Ignorance isn't bliss

Four days in, Israel continue to blast Gaza and the international community deplores it with some reservations. America in particular has made no effort to condemn the Israelis who are acting perhaps in coordination with the last days of the Bush presidency. Obama may not be so accomodating.

Let's be clear about this. I think Israel is using an excessive amount of force. As expected, Israeli embassies around the globe were inundated with protesters, not least London which became a target for the SWP, Respect and the loony lefties brigade. One placard made me see red, and I'm not talking about the kind of red that calls for 'full nationalisation *hand wiggle*' - T. Benn. No, this was something much more deplorable.

'Stop the Holocaust in Gaza'

Comparing the military assault on Gaza, no matter how bad it is, with the systematic mechanical slaughter of an entire race of people is one of the most reprehensible things I have ever read. Not only does it stick two fingers up to 6 million murdered people and their descendants and survivors, but it completely confuses what is going on in Gaza with what we mean by the term 'Holocaust'. Any academic will tell you that this means 'burnt sacrifice' and is a very specific term used to describe the decimation of the Jewish race in Europe between 1933 and 1945. I doubt that many Arabs in Gaza would like to know that their plight is being described with the same word. Furthermore, whilst it is wrong to make a 'comparison of pain' argument, I do not feel that we are not into the realms of genocide just yet. Israeli behaviour at the moment is abhorrent - just as it is to describe it as the start of a 'Holocaust'. There is only one event in history that can be described using this word.

Bombing Gaza

I was watching the ever proficient Channel 4 news program last night. The main news story was Israel's air assault on the Gaza strip - an attack that comes at the end of a six month ceasefire (during which I was fortunate to visit the area). The presenter talked to the Israeli defence minister (I forget his name) and started by questioning his motives for the attack. He said that Hamas had been firing missiles for weeks and were a direct threat to southern Israel. Fair enough. Here's my problem..

He was then asked what Israel's future military strategy would be in the next few days. The minister did not want to reveal this for security reasons (fair enough) but also because the future military intervention depended 'on the reaction of Hamas and the Palestinians'...I'm pretty sure that this reaction is not going to be anything other than an armed retaliation.

Israel is a sovereign state entitled to defend its borders. Fact. Israel deserves to exist as a state in its own right. Fact. However, yesterday's act of brutality serves no other purpose other than to escalate the level of violence in the area. No doubt in the next few days Palestinian suicide bombers will attack Israel's major cities. Whilst I will not be able to excuse such activity I will have no problem questioning their motivation. The Israelis need to realise that you can only achieve so much diplomatically through the barrel of a gun. The genius who thinks that airstrikes will solve the problems of the Middle East needs his head looking at.

Furthermore (and this is my real 'bugbear'), when future military plans are based on the reaction of the other side you are giving tacit assumption to the fact that the other side will respond violently. This is ok during a state of war, however, the Middle Eastern countries were not 'at war' last time I heard. Israel is trying to administer a 'peace process' with F16 fighter jets. This will not work.

2008 Round Up

In many ways, 2008 has been a hectic year for me. In short, the position I find myself in this December - living in Manchester in living in that mythical alternative universe commonly referred to by parents and, notably, Morpheus as 'the real world', bares little comparison to my status back in January.

Twelve months ago I had three weeks to run in my first teaching practice school in Keswick - heart of the Lake District. I have many fond memories of that school and remember not wanting to leave as I felt 'in my stride' and refreshed after the Christmas break. However, a return to university loomed at the end of the month and I settled in to being a 'student' for the very last time. This of course meant mid week drinking, getting up late and working when I dictated. Happy days.

So, after a couple of weeks which included an axciting excursion to Manchester for a research project on Bangladeshi migrants (this included a personal investigation into the whereabouts of a deported migrant by the name of Vinod Chauan in 1984. It was interesting to read first hand the insitutional racism which existed within tghe GMP at the time), I returned to Carlisle for my 11 week stint at the now defunct St. Aidan's Comprehensive School. Like gruelling army exercises of my youth it was one of those experiences that you didn't realise that you enjoyed until well afterwards. Although i wasn't involved directly in any confrontation, it was one of those schools where you don't feel particularly comfortable and i often took solace from the fact that it would not be my permanent vocation. I now feel for those who are struggling to run its successor The Richard Rose and Central Academies. God help them.

Speaking of God, it was about this time that, after four failed attempts, i finally secured employment at Crompton House School back in my old stomping ground of Greater Manchester. I celebrated by embarking with James on my first ever skiing adventure, courtesy of my current housemate Christian, who at the time was a chalet manager in the glamorous resort of La Rosiere in the French Alps.

Then it was back to St. Aidans for a final 7 weeks, after which the PGCE was virtually nailed. I completed the Great Manchester run, spent two weeks working at a Labour History Archive in Salford, then jetted off round the former Yugoslavia with Lehna.

