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What on Earth

(47 Posts)
Mycatisahacker Wed 08-May-19 21:12:15

Is happening?

So a Jewish Brexit candidate has a huge swastika painted on his house wall!

Anna Soubery couldn’t go home after the chanting outside Parliament!

Vile vile rape threats to Jess Phillips from a ukip candidate that said ‘it was a joke’

Lammy disgracefully accusing other MPs of being Nazis

Everything is becoming hateful. Can we not disagree anymore without racist xenophobic hate and threats being slung around?

I think Its getting very frightening

Mycatisahacker Wed 08-May-19 21:18:47

And Nikki Morgan has to install a panic button after being threatened with an acid attack.

This can’t just be Brexit. This has to be the anonymity of the internet and the hi Jack of labour by the hard left and the Tories by the hard right?

No one is going to want to be an MP soon.

paddyann Wed 08-May-19 23:45:43

Joanna Cherry had death threats last week online and hand delivered to her surgery .She had a police guard on her door.Sadly some dont think anyone should be allowed a different opinion to theirs and since Brexit it appears to have escalated in some parts of teh UK

Mycatisahacker Thu 09-May-19 08:35:10

Yes i think Brexit has shown up an ugly underbelly of intolerance on both sides of the debate.

However I do think the fact that both leaders of the main parties so weak that they are allowing comments and situations to fester without censure.

So anti semites in labour and islamaphobia in the Tories.

Mycatisahacker Thu 09-May-19 08:36:04

I see you said hand delivered threats? How frightening for her.

notentirelyallhere Thu 09-May-19 10:35:53

It probably doesn't help when judges get called traitors by the tabloids and photos of them are published in a line like people at an identification parade!

I complete agree with you about this change Cathacker, it's alarming. I can't understand racism in any form and the reappearance of anti-semitism is deeply shocking.

quizqueen Thu 09-May-19 10:55:57

I think the media has a lot of responsibility for stirring up trouble unnecessarily between people in this country where Brexit is concerned. While I don't agree with politicians, judges and the like being threatened, I don't think they understand the anger and frustration felt by a lot of the population because they are not being listened to and they see that their concerns are not being addressed.

The result of a national democratic vote is being overridden, criminals get away with murder - literally - and the minority view often seems to overrule the majority in this country.

David0205 Thu 09-May-19 12:41:35

It’s not just the media, politicians who are suppose to be responsible citizens are making inflamitiory statements about each other. I voted remain but am branded traitor, just because I think the EU is best for Britain, although I’m resigned to accept the majority decision.

Almost all online threats can be traced and there is no justification for harming anyone because you disagree with their views. It is all part of the erosion of discipline in society in general and the lack of consequences for bad behavior. You are much less likely to be caught breaking the law now than ever before.

Mycatisahacker Thu 09-May-19 15:19:25

I completely agree with you all. It’s certainly a shift in our society I think and frightening.

I have to say there is vitriol and anger on the threads today far beyond really what is acceptable to me.

The Danny Baker thread an example. The man posted a racist stupid photo and deserves to be sacked. However some posters anger and language is to me completely beyond what is normal.

I felt the same disbelief when Lammy casually threw the nazi comment around.

These days words like ‘devastated/shocked/ disgusted/angry/offended/ shocked are used for that most basic of slights or differences of opinions.

Debate isn’t disagreeing and accepting the others view point it’s hating the other person and their views.

It really is worrying

Nonnie Thu 09-May-19 15:46:26

I think there is a general lack of empathy and respect, especially on social media. Apparently nothing is now wrong unless you are caught and found guilty. If you get away with it, whatever it is, you appear to be commended.

I may agree with a tweet but not the language used so I don't 'like' it. I think we have a duty to do our best to not spread it in any way.

Mycatisahacker Thu 09-May-19 15:55:01

I think I it’s deeper though.

Now debate isn’t an ok we disagree but that’s fine it’s I hate you because we disagree. And that’s not just online it’s in RL too.

The country is far too polarised left and right/remain and Brexit/ there seems no middle ground. In fact If you are middle ground you are hated by both sides.

Nonnie Thu 09-May-19 16:43:56

Some sympathy with your view Mycat but I haven't experienced that myself. A friend and I have very opposite views on Brexit but have had a reasonable conversation without either of us being nasty or abusive. I don't hate her and hope she doesn't hate me. I have more respect for her for being able to discuss why we arrived at different conclusions.

When I query why someone said something outrageous on Twitter I rarely get a reply? I suspect I would if I abused them though.

