After such an extended break from blogging, you will be deeply disappointed that I restart with something as mundane and trivial as Jeremy Clarkson. I have defended the man in the past, because I much enjoy Top Gear and consider that much of what he has been criticised for in the past had been an amusing winding-up of the po-faced of the kind I employ myself. But nasty, indeed vicious bullying of a subordinate should always be a sacking offence.
That did not ought to be the question, though. He hit someone and they had to go to hospital. Where are the police? They are incredibly fond of sweeping up scores of teenagers for thought crime, but here we have an actual violent assault that spills blood, and it seems completely out of the question the perpetrator is brought to account. Why is that? I had a personal experience a couple of years ago when I was very mildly hurt – less than young Oisin – in an assault, and the police insisted on arresting the perpetrator despite my repeated requests to them not to do so. They told me rather firmly that the idea that it is the victim who has a say in pressing charges, is a myth. Why was Clarkson not arrested?
I cannot in my mind dissociate this from the non-arrest of Jimmy Savile for his crimes, despite their being well-known and reported at the time. That seems to link in to the wider paedophilia scandal, and the question of why no action was taken even in the most blatant of cases when there was compelling evidence, such as that of the extremely nasty Greville Janner MP.
But then I think still more widely as to why, for example, Jack Straw has not been charged with the crime of misfeasance in public office after boasting of using his position to obtain “under the radar” changes in regulations to benefit commercial clients, in exchange for cash. I wonder why a large number of people did not go to jail for the HSBC tax avoidance schemes or the LIBOR rigging scandal, which involved long term dishonest manipulation by hundreds of very highly paid bankers.
At the top of the tree is of course the question of why Blair has not been charged for the crime of waging illegal war. The Chilcot Inquiry heard evidence that every single one of the FCO’s elite team of Legal Advisers believed that the invasion of Iraq was an illegal war of aggression. Yet now the media disparage as nutters those who say Blair should be charged.
Then I think of all the poor and desperate people who get jailed for stealing comparatively miniscule amounts in benefit fraud, or the boy who was jailed for stealing a bottle of water in the London riots.
The conclusion is that we do not have a system of justice in this country at all. We have a system where the wealthy and governing classes and those associated with them enjoy almost absolute impunity, broken in only the rarest of cases. At the same time those at the bottom of the pile are kicked hard to keep them there. There is no more chance of justice against those in power in the UK than there is of the killers of Nemtsov being brought to book in Russia.
But what has really scared me is this thought. This situation has been like this my entire life: and I have reached the age of 56 before I realised it. A very great many people have still not realised it at all.
What does not scare me is this. I realise that if the system of justice is completely corrupted, then there is no obligation on me to follow the laws of the state. In fact it would be wrong of me to do so. I must seek my ethical compass elsewhere than in the corrupt power structure which weighs so hard upon the people.
Re my previous comment,at least two members of the 1922 Committee,are planning to unseat David Cameron,as Tory leader,on the weekend after the GE.
Blimey. It’s utterly horrible on here tonight.
Evgueni, I think you mean that Peacewisher is astroturf. RobG is being a troll.
RobG, stop being a troll xx
“This is why Russia needs to move into Ukraine to protect the people of Novorossiya as they did with Crimea.”
From our peace loving Quaker yet another call to breach the ceasefire. Remember the same arguments was applied to the Sudetenland, Danzig, Budapest, Prague, Poland, Georgia by Mr Goss’s friends and allies.
Yes, Clark. John tied to raise the mood by sharing his experience over that remarkable eclipse, but looks like it didn’t work. I’m off to bed!
Yup, let’s all keep taking the drugs, folks, and go back to la la land.
Habba and Co have more than enough drugs to keep us all sedated for ever.
And when you are all dying your last gasp in decades to come, maybe you will remember people like me, who weren’t afraid to stand up and speak out against it.
Well, perhaps not just yet. What is “astroturf”?
Former Labour spin doctor Alastair Campbell says Ed Miliband is failing to get his message across because the media have a right-wing bias.
In an interview with The Huffington Post UK, Campbell, who was Tony Blair’s director of communications for six years of his premiership, said the broadcasters were swayed by right-wing papers.
He said stories like Miliband’s struggles with a bacon sandwich get more coverage while confirmation that Grant Shapps had a second job while he was an MP, despite his previous denials, are underplayed.
Now this I can relate to,during the Scottish referendum,the media and the press were openly bias,infact,they still are.
You only have to look at the negative coverage the SNP,gets from the media,and the southern,and foreign owned press.
Do I have sympathy for Miliband and Labour? Not in a million years,as for the UK’s media and press,the majority of them must be treated, with contempt.
Peacewisher, a “grass roots” campaign comes from the ordinary, real people. Astroturf are fake people paid to comment on-line by governments or other organisations to sway arguments in a particular direction.
