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.
Resident Dissident; “Since you accuse people of dissembly you could at least have the common courtesy of letting us know what you think they are hiding.”
My dissembly quotes were from just two people, as these two I believe are arguing from nothing other than staunch loyalty to Craig; both are very long term posters here, and one for sure, counts Craig as a personal friend; they have done exactly the same before, on other issues, so they obviously see themselves as self-appointed enforcers, being that the only views that can dominate here, are the ones that reflect Craig’s pov, and they frequently gang-up on posters in a mutually supporting tag-team attacks.
Anyhow, what can you say to people who state with a straight face that Russia is the one on the “offensive”;
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/bild-663315-35955.html
What can you say to people who keep going on about phantom Russian invasions, yet chose to ignore the ethnic cleansing by Kiev’s Neo-Nazi death squads, that has left at least 6,000 dead (German Intelligence estimates the true death toll is in tens of thousands).
What can you say to people who ignore the fact that the West is already at war with Russia, trying to destroy her economy, enforce a regime change, isolate her from trading & diplomatic relationships, yet keep going on about Russia being the aggressor ?
It all seems a waste of time to try & reason with people like this, so I prefer to address my comments & links to those who don’t have any agenda to follow, apart from wishing to avert an unnecessary war, and part of that involves confronting lies, countering dehumanising demonization & exposing pro-war propaganda; talking of which, here’s a very revealing article;
http://www.globalresearch.ca/us-psychological-warfare-in-ukraine-targeting-online-independent-media-coverage/5437883
Resident Dissident, I hope you and your son enjoyed the football. I didn’t really mean to suggest that you or Evgueni were in any way responsible for last night’s punch-up, and I don’t regard your comments as a waste of energy. Quite the opposite in both cases. I’ve seen plenty of credible evidence for Russian state aggression in Ukraine, and I’m disappointed that various commenters ignore what you actually write and instead attack your comments on the basis of what seem to be their own assumptions.
Thanks also for your links; I’ve been struggling through the article about the investigation into the murder of Nemtsov; yes, a better translation would help a lot.
Macky, which part of “the neocons and the Kremlin are both aggressors” is it that you don’t understand?
“Ha ha, thanks again, Fred.”
So it’s true then, thanks for confirming it.
Macky thinks in binary terms. There are only two positions you can occupy, agreement or non-agreement. If you occupy the state of non-agreement, then by definition you agree with eveyone else who does not agree with him.
Macky, a recent Guardian article,
”An elite British soldier of Ukrainian descent, who resigned to train Kiev’s forces, recently told the Sunday Times that six in 10 Ukrainian casualties were caused by friendly fire or mishandling of weapons. ”
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/19/volunteer-brigades-bridge-ukrainian-army-gaps-kiev-army
Extraordinary if true. The separatists didn’t need to do very much, simply hold their ground as Kiev’s force are killing and wounding each other by the 1000s.
Remembering another regime change by America.
As always they told lies about their reason to invade.
http://www.globalresearch.ca/hollywood-style-foreign-policy-remembering-the-1983-us-military-intervention-in-grenada/5437631
As usual any old tosh passes for info on here when it comes to Alex Salmond and his book,a book that was published,by a firm,that has long standing roots in Scotland.
William Collins publishing,started out in Scotland in 1819,publishing bibles,and it still to this day,has distribution centre,at Kirkintilloch.
It is now part of HarperCollins publishing,which happens to owned by Mr Murdoch.
No doubt the unionist conspiracy theorists, will read something more sinister into it.
“The establishment which you represent,and the majority of Westminster are, members of Friends of Israel,and Rupert Murdoch a very high profile media mogul and Jew,has the ability through his media business to influence greatly,who holds power at Westminster in the future.”
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/03/impunity/comment-page-2/#comment-514505
Wots up Clark?
Simplifications galore! It seems utilitarianism is an endemic pathogen of great potency.
On one side we have a long creeping planned pincer movement to surround Russia and China for the full and final show down before the liberation day when Earthica is declared; “Free and Independent” and slavery is promoted as an environmentally sound and eco friendly mode of life.
“I don’t think it matters about him being Jewish but his Grandfather was a Free Church Minister for God’s sake. Now that is frightening.”
https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archives/2015/03/impunity/comment-page-2/#comments
Two can play at that game,no doubt certain unionist will think,Free Church Ministers,had a sinister attatchment to Alex Salmonds book.
Fedup, what’s up is that I’m accused of failing to see THE aggressor, as if the West has a monopoly. When I say that I see two powerful, nuclear armed countries dividing up Ukraine between their spheres of influence, I get an earful of “No! No! Russia’s the victim!” and told that I’m preaching war. In fact, I HAVE to support a Russian TAKEOVER of large parts of Ukraine or else I’m told I’m opposed to peace!
Well fuck that. People lying about me and trying to bully me with insults can fuck off!
July 17th 2014
Malaysian Flight MH17 was shot down above Ukraine; there were no survivors among the 298 passengers.
