Heroin photo used in BNP leaflet

BBC

"Parents of a heroin addict are to take legal action against the British National Party (BNP) for using a picture of their dead daughter.

Rachel Whitear, 21, was found dead at her flat in Exmouth, Devon, in May 2000, holding a capped syringe.

The photograph, released by her Herefordshire parents to educate people on drugs, was used by Lancashire BNP members on a leaflet.

The BNP's deputy leader said they would not apologise.

The leaflets, which were circulated in Preston, linked heroin use to Muslim communities"

[crazymaniac]

That's a strange position to die in...

[Taf]

...released by her Herefordshire parents to educate people on drugs...

If the photo is released, it's free to use, although I think using it for "racist" literature would be too far... but having not seen the literature I cannot comment further.

[punky]

I've been looking for the leaflet, but can't find a copy, even on the BNP and anti-BNP sites.

[Vlad_Dracul]

I can't find a copy either but nevertheless, it is clear that there is a link between families with links to Pakistan and the regions and the importation of Heroin. There is no shortage of news coverage of "Asians" being caught or involved in trafficking drugs.

If the use of the photo serves to send a powerful message both to youngsters and criminals alike then let it be used.

I wonder how young Ms Whitear came to be involved in drugs anyway?

I suspect that all that is happening here is that the REAL message is being lost in a storm of BNP bashing,whipped up by mischievous elemements in the media.

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

I can't find a copy either but nevertheless, it is clear that there is a link between families with links to Pakistan and the regions and the importation of Heroin. There is no shortage of news coverage of "Asians" being caught or involved in trafficking drugs.

If the use of the photo serves to send a powerful message both to youngsters and criminals alike then let it be used.

I wonder how young Ms Whitear came to be involved in drugs anyway?

I suspect that all that is happening here is that the REAL message is being lost in a storm of BNP bashing,whipped up by mischievous elemements in the media.

Or Italians or Americans (Mafia) or Colombians or Burmese, but I don't see anyone producing a leaflet linking them to this abuse.

You state "If the use of the photo serves to send a powerful message both to youngsters and criminals alike then let it be used"; nice of you to make that decision on behalf of the family.

Nice try at muddying the waters, but the real story is that a Political Party have used an image of someone's child (without even discussing it with them) to support their viewpoint.

btw, what are "Asians"? Are they different from Asians?

[Saaf_laandon_mo]

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

I can't find a copy either but nevertheless, it is clear that there is a link between families with links to Pakistan and the regions and the importation of Heroin. There is no shortage of news coverage of "Asians" being caught or involved in trafficking drugs.

Linking Asians being caught in Drug smuggling to Muslim Communities to me implies that the muslim community in a region are facilitating/helping/aiding/responsible for drug smuggling. I don't think thats a fair assertation. But it doesnt suprise me on a racist BNP leaflet.

[Vlad_Dracul]

Well first of all we need to think about who we are talking about. People talk generally about Asians when what they really mean are people who have origins in countries such as Pakistan. In turn people of Pakistani origin can be mistaken for other groups such as Bangladeshi, Afghan etc etc.

Of course the true meaning of the word Asian with respect to people,would mean the people of the continent of Asia which a hugely greater group !

So then,in the UK,references to Asians could generally be read to mean Pakistani and not the wider group of Asian peoples since Pakistani Asians form the vast majority of the UK population sub group.

So then,what then is the link between Asian and Muslim? One might as well say British and Protestant !

There is no link. The media would have us believe that all "Asians" are also Muslims by default. Whilst i accept that there are probably a greater proportion of the faithfull within the Asian population than in the indigenious non Asian population, we cannot assume that Asian/Pakistani = Muslim.

I am not saying that Muslims are involved in Heroin Trafficking. What I am saying is that Asians are involved in Heroin Trafficking. Whether they are Muslim or not is of no consequence to me.

Now then-Heroin trafficking to the UK-Well as i say ,there is no shortage of criminal cases involving Asians (the narrower group) and the trafficking of Heroin.

Many Asian businesses are built on the backs of drug dealing and trafficking.

There have been Asian and Bangladeshi businesses in this country which are merely legitimate looking fronts for the importation of Heroin.

