Building National Pride in Palestine?

I’m often aware of the tension that exists between my passion for justice for the Palestinians, as such, a national grouping, and my disgust at anything to do with National Pride. I find the copious numbers of England flags that appear during major football competitions mildly disturbing, an affront to my Internationalist, anti-statist leanings, and so news that Israel is blocking construction of Palestine’s national football stadium leaves me a bit stuck.

LCpl Joe Glenton: The War is Local

On Saturday I took part in a stall and vigil protesting at the incarceration of York Soldier Lance Corporal Joe Glenton. It was an intense affair, with media interest normally not shown to a mere anti-war stall, hundreds signing petitions and some very heated exchanges. The struggle to end the Afghanistan War is no longer just about a place several thousand miles away, it has come home.

Does anyone want to solve abortion?

Of all the most personal issues that get kicked around as a political football, abortion is probably the most distasteful and most distressing. Any and every debate seems a million miles divorced of the realities that often underlie the decision to seek an abortion, which in our divided world can make one case almost entirely different to another.

What if Nick Griffin really changed his mind?

Remember that bit on Question Time (which apparently is on tonight, but there’s no protests, so I can’t be bothered to watch it) where Nick Griffin claimed he had changed his mind on the holocaust but couldn’t explain why for fear of being locked up for discussing it? What if he actually has changed his mind?

Look away and Blair’s back

Some of you will have managed to notice that I haven’t written a post in over a week. Life got a lot too hectic. This means I’ve had to play catch up with the news, and to be honest, most of its been a bit depressing, but then I found myself living a nightmare a few days ago: Brown to back Blair for EU President. “Oh crap!”, I groaned, “make it all go away!”.

Understanding the American balance of Power

We’ve had a couple of rounds of griping at Obama again. People this side of the Atlantic in particular seem rather disgruntled by the lack of outcome on certain key issues, and possibly even confused by the outcome of some of the others, and in several cases I think this comes down to one thing: American politics is more complex and less dictatorial that we imagine.

Where Science and Politics collide

In an era when we’ve become used to Science running the Political landscape, last week’s sacking of the government’s chief drugs advisor was a kick in the teeth for anyone who thought we had entered an era of “rational government”, where science was the true deciding factor on all matters of government policy.

The BNP, Free Speech, and BBC Question Time

A senior government member has struck out at the BBC’s Question Time for its invite to BNP leader Nick Griffin, who is currently due to appear on the 22nd October edition of the program. Peter Hain wants the BNP’s invitation rescinded because they aren’t a lawful organisation, due to a court ruling over their constitution.

Israel declares war permanent

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Foreign Minister, has told Israelis that the conflict between Israel and Palestine is not going to be resolved. Citing the example of Cyprus, he has called on Israelis to stop seeking peace and make the best of his countries oppression of the Palestinians. In a sense, this isn’t anything new, but it would be easy to see this as merely an admission of hopelessness, rather than a calculated position for Israel to put itself in.

Murdoch decides it all (again!)

Once again, the kingmaker of Britain (an Aussie) has decided who shall be leading the country after the next election, and unlike the last 12 years, he’s going for the Tories. Corporate Britain has few more capable subverting democracy than Rupert Murdoch, but today his friends must be pretty happy with him.