Guardian BNP Article Abuse - My Response - Ctrl.Alt.Shift

I got some serious 'publicity' for this one. On average I've barely got over 5 comments for any of my past articles. However, my latest anti-BNP stunt (alongside Ctrl.Alt.Shift and Don't Panic) and review for the Guardian received over 200 comments in a couple of hours - a personal best! Nonetheless, this was also the first time I've received severe abuse and distain from my readers; some claming what I did was "pointless", "stupid", some even took time to offer better grammar (which they got wrong anyways...) and suggestions to walk into a mosque in a pink leotard (don't ask!). Where do I turn from this learning curb? Towards more investigative reporting and provocative stunts! Otherwise how else can I expose corrupt and unjust powers that be for what they are, how else can you spread awareness for those that need such issues thrust upon them at a different, perhaps more in-your-face slant, and why regret or hesitate further on when those that aren't irritated, offended and/or abusive are actually inspired and enlightened - click here, read the comments and you'll see what I mean. My only quarm is not being able to read the moderated (i.e. removed) comments. Bring on the democratic banter I say. And to my peers - if you truly want to be a journalist, don't fear speaking out and standing aside from the 'in-crowd'; it's how every movement and resistance begins. Here's my full response to the cynics:

Editor’s Blog
Let’s jump straight in – click here and have a read:

I wrote this article for the Guardian website, a short opinion piece on the British National Party stunt we (Ctrl.Alt.Shift and Don’t Panic) did on October 15th, when a multicultural bunch of us rolled down to Dagenham East, London, to try to attend a BNP meeting and sign up to the party. It also happened to be on the day they officially allowed ‘ethnics’ to join, and a week before BNP leader Nick Griffin’s now infamous appearance on BBC’s Question Time.

Enjoy the stunt:


Now, as a journalist, you should never expect masses of feedback. Even my mum hasn’t read my articles (sorry mum, I love you if you are reading this). But the response to the Guardian piece was astounding – it was published at lunch time on Sunday October 25th, and by Monday morning I found near 200 comments.

Of course I was smiling, that mark was a new milestone for my wee journalism career. Though my dimples soon got washed away, amid scrolling through wave after wave of readers stating what we did was “pathetic”, “pointless”, “childish” with a “stench of student activism”. And those were the comments that didn’t get removed by the Guardian moderators…

To be fair, the abuse was in-between comments of praise and support, but I’d be a fool to deny a tiny spark of aggravation lit up inside me. However, seeing red, was shortly followed by laughter, and relief.

Bring on the naysayers (who I thanked in my own response comment). They are the snobbish cynics that should inadvertently fuel the engine of every social justice-seeking activist.

As I said in my fight-back feedback, the manner in which we combated the BNP will be questionable to many, but the reality is that to get the average young and apathetic voter to think about these issues you need to deliver a message outside the box. And what may be ‘pointless’ to the pessimists may be inspirational to the optimists.

Part of my job at Ctrl.Alt.Shift, which I love, is to inspire those of mine and the next generation who are lost in social issues and politics (it’s an easy place to lose your bearings). When opportunities (like the BNP stunt) arise, I seize upon them; to take those around me who want to get more politically active, to join the frontline of an issue we do think is worth challenging. In the aftermath, the so-called “pathetic” display of activism seizes to be a waste of time for the participants (and all those who’ve read the story) who came away feeling more engaged than ever in the system, its dark side and its scandals (which of course do not exist in the BNP exclusively).

The cracking whip of the cynics can beat to the sound of “You Marxist hippy” or “You wannabe revolutionary” – but no ignorant tosser is going to give me doubt or regret over our actions against a fascist party – and nor should they deter you.

May the abuse roll in, as goes the saying ‘all publicity is good publicity’, and I’d love to hit 300 comments by Friday. If you’ve got the time, click on the link and show your support, and defiance of the wet blankets.

With love, respect and appreciation,

Dwain

Now, sing along: