The Future of Britain

[JP]

Tom Holland on Twitter...

Is this our future: cycles of sectarian killing, hatred fuelling hatred? I've rarely felt more depressed about my countries future.

I agree with him.

[Rhiannon]

Depends on whether people keep fuelling the hate or not, doesn't it? There are a lot of arseholes in this country but they remain in the minority.

Still, banning the Daily Mail would be a plan. I'm all for freedom of speech in the news press but as the Mail is a purveyor of fake news I don't think that applies.

[floo]

I  think the good still outweighs the bad in the UK.

[Shaker]

I  think the good still outweighs the bad in the UK.

I think so too. And by a long long way. The trouble is that the bad is very bad indeed - as we've been reminded yet again

[Anchorman]

As a geographical entity, britain has a very long future. As a political union, I ferevently hope it doesn't.

[JP]

Depends on whether people keep fuelling the hate or not, doesn't it? There are a lot of arseholes in this country but they remain in the minority.

How do you stop people fuelling the hate though. Very difficult, especially as people will define hate very differently.

Still, banning the Daily Mail would be a plan. I'm all for freedom of speech in the news press but as the Mail is a purveyor of fake news I don't think that applies.

If we start banning things there will be a lot to ban. Who decides this and I believe it could damage one of the cornerstones which made this country what it is.

[JP]

I think so too. And by a long long way. The trouble is that the bad is very bad indeed - as we've been reminded yet again

Very bad indeed and when I hear the rhetoric I can see no way out of what is happening.

[Shaker]

How do you stop people fuelling the hate though. Very difficult, especially as people will define hate very differently.

I wish I knew the answer to that one. How do you get to the radicals-in-waiting and nip the process of radicalisation in the bud? At present the situation seems almost out of control, since either nobody knows how to do anything or knows but isn't doing it for whatever reason.

[Nearly Sane]

How do you stop people fuelling the hate though. Very difficult, especially as people will define hate very differently.

If we start banning things there will be a lot to ban. Who decides this and I believe it could damage one of the cornerstones which made this country what it is.

We already and have always banned things.

[JP]

We already and have always banned things.

And there are other things we have not banned.

[Nearly Sane]

And there are other things we have not banned.

And? You said if we started banning things then it would be a removal of a cornerstone that our society was built on. Since we already ban things, and have always banned things your post makes no sense. And your reply here both ignores that and is a non sequitur.

[JP]

And already it is bogged down with pedantry.

[Nearly Sane]

And already it is bogged down with pedantry.

Yep, why should we care if your statements are logical or correct. So much more fun if you can just be illogical and wrong, isn't it?

[JP]

I never suggested at any point that we have not banned things before.

[Nearly Sane]

I never suggested at any point that we have not banned things before.

To quote you

'If we start banning things there will be a lot to ban. Who decides this and I believe it could damage one of the cornerstones which made this country what it is.'

[JP]

And?

You need to explain how this suggests nothing has ever been banned in the UK, ever.

[Nearly Sane]

And?

You need to explain how this suggests nothing has ever been banned in the UK, ever.

Because in order to start banning things and in order to have a cornerstone that isn't about banning things we would not have banned things now or previously. And I note you are ignoring that there ate things currently banned which I pointed out. How can we start banning things if things are already banned?

[JP]

Okay, I'm out.

I know you are intelligent enough to read between the lines, understand what I mean.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

[Nearly Sane]

Okay, I'm out.

I know you are intelligent enough to read between the lines, understand what I mean.

Nero fiddled while Rome burned.

No, I don't know what you mean because what you wrote was illogical. I have no idea why you want someone to guess what you mean rather than clarify it.

[Rhiannon]

I find this 'everything is so shit' narrative tedious in the extreme. No it isn't. I grew up in London with the IRA terror threats and skins and the NF and life wasn't shit then, and it isn't now. If anything now is better - far, far more tolerant. And my kids' generation really don't see colour, or religion, or sexuality, they just see people.

[Shaker]

I find this 'everything is so shit' narrative tedious in the extreme. No it isn't. I grew up in London with the IRA terror threats and skins and the NF and life wasn't shit then, and it isn't now. If anything now is better - far, far more tolerant. And my kids' generation really don't see colour, or religion, or sexuality, they just see people.

And that's the only kind of future worth aiming for and trying to build. You may say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one.

[Nearly Sane]

I find this 'everything is so shit' narrative tedious in the extreme. No it isn't. I grew up in London with the IRA terror threats and skins and the NF and life wasn't shit then, and it isn't now. If anything now is better - far, far more tolerant. And my kids' generation really don't see colour, or religion, or sexuality, they just see people.

Indeed, given that it was I presume the historian Tom Holland in the OP who was tweeting, it feels as if there is a lack of perspective. That said I think we need to be careful about being aware of the facts of history doesn't lead to people feeling as if their experience of now is being ignored.

[Rhiannon]

I don't think we can get away from the now being hard and scary, genuinely for some. I don't buy the idea that we are screwed though. Far from it.

[Nearly Sane]

I don't think we can get away from the now being hard and scary, genuinely for some. I don't buy the idea that we are screwed though. Far from it.

With you on that. And as ever I think things feel scarier because of the change in how news is reported and ever present.


Given this happened in Corbyn's constituency, would like to see May and Corbyn visit the mosque together, possibly to celebrate the end of Ramadan accompanied by the ABoC, the Chief Rabbi, Dicky Dawkins, Owlswing,  a random Royal. Old Uncle Tom Cobbley et al (particularly al) to join in a rendition of Knees Up Mother Brown

[Rhiannon]

I'll be disappointed if this doesn't happen. The chorus needs to be led by Dame Babs Windsor.