Let’s not play the victim
Among my New Year’s resolutions (apart from the usual ones about being healthier, wealthier, wiser and so on) is a desire to see the libertarian movement in Britain, if we can call it that, cheer up a bit and become more positive. I have noticed a fairly wide outbreak of pessimistic gloom-mongering these past few days from certain quarters. This is perhaps understanderble. Rising taxes, ID cards, proposed bans on religious commentary, ever-rising regulations…...the list goes on. It is easy to justify getting the blues. But we have been in bad situations before. The 1970s were a terrible decade in many ways (although it gave us Roxy Music and David Bowie, and Ipswich Town FC won the FA Cup). Since then militant trade unions have been defeated. Swingeing high tax rates have been partly reduced. Swathes of nationalised industries have been returned to private hands. It is no longer a sign of mental retardation to express one’s admiration for capitalism and free trade.
And on the positive side of the ledger, home schooling is becoming more widespread, the Internet is a terrific source for spreading our ideas, and there is a distinct sense of rebellion in the air among many people in this country as far as stuff like bans on foxhunting are concerned.
So we have a fight on our hands to push forward the course of liberty. It is never been any different. So let’s get on with it and make sure we mix it up with as much foot-stamping rock music as possible. Onward and upward!
Update Cross-posted on Liberty Cadre our new libertarian group-blog.
Read more 4 commentsExpose on jihadist Patriach
Frontpage news has a damning piece on the judenhass Patriach of Jerusalem. Wonder if he has anything to do with the lies being spread by the Vatican about Israel’s participation in tsunami relief. Oh and Arab TV is doing more anti-Jew TV shows as well.
1 commentTsunami abuse continues…
No, I am not talking about the sexual predators who are said to be behaving as per normal (for them) or about the hoaxers and fraudsters using this as an excuse to get some easy cash. If you wish to read the worst of the worst, so far, Wizbang has a collection. Neither am I talking about a rather good piece on the charity industry by the good folks over at Catallarchy.
I am talking about the continual use of this disaster by some to bash the US and the West. It will probably surprise no one that the Guardian has a piece claiming the tsunami victims are suffering because of the war in Iraq. Would it surprise anyone that it was written by Moonbiot?
Over at Michele’s place she ponders the worth of yet another telethon populated by stars and near-stars to raise money for the cause. She quite rightly asks if all the money and time spent organising this sort of event could be put to better use. The same debate occured in the UK, over the 4th version of the Band-Aid single, especially when it go out how little money is raised in the end. They are also trying to get-together a Live-Aid II gig sometime in the next few weeks. Why? Why don’t these “stars” just give money directly to the appropriate charity as Sandra Bullock and Leonardo DiCaprio have done?
One bit of good news however, in the last 24 hours, the BBC news has praised the US effort and on Newsnight criticised the UN’s post-tsuanami behaviour.
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