My drum's better than your drum

The leader of the British National Party (BNP) is stirring the pot again. This time, Nick Griffin's abrasive remarks have been aimed at Irish republicans, or, as he calls them, “Fenian bastards”. After attending the Ulster Covenant march in Belfast yesterday, Saturday September 29 (a commemoration, one hastens to add, of an effective threat of violence way back in 1912), Griffin posted a series of photographs of the marchers from his Twitter account, exhorting the English public to follow the example set by loyalists in Ireland. However, despite his apparent enjoyment of the event, he was perturbed by the idea that the photos had upset his “Republican stalkers”.

Evidently frustrated by the reaction that he had received from some detractors, in a rather juvenile outburst, the politician said:

So Ulster [sic] pics have upset my Republican stalkers. Tell you what, the bodran [sic] can't match the lambeg, you Fenian bastards.

Predictably, the tweet is now making news headlines and if one actually needed confirmation that his being there in the first place was nothing more than a shameless publicity stunt, Griffin today tweeted gleefully that it was “job done” and off back to the shores of Britain after making front page news in Northern Ireland. Interestingly, this was followed by further commentary on both the largest parties in the Stormont assembly. Griffin said:

Republican grievance machine wants 'apology'. If their skins were any thinner they'd leak green slime all over Stormont carpets they share with DUP sell-out bastards.

Not surprisingly, most of those involved with the Ulster Covenant commemoration have already moved to distance themselves from Griffin and his colourful cyber-rants, while members of the SDLP have even lodged complaints with the PSNI. Others are set to complain to the European Parliament, of which Griffin is an elected member. Griffin may not have heard the last of his foolish behaviour.

There are those among us who might wish to censor Mr Griffin from making such utterances (ahem, Irish universities), but ultimately this creature serves as a jolt to our collective sensibilities, keeping us vigilant against the threat of ignorance and irrationality.