Mycatisahacker Thu 09-May-19 20:16:58

My dad and sister have fallen out over Brexit which I think is pretty pathetic.

I can’t do Twitter it’s too confrontational for me.

Dh and I vote oppositely on Brexit and in general elections but like you we thrive on the debate and still speak grin

I do think though they the tone and vitriol is st an all time high though and hope it recedes.

polnan Fri 10-May-19 09:49:11

what has happened to "love"? oh I know, love is now equated with sex.... sorry,, being facetious? silly me.

Peaseblossom Fri 10-May-19 10:02:27

Hijack of the tories by the hard right?! ?

varian Fri 10-May-19 10:03:07

The Archbishop of Canterbury has urged politicians to tone down their language in an effort to heal Britain’s Brexit divisions.

Archbishop Welby said: “As a religious leader I say yes this is a crisis, but let’s make it a crisis where we restrain our language…

“I think the way forward is there needs to be a reluctance to treat the other as an enemy but to say we are on nation, one people.

“And I hope and request that political leaders will be moderate in their language in the next few months, that we will calm down the hatreds that have arisen over the last few years, that we will move towards reconciliation.”

www.politicshome.com/news/europe/eu-policy-agenda/brexit/news/100256/justin-welby-urges-politicians-calm-language-and-end

varian Fri 10-May-19 10:07:38

Archbishop Welby said this in early December, however in the months since then the language of many politicians has become more and more inflammatory, with talk of "betraying brexit" and appalling threats being made to the "traitors" who ignore the "will of the people" and warnings about civil unrest.

This irresponsible language comes almost exclusively from politicians and journalists on the pro-brexit side. I have yet to hear any threats from Remainers.

sue01 Fri 10-May-19 10:08:17

My DH was part of the audience for Question Time last night. The Police were there to keep Protesters and Panel apart !

123coco Fri 10-May-19 10:21:56

* Mycatisahacker *. Wha a cheek blaming Labour. Have you looked at the front pages of the Mail and Express when shown over a year- hate, racism, sexism , total distortion of facts ( red bus anyone) etc. Jo Cox was killed solely because of Brexit! Brexit has legitimised racism and nationalism! People who kept quiet before Brexit feel its justified now thanks to the likes of Timmy Robinson and Farage and these are Far Right not left! Do something constructive and join Love not hate but get your facts right. Remained have not harangued people. The Remain campaign have not had multiple fines for wrong doing. You just have to look at the surge in hate crimes since Brexit to see the correlation! God I get so angry at the uninformed outrage from Pro Brexit people! They can’t even believe the Governments own impact assessment paper ! God help this country. If I could emigrate I would. It’s becoming more Trumpesque everyday!

123coco Fri 10-May-19 10:25:17

VARIAN. well said. Absolutely spot on.

123coco Fri 10-May-19 10:30:54

And David Lammy wasn’t far off the mark. Nationalism is fuelling fascism and is providing ripe pickings to recruit the sort of people that joined the Hitler youth movement and nobody did anything to stop that unless it was too late. Boris J should be brought to book for the outrage he caused by telling the absolute lies about millions of people invading our country from Turkey. The EU has said No chance of Turkey joining for decades due to their appalling human rights record.

Nonnie Fri 10-May-19 10:32:04

coco sorry you are so upset and angry about it all. I'm sad that you have joined in the blame game because I don't think any of it is totally one sided. It does appear that on SM most of the nastiness comes from leavers but not all. What is shocking is that most of the nastiness seems to come from those who either cannot put a logical sentence together or cannot spell.

I have no answer but am appalled that the UK has become such an unpleasant place.

ReadyMeals Fri 10-May-19 10:44:15

Newspapers don't help either. A mild criticism is called "so and so SLAMMED" or "ATTACKED". People are said to be expressing "FURY" and "RAGE" if they moan about something.

Annecan Fri 10-May-19 10:52:03

Both sides have some vile individuals
Left wing remainers just refuse to accept a democratic vote
Sun headline....
YOU'LL BE HANGING FROM A ROPE' Labour MP gets vile death threat from Remainer after saying she’d back Theresa May’s Brexit deal

varian Fri 10-May-19 10:58:45

You cannot compare an isolated incident of on-line twitter abuse from an anonymous poster, as reported in huge headlines by the brexit-supporting "Sun", with the torrent of inflammatory language from brexit-supporting politicians and journalists who fail in their duty to speak and write responsibly.