Thread by @shaunjlawson

When I was growing up, and learned in horror about the Holocaust, I thought 'Never Again' meant:

"Never again can such evil ever be allowed to happen against anyone. Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it".

Yet to some absolule unspeakables, it means:

"Never again must anyone ever be allowed to call out racism, fascism, evil, note with horror where it has led in the past and where it will do so again if it isn't stopped, and cite their knowledge of Nazi Germany...

... Because doing so is SHAMEFUL and ANTISEMITIC".

1930s Germany teaches us all what can happen when a minority (in fact, several minorities) are stigmatised, demonised, utterly dehumanised.

At that very time, extraordinary proportions of the British press thought it was "exaggerated".

And treated desperate Jews fleeing for their lives as some enemy.

The 'newspaper' which did that most notoriously is doing exactly the same now. Whipping up pure, unadulterated hatred against the most vulnerable, as this vile beyond words 'government' does its racist bidding.

There is absolutely no question where this could lead if there weren't huge masses of a nauseated, disgusted population standing against it.

The next step, of course, is to demonise them as well.

Like @GaryLineker is being.

Like the 'liberal elite' (translation: educated, empathetic, evidence-based and above all, NOT RACIST) has been for almost a decade now.

Racists really really don't like it when their racism is decried by good, decent people.

And the thing about Mr Lineker is: he's still every bit as much of a gentleman now as he was as a player. When he didn't receive a single yellow card, and was given the FIFA Fair Play award as a result.

No footballer ever deserved it more.

Nor did any footballer ever represent England with more honour, dignity, class and grace than he did.

Yes, he's had his issues with the tax man. But he's already paid it all back, and the case itself is a complete nonsense. It's his EMPLOYER who should be in the dock, not him.

I'm certain Lineker will be fully aware of just how much the Tories have infiltrated the BBC at ALL levels.

What @maitlis said about that was horrifying enough. So is the sudden freedom to TELL THE DAMN TRUTH of so many of those who've left the Boris Bullshit Corporation.

People like @AndrewMarr9, @ShelaghFogarty or @lewis_goodall. Their sudden independence, and metamorphosis back into actual, real journalists and great broadcasters, tells us every bit as much about the BBC as the Richard Sharp affair.

And he's STILL not even resigned!

I have no doubt whatsoever that scores and scores of BBC staff will have been horrified at everything that's gone on there - but have stayed quiet in fear of their jobs.

Lineker, national and international treasure that he is, uses his platform to speak out with righteous fury.

That, of course, makes him a threat. People who represent the truth are ALWAYS a threat.

A threat to racists. A threat to liars. A threat to bullies. A threat to cowards.

And all because he embodies the best of what Britain was once thought to stand for.

More power to his elbow - and those of anyone standing in solidarity with refugees, against an openly criminal, openly racist, openly fascist government: whose leader has zero electoral mandate, and whose Home Secretary is the most vile creature ever known in British politics.

It's up to the British people to send these monsters packing.

So many international norms are being ripped to shreds by a pariah government, wantonly intent on turning the UK into an international pariah state.

Don't let them. Resist.

Everything - absolutely EVERYTHING - the Tories say about refugees - that they're criminals, they're scroungers, they're sexual predators, they don't understand our 'way of life' - is actually true OF THIS GOVERNMENT.

A pig in shit is still a pig in shit no matter how much money it has.

And that's never been more true than of this shower of absolute, irredeemable bastards. Scum, every last one of them.

May the meek inherit the Earth.

And may this government get the disgrace and damnation it comprehensively deserves.

#IStandWithLineker #IStandWithGary #RefugeesWelcome