barnbrook is a nutter

It's hardly surprising that, in allowing a BNP councillor - Richard Barnbrook - to write a comment piece for their website, The Daily Telegraph has invited upon itself a storm of criticism. There are plenty who can and will make a good case for allowing this odious man to express his views and be judged openly on them, but none of that stops the piece itself being a hateful and rather shocking article to be published in a mainstream news outlet. What's frustrating is that looking at it now I'm fairly certain it's been significantly edited since I read it this morning; so it's not quite as offensive now. But only just. Anyone else able to confirm this?

Either way, the article is also ridiculously - hilariously - badly written. Here's a sample.

"Even SAS men get affected by Post Traumatic Stress. But our British young people are a resilient lot. They will get over it and the best thing they can do is supress it and move on. The last thing they should do is start going to those disgusting lefty therapists for counselling to relive the trauma. Look at that word "therapist" the rapist....and that is what they do....the rape of the mind."

I suppose I'm a bit more shocked at the reactions of the commenters, and by the decision to let so much of what they say stand. On the other hand, as readers of Comment is Free will know, these online debates invariably draw the participation of cranks. Nevertheless, the quality of debate is staggeringly low. I shan't be switching papers any time soon.