Category: Society

Just been watching the Intelligence Squared Debate on the proposition that “Atheism is the New Fundamentalism”. Speaking for the motion were Richard Harries and Charles Moore. Speaking against the motion were AC Grayling and Richard Dawkins.

It won’t come as a surprise to learn that the proposers of the motion were trounced.

Harries was ineffectual and Moore was bordering very close to ad hominem attacks on Dawkins. The problem that the proposers had is that, as evidenced from their opponents’ performances tonight, Dawkins and Grayling clearly aren’t “Atheist Fundamentalists”, no matter how much Harries, and Moore in particular, would like them to be. Dawkins and Grayling were very good and effortlessly staked out their position against the motion.

It seems to me that an Atheist Fundamentalist is something of a mythical beast, invented by the religious, and has no more likelihood of existence than a pink unicorn. It’s a simplistic label for the lazy to rail against the Four Horsemen of Dawkins, Dennett, Harris and Hitchens.

Take it away, Lily and GayClic!

I see that Tariq Ramadan has been giving us the benefit of his opinions again:

My position on homosexuality is quite clear…Islam, as Christianity, as Judaism, as even the Dalai Lama…[are] not accepting of homosexuality, saying that this is forbidden according to the principles of our religion…My position, with homosexuals, is to say, "We don’t agree with what you are doing, but we respect who you are," which I think is the only true liberal position that you can have.

As Ophelia says, this is hardly the “only” true liberal position that you can have. In fact, I would go as far as to say that it shows very clearly what a piece of work Tariq Ramadan is, and why I totally reject his “philosophy”. Indeed, I think Mo sums Ramadan up pretty well. It’s hardly surprising that the city of Rotterdam terminated his contract as an “integration advisor”. But then again, one wonders how they ever fell for his sophistry in the first place.

"It is the easiest way to find those people who are destroying Islam and who want to dirty the reputation we took centuries to build up."

Hardline Islamists, including a number of political figures close to the government of President Karzai, have repeatedly called for Mr Kambaksh’s execution and were fiercely critical when an appeal court reduced the original death sentence to 20 years’ imprisonment. One senior diplomatic source said: "The danger is very real and we are well aware that there will be a reaction when it becomes clear that Pervez had gone. It was imperative he was safely out of the way before attempts could be made to block that."

Nick Cohen’s Turning a Blind Eye to Misogyny and

Clive James’ A Veil of Silence Over Murder.

Alan Turing is almost one of the forgotten computer pioneers and a hero of World War II. Hardly surprising really; it was the British Government who stripped him of his security clearance at GCHQ when he was convicted in 1952 of being homosexual and who put him under surveillance. He was also sentenced to receive “treatment” – a course of drugs that had the effect of chemically castrating him, and which caused him to grow breasts. As a result, he committed suicide at the age of 41 by eating an apple laced with cyanide.  The symbol of the half-eaten apple lives on today as the trademark of Apple Computer, in what may be an apocryphal reference to Turing’s role in pioneering computer science and to the manner of his death.

I have to say that over the last twenty years, public knowledge of both the man’s achievements and his persecution have grown, but I am still surprised when I come across folks working today in the computer industry who know nothing about him other than the fact that there’s something called the Turing Test.

Now, a British computer scientist, John Graham-Cumming, has had the idea of petitioning the British Government to make a formal apology to Turing. I’ve added my name to the list of signatories (only open to UK citizens), even though I have some reservations. First, and most obviously, it’s a bit late for Turing. But perhaps more importantly, he wasn’t the only homosexual to have had their life destroyed by the poisonous bigotry of the society at the time. An apology to him should really be an apology to all. I see that Richard Dawkins has become involved with the campaign. He makes the point that a practical outcome would be for the Government to provide a permanent financial endowment to Bletchley Park, where Turing and others contributed so much to the wartime effort.

The campaign also got a mention on Channel 4 News:

 http://c.brightcove.com/services/viewer/federated_f8/1184614595

I note, however, that in keeping with the slipping standards of journalism these days, the video is titled, and introduced, as the campaign to “pardon” him. It’s not a pardon – it’s an apology, you stupid people! Honestly, education standards are not what they were in my day…

Oh, and one last connection: I used to live practically around the corner from where he was born in Maida Vale…

Update: Well, Turing got his apology! Well done to John Graham-Cumming for having the idea in the first place.

I probably should have a series of posts like this. There are times when I look at things in my adopted country, and think to myself (often with a smattering of pride or alternatively, complete incomprehension): “Only in the Netherlands…”

Here’s a case in point, It’s an advert designed to get gay people (because it was on the back cover of the most recent issue of the Gay Krant – the Dutch magazine for gay folks) to apply to become members of the Dutch police force. Translated, it says: “Police, captivating work! – also for you?”. I should perhaps point out that this advert is one of those that I feel proud of.

The gentleman in the picture is Hans Klok, a Dutch magician.