Various commenters here are now indistinguishable from astroturf.
For those who still believe Mr Goss’s claim that there are no Russian troops in Eastern Ukraine the following from the one remaining majore independent Russian newspaper will be of interest (apologies for the gruesome photo – but that is what happens to all sides in the wars that Mr Goss is now encouraging)
http://en.novayagazeta.ru/politics/67620.html
This piece on the Nemtsov killing is also of interest – and desrrving of a better translation.
http://en.novayagazeta.ru/politics/67623.html
“I see Fred’s still pushing his puerile shit.”
Fuck off and die retard.
“My immediate reaction when MH17 was shot down was that the separatists probably did it, but that they were triggerhappy because of the way that they had been being bombed by aircraft of the Kiev government in the preceding days.”
Lysias the last sentence of Fred’s article is the only one worth reading. Somebody allegedly finds a bit of shrapnel that helps the west’s case. It’s Lockerbie all over: planted evidence, bribed eye-witnesses, and the investigation is even taking place in Holland. MH17 was shot down by pilot Vladislav Voloshin of the Ukrainian Air Force. Russia has presented real satellite evidence of at least one fighter plane tracking the aircraft. Perhaps the investigation team should interview Voloshin if he’s still alive and save us all a lot of money.
Do you think I’m fake, Clark?
“to sway arguments in a particular direction.”
Peacewisher bludgeons rather than sways – more like the broken bottles that used to be placed at the top of walls to stop intruders (is there a name for it?)
“MH17 was shot down by pilot Vladislav Voloshin”
I wonder if Mr Voloshin is acquainted with English libel laws?
Resident Dissident, I don’t think John Goss has claimed to be a Quaker himself.
John?
I have been attending Chelmsford Meeting recently, but I wouldn’t call myself a Quaker. They do keep an interesting library in each meeting house, and I currently have Spectacle Reality Resistance – Confronting a culture of militarism by David Gee out on loan.
“Thanks”, RD. Compared to other comments so far tonight that’s almost a compliment.
Up is down, War is peace, Black is white, etc… OK, I’d expect that in the media but not on this blog.
Peace to all (including the trolls).
Peacewisher, I think you’re probably real. There seem to be quite a lot of commenters who have fully accepted the Russian state propaganda position, but most of them I think are just making a genuine mistake.
I do hope they hold off WW3 long enough for this to be made
http://www.avclub.com/article/veep-creator-armando-iannucci-making-comedy-about–216809
I’m sure there will be casting opportunities for loyal comrades.
RD, Peacewisher, I think people start arguing, and they gradually get more extreme until it ends up like this.
It’s a well known phenomena of text communication. Usenet suffered from it before the Internet even existed.
RD, how are you doing? Did you read that second Parry link I posed for you? Do you know what a Neocon is now?
I think 216809 must be a hilarious subject for a comedy.
Ah! 216809 is Stalin! Must remember that…
Clark, I don’t give two hoots what Resident Dissident thinks. I am not a Quaker. Like you I have attended Quaker Meeting Houses in Birmingham where I first met Sylvia Boyce, a lovely woman. Like her I am a pacifist. I am also a pragmatist. I despise dictators like David Cameron and Tony Blair, who take us into wars because they are US puppets, without getting parliamentary consent any more. Russia needs to act fast to impose the wishes of Novorossiya in opposition to the Kiev fascists or there could be even much more bloodshed than there has been already (more than 6,000 dead). The Novorossiyans want support from Russia and it is their homeland.
The one that sticks in my mind was the Prince Harry and the photographer incident. I listened to “Any Questions” following it and all four guests were appologists for Prince Harry. Saying how basically it was okay for him to (apparently) assault someone. Someone who was just trying to make a living. Understandable. (What!!)
@Clark: I doubt that anyone on here has accepted the Russian State’s position. That some (many) of us consider RT to be closer to the truth than – say – The New York Times… is our opinions, and we are all unique individuals.
Peace to you. On this historic day where a total eclipse, spring equinox and full moon all combine I’m not going to be dragged down… (maybe tomorrow, lol)
Peacewisher
“Do you think I’m fake, Clark?”
______________
100%
@Peacewisher
20 Mar, 2015 – 10:21 pm.
I strongly disagree with the Monbat about all things nuclear, but I do agree with a lot of other stuff he used to say. Here’s one of his blog posts about astroturfing…
http://www.monbiot.com/2011/02/23/robot-wars/
Maybe I should say allegedly not apparently. But whether an assault really happened or not… my point is the panel of Any Questions were okay with it.
“Peace to you. On this historic day where a total eclipse, spring equinox and full moon all combine I’m not going to be dragged down… (maybe tomorrow, lol)”
A total eclipse and a full moon at the same time?
How does that work then?