Hi,
I’m afraid it’s time we had a talk. I’ve been concerned about the anti-Semitic elements within and around the Labour party for a while now, but recent events have shown the problem to be much worse than I imagined. I’ve listened to what your party has said about wanting a “kinder gentler politics” and not tolerating bigotry, and yet the more this has been said the worse the problem seems to have got. I’m reminded of some of the things some of you have said about other parties in the past, how that if a party didn’t have a problem with being racist it wouldn’t need to keep saying it’s not racist, and how you can tell a lot about what a party or person things by those they associate with. Now I’ve always felt that a little unfair as you can choose who supports you and people can support politicians and parties for all manner of reasons.
However it’s only fair that I consider you by your own standards and you seem to be attracting the support and company of a lot of very unpleasant people these days. There seems to be something about your party that is attracting people with violent tendencies, that want to oppress free speech, that are racist and well then there’s the anti-Semitism. It’s a bit of a problem isn’t it, and getting worse despite all the promises of action and zero tolerance. Now I’m sure that some of you are going to tell me that other parties are worse, well I’m not talking about them and other people being worse doesn’t make you good. I think given the recent speeches by your own MPs that claiming the problem is being blown out of proportion or is some sort of coordinated smear campaign can’t really hold water either, not given come of the groups Mr Corbyn has been members of. Given all of this and your own standards for other groups I have to say that it looks very much as though you may be supporting an anti-Semitic party with violence tendencies – based on who seems to be attracted to and supporting your party.
Despite all of this I just want to reassure you that I still know that many of you are actually good people. That despite the fact you choose to continue to freely associate with anti-Semites and violent thugs that you probably don’t actually agree with all of their views. Maybe you think that you can reform your party from within, or that it has enough redeeming features that you can hold your nose and ignore the stench. I don’t know, I assume you have your reasons and that most of you aren’t actually bigots with violent tendencies. So I’m not going to demand you de-friend me, I’m not going to socially ostracize you, or shout you down every time you express an opinion. I believe that despite the company you are currently keeping you do actually believe that you are working towards the benefit of your fellows. So lets keeping talking, though I know some of you aren’t actually keen on that, and maybe go for a pint and try to set the world to rights maybe you can explain why you continue to stomach such company in your midst. Please though do take a long hard look at the people you’re consorting with as the stench is getting really rather bad and it’s getting harder to avoid thinking that maybe you do agree with their views.
Yours in hope and optimism.
