Political crap I need to vent at. Skip it if it bores you.
As much as I want to avoid politics i'd rather have my sanity so I shall make this quick. Close your eyes think of England (or mom's apple pie or whatever).
MoD papers found dumped in ditch.
Yep, some bugger nicked a holdall and ditched the papers it contained. The information was described as low grade but it's still worrying. and unneccessary. In a world where we are increasingly moving toward electronic storage and encryption should any government papers be carried around like a GCSE essay? Nuff said.
Browne defends UK foreign policy.
There is the suggestion that British foreign policy is against Muslims.
"Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the British Muslim Forum, who was among Muslim leaders to meet communities minister Ruth Kelly on Monday, urged the government to review its stance.
"What we're saying is that there's a massive amount of disquiet about British foreign policy," he said.
"And some of our young people have the perception that this foreign policy is directed against the Muslim world and therefore needs to be looked at.
"And all we're asking for is a review, and - if necessary - a change."
"
Des Browne "Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Des Browne said he did not accept that British foreign policy was "some kind of reason" for the radicalisation of Muslims.
"I believe that it may give them a focus around which they want to frame their grievances
Defence Secretary Des Browne, on UK foreign policy"
He said that analysis was based on a "distorted" view of foreign policy and that it could not account for why members of the community might become "indiscriminate terrorist killers".
He added: "I think that analysis ... fails to take account of the fact that the nature of this terrorism predates our involvement, for example, in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"One of the early attempts by Islamist terrorists to inflict substantial damage on the West was as far back as 1993 when the World Trade Centre was first targeted."
"
Ok, each side here has a point. Muslims must be feeling that they are being demonised. Their religion is constantly mentioned in relation to terrorist acts and what I can only describe as hate crimes.
Des Browne has a point in that foreign policy is not the reason these animals (I refer only to the extremist criminals) commit terrorist acts. It's just an excuse.
I have Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu friends and colleagues. They all get along fine. As usual the problem is individuals from every faith causing problems. The news will always report on the worst events. Just like not every Irish person was IRA or UDF not every asian or muslim is a terrorist. Unfortunately, while there is this population of extremist hiding behind Islam then Muslims become more suspect to the security forces.
I saw on the news this morning a Muslim copper (a chief or something I was watching it with one eye while I got dressed) was arguing against the idea that customs should focus their attentions on more likely cases. He said it would create a crime called travelling while asian.
I think it's a horrible necessity. If I was a customs officer at Heathrow and I had the choice of a more in depth search of a chinese passenger or a passenger with a full beard who was a muslim I know who I would choose. Just as during the IRA bombing campaign I would have given more attention to the chap with the Irish accent. While terrorists are using Islam as an excuse and claiming to be Muslim then Muslims are suspect. Life is a bitch.
The customs people should be properly apologetic and treat whoever they search with respect but they should still do their jobs. British lives are at stake, off all religions, as you know terrorists are not discerning when the chance to commit large scale murder comes up.
I don't doubt that Muslims in general would prefer it if everyone could just live in peace and sort out their differences without killing. I just hope these people come forward to help and together the non extremists of every faith can stop these criminals.
Sorry about all that.
Grape expectations
"The British buy their supermarket wines by price, says a leading industry executive, and £3.99 per bottle is the magic figure for those searching the supermarket aisles. But can you get anything decent at this price?"
How comedy is this? After what I said the other day about trying to learn more about wine it turns out the majority of consumers don't care so long as it's cheap. I have to say I have been guilty of choosing by price in the past but even then I had an idea of decent bottles rather than just choosing the cheapest. The article is right, there are some decent cheaper wines but there are also a lot of bottles of sugared water.
I was pretty loyal to Pinot Grigio for a while. Love the stuff and there are good bottles under a fiver. My wine of choice would have to be chablis but that always seems to be around £7 or £8 and a hell of a lot more if you go for a premier Cru or Grande Cru. I reckon it's best to buy wine for the event. Still what do I know? If you find a 50p bottle that yanks your chain then you are lucky. Why try to develop a taste for champagne if you prefer vin de table?
