Farmer branded racist for telling the truth about travellers

[Vulpix]

Farmer branded racist for opposing travellers site (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1190073/Farmer-opposed-traveller-site-branded-racist-council-threatened-prosecution.html)


Having lived next to a community of travellers for 30 years, Bryan Lee thought he had valuable insight into plans to give them a permanent home.
But when he objected to transforming a field into a new settlement, his input was ignored - and he was even branded a racist.
Mr Lee, 65, was warned he could face legal action from the police and equality watchdogs if he dared to continue with his 'racist representations'.

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/01/article-0-052AD1BD000005DC-873_468x309.jpg

Fury: Bryan Lee, standing by the proposed travellers' site, said he is not a racist

Yesterday, the retired dairy farmer spoke of his outrage at being labelled a bigot by officials at Mid Devon District Council.
Their response came after he wrote in March to disagree with plans to turn a field half a mile from his home in Silverton, Devon, into two pitches for travellers.
The father of two outlined the problems he had faced with another travellers' site and said the application was 'inappropriate for the area'.
He wrote: 'The number of families at any one time on the permanent site was an ongoing problem for the local authority, as was the nature of business carried out on the site.
'This included vehicle wrecking and various small-scale livestock ventures.'

More...



Laughing at the law: Travellers set up illegal camps while councils are closed (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1189994/Laughing-law-Travellers-swoop-build-illegal-camps-councils-shut--dont-officials-act.html)
Now even police can't object to gipsy camp in picturesque village...because it's racist (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1111202/Now-police-object-gipsy-camp-picturesque-village--racist.html)


He continued: 'Horses were turned into my fields regularly. The police were regular visitors, usually to trace stolen property but also to break up fights with traveller families from other sites.'
When staff eventually responded, Mid Devon District Council said it would take 'no account' of his letter and warned he may be investigated under race laws.
Officials wrote: 'It is policy on planning and building proposals to take no account of representations of a racist nature.
'If the council receives any more racist representations from you, this matter will be referred to the Commission for Racial Equality or the police.'

http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/01/article-1190073-052AD45D000005DC-32_468x355.jpg

Racist? Bryan Lee's letter to his council, in which he complains of rubbish and theft concerns

Yesterday Mr Lee, who lived next to a camp in Broadclyst, Devon, before moving to Silverton, said: 'This extreme reaction would be laughable if it wasn't so tragic and damaging to my character. It is absolutely outrageous. I am not a racist.'
He insisted his letter over the proposal was 'a factual report of my own first-hand experience'.

Enlarge http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/01/article-1190073-052CE806000005DC-251_468x341.jpg (http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/01/article-1190073-052CE806000005DC-251_468x341_popup.jpg)

He continued: 'I spent 30 years living next to a travellers' site and it was hell.
' I had lots of my farming equipment stolen. If my property wasn't bolted down, it would disappear overnight.
'The place was a complete tip with rubbish everywhere. I also witnessed some very aggressive and unpleasant behaviour. I wasn't suggesting all travellers acted in this way - of course they don't.
'I was simply pointing out what happened in my personal experience. I was within my rights to oppose the application, especially after what I've been through, without being accused of racism by some jumped-up official.'
He added that the council withdrew the plan after being flooded with 50 complaints from residents.
A spokesman for Mid Devon District Council said: 'I appreciate that planning applications for gipsy and traveller sites can be quite sensitive.'
She added that the authority had a 'clear policy' meaning that officials would not take into account comments 'where they could reasonably be considered to be racist'.

[Tabiti]

'I spent 30 years living next to a travellers'
And they call him racist? He should be nominated for "The most patient and tolerant man in the Universe"!

[Sol Invictus]

Speaking the truth is a revolutionary act in this day and age.

Thanks, Orwell. :(

[Treffie]

I think it goes without saying that travellers encamped in the UK are filthy pigs. I know this may sound harsh, but they really are - their illegal sites are squalid, rubbish is strewn everywhere, human excrement in places you wouldn't imagine etc. In addition to this, they are entitled to claim every benefit that is available, work cash in hand by offering unsuspecting individuals to tarmac their drive for an extortionate amount (or else!) and then drive the flashiest 4 x 4 that money can buy (usually BMW X5s round here).

Why the f*** do we waste our money on these itinerants? :mad:

[Beorn]

It's good to see this man has kept copies of his correspondence with local authorities, as we can quite clearly see who is, and who isn't, telling the truth.

The last time I bothered to write anything about this subject in defence of the situation, I was heckled by others because they were quite happy to take everything a lower natured newspaper had to write without first questioning the "facts" involved.

A "fact" is many letters written to local authorities are inherently bad natured, pocked with spelling mistakes and at times can make this man of un-political correctness blush with their terminology.

I have no ill will against travelling folk. The worn out meme of them being full of crime, blah and fucking more blah is not a valid reason when you need only look into the inner city and sink hole estates of England to see that non-travellers crime, blah and more fucking blah are at times verging epidemic.

It was good to see the council backed down from their plans. Travellers have more than adequate space with which to settle, and pandering to them with more offers of space will only encourage them more, and more travellers settle.

[Freomæg]

The word "racist" has been used too liberally for too long, and I foresee a lot of people becoming so de-sensitized to it that they will no longer care about being labelled as such.

And then... the liberal media and marxist brigade will be screwed big-time. Limiting freedom of expression by use of the "R" word is, in my opinion, the most powerful tool they have.

[Fortis in Arduis]

Well, the travellers have arrived in Hampstead for the annual fair that they run and the very smartest restaurant-bars are full EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK with smiling well-dressed and friendly people from all over the UK with plenty of money to spend.

Ordinary Londoners spend 30-50% of their income on rent of mortgage, and for many of us the recession is 'sucking the big one', so perhaps instead of resenting those who have been smart enough to side-step this hum-drum existence, we should look to them for inspiration.

I do not buy into the idea of these people being unclean and it is a pity that their traditional trades are no longer viable.

The popular surnames such as Cooper, Wheeler, Cartwright, Wainwright and Carter provide a clue as to what these once were...

[Treffie]

Well, the travellers have arrived in Hampstead for the annual fair that they run and the very smartest restaurant-bars are full EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK with smiling well-dressed and friendly people from all over the UK with plenty of money to spend.

Ordinary Londoners spend 30-50% of their income on rent of mortgage, and for many of us the recession is 'sucking the big one', so perhaps instead of resenting those who have been smart enough to side-step this hum-drum existence, we should look to them for inspiration.

I do not buy into the idea of these people being unclean and it is a pity that their traditional trades are no longer viable.

The popular surnames such as Cooper, Wheeler, Cartwright, Wainwright and Carter provide a clue as to what these once were...


Are we discussing traditional British Gypsies or Irish Tinkers? If it's the former, then I would agree with you.

[Albion]

Are we discussing traditional British Gypsies or Irish Tinkers? If it's the former, then I would agree with you.

They're both as bad as each other, I've been at one of their get-togethers in Appleby-in-Westmorland where they meet every year. It was reviling. But at least the Tinkers are European, they can assimilate better.