George Clooney - Hero or Villain?

This sort of thing has rebounded badly on the Sudanese and American governments. It also underlines the difference between a political offence and a criminal one, I know of nobody who would consider Mr Clooney a criminal save the 'roided out goons in blue. It appears the world is waking up and starting to smell the cawfee. Quite sure that WPC Jade D would love to have frisked George on arrest. In other news a little bird told me that Johann Hari is not returning to the Independent due to the backlash from readers. Blackhurst Nil, Public One (F/T).

Dante "La Divina Commedia" and Islam.

A 700 year old manuscript is causing concern to the looser fringes of the first world. One Italian group wishes to ban a classic work as it does not reflect modern attitudes to race and religion. Of course not, it is Dante's genius to be seen through the prism of time, one may as well ban Shakespeare for characters such as MacMorris, Fluellen, Othello and Shylock.
The term anti-semitism is thrown around yet both Arabs and Jews are semities. Undoubtedly Dante evinced attitudes that would be unacceptable today, he was in modern parlance Islamophobic and homophobic but then so are many in Europe today.
Finally, his "La Vita Nuova" and other poems are the basis of much of Italian literature. As a descendant of the Visconti dynasty of Tuscany I think banning is a diabolocal act with regards to Dante.

Laurie Penny regrets.

To Belfast and a conference on far left politics. It ought to have started at 7pm last night but shambolically began half an hour later, without keynote speaker and keen Sapphist Laurie Penny. This morning began with a session on policing. Might I add that Marxist theory is of little use against a water cannon or plastic bullets.
Unintended mirth at last nights Channel 4's "Secret Policeman's Ball" with the dire Russell Brand telling us that there are 250,000 Amnesty members in Britain, none in Burma, 250,0000 political prisoners in Burma but none in Britain. So, let's forget about Robert Green, Julian Assange and Maya Evans, then.
Must dash as we are meeting with the "United Left Alliance" from Dublin soon.

Revolution in Peru?

Are Sendero Luminoso truly finished? How much were (or are) they a product of Marxism? The human rights situation in Latin America lends itself to the growth of the far left "When I fed the poor the called me a saint, when I asked why they were poor they called me a communist". The economic and social situation in Britain today is seeing a resurgence in leftist ideology, the subject of which I hope to address at a forthcoming conference. With Guzman gone is anyone going to take his place? Colombia is one of the CIVETS as Brazil is one of the BRICs, we may yet see Latin America play a fuller role in southern hemisphere life.

Stephen Lawrence and John Davidson.

It seems that "The Independent" has uncovered some serious sleaze regarding the conduct of Minorca resident ex Det Sgt John Davidson. But does the Indy know how deep this corruption goes? That the largest police force in Britain would have more of a blurred moral line is one thing (those of us who deal with miscarriages of justice know exactly why the demi-monde call the police "filth") however questions now arise over the cover-up in the Daniel Morgan murder and other issues.
The malaise that struck East Dulwich in the 1970s soon spread and even reached The Addo. One of the Det Cons there at the time was deeply implicated in dubious practices. It is now known that this individual retired to Norfolk where he heads a local EDL chapter. Surprisingly he was not investigated over issuing death threats or posting race hate. It need not be added that he is a prominent member of the freemasons.
Keep digging Indy if you are permitted. The sick joke that was the original Lawrence enquiry plus the unanswered queries over Daniel Morgan all link up.

Maya Evans Fan Club.

Proving that there is always room for one more political prisoner, the scum of Hastings Magistrates sentenced human rights campaigner Maya to a fortnight in jail for non payment of a £300 fine. Given that it will cost the taxpayer over £1000 a week to keep this dangerous criminal (oops, peace campaigner Maya) incarcerated this seems like vindictiveness of the part of police and courts. Her heinous offence was to read out the names of war dead in Afghanistan. You can write to her at
HMP Bronzewood,
Woodthorpe Road,
Ashford,
Middlesex, TW15, 3LZ.
Send her a postcard, I did. Regular reader Tango questioned the percentage of fine defaulters in jail, in Northern Ireland it was 33% for 2011. Google it. I did. Finally, greetings to our Thai reader, Sawatadee!

Romney and Knoxville.

As I said previously I believe that Mitt Romney is the best candidate for the Republican nomination for Presidency. As a foreigner I have limited impact on US politics, indeed, all things considered, I may be more of a Democrat at heart. My take on America is that it has given us functioning democracy and other benefits but also Guantanamo Bay and a few not so good things. I have nothing against Washington and as I repeat, nothing against Israel. Mitt Romney's team contacted me about today's meeting in Knoxville at 5.30pm EST with Governor Bill Haslam. Were I a resident of Tennessee I'd probably vote for Haslam he seems a nice guy.
Not so nice is his dumb UK namesake whose comment mocking the Shoah I deleted from an earlier post. Odd that Norfolk police do nothing about this sick individual.
To end on a positive note the weather here in Ireland is glorious, I have a conference coming up soon and am about to settle down and read the newspapers.