Here in Ghana people are stunned by the announcement that a bond of £3,000 will have to be submitted by visa applicants to the UK, redeemable on return.
It is unpleasant for a nation to be singled out as comprised of particularly untrustworthy individuals against whom special measures are needed. Theresa May appears quite deliberately to be singling out countries whose citizens are normally black or brown – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Ghana and Nigeria. They are all citizens with extremely close ties to the UK. For example, all of those countries supplied large numbers of men to British armed forces in two World Wars; with little resulting gratitude.
The true level of Britain’s regard for the Commonwealth is disclosed in all its arrogance; citizenship of the Commonwealth countries with the longest link to the UK will become a positive disadvantage in visa application. Israeli settlers living in Occupied Palestine on the West Bank, incidentally, will still be allowed to enter the UK without any visa at all, despite membership of neither Commonwealth nor EU. Paradoxical, isn’t it?
The measure shows the arrogant British disdain for these countries – of which India pre-eminently but also Ghana are fast growing and important trading partners. Undoubtedly Ghana will retaliate with measures which hurt British businesses; many of my good friends are senior Ghanaian politicians, and they are all furious. The rhetoric the British employ about transformation from colonial status to a modern partnership of equals is exposed for the tissue of lies it has always been. This is a straightforward racist measure, aimed at securing the racist vote to the Tories.
Not does it make any sense. If you are intending to enter the UK under false pretences, and have the intent illegally to settle and start a new life there, then £3,000 is scarcely a deterrent given the substantial economic gains you intend to make over the long period you intend to stay. It will rather seem a good investment; people will find the money. The people it will deter are those who never intended to overstay. The extra cash upfront, to the businessman for a business trip, for the student coming to study, for the tourist will drive them to go elsewhere, to the UK’s net loss.
More cruelly it will deter decent middle class people from coming to see grandchildren in the holidays, from going to the niece’s wedding, from going to graduation. Those things will become the prerogative of the wealthy, those with plenty of cash to spare.
This does nothing to deter illegal immigration. It merely demonstrates populist racism, demonstrates contempt for some of the UK’s best-disposed friends, and demonstrates that the government thinks the right to travel is only for the rich. It is contemptible.
“Once the cry was, “No taxation without representation”. Today the cry must be, “No debt without consultation.””
http://www.golemxiv.co.uk/2013/06/secrets-and-lies/
Czesc, The CE!
May I ask you a technical question? How do you manage to get bold characters and italics into your text?
I know there’s stuff under the Submit Comment button, but when I click on it nothing happens.
(I ask with the aim of making the “visuality” , as Ben Franklin would probably put it, of my comments as striking and compelling as the thoughts and ideas that underpin them)
“I think that might be something of a minority viewpoint, Fred, and not only in the UK. I shall consider it to have been an essay (and a rather successful one!) at humour. ”
You may say I’m a dreamer.
But I’m not the only one.
@ Villager, The CE, etc…
I think I might have come across a rabbi (he’s a Jew as well) with whom Mary might get on like a house on fire.
He’s called Rabbi Dov Weiss and heads up a sect in New York which believes that Zionism and the creation of the state of Israel are abominations and fundamentally against everything Judaism stands for. He’s also quite tall and so if the two of them got together, neither could be accused of talking down to the other.
You can see a lot of him on Youtube – well worth watching for a not so often heard take.
Fred : I’m sure you’re not the only one, and it’s a noble dream.
Extraordinary !!
“It is ‘discriminatory’ to the extent that it will be required not of all nationals of all states whose citizens need a visa in order to enter the UK but only to all nationals of certain of those states.”
&
“you cannot question it by claiming that it violates human rights.”
So you finally agree it’s discriminatory, but at the same time claim that discrimination does not violate human rights !!
Not too hot on Human Rights are you !
Would you think it inherently undignified & unjust to be branded as a “high risk” person purely because you have a British passport, and be required to have to provide a bond of 10,000 dollars if you wanted or needed to go to Canada, but not so for the people of France, Spain Eire, didn’t ?
Re the principle behind the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the clue is in both its title, and in the preamble;
“Whereas recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world”
Czesc Habba!
Just wrap the text with for Bold and for italics.
and http://codex.wordpress.org/Using_Smilies
😆 that didn’t work
http://cms.about.com/od/maintain-your-cms-website/a/Write-In-Html-Bold-Italic-And-Links.htm
Jives@ 4:25 pm
Glastonbury how it was.
http://internationaltimes.it/paradise-on-earth/
“Someone call the Medic.”
