Reflecting on my previous musing on abuse it becomes apparent that the individual perpetrators too had real power over individual pupils which without proper checks and balances corrupted the perpetrators in Ireland over a past generation perhaps even absolutely. Checks and balances seem to be essential for all human activities which affect others. Regulators in the City of London have become more and more important as the cleverness of City financiers developed. The activities of Charities in England and Wales are all the better for the checks and balances provided by the Charity Commission. British Members of Parliament have of late demonstrated the need for their rights to claim expenses to be subject to external regulation. So too for some human structures within the Church on earth. |
Saturday, May 30, 2009
More on power corrupting absolutely
Abuse - Religion and State
Thanks to fellow BU blogger Barnaby Capel-Dunn for the thought provoking comments on his Blog and by email on this recently reported tragedy, which caused me to reflect - http://capeldunn.blogspot.com/2009/05/catholic-herald.html
The Irish Ryan report into the appalling scandal of the abuse of children by Church
in which State was complicit, is a salutory reminder of the wisdom behind the phrase;
"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Never mind that some individual perpetrators had themselves suffered dreadful depredations and abuse thus perhaps explaining some of their individual malfeasance, what makes the subject matter of the Ryan report so much worse is the fact that the insititutions both state and religious were at best casting their blind eyes overall to what was going on.
At the heart of the scandal is the involvement together of the Irish Church and State. The latter simply passed the responsibility for care/education of the nation's waif and stray children to religious orders and then left the latter to get on with it.
Caesars' and Gods' laws are different and their coexistance is best when tense and seperate. The Catholic Church in Ireland was too close to the seat of secular power. In Northern Ireland I gather that there was far less abuse because the NI secular authorities were not dominated by the Church in the same way. As a result the state's inspections of schools etc in the North were more rigourous and effective.
The involvement of Established Church of England in the British Constitution is these days more a matter of form than of substance and the government itself is largely secular. The absence of any real religious dimension at the seat of secular government is frustrating for adherents of a particular religion who perceive
law makers to be riding roughshod over religious principles and freedoms, such as those relating to the previously hugely successful catholic adption agencies for example. However, well led religious groups can better from without, make an effective impact on the secular authorities, as witness the successful Catholic campaign against the proposed imposition of quota of non catholic pupils at catholic maintained schools.
When religion and state work hand in glove, extensive abuse of one kind or another caused by absolute power alas appears inevitable. It is true of course that abuse nof one kind or another - not neccessarily child abuse - take subjugation of women or public floggings - also occurs in secular states - one might even argue that that is one of the reasons we need religion - shades of Karl Marx perhaps.
On the other hand, Kermal Ataturk's legacy to modern day
Turkey for example though the seperation out of Islam, is that of a relatively civilised and prosperous state with the majority of its citizens thus able to practice their (mainly muslim) religion - far from perfect but at least open to further human freedoms. Compare Turkey's
comparative freedoms with their absences in states where the religious authorities and the secular ones act in concert. My perception is that abuse in religion run countries is far worse and more widespread than where secular and religious authorities work apart.
One conclusion I draw for the UK, is that the Catholic Bishops and Cardinals should politely decline to accept any offers of seats in the House of Lords
The Irish Ryan report into the appalling scandal of the abuse of children by Church
in which State was complicit, is a salutory reminder of the wisdom behind the phrase;
"Power corrupts, absolute power corrupts absolutely."
Never mind that some individual perpetrators had themselves suffered dreadful depredations and abuse thus perhaps explaining some of their individual malfeasance, what makes the subject matter of the Ryan report so much worse is the fact that the insititutions both state and religious were at best casting their blind eyes overall to what was going on.
At the heart of the scandal is the involvement together of the Irish Church and State. The latter simply passed the responsibility for care/education of the nation's waif and stray children to religious orders and then left the latter to get on with it.
Caesars' and Gods' laws are different and their coexistance is best when tense and seperate. The Catholic Church in Ireland was too close to the seat of secular power. In Northern Ireland I gather that there was far less abuse because the NI secular authorities were not dominated by the Church in the same way. As a result the state's inspections of schools etc in the North were more rigourous and effective.
The involvement of Established Church of England in the British Constitution is these days more a matter of form than of substance and the government itself is largely secular. The absence of any real religious dimension at the seat of secular government is frustrating for adherents of a particular religion who perceive
law makers to be riding roughshod over religious principles and freedoms, such as those relating to the previously hugely successful catholic adption agencies for example. However, well led religious groups can better from without, make an effective impact on the secular authorities, as witness the successful Catholic campaign against the proposed imposition of quota of non catholic pupils at catholic maintained schools.
When religion and state work hand in glove, extensive abuse of one kind or another caused by absolute power alas appears inevitable. It is true of course that abuse nof one kind or another - not neccessarily child abuse - take subjugation of women or public floggings - also occurs in secular states - one might even argue that that is one of the reasons we need religion - shades of Karl Marx perhaps.
