Breaking Down Communities

Everything about political correctness and the modern obsession with 'equality' seems designed to divide communities and pit one group against another. Talk of community and society is cheap when we seem to be living in an era when disparate groups seem to think that we should all adapt our lives to suit them. It seems to be the tyranny of the minorities.

The horrific Harriet Harman has been at it again recently whining on about women only shortlists for parliamentary elections. David Cameron's been whining about there not being enough women in the Cabinet too. Personally I don't care what sex my MP is, as long as he/she is capable of doing a job. If I was faced with a candidate from a women only shortlist that would guarantee that particular candidate didn't receive my vote.

Then we have disability groups expecting the whole world to adapt on the off chance that a person with a particular disability is inconvenienced. I have every sympathy for people with disabilities, having worked for medical charities much of my working life, but there are far too many people working for disability groups, especially disability rights/pressure groups, who have a vested interest in constantly preaching at people. They are making good livings from doing it.

I have every sympathy with disabled people and have campaigned for disabled access to buildings etc. An example of the extreme I distrust was a case when I worked for a London charity a few years back. We had held an annual event in a particular venue and had spent many months with the management committee planning the event that particular year. A disabled person on the committee had taken part in the planning. But on the day he turned up, with a local newspaper journalist, and made a big deal about not being able to get in without assistance. We could have used a fully accessible venue and told the original venue why we had moved venue. But he wanted to be seen as a martyr.

Then there is the disproportionate amount of political influence gained by the militant gay lobby. Any criticism of gay people or gay lifestyle and the critic is branded homophobic. Catholic adoption agencies have been forced to close down because they would not place children with gay couples. The word 'marriage' has been redefined because gay people want to get 'married'. The whole of the population, it seems, has to change to accommodate the wishes of the militant gay lobby.

Racial politics is the obvious great divider. Criticise Islam and you're an 'islamophobe'. Criticise the levels of immigration and you're a 'xenophobe'. No place for rational debate, just stifle argument  branding opponents 'phobic'.

So here's one to ponder. I heard a black comedian on a comedy panel show having to say what reason she  had been given that  father Chritmas didn't exist. Her mother told her it was because she didn't want a fat white man with a beard taking credit for the presents she'd bought. I can't help wondering if that had been a white comedian talking about a black figure that she would have been branded racist.

Christians, Gays and Freedom

This is my reaction to this story.

First of all if I had a hotel, which I haven't, I would not care whether a same sex couple using my establishment was gay or straight. What they do in the privacy of their bedroom is no concern of mine.

Secondly I would not stay in a hotel that advertised itself as a 'gay hotel'. I wouldn't have a problem with a hotel advertising itself as such, I would just prefer not to stay there. Similarly I would prefer not to stay at a hotel that described itself as a 'christian hotel', despite being a practising Roman Catholic. Both designations imply to me establishlishments whose owners are so obsessed with one aspect of their lives that they forget that they are actually a plain old hotel and would probably bore me to death within minutes.

But I see no reason why christians can't refuse to accomodate gay couples or why gay hotels shouldn't be allowed to refuse heterosexual couples accomodation. I wouldn't stay in a hotel where people of whatever persuasion or belief  were banned, but it should be the decision of the owners and the state should keep out.