West Brom Thievery

If this is some massive coincidence or a mistake then I apologise but at the moment it looks like West Brom blog has rather stolen one of my posts. Compare this from my blog on Friday:

"However, Weyman Bennett, of Unite Against Fascism, said: “There should be no difference between a private racist opinion and a public racist opinion.”"

This is possibly the most disgustingly illiberal statement I have ever heard from someone supposedly within the political mainstream.

It is a direct assault on freedom of thought. The idea that private opinions are in any way equivalent to public incitement to racial hatred is a manifesto for witch hunts. This is a non-political figure who never openly stated her beliefs but could be hounded out of her job for being making the wrong political choice in private. To make people's private thoughts and beliefs, no matter how idiotic, a subject for public censure is the final death of meaningful freedom.

With this from the West Brom Blog today:

I was totally disgusted by UAF and shocked at the totally illiberal statements they made.

Weyman Bennett, of Unite Against Fascism, said: “There should be no difference between a private racist opinion and a public racist opinion”.

UAF are directly assaulting freedom of thought. The idea that private opinions are in any way equivalent to public incitement to racial hatred is a manifesto for the type of witch hunts UAF seem to so enjoy. Simone Clarke was not a political figure. She never openly stated her beliefs but was outed by the Guardian Newspaper. Yet she could be hounded out of her job for making the choice she made in private. To make people's private thoughts and beliefs, no matter how idiotic, a subject for public censure is the final death of meaningful freedom. The only thing UAF have demonstrated is the fact that they too are fascists, and that they lack the collective intelligence to realize it.

There are far too many similiarities. Without crediting me this is just plagiarism. If Pete reads this then, please make it right; if he doesn't could someone please educate him about proper netiquette.

Update: Apparently this was an honest mistake. He read my article and then wrote his own and my turns of phrase had just stuck in his head. Fair play, mistakes happen, no hard feelings.