Posts Tagged ‘Politics’
A straight answer on Turing
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on September 11th, 2009
It’s nice to, for once, get a straight answer. Gordon Brown has responded to the Turing apology petition. Here’s a copy of his reply:
Prime Minister: 2009 has been a year of deep reflection – a chance for Britain, as a nation, to commemorate the profound debts we owe to those who came before. A unique combination of anniversaries and events have stirred in us that sense of pride and gratitude which characterise the British experience. Earlier this year I stood with Presidents Sarkozy and Obama to honour the service and the sacrifice of the heroes who stormed the beaches of Normandy 65 years ago. And just last week, we marked the 70 years which have passed since the British government declared its willingness to take up arms against Fascism and declared the outbreak of World War Two. So I am both pleased and proud that, thanks to a coalition of computer scientists, historians and LGBT activists, we have this year a chance to mark and celebrate another contribution to Britain’s fight against the darkness of dictatorship; that of code-breaker Alan Turing.
Turing was a quite brilliant mathematician, most famous for his work on breaking the German Enigma codes. It is no exaggeration to say that, without his outstanding contribution, the history of World War Two could well have been very different. He truly was one of those individuals we can point to whose unique contribution helped to turn the tide of war. The debt of gratitude he is owed makes it all the more horrifying, therefore, that he was treated so inhumanely. In 1952, he was convicted of ‘gross indecency’ – in effect, tried for being gay. His sentence – and he was faced with the miserable choice of this or prison – was chemical castration by a series of injections of female hormones. He took his own life just two years later.
Thousands of people have come together to demand justice for Alan Turing and recognition of the appalling way he was treated. While Turing was dealt with under the law of the time and we can’t put the clock back, his treatment was of course utterly unfair and I am pleased to have the chance to say how deeply sorry I and we all are for what happened to him. Alan and the many thousands of other gay men who were convicted as he was convicted under homophobic laws were treated terribly. Over the years millions more lived in fear of conviction.
I am proud that those days are gone and that in the last 12 years this government has done so much to make life fairer and more equal for our LGBT community. This recognition of Alan’s status as one of Britain’s most
famous victims of homophobia is another step towards equality and long overdue.
But even more than that, Alan deserves recognition for his contribution to humankind. For those of us born after 1945, into a Europe which is united, democratic and at peace, it is hard to imagine that our continent was once the theatre of mankind’s darkest hour. It is difficult to believe that in living memory, people could become so consumed by hate – by anti-Semitism, by homophobia, by xenophobia and other murderous prejudices – that the gas chambers and crematoria became a piece of the European landscape as surely as the galleries and universities and concert halls which had marked out the European civilisation for hundreds of years. It is thanks to men and women who were totally committed to fighting fascism, people like Alan Turing, that the horrors of the Holocaust and of total war are part of Europe’s history and not Europe’s present.
So on behalf of the British government, and all those who live freely thanks to Alan’s work I am very proud to say: we’re sorry, you deserved so much better.
Gordon Brown
If only all the responses to the surveys were so precise and to the point. Maybe cynicism in politics and with politicians would be lower.
The trouble with politicians
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on June 2nd, 2009
It’s liberating. Or so I was told today. And the teller was right. It is.
But the line that triggered it is typically considered politician-poison. And why? Because we have a system which relies upon people who are not intelligent enough to listen to an argument before deciding whether the argument is cogent or not. That system, in case it’s not clear, is democracy using First Past The Post and political parties. Ya boo sucks and I’ll do what I like while wearing this red/blue/yellow rosette and see if you can do anything about it.
The sentence that caused the ‘It’s liberating’ comment?
“I don’t know anything.”
I could claim to know that I believe it is wrong to treat particular sections of society differently to others on the basis of some arbitrary feature or idiosyncrasy. But would I follow my argument to any logical conclusions or would I reach, at some philosophical point, a point where I would have to add a proviso?
If I was interviewed about my political beliefs I could not defend any pre-written ideology to the end. I could not claim to be more able to follow philosophical, moral, cultural or political arguments past the first few bends in the road than the next person. And, actually, very few people have ever been able to. It is why, actually, Greek philosophers and philosophers from a long time ago are still read, enjoyed and debated — there are no right answers.
Politicians in interviews inevitably end up not answering questions. It’s not because they’re stupid, more stupid than the interviewer or, even, because they’re wrong. It’s because it’s bloody hard to make a point that cannot be argued against. And the media that tries to trip politicians up isn’t helping push on the argument.
