Chill Winds
I was away for a long weekend with a friend in Derbyshire: a lovely cosy house deep in the Dales. Mind-numbingly quiet after the bustle of London, but bitterly cold in the wind. Usually we go for long walks across the fields and through the woods, but not this time.
On Saturday we did some shopping locally and had lunch in a delightful but busy deli in a sidestreet of Belper. After that it was off to a garden centre near Uttoxeter that Rosemarie and Celia wanted to visit. Quite a nice drive, of which the high point was driving past the International JCB Headquarters at Rocester - really. At the side of the road is the most amazing scultpture by Fosser made out of JCB parts. This picture does not do it justice. I will have to go back sometime and get some proper pictures. It is eerily like a real life transformer.
The other end of the country we are missing a Mayor.
I grew fond of Ken Livingstone when he was standing up to Thatcher's attack on democracy in 1980s London. I was right behind him when he objected to the sickening sight of half dead aristocrats pouring into the House of Lords to vote themselves huge rates reductions. He has done an enormous amount for Public Transport, the Arts and Communities in London. He has been voted in with a clear majority twice. He represents my London.
But apparently he cannot say what he thinks without bringing his post into disrepute. We seem to be moving into a world where my freedom of speech is subordinate to someone else's right not to be offended. You don't have to prove you have been offended - you just need to assert it - then everybody has to ooze sympathy or understanding. Well, not quite. This applies if you are religious or a member of an ethnic minority, but not apparently if you are secular, atheist or believe in ...um... free speech, for instance. The idea that insulting a poor sensitive Evening Standard reporter is somehow an insult to all jews is laughable.
I am more than happy to respect peoples right to identify with ethnic or religious groups, in the same way that I respect their right to believe in UFOs or crystal healing, but they cannot have an absolute right to veto what anyone else says in case they get upset.
On Saturday we did some shopping locally and had lunch in a delightful but busy deli in a sidestreet of Belper. After that it was off to a garden centre near Uttoxeter that Rosemarie and Celia wanted to visit. Quite a nice drive, of which the high point was driving past the International JCB Headquarters at Rocester - really. At the side of the road is the most amazing scultpture by Fosser made out of JCB parts. This picture does not do it justice. I will have to go back sometime and get some proper pictures. It is eerily like a real life transformer.
The other end of the country we are missing a Mayor.
I grew fond of Ken Livingstone when he was standing up to Thatcher's attack on democracy in 1980s London. I was right behind him when he objected to the sickening sight of half dead aristocrats pouring into the House of Lords to vote themselves huge rates reductions. He has done an enormous amount for Public Transport, the Arts and Communities in London. He has been voted in with a clear majority twice. He represents my London.
But apparently he cannot say what he thinks without bringing his post into disrepute. We seem to be moving into a world where my freedom of speech is subordinate to someone else's right not to be offended. You don't have to prove you have been offended - you just need to assert it - then everybody has to ooze sympathy or understanding. Well, not quite. This applies if you are religious or a member of an ethnic minority, but not apparently if you are secular, atheist or believe in ...um... free speech, for instance. The idea that insulting a poor sensitive Evening Standard reporter is somehow an insult to all jews is laughable.
I am more than happy to respect peoples right to identify with ethnic or religious groups, in the same way that I respect their right to believe in UFOs or crystal healing, but they cannot have an absolute right to veto what anyone else says in case they get upset.
posted by Other Kosh at 10:30 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home