How would you react? (EDL friend)

no. a person's views do not affect my relationship with them, though perhaps an EDL supporter wouldn't become my best of friends. people are still people and respect is due to all. I would've talked to him more and maybe try to explain why he was wrong.

you just came across as close minded and a bit silly

I would ask what his views on Muslamic Ray Guns are.

I'd probably have talked to them about what they believe and why... and if it was clear that they were stubbornly racist, I would have left as well.




I tend to disagree. If a person is racist and openly participating in the orchestration of a group bordering on neo-Fascism, it would absolutely affect my relationship with them. Partly because many of my friends are black. Mostly, however, because it implies an absence of empathy for others, and even a strong dislike or hatred of minorities based on no good reason whatsoever, and that tells you something about how that person would treat their friends. The same would apply for somebody who was strongly homophobic or sexist.

no. a person's views do not affect my relationship with them, though perhaps an EDL supporter wouldn't become my best of friends. people are still people and respect is due to all. I would've talked to him more and maybe try to explain why he was wrong.

you just came across as close minded and a bit silly

Isn't it just as close minded to sit and tell someone their views are wrong because you don't agree with them?

In no way are all EDL members racist. The hardcore racist members really speaking don't constitute a majority. Many are just against immigration which in itself isn't racist. The real meaning of the word racist has been distorted through the ridiculous emphasis on political correctness.

I'm not affiliated with the BNP/EDL or anything but some people just want a right wing alternative so turn toward the EDL and BNP.

Isn't it just as close minded to sit and tell someone their views are wrong because you don't agree with them?

Hm, perhaps I didn't word it correctly. I would never be rude to a person I disagreed with. And this was very rude.

no. a person's views do not affect my relationship with them, though perhaps an EDL supporter wouldn't become my best of friends. people are still people and respect is due to all. I would've talked to him more and maybe try to explain why he was wrong.

you just came across as close minded and a bit silly

Uh huh.

So it's that time of year when lots of people from University are coming back for a few days over the Bank Holidays and I'm meeting with a few of my old friends to catch up.

One of them who was my best friend in high school got in touch and said we should catch up. Even though we went to the same XI Form college I kind of lost touch and apart from the odd hello in the street I haven't spoken to him since I was 16 (I'm now 20).

We went to Starbucks in the city and just got chatting about old times, his course, University etc and then casual as anything he just drops "Oh yeah, I'm really involved with the EDL at X University these days". I'm kind of gobsmacked so I ask if he's serious, he is, he's like an organiser or something.

I pick my bag up, say I'm going to the toilet and walk out, I don't intend to talk to him again but I'm just wondering if you'd do the same thing?

So it's that time of year when lots of people from University are coming back for a few days over the Bank Holidays and I'm meeting with a few of my old friends to catch up.

One of them who was my best friend in high school got in touch and said we should catch up. Even though we went to the same XI Form college I kind of lost touch and apart from the odd hello in the street I haven't spoken to him since I was 16 (I'm now 20).

We went to Starbucks in the city and just got chatting about old times, his course, University etc and then casual as anything he just drops "Oh yeah, I'm really involved with the EDL at X University these days". I'm kind of gobsmacked so I ask if he's serious, he is, he's like an organiser or something.

I pick my bag up, say I'm going to the toilet and walk out, I don't intend to talk to him again but I'm just wondering if you'd do the same thing?

That's hardly in the spirit of discussion. The whole point of a debate between two friends is to find the most logical and positive conclusion, whether that contradicts the original opinions of the participants or not. Hopefully people in general will be open-minded enough to actually change their own attitudes appropriately, although perhaps in the case of an EDL member, this will be rather more difficult.




That's fair enough, but I'm not sure I would feel particularly guilty about treating someone with such objectionable opinions with a lack of respect, tbh.

That's hardly in the spirit of discussion. The whole point of a debate between two friends is to find the most logical and positive conclusion, whether that contradicts the original opinions of the participants or not. Hopefully people in general will be open-minded enough to actually change their own attitudes appropriately, although perhaps in the case of an EDL member, this will be rather more difficult.




That's fair enough, but I'm not sure I would feel particularly guilty about treating someone with such objectionable opinions with a lack of respect, tbh.