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CHRIS-VINCENT Writes!

CHRIS-VINCENT Writes: NPP’s Social Media Intolerance is Fascism At Worst and Grossly Off-Putting At Best–What’s Democracy Without Respect for Opposing Views?

NPP Ghana
NPP Ghana

Ghana’s opposition New Patriotic Party prides itself as the pillar of democracy, founded on a tradition that painfully fought for self-governance for Ghanaians, guided by democratic principles.

This is particularly interesting as the incumbent party-NDC lacks such an enviable tradition—considering the fact that the NDC is somewhat a byproduct of an illegality; military intervention in politics.

But over the years, the NDC has reformed itself and despite the hovering conception that the party is made up of political militants, it’s beautifully in charge of a democratic regime under which we’ve seen the flourishing of the various democratic instruments and principles.

So the argument that one particularly political party in Ghana is more democratic than the other in any contemporary political discourse is fading out—the main political parties largely respect the rule of law, at least in principle.

However, there’s an increasing social media intolerance, grossly absurd and an indictment on the “conscience” of the NPP, a party that calls itself and members democrats.

As Ghana’s elections draw closer, we’ve seen heightened political activism on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram from old and new political activists, sometimes from ordinary Ghanaians who have decided to make their stance well known.

The right to belong a political party of your choice and to express your opinions or beliefs without vilification is a core element in the measure of how democratic a society or a group of people are. And on the Ghanaian social media landscape, it’s somewhat forbidden, an abomination to express any support for the ruling NDC.

Any declaration of support for the NDC would attract legions of NPP supporters cutting you into pieces, irrespective of how innocuous your statement is and that’s not democracy. In fact, the is off-putting and it makes it look like there’s only one right political party in Ghana which everyone should belong to.

Ghana is not a de-facto or de-jure one party state and no one political party is celestially ordained or has the status of the one true party—it’s a matter of choice, preference and long held association.

Of course it is upsetting to have someone live in absolute denial or mount absurd arguments that Pope Francis is a Nigerian but the essence of tolerance is to respect the most diabolical or absurd of all views—which you can rebut with more plausible or persuasive analysis.

Any attempt to silence people on the back of insults or abuse no matter how wrong they are with their choice and submissions in a democratic jurisdiction is unacceptable and if a group of people are championing this while calling themselves democrats, then that’s a lie.

I am of the view that insane opinions ought not to be left alone, especially if clothed in propaganda and cunning political rhetorics. Such positions should be challenged and ridiculed with the truth. But attacking people just because they belong to the other side and do not share in your views, the hallmark of NPP’s on-going social media warfare, that’s fascism at worst, off-putting at best.

It’s obvious the NPP is desperate: every political party that believes it has the answers to Ghana’s soaring economic and social problems but has been in opposition for this long would become desperate and fight hard to gain power. But the fight should be fought within the borders of democracy and people should be allowed to freely hold and express opposing political views.

A clear case in point is the constant verbal assault of prominent entertainers who declare support for John Mahama and the NDC—measured against how conducive and peaceful it is for those who choose Nana Akufo Addo and the NPP.

In the last few months, GhanaCelebrities.Com has ran several articles on the various celebrities’ political endorsements which even the staunchest NPP supporter, if sincere would accept that while John Dumelo, Mzbel and the rest are constantly torn into on the web for their political affiliations, Kwabena Kwabena, Daddy Lumba and the rest are not treated in the same odious manner.

Interestingly, I do not think the lack of tolerance and the repugnant social media aggression of the NPP is at its zenith because they are in the opposition. Rather, it’s because the members of the NPP seem to have this false sense of being right, with anyone at the other side being wrong.

Currently, the US Democrat-Republican social media clash has taken the same shape—with every Trump supporter being regarded as a douche bag who shouldn’t even enjoy a right to make that choice, let alone has his or her opinions respected to any extent.

NPP’s intolerance on social media may work for the party’s faithfuls but if you want to win an election, you need to be able to attract those who sit on the fence, the undecided or floating voters, and even be able to persuade some of your opponents to switch sides—this cannot be achieved with the increasing social media abuse we are witnessing. 



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5 thoughts on “CHRIS-VINCENT Writes: NPP’s Social Media Intolerance is Fascism At Worst and Grossly Off-Putting At Best–What’s Democracy Without Respect for Opposing Views?”

    • “I support the NPP” no wonder you hate john dumelo to a fault. i’ve been reading your comments. what you guys don’t realize is this, the ndc unlike the npp believes in action rather than “cacophonic” virtuperations. come december 7th, you’ll know who really won; and guess what????

      Reply
  1. my dear u know why its so? its cos u will never hear example kwabena kwabena or lumba anywhere insulting and vilifying mahama nd ndc even though they do not belong there. maybe u havent done proper checks but ndc is the worst intolerant. i have suffered the same insults on an ndc platform just because i said i supported nana and npp. but u see u never heard or read cos i am not a celebrity. seriously i think its how we present our choices and views cos theres no way u will attack and insult nana addo and npp and expect not to be attacked too.
    and again i think these celebrities who claim are being attacked cos they support ndc is total lies. they only want to make news for themselves because its an election period.

    Reply
  2. intolerance is actually a reflection of low iq, low self esteem and once inability to speak to facts. figured out similarities between npp and the republican party of the us?

    Reply

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