Sense

So Obama un-banned stem cell research.
Which would seem a tad sensible.

View a) of stem cell research
Could provide cures to, or understanding of, a variety of otherwise untreatable diseases.

View b) of stem cell research
Could result in the cloning of evil dictators.

Now, it may just be me, but I find comfort in the fact that one of the most powerful governments in the world doesn't think like the sort of people that think b).

Of course, I could take the opinion, as of one of the journalists in our local press, that all the stuff about American politics is a bit tedious, being as how we're British and not American.

But then again, howthefuckdidshebecomeajournalist?

The words "clueless" and "idiot" are floating around my head.

A long way to go

Yes, the fact that the American electorate were unprejudiced enough to ensure the best candidate won is marvellous, it is an enormous step in the direction of eradicating prejudice and it should be heralded.

But...

Obama has not played the race card and he continues to make intelligent comment about race. Yet everyone who is celebrating his victory is celebrating his colour, the fact that an African American [sic] is to be the next President. He did not win because of his colour. He won because he is intelligent and a sublime orator, and because his policies are sound . That is what is important.

It is impossible to keep count of the number of times it has been said today: "when is Britain going to follow suit and have a black PM?" or words to that effect. (Jeremy Vine said it again and again until I threw my radio into the Forth in disgust).

What? Excuse me? Does that not COMPLETELY miss the point?

In order to be without prejudice, the colour of someone's skin, along with their gender, sexual orientation, age, disability and religious (or other) beliefs should not be relevant. People should be judged solely on their suitability for whatever in question and none of those things affect suitability unless an individual is genuinely unable to meet the requirements because of it.

Seeking to appoint someone for a position purely because of something that is entirely irrelevant to whether they are appropriate is still prejudiced. It is wrong to make it an issue, positive discrimination is still discrimination. There are many racists still about and it would be wrong to deny that, or to deny the appalling attitudes that still exist or the terrifying treatment of some people, but the way the media are carrying on today is simply continuing to make a song and dance and provide fodder for the bigots. Continuing to make an issue, continuing to highlight an imaginary difference. We have to learn that there is no difference. We all have to learn that and if we can't, we will never be without racism.

*********

A personal note: I am aware that I am incredibly bad at expressing myself and I am also aware that all of what I just wrote is likely to be taken as naive or worse.

I am writing this here so as not to embarrass myself on someone else's space, and because I can't see that look people get in their eyes whenever I try to talk about something that matters.

What's going on, or not

Due to the fact that they sneak it on after Spooks, I watched the News.

The joys.

Russell Brand/Jonathan Ross/Andrew Sachs. Idiots. Cruel. Why is everyone talking about it? The House of Lords? David Cameron? Me? Why? I don't get it. I don't get why some things get mega'd and others just ignored.

The American election is worrying. Obama says something that makes sense:
We need to invest in infrastructure.

The American public go:
Oh, we don't really want to SPEND money

McCain says:
Yeah, we need the infrastructure, but we're not going to pay for it
(which is illogical)

The American public go:
Yes! That's what we want to hear!


Uh huh. Brains connected anyone? No? Hello?



Then I spoilt myself and read the Scotsman headlines to see what happened in Scotland yesterday (it takes me a while to build up the tolerance to read these). Nothing, as usual. There's a big hooha about independent schools and charitable status, and then the inevitable comments after. Of course, this leads to the "private education is ethical and immoral" (I exaggerate nor paraphrase not) comments, which rouses a LOT of rantage from me.

I went to a private school. It was nice. I won't be sending my children to one.

I have never in my life thought that my school makes me one iota better than the next person, but since the day I started there, it has been assumed that I do. Why?

(Exception to this being when I lived in Lesser England and spoke to small minded people - which I am prepared to concede in my old age is not actually the norm for English people, some of them are remarkably nice, but y'know, I'm Scottish, I have to say "English" with a slightly bad taste - who did not believe I could have gone to a private school or surely I would have lost my common Scottish accent)

As a parent, schooling is kind of an important thing to think of, and so I tend to talk about it to other parents. Some have chosen to send their children to private school, and they're not being elitist about it, in the slightest, they simply want their children to get the best possible education. Listening to their reasoning, they sound perfectly sensible. There are those, and they shout loudest, who do it so they say their precious lovelies are at St Snots and so the lovelies can meet lovely snotty friends and marry into some lovely snotty family. But most people aren't like that and they do genuinely want their children to get the best from their education. That's the whole point of paying for something, is it not? Is private healthcare also elitist?

I won't be sending my boys to private school. Main reason: it costs about £9000 a year, per child. That's a whole salary. A big salary after tax. The other reason is that I ended up a dilettante, so it didn't do me a whole lot of good in the long run. Oh, and their semi-anarchist father would never allow it in a million years, he has almost forgiven me.

Years of conditioning make me reluctant to post this because I don't want to be considered elitist and unethical. Maybe it explains it all. Maybe it doesn't. Maybe it doesn't matter.