FYI...

Happy Sunday all.  I hope you are well?

Well, I'm sat in Mama and Papa Berry's front room, inhaling the delights of Mama Berry's beef casserole, and wondering what to blog about today.  However, no matter where I try to go with this, my mind keeps returning to the political happenings of the last fortnight or so.  I know I'm at risk of saying something that has been said several times already since the attacks in Paris, and I'm guessing some of you are sick of the "Freedom of Speech" debate, but after listening to the ramblings of historian David Starkey on Question Time, seeing Fox News' report on "no-go" Birmingham, and hearing yet another of Farage's rants about immigration, I'm afraid I'm going to have to say my piece.

Starkey - don't get me started...

I 100% support freedom of speech.  But with it comes responsibility, something that not everyone exercises.  Charlie Hebdo has every right to publish what it wants,  but they need to be aware that, by doing so, they might not only alienate a lot of people, but potentially give those who attacked their offices more ammunition when it comes to radicalising young Muslims who are already disenchanted with the world.  Starkey can say what he likes about Islam but, by manipulating historical "facts" to illustrate his personal viewpoint, he loses any respect I might have for him - but more worryingly might plant yet another seed of misguided doubt in the minds of viewers who may not fully understand what the religion is about.  And, whilst Farage is free to point the finger at immigration as the root of all the UK's problems, by failing to show the population the full picture, he makes immigrants scapegoats to what is a much more complex situation. 

There are people in this world who are privileged to be able to say their piece and have thousands - possibly millions - listen to them.  This gives them a lot of power - power that can cause harm, increase fractions in our society and see people wrongly blamed - and therefore exorcised - for all our ills. 

So there you have it.  With rights come responsibility - something that I think some opinionated individuals seem to forget.  But we too have a responsibility as the receivers of this information.  We need to question arguments and listen far and wide.  Because if we don't, we risk letting those who shout the loudest shape our world to fit their beliefs - and not the real needs of our economy, the population and our environment.

Okay - rant over...