Quote Originally Posted by ragingpup View Post
Thanks Mr Ellis_D - You're of course right! My wife put me right on this last night!

However, some of BF's tactics are pertinent here.

AS I said and must keep repeating so as to assure you I am looking at the situation as impartially as possible, Golding made some very good points in an assured calm manner when talking to students at Oxford (on You Tube).

I would of course applaud him for taking the time out to raise money for a dying child with a sponsored walk. I would of course defend his right to walk wherever he wants, when he wants when doing so in a peaceful and to take part in peaceful protests if they are agreed and are agreed with authorities to take place in a peaceful manner.

His sponsored walk though really worries me and I'd be grateful if you, as someone that seems to know about the incident:

1. If his motive was to walk to raise money for a dying girl why did he choose to choose a route that deliberately went past a mosque and a community that will be aware of his past and therefore likely to react in a way that might cause a breach of the peace. Why not walk around Epping Forest? We have some lovely views out there.

2. Reports on Channel 4 and the Daily Mail both reported that the Met offered Robinson two alternative routes. Yes, they might be fibbing but if Robinson had announced his intentions (how did he publicise it so that others knew about it?), then it would be a likely response from the Police and I would expect that to happen. Why do you suppose that they wouldn't have done that? On the evidence presented, I would have thought it more likely that Robinson turned up intending to take the route via the Mosque anyway - he seemed really determined to go via that route? Why??

3) As someone who is willing to listen to Robinson's arguments, and have done, and take some of his points, doesn't it worry you, as someone who is promoting these arguments (usually quite eloquently I must say) that a person like me is completely repelled by the idea that Robinson seems to have used the situation of a dying girl to promote his own political agenda? It turns me completely off the bloke.

Yes, anyone is welcome to go anywhere. Robinson could get out of bed this morning and walk through this route, as I have many times as a local, and no one would bat an eyelid (however, his profile might cause a few locals to react, that would be inexcusable and if I was him I think it might not be a good idea - but I've always walked through there without the slightest hint of trouble). The difference is if you announce that you will be walking down there at X o clock in what I can only put down as questionable motives. It's effectively the same as BF isn't it? Deliberate provocation. The same would be said if the AFL or even a group of Islmists were to announce a charity walk right past Robinson's house. They sort of have a right to do it but it would most likely cause a breach of the peace, and the police would most likely offer alternative routes. If not, the bloomin should do!

But, the most important thing of all in this is that such deliberate, apparently quite cynical actions stir up the divisions between us, and is exactly the kind of action that ISIS want. Surely you accept that the end result of deliberate hostility is to further push impressionable Muslims further towards an extremist cause. The ISIS organisation make no secret of that this is their strategy and all research points to the fact that this is the worst thing we can do? Surely you can see that?

I think Robinson should be heard and maybe he himself might have rethought that this kind of action is counter productive against his cause? He should try and get his views across in a non provocative means and join the cause in trying to both integrate Muslim communities into the British way of life whilst promoting accountability and responsibility from the small sections of the communities that promote extremist views.
First of all, I really MUST point out, that it was Tommy Robinson who spoke at Oxford NOT Paul Golding.

Secondly, you are asking me questions, some of which I have know way of actually knowing the answer to. I can't see inside his mind, nor have I asked him about it. I do accept though, that you are being open minded and fair, so I will attempt to answer the questions in an honest way as possible.

1. I touched on this before. I have seen him speak out before that there should not be any no-go areas for ANYONE in our country and that everyone should be able to walk peacefully down any street. You and I both agree on that. So was he trying to prove that that is not the case? That's what I think. Of course, he could have been just trying to stir people up in that area. But if all he was doing, along with one other person, was a peaceful charity walk, he should have been able to do it anywhere without the fear of attack. Let's not try to twist this into anything else - any person in Britain should be allowed to walk down any street and not be attacked. The person innocently walking down a street can NEVER be the one in the wrong, only the people doing the assaulting.

Where would it end otherwise? If Bill Smith says he doesn't like Muslims, is he allowed to punch them if one walks through his white only area? Would that be okay?

2. As far as I recall, Tommy announced his intention to do a charity walk on Facebook/Twitter for this little girl. I can't pretend to know the full ins and outs of why it was decided which route, etc, because I can't remember reading it. Although, two possible reasons - though there could be completely different ones - are 1. Him making the political point he should be allowed to walk anywhere in his own country, and 2. That he wanted to inflame some radical Muslim to attack him. Again, probably to make a political point...... See, I am always honest.......

3. Yes, I completely agree. All I can say in response to that is, there are plenty of celebrities and politicians who use things like this to push their own agenda. Jeremy Corbyn has done it with the Manchester bombing. So many celebs do things for charity and make sure it reaches the public eye so they make sure they look like a good guy. I'm not saying any of it is right, and I'm not saying that if Tommy did it for that reason it is okay of him either. Cold he have tried to raise money for the little girl without making a political point at the same time? Almost certainly.

As for the rest of what you said, it's possible, even probable that Tommy understands that now. He quit the EDL, he had a lot of meetings and talks with moderate Muslims so they can all understand each other better, and I don't think he would do that now.

I think, if he wants to make political points about being able to walk anywhere he wants, he can make that point. He knows the risks - in his case, he is risking his life. His choice. If Muslims want to come and attack him, as they often have, then that's their decision. I do agree that he should keep any charity work he wants to do separate from any political work though.