't I marched against it)
I oppose the using of the GLOBAL economic downturn as an excuse for this unelected Tory government (that YOU appear so supportive of) to attack everything our parents and grandparents and their parents and grandparents, fought and struggled to put in place,
the NHS, opposed by the Tories,
the welfare system opposed by the Tories,
votes for women, opposed by the Tories,
sexual and racial equality, opposed by the Tories,
Workers rights, opposed by the Tories,
a guaranteed minimum wage, opposed by the Tories,
Working tax credits, opposed by the Tories,
Council tax benefit for the low paid, opposed (and soon to be removed) by the Tories,
They tell us, "we are all in it together" then they give the wealthiest a tax cut, and tell the poor that if you have a spare room you have to pay for it, or move out,.... but we won't build anywhere for you to live,
They 'help' the disabled by closing remploy and throwing them onto the dole, they change the law to make it even easier for bosses to sack us, (we already have the weakest employment rights in europe)
Still, all those disabled people and all those other, soon to be, "work-shy scroungers" could soon find themselves back in their old jobs, only this time being forced to work,... (or starve) for their benefits, (Arbeit macht frei anyone?) it's OK BNPers, you wouldn't know what that means, it never happened according to Herr Grifin,
So, you see, there are quite a few things I don't like new Labour for,
But, I HATE the Tories, always have, always will, because I am working class and loyal,
To sum up,
Labour have MANY faults,
The Tories have only two,...... EVERYTHING they say, and EVERYTHING they do,”
by warren-lloyd
Monday, September 17 2012, 2:34PM
“Gary, sorry to tell you, but you have indeed lost the plot good and proper. Of-course people have to psy tx , its what this country is based on, its what pays for the things you once believed in, you know, the welfair state, NHS, state education, that sort of thing.”
by mole10
Monday, September 17 2012, 1:42PM
“£120 per couple within the home.
Labour opposes this move.
I want to know why you oppose it too.
I want to know why you'll voter Labour, come what may.
This is a taster of what is to come and what I will do to you.
Answer the question.”
by warren-lloyd
Monday, September 17 2012, 1:14PM
“Let's put it this way, the voters didn't vote for Garry, even when he was 'the chimp with the red rosette . He can,t use that arugument. All the guy knows is how to lose.”
by warren-lloyd
Monday, September 17 2012, 1:06PM
“Utter clown!”