Homophobia and its effects

I haven't as yet said anything about the homophobic attack against a PC in Liverpool, because there is nothing much to say which others haven't already said much more lucidly than I could.

What has been somewhat disappointing is the in-fighting which has erupted within the gay organisations in the city. I am on the steering group of one of these although I feel rather a 'fringe' member.

I wonder why groups always feel they have to compete against each other? Its notable that just to confuse matters even more we now have a Manchester group trying to be representative of the whole north-West even though there is really no evidence of any consultation in areas such as Sefton.

Why can't groups focus on what they do well? There is a need to do the in-depth policy influence stuff. For some, high-profile public events are important. Why not allow different groups to get on with their work without the need to try and obliterate the other?

Drugs and advisers

Irrespective of who is right or wrong, what's the point of taking on expert advisers if the intention is to ignore their advice?

Nick Griffin

He wasn't very good, was he?

But that isn't really the point. Are there points of view which are so unacceptable that they should not be simply treated as others? Should the BNP be regarded as any other political party?

I'm asking a rhetorical question, because I think not, but if so, then should they be permitted to exist?

Religionist events

Well, the evils really are having some fun, aren't they. The Albanian government wants the bones back of mass murderer and epitomy of evil, 'Mother' Teresa, who specialised in infecting and killing the poor and taking money from dictatorships which she gave to Vatican plc whilst spending her time in hospital in the very best surroundings. This evil bitch epitomises Vatican plc and its priorities as it ensures the death of millions whilst trying to promote over-population and preventing women from controlling their own fertility. I am sure that the awarding of 'sainthood' will be made by Hitler Youth member Ratfinger and it will maintain the level of morality of this truly distasteful organisation

So what fun to see them making a bid for the misogynists and closet queens of the Forward in Faith cult. Of course, the reason this particular group of hypocrites won't go is that they fear the likely purge of gay men from the Catholic priesthood and/or that they actually don't really go for the somewhat 'low' character of Catholic worship. What was particularly sickening was to see Chief Backstabber Rowan Williams on the platform - caught out again by Vatican plc, even though he has done everything they want, down to betraying his friend Jeffrey John. What a spineless waste of oxygen he is - and so amusing that despite his efforts, the whole thing is going to crash around his ears in any case. He won't have a single friend left given that he inspires mockery amongst his new found conservative friends, and the liberals regard him as a hypocrite and simply not to be trusted.

But when one looks at the whole affair, one can only conclude that the church has nothing to offer. I should have seen this for myself a lot earlier. It is desperately sad to see so much manipulation and power-chasing in something which is meant to be 'spiritual'. And if conservative religionism is 'spirituality' one can understand why other spiritualities and humanist alternatives are growing in popularity

Scum and homophobia in the Daily Mail

I'm not going to dignify the disgusting material written by Moir, which has already received more complaints than any other ever written to the PCC

But this is a good commentary

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/16/stephen-gately-jan-moir

There is not a scrap of evidence in the article, and whilst one expects no better from the Mail, it is quite unacceptable before Stephen has even been buried, and it would never be acceptable, because it is fantasy and homophobia of the worst order.

Please complain via http://www.pcc.org.uk . The article breaks clauses 1, 5 and 12 of the code

Those weren't the days....

My partner and I (ooh, we sound like Queens!) are reasonably similar to look at. We often get asked if we are brothers or not. I don't know if anyone saw the programme on hotel renovation on C4 earlier this week, but it featured a pair of brothers running a Blackpool hotel. I can only assume they were separated at birth. One had a Middlesbrough accent, the other was Scouse. Or certainly sounded it

I have no evidence to say that they are not brothers, but it was quite bizarre...and in Blackpool? Hardly a problem?

Thought it was too good to last

Yet more nonsense regarding parliamentary expenses. I cannot understand the extreme gullibility and stupidity of the British public and their usual hysterical over-reaction. The typical 'anti-politics' populism, the envy, and the hypocrisy all out there to see.

