Exspectata Tergum

When Walter Cronkite died earlier this month it hit hard. A man from the textbooks, the man from my Vietnam War studies this year at school. A recognizable name in among the dehumanization and stats. Following Robert McNamara to the grave in a matter of weeks emphasized his immediate legacy and "news-worthiness". But to me he was more than the "Trusted Voice of TV News", he symbolized much more. So much so that he has managed to go beyond the grave to "rekindle my fire" and thus I have decided to return to my blog.

I don't claim to know nearly enough to efficiency and intelligently comment on the media's impact immediately following World War 2, after all the impact is all but lost as social perceptions can be lost within a generation, nevermind over generations. However when I hear Cronkite being called the "most trusted man in America" it touches a nerve. An angry nerve.

No man should be able to opinionate the next so easily and readily. Everyone is born equal right? Right? No that's another blog. No Cronkite and men like him; your Trevor McDonalds of this world etc etc, shouldn't be allowed the freedom of unchallenged voice. The voice of researchers high on caffeine rushing stories to get home to their families, cutting corners. Bending the truth.

I'm back to give you my view, for what it's worth. I implore you to do the same, take facts and form your own opinions. Before, now over a year ago, in my earlier posts I may have been too brash, too angry, too pessimistic, searching for a story. But at least I had a voice, not just some "water-cooler small talker" only able to regurgitate last night's news.

Responsibility

Ben Kinsella, Shakilus Townsend, Jimmy Mizen are all high profile British children to have been killed in London over the last few months. Their families have my greatest sympathy at this troubled time..

But think of the hundreds if not thousands of children who die in Africa every day due to colonization and the British Empire, more importantly out ancestors. They were the men and women who sanctioned for lands of Africa to be pilfered and it's people to be taken as slaves to far away lands, thus creating the disease, poverty and death ridden continent today. It was there responsibility and as it is still happening the responsibility has been handed over to us.

For every man, woman or child that dies in Africa from now on in, you have some accountability for. The colonization death toll has not been stopped yet and therefore we are all responsible for the deaths. We are all murders.

From Russia With Love

Last night I was listening to a well known radio station when a Muslim caller came on and to my mind made a very interesting point.

He was trying to defend the insurgency in Iraq and Afghanistan by giving the hypothetical situation of Great Britain being invaded and occupied by the Russians. He then asked what would we do? "Stand up and fight? Stand up for our rights and homeland?" It would be anything but British not to stand up and fight our oppressors, you know Churchill and all that. But then by that token is that all the Iraqi's and Afghans are doing? Don't misinterpret me I have the greatest sympathy for all those British soldiers killed, in my opinion it is the most respect worthy profession. Unfortunately over the last few years a few politicians have thrown the armies excellent reputation into disrepute, namely Anthony Charles Lynton "Tony" Blair and George Walker Bush.

Many people will immediately say that they are dying fighting terrorists and it is for the greater good of humanity. But what exactly is terrorism?

1.	the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.

2.	the state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization.

3.	a terroristic method of governing or of resisting a government.

(dictionary.com)

"The use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce" well basically the American foreign policy since the end of WW2, especially now that oil is of such high value, an item that they have so little of.

"The state of fear and submission produced by terrorism or terrorization" Firstly hooded teenagers can now be classed as terrorists. Secondly although Iraq and Afghanistan was in a state of fear and submission before the coalition attack is it so different now? Perhaps even worse?

Finally "a terroristic method of government". Since 9/11 (Which can never be justified, God rest everyone victim) America and Britain have basically terrorised countries and governments which they oppose.

I ask you to consider which is the greater terrorist? Or who has created the greatest damage to the international peace? Let's not forget however that these men did not just walk into the roles, they were voted for by public, which is you and me. Whose the terrorist?

Bugsy Malone

Following Jacqui Smith's recent declaration that Britain's knife crime and gun crime was more a public perception and "actual government figures" showed that it hadn't changed I felt compelled to write this blog. I'm pretty sure that everybody globally has now heard of Britain's near epidemic weapon's culture and I'm also petty sure that everybody (bar Jacqui Smith apparently) can see that it is now becoming out of hand.

The real problem is that it seems that nothing can be done to combat the problem. Carrying knives will always be an option to people and more frighteningly children, as in every household kitchen there will be a draw with at least 5 deadly weapons, which can easily be placed in a coat pocket. Therefore the accessibility will never be eradicated however surely something can be done go combat the gun culture. When did guns become an item so easily to aquire?

To my knowledge there are two main causes for this flowering culture. First of all the police structure is inadequate e.g. too much paperwork and not enough police patrolling the streets. I was fortunate enough to visit NYC last year and the numbers of police were staggering, there were together in pairs and clearly visible. In my opinion this is what with need in Britain, more police doing their proper jobs (e.g. less paperwork or road incidents) and I would also go as far as saying that police should also be armed with a firearm. I can see that this may create as many problems as it solves however the message would be clear.