At street level the big fish do not sully their hands with the drug. They filter it down to underlings ,young disaffected British white and Asian youths.

True in other parts of the world, Heroin is trafficked by other races,Amaericans,Italians etc,but we are talking about the UK here.

The major source of UK Heroin is Afganistan ,a country which shares borders with Pakistan.

The Geographical,socio-economic,family,cultural and language links are all shared.

There is no doubt that there is a firm and proven connection between certain Asians in the UK, the Heroin trade and fronting legit businesses for criminal purposes.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

I can't find a copy either but nevertheless, it is clear that there is a link between families with links to Pakistan and the regions and the importation of Heroin. There is no shortage of news coverage of "Asians" being caught or involved in trafficking drugs.

If the use of the photo serves to send a powerful message both to youngsters and criminals alike then let it be used.

I wonder how young Ms Whitear came to be involved in drugs anyway?

I suspect that all that is happening here is that the REAL message is being lost in a storm of BNP bashing,whipped up by mischievous elemements in the media.

What is happening is that the BNP is using the image of the dead girl, without permission. That is (IMO) one of the nastiest things you can do to a grieving parent, and just shows that the BNP is happy to sink to new depths just to promote racism.

If the BNP had sought permission, got it, and maybe used the image to promote a drugs-free society, then it would not be offensive.

[Vlad_Dracul]

Do they need permission? Has anyone else published it without seeking permission?

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

Do they need permission? Has anyone else published it without seeking permission?

AFAIK it was released by the family in order that anyone could use it to show that Heroin doesn't really have any good news, happy ending stories attached to it.
It's still being used that way, albeit with a 'lets blame the foreigners' message attached by the BNP who are conveniently forgetting the large number of white dealers jailed over the last 15-20 years.

Oh and before anyone thinks of posting any 'modified' versions of the picture, don't

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

Do they need permission? Has anyone else published it without seeking permission?

Just read the article... It seems that the main problem that the parents have is not so much the use of the photo (if it's in the public domain, they can't object), but the use of her name (and presumably their family name) on the front, and the description of herion users as "nasty, pathetic parasites". They believe that using her image and name in the way the BNP have implies they have given consent, and are backing the leaflet.

Her mother Pauline Holcroft said: "Our biggest concern is that because they have printed Rachel's name on the front of the leaflet it looks to all intents and purposes as if we are backing it, as if we had given our consent.

"That is far from the truth."


Mrs Holcroft added: "They refer to a heroin user as a nasty, pathetic parasite.

"I am sure that I'm not the only parents who has lost somebody through heroin who would argue that I didn't view Rachel in that way."

Fairly sure that calling all heroin users (and by definition their daughter) nasty pathetic parasites didn't help.

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

....snippy snip
So then,what then is the link between Asian and Muslim? One might as well say British and Protestant !

Times "Figures for 2005 show that there are 4.2 million Catholics in England and Wales, under one fifth the 25 million baptised Anglicans and double the number of Muslims."
You never knowingly let facts get in the way of a good polemic.

Originally Posted by Vlad_Dracul

....Many Asian businesses are built on the backs of drug dealing and trafficking.

Evidence, please, before we assume your real name is Nick Griffin.
btw, the Oxford definition of "many" is "a great number" and "the majority of people"; I would expect your evidence (if you have it) to fulfill that definition, since you have besmirched a great number of businesses.

Asians have got no more of a connection to drugs than any other nationality has. Drug dealing itself is often rampant in poorer communitys and thus a connection is often made to black people/asians/immigrants who tend to make a larger section of these communitys.

It's a poverty issue, not a race issue. Bring race into serves no one

Vlad is right in that Afganistan is one of the region in which it comes from. Of course, that does not mean that they import it/refine it etc etc.

---------- Post added at 17:38 ---------- Previous post was at 17:35 ----------

Fairly sure that calling all heroin users (and by definition their daughter) nasty pathetic parasites didn't help.

Well thats the level of dimwitted politics the BNP represent.

[TheNorm]

Originally Posted by Damien

...It's a poverty issue, not a race issue. Bring race into serves no one....

Seeing a 21 year old make posts like this gives me real hope for the future of this country.