Hypocrisy

Today, Musa was found guilty for Speed camera scam and was sentenced to 16 months in prison. He had charged speeding motorists up to £200 for taking the blame.

Today, if the four House of Lords members are found to have accepted £120,000 to help secure amendments to a Government bill on behalf of a business client, they could be required to apologise on the floor of the Lords. They cannot be expelled from Parliament or stripped of their titles, not to mention serving a jail sentence.

Everyone will benefit if we send Musa to the House of Lords and the Lords to prison.

Gaza: Do They Really Care?

The anti-Israel campaigners have disappeared from my town. This is natural now that the fighting has stopped. But where are the donation collectors? Where have they gone now that the Palestinians need them the most?

There was no reason for donation during the war. Now there is. Now that the fire has stopped you can transfer medicine and food to Gaza. It is now that the people in Gaza need help rebuilding their lives, their homes, hospitals and schools. Now they need financial aid. But nobody seems to collect for them any more. Not in my town.

We now know that a great deal of the donations for the Tsunami victims never reached the suffering Indonesians. So while I have no doubt about the good intention of the street collectors, is it possible that the donation operation was merely a cynical exploitation of the emotions in the street to make some people rich?

How do we know how much went to those suffering in Gaza and not to enrich people here? If it went to Gaza, why have they stopped now?

Adoption

A couple was denied the right to adopt a child because the man was too fat. There were other behavioral or health problems. Is such discrimination legal in the UK? It wouldn’t be in many parts of the civilized world.

On the other hand, isn’t the department dealing with adoption the same as that dealing with child safety? This is the same department that followed the correct procedures to the letter, only to end up with the death of Baby P ...  and others. 

It’s a wonderful economic environment to find replacement for some of these long term government paper pushers. So many good people need a job these days.

End to Prostitution? Not another creative solution! by ranfuchs @ 20/11/2008 – 00:42:15

"Men caught paying for sex with women who are controlled by pimps will be fined ₤1000, and will be shamed publicly."

Well done creative thinkers.
 

If you read my blog, you may be aware that I strongly believe that it’s our duty to do all in our power to fight the horrendous crime of human trafficking. This is the main reason for this new legislation. But this is not the way.

After all, not even Iran, with death by stoning, managed to stop prostitution; can we? It will only make it impossible for men to report on such situations when they encounter them.

Can you imagine hoards of policemen hiding next to each prostitute to catch and fine her clients, instead of arresting the pimp and releasing the prostitute. After all, if they know which prostitute is employed by a pimp, why do they need to wait for her clients?

Once again, it's just another tax, a scheme for making easy money, without dealing with the problem itself.  When will the UK legislator start thinking about catching and punishing criminals and not how to fill their coffers?  When will human rights laws ensure that law abiding citizen are as protected as criminals?

Some more thoughts about Baby P

First, the Haringey council claimed it was not their fault, as correct procedures had been followed. So let me correct the esteemed council and tell them that procedures are not the right thing; procedure are a means to doing the right thing.

Second, Mr. Brown claimed that he felt sickened by the event and that he immediately set an inquiry, so people can feel safe about their children when looked after. Mr. Brown, again you are missing the point. Nobody feels safer because you have launched an inquiry. Besides, if you want to take action why don’t you make us feel safer by fighting crime, violence, and drunken behaviour. There is too much of it, and nothing is done about it. As sickening as this case is, it’s a reflection of what’s happening to society. So, Mr. Brown, don’t deal with this case, deal with its cause.

Third, some time ago I raised the question if there were cases where people should not be allowed to have children. It led to a heated debate --  many found the question a taboo. Some even compared me to the Nazis. So let me ask again, should Baby P’s mother be allowed to have more babies?

Crime and Robbery

My neighbour’s house got broken into. The thieves took money and jewellery.

The police came. They did a good job: they conducted lots of interviews, filled in many forms, and said that all goes on file. But when asked what the chance of getting the things back is, they admitted that the vast majority of stolen items are never found.

It was not the money that breaks my neighbour’s heart; it’s the sentimental value of some of the jewelleries; some given to her by her mother on her deathbed.

What does it say about us?

Police doesn’t have enough budget for proper investigation (why don’t we throw them a billion or so from the bank bailout?) and a great deal of their taxpayer-paid time is spent on non-productive paperwork.

While non-criminal are often fined for minor ‘offenses’, despite the increased crime (including violent crime) the legal system makes any effort to understand the problem of criminals, rather than the law-abiding victims. So even if my neighbours robbers are caught, they are likely to end up with minimal penalty.

We, those who grew up in a generation where good behaviour was respected and crime was heavily punished, may still believe that crime is bad. But what message does the young generation get? That crime is acceptable and excusable?

We are now blaming the greed culture we created for the latest economic crisis. It’s not long before we will be blaming the crime supporting culture we are now creating for not being able to walk in the streets unarmed.

The crime and gang culture is already here, but we still may have a chance to stop it. Tomorrow may be too late.

Gallant Brown saves the day (and lives happily ever after)

Mr. Brown came with a rescue plan – good; because he did not have a choice.

Mr. Brown executed the first step of his plan – good; because this the first time I see Mr. Brown doing anything difficult.

Mr. Brown, arrogantly, told the world that he saved the world’s economy, and that the rest of the world should follow his example – can’t get much worse.

Mr. Brown, you, who helped put us in this mess in the first place, probably did the only things that may give us a chance to escape a total disaster. That what you did, gave us a chance. Your action, although necessary, is dangerous, and can backfire badly. No one knows how it will turn up.

To use an analogy Mr. Brown, when you are forced into a war, you stay humble. You should have learnt it from your mate Mr. Bush, who not only helped you put us where we are today, but also won the Iraqi war long ago – just before it turned messy. If you have not read history, just remember that Nixon won the Vietnam War, Bush won the Iraq war, that is, before they lost them.

So please, Mr. Brown do what you can to and get us out of the mess you put us in, but keep your arrogance aside, to after you have won this war. That is, when the troops come safely home. Because when you send troops out, you never know how nasty things can get.

Mr. Brown, I never really liked you as a prime minister, but I like you as a person less and less. BTW, kissing your wife on the stage to improve your public image is a cheap stunt. Few are blind enough not to think otherwise.