Some very interesting points well put. I do agree with the value that national identity caqn provide, and always felt it rather sad that having an England or Union Jack flag has become synonymous with thugs, or that the importance of a countries flag should always be taken too far as with the Nazis, and perhaps also America at times. Work experiences of a couple of my friends tend to show that poorly integrated immigrants often end up living unnecessarily in abject poverty because they don't know what benefits they are entitled to, or how to access services. I tend to feel that migrant populations left too long this way is what breeds your Camberwell estates and the crime and misery that can bring.
I don't disagree that religion and politics have become frighteningly interlinked, but whilst the Pope was just a figurehead, then all that is dangerous is GBjnr, not Christianity. Where we will face danger is if the new Pope takes an aggressive stance and begins to align himself with country leaders such as Bush, Blair or the Australian right winger PM (whose name escapes me at present).
For an amusing and cynical take on how religion and politics can integrate and screw up, read the rather wonderful novel Boiling a Frog by Christopher Brookmyre. Better still read his whole series.
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Date: 2005-04-03 02:24 pm (UTC)I do agree with the value that national identity caqn provide, and always felt it rather sad that having an England or Union Jack flag has become synonymous with thugs, or that the importance of a countries flag should always be taken too far as with the Nazis, and perhaps also America at times. Work experiences of a couple of my friends tend to show that poorly integrated immigrants often end up living unnecessarily in abject poverty because they don't know what benefits they are entitled to, or how to access services. I tend to feel that migrant populations left too long this way is what breeds your Camberwell estates and the crime and misery that can bring.
I don't disagree that religion and politics have become frighteningly interlinked, but whilst the Pope was just a figurehead, then all that is dangerous is GBjnr, not Christianity. Where we will face danger is if the new Pope takes an aggressive stance and begins to align himself with country leaders such as Bush, Blair or the Australian right winger PM (whose name escapes me at present).
For an amusing and cynical take on how religion and politics can integrate and screw up, read the rather wonderful novel Boiling a Frog by Christopher Brookmyre. Better still read his whole series.