April 28th, 2005
There is a well established law; that as a discussion goes on in Usenet, the probability of “hitler” being mentioned as an analogy approaches closer and closer to 1 (certainty). This is known as Godwin’s Law.
Since it was first announced that the people questioning Blair, Howard, and Kennedy were going to be genuine members of the public, I could tell that there was going to be something to ever so slightly shake my belief in a democracy. At times Question Time turned into a pantomime–”He’s behind you!”"Boo! Hiss!” Grow up, it’s demeaning to you, and the recipient.
It was interesting to hear the explanations that the leaders and prime minister gave regarding the topical current events. All in all I think it was Charles Kennedy who managed to cut all the hand gestures, and awful smiling, and–well gestures altogether, to just get down to business. He was definitely the most in-control of the questions.
Michael Howard was fighting a losing battle, people just weren’t willing to forgive and forget. Although I strongly agree with parts of the Conservative-ethic to reward hard workers, and make sure people don’t abuse the system. I just don’t think it should come at the price as to remove parts of the system, or inadvertently cause suffering to those who really need support. It’s common sense that successful hard workers should reap in the reward, and Conservatism is probably the easiest way to get there, but I don’t want to pay the price for their “extras”. The things they are planning are rediculous, 50% of this, 50% of that, governments move at a snails pace, and if you think you’re going to get all that any time soon then I should imagine you’d get a nasty shock.
Tony Blair actually gathered more heckling than Howard. The war in Iraq has just thrown people straight off. Inconspicuously hidden away in a column of The Daily Mail they mentioned mass graves being uncovered full of Iraqi civilians. While watching the anti-war protests I couldn’t help but think how remarkably callous it all seems, the same while watching lines of coffins with flags draped over them. They didn’t die without a cause, but protest all the same because we just have to believe that violence is always wrong. Although I also give merit to arguments against the war, that America would have done it anyway, and when do we draw the line. Why not Mugabe?
It was also a pity that Godwin’s Law was proved true to life again.
June 14th, 2005 at 7:49 pm
‘Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.’- Sir Winston Churchill
I like that quote.
June 15th, 2005 at 2:25 pm
That liberal chap we know obviously has a big heart, eh Dom?