The rukes were as they were. You can't then turn around three or four years later and say, "oh, they were wrong, and so you have to pay money back". And the main reason the expenses system worked as it did was thatcher's reluctance to raise MP's salaries. Any job which requires people to maintain two homes will inevitably be costly. And its no good for the Stupids (the British electorate) to then whinge on about 'too many professional politicians' or their MP not being around. They can't have it both ways. If you want people in normal relationships, with families, to become MP's, then they need to be enabled to live in two places, and if you want people with external work experience to become MP's, its no good paying salaries which are considerably less than many professional jobs which don't require two homes!

What will happen is that a lot of people will work out that being an MP means spending most of the year in a cramped bedsit never seeing one's family, working ludicrous hours for less than many could get elsewhere. So there will be two sorts of MP's still attracted to politics. Those with independent financial means who already run the Tory party. Or political obsessives who don't want a partner or family and are willing to live, eat and breathe politics.

Well done, great British public. What a result!

So, the conference season

Could you raise any enthusiasm about it?

My thoughts....the LibDems appear still to have no real reason for existing. Under Charles Kennedy they had carved themselves a place to the left of Labour, and that would be very welcome now - but under Clegg they appear to be unsure of what they are for other than to sound like David Cameron. Should there be a hung Parliament I would be surprised if they managed to hang together. There are some who are aching to join the Tories in government, others who wouldn't touch them with a bargepole

Labour appeared tired and resigned to defeat. Its not really surprising. Their problem is first, that people appear to want to be 'led' and Brown isn't that sort of inspirational figure. and that their recent past means that it is harder for them to be as critical as they should be with regard to the market.

But the Tories - well, they make the right noises, and the gloss is there, and the electoral cycle means they are buoyant. Inevitable. However, they have two glaring problems. First, that their economic policies would be a disaster. Monetarism should be utterly discredited yet they are still angsting about the debt and suggesting cuts - the fast route to stagflation. The second is that they rant on about big government whilst praising both SureStart and the NHS, two products of it - remove government and they seem to be under the illusion that somehow Something Would Turn Up. I don't think it would. In my experience people like the idea of community participation as long as its others who actually do it. Too often initiatives end up being taken over by a small, unelected and unrepresentative group, such as our local residents association which appears to be entirely self selecting. No doubt the Tory plans will give them encouragement but I'm not convinced.

RIP Stephen Gately

Very sad news about Steven's untimely death. Made me remember a good friend of mine who died young - too young.

Seems so pointless.

Back from Provence

And a very pleasant time was enjoyed too....

But politics hasn't improved. Cameron is still smarming around, vacuous enough to make Blair appear profound. The government stagger from one disaster to the next - its really hard to feel sympathy for someone who pilots silly legislation through Parliament and then falls foul of it. There are plenty of illegal workers, mostly on low wages in service industries. Clearly there was no long queue of British workers wanting to be Lady Scotland's cleaner, but why should it be the employers responsibility to prove someone's legality. Quite how are they meant to do it?

As for the Lib Dems. Its good to see Charles Kennedy and Evan Harris fighting back against the Clegg-Cable Tory-lite position. There are many people in the LibDems who have more in common with Labour progressives than the neo-liberals in their own party and in both of the main parties.

I have noted very little being said about taxation - but surely if spending is being considered, so should taxation?

Keep politics out of policing

Between 2000 and 2004 I was an independent member of Merseyside Police Authority. This was an interesting activity, and I felt it was worthwhile. At times the politicking between the different parties did rankle, and the behaviour of a couple of the Liberal Democrats was atrocious, but I would say that generally the politicians recognised the need for operational independence and that there was no wish to politicise policing.

Boris Johnson, elected buffoon of London, has proudly announced that the Tories are 'in control' of the Metropolitan police. Given some of their recent public order failures, that isn't something anyone should wish to boast about. I think it is wrong for a political party to behave in this way. It is partially a problem of a settlement which does not give the Metropolitan police authority very much say, and where the Home office and the Mayoralty appear to be in some sort of competition for the greatest influence. But it is not the direction in which policing should be heading. Police must be allowed to do their job without the short-termist influence of those seeking votes

Return of famine to Ethiopia

The headline report in todays Independent online relates the problem of Ethiopia and the return of famine.

It is clear that a range of issues have conspired to lead to this - climate change and the lack of rain is clearly an important factor.

