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.

Scottish Nazionalists Show Their True Colours

So, despite stating clearly on their website in recent months that they will abstain on matters that are only applicable to England, especially mentioning foxhunting, the Scottish Nazionalists showed how little they care for democracy this week.

Their thin fig leaf of decency and democracy fell right off when they announced their intention to vote down the governments bill to ease the hunting ban, not because they care about foxes, they stated quite clearly that it was purely to spite the government. A yes vote would have merely put hunting in England on a par with Scotland. The Scottish Nazionalists are just totalitarian freaks who are driven by a hatred of England that is stronger than their love for Scotland.

The government has now abandoned the vote, due for tomorrow, and now it may be time that we abandoned Scotland.

Independence for England!

Boxing Day Hunt

Although I haven't ridden a horse for a few years, and have never done it to any kind of standard, popping up the road to support the local hunt really helps to make Christmas a special time. We walked there today, about a ten mile round hike along the canal towpath through the lovely countryside of the Lune Valley. Just what you need after a day of indulgence the day before.

There was one pillock who tried to drive through the horses and hounds as the hunt was gathering, making exaggerated gestures to his wife to let us know he disapproved. His car stickers showed him to be a tourist from one of our major cities, probably staying in local holiday accomodation for the festive season. Well if you disapprove of what goes on in the countryside it's easy, don't come.

It's an interesting thought that it is city dwellers who got hunting banned. I suppose they want the countryside to be just like the cities where the foxes are safe, it's just the humans running around shooting and stabbing each other you have to worry about. Oh yes, and the looters and the vermin living in filthy tents protesting about........whatever it is they are protesting about.

Anyway, here are some piccies of today's hunt:

Boxing Day Hunt

Sadly the local hunt has been cancelled, so Mrs B and I are still snuggled in here in the East Wing. Things are still very bad with packed snow covering pretty lethal ice sheets beneath.I know because I've just had to venture out for more fire lighters.

But fear not, the chances are that hunting will be legal again this time next year, one of the few positives, I suspect, if Dave's New Tories do manage to win the general election. Other than that I see little reason to think the New Tories will do much to roll back the frontiers of the police state.

So for now, here is a picture of hunts gone by, 2007 I think.

Boxing Day

Sadly Mrs B and I didn't have the chance to join the 300,000 other hunt supporters yesterday, which we usually do on Boxing Day. The reason being that while Parliament wasted hundreds of hours 3 years ago debating and passing the loathed Hunting Act, our glorious political class was allowing the NHS to fester in a mire of bureaucratic incompetence, inefficiency and infection.

Instead of joining the local hunt yesterday we had to drive to Manchester to spend the day with Mrs B's parents. Her mother was in hospital last November and, although not very frail, was so badly treated by the nurses that she lived in fear of them. When she had to use the loo but despite ringing the bell could get no assistance, she tried to get their on her own and fell. It took nearly a week for them to diagnose a broken hip, and then only after Mrs B and her sister mithered and mithered. She is now having to live in one room and can't walk without a zimmer. Going out she has to be put in a wheelchair. So rather than the hunt we took Mr and Mrs Ford off to a nice pub in Chesire for an enjoyable Boxing Day meal in front of a roaring log fire. All in all a great Christmas with my parents joining us for Christmas Day.

More of the last year in the coming days. For now I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a peaceful New Year. Off now to watch some football and spend the evening at Nutter's gourmet evening near Rochdale, a true treat for anybody who likes decent food. The diet starts on Jan 1st! Oh no, off to my sister's on Jan 2 when we ill no doubt enjoy more superb food and plentiful drink, so the diet starts Jan 4th.

The Boxing Day Hunt

The Vale of Lune Harriers, and the Three Counties Bloodhounds, left the Longlands in Carnforth at 11-30 this Boxing Day morning. The photo on the right is as they arrived at Borwick, around 12-30, for mulled wine and a breather.

The Master of the Hunt set them off well at Longlands by wishing us all a Merry Christmas and telling us that, after 5 years of 'bollocks to Blair', it was now time for 'bollocks to Brown'. Hundreds of hunt supporters then joined him in a rousing chorus of: "Bollocks to Brown". The hunt then set off into the Lancashire countryside.