On the other hand, Kermal Ataturk's legacy to modern day
Turkey for example though the seperation out of Islam, is that of a relatively civilised and prosperous state with the majority of its citizens thus able to practice their (mainly muslim) religion - far from perfect but at least open to further human freedoms. Compare Turkey's
comparative freedoms with their absences in states where the religious authorities and the secular ones act in concert. My perception is that abuse in religion run countries is far worse and more widespread than where secular and religious authorities work apart.
One conclusion I draw for the UK, is that the Catholic Bishops and Cardinals should politely decline to accept any offers of seats in the House of Lords
Monday, May 25, 2009
More on Iceland
First (I hope) 4 piccies to give the flavour:
(EDIT - clicking on the photos makes them more dramatic looking)
Then 4 more or less random thoughts:
In May, Iceland is bathed in over 22 hours daylight and no real dark night at all, which makes the atmosphere very different from that in temperate London SW20.
The people are very bright and have a great ability to laugh at themselves which is a sign I feel of great maturity. Their cuisine is not that mature though - even the
delicious fish often seems to be over cooked. Bookshops in the Capital at
least, are fantastic and it is not surprising to learn that per capita Icelanders
read more books than any other Europeans
Iceland was in some respects devastated by the banking crisis. In other respects though, signs of rebirth are there following
the peaceful overthrow of the politicians whom Icelanders considered were largely
responsible their financial implosion and the humiliation of subsequent IMF loans.
A trip to Iceland for the tourist is more like an expedition eg with
small whale watching boat heading off into freezing waters where
Artic Tern abound along with the famous puffins. Then down the Rift valley
where hardly extinct, volcanoes and active geysers abound.
The religion was by political decree a few hundred years back switched from
Viking to Christianity. Having later beheaded the last remaining
Catholic bishop Lutherism is I think their main religion today.
(EDIT - clicking on the photos makes them more dramatic looking)
Then 4 more or less random thoughts:
In May, Iceland is bathed in over 22 hours daylight and no real dark night at all, which makes the atmosphere very different from that in temperate London SW20.
The people are very bright and have a great ability to laugh at themselves which is a sign I feel of great maturity. Their cuisine is not that mature though - even the
delicious fish often seems to be over cooked. Bookshops in the Capital at
least, are fantastic and it is not surprising to learn that per capita Icelanders
read more books than any other Europeans
Iceland was in some respects devastated by the banking crisis. In other respects though, signs of rebirth are there following
the peaceful overthrow of the politicians whom Icelanders considered were largely
responsible their financial implosion and the humiliation of subsequent IMF loans.
A trip to Iceland for the tourist is more like an expedition eg with
small whale watching boat heading off into freezing waters where
Artic Tern abound along with the famous puffins. Then down the Rift valley
where hardly extinct, volcanoes and active geysers abound.
The religion was by political decree a few hundred years back switched from
Viking to Christianity. Having later beheaded the last remaining
Catholic bishop Lutherism is I think their main religion today.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Whale Watching
Our break arranged in Cornwall to celebrate 60 years, was secretly rearranged by the maytrees' family, as a whale and puffin watching expedition to Iceland, based at Reykjavik.
The trip starts soon and I hope to post more next week.
The trip starts soon and I hope to post more next week.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
60 - Freedom Pass Birthday
Well those 60 years flew by.
When applying for my Bus pass this morning, by mistake I gave my office post code instead of my Wimbledon one for the address. The Post office clerk laughed saying that her husband worked in the same post code as me and that that mistake showed that I fully deserved the freedom pass - lol.
Whilst on the subject of Freedom Passes,
which are, for people still not retired at least, a valuable benefit/perk almost in the same league as those our esteemed Members of Parliament sometimes enjoy, they
do highlight the unofficial South London Tax that applies on public transport.
Their terms of use allow me to travel even to work at my central London office near to Victoria station free of charge on London Underground at any time of day or night. However making the similar journey to Victoria station by train is only permitted from 9:30 am. The great London Oyster Card sytem is full of anomolies when it comes to ordinary trains. South London has a myriad of ordinary train lines whereas north London is criss crossed by numerous tube lines. Still Wimbledon enjoys both so I'm not really complaining.
More on 60 later.
When applying for my Bus pass this morning, by mistake I gave my office post code instead of my Wimbledon one for the address. The Post office clerk laughed saying that her husband worked in the same post code as me and that that mistake showed that I fully deserved the freedom pass - lol.
Whilst on the subject of Freedom Passes,
which are, for people still not retired at least, a valuable benefit/perk almost in the same league as those our esteemed Members of Parliament sometimes enjoy, they
do highlight the unofficial South London Tax that applies on public transport.
Their terms of use allow me to travel even to work at my central London office near to Victoria station free of charge on London Underground at any time of day or night. However making the similar journey to Victoria station by train is only permitted from 9:30 am. The great London Oyster Card sytem is full of anomolies when it comes to ordinary trains. South London has a myriad of ordinary train lines whereas north London is criss crossed by numerous tube lines. Still Wimbledon enjoys both so I'm not really complaining.
More on 60 later.
Saturday, May 09, 2009
A Streetcar named....
"Yeller" or some such thing rather than the "Desire" of Tennessee William's great play as all the Streetcar club's cars are for some reason given names.