But there is one sentence hidden away in the centre of the report which no-one will face up to, particularly the religionists who have far too much influence over aid policy

Referring to 1984-85, when one million inhabitants died:
"Ethiopia's population has doubled to 80 million".

Read that again. Because there has to be a recognition that there can never be prosperity or even the ability to feed the population whilst it continues to grow at this rate. It is vital that African populations are stabilised and this means that all foreign aid must be dependent on the implementation of a population control policy

If there is no willingness to implement this, then any money given is wasted and the people in Ethiopia must be left to their inevitable fate. Putting off the inevitable by shipping in food aid without doing something about the ludicrous increase in population is pointless

Last Richard Searling show on Smooth Radio NW next week

Radio in England as far as music is concerned is blander than bland. Most stations sound exactly the same and follow a safe and unchallenging music playlist. Smooth Radio has slid into this category over the past year: its pleasant enough but oh, so safe.

One of the highlights has been Richard Searling's soul show, which has always been worth a listen - despite being on Saturday 5-8pm, when many people are not around. Sadly, for reasons unknown, Smooth Radio have decided that as of next week it will be no more. No doubt they will replace it with something suitably mainstream and dull.

In the meantime at least we have Jazz FM and American radio on the internet!

Disappearing children

The latest is a girl who went missing for 18 years. I cannot believe that anyone would have stayed hidden in adulthood without evidence of Stockholm syndrome, particularly likely when ones captor is also the father of one's children. There would have been opportunities to go but clearly she chose not to.

More curiously, exactly how hidden can something be for just about everyone to avoid it for 18 years? A young woman and two children living in a series of tents in a back garden, and absolutely nobody noticed? What does this say about extreme privatisation of life?

RyanAir: a model for public services?

I don't think so.

The problem with treating public service as something one 'chooses' is unrealistic. can choose whether to fly by RyanAir, or, indeed, whether to fly at all

Most recipients of council services have no effective choice or their choice will affect others. Lets say that bin collection is charged for. What happens to those who will not pay. The rubbish piles up outside. The inhabitants of that house say: we don;t care, we love our maggotty and ratty friends, and we don't give a shit about our neighbours. We want to do what we like.
Libertarian loonyism at its best.

Of course, their actions will affect others, which is why we opt for public services and collective provision in the first place. Applying this sort of consumerist model will not do anything other than harm those most in need.

It is interesting how the different strands of Toryism are already starting to show their very different characteristics. This approach is essentially libertarian and concerned with reducing public spending. The effect will be to harm those who are either unknown , unseen, or who do not make enough noise or who cannot afford the extra charges. The communitarian approach of Iain Duncan Smith and his think-tank would suggest as far more collective and interventionist approach based far more on catholic social teaching

RIP Teddy Kennedy

I'm quite a critic of much American policy, and no politician is perfect. I think Teddy Kennedy knew that all too well. Yet he was a brave and passionate campaigner for many causes which were not popular, he always throughout his career spoke out for minority rights, and was well aware of the deficiencies of American health care.

Lets hope his memory can be kept with some progress on health provision in the US, something he always worked tirelessly for

Well done Kenny MacAskill

It is always heartening when a politician makes the right decision, even when he is being pressurised not to do so.

In the case of the so-called Lockerbie bomber, those who have studied the case in depth, including the most intelligent and rational relatives of the victims such as Martin Cadman and Jim Swire, have concluded that he was very unlikely to have been involved. It is all too easy to hold a show trial and reach the conclusion the US government wanted and which suited labelling the bogey government of the day.

In any case, the release was not parole or anything like that - purely an acknowledgment that in civilised countries we allow dying men to be released in compassionate grounds. There is no such equivalent in American law, which speaks for itself

We really must stop being America's poodle. Arms length is the best place to be. The Atlanticists are terribly upset about this decision because they seriously believe that a 'special relationship' exists - it doesn't, and neither should we wish it to. If this emphasises that point, then all the better. And the next step is to tell them to get on with Afghanistan on their own.

