The putrefaction of politics - rewritten
Hmmmm, far too much ranting in what is to follow, so I have come back to edit, mainly because I am not sure I phrased things as carefully as I usually would, and partly because me having a rant doesn't necessarily help anything. Time for a little self-censoring, I think....
Oh, and another addition, there is a significantly more balanced account here, which perhaps I should take more notice of! I'm not going to remove this post completely, though, as this does stir up some strong feelings in me, and if nothing else lets everyone know that there are some things I am passionate about, and some things I am absolutely against, inclusivity I am for, racism and bigotry I am against!
I normally make a point of avoiding political and social commentary on this blog, mainly because so many others of the blogosphere indulge in such, and make a much better fist of things than I ever could. The general idea of this blog is to give a bit of insight into the life of a relatively normal rural Vicar and the everyday situations he experiences (that's 'he' in a specific sense, meaning me, rather than an expression that I believe minister's should be 'he'). It's also to offer a bit of my 'out loud' thinking, for better or worse, in the hope that some of my ideas will receive a bit of a workout before I try and put them into action. Along with its sister blog 'New Kid Deep Stuff' there's also the none too subtle aim of getting a bit of thinking about 'faith', specifically of the Christian variety, out there for comment, reflection and response. Oh, and I say some stuff about me, motorbikes, music, France, books, art and bits when I have time (not done an awful lot about that lately).
What I have not done is set myself up as someone who makes pronouncements about world events, or news headlines, or celeb culture, or telly or whatever. Not that I have nothing to say about these things, there is very little that I won't chunter on about with a certain amount of opinionated waffle if I get the chance. But life's too short for you all to listen to my opinions about everything, nor I suspect would many of you care overly much about what I might think on many of these things - or rather I'm not sure my opinions would offer much to the debate :-) .
Our recent elections and the results now available have, however, caused me to break from my original aim of steering clear of social or political comment. I have refrained from commenting on the greed and self-interest which has dominated, to a rather wearing degree, the media reporting on British politics lately. The reporting on which has been nearly as awful as the actual events themselves, which could pretty much have been made public in a couple of editions of our newspapers rather than dragged out over weeks. It seems though that the disenchantment with our politicians (and to a certain degree the media going on and on and on about it) has led us to a very bad place indeed.
In our recent elections our country it seems has taken a swing towards intolerance, injustice and racism which I find deeply disturbing. I know that there is a certain racist streak within Britishness (sad to admit, but I hear plenty of such opinion around the place). I know that there is a often a certain attitude of superiority and intolerance in western society generally and among english speakers particularly. But voting in two members of the neo-Nazi BNP to represent our country in Europe is, to be frank, disgusting. Like many public commentators and many bloggers I am gobsmacked that they have a forum for their loathesome bigotry - and the fact they have convinced enough people to vote for them that they have two members in the European parliament is depressing in the extreme.
I recognise that we will never eradicate bigotry and narrow-mindedness, and as a Christian I realise that sin is endemic in the human condition, but the endorsement of such parties as the British National Party is an active move towards evil, and something which those of good faith must condemn. Some very good thoughts about this to be found here at Nick's blog, he says it particularly well here. Let's pray this foothold doesn't strengthen the BNP but shows them up to be the uninformed hate-mongers they are.
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