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.

Human Rights? Don't Make Me Laugh!

They're a bit like the word 'fascist' I suppose, the words 'human rights', the more they are bandied about the more they lose any kind of significance or meaning. Question the wisdom of uncontrolled immigration from the EU and you'll be labelled a fascist by some swivel eyed pinko liberal loon. Dare to mention the Daily Mail and aforementioned swivel eyed loon will label it fascist. The Mail is not my paper of choice but come on, fascist?

Then we have the ludicrous obsession with human rights. There's a good argument against the tyranny of the majority, after all, if 51% support the slaughter of the first born in every household does democracy say that it should happen? Of course not, democracy is tempered by morality, which tells us it is wrong to slaughter the first born. But for decades now our system, including our system of morals, has been undermined. Militant atheism is one of the most virulent tools being used against our system and human rights are being used as a very effective weapon. What the modern obsession with human rights has given us is the tyranny of the minorities.

One example of the tyranny of the minorities was the forced closure of Catholic adoption agencies for refusing to place children with gay couples. These agencies did magnificent work for children and parents for many, many years but because of our Catholic beliefs the state closed them down by declaring it illegal to refuse gay couples the chance to adopt. The rights of gay people obviously override the rights of Christians in this country.

So what happened to diversity? What happened to the much trumpeted concept of people from all cultures, beliefs and religions happily living side by side? Great idea, unless you're a Christian. Then increasingly you are left on the outside of this wonderful world of diversity and tolerance. Surely, with any number of adoption agencies catering for gay couples, there is room for agencies who object on grounds of conscience? Couldn't gay couples just find an agency that would help them adopt? What next, close down Catholic churches unless they cater for Jews, Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and so on?

This week we have had the results from the European Court of Human Rights. Again, in two of the four cases the rights of Christians were trampled on in order to support the rights of gay people. Surely on grounds of conscience, and in the interests of diversity and freedom of choice, people should be allowed to decline to marry gay couples or to provide them sex counselling? As with adoption there are any number of counsellors and registrars who would have no objection to counselling gays or presiding over civil ceremonies for gay people so their refusal on grounds of conscience is not depriving gays of their rights. But these people have now lost their basic right to work because of their beliefs and consciences.

Increasingly 'human rights' are being used to oppress the majority. The more those two words are bandied around the more oppressed the citizens of the UK become. The police state is tightening its grip on an almost daily basis.