Launch of the 'Hate Mail': A Free Newspaper Satirising Media and Political Attitudes to Immigration and Asylum
This Wednesday the Manchester No Borders Group is launching a free newspaper nationwide satirising the manner in which immigration and asylum has been portrayed in the tabloid media in the run up to the election. Entitled 'The Hate Mail', it will be distributed in over 10 cities around Britain, the newspaper will change the way many people view immigration in this country and will provide one of the few accessible outlets challenging the fear-mongering rhetoric that has characterised the debate around this issue.
The Hate Mail will be distributed Wednesday morning onwards to the public using street vendors as other free newspapers do. 30, 000 newspapers will be distributed in Manchester, London, Oxford, Lancaster, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sheffield, Northampton and Leicester.
The Hate Mail is an often hilarious, and always angry response, to the inflammatory way this issue has been used by politicians and some sections of the media. In the words of Manchester No Borders members who wrote the spoof paper: “We are tax-paying citizens who are
sick of the scourge of hate-crime provoking news, which sully our cornershops and twist Decent British People's Minds against anyone who looks a bit different.”
The paper uses real examples and situations to highlight the persecutory obstacles that many immigrants to the UK face. The extreme nature of much of the humor reflects how far the debate around immigration in the British media has already strayed into the realm of the ridiculous and rabid.
Manchester No Borders believes unashamedly in freedom of movement for all people and point out “Its not that scary to welcome people from other countries fleeing persecution or just in search of work or for a change of scene. After all we Brits do it all the time.” The paper aims to do more than change people's mind, it invites action. Readers of the paper are urged to buck the trend and befriend a refugee, join an anti-deportation campaign or donate to a destitution project.
For interviews and photo opportunities please call May on 07730523537 or Jackie on 07962172507.
The Hate Mail will be distributed Wednesday morning onwards to the public using street vendors as other free newspapers do. 30, 000 newspapers will be distributed in Manchester, London, Oxford, Lancaster, Nottingham, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Leeds, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Sheffield, Northampton and Leicester.
The Hate Mail is an often hilarious, and always angry response, to the inflammatory way this issue has been used by politicians and some sections of the media. In the words of Manchester No Borders members who wrote the spoof paper: “We are tax-paying citizens who are
sick of the scourge of hate-crime provoking news, which sully our cornershops and twist Decent British People's Minds against anyone who looks a bit different.”
The paper uses real examples and situations to highlight the persecutory obstacles that many immigrants to the UK face. The extreme nature of much of the humor reflects how far the debate around immigration in the British media has already strayed into the realm of the ridiculous and rabid.
Manchester No Borders believes unashamedly in freedom of movement for all people and point out “Its not that scary to welcome people from other countries fleeing persecution or just in search of work or for a change of scene. After all we Brits do it all the time.” The paper aims to do more than change people's mind, it invites action. Readers of the paper are urged to buck the trend and befriend a refugee, join an anti-deportation campaign or donate to a destitution project.
For interviews and photo opportunities please call May on 07730523537 or Jackie on 07962172507.
Comments
Hide the following 3 comments
There already is a satirical newspaper called Private Eye!
05.05.2005 08:36
Private Eye
Private Eye
06.05.2005 07:48
Apparently, when Socialist Worker met Viz Comic, it spawned the conservative old fogeys who write Private Eye. That was some mutation! I love Private Eye, but socialist it is not.
I'm glad Private Eye won their lible cases, otherwise they might have been libel for court costs.
Stephen James
e-mail:
stephsfx@hotmail.com
Hatemail journalist
06.05.2005 12:29
Plus it's an entire spoof of a certain tabloid paper, and therefore very different to your satirical rag.
Why don't you have a look at it on:
May
Homepage:
http://www.manchesternoborders.org.uk