Hypersanity

Am I hypersane? Is everyone else mad?

I don't understand the attitude of the US to the Kyoto Protocol. I don't understand anyone who does not care about environmental degradation. Don't they care about the long-term survival of their own species. Don't they realize that we are sleepwalking into extinction and that the planet will proceed with or without us. I find it particularly hard to understand people with children who don't care about the future of the planet. This means they don't care about future generations, which brings to mind the question: why did they have children in the first place.

I feel detached, as though I have no personal investment in the matter. After all, I have no brats. But shame on those who do.

Melanie Phillips

As you can see from the 'links' section of this site I am a regular reader of the online diary of Melanie Phillips. She is a right-wing journalist who has changed much since her formative years when she openly classed herself as a feminist, was leftwing and believed in personal freedom at all costs. She appears to have undergone the personality transplant that frequently accompanies the ageing process. (So when precisely did she get mugged, I wonder) and has shifted to the right. She calls herself a neo-con (or a neo-conservative - there are a lot of them about these days. They are breeding like rabbits). Her political outlook is hideously simplistic, relying upon what I regard as the outdated paradigm of left versus right. Naturally, she daemonises the left, holding those who adhere to that political perspective responsible for every ill that plagues the universe. Her views are polarised - there are no shades of grey in her world and 'ambivalence' is a dirty word. She holds the left primarily responsible for anti-semitism. (Where in God's name do people get that idea? I guess she's never heard of Nazi-Germany.)

I remember when she appeared on Question Time. Another member of the panel challenged her views on Israel. Will Self asked her if she felt that her loyalties were divided between Israel and the UK. (People have asked that question to many Muslims and everyone remembers Tebbit's infamous 'Cricket Test') She replied in a voice loaded with contempt, 'You wouldn't ask such an offensive question if you were Jewish.'

Will Self responded in a voice devoid of emotion, 'Oh, but I am Jewish.'

Flustered, Phillips spluttered, 'Oh, well, you ought to be ashamed of yourself then.'

Lesson to you, Ms. Phillips, you really ought to conduct some research into the background of your fellow panalists before you appear on Question Time. Everyone and their dog, pussy cat, hamster and pet spider knows that Will Self is Jewish.

Tedious Documentary

Just finished viewing a tedious documentary about Houston, Texas on the subject of obesity (‘Houston, we have a problem’’Yes, it’s chronic obesity’). I’d videoed it ages ago but, due to my phenomenally fun-filled life (ha!) did not get to watch it until now. Apparently, Houston is the ‘Obesity Capital’ of America, which makes it the ‘Obesity Capital’ of the world. It consisted of a bunch of overweight people standing around whining about their predicament and wondering how they got into that position. A small clue was provided by the guy who said that he resented walking to the mail box in the morning. ‘Texas is a state that is friendly only to the car,’ said one of the interviewees.

Huh? Have they never heard of recreational walking? Call me unsympathetic but have none of those people ever heard of exercise? Or as a last resort: simply stop eating. I recommend the ‘Puke ‘n’ Lax Diet’®.

It worked for me. Too well, unfortunately

Reminder

My last entry reminded me to ask Dr. S., my GP why my own history of sexual and physical abuse is rarely mentioned in my notes. Could that possibly be because...they'd have to spend (gasp) money to undo the damage.

I say I don't need them, I say they can take their 'treatment' and shove it up any orifice of their choice but it still hurts that they feel I am somehow unworthy of it. (Whereas our Friendly Neighbourhood Psychopath - Andy Lee - has been permitted to manipulate the system for years and is allocated unlimited resources.)

Distressing Episode of Panorama

I videoed an episode of Panorama recently and have just finished watching it. It chronicled the activities of a so-called philanthropist in the '80s. This was a man from a relatively humble background who became a millionaire and helped to transform Plymouth's run-down city-centre market into a thriving shopping centre. He was lauded in the local press and adored by the town's residents. But all was not as it seemed for this man was a paedophile. He gave young boys part-time jobs in the shopping centre. He appeared to be acting as their mentor but was, in fact, using them for his 'sexual pleasure'. He was heavily involved in a paedophile ring.

Many of the boys he abused grew up to become violent criminals. It was a judge (individuals who are often dismissed for their harsh and contemptuous attitude towards the 'dregs of society') who made the connection. He noticed that the victims of this Plymouth Philanthropist were appearing before him repeatedly. Victims turned perpetrators.

The question is this: Is their childhood sexual abuse an excuse for their present actions? But then I must ask myself if my past excuses my current behaviour. No, I don't hurt others. I hurt myself. I starve myself, I binge, I purge, I overdose. I don't cut - my scars are within. Is there a fundamental difference in the way in which men and women respond to the aftermath of childhood sexual abuse? The former turning his pain outwards and the latter turning her pain inwards. (Something many people find hard to understand, as though harming others is somehow more acceptable than harming oneself- a view I find quite bizarre). But does being victimised give one the right to victimise others in one's turn?

Undoubtedly though a hideous injustice has been perpetrated upon these men and then perpetuated by the judicial system. The police were aware of what the 'Philanthropist of Plymouth' was doing but didn't have the resources to investigate the case thoroughly when it was initially brought to their attention, thus giving the Plymouth Philanthropist and his paedophile ring the chance to abuse more boys. As a result these boys grew up to become criminals (society didn't give a damn about them, so why should they give a damn about it?). And the final injustice is that they cannot claim criminal injuries compensation because of their criminal records. The system helped create them and then it tossed them away. Even the judge interviewed in the documentary acknowledges this.

And, as always, no one is held accountable.