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31 July 2010

Ground Zero and Zero Tolerance

The proposal in New York that a large Mosque and Community Centre should be built near "Ground Zero" has raised a few hackles, to say the least. There are rational ways of looking at the proposal but, hell, how many people these days like to think rationally?!

It's much easier to give way to our baser instincts of hate, fear and prejudice.

Thinking rationally, the proposed Mosque and associated community centre mirrors other similar centres in New York already enjoyed by Christians and Jews. Thinking rationally, the awful tragedy of the "Twin Towers" involved Muslims being killed and Muslims taking part in the rescue operations. Thinking rationally, moderate Muslims are urged to step up to the plate and preach religious tolerance and denounce radical Islamic terrorism, but when moderate Muslims do just this and come forward with this Mosque as part of the solution they are criticised.

No, it's easier to be swept along by the 'Gingrichian' and 'Palinistic' rhetoric and make statements like "You can build a mosque here when we can build a synagogue in Mecca".

Since the general outrage should easily have been foreseen by the mosque proponents, I do think they can be fairly criticized for naivety and insensitivity.

On balance - and in spite of what I have just written - I oppose the idea on the grounds that organised Religion of all faiths is both the repository and the breeding ground for most of the evil visited upon this planet.

If we could all be allowed to believe (or not believe) in God, and be allowed to have our personal relationship (or no personal relationship) with God, without power-hungry men in funny clothes and fanatical evangalists, imams, pastors and priests having the gall to tell us how to think, the world would be a better place.


16 July 2010

Two Things making me Mad

1. FACEBOOK TRIBUTE PAGE TO RAOUL MOAT

It is a great relief to know that the Moat Tribute Page has now been taken down, but the fact that it was set up in the first place, and contributed to by thousands of people is deeply disturbing. What does it say about our society when this man is treated as some kind of hero, when he (on release from prison) murdered his ex-girlfriend's new partner, seriously injured his ex-girlfriend, then went on to shoot a policeman sitting in his patrol car (thus blinding him), before going on the run and threatening to kill any policeman in his path, and later threatening to kill members of the general public on a random basis.

After a week-long search in the wilds of Northumbria, using police forces from all over the UK, at huge expense, Moat eventually shot himself having been surrounded by armed police. I am shedding no tears for him. As for those idiots who contributed to his Facebook Tribute Page, they have neither intelligence nor morals.

2. WHAT CONSTITUTES A CRIME IN THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?

The Vatican, after sustained pressure over the world-wide scandal of paedophile priests, has now belatedly made it easier for these perverts in long dresses to be called to account. But at the same time it has been stated that paedophilia is on a similar footing to the crime of attempting to ordinate women into the priesthood.

I despair of all organised religion, and the Catholic Church in particular.

07 July 2010

Digital Britain

Apparently the proposal to switch off FM radio by 2015 is still on course. I am incensed about this. Nobody asked us our opinion. Millions of car radios will become obsolete. Millions of domestic portable radios will be worthless. DAB radio has an appalling record for quality and ease of reception.


Digital TV has been a completely different set of circumstances: the switch to digital TV broadcasting has enabled us to receive a far greater choice of channels, and for the most part reception is OK. But with radio we already have a superb collection of available FM channels giving high-quality sound; DAB broadcasting, by comparison, is hopeless.

I can't use a DAB radio anywhere in my house (even though I'm told that with my Post Code I should be able to get it!)


"Digital Britain" = "Backward Britain".


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