Reason and Logic

We are human beings and often make decisions based on, or strongly influenced by, emotion and feelings. But there seems to be an increasing lack of reason and logic in public debate and in public life generally. Increasingly there seems to be a frightening move towards feelings and emotion actually trumping reason and logic.

Yesterday we went to toast our local hunt as they set off on their day's sport. Since 2005 hunting foxes with hounds has been illegal so yesterday the hunt consisted of riders on horses with hounds spending the day following a scent trail across private land where the landowners had given their permission for the hunt to ride. The irony is that since the hunting ban in 2005 more foxes have been killed each year as farmers use more efficient ways of protecting their stock from the fox. The anti-hunt brigade are more driven by hatred of the type of people they think hunt than any welfare concerns for foxes. It is a victory of emotion and feeling, or prejudice and bigotry, over logic and reason.

Somebody on social media attacked me yesterday, in the most irrational and hate filled way, for attending the hunt. When I explained what I have explained above her response was to claim that may be the case but what if the dogs picked up the scent of a fox? Well the hunt pledge to take all measures to avoid that scenario which, to be honest, is a bit like telling me I'm wicked for driving a car because I might have an accident. She then made it perfectly clear that she was actually driven by an irrational hatred of the type of people she thinks ride horses and hunt. She then decided to seek out my wife and started to harass her on social media proving herself to be nothing but a bitter and twisted hate filled bigot.

To book end this example of irrational behaviour we've had an announcement this week that the state is having to take measures to protect free speech in British universities. Cultural Marxism, or political correctness, has pervaded our national life for decades now, it is just as vile as any form of socialism just a little more subtle and slow burning but equally destructive. Our education system and churches are some of the worst offenders, eagerly trying to prove their PC credentials by doing the dirty work of the far left PC brigade for them. Virtue signalling social justice warriors (aka snowflakes) are the absolute curse of the twenty-first century.

For a few years now campaigners, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, have been trying to get books banned from British universities, indeed even The Guardian, that bastion of irrational liberalism and fake news, has felt it necessary to fight this attack on freedom in several issues. After all, when the mob starts banning books and anything else they deem to be 'offensive' who says somebody won't decide it's you and your opinions next?

That British universities have to be forced to stop banning people who they disapprove of from speaking and from banning books they disapprove of is highly concerning and should worry everybody who believes in freedom, rationality and logic. If these snowflakes are so upset and scared of people with alternative philosophies and ideologies then why are they at university at all? Isn't university supposed to be about having your ideals and beliefs challenged? Isn't it about learning how to face people you disagree with or disapprove of and dismantling their arguments using logic and reason.

It seems that today's students lack the confidence and intellect to face the real world and need to run and hide in a safe space. Hardly good preparation for the rigours of the real world.

Ed Miliband v The Daily Mail

Nice t-shirt!

Oh what fun! Any sympathy for Miliband? None whatsoever. Get over it. Yes, the Mail on Sunday journalist who gatecrashed Miliband's uncle's memorial service was wrong and has rightly been disciplined. But why the furore over the Daily Mail claiming that Ralph Miliband hated Britain? Why should the Mail kow-tow to Miliband and change its culture? Freedom of the press means the press can say things we disagree with, things we loathe, things that offend us as long as they are legal, that is freedom of the press, freedom of speech.

Of course the lefties who are currently squealing like indignant piggies quite happily talk about Margaret Thatcher in the most vile terms, way beyond what is regarded as polite or civilised regardless of how much they offend her family. Indeed over the years many of us involved in politics, especially in the days of the militants in the early 80s, received vile treatment at the hands of lefties, including intimidation of family and friends when they couldn't intimidate us. So let's cut the crocodile tears.

Miliband whining on about how disgraceful it was to attack his father in such a way should maybe stop publicly citing his father as a great political influence on him when it suits. If you cite your father repeatedly to justify your views, then expect the microscope of the media to focus on your political influence (dad) eventually. When that influence turns out to be a Marxist, a philosophy that in practice slaughtered many millions more than fascism ever did, then I think we have a right to know.  Furthermore the very nature of Marxism is to destroy the liberal democratic system of government that we have in this country so I think criticism of Marxists is not only valid but a duty of those who value freedom.

Miliband denies that his father hated this country by citing his service in the Royal Navy during the war. I admire anybody who has served or is serving in the armed forces, but not all serve out of love for their country any more than those who fought in the International Brigades did so out of a love for Spain. I would suggest that Ralph Miliband, who came here as a refugee in 1940 fleeing the Nazis, was much more likely to have joined the forces to fight the Nazis than for love of a country he barely knew, and I do not criticise him for that, I am sure many men fought in the last war for the same reason rather than a sense of patriotic duty.

What is very telling in this episode is Miliband's cries for the Mail to change its culture, and his supporters  calling for action against the Daily Mail even resorting to vile accusations of anti-Semitism. The message being that press freedom is fine, as long as you are kind to Miliband and co and say nice things about them. Maybe they'll remember that next time they want to be crude and nasty about Cameron's wealthy family members or Osborne's in a much more personal and nasty manner. 

I'm not a Mail reader but get tired of those who blindly follow the trend of slagging off the Mail and its readers. I can only think that as they seem to loathe the paper so violently that they must read it on a pretty regular basis. Or are they just being prejudiced and bigoted? I don't know. But those who think The Grauniad is some bastion of virtue and morality maybe you should read this interesting article.

Sarah Palin and Liberal Scum

Last night was one of those strange nights, largely due to the modern media. As the terrible events in Tucson, Arizona unfolded watching the TV, and being on Twitter made it seem so much closer than previous tragedies that have rocked different parts of the world. It is terrible for all involved and we must all pray that Gabrielle Giffords makes a full recovery, not forgetting all the other victims and their families.

What really shocked me around the unfolding tragedy was the response of the liberal left. Within minutes they started pointing the finger. And who was it pointed at? No surprises, that figure of hate to the left, for the liberal left thrive on hatred, Sara Palin. Yes, no evidence, no reasoning just a typical knee jerk reaction and someone to instantly blame, someone on the right.

So why did the left immediately point the finger at Sara Palin? Because she had 'targetted' Congresswoman Giffords, among others, on her website. So obviously some nutter takes it literally and hey presto, Palin's to blame. How simplistic, how hateful, how very liberal left. So we can only assume that the next time Labour talk about a 'decapitation' strategy they will bear in mind that they could be encouraging the beheading of political opponents! If you don't know, and might be encouraged by this blog to take a machete to a political opponent please don't. Decapitation means working for the removal in elections of senior or leading political oppponents rather than their literal decapitation.

When the left rattle on about hatred, love and peace it is as well to remember the way they treated George Bush, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher and others, indeed anybody they happen to disagree or disapprove of. Socialism is based on hatred and venom, it is the natural territory of the liberal left and Marxists all over the world. We have a duty to fight them everywhere.