Apologies again for the ranty entry. It really bugs me that people can't just live their own lives and leave everyone else the fuck alone. If Catholics want to not use condoms and put their children in fear of hell fine. If Muslims want to live under sharia law fine. If Jews wish to be strict with themselves again, fine. I don't want any of that. I want to be free to live how I want to live. Of course the law of the land should make sure that people have the right to choose (such as a Muslim girl ignoring her families wishes and marrying outside of their religion) what they wish without fear of violence and persecution. We are a secular nation who must always guard against religious influence (who now trusts Ruth Kelly with her faith schools now she has admitted being a member of opus dei).
Has religion caused the majority of mankind's woes? Does it still cause death and pain? Make your own mind up.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/4793625.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4793477.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4791429.stm
MoD papers found dumped in ditch.
Yep, some bugger nicked a holdall and ditched the papers it contained. The information was described as low grade but it's still worrying. and unneccessary. In a world where we are increasingly moving toward electronic storage and encryption should any government papers be carried around like a GCSE essay? Nuff said.
Browne defends UK foreign policy.
There is the suggestion that British foreign policy is against Muslims.
"Khurshid Ahmed, chairman of the British Muslim Forum, who was among Muslim leaders to meet communities minister Ruth Kelly on Monday, urged the government to review its stance.
"What we're saying is that there's a massive amount of disquiet about British foreign policy," he said.
"And some of our young people have the perception that this foreign policy is directed against the Muslim world and therefore needs to be looked at.
"And all we're asking for is a review, and - if necessary - a change."
"
Des Browne "Speaking on BBC Radio 4's Today programme, Des Browne said he did not accept that British foreign policy was "some kind of reason" for the radicalisation of Muslims.
"I believe that it may give them a focus around which they want to frame their grievances
Defence Secretary Des Browne, on UK foreign policy"
He said that analysis was based on a "distorted" view of foreign policy and that it could not account for why members of the community might become "indiscriminate terrorist killers".
He added: "I think that analysis ... fails to take account of the fact that the nature of this terrorism predates our involvement, for example, in Iraq or Afghanistan.
"One of the early attempts by Islamist terrorists to inflict substantial damage on the West was as far back as 1993 when the World Trade Centre was first targeted."
"
Ok, each side here has a point. Muslims must be feeling that they are being demonised. Their religion is constantly mentioned in relation to terrorist acts and what I can only describe as hate crimes.
Des Browne has a point in that foreign policy is not the reason these animals (I refer only to the extremist criminals) commit terrorist acts. It's just an excuse.
I have Muslim, Jewish, Christian and Hindu friends and colleagues. They all get along fine. As usual the problem is individuals from every faith causing problems. The news will always report on the worst events. Just like not every Irish person was IRA or UDF not every asian or muslim is a terrorist. Unfortunately, while there is this population of extremist hiding behind Islam then Muslims become more suspect to the security forces.
I saw on the news this morning a Muslim copper (a chief or something I was watching it with one eye while I got dressed) was arguing against the idea that customs should focus their attentions on more likely cases. He said it would create a crime called travelling while asian.
I think it's a horrible necessity. If I was a customs officer at Heathrow and I had the choice of a more in depth search of a chinese passenger or a passenger with a full beard who was a muslim I know who I would choose. Just as during the IRA bombing campaign I would have given more attention to the chap with the Irish accent. While terrorists are using Islam as an excuse and claiming to be Muslim then Muslims are suspect. Life is a bitch.
The customs people should be properly apologetic and treat whoever they search with respect but they should still do their jobs. British lives are at stake, off all religions, as you know terrorists are not discerning when the chance to commit large scale murder comes up.
I don't doubt that Muslims in general would prefer it if everyone could just live in peace and sort out their differences without killing. I just hope these people come forward to help and together the non extremists of every faith can stop these criminals.
Sorry about all that.
Grape expectations
"The British buy their supermarket wines by price, says a leading industry executive, and £3.99 per bottle is the magic figure for those searching the supermarket aisles. But can you get anything decent at this price?"
How comedy is this? After what I said the other day about trying to learn more about wine it turns out the majority of consumers don't care so long as it's cheap. I have to say I have been guilty of choosing by price in the past but even then I had an idea of decent bottles rather than just choosing the cheapest. The article is right, there are some decent cheaper wines but there are also a lot of bottles of sugared water.