July 18th 2014 Headlines:
There is an enormous amount of evidence that points to the involvement of Russia
Senator John Kerry
The world today is watching Russia, the world is watching Putin
Prime Minister Cameron
This is a Russian Act of Terrorism
Fox News
Flight MH17 Shot Out of the Sky – Putin’s Missile
Sun Headline
Putin’s Killed My Son
Daily Mail
We note here the immediate (<24hrs) action of the MI6 'black propaganda unit' Press Liaison Officer that ensured the 'distortion' was immediately planted in the public universe and the 'communal consciousness' by an authoritative and factual MSM and State regime.
Perhaps it is here we figure the absence of impartiality and integrity bankruptcy of the Intelligence & Security Committee once chaired by the now degraded Sir Michael Riftkind this despite increased powers and an expanded remit.(2014)
These ongoing blatant lies (distorted facts) prompted the the Dutch Prosecution Service (OM) in liason with the Dutch Intelligence Service (AIVD) to issue a statement that the media is misinformed.
https://www.om.nl
https://www.aivd.nl/english/general/search/@3201/politie-aivd/
A report into the downing of MH17 is expected in October this year.
MH17
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5kTf6EAMBA&t=18
Fedup, NATO has had illegal wars in countries where it had no business. N.A.T.O – NORTH ATLANTIC Treaty Organisation. Well I suppose Afghanistan could be further from the North Atlantic if it was on the moon.
But NATO didn’t get into eastern Europe by “military expansionism” ie. it didn’t wage war upon and take over those countries. Those countries applied to join, precisely BECAUSE they wanted protection from a much larger, more powerful and nuclear-armed neighbouring country, Russia.
Now what the US Neocons did in allying with fascists and precipitating violence in Kiev was utterly wrong, and it has created a crisis and caused massive death, destruction and suffering. But the US Neocons used US resources to do this; NATO as such didn’t do it. But the US Neocons only did it because (1) they knew NATO wouldn’t and (2) they knew that NATO would oppose any Russian reaction to it; ie. the US Neocons knew they couldn’t lose.
On the other hand, the Russian government wouldn’t have had any excuse, any cover, to take over Crimea and to try to take eastern Ukraine without the coup-cum-revolution in Kiev. But they had certainly prepared for years to take advantage when they could, and they didn’t waste any time doing so.
But this last year the propaganda war has been raging on this blog which used to be a good place to discuss things. These days I can barely think for all the informational ordinance that’s being thrown around. And I suspect that such confusion suits some here just fine.
Clark@ 7:36 Come on Clark get real.America kicked the whole Ukraine trip off like they always do.
Have seen it all before during my military experience during the 1950`s-1960`s
http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Blum/US_Interventions_WBlumZ.html
Dave, the US does more interventions simply because it has more power, not because it is morally worse. It does interventions all over the world because it can. But other countries do bad things too. It’s the nature of power. China? Tibet. Russia? You tell me, but a government doesn’t take over the media, broadcast propaganda to its populace and incite nationalism for no reason.
If you think all fault lies with the US, you need to propose a mechanism for the US being so much worse than all the other countries. I propose that such corruption is proportional to power. But Russia is far from powerless.
@Clark: No, not all. Each scientific revolution takes that from the previous paradigm, and blends it with the new theory(ies) to create the new world view.
Einstein’s theory won’t be abandoned, but, eventually or soon, depending on political acceptance, will be refined into something even more unified.
@Fred, Brian: Yes, you are right Fred, that the relative distances of the sun and moon have been changing. Please try to understand what Brian, I think, is saying…
that for billions of years before and after, the sizes whatever earthlings were/will be here could observe would be different…
but we are here when they are just the right amounts to create an ellipse.
Doesn’t that give you goosebumps, and/or a sense of wonder?
Dave, if you’re looking back to the ’50s and ’60s, you can just as easily point the finger at Russia in the form of the USSR.
@Clark: the US does it because it a bully.
Peacewisher, there are all sorts of things about the universe that give me goosebumps and a sense of wonder (when I’m in an appropriate mood), but you used the term “intelligent design”, which is of course a term used by the US Religious Right to try to give creationism equal status with evolution in school teaching. I don’t think that some great architect arranged for the moon and the sun to look about the same size in our era, but it’s a nice coincidence that they do.
But have you actually calculated the degree of coincidence? Not every eclipse is total. There is a range, from the least coverage annular to more-than total. What is the margin of that range, and how long does it last? I think you’ll find that winning the lottery is a lot less likely, but the lottery gets won dozens of times a year.
I don’t know what you mean by “political acceptance” so I won’t speculate, but a new theory won’t replace an older one unless it’s better.
Peacewisher, so is the US the only country that’s a bully, and if so, why?
What about Russia depriving Ukraine of gas in winter? Wasn’t that bullying?
@Clark. Science, and scientific developments, is inextricably linked with politics. This is unpleasant and difficult to accept, but it is true.
Example of new theory not being accepted because it didn’t fit with means of retaining control: Catholic Church, and their world view
Example of new science being rapidly accepted… Newton’s and Boyles theories because they brought about the industrial revolution that made a major world power of the time even more powerful.
