The good weather has been replaced by typical Scottish spring weather: big black clouds, thunderplumps and brief periods of sunshine. And at the same time there have been two seismic shifts in the world: the death of Osama bin Laden and the newly elected Scottish National Party government in the Scottish Parliament. They might not sound like similar events, but in my head they are.
Terrorism has been a major theme in my lifetime: in places like Aden, Israel, Northern Ireland and here in the UK as the results of political protests work themselves out in wanton acts of violence. There seems to be little in the way of progress; even in the Irish situation there is a resurgence of yet another “new” IRA. And the fear of Islamic extremism is going to be with us for many years to come. I just don’t get the mindset, despite trying to read up on the background of those who perpetrate acts of terrorism, and reading novels which seek to explain ideas of a new state or order as being more important than the individual.
To say that the SNP success in Scotland is of a similar order is tantamount to claiming that there is a coming revolution in the “world” I inhabit. The drive away from other mainline political parties towards a party that by its very existence purports to favour self-government for Scotland, as well as the very real possibility of promoting separatism from the UK feels like a passive revolution. The Prime Minister of Britain is tight-lipped in his assertion that such a break-up must not happen, and it left me wondering why he is so passionate about the status quo.
In truth, I tend towards federalism for the whole of the United Kingdom – with each major region having the same degree of control, and a common policy for issues such as defence and justice. But maybe that would simply cost more and spawn ever-increasing layers of government.
There now – I have been thinking a lot over my few days’ absence. People who read blogs fall into two main categories in my experience: 1) those who want a change from the diet of daily gloom and doom that tends to assault the airwaves from the media; and 2) those who are looking for a change from it.
What has surprised me so much these past few days as I have pondered a blog post, is that my head is so full of what the media wants to fill it with. So, instead of blogging the bright green velvet of spring trees and early moss, I find myself needing to splatt out my scrambled view of world events. That way, at least I get space in my head for some more pleasant thoughts.
Has anyone else ever had a week like that? And what do you think of the way our heads get filled up with stuff over which we have little or no control?
PS – Misty says I’ve to get over myself!
There there Freda, better now?
I do know how you feel and periodically vent my spleen, though mostly in comments on others’ blogs.
As to the main drift of your blog, yes I think the world is indeed a dangerous place and I think most forms of extreme nationalism are at the core of the problem.
If, as you suggested each region could have autonomy and agree on the things which affect us all we would be living in a near-perfect world. Sadly, schism is the order of the day and those of us with a more peaceable turn of mind, just need to keep our heads down.
Sometimes, but only sometimes, I wish God was an interventionist God. But then, I dread to think where I’d be.
You’ve hit the nail on the head. What to write in a post? If you rehash the doom and gloom is anyone any better for it? On the other hand, do we want to live like osriches? I have not had quite as much news the past few days owing to trips to the hospital, etc. Perhaps I am better off for it. I am saddened by your news of a ‘new’ IRA. Also the election of a ‘nationalist’ party in Scotland. Are things really that bad? Dianne
I get all wrought up myself over political stuff. I can’t ignore it because at my age, it is so clearly obvious that it has be in it’s vile clutches. Yet I hate it and do my best to ignore it so I don’t get wrought up. sigh. What’s a lady to do?
Your blog is personal, and that is the kind of blog I find interesting. I think a great deal about politics, but I don’t often write about them, and I don’t read political blogs except for blogs of the people I like — as people — who sometimes write about politics. I found early on reading your blog that I like you. Therefore, I read your blog whatever it’s about. I am interested in your take on politics because I am interested in you as a person and politics is part of your life and experience. My husband, on the other hand, only reads topic blogs, usually about finance, sometimes about politics. He reads Alaska newspapers and the Financial Times and Naked Capitalism — stuff like that.
The contents of your blog, and indeed recent occurrences in the world and more locally, made me remember an old TV programme called ‘That Was The Week That Was’. I wonder how they would have represented the news – with satire, cynicism or humour. I seem to remember the programme brought a touch of realistm to the fore. But then, maybe I am trying the see the ‘green shoots’ of a more reasoned future. I try not to put my head in the sand but I find that I speedily turn the pages of news reports on much of the horrid happenings in the world without reading this or that journalist’s take on it. As a nation – UK or Scottish – we must be thankful for a peaceful existence.
Ecclesiastes 3: 1, 7, 8. It’s no bad thing, arguably a duty, to be aware of national and/or political goings-on, much as I’d prefer to stare at green things more often 🙂
Thanks for the Ecclesiastes quotes, Tim, these are some of my favourite verses about how things happen in the world according to the way God chooses. “He sets the time for tearing, the time for mending…..” The inference being that God is in control if one is literal….. alternatively, that God knows these things are happening and is with us in the chaos. I prefer the latter interpretation in my head, though the right side of my brain wants to go with “all shall be well and all shall be well……” The older I grow the less I know for sure, and yet the more I am a part of the fluidity of all things. Can’t do a coloured smiley but it is here for sure. 🙂
Thanks, Ray, I am feeling better now. A good old dose of housework has helped, the events in the Arab world are too awful to contemplate. Thanks everyone for your comments, between you, there is a lot of sensible advice. And for today, at least, my blog post will be a lot lighter.