Shabbaz Bhatti RIP

May Angels lead you into paradise; may the Martyrs receive you at your coming and lead you to the holy city of Jerusalem. May a choir of Angels receive you, and with Lazarus, who once was poor, may you have eternal rest. Pray for the repose of the soul of Shabbaz Bhatti, Pakistani Minister for Minorities, assassinated for his Christian beliefs.

Judgement

No, not bankers with their noses in the trough, completely oblivious to natural justice, but judges themselves who persist in trying the patience of ordinary law abiding citizens.

Yesterday it was the turn of Mr and Mrs Johns from Derby who had already fostered many children but were disallowed from further fostering homeless children under the equality laws because of the way they expressed their Christian faith. The judges said, “We sit as secular judges serving a multicultural community of many faiths. We are sworn (we quote the judicial oath) to 'do right to all manner of people after the laws and usages of this realm, without fear or favour, affection or ill will’.” An ironic comment following the Prime Minister's remarks following on from Angela Merkle's that multiculturalism had failed. Once again it appears that any views can be expressed provided they are not Christian or perceived to question other faiths.

Also in our one size fits all society, the European Court has decided that insurance risk assessment must be abandoned in the interests of gender equality resulting in higher premiums in general and for women in particular. Coming hot on the heels of the votes for prisoners farce, many law abiding citizens must be wondering where all this is leading and would be justified in thinking that 'equality' and 'human rights' judgements have become a load of cobblers - unless they are football fans. 

Immigration gone mad

Though deprived of media links during my half-term retreat, much sad news reached me via another's mobile phone. Amongst stories of the tragic loss of life and destruction in the New Zealand earthquake and in the turmoil in the Middle East was a report that 3.2 million foreign migrants were added to the UK population during the Labour party’s 13 years in power (enough foreign nationals to fill Birmingham three times over) and that the level of net migration into the UK rose by 36 per cent last year. Regardless of party politics, this is a staggering figure which is devastating the lives of thousands of young people in the UK. Three-quarters of all new jobs have gone to foreigners according to a report in The Sun. Meanwhile employers complain about skill shortages!

It is hardly surprising therefore that a new poll found that almost half of those questioned were open to supporting a new non-violent, far-right anti-immigration party provided it eschewed 'fascist imagery'. Enoch Powell's prophetic 1968 speech angered many but in general what he had to say was spot on. Despite all the rubbish talked about Islamophobia, over half of respondents (52%) agreed with the proposition that "Muslims create problems in the UK". Meanwhile, lawyers continue to peddle their trade joining with big business adding to the Immigration figures while lining their pockets at our expense. As Mr Powell said, "we must be mad, literally mad". 

Ponder these things

While taking a half-term break I thought I might leave some video links to ponder. Above is the 'pale blue dot that we call home' taken from the video linked under my Blog header. As Carl Sagan said, that is where every human being who ever was, lived out their lives. It is useful to watch it when things get out of perspective. Perspective is difficult to grasp in the vastness of space. To start, take a look at this video which puts the Earth, the 'pale blue dot' into perspective compared with other heavenly bodies. We are microscopic specks of star dust in space and time yet we often feel that we are at the centre of the universe with everything going on around us. But how big is the universe? This video offers a clue. Mind boggling?

"Lord, I do not seek to understand so that I can believe,

but I believe so that I may understand;

and what is more,

I believe that unless I do believe, I shall not understand."

Anselm of Canterbury

Not such a gay day

There is a delicious irony in today's announcement  of government plans to allow churches in England and Wales to host civil partnership ceremonies. The church is complaining of "a breach of undertakings made by government ministers during debates on the Civil Partnership Bill". That has a familiar ring about it here and here and here and here. Need I go on?

Success!

Welcome news this morning of a U turn on the forest sell-off farce. Thanks to 38 Degrees and all the Big Society people who signed the petition and for "Making it happen".

Windbag or saviour?

Mr Cameron's Big Society is under the spotlight again (Photo: Getty)

Back in the news is the Big Society. As a former communications man one would have thought that the Prime Minister would be able to put over his big idea with the utmost clarity but people still struggle with it. Could it be that it is all wind and no substance? I thought Cameron's interview with the BBC's political editor revealing in the sense that Nick Robinson asked tougher questions than usual suggesting that even he, a former President of the Oxford University Conservative Association, had doubts. The government were simply  washing their hands of responsibility by letting local councils take the flack after starving them of the funds needed to make the project work. 

People at the local level are being played off against each other as the Prime Minister claims that in a "grown up society" people have to make tough decisions but empowerment is not that simple. Ministers keep reminding us that it is going to be a tough year. The elderly have been hit particularly hard by inflation, shrinking pensions and erosion of savings but how much worse for the young unemployed with little or no prospect of work, fuelling fears of a lost generation. The current inflation rate of 4% is double that of the Bank of England's target rate of 2% making life even more difficult for many while the few carry on regardless. Barclay's today announced profits of £6.1 billion increasing pay packages by 20% despite reduced bonuses.

In his interview with Nick Robinson, the prime Minister let slip that it was not the previous government who dropped us in the mess but bankers. With an army of unemployed left roaming boarded-up streets in the Big (divided) Society there could there be big trouble ahead.  Oak trees from acorns grow.


Postscript


Thanks to Charon QC (see Blog list) I've just picked up this video of Francis Maude, the Minister responsible for pushing the Big Society, explaining his contribution. Brilliant! One comment suggested the the clip had been doctored so you can see a fuller version here. Well at least he goes to church.