A really good article in todays Guardian by Aditya Chakrabortty, which pretty much sums up my feelings. I’m absolutely disgusted by the casual racism that has now been effectively legitimised by Boris and his motley assortment of right wing bigots
After a campaign scarred by bigotry, its now ok to be racist in britain
And I’m sorry Jammers, but people like you are the root of this problem. I’ve always disagreed with you on pretty much everything. But I’ve always found your opinions interesting, and I’ve never resorted to insulting you. . But I am absolutely appalled that you complain about anti-semitism, yet in the next breath act as a cheerleader for an organisation, and campaign, that has used an insidious racism as a central plank of its campaign. The goal: to divide society, and by implication suggested that all our societies woes are the fault of outsiders. People from different cultures who don’t belong here, and need to be ‘sent home’. To suggest simple (racist) solutions to complex problems. And in doing so legitimise hatred, and inevitably violence against minorities.
If you can’t see where casually unleashing these kind of forces, with what is essentially now a state sanction , leads, then you need to look at your history a bit closer. I’m sorry, but your hypocrisy absolutely appalls me.
But as the article above concludes…
The leave politicians have, as Mughal says, “opened up a Pandora’s box” of resentment and suspicion. The consequences won’t be faced by old Etonians or stripy-blazered Ukippers. They’ll descend on a grandad heading home from Friday prayers, or a Romanian mum caught on a bus speaking her mother tongue.
This is what your friends have legitimised