Thursday, November 10

Palestine, Police and Politics - sorry

I know pompous political comments are really tedious, but two things keep going round and round my tiny excuse for a mind. Hopefully, if I get them out here, that will leave room for something else...

One. It was heartwarming to see the story on the news last night about the Palestinian father who allowed organs from his son, murdered by Israeli soldiers, to be used to save and improve Israeli, as well as Palestinian, lives. As I said to my girlfriend, the ex-wife of a Jewish man, how nice it would be if we could see that same humbling greatness of heart and generosity of spirit going the other way. But we won't. And I think that says a lot.

Two. Tony Blair lost a battle, not the war. Calls for the end of his term of office are vast overreactions. We learn by our mistakes. He should be allowed to make some, finally. We've been waiting long enough for goodness sake, let us enjoy it for a while.
So he got all confused and feels that the same Police who murdered Jean Charles de Jiminez, and shot another man for waving a chair leg at them, didn't prosecute more than 150 officers caught speeding last year and are proven to be structurally racist, should dictate how long we hold suspects on remand for. He rides roughshod over teachers, nurses, doctors, students, taxpayers and so on, but bows to the Police. Luckily his backbenchers are closer to the general public than he is and said 'no'. Not one person I know thinks 90 days is a good idea, not one.
It's an almighty relief that, at last, we have an oppostion in our system. Things can only get better from now on. No more massive majorities, but debate and proper politics. For the first time for years I feel a litte hopeful that at last this government might actually have to learn how to govern, and therefore start doing it properly. Unless you live in the country of course, then you might as well forget any kind of representation.

Am I the only one who sees another parallel here with the presidential style, where the Police, or CIA, are drawn into become political tools used to help bolster a regime.

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