Having dispensed with a personal privately owned motor car and joined the Streetcar
car club, the savings in costs and responsibilities of car ownership are becoming increasingly apparent. The Streetcar club concept is simple. Members receive an electronic Oyster-type Card. Once driving licence is checked you can book a car on line and in as as little as 15 minutes use the electronic card to unlock it and drive off exactly as you would your own car.
We used the system for the first time to drive maytrees min. to Exeter Uni a couple of weeks back on a Sunday.
Including fuel, tax and insurance etc the Streetcar cost for the day and c.350 miles, was c.£112.
Slightly more expensive than ordinary car rental but ordinary car rental offices, airports and main railway stations etc apart,are not always open on Sundays neither are their cars usually parked within half a mile of home. There are also Streetcars available for use within yards of my London office yet around the London square where my office is, privately owned cars collect dust etc by being expensively parked and unused. The receipt last week of a £500+ insurance renewal request for our old car reminds me of how expensive in cash flow terms owing a car can be even without mainteneace and repair costs.
The car club concept is far 'greener' too. One only drives and pay for car use when it is needed and makes far fewer pointless journies by car.
Currently Wimbledon's suburban streets are full of individually owned cars parked for most of the time as people travel to work by train. If the individuals' addiction to car ownership could be broken the surrounding streets would be far less cluttered.
The Streetcar club concept might be less practical in the countryside but for urban living, its personal and environmental advantages are obvious.
Having dispensed with a personal privately owned motor car and joined the Streetcar
car club, the savings in costs and responsibilities of car ownership are becoming increasingly apparent. The Streetcar club concept is simple. Members receive an electronic Oyster-type Card. Once driving licence is checked you can book a car on line and in as as little as 15 minutes use the electronic card to unlock it and drive off exactly as you would your own car.
We used the system for the first time to drive maytrees min. to Exeter Uni a couple of weeks back on a Sunday.
Including fuel, tax and insurance etc the Streetcar cost for the day and c.350 miles, was c.£112.
Slightly more expensive than ordinary car rental but ordinary car rental offices, airports and main railway stations etc apart,are not always open on Sundays neither are their cars usually parked within half a mile of home. There are also Streetcars available for use within yards of my London office yet around the London square where my office is, privately owned cars collect dust etc by being expensively parked and unused. The receipt last week of a £500+ insurance renewal request for our old car reminds me of how expensive in cash flow terms owing a car can be even without mainteneace and repair costs.
The car club concept is far 'greener' too. One only drives and pay for car use when it is needed and makes far fewer pointless journies by car.
Currently Wimbledon's suburban streets are full of individually owned cars parked for most of the time as people travel to work by train. If the individuals' addiction to car ownership could be broken the surrounding streets would be far less cluttered.
The Streetcar club concept might be less practical in the countryside but for urban living, its personal and environmental advantages are obvious.
Saturday, May 02, 2009
England People Very Nice
Aged Ps being originally East Londoners themselves (Bethnal Green and Whitechapel) the England People Very Nice play by Richard Bean at the Olivier Theatre was a great (belated) birthday treat for them, mrs maytrees, sister and myself last Saturday.
The play had been criticised in some quarters as being racist but such criticims proved enirely misplaced - possibly saying more about the detractors than about the play itself. The stage setting was innovative with much use made of C21 virtual effects and electronic scenary. The theme was a parody of the history of waves of immigration to Bethnal Green from Roman Times onwards. The production often cleverly split the stage into two halves. On one side the setting was the inside of a modern day pub in E2 where narration by a well established Englishman (West Indian immigrant origins) was reflected in the action on the other side.
Fun was poked at everybody - the Hugenots, Jews, Irish, Pakistanis and English people were not excluded; for example the explanation that the common use of expletives by indigenous cockneys is but a sign of their inability to use proper punctuation. The narrator's view of present day England (under the current government?) was amusingly made clear by his comment towards the end, that he was to return to live in Barbados.
Some poignant moments such as the Bethnal Green Tube air raid shelter disaster during WWII were very well done indeed. The live music, briliance and sheer rombustiousness of the production probably explained why there was not a single empty seat to be had - presumably even for ready money - in the largest of the National's three theatres.
The play had been criticised in some quarters as being racist but such criticims proved enirely misplaced - possibly saying more about the detractors than about the play itself. The stage setting was innovative with much use made of C21 virtual effects and electronic scenary. The theme was a parody of the history of waves of immigration to Bethnal Green from Roman Times onwards. The production often cleverly split the stage into two halves. On one side the setting was the inside of a modern day pub in E2 where narration by a well established Englishman (West Indian immigrant origins) was reflected in the action on the other side.
Fun was poked at everybody - the Hugenots, Jews, Irish, Pakistanis and English people were not excluded; for example the explanation that the common use of expletives by indigenous cockneys is but a sign of their inability to use proper punctuation. The narrator's view of present day England (under the current government?) was amusingly made clear by his comment towards the end, that he was to return to live in Barbados.
Some poignant moments such as the Bethnal Green Tube air raid shelter disaster during WWII were very well done indeed. The live music, briliance and sheer rombustiousness of the production probably explained why there was not a single empty seat to be had - presumably even for ready money - in the largest of the National's three theatres.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)