I was pretty loyal to Pinot Grigio for a while. Love the stuff and there are good bottles under a fiver. My wine of choice would have to be chablis but that always seems to be around £7 or £8 and a hell of a lot more if you go for a premier Cru or Grande Cru. I reckon it's best to buy wine for the event. Still what do I know? If you find a 50p bottle that yanks your chain then you are lucky. Why try to develop a taste for champagne if you prefer vin de table?
Apologies again for the ranty entry. It really bugs me that people can't just live their own lives and leave everyone else the fuck alone. If Catholics want to not use condoms and put their children in fear of hell fine. If Muslims want to live under sharia law fine. If Jews wish to be strict with themselves again, fine. I don't want any of that. I want to be free to live how I want to live. Of course the law of the land should make sure that people have the right to choose (such as a Muslim girl ignoring her families wishes and marrying outside of their religion) what they wish without fear of violence and persecution. We are a secular nation who must always guard against religious influence (who now trusts Ruth Kelly with her faith schools now she has admitted being a member of opus dei).
Has religion caused the majority of mankind's woes? Does it still cause death and pain? Make your own mind up.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/cambridgeshire/4793625.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/4793477.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/4791429.stm
posted by Student at 12:17 pm
2 Comments:
I read your article with interest. It was the final paragraph that struck the cord with me. The most basic requirement of any human being on this planet.....to be able to live his/her life in the way they want to and to hell with anybody who doesn't like it.
I posted a blog last night re Muslims and just what makes them tick. Maybe you'd be interested.
Cheers
Tremic http://tremic.blogspot.com
I posted the following as a comment on Tremic's blog but felt it was worth pasteing in here. I find this issue very difficult to talk about or rather be clear about. I believe in the freedom of the individual. Free speech, the right to do basically whatever you like as long as it doesn't interfere with someone elses right to do the same. I believe in the right of free protest. In that way i am prety liberal. I also believe that governments should land with a heavy foot on people how interfere with these rights. When it comes to punishment my liberalism takes a back seat. I don't agree with the human rights of the criminal, if you live outside societies rules you cannot expect them to apply to you when you are caught (and no, I don't mean like in guantanamo bay).
Thanks for the visit. I am not sure we totally agree but then that's freedom of speech.
I meant in no way to accuse all muslims. Islam is one of the most tolerant of the religions. As usual it has been twisted by some extremists.
Christianity had it's share of this. During the crucades it was considered holy to kill a muslim. The witch trials and inquisition tortured and murdered a lot of people for their own good (die by suffering and fire and get into heaven). Some of the most militant anti abortionists (I refuse to call them pro life) have claimed to be christian. How many soldiers are full on christians? Is it thou shalt not kill unless the goverment says it's ok?
As with most extremists they are absolutely convinced that they are right. Why enter into dialogue when you know you are right? Someone who will not listen to reasoned argument, even if they disagree is very suspect.
Unlike you I have a real problem with all religion. This is not to say I believe people should not have the right to worship if they like. I just feel that religion seems to give people the excuse to behave in ways most people would consider to be abhorrent if they thought about it objectively.
I am certainly not claiming that all religions have had some positive aspect just that it creates an us and them culture that can only be detrimental in the long run. It's time people thought for themselves and treat people how they would wish to be treated.
As far as treason goes I agree. I feel the death sentence has a place in our society. I think the judicial system would need to be reviewed first and there would need to be checks and balances to make sure that the innocent do not die. I am a firm believer in 10 guilty men go free rather than one innocent man going to the gallows (although instead of go free it could be get life with the option of case review).
People who use terrorism to force their political will on the rest of us have no place in a free society. I believe that people should be able to say anything (which is why I would never call for the closure of the BNP despite being personally repelled by a lot of their dogma) but as soon as they use violence they have put themselves outside of society and should no longer be able to call upon it's protection. I do mean all extremists animal rights, anti abortion (or pro abortion who use violence I am aware that this issue has the arseholes on both sides), religious terroists etc etc.
Sorry to rant on. It's a hugely emotive issue, even to a cynical athiest like myself.
Post a Comment
<< Home