A message for Assed Baig

I have been contemplating this blog for some time now, there were many things that kept coming to me over the last few weeks as I walked around the Staffs Uni campus seeing more and more of the anti-fascist posters appear on walls, doors and windows across the area, as well as reading back over some of the debates Assed and I (along with many others) had over Facebook and MySpace last year following his GK News article which basically blamed the entirety of the world’s problems on white people.

Let’s start with a quick outline of this situation if you’re an outsider to Staffs Uni and/or previous events that surround this whole situation. Assed Baig is the current President of Staffordshire University’s Student Union. He is a campaigner for anti-fascist movements including campaigns against political parties like the BNP and EDL.

In 2007 he wrote an article in GK News (Staffs Uni’s monthly newspaper, now known as OMG Magazine) outlining his issues with British society and the ways in which white people are always used as heroes, along with his expression of blame for almost every problem in the world on white people – such as white people inventing the AK47 – which I guess removes all blame from the people who use them? Come on, that’s ridiculous, that’s like a murderer blaming whoever invented the knife. Anyway, after the article was printed there was an uproar across the university and the editor had to write an apology in the next issue. Nevertheless, Assed managed to find his way to the presidency of Staffs Uni’s Union, coincidentally because he accused his opponent of racist slander towards him, which I’ve seen no proof of, which leads me on to my next point.

My biggest issue with Assed and his campaigning is that he demonises white people at all times and never even raises the issue of racism towards white people, and I’ll tell you why, because he believes it does not exist. Me and a friend of mine (who gave examples of abuse he has received for being white) argued over this issue with Assed and he remained adamant that it does not exist. Then recently I read a disturbing quote where he said he did not care for a white girl who did not want to walk through Hanley park for fear of racial attacks. This, again, shows Assed’s one sided view on the whole issue. If he believes that racism is something that is only applicable to white-on-black then he has no position to campaign for anything, because it is far more than a one sided issue.

Another thing I noticed during our debates over the internet is how intentional he is in making everything a race issue. At any chance he gets, Assed will accuse any white person of being racist, as it seems to be at all times in this country. Question someone who isn’t white and you’re automatically a racist – which is what I was accused of being last year during said debates. To clarify this, what I said in one of my comments was that if he was so against the ways in which people live and think in this country then he should just leave – as I plan to one day. His response was “Why should I leave? I have as much right to stay as any white person.” – note that I did not mention the colour of his skin once, I made a remark based on his view of the country and that I similarly plan to follow my own advice – did I say “I plan to leave because I’m white”? Or “you should leave because you’re Asian”? No. This is a clear example of him using race as an issue whenever he can – which is fundamentally wrong and is so offensive to me, because he automatically branded me as a racist simply for making that judgement instead of realising it was a simple piece of advice.

I agree heartily that thugs like the BNP should not be allowed in British society politics, but I also don’t think it should be seen as a racist act to question things like Islamic protests in London with signs saying “Behead those who question Islam” – I mean come on, that would just be nonsense, I’m pretty sure people would say ‘wtf’ if I walked around with a sign saying something like that.

Assed Baig wants freedom of speech and equality, but only a certain kind, and that is just wrong. That is why I am against his presidency – because every single thing is about race and I don’t take his campaigning seriously because it is based on the opinions of someone who sees the world from an unequal viewpoint.

Much love,
Reno