Summer was an exciting time! I went to Blackpool, Berlin and Jersusalem! - and yes it was in that particular order. All offered satisfaction in there own particular way, however a special mention needs to be given to my sorjourn to Israel where I had a truly life changing experience learning about the Holocaust and how to teach it effectively in school. At the time of writing I am intending to start an MA course in Holocaust Studies from September 2010.

Finally, I have of course been 'cutting my teeth' at Crompton House School since September, and a busy 15 weeks it has been too! Next year promises to be more straightforward, now massive changes are expected. What I want to do is become a really good teacher (there's a way to go) and with breathing space before I start my MA, after Christmas it's time to 'get really good'...Aside from that, other potential highlights include a second trip to Poland, the Battlefield tour with school in July, wherever I decide to take myself for my summer holidays and a gig in Glasgow featuring the legend that is Bob Dylan.

I'm tentatively excited...a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all my readers (if any!)

:-)

The 11 Plus

Philosophically, the defence of a selective Grammar school education is problematic, however, one recent report in the media isn't difficult to counter. It has been said that the 11 Plus, the aeons-old entrance exam which traditionally siphoned off the clever from the no-so-clever in Year 6 of primary school, has a success rate based merely on affluence.

I could use my own experience to counter this claim. The argument is that only richer families can afford the tutoring that is required for success in the test. However, what this neglects to acknowledge is the scores of families up and down the country who go through this revision procedure with their children for free, my own father being one of them. I remember in the three months or so before the exam being sat down regularly by him to sit practice papers while he did his best to explain to me the intricacies of decimals and fractions. I might also add that at no point did I do this under 'duress'. There was no pushy parenting involved (which may be the case if tuition is paid for) and it was fimly my decision about whether I took the exam in the first place.

Now I recognise that an equality of opportunity argument still exists. Theorists would argue that, although my family did not have an unfair wealth advantage, a child of my background benefitted from having a stable nuclear family. Many able pupils would never have the opportunity of a Grammar school education because they are unfortunate enough to be born into a family that does not offer the stable environment under which the preparation for the transition to Grammar school could be achieved (i.e., formative equality of opportunity).

I'll leave it to governments to achieve substantive equality of opportunity. In the meantime, it needs to be realised that money alone does not buy success.

A letter of admiration

Gary Cook
Chief Executive
Manchester City Football Club

Dear Mr. Cook,

Me and my housemate live a mere half a mile from the City of Manchester stadium. For the past couple of months, during our weekly sojourn to ASDA, we have felt nothing but immense pride at the sight of the slogan ‘Pride in Battle’ which is emblazoned on the side of your stadium, or should I say ‘Theatre of War’.

When battle commences we can often hear through our window the sound of the massed ranks cheering on your heroic gladiators as they engage with the enemy. It was during one such skirmish the other week (I think it was against those dastardly axis powers, Manchester United), that I found myself watching a documentary about the Second World War. Some chap was talking about his experiences at the ‘Battle’ of Iwo Jima in 1945 (I do, of course, use the term ‘Battle’ in the loosest possible sense). He was commenting of the plight of US Marines engaged in fighting with Japanese troops and I must say I felt sorry for the poor man. He was moved to tears and I thought to myself, ‘look old man, this dilly-dallying in the Pacific does not constitute what I would call a ‘battle’. He clearly has never seen your brave fellows, Robinho and the like, engaged in battle week after week with General Mark Hughes, risking life and limb for literally pennies.

This is when I realised that there is something very wrong at the heart of our ‘broken society’. Ghurkhas receive Victoria Crosses for fannying about in Malaya in the 1960s or whenever and I’m like ‘look! Who cares, the glorious troops of Manchester City football club take pride in battle week after week and it’s not as if it’s about a few palm trees in fuzzy-wuzzy land. This is football and it’s football that matters.

Take for example the recent war in Afghanistan. I read this week that if you lose an eye in ‘combat’ you are entitled to about £45,000 in compensation from the MoD. Some people have complained about this so-called ‘meagre’ sum of money compared to, for example, footballer’s wages. Again, they miss the point. The abuse from fans that your players receive, not to mention the rigorous training they need to complete (‘Pride in Battle’ requires a great deal of preparation) makes the British army’s scraps with rag-heads in Afghanistan look like a storm in a teacup.

So, all in all I just want to say that I am extremely supportive of your slogan ‘Pride in Battle’. I think it neatly encapsulates the struggles that take place both in East Manchester and during your recent offensives in Europe. I think it is time that the Great British public accepted you all for who you are - namely national heroes, the likes of which our soldiers past and present could only dream of emulating.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

S. A. R. Chasm

So long TIF...

On Friday, Mancunians voted by a margin or nearly 4 10 1 (0r 79%) against the proposed congestion charge for their city and, consequently against the Transport Innovation Fund of well over a billion pounds offered by the government.