Secondly I would like to see a "relaxation" on the human rights rule for criminals. Through my eyes if someone is committing a criminal activity then they have automatically forfeited some of their human rights, an example of this is a burglary. Why shouldn't you be able to hit a burglar around the head with a golf club if he/she has broken into you house at 3.00 in the morning epically when he/she is probably armed? Why should you have to risk your little son or daughter’s life trying to use 'adequate force'? It was their choice to come into your house.

A 'relaxation' on human rights would also ease the prison congestion. Don't get me wrong I don't buy into the myth that prison is a holiday camp, but I do believe that there needs to be a sharp increase in the toughness/ harshness of prisons. For example when was it acceptable for prisoners to have single rooms (I accept this is sometimes needed under special circumstances) and to be able to smoke or have drugs? To me a sentence should be served fully and therefore why are prisoners being released early? At the end of the day humans are only given one chance at life and therefore nobody has the right to ruin or end their chance. Longer sentences, harsher prisons will act as a deterrent and in my opinion more fear should be installed into society.

To relate to the title of the blog I must share with you a conversation I had. In the conversation I tried to convey the opinion that the newspapers are right and that in my opinion the country is falling apart and that this is the worst social conditions we have had for many years. I talked of my fear that in the near future teenagers could build on their accessibility of weapons to lead them to organised crime such as protection rackets and the drug trade. After all if gangs of hooded teenagers with guns and knives start demanding money from shop keepers every week on fear of death, who isn't going to pay up?

I mentioned that we could be seeing the start of a society where children will be involved in organised crime, not taking over from adults, but sharing in it's immoral profits. I referred to it becoming like 'Bugsy Malone' and that is where the conversation ended, as the idea seemed ridiculous to my counterpart.

Really though this is the problem at the moment in society, people refuse to look forward to the future and simply complain about the present.

20 years ago would adults really be scared of going out at night in many areas, in case they were assaulted (or worse) by groups of children....

Fancy a Flutter?

"Should stem research be restricted?"
GCSE RE textbook

Immediately I would say "No!” After a brief study in biology i have been led to the conclusion that they can save lives and make people better, sorry healthier. They can cure grave illnesses and bring inexpressible happiness to entire families.

I then remembered a joke (Frankie Boyle I think?) "Sure let them (athletes) take steroids, I want to see someone run the 100m in 4seconds". At the time I of course found this rather amusing, but if you really consider it is it that funny?

Genetic engineering could ultimately be mankind's downfall, let me explain...

We are at the moment the superior race or being on the planet and in our known universe, we all have our religious beliefs but no one can deny that humans have the ability of free choice. However what happens if genetic engineering proceeds? Proceeds so far and fast that we are no longer the superior race, can no longer do what we please? We can't murder 6million Jews! We can't force people to die in S-21!

I'm lost in where genetic engineering can take us, like robotic technology we have a personal conscience and "moral responsibility" installed within us by our "maker/makers". With genetic engineering we are no longer the biggest or the most powerful. We could turn into the bear in the ring instead of the baiters, be the fox being hunted.

We do not yet fully understand the development of the embryo to a baby; can we really begin to make our own Frankenstein monsters? Although no one is suggesting that we are going to make a monster and I myself am fully supportive of the use of stem cells, no one can argue that humans have always lacked the ability of both control and judgment, for example Truman proclaiming that the development of an atomic weapon and use of it therefore causing the destruction of Hiroshima, was "the greatest thing in history." Could we be trusted?

In conclusion I believe that the human race's past atrocities and international management (for example we can put a man on the moon but can't feed everyone a bowl of rice a day?) have proven that we shouldn't be trusted to try to "create from scratch". After all would you risk the society you live in to be destroyed and the supreme human race to be overthrown? To be honest, it doesn't seem that bad a flutter?

Introduction and Pleasantries

Without wanting to really write a "real" blog for my first attempt I decided to take the easy option and start by trying to give you some of the background to this blog. I would like to believe or at least think that I was of both some intelligence and more importantly brought up with some decent values and morals. This may disagree with some of the stereotypes that have been formed of this/my generation of youths and teenagers. Surprisingly I will whole heartily agree with this generalisations and will not try to defend myself or my counterparts. We are as bad as is told if not worse. What scares me the most is the offspring of today's "offspring", it seems to me that we are on a sinking ship falling perilously further and further down. Is anyone willing to stand and take action, not just speak words to bring about change?

I will not even attempt to say that I can or have the ability to do so however take this blog as you wish. I perhaps, naively, thought that people would want to see it through the eyes of someone of a different perception.