Example of science being suppressed for political reasons: evidence that smoking causes cancer. Our queen should be incensed about this, and I’m sure she is.
@Clark: they didn’t pay their previous bill. How can that be bullying?
Clark; “Macky, which part of “the neocons and the Kremlin are both aggressors” is it that you don’t understand?”
The bit that implies that a Country, whose previous agreed red-line prohibited Western encroachment on a buffer neighbouring country; when that encroachment happens, deliberately causing chaos & internal conflict, in order to entice Russia into action, both to give the pretext for economic warfare, and to cast it as an evil aggressor, to then put it on par as equally aggressive as those that broke their promises & deliberately caused the destabilization & resulting bloodshed, is a bit dishonestly rich, if not plain bonkers.
Clark; “What about Russia depriving Ukraine of gas in winter?”
For years no other country was given more generous subsidies on Russian gas, how did they say thank you ? Frequent problems with non or late payments, and even the stealing of gas passing through to European countries.
Tim; “Macky thinks in binary terms.”
Not at all, but to paraphrase Zinn, you can’t be neutral on a moving train, especially when it’s heading for war; the people who you describing as thinking in binary terms are those turning a blind-eye to Western injustice by trying to paint the West & Russia as equally to blame & as equally symmetric aggressors over Ukraine.
Clark,
You have conflated the past with present, don’t blame you mind. The years of disinformation have confused a lot of people.
The armed take over of the countries you point to; was the result of the bloodiest war waged on Russia in which the so called Allies sat back and let the Commie Russkies get decimated by the very enemy they were supposed to be fighting jointly.
NATO was set up to fight the nest war soon after, and the Europeans had little choice to join it, or not. The destruction of Europe and its dependence on US post the war made it supine to whims of the US that was already engaged in preparation for the next war as reflected in the words of Patton:
The same problems keep recurring because the real history is covered up and instead the phony stories are passed as the true reflections of the times passed.
However the main factors; a handful of psychopaths and socipaths bent on maintaining their control over the masses and settling their differences of opinions through the blood of the masses they are too busy ruling. These remain constant.
Yesterday it was the godless commies, today it is the moon god worshipping mooslums (these are not cutting the mustard and frankly it is getting embarrassing to wax lyrical about “improvised explosive devices”) so a new target in Putin is found, and the world begins to mobilize against him.
Just read the headlines everyday and then dig to find out what deals are going down and who is not playing ball. All the kabuki passed as current events is only an exercise in stacking the forces against the targets that are not playing ball.
If you recollect Yeltsin was a democratically elected leader with foresight and a genius to boot. That old alcoholic was the best governor general for the defeated USSR who did what he was asked to do.
Can you imagine a world with no opposition to US? (although some already believe it has come to pass). You have no say in how that place (US) is ran and who is “elected” to office, nonetheless their decisions affects your life everyday, leaving you more impoverished by the day, as the empire taxes the resources of the planet, in its veracious persuit of wealth and resources.
The debate here is about future Earthica or an Earth with sovereign governments of different shades coexisting without resorting to steal from each other or kill off one another’s nationals. The rebellion against the empire can take the debate to strange corners.
Peacewisher, everything is inextricably linked to everything else, and this is one of those things that gives me goosebumps and a sense of wonder. Classical science was creating an impression that things could be considered “objectively” and in isolation, but had a nasty collision with relativity and quantum physics just over a century ago.
Politics is of course influential in all human activity including science. But I think you overrate the effect. For instance, quantum physics was being accepted long before there was any sign of it leading to transistors, and relativity was rapidly accepted despite it having hardly any political ramifications. Likewise plate tectonics; governments really don’t care that the countries are moving at about the rate that fingernails grow.
One of the the weirdest examples is global warming. The corporate media mocked the theory and the various political establishments did their best to ignore it, until Stern told them how much the damage would cost. Power cared more about the mass-hallucination called money than about the physical environment upon which all life depends! But since the theory has been accepted by government and corporate media, a whole subculture has sprung up thinking it’s a hoax. The establishment claim to believe it, but act like they don’t.
I dunno… Humans, eh?
What about invading Iraq on a deliberate fabrication, a gratification of power by trauma and horror; the burning to death over 300 children in less than 24hrs. I saw the black charred bodies of babies and infants and the teens who never knew the joy of giving back the love their parents radiated on their developing souls.
Is that not worse than the despotic acts we witness evry single days of our lives:
GET REAL!
Peacewisher, 9:11 pm
Why in winter? Do you really dispute that gas supply is used to coerce other governments? A government is meant to impose humanitarian considerations upon commercial concerns but the Russian government does the opposite. Gazprom is controlled by the Russian government and its chairman is First Deputy Prime Minister of Russia.
Macky, so you’re justifying turning Ukraine’s gas of IN WINTER. You’re justifying murder. Take it back, Macky.
Mark Golding, 9:51 pm; are you talking to me? One wrong does not justify another.