Old words for new worlds but still no change
I have spent this weekend reflecting on what a truly mad world we really do live in. It would seem that the more some people try to reform society, make it more open minded and susceptible to new and modern ideas and beliefs, that the more other people want not only obstruct these people and their new ways to completely reverse anything they have done.
How has this manifested itself? In many ways but to be brief I will give you two incidents that spring to mind, one religiously and politically motivated, the other racially motivated.
Firstly, and in some ways much more importantly is the story I read in a local paper here in the Andalucía area of southern Spain, called The Olive Press, a free monthly paper for English and Spanish readers. The story is entitled “It’s Too Controversial!”
The article tells us that the new ruling right wing government party (PP) Partido Popular or “Popular Party” has scrapped a course taught in all schools on Civic responsibility, much to the delight of the Catholic Church. What is this course that has caused a government to scrap it when there are more urgent and pressing things to be dealt with? It’s a course made mandatory five years ago by the last socialist government for all state and private schools to encourage more open mindedness towards issues such as Homosexuality, Racism and Sexism. No problemo, or so one might think?
As it transpires it was very much a problem for some enraged parents who saw the course as a violation of their rights to educate their children according to their own beliefs, there were also an astonishing 3,400 lawsuits against the government and before the European Courts by seething Spanish parents. The Catholic Church made sure they got their money’s worth as well, criticizing the government for what they saw as “another attack on the family unit” (I love this one, coming from an organization that doesn’t allow it’s priests and Nuns to have a family but, hey, whatever rings your bell!”)
The Minister Jose Ignacio Wert came out with some waffle that the course went beyond ‘civic formation and guidelines’ set down by the Council of Europe and it caused ‘serious divisions in education and society’ he went on to say that the course was charged with indoctrination. Wert went on to proclaim a new program to teach the text of the Spanish Constitution, rights and responsibilities and will focus on ‘pluralism, liberty and democracy and knowledge of European institutions’ (you asleep yet?)
Guess what? Not everyone is happy! The Basque Minister of Education (Basque region of Spain, autonomous region bordering Spain and France) has accused the government of being led by the most ideological of the Spanish Right Wing and an editorial in one of the major Spanish newspapers El Pais that the changes were down to the Spanish Catholic Bishops and the more radical sections of Spanish society that reject all forms of change to the alternative visions of the model family unit or identity.
Just in case you’re not that sure about ‘Pluralism’ (The existence in a society of groups having distinctive ethnic origin, cultural forms, religions, etc)
So, one lot want us to be enlightened about sexuality, race and gender because they think it would make a better world and the other lot are against it because it goes against centuries of political and religious dogma. I’m no politician. Any ideas on this one people?
The other issue that has caused me to think on issues other than my breakfast, walking the dog and going to the pub this fine Sunday morning is the problem relating to two football players (Soccer if you are from the USA) Luis Suarez (Liverpool FC and Uruguay) and Patrice Evra (Manchester United and France) who created one hell of a fuss over two months ago that everyone thought would be resolved with a simple handshake. It goes like this;
Liverpool v Manchester United is one of the most hotly contested of the domestic fixtures in the premier league in England, one reason is the intense local rivalry with Manchester and Liverpool being separated by the East lancs motorway and 35.6 miles from Liverpool city centre and Manchester city Centre, not just that but in footballing terms Liverpool have won more European cups than Manchester United whilst Manchester United have won more titles and so on, you catch my drift? So, there is always friction when these two sides meet.
This meeting was very much different though; this meeting would end in Patrice Evra, a small black Frenchman being racially abused by Luis Suarez, a Uruguayan of mixed ancestory. Suarez repeatedly used insulting words towards Evra through the match which Liverpool won; afterwards, Evra made a complaint which was upheld weeks later before a Football Association Committee and Suarez received a ban of 8 matches and warned against his future behavior he also paid a 40,000 pounds fine. That, so we thought, was that.
Oh no! Everyone had something to say on the matter for and against and when the Liverpool team wore T-Shirts supporting Suarez, this made things worse.
Wind forward to the next meeting at Old Trafford of Manchester United and Liverpool and the talking point was would Suarez shake hands with Evra and vice versa? All indications pointed to a yes vote as both Liverpool and Manchester United had made requests for the fans to unite in the spirit of football and put this issue to bed. Guess what?
Yeas, when the two sides lined up for the pre match ritual of the sporting handshake Luis Suarez snubbed the outstretched hand of Patrice Evra, this eventually led to confrontations in the tunnel at half time and again at the end of the match when Evra celebrated a little too much right in the face of Suarez.
The same situation again on only a smaller scale, one side seeks reconciliation and the other side seeks to remain stubborn and refuses to change. Any ideas on this one?
That’s my Sunday morning rant out of the way, I don’t normally ‘do’ politics and religion in my Blogs it’s just that this week it seemed a little too much to ignore.
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