BNP Continue To Be Not At All Racist

A new piece of tat is added to their awful online souvenir shop-

(from Lancaster Unity) Queen Elizabeth I’s Blackamoore Expulsion Order It is not widely known that between 1596 and 1601, Queen Elizabeth I ordered the expulsion of all non-indigenous Third World people, whom she called “blackamoores” from Britain. Now, for the first time ever, Excalibur is proud to exclusively offer reproductions of the original expulsion orders…Both original handwritten orders have been reproduced in full on fine quality thick paper, suitable for framing or display.

Hmm, now why would a totally not-at-all-racist party be selling that so proudly?????

Jafar Panahi & Family Arrested In Iran

I just learned of this from Naj, Jafar Panahi an acclaimed filmmaker and his family have been detained-

Iranian security forces have detained Jafar Panahi, one of the country’s most internationally celebrated film-makers, as part of a continuing crackdown on supporters of the opposition Green movement.

Panahi was held with his wife, daughter and 15 guests on Monday evening, according to Kalame, the website of Mir Hossein Mousavi, who claims he won last June’s disputed presidential election.

In the first official comment on the high-profile arrest, Tehran prosecutor Abbas Jafari Dowlatabadi was quoted as saying that Panahi’s detention was “not political” and was linked to another case that was already under investigation.

The manner of arrest and all the other people and his support of protests does make this look like some very repressive mass arrests, it’s possible he is legitimately suspected of an actual crime but as yet the prosecutor has given no specific information. His film ‘The Circle‘ is a masterpiece (and ignore the simplistic characterisation in the linked Guardian article) when a government persecutes such artists rather than treasures them I see very little validity in that establishment. Of course the malign tactics used by our and other Western governments are not helping this situation at all, I see a lot of good people being crushed between the desires of competing tyrannies.