Whilst the 'No' vote is clearly disappointing, it can be easily explained:

1. The successful organisation of the 'No' campaign
2. The contrasting 'slowness' of the 'Yes' campaign and its inability to properly inform the public. For many, the congestion charge was just another 'money spinner', similar to council tax as they see it.
3. The recession. At a time when people are tightening their belts, the last thing they want is another tax on car usage. This is despite the fact that the congestion charge would not have come into force until 2013, by which time the recession would have ended and the economy would, I assume, have considerably improved.
4. By this time, the improvements to Manchester's transport infrastructure would have been completed. The public would no doubt have been slightly more willing to pay for a visible improvement.

Given the overwhelming 'No' vote, 79% of the turnout now lack the moral authority to complain about congestion in Manchester ever again. Furthermore, the risible turnout demonstrates two things, namely the failure of the 'Yes' campaign to excite the public and the failure of poorer people to vote who would, in all certainty, have benefitted from the improvements outlined by the TIF.

Maybe the charging zone was too big, maybe it was bad timing. Either way, Mancunians have missed a great opportunity to improve transport in their city.

However, given that we live in a democracy I would not propose to do what the Irish have decided re: the EU constitution. No means no; you cannot ask people to vote again because you do not like the outcome!

What does Barack really think about the death penalty?

Over the last week or so I've been reading Barack Obama's 'The Audacity of Hope' - his pitch to the American public, published 18 months or so before he ran for the highest office. Whilst so far it is a cracking book, I have been reading it with some degree of scepticism because I know that it was written by a man who wanted to run for preseident and therefore would not say anything that opposition parties could pounce upon. In other words, Obama's work has a very diplomatic air to it. Whilst he is of course a left leaning liberal, he professes his love for the US and, more importantly, fails to seriously crisitcise his opponents. The question is, is this the real Obama?

I found myself asking this question when I read the following quote:

"I believe that there are such crimes - mass murder, the rape and murder of a child - so heinous, so beyond the pale, that the community is justified in expressing the full measure of its outrage by meting out the ultimate punishment."

This standpoint contradicts everything we think we know about Obama. He was against the war in Iraq, opposes Guantanamo and all forms of torture and, in many ways, is the most left wing President-Elect since FDR. He is perhaps even further to the left. The fact that he still supports the death penalty underlines an important point about the American political system.

A talking head on Channel 4 news tonight put the point amply enough:

'You forget, this is the United States of America. You cannot run for president and be against the death penalty. The last man to do that was Michael Dukakis [1988 v Bush I] and he didn't get many votes.'

This is very true; just as Obama has had to say he supports the death penalty (a law which I suspect, deep down, he deplores), his Democratic party has courted the religious right, in both cases for the purpose of winning votes. So when an 'upstanding' Obama presents himself as a new type of politician who doesn't 'play politics' in the traditional sense (i.e., pandering to interests), he clearly does...Am I criticising Obama for this? No. In truth, he wouldn't have achieved what he has done recently has he not professed his support for the ultimate punishment.

Festive musings

This Saturday was meant to be the day where I nailed all of my Christmas shopping. However, this was all done on Tuesday and Thursday. In the first instance school was quite rightfully cancelled. After skidding my way to work and ultimately abandoning my car due to snow and ice I arrived to find out that school was closed. Further bad weather was forcast for Thursday and we found out on Wednesday afternoon that school would be cancelled the next day. I baked, I shopped and I ran - all not in any particular order. The upshot is, I had a free Saturday.

Being recently single, I find that I have a lot more time to fill So towards the end of this week when I was contemplating how to spend my Saturday, I turned to the fantastically titled 'I never knew that about England', a book that I have seldom read since it was given to me as a gift when I left St. Aidans school.

And that's how I decided to go to York. I went there on a residential trip in 1996 when I was still at primary school. To be honest I'm not sure that I've been there since. It really is a lovely place, the shambles, carol singers and brass bands playing seasonal tunes would make it difficult for the most ardent Scrooge not to feel a wee bit festive. Having left the train my first foray was into the Oxfam book shop where I managed to buy a copy of Bagehot's 'The English Constitution'. For any political historian, or political scientist, this book, published in 1872, is THE text for understanding the development of the British political system. I don't know what particular date this one was published, but it has a particularly handsome jacket and is a very easy read - so much so that it is difficult to realise that you are actually reading mid-Victorian prose.

I also bought 'Fast Cakes' by Mary Berry. My flatmate, Christian is an avid baker and I've recently taken up the hobby, making gingerbread and scones so far. Hopefully this book will give me a few more ideas.

So, having been to the bookshop I went for a pint in a pub which I forget the name of but it was recommended in my GBG (which was safely tucked in my bag). I also went to the city gallery (and saw a fantastic painting called 'Return to the Front' - or something like that. It shows soldiers in 1916 at a train station, waiting for a return to the trenches), had fish and chips and enjoyed a directionless meander round the maze-like medieval streets. A return to Manchester made me realise how great this city is, but how it does face a shortfall in terms of character. Surely this is the price that is paid for industrialisation. Prior to the 'revolution' of 1780-1820, York was the principle city of the north. However, given that it had little involvement in the spinning and weaving industry it effectively de-industrialised and retained a relatively stable population. The same can be said for Chester - another nice city, and somewhere ripe for a visit in 2009.