I think that that is a deeply unfair characterisation of Robinson.
Perhaps, given the founders of the KKK supposedly started it "
as a fraternal social club" and "ludicrous initiations, the baffling of public curiosity, and the amusement for members were the only objects of the Klan".
More seriously, my comparison of the former EDL leader to a former KKK leader was somewhat tongue in cheek and my intention was mainly to express my genuine surprise at such a divisive figurehead being used as "the voice of reason".
That said, I don't think it's completely without foundation, insofar as: if we're posting videos from the former leader of a bunch of violent, bigoted cunts, why not videos from the former leader of another bunch of violent, bigoted cunts?
He went on the BBC after one of his family was the victim of a grooming gang. The BBC dismissed him as a fantasist and as a direct result he formed the EDL.
Not according to
this:
The EDL originated from a group known as the "United Peoples of Luton" (UPL). The UPL had been formed in response to a demonstration organised by the extremist
Islamist organisation,
Al-Muhajiroun, against the
war in Afghanistan, held in March 2009 as the
Royal Anglian Regiment marched through
Luton after a tour of duty in the
Helmand province campaign.
[23] When the Luton counter-demonstration led to arrests, local football supporters, according to a BBC News report, "decided something should be done" and "found common cause with other 'soccer casuals' and 'firms' associated with major clubs. The chatter concluded that [Islamic extremism] was a national problem and they had to put aside club rivalries."
[24] EDL's original leader, Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as '
Tommy Robinson' (taking his assumed name from the author of two books about the
Luton Town MIGs football hooligan firm
[25]), recalled that he had been prompted to found the organisation after he had read in a newspaper about a group of local Islamists attempting to recruit men outside a local bakery in Luton to fight for the
Taliban in Afghanistan: "I was like, they can't do that! In working class communities, we all know somebody in the armed forces. I've got a mate who lost his legs. And these lot were sending people to kill our boys."
[26]
That's from wikipedia so might not be true either but I'm not sure it matters. As with the KKK, the organisation's original purpose is no excuse for what it later became. In the EDL's case, it became a bunch a Nazi-saluting, racist, violent arseholes.
And Tommy Robinson was leader of the EDL whilst it was such an organisation.
I've also had the misfortune to personally witness the behaviour of their Scottish offshoot, the SDL, and a more bigoted and generally thuggish bunch of scumbags you're unlikely to ever meet.
It was eventually overrun by the far right, and as a result he quit.
Again, that's one version but is somewhat contradicted by
this:
Tommy Robinson claims he was paid thousands of pounds by the Quilliam Foundation to leave the
English Defence League in a deal the anti-extremism think-tank coordinated so they could take “credit” for his resignation.
As far as I can see, even Tommy isn't sure what he thinks from one day to the next.
But it's often something to do with hating or threatening "
every single muslim". As I'm sure you are aware, I'm no fan of Islam but that kind of rhetoric doesn't help anyone (except, perhaps, Tommy).
he was born and raised in Luton, which is a veritable hotbed for Islamic extremism within the UK, it's not hard to see why he might come to the conclusions he did
Perhaps that is the explanation for him being a bigoted, violence loving rabble-rouser but it doesn't excuse it.
I would ask you to watch the following and consider the above.
Will try to over the weekend - off to work now.