Every picture tells a story.

The last couple of days the blogs have been far too serious. Especially as it’s Red Nose Day, let’s lighten-up a bit.








The Metropolitan police demonstrate its new “Hands-off” approach to policing.



















Following a number of incidents which have resulted in the Police incurring bad publicity, the Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, Sir Ian Blair, has order his officers to exhibit more of their feminine side.

This picture deserves a caption but I can’t think of one.
Click on comments and post your suggestions.

Short term objectives, long-term consequences.

Last week eight men were arrested in Birmingham in early morning raids. A ninth was arrested later in the day. It immerged the police had information of a plot to kidnap a Muslim British soldier and to film his beheading.

Almost immediately members of the community where the arrested live were publicly voicing their incredulity of the arrest of hardworking shopkeepers who were not devote Muslims. Three days after the arrest it became known that those arrested were still waiting to be questioned.

Today, two of those arrested were released without charge. They said they were never questioned about a plot to kidnap a soldier. Their solicitor said both men had met with “consistent refusal” of an explanation of their arrest.

The police and security services have a difficult job to do. If a bomb goes off on the British mainland, questions are immediately asked “why was this allowed to happen?”. They quite correctly say they can stop thirty plots but it only takes one plot to pass under their radar for innocent people to be killed and for them to be blamed.

Unfortunately it only takes one innocent Muslim to be arrested and held for five days without an explanation, why he was arrested, for people in his community to be alienated. There is a fight for the hearts and minds of the young vulnerable Muslims. On one side there are the radical Muslim clerics on the other there should be the voice of reason. Unfortunately the voice of reason is missing. It is not being provided by the moderates within the Muslim community, and unfortunately the governments handling of the whole affair has been inept.

The Government preaches rather than communicates. And the action of the police, rightly or wrongly, is seen as being at best heavy handed at worst they are deliberately targeting Muslims. Today’s statement by the police “Balancing the safety of the public against the rights of the seven men in custody remained their priority”, does not help and is naively short-sighted. Police action is perceived to run roughshod over the rights of individuals. If as is stated in the press the target of the kidnap plot was known, protection could have been provided to him, until the true perpetrators were identified, avoiding the arrest of innocent men.

Unfortunately the government and its security services are doing more long-term damage than any terrorist group. They are alienating a sector of society. As with any moderate group the silent majority within the Muslim community cannot be expected to take action against radicals within their community. Ultimately affairs will take their natural course, with actions and reactions. All that can be done is to insure the security and police services do nothing to aggravate the situation.

If you want to see the future, look at today. In the past the police was a racist organisation. In 1999 the report into the murder of Stephen Lawrence labelled London’s police force “institutionally racist”. It will take years for the police to earn the trust of the black community. Similar lasting damage is occurring in the Muslim community.

The police must be seen to be working with and not against communities. This starts with the way policemen on the beat perform their duty and more so the way special operations are undertaken - sensitivity is required in the way they are performed and the statements made for the reasons for those special operations. Regrettably in an endeavour to give confidence to the general public, that the police have the situation under control, they give the impression of being too gung-ho.

Conspiracy Theories

David Icke is just one of many, making a good living in the Conspiracy Industry.

Politicians build their careers on conspiracy. George Bush and Tony Blair declare they are the true protectors of Western Civilisation. Claiming to be the only ones we can trust to protect us from the massing menacing Islamic hordes, (so they claim).

Blair & Bush cannot do it by themselves; they are assisted by the “Gentlemen” of the Press. Newspapers need stories. And no story sells more newspapers than a good conspiracy (well with the exception of those about sex and or Princess Diana).

Of course THE all time story had the combination of:
Conspiracy, sex and Princess Diana.

But conspiracies have to be worked at, nurtured. The fires have to be periodically stoked, with a splash of kerosene thrown on. This is the daily drip, drip:

Islamic women hiding behind their burkas (shock horror).

Islamic youths visiting Pakistan (the clouds of war are gathering).

Tanks sent to guard Heathrow.

News the Country is on Orange alert.

Police to receive training to deal with dirty bombs.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6215795.stm

Thirty or is it three hundred known terrorist plots under investigation by the Security Services. (They probably read this blog - Hi Guys & Girls Happy New Year)

“We as a Nation must unite and protect our citizens”. More laws, more restrictions, more surveillance (install more CCTV cameras at each street corner and under all beds, (seen it in the Movies, spies always hide under a bed)). ID cards, biometric passports. What’s the next step? Well it’s obvious. Why have old fashion cards and passports, why not implant a micro chip in each persons forearm. Not only can it be used to identify the individual, but in conjunction with satellite navigation it could be used to keep a record of everyone’s movements. Think of the advantages of that to solving crimes. “If you haven’t got anything to hide, you’ve got nothing to worry about”. Who could object? Only those liberal lefties.

But this is nothing new. Conspiracy thrives on fear, which is sustained by ignorance and exploitation of the unknown. Now what else relies on fear and the unknown? Religion. “Out there are evil forces, worship Me and I’ll protect you”. “Don’t worry about death, worship Me and you’ll have eternal life”. Religions have always built conspiracy myths to entice people to become followers. Today’s “enemies” were also yesterday’s enemies. In the eleventh century Europe was marshalled and organized to fight in a total of seven Crusades against the Muslim hordes.

David Icke isn’t stupid he combines politics and religion in his conspiracy theories. No wonder he sells so many books.

I think with a little bit of effort I could start my own conspiracy theories devised while under the influence of Tesco’s Rich Chocolate Fudge Yule Log - dam, the wife eat the last piece yesterday. Must be my Karma, or is it a conspiracy?