They did threaten to sink his ship last time he said he would go, I guess you must have missed that ! After all what’s yet another Turkish murder to the IDF ?
Anyhow since you are here, perhaps you can help out somebody who shares the same view that I believe you yourself have articulated here before, namely that there is a predominately ‘anti-West narrative’ here on this Board.
Somedays ago now KOWN posted the following;
““No, I genuinely don’t believe in the existence of the ‘anti-West narrative’ that you frequently inveigh against. I do think most posters on this thread are united by disgust and anger for much of what the West does, but that is not the same thing. As for the examples you cite – mistreatment of women in India, for example – I think the reason people don’t post on such issues is simply that these things are universally condemned and hardly worth the effort of pointing out on a forum where it can be tacitly assumed most people are on the same page. What gets people’s goat here, I submit without a trace of faux-naivety, is those instances where there is a chasm between the cruel things the west does and the way they are laundered and perfumed by such organs as the BBC.”
However the person it was addressed to, keeps avoiding responding to it, despite often citing it as a main reason why he posts as he does here. Can you help him out ?
Welcome home Craig!
So sorry Ben but the CIA/NSA/TERRRRORISTS have an ‘FBI’ hand all the way up Lonnie Snowdon’s backside to operate the mouth.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/edward-snowdens-father-worried-sons-nsa-leak-confession/story?id=19364906#.Uc4AhctYo3g
The love Lonnie holds for his son is about to be proven.
TC, true but so was Kibo Noh? And now briefly ‘David’ who disappeared after one post? I’m only trying to establish if the earlier understanding of no sock-puppets has changed. Lets have clarity on the ground rules — so everyone can understand.
You knew all along that Kibo was Sofia?
When i broached the subject, why didn’t she own-up instead of continuing her deceit under both names?
When she tripped why was she not apologetic, instead of being blasé ?
Why did she continue to post the ‘Hasbara Troll Handbook’ libellously towards Habby? Why did she repost those extracts even after Jon had to delete them THREE times? Why wasn’t she a little contrite herself? Had she declared upfront that she was posting under two names egging Mary into the bunfight, despite your advice to Mary to stop calling Habby a troll?
Why did you suddenly change your mind and turn anti-gabby as i perceive and continue to maintain that? In your usual objectivity have you weighed up the abuse that was showered on Habby including myself when he was seen to be picking up on Mary? And his consistently dignified response, often with a humorous edge? And over time he did change is tone at the worst calling the relentless random poster an Old Biddy.
Are you concerned about the objectivity in the moderation of the blog and generally? Are you concerned about the tribalism that has precipitated here? Do you realise you fan that with easily fanned egos like Macky who are craving for appreciation and STILL to this moment calling the gentleman, whatever his views, Clown and Troll? (minus Habby rising to the bait.) He’s smarter than most and his shown flexibility of mind, by moving with the flow. Note he consistently ignored Sophie whose ‘jokes’ were so not funny but just childish ramblings in the end pure distraction from the issues at hand. But she still goes on with her favourite criticism of establishment narratives as if she just discovered e=mc square.
Look forward to understanding what you’re really thinking and seeing if we can understand each other.
With respect!
PS And now Mary goes “Infiltration into Glastonbury. How many of those attending will have a clue about the Occupation, al Naqba and the ongoing oppression?” So Glastonbury-goers are going to have to sit the obsessive poster’s exam of politico-moral standards before enjoying their music. Quite what is going on here? Bizarre!
Do i care what happens to this blog tomorrow? I give a damn — i’m not into attachment or sentimental and i don’t mind what happens. However i observe and live in awareness and call it as it is. I’m not overdoing anything but i do observe how others call it or are they playing their little insecure herd games. It s the same conflict all over the world.
Finally, one thing that has been underdone is the moderation. Jon was missing for several weeks, all explained in the guise of ‘a light touch’. But even now our Resident News Junkie goes on and on and on throwing trivia in while Jon’s instruction are choose a subject and invite debate. Mary, debate? No why does she need to when she is allegedly the ‘heart and soul’ of the blog.
“Fred : I’m sure you’re not the only one, and it’s a noble dream.”
No, I’m not the only one.
