Closed. The boat sank, the sharks won.

19 year old Chris Brown pleaded guilty to a single count of assault on his former girlfriend and was sentenced to 6 months community labour, with 5 years probation during which time he will have to attend courses on Domestic Violence.

Is that enough for a first offence? Or is it a slapped wrist for a young man who will go on to do it again?

Brown was originally facing a jail term of up to 4 years but in a statement outside the court his lawyer said that

"He embraces this as a chance to get the message out that domestic violence will not be tolerated. He wants to get his life back on track."

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patricia Schnegg told him:

"I think it’s commendable that you took responsibility for your conduct, sir."

He made the right noises and got away with less punishment. Does it make any difference that Brown is This Chris Brown? And that the former girlfriend is Rihanna? I’m not sure, but I don’t think it should. On the one hand the celebrity of a young R&B singer standing up and speaking out against domestic violence could have a HUGE impact, but he’s not suggested he do that has he?

But you know what bothers me more? 

After Brown left the courtroom, Rihanna entered and was addressed by Judge Schnegg who explained to the Barbados-born singer that she had issued a stay-away order.

The singer had not been seeking such an order, but the judge imposed one anyway.

The order requires that Brown and Rihanna stay at least 50 yards (45m) from each other, except at entertainment industry events when the distance is reduced to 10 yards (9m).

The judge also told Rihanna it is not a one-way order - and that she, too, should not get any closer to Brown than the order allows.

Rihanna didn’t seek a Stay Away order but one was imposed anyway? And that last bit "it is not a one way order" just implies that Rihanna is just as wrong as he is and just as guilty. Well, I suppose we don’t know all the details of this particular case but how many times do you hear "she asked for it" or "she provoked me"? How many? And how many times is that allowed as a good reason for violence?

So says Nick Griffin, BNP leader, who was pelted with eggs and forced to abandon an impromptu press conference outside parliament. He goes on to say that the BNP:

won votes because it spoke openly about the problem of immigration

he argued that the "political elite" were responsible for making "the indigenous British majority… second class citizens in every possible sphere".

Now I don’t condone pelting anyone with eggs and I believe firmly in the freedom of any individual to speak their own political views, but this man’s hate and intolerance are somehow too much for that. The BNP are, reportedly, aiming to fund the resettlement of non-white immigrants living in the UK so they can return "home" and then the indigenous white majority will have enough jobs will we? Then life will be good again will it? Very familiar start to a familiar process there Mr Griffin.

"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Communist; And then they came for the trade unionists, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist; And then they came for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew; And then… they came for me… And by that time there was no one left to speak up."

So, first the non-white immigrants, then who? What if they don’t want to leave Mr Griffin? What then? Will you use force and deport them instead? How will you decide who gets to stay and who gets to leave? Will you use skin colour grading? The pencil in the hair test? DNA?

I am just plain disgusted that the UK managed, through political apathy and disinterest, to actually elect 2 of these fascists into power.I despair, I really do.