Following on from the experience I mentioned in Eroding Liberties, Jenni Russell relates a similar depressing incident that occurred to her on arrival in Heathrow. Is this sort of thing becoming more prevalent? Jenni may be the canary in the coal mine. I sometimes feel the rest of us are frogs in water, unable to feel that the temperature is rising.
Category: Society
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Echoes of a Bomb
When you’ve been involved in an extreme event, it takes time for the impact echoes to die away. Sometimes they never do. Rachel is someone who has been involved in an extreme event, and this posting clearly shows the impact that it continues to have. But, small step by small step, I hope it gets better for her. -
Eroding Liberties
I’m becoming increasingly alarmed by what I view as the erosion of civil liberties that appears to be happening in the UK, driven by fear of terrorism – both real and imagined. The atmosphere of suspicion is getting thicker, and this has a negative impact on the way in which the authorities treat the citizen.For example, take the case of the actors and others returning from the Berlin Film Festival after a showing of their film The Road to Guantánamo. They were detained by police at Luton airport and questioned under the anti-terror laws. The disturbing thing to me was the manner in which they were questioned. Read the account by one of the actors of the incident, and reflect on it. Is this the sort of political police force that is emerging in the UK?Update: and then there’s this… -
Dumbing Down
The Guardian reports today on worrying evidence that the brain-eating virus of creationism is on the increase in British universities and colleges.A 21-year-old medical student and member of the Islamic Society, who did not want to be named, said that the Qur’an was clear that man had been created and had not evolved as Darwin suggests. "There is no scientific evidence for it [Darwin’s Origin of Species]. It’s only a theory. Man is the wonder of God’s creation."Ah, the "it’s only a theory" meme again… So is gravity, so perhaps this student would care to step off a cliff to demonstrate the fact.At another London campus some students have been failed because they have presented creationism as fact. They have been told by their examiners that, while they are entitled to explain both sides of the debate, they cannot present the Bible or Qur’an as scientifically factual if they want to pass exams.What a surprise… But apparently the students won’t let sticking to stories get in the way of passing exams; they’ll simply follow the advice of creationist David Rosevear:"I’ve got no problem with an all-powerful God producing everything in six days," he said. He said it was an early example of the six-day week. Students taking exams on the subject should not be dogmatic one way or the other. "I tell them – answer the question, it’s no good saying it [creationism] is a fact any more than saying evolution is a fact."Are we heading back into the Dark Ages? -
Self-loathing
What a sad person Ronald G. Lee must be, judging by the content of this article that he has written. Still, Sadly No! has managed to see the humour in the piece, and gleefully points it out for the purple-prosed pile of tosh that it is.Note: declaration of interest – I have visited Lobo’s in Houston several times over the years. Somehow, I managed to avoid the magnetic pull of the pornography in the back that exercised such a fascination on Mr. Lee, and have purchased a number of well-written novels and biographies there. I have even bought a coffee and a slice of carrotcake in the bookstore’s coffeeshop, and consumed them whilst reading my purchases in a state of calm. Even though there were other – gasp – homo-seks-uals on the premises, we somehow managed to exist in a state of clothed decorum and equanimity. -
It Takes Time…
At last, some sense on the cartoon furore, over at the Talk Politics blog. So unlike the shrill tub-thumping of Andrew Sullivan. -
Mukthar Mai
Tobias Schwarz, over at A Fistful of Euros, draws my attention to a recent story in SPIEGEL; the story of Mukthar Mai. While I knew something of her story, this article brings her tale to life, and adds further detail, some of which gives rise to the hope that out of her terrible experience, some good might come. Go and read it. -
It’s Tinfoil Hat Time…
Time to return to Andrew Sullivan again… Apparently, I’m not the only one who’s been emailing him to complain that Pim Fortuyn was not killed by Muslims. Undeterred, he’s now saying that Fortuyn was "murdered for standing up to Islamist intolerance and hate. He was killed by a far leftist who supported the Islamists". He quotes, as evidence for this, the entry for Pim Fortuyn in Wikipedia.Oh dear, Andrew, if you’re going to rest your case on a Wikipedia entry, let’s take a look at the Dutch version of Wikipedia, shall we? In particular, the entry for Volkert van der Graaf.His motive for the murder is given there as: "Hij gaf als motief dat hij in Fortuyn een steeds groter wordend gevaar voor de samenleving zag, met name voor kwetsbare groepen, zoals asielzoekers, moslims en mensen met een WAO-uitkering, aldus de verklaring van het Openbaar Ministerie" (he gave as the motive that he saw in Fortuyn an ever-growing danger for society, in particular for vulnerable groups