Truth in Politics
The three larger political parties are starting their national campaigns, laughingly in support of the LOCAL elections.
Seemingly, they are targeting their campaigns on anti-social behaviour.
The trouble is that the example they give us by their own behaviour is so appalling that the impact is likely to be the same as when Blair and Brown tell us that our marines were in Iraqi waters. Sorry, but since the last time we had heaps of "evidence" shovelled in front of us and it turned out to be half baked, it becomes difficult to take such things totally at face value.
Furthermore, when we allowed "extraordinary rendition", misbehaviour by our troops in Iraq, the continuation of Guantanamo Bay and all the rest, that is seemingly OK. It is very difficult to argue against Iran accusations that we are in no position to complain about their action. The Iranians may, of course, have acted illegally, but so did we when we invaded Iraq.
So why should the electorate, and particularly young people, take the direction of our national leaders terribly seriously?
Even on the home front, the Chancellor of the Exchequer when making a formal speech, supposedly as a senior minister does so in a duplicituous manner, rather than as a formal statement of fact and information. The trouble is that many of our politicians, and particularly those in government have now spent so long manipulating the truth and distorting the facts, they no longer recognise an untruth when it leaps out of every other sentence.
Whilst ASBOs are of questionable value, we should perhaps be trying them out at government level and if they fail to bring a cure there then perhaps they should be abondoned altogether.......
posted by spotlighter @ 6:31 AM
4 Comments:
As there seems to be disorder on virtually all street corners the targeting of anti-social behaviour should come as no surprise.
Certainly the wheat needs to be sorted from the chaff - especially with 24hrs news reporting which often tries to make its own news!
Guantanamo Bay is an american concern - with regards to this ours should primarily be with those British ever held within it and I dont recall the UK voicing open support for it!
Certainly 'misbehaviour' of troops should never be condoned, excused or overlooked.
I think indeed we are in a position to complain to the Iranians - we wern't there of our own accord, we were on patrol for the UN. We dont have a habit of parading 'hostages' on the tv.
Its very bold to dismiss the current government as blinded 'liars' even if you choose to pretty your words.
Is mud-slinging instead of balanced debate the way to encourage the younger electorate?
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As a person engaged in politics (but not party politics) at a local level, I am very concerned about the integrity and image of politicians. Understandably, the electorate tends to throw all politicians into the same basket and frequently make comments such as "they are all the same" or "they are in it for themselves". In my view, the first of these observations is far from the case, whilst the second has in many cases too much truth in it for my liking. There is no doubt that bad behaviour by politicians at any level causes a higher level of cynicism amongst the population at large.
My earlier remarks were not intended to be mud slinging as I do not believe that that is productive. However, critical analysis, based on fact, is necessary in order to have a reasoned debate.
I believe that complicity of the British diplomatic and security services in Guantanamo Bay are now fairly well established as with Extraordinary rendition. Any complaints from us have been seriously muted. Meanwhile we condemn bad behaviour by the likes of the Iranians. To me, it just has a hollow ring about it. Equally, the treatment of the recent British captives by the Iranians – even if one believes all the accounts being presented – are mild compared with some of the proven treatment of prisoners by the British, Americans and allies in Iraq.
Some politicians have at least been sufficiently forthright to say this is the nature of warfare and those engaged in it should not be surprised at the consequences.
The international comments came into my original posting because I was particularly angered by the duplicity on that front at the time. But how often do we have to listen to our politicians either arguing the contrary to what we all know from personal experience on such issues as the health service, education, police response times and the like. There are one or two (ironically Alex Salmond of the Scottish National Party) who gives a fairly straightforward answer to questions posed, but just listen to Hazel Blears for three minutes or even thirty and you are no nearer to learning an answer to almost any question put.
You write very well.
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