Sunday, January 09, 2005

Jerry Springer the opera.

There has been a lot of fuss created by the BBC screening a production of Jerry Springer, the opera - on BBC2 last night. Much of the campaigning has been led by Christian Voice with additional support from the Evangelical Alliance .

I think the BBC was right to broadcast this programme. It is a successful stage show that deserves a wider audience.

I do not like people trying to force their views onto others. When you look at the Christian Voice website you can see just how bigoted these people are. They are right wing narrow-minded Christians, the sort that support George W Bush in America. They have no right to tell broadcasters how to do their job or to tell viewers what they can watch in the comfort and privacy of their own home.

All viewers have a choice to watch what they want and if they do not like a programme for whatever reason, they can switch to another channel. It is wrong for any group, including religious groups to deny the public access to the media. We have freedoms in this country - freedoms that these religious groups enjoy. Christians can live their lives as they want and still protest against other views. We allow them the freedom to protest but they will not let us the freedom to watch a simple television programme that cannot hurt anyone. Some countries do not allow their people to protest and are not allowed free speech.

I hope that our society becomes more tolerant of diversity this year and that a minority of bigots do not gain the influence to impose their views on everyone else. The media should be allowed to challenge opinion and give the public food for thought. Minority groups should be able to take it on the chin and simply live and let live. Life is too short to let the bigots get their way. Well done to the BBC for standing up to these people, they are not forced to watch and the protesters followed like sheep to protest at something they had not even seen.

Sunday, January 02, 2005

Tsunami Earthquake.

The death toll increases day by day as this tragedy unfolds. There is no magic wand that the general public can wave. We hope that our governments will help with the international relief effort but we want to do more. Many people have donated money in the hope that they can help relieve some of the suffering of the survivors. I have made a donation today to the Disasters Emergency Committee Tsunami Earthquake Appeal - every pound helps those who through no fault of thier own have had thier world turned upside down losing thier families and homes. It saddens me the shear scale of this disaster, that nobody could foresee or prevent.

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