When a politician says “I believe gay marriage is fair” he’s saying that he does not believe in discriminating arbitrarily against homosexuals. He is not saying that he understands the cultural imperative of marriage (because I’m not sure I do), he’s not saying that it is wrong for a couple (heterosexual or homosexual) to cohabit, he’s not saying that he thinks that the bible is wrong or right, he’s not saying that everyone should like his opinion and he’s not saying “this is what my party thinks”…
He’s saying that he believes gay couples can be as in love as straight couples and they should be allowed to publicly express this in the same manner.
Okay, I know I went off on a tangent about homosexuality but I know it’s a particular divide between the so-called right and the so-called left.
Can we please stop employing interviewers who are after soundbites. Can we please stop quoting soundbites in the ‘news’. And can we please use the BBC (a public service broadcaster afterall) to remind people that at all elections except those to the EU ‘parliament’ we are voting for individuals not parties.
I am a Conservative Councillor but that doesn’t mean I agree with any more than a certain proportion of what David Cameron, John Redwood, Ken Clarke and William Hague believe. It doesn’t mean I agree with any more than a certain proportion of what Adur District Council’s leaders believe and it doesn’t mean that I can be pigeon-holed. In fact I am sure there are Liberal Democrat, UKIP and Green politicians who I share more beliefs with than I do with some Conservatives.
I stood for the Conservatives at the last election to my Ward in Adur and I am still pleased I did that. I shall make an announcement at some stage about my plans for next May (2010) when my seat will next be contested. But if I do contest that seat base your decision on me, not on my party affiliation and not on what the Council as a whole does or does not do (which is a whole other post).
Christians and Conservativism
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on May 11th, 2009
I was discussing the seven deadly sins with some friends the other day. For those of you who don’t remember them, here they are in no particular order:
- Greed
- Envy
- Lust
- Gluttony
- Pride
- Wrath
- Sloth
Now having listed those, let me sling something into your consciousness: most right-wing parties in Europe and the Americas tend to be Christian parties.
Surely if right-wing parties are more often the home of Christians in politics, the policies of right-wing parties must suit those people’s morals? But doesn’t the ‘Loads-a-money’ caricature of 80s Conservativism stinks rather of gluttony, pride and envy?
In fact post-Thatcher Britain has been struck by all of these ’sins’. Aside from those with eating disorders, I would have thought that everyone has sinned with greed (and those with eating disorders, religion tells us with no hint of sympathy, have sinned with pride). Anyone who enters the lottery and does not intend on giving away all but what they ‘need’ has sinned with envy and would sin with gluttony. Everyone who has watched a football match and willed their own team on is verging on wrath.
I know of no man who has not noticed in an inappropriate way (for the sin of lust) an attractive woman (or man — although homosexuality and religion really don’t like being in the same sentence). And those of us with a mirror in their bathroom have at least a little pride.
In fact, of the ’sins’ on that list, wrath is best avoided (but is a character trait for some) and envy is truly unpleasant. Aside from those two, I would proudly admit to having committed them all!
Maybe Conservatives and Christians are similar in not thinking about some aspects of life in any detail: How many of us can name, for instance, a deeply religious (Christian) person who has not read the bible? How many of us can name a strongly Conservative person who would secretly admit to believing homosexuality is unnatural? I would suggest that both these positions are illogical and so fit well together in the same person.
New Testament Christians, if they agreed with Jesus tipping the tables in the synagogue, if they agreed that gluttony, greed and pride are sins, if they believe there’s something metaphysically bigger, really should be socialists or libertarians.
Why the EU is like China
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on March 13th, 2009
It has been suggested to me privately, that my last post was not accurate because “The comparison is ridiculous. I don’t think EU imposes any birth control policies on UK teenagers for example.”
So here is my response:
The comparison is specific: The EU does not allow the votes of the electorate, the results of plebiscites or the will of the populace to decide what it does. Worse, when an electorate opposes something, the EU claims that it was a protest about an unrelated issue.
The EU is currently instituting all the major objectionable features of the Lisbon Treaty (formerly known as the Constitutional Treaty) despite “No” votes in three member countries and so the failure to ratify the treaty in national parliaments. If the EU cared what the people thought it would make the following changes tomorrow:
1. It would offer a referendum on the EU Constitutional Treaty;
2. It would cease all implementation activity on Constitutional Treaty proposals that are being carried out elsewhere;
3. It would allow elections for the Commission which performs a role much like the cabinet / President of most countries in the world and so should be elected.