The NHS

There is no perfect health system. It would be nice if there was, but there isn't. And if we were going to puck an ideal, then it certainly wouldn't be the American system. Hugely expensive to run, and beneficial only to those who have the money to pay. Any academic analysis shows that the US alternative is poor value for money and does not cater for those who do not have that money

It has its faults - but if its a choice between waiting for treatment, or as the poor in the US experience, no treatment at all, or the very basics, then its the NHS every time. When health care is provided by markets, then those who cannot financially compete will suffer.

Alan Duncan...

... doesn't have a great deal on common with me , politically, but I share his view about the ridiculous over=reaction to the MP's expenses issues.

In any case, I don't think undercover filming of someone giving of his own time says very much about those who opt for those methods

APA opposes self-repression

Goran, an occasional commentator on this blog, has brought
http://rallianceblog.blogspot.com/2009/08/new-apa-study-repudiates-so-called-ex.html
to my attention.

It is notable that no reputable organisation working in this area supports self-repression. It is a relief that at least some people do manage to escape although not always unscathed

Puritanism is never the answer

There is an interesting article in today's Guardian, raising the issue of the political Left and its abandonment of its 'puritan' tradition.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/aug/06/labour-moral-market-gambling-society
I am a fierce opponent of puritanism, I think it is a negative, depressing and ultimately deadening philosophy. What Hunt has one is to confuse the life-enhancing benefits of choice and social liberalism with the diktats of the market. Neither Crosland nor Jenkins would have used market freedom to justify change, as might some elements of New Labour.

However, the alternative as prescribed by Hunt would be a censorious and judgmental society based on his narrow and conservative idea of 'morality'

I trust that he will realise that this is not the sort of message which any left-liberal party should be supporting or promoting. We are all too aware of the usual moral-panics cries of those scared of change. What we should be doing is enabling proper regulation which should not be directed either by the market or by moral disapproval.

Father David Heron - speaking truth to power

As regular readers know, my disillusion with the church is almost terminal, but its good to see that there are still those who are prepared to speak out

Have a look at http://fatherdavidheron.blogspot.com . It is the satirical site of Father David Heron and his excellent expose of another blog by a prominent supporter and advocate of the self-hatred movement.

We need to remember that these people may be deluded and self-oppressed, but they are also dangerous, because they can and do fuck up others lives than their own. Some admit their delusion and /or mistake, and move on to do some good work - http://www.courage.org.uk being an example. But those who do not need to be vigorously opposed and challenged. They are too fearful to do this with those who understand that, as a contributor to David's blog notes " it's very strange for a robustly heterosexual man, particularly a member of the clergy, to maintain a website on the topic of how much he enjoys sticking it to the missus"

Nerds and national security

The extradition agreement with the UA was clearly something signed in something of a hurry. It is lopsided and relies on much stronger evidence one way - and so should never have been signed at all

That being said, I am quite sure it was never intended for herds with Asperger's syndrome spending all their time searching for UFO's

Alan Johnson should try Gary McKinnon here and his punishment should be something useful, putting his computer skills to the good.

And shouldn't the Pentagon try and patch some of those security failures??

Assisted suicide

I welcome the recent judgment and hope it will be the first step to a much saner policy on this issue.

I think that the reality is that the medical profession has extended the possibility of keeping people alive, and there has to be the option for people to say - no. I do believe that personal autonomy over the time of our death is something which is well overdue.

More Christian whining.

We now seem to be getting a constant dribble of whine-a-thons from Christians who seem to think that it is their right to discriminate in the professional working environment just because of their religionism.

No other group claims this sort of right. It is quite clear that Christians should not be discriminated against because they are Christians, but that does not give them the right to discriminate against others.

So, if , as in the latest case, a doctor does not agree with the equality given to couples irrespective of their sexual orientation in terms of adoption, then the doctor clearly cannot partake in the process, because their beliefs necessitate discrimination against others. Just claiming these are the outcome of being a Christian means nothing, because being a Christian doesn;t give you the right to discriminate. It means that others must not discriminate against you, but not that one's prejudiced beliefs are legally protected just because they have a religious label attached to them.

Really, though, this demonstrates that religion is properly placed in the private sphere. One's 'beliefs' cannot be protected - one's right to believe them, yes, but not if that necessitates discrimination against others.

of course, many Christians have not felt the need to go to such extremes, but then we are talking about fringe conservative evangelicals, in the main.

