Fat Hitler goes to London

So, today's the day. This evening, Nick Griffin's going to appear on Question Time, the first time a spokesperson from the BNP has been given such a public platform on British TV. I'm quite nervous.

Unfortunately, I am exactly the kind of bleeding-heart liberal that believes Griffin and his ilk should be allowed to speak their so-called "minds". As long as they don't stir up a riot while they're doing it, they should have the same rights to free speech as the rest of us. And hopefully, tonight's debate will show Griffin up as the deranged idiot he clearly is. But... what if it doesn't?

I've never heard Nick Griffin speak at length about his despicable views, but presumably he's pretty convincing when he wants to be. He's the leader of a political party, he's used to public speaking (although he normally preaches to the converted), and he's confident that his views are the right views to have, and that the rest of us are deluded. A person can have the most revolting opinions, and the most ridiculous manifesto for "improving" the way we live, but if they're a charismatic enough leader, people will follow. Now, who does that remind me of...? Begins with an H? Vegetarian, leader of the Third Reich? Oh yeah, him.

Supporters of the BBC in the past few weeks have been saying that, as soon as Griffin is given the chance to humiliate himself in public, he'll lose support, and that could be true if he's as stupid as he looks. But I can't help worrying that it's easier to talk a vulnerable person into supporting the BNP than it is to talk a current supporter out of it. I hope I'm wrong.