“In 1999, on National Poetry Day in the United Kingdom, the BBC announced that listeners had voted “Imagine” Britain’s favourite song lyric.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Imagine_%28song%29
Now what is it you were saying about minority viewpoints?
Craig,
” Theresa May appears quite deliberately to be singling out countries whose citizens are normally black or brown…”
A direct link between colonialism/imperialism and an embrace of the prevailing racist “order”.
“The temptation of Washington’s money easily overwhelms weak characters such as Tony Blair and David Cameron.”
http://www.paulcraigroberts.org/2013/06/28/washington-is-driving-the-world-to-the-final-war-paul-craig-roberts/
NSA cipher dependent algorithms esp. Koken derivatives of Fibonacci may well lurk furtively in Edward Snowdon’s laptop.
http://rt.com/op-edge/russia-snowden-affair-nsa-334/
The Chinese will love the challenge…
Dave Lawton. 9 26pm
Thanks.
Alicia Keys: “I have come here to see what I’m buying with my tax money”
What a brilliantly eloquent short clip.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PJ6r1j2SPQ
Now that is what I call weapons of mass destruction, not the Boston pressure-cooker device that could’nt even break the nearest windows on the Starbucks and Forum cafes.
I hope I live to see those who instigated Cast Lead answer before the ICC.
……………………………..
@Phil 8 24pm
“No more windows!”
Great list.
I’d want to add Spideroak encrypted cloud data storage (probably not there because it isn’t quite 100% open source).
It seems to be the best on offer and is easy to use with any OS and files can be shared easily.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SpiderOak
Ubuntu certainly my favourite OS to use but i’ve found Debian Linux good on an old laptop that can’t handle the size and complexity of Ubuntu. It’s quite minimalist, but it does everything it’s asked to and it doesn’t generate so much heat so the battery lasts longer.
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
28 Jun, 2013 – 5:46 pm
“I wonder if the poster concerned believes everything put out by Russia Today.”
Habbabkuk; Perhaps it was all staged with actors and tomato sauce.
Or even; maybe it was Assad supporters killing freedom fighting rebels.
Do you support arming the rebels in Syria HB?
So let’s open our doors to everyone with no checks or balances and allow them to stay and use are NHS schools and other public services. Like it or not Ghana is one of the main countries for migrants not to return. Anyone who has flown to Ghana will tell you that flights from Ghana to the UK are crowded full to capacity. Flights from the UK to Ghana are empty we either have a credible immigration policy or we abandon it and let everyone in. London is full to bursting with some Boroughs having twice the population they are budgeted for. The NHS is snowed under and the police can’t cope. You can romanticize as much as you want about culture and diversity but when we are full we are full. Accra has a huge population and they would all love to come to the UK so is Delhi and other cities. The problem is they can’t all possibly fit on this small island unless we build shanty towns in the parks and pave over all the Green belt. Overstating is a crime and millions commit it every year. If people generally want to come I do feel incredibly sorry as 3000 is a lot of money but what alternates are being suggested here???
Flaming June
28 Jun, 2013 – 9:11 pm
“A welcome but rather unusual move from Erdogan in the light of his domestic problems.”
Yes, a rather unusual move but don’t be taken in by this report.
Nothing will take place without the permission of the Israeli government.
It is just a political circus event.
@Villager. 10 37pm
“Why did she repost those extracts even after Jon had to delete them THREE times?”
Let’s be accurate. My first rambling “Hasbara Handbook” post was indeed zapped.
I think it’s relevant to the dynamic of this blog. You can revise how it works on the “Work for the UN” thread where everything I subsequently posted remains for your delight.
@Kibo. 26 June:
8 30am
8 53 am
11 29am.
Also more on this subject from Aidworker1. June 28th 8 47pm
It describes the dark arts of “Digressing, Hypocratising and Antipathising.”
And another from me on “Groooming”at 2 19am today.
Good to see you follow my contributions so avidly, if inaccurately.
I find mind-mapping a subject helps.
I would still love to study a copy of advice to professionals.
………………..
Re poor David, wtf are you on about?
Snowden is a “rogue”, so says the NYP;
http://www.nypost.com/p/news/international/rogues_gallery_russia_coward_refuge_idPopKfnwWkjBMdqZX3EDK
Not that I would encourage graffiti, but wouldn’t the name “Edward” written at the top of this be quite cool !
https://fbcdn-sphotos-b-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc3/1040214_10151298954839649_1611583628_o.jpg
Is somebody (the CIA? Trowbridge himself?) impersonating Trowbridge?