When the public care
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on March 3rd, 2009
I’ve said before (I didn’t check to add a link but feel free to have a look using the search box) that the public do not seem to care about anything District/Borough Councils do unless they live in a Council house except, that is, for planning.
Last night’s planning (‘Development Control’) meeting was typically busy (in the gallery) and today I received five letters from members of the public on another planning application. Normally I will receive an average of one per week on any other topic, but today I received five week’s worth of normal post on one planning application. The application can be found here Adur Council planning reference: ADC/0023/09.
The separate documents, if you struggle with the above site, are here (These links will likely go out of date so do use the above link if you want the current information):
When I was first elected to the Council I was told that I should not discuss a planning application before a meeting. And at the time I thought that was a little draconian. But as time has passed, I have seen why. Despite thorough research, reading the application, viewing the drawings and visiting the site there is always something said at a meeting in the committee that affects your opinion. I never cease to be amazed that my opinion on an application can be so swiftly affected by what people say at these meetings.
If a debate is held outside of the meeting then a decision may be made for perfectly good reasons but the lack of public conversation of the matter would be anti-democratic and frustrating for the general public. It is for this reason, and not because of the law, that I will not discuss this application or give any hint to my (initial) opinion on it.
But wouldn’t it be great if the public were motivated to care about more that the Council does? I think there are a few reasons why they are not:
- Central government in England (the UK Parliament) tells us mostly what we can and cannot do and so there is little to get animated about — whatever we do is because it is the only thing allowed within the London framework we are given.
- People don’t like some of what we do but because of (1) see no point in telling us.
- They don’t understand the democratic process and doubt that we will change our minds.
This last one is the most poisonous. Cllr. Searle and I attended a public meeting about a proposed development last year and it resulted in the land that was proposed to be developed being given village green status (Adur Press Release) — the arguments were cogent. But if you were at the meeting you would think we had already made a decision — the public were angry, aggressive (in a few cases) and dismissive.
Cynicism has destroyed civic spirit and I don’t know how to resolve that.
Acts of Parliament
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on February 27th, 2009
Acts of Parliament, no, all laws, should be easier to read. They should be written in normal (not babyish, just normal) English and they should not be written with reference to earlier acts that send you on a spaghetti read.
After all, ignorance of the law is not a defence.
Czech President Vaclav Klaus on the EU Parliament
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on February 20th, 2009
The following video shows president of The Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus being heckled in the European Parliament yesterday. And he’s being heckled, actually, for telling the truth. I remain amazed that the majority of people involved in democracy (politicians) appear to consider the institutions of the EU sufficiently democratic.
It is easy, when you are not a political anorak, to forget just what a corrupt organisation it is that makes the majority of our laws. The ‘elections’ we’ll have in June will not do anything to address that.
If you support a party that supports retained membership of the EU, don’t vote that way in June if you agree that democracy is the best form of government. If your party support retained membership of the EU, write to your MP, write to the leader of that party and tell them that you are not happy with being run by the EU.
The new imperative: freedom
Posted by: Gav in Gavin Ayling's blog on February 16th, 2009
There are times, when you write a blog, that you wonder whether you get a little carried away, a little over obsessed with a particular concept or theme. There is a risk that I have started to become overly concerned about civil liberties.
Obviously I don’t think my views are being skewed but I am willing to accept that they may be.
For example, it would be easy to think that the Serious Crime Act 2007 (SCA), the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA), amendments to the Freedom of Information Act (FOI), the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001 and the Terrorism Act 2000 (TA2000) are leading inexorably towards a police state.
A new ban on taking photographs of police; reports that in Brighton, political activists were filmed doing nothing wrong entering an environmental meeting; allegations that stop and search under the TA2000 are being used more than 99% of the time against non-terrorists… etc. could lead a naive person to imagine that the government, and maybe Her Majesty’s police have decided that free and open debate amongst proles is a danger to the status quo.
This is worth a read from today’s Guardian. I don’t believe, personally, that it over eggs the pudding.
The time is now for the Conservatives (and the Lib Dems minus Chris Huhne) to start making some noise about freedom. It is time for the people to demand the return of their lost freedoms. It is time to focus on the most important issues.
The EU has been called the EUSSR by those who understand its methods and how it is designed. But the UK is fast approaching the same sort of controls as there are in China and Airstrip One.
On a lighter note (and with an important, if less-important, message):
