Racists might get their point across better if they weren't so hilarious.

I've been enjoying watching the progress of one of the latest internet memes, "My Tram Experience". If you haven't seen it, it is both terrible and horrific. Terrific, if you will. Do look it up. It involves a woman sitting on a London tram with her son on her lap, shouting, swearing and complaining about the "loads of black people and load of f**king Polish". After becoming a Youtube sensation, it led to public outrage on social media and the papers and her eventually being charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.

Now, the incongruous nature of her outburst from a social and legal aspect is clear to all, and already widely discussed in the media and by such upright political figures as Piers Morgan (don't get me started on him, that's a whole different rant). This is not what I'm interested in. I'm interested in how she looks when she does it. I've never personally listened to the crazed ramblings of a stranger on public transport and thought 'Hmm, how very astute. Perhaps I ought to change my whole outlook on life'. It's certainly a curious form of social address. I imagine more people would watch BBC Parliament if Ed Miliband stood up and started raving about "all the f**king Tories. Why don't you go get your own house of commons?". I know I would.

You see it quite often. I'm sure in part it's deliberate by the TV stations, picking the weirdos to comment on a groups attitudes towards immigration, but it happens with such regularity. Any news coverage of a BNP or EDL rally is always coupled with footage of a twenty-something skinhead whose own grasp of English grammar is barely enough to tell foreigners to learn the language. One I particularly enjoyed has become a meme himself. A fine young English gentleman, who went on a march because he wanted "Britain to be back British" has had his mangled explanation of immigration pitch shifted and put to music. Google "Muslamic Ray Guns" and enjoy a bit of 'racist'-ism.

I honestly find it hard to be appalled at racists when they're so humourous. It's a wonder anyone took Hitler seriously when he went into politics from being a Charlie Chaplin impersonator.



Surviving the Apocalypse Tip #41: Always plan for the worst case scenario. Have a friend poised to put you down when you start to turn, or just keep quiet and enjoy it. You might like the taste of brains.