such as asylum-seekers, muslims and people on benefits, according to the statement of the Public Prosecutor). Van der Graaf saw in Fortuyn the rise of another Hitler. That, it seems clear to me, was his reason for the murder, not because "he supported the Islamists". Van der Graaf viewed Muslims in Dutch society simply as an example of a vulnerable group who were being exploited by Fortuyn for political ends.Indeed, the English entry for van der Graaf states much the same thing: "He said he saw Fortuyn as a steadily increasing danger for vulnerable groups in society, namely Muslims. It was thereby a combination of Fortuyn’s stigmatising views, the polarising way that he presented them and the great political power that Fortuyn was threatening to obtain. He saw no other possibility for himself than to end the danger by killing Fortuyn".Frankly, I think Sullivan is tub-thumping and stretching the facts to fit his theory. Tinfoil hat time, Andrew… -
Andrew Sullivan and Pim Fortuyn
In the last week, Andrew Sullivan has mentioned the murder of Pim Fortuyn three times by my reckoning: here, here, and now here. In each case, the context is such that the impression is given that Fortuyn was murdered by Muslim extremists. Except, of course, he wasn’t.Fortuyn was killed by a non-Muslim – a white Dutch animal rights activist and vegan, Volkert van der Graaf.After two uses by Andrew Sullivan of this false and misleading implication, I emailed him to point out his error. But, since he has now perpetuated the misconception a third time, he clearly isn’t bothered about the facts. I’m not impressed. -
Interview with Hirsi Ali
In the wake of the Danish cartoons affair, SPIEGEL publishes an interview with Ayaan Hirsi Ali today. She’s as uncompromising as ever. -
Dog Bars
Where there’s a need, someone who’s enterprising will fill it. There was a time when I felt at home in a city. Not any more – I seek the quieter spaces of the country. -
The Poet Departs
Having only recently discovered the blog of Teju Cole, I now find that he has posted his last entry today, and, worse, will remove his pages from the web tomorrow. So, today is your last chance to read the remarkable prose poetry of this Nigerian man. -
We’re All Doomed…
Nine months ago I reported on a survey finding that seemed to indicate that Americans were switching off their intelligence in large numbers. Alas, it appears as though the brain-eating virus has crossed the pond and is munching its way through good British brains. I despair. Interestingly, it appears as though even this story has evolved in the course of a single day. This morning, it started off by claiming that the over-55’s were "more likely to believe in evolution". Now it says that they are less likely to believe. The evidence is here.I shall watch the Horizon programme, referred to in this story, with some trepidation. Horizon, while still touted by the BBC as its "flagship science programme", has in recent years shown alarming signs of being taken over by programme-makers who wouldn’t know good science if it hit them in the face. There have been some really bad Horizon prgrammes in the past few years, to the extent where I seriously question whether the BBC knows what "flagship" means any more. I’ll report back. -
Artificial Life
Robert Silverberg (an SF author) reflects on the work of Philip K. Dick (another SF author, and visionary). It’s an excellent article showing how Dick’s dystopias are showing up in our current reality today. He refers to Vivienne, an artificial friend who lives in your mobile phone (and drains your money on a monthly basis). The company behind it, Artificial Life, have a number of such artificial lifeforms aimed at 15-30 year old males and females. Personally, I gave up playing with dolls a very long time ago.(hat tip to Boing Boing for the Silverberg link) -
Not-So-Strange Bedfellows
Why am I not surprised that the Bush administration has allied itself alongside Iran in preventing Gay and Lesbian people from having a voice in the UN? -
European of the Year
Ayaan Hirsi Ali has been selected as European of the Year for 2006. The only thing that slightly modifies my rapture at this news is the fact that the award comes from the Reader’s Digest. I remember that from the days of my childhood, and it struck me even then as being marshmallow reading. Still, glad to see that Hirsi Ali has been recognised for her activities. -
Two Data Points From Nigeria
Two Nigerian bloggers comment on the news that the Nigerian government is to ban same-sex marriage.First up is Trae, a young 22-year old Nigerian who spews forth with a depressing stream of homophobia and misogyny on his blog Trae Days.At the other end of the spectrum is Tout Noir’s post in Afro Homo, who vents his frustration at the hypocrisy of certain aspects of Nigerian society.(hat tip to Global Voices Online for the links) -
Poignant Portrait
Dr. Charles posts a poignant portrait of one of his patients. I’ve had the privilege of meeting some of Martin’s pupils who share the same chromasomal history. It is indeed bittersweet that their candle of optimistic light is snuffed out all too quickly. -
Night Follows Day
While some Nigerians show themselves to be humans with their brains turned on, others reveal themselves as sound arguments as to why cockroaches should inherit the earth.
Geoff Coupe's Blog 