[Mod: those items have now gone]
Steve I am with you on “..when we are full we are full” -sadly the answer is we are never full; that is I suspect in accordance with the ‘out of view’ immigration policy or ISP (immigration strategic plan). £3000 is not too steep for middle class newcomers from Africa. It fills the ‘black’ fund.
Our government’s masters love the gold frankincense and mur, the inter-banking and exchange revenue. Strategic loyalty is also important to Westminster. The City of London is protected by obedience, useful even valuable come the revolution.
@ Macky
“Would you think it inherently undignified & unjust to be branded as a “high risk” person purely because you have a British passport, and be required to have to provide a bond of 10,000 dollars if you wanted or needed to go to Canada, but not so for the people of France, Spain Eire, didn’t ?”
_____________
I might think it was unjust and undignified but I wouldn’t claim that my humans rights were being violated.
***********
You would need a visa to visit Russia. A Cuban would not. Would you feel that this was discrimination that violated your human rights?
Habbabkuk (La vita è bella!)
28 Jun, 2013 – 9:58 pm
@ Doug Scorgie :
“a child is a child.”
“Exactly the point I was trying to make, Doug.”
Not so HB the point you were trying to make was that certain posters here shout foul when a Muslim child is “accidently” killed by the US and remain silent when British kids are sexually abused by Muslims.
You said to Jon:
“You misunderstand the thrust of my post on the “Oxford 5″, which was not to hint that some other posters were in favour of child abuse/rape but to draw attention to what might seem to be a certain one-sidedness in their concern about children – loud when it’s Muslim Afghan children accidently killed by an American drone but silence when it’s British kids deliberately misused and tortured by Muslims.”
Read again what I write below and answer ALL the points I raise.
Are you obsessed with Muslims HB?
You write above: “…Muslim Afghan children…”
99% of Afghans are Muslim so why do you need to emphasise “Muslim” when you could have merely said Afghan children?
“…accidently killed by an American drone…”?
Could you describe a Jewish child (for example) being accidently killed by a Syrian drone?
I think your mask is slipping HB.
The majority of posters here I venture are wholeheartedly abhorred by child murder, torture and sex-abuse, whatever the religion, colour or creed of the abuser; a child is a child.
A Muslim child abuser is as bad as a Christian or Jewish or Atheist child abuser.
You seem incapable of seeing that this is the majority consensus among posters on this blog.
Are you capable of answering the points above?
The psychopathic war criminal lusts for more war, sounding off from Ramallah presumably. Perhaps he should see that video of more rebel butchery and beheading before feeding any more weapons into the mayhem.
Ex-UK PM Blair threatens Syria, Iran amid calls for military action http://www.presstv.ir/detail/2013/06/28/311245/syria/
Kerry is back out there stitching up his billion dollar ‘investment’ plan.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-23081781 – another propaganda piece from Ms Knell.
I just saw an excellent comment on this article.
http://www.veteranstoday.com/2013/06/28/the-unbearable-shame-of-camerons-torah-government/
DaveE
June 28, 2013 – 2:29 pm
I agree with Ian Livingston. Israel IS the most amazing state in the world. A “state” with no Constitution, no borders except as loosely defined by some psychopath racist religious freaks and an ancient fairy tale, no universal legal system, no universal rights, no justice and ZERO ethics or morality.
A “state” created by purely religious and political powers that had NOTHING to do with the natural migration of people. A ‘state” created at the barrel of a gun by Western countries bribed, swindled, manipulated and blackmailed by Jews within those countries. A “state” founded purely on the basis of unbridled racism by “G_d’s Chosen People”.
I mean, this is a “state” that makes the Mafia look like Mother Theresa. Ruled by “people” who revel in every organized crime racket you can think of and are proud of it. Pure criminality, pure evil and pure injustice, incarnate.
I’d say that qualifies for the description of “amazing.”
There is no mask Doug – it leaked.
“but America’s apparent inability to force its will on the issue.”
That is most frustrating for an Imperialist, Mark. Although I harbor little sympathy for any criminal organization, it must be a marvel of narcissism to realists like the Russians.
Dad Snowden? You can see the puppet strings? Surely he’s being emotionally manipulated, but I think I cannot judge a father who faces the spectre of never seeing his son again.