Abusive 'therapies'

Please go to :

http://www.pinknews.co.uk/news/articles/2005-13270.html

read the story, and do what you can to assist.

Whatever one's views, this sort of coercion is utterly unacceptable, and Exodus, a throughly disreputable group of charlatans, need to be curbed - as, indeed, they would be in this country. Fortunately, these groups are tiny over here, and their rate of 'success' is miniscule

Liverpool One, EVERTON TWO

Its good to see that my beloved football club now have a presence in the City centre, in the new Liverpool One development

Its called Everton Two, hence the address is...Everton two, Liverpool one!

Amusing commentary...

I moderate the comments sent to the blog, and some of them are really quite amusing. I've just had another anonymous person, fundy religionist of course, suggesting that as i placed the words 'shit' and 'arse' near each other, I must have a fixation with this.

Now, dear, I hate to tell you this, but as that hadn't crossed my mind, and as you are the one who made the connection, could it be that its you with the fixation. After all, its well known that the professional ex-gays who put pictures of their marital beds and children online are utterly obsessed with gay sex, probably because they aren't getting any.

Sentiment and the Forces

People choose a job for many reasons. Some things in jobs we like, others we don't. Some jobs have public popularity, others don't. Some jobs are dangerous, others are not.

Being a member of the Armed forces is clearly a dangerous role, but it is one freely chosen. here are many other dangerous jobs.

So why is it that the death of people in the armed forces , fighting in a war with tenuous benefit, bring weeping people out on to the streets? Those crying didn't know them.

I wonder how and why they can identify with them. To me, those who join the services have made what is essentially an immoral judgment. I don't admire them, neither do i feel any connection to them. When they die - well, what do they expect? They have signed up to become part of a war machine which kills people. they should then expect to be killed. Why, then, the risible emotionalism for something which is a central part of the job?

I really can;t understand the mentality of those who say on the one hand, oppose the war and cut defence spending, and then launch into Sun-type rhetoric about 'supporting our boys' and 'not being opposed to the troops'. That is illogical nonsense. If you oppose the war and the military, then one must oppose their activities.

As such I view the deaths as sad for the individuals, but an occupational hazard - nothing more. And, no, they did not 'do it for me'. they made a free choice to take a job in the military. They live, and die, with the consequences.

This week's shit of the week

Step forward, 'Bishop Pete Broadbent.

'Call me Pete' is the epitomy of the so-called 'trendy' bishop who is in fact, a deeply conservative, anti-gay voice within the church. I interpret his views are homophobia, through and through, and indeed, his sour and personally abusive emails which he sent to me a few years back helped me to see the church for what it really is.

Broadbent is exceptionally unpopular. He was once a Labour councillor in Islington at a time when revealing his anti-gay views would have been political suicide. Choosing to climb the greasy ladder of the church hierarchy instead, he switched his allegiance to the evangelicals and has since been a prominent spokesperson for the homophobic current rules within the church

TEC in the USA have agreed that there should be no bar placed on gay and lesbian people in relationships. Good for them. Broadbent has been one of those who has condemned them.

Well, what's new This man still has the temerity to call himself a socialist. he wouldn't know socialism if it crawled up his arse.....maybe its that he needs!

Shit of the week, Pete Broadbent, Bishop of Willesden - a true representative of the contemporary church and all it stands for.

Recommendation - ditch Broadbent and his putrid band of imaginary-friend bigots.

http://www.secularism.org.uk/

Shit of the Week

Take a bow, Jarvis Cocker

Not only is he a talentless little artschool wanker who hasn't made anything approaching a listenable record, but he still thinks its funny to make jokes after someone's death.

Well, given that if Cocker had been the one to die, in a few months no-one would remember this rather sad, pathetic has-been, one can understand the jealousy.

Sad recent deaths

Marking exam scripts doesn't leave much time for blogging, but the death of Michael Jackson does need to be recorded. No matter what anyone says about the events of his life, we have lost someone with the most extraordinary talent.

And Mollie Sugden has died. I hope she will be happy at rest with her pussy

RIP both