Friday 18 May 2012

Momtaz Begum-Hussain Had A Problem, And No-one Else Could Help...

...so she set out to find The A-Team...

Wait, no, that's not right. She turned to Twitter, of course!
I've made a decision. From now on, if I need help, I'm heading straight to Twitter. I've tweeted pleas before. I once posted that I needed a job and the same afternoon got commissioned to write an article. But a few weeks ago, I discovered the true benefits of the virtual world.
Awwww, how heartwarming! Was was her problem? Lost kitten? Stuck tap? Locked out of her house?
It was election day and on my way back from a lunchtime trip to the launderette I discovered a huge BNP banner had been tied to the lamp post outside my flat. My immediate reaction was to pull it down. The trouble was, I'm short and it was higher than my tallest chair could reach. So I sent out a tweet. Could anyone help me tear down this monstrosity?
Ah.
I pondered the idea of knocking door-to-door until I found a ladder-owning resident, but it's a busy main road where people are closely guarded and don't stop and chat. Then I spotted my immediate neighbour who's exceptionally tall. When I told him about the banner and the fact I needed help, he laughed and went indoors.
Well, yes, after all, he perhaps quite sensibly reasoned it was a legitimate political party so who was he to help you censor them?
I was contacted by a local councillor and a member of another political party, who advised that I should deal with the issue legally.
Did they? Spoilsports!
Finally I got it. The tweet that saved the day. A message from a stranger to say assistance was on the way. Sure enough, two gentlemen promptly arrived with a ladder in tow. I tweeted a photo of them, and have since found out who they were, marking a satisfactory end to my tale.
At least with CiF, you can usually get some common sense below the line. And the first comment (and highest rated) points out the truth of the matter:


Well, indeed. Welcome to the new politics. So much improved by our addition of tribalist, communalist cultures, eh?

20 comments:

Trundlemaster said...

What is it with socialists that they want freedom to purvey their shite but want to stop others purveying their own views. It's attitudes such as these (amongst others) which turned me away from any form of socialism.

I care not a jot for the BNP and what they stand for but I wonder what would happen if I, for example, complained about the 'Sharia Zone' posters which went up in Tower Hamladesh or Waltham Forest? Oh yes I'd be a 'racisssst'

Anonymous said...

Always bear in mind that the BNP are a different flavour of socialism to Guardian's preferred brand. (Possibly the Pepsi of socialism.) However I do like the fact that the most recommended comment is that the BNP are a legal organisation taking part in elections and have representation in the European Parliament being the most recommended comment.

Also she admits incitement to theft or at the very least vandalism the removal of someone else property.

Bunny

Trundlemaster said...

Anonymous, to a large extent you are correct there. The BNP's manifesto was anything but free market. The Left and the BNP are just two cheeks of the same arse.

Bobo said...

Umm; the economics are largely the same, but there's a world of difference between 'international' and, ahem, 'national' socialism.

Trundlemaster said...

Bobo, I take your point. Although one form of Socialism looks inwards (ie National Socialism) and the other outwards (socialist Socialism) both groupings are to a large extent economically illiterate.

Lynne said...

What I'd like to know is how the the silly woman knew the banner was stuck on the lamp post illegally (she says so in the comments). Did she phone the local council to find out?

In my experience it would have taken at least a month for someone to come back with an answer. And that's after spending 30 minutes being bounced from town hall department to town hall department in fruitless search of someone who actually knows the answer.

Let's assume a miracle occurred, which it apparently did. How come she didn't twitter the council to remove the illegal banner? Or lambast them for not removing an illegal banner at her demand. Why appeal to fellow twatterers to remove the banner?

I see smoke wafting from Numptyaz's smouldering knickers.

Anonymous said...

Bobo,

I view them both as highly dangerous,and to be avoided at all costs.

Bunny

Sarton Bander said...

National Socialists set out to murder a group because of their parentage, whereas international socialists set out to murder a group because of their parentage.

Anonymous said...

A very different result from where I live, where a poster proclaiming "THIS IS A SHARIA LAW ZONE" was prominently displayed. The council told me if I took it down I could be accused of criminal damage (on the basis that someone owns the the banner and the cord used to display it). The Police wouldn't help and so I used my initiative and painted the word "NOT" above and between "IS" and "A". Apparently the local Muslim leader is trying to persuade his followers not to prosecute me for racial defamation - whatever that is. If you suddenly find a pile of stones being formed near you, it may give you an idea where Ilive - or lived - as the case may be!

blueknight said...

Lynne
The banner is exempt under the adverts act, - it does not need consent of the Council Planning Authority, but the 'owner' of the lamp post would have the right to remove it if he/she had not given permission for it to be displayed there.
CLASS E
An advertisement relating specifically to a pending Parliamentary, European Parliamentary or local government election or a referendum under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000(1).

Anonymous said...

Enjoy your rich diversity you voters.

Furor Teutonicus said...

Last elections here, there was a spate of people setting fire to election posters on lamp posts.

Just saying.... Not that I would put ideas into anyones minds...

Lynne said...

Blue Knight - that means the lamp post is "owned" by the local authority since it is they who replace and maintain these things.

You have missed the point I was making.

The woman concerned was swift to declare the banner was illegal when several people commented that the BNP is a legitimate political party (no matter what you think of them) and entitled to advertise themselves during an election. Therefore she has tacitly admitted (lied?) she contacted the local authority to question the legality of the banner on the lamp post. How else would she have done that?

So how come she turned to fellow twitterers to remove the banner? The council would not have advised her to remove the banner for reasons of health and safety - no risk assessment available. They wouldn't leave themselves open to legal proceedings if some crusading "anti-fascist" fell off the ladder.

Claiming the banner was illegally placed is not the same thing as knowing the banner was illegally placed. Let's see the evidence supporting her claim. Perhaps someone should contact the local authority?

Tatty said...

"that means the lamp post is "owned" by the local authority"

Which means WE (taxpayers) own it, collectively.

Ta daaa. Problem solved. NEXT !

Captain Haddock said...

Perhaps someone should also contact the BNP & draw their attention to this, so that they can request the return of their banner ..

If however, she destroyed or disposed of said banner, thereby permanently depriving the owners of it, then (as I understand the law) the owners would have (by her own admission) evidence of theft ..

Gnostic said...

Tatty, you just try removing the lamp post or otherwise doing something to it the local authority dislikes and you'll find out whether or not the public own the lamp post.

You'll be up in court faster than a greased Council tax dodger.

Next!

blueknight said...

Lynne, I agree, the banner is not illegal.
However the 'Council' usually take a dim view of adverts stuck to lamp posts and that includes 'Missing Cat' and 'Tracey, 40 today'.
I am not sure where she lives but unless the Council is a Unitary Authority, it may be the County Council rather than the local council that look after the roads and street lamps.
I am guessing that the answer to your question is that she did not speak to anyone in the Council.
She instinctively 'knew' it was illegal. The left wing liberal habit of believing that anything they don't like must be against the law....

Lynne said...

The left wing liberal habit of believing that anything they don't like must be against the law....

I reckon you got it nailed right there, BK. :0)

JuliaM said...

"...but I wonder what would happen if I, for example, complained about the 'Sharia Zone' posters which went up in Tower Hamladesh or Waltham Forest?"

Spot on!

"What I'd like to know is how the the silly woman knew the banner was stuck on the lamp post illegally.."

Me too!

"Just saying.... Not that I would put ideas into anyones minds..."

If she's too short to reach it, she's too short to set it on fire too!

"You'll be up in court faster than a greased Council tax dodger."

:D

Momtaz said...

At least spell my name right!