I Know There Is Something Up

With politics in its current state when I find myself agreeing with Anne Widdecombe. I mean I find her political views to be almost 100 percent repulsive, she was a dreadful minister and choose to become a Catholic not because she was persuaded of the truth of transubstantiation but rather because she disagreed with the Church Of England's move towards equality in the form of women priests.

But this morning on the Today Programme she defended the Church of England's right to request that voters shouldn't let their anger lead them to voting for the BNP because of the views the BNP stands. I agree with her especially when the BNP claimed through an election poster that Jesus would vote for them! which is gob smacking cheek on their behalf, because if Jesus was around today they would wish to deprive him of his rights as he would be in their eyes a dirty foreigner.

Given that the BNP have tried to steal the Church's "IP" they've got every right, nay duty to speak up against the racists' odious claims. After all if the BNP had tried to claim that Desperate Dan would vote for them D.C. Thomson would have placed an injunction against them faster than most Dundee chippies could whip up a deep fried Mars Bar. I would also go along with what Widdecombe said and support their right to speak against the BNP on moral grounds too if they so wished. In fact I think it is a shame that that we are not hearing the new Archbishop of Westminster (RC) raise his voice along side Rowen Williams and John Sentamu.

Now as many of you know, I am an atheist, not because I think the churchs are a steaming mass of hypocrisy or suchlike - I'm not particularly anti clerical and also it wouldn't matter if every member of the clergy, whatever their religion or denomination were outstanding paragons of virtue it wouldn't change for me my lack of belief in a god or gods. My atheism comes from finding the idea of a personal god ludicrous and illogical and I see no point in an impersonal god either. For full disclosure I should also point out that I was baptised, first holy communioned and confirmed all within the Roman Catholic Church, I went to a Catholic school for my secondary education (excluding the year in the States) however, I don't think I ever properly "believed" and my religious education at high school probably only helped me to come to the view that there isn't a god, in fact one of my RE teachers spotted that I was an atheist before I did.

I believe strongly that the Church of England should be disestablished, the removal from the statute books of all the remaining anti Catholic legislation, Anglican vicars should be allowed to stand for parliament and I don't believe that schools should be required to hold a daily act of worship. However, Nick Clegg is wrong though to say that religion and politics should stay seperate, they can't be for one thing, not in a country where so many people do have a religious faith and where so many people develop their ethical standpoints from what their faith teaches them. Also no section of society, in this case the clergy, should not be silenced politically because who they are because that is censorship, which I think most of us are agreed is wrong.

No let the clergy speak and where people agree with them, let them be cheered and praised and where people disagree with their views - disagree and oppose through evidence and facts not by telling them to "grow up" and complaining that it's not fair because the Church of England "wants to be nasty [to them] the BNP" Eh Nick Griffin? When you get called on your vicious lies you whinge and complain and want the people calling you out to be silenced, you vicious lying scumbag.

I [heart] The Daily Show

On average, we don't really care that much about American politics in the UK, heck most of us don't really care about British politics as Hannah reflected on recently. Of course there are some Brits who do care about what happens within the Beltway, (hey I lived there, I know these things), with a deep and abiding passion, so much so we wonder if they are a bit confused.

Now most Brits know who Bush is and that he's an idiot but the recognition rate of the rest of them; Cheney, Al Gore, Hillary Clinton, Condoleezza Rice, Barack Obama and Mitt Romney drops away sharper than the inverse square law. However before our American cousins get too upset at our mostly pitiful knowledge of their politicians I have to point out that we are probably more aware of who Larry Craig is than who is in the Tory Shadow Cabinet. But then again we are more likely to pick out a member of Lordie out of make up than the shadow minister for Education.

There are two groups who valiantly strive against this wave of British indifference in US politics. The first lot are those whose eduction/job depends on the knowledge the rest of us who gain our intimate knowledge of US pols and what they get up to from The Daily Show on More 4. We are a select and small band but we are dedicated and fond. The Daily Show is great, the satire sharp, funny and they even do irony from time to time, something we Brits tend to believe is physically impossible for Americans. It's far more incisive than any thing that we have here except perhaps The Now Show - Bring back the podcast. Thanks to Jon I am even beginning to care about whether it's Barack or Hillary in 08. I now know all about Mitt Romney's brave sons, the sordid and very funny details of Larry Craig, but sadly I still don't know who the Shadow Education Minister is.

American Election Roundup.

George W Bush is finally a Lame Duck

Round up of some American bloggers views on Tuesday's elections.

The Lazy Iguana said good bye and good riddance to Kathrene Harris

Candace was smug

Pop's was poorly

The Bad Astronomer was pleased for science as was the New Scientist Blog

Herman got upset*

*This is satire.

Well It's Not As Bad As Agreeing With Norman Tebbit

But it still feels wrong when a "Leading Tory Figure" says something that I agree with, so blast you David Cameron for saying that UKIP was racist and it's members "fruitcakes, loonies and closet racists, mostly".

How dare you say something that I totally agree with!

Still not going to vote for yous though.

List O Link type thingy II and a political mini rant

Spitfire - The Haynes Manual
- For a certain type of person this will one of the most interesting books out in the near future (and I half way there to being one of the them. I love watching all sorts of aircraft and would have a quick shufty at this book.)

Also I was gobsmacked the other day when I read in the Guardian a comment piece by Johnathan Steele in defence of the current Belarusian Leader - Alexander Lukashenko a virtual dictator a country where free speech is stifled, there are political prisoners and people had disappeared for opposing his leadership. The gist of Steele's piece is that the west's main opposition is because the Belarusian economy is stable yet still owned by the state. He also implies that we should tolerate this man because the means of production are still state controlled. This is bollocks - Lukashenko is the ex-communist answer to General Pinochet not worthy of support at all.

This Guardian article has more details. Europe's last dictatorship

And They Are Off

Michael Howard has resigned as leader of the Conservative party and now it's time for a new leader to be chosen. As I would rather watch nothing but non stop Big Brother rather than vote Tory I'm not going to be in a position to help choose the new leader and to be honest I had only heard of 3 1/2 of them I say half because I was getting David Davis confused with someone else.

However I am going to guess at who is going to win. Liam Fox - he will sneak through by not being David Cameron who is too young, or David Davis the vote will be split with Cameron and he won't get through. Not Ken Clarke obviously... Ken is known by the general public, is a superb performer even if you don't like what he says but is hated by many many Tories because he is pro Europe and Sir Malcolm Rifkind is too Scottish and doesn't have a chance.

Now maybe I will be proved totally wrong, especially after blogging about it but I've guessed right about the last 3 Tory leadership battles.

A Tribute To Robert Kilroy-Silk

Those clever people at people at Eclectech have commentorated the resignation of Robert Kilroy-Silk from the leadership of the party he set up.
eclectech : mr tangerine man - a tribute to robert kilroy-silk

Random Burblings � G8 Diary: This Is What Democracy Looks Like

Random Burblings � G8 Diary: This Is What Democracy Looks Like An eyewitness report from someone who was caught up in the "riots" that happened in Edinburgh yesterday. He had his camara with him too even better!