The Grumpy Guardian

The Muslim faith? Now, lets think about that. What is it all about? Is it good, is it bad? Is it intellectual or is it not? Should I fear it or should I accept it? Unfortuantly, I haven't the answer to any of the before because I know next to nothing about the religion.
Over the last few years the Muslim faith has become noticed by none-Muslims, partly, by forcing attention on itself. Some minority members of the faith who have chosen the path of expressing their devotion to their religion through violent means, have made the Western world sit up and pay heed. Most of us really, 'sat-up' when 9/11 happened, now that was a blood thirsty, cold hearted and vicious way to make a point. The murdering of innocents always is but it was hardly original. Throughout history there have been those, (usually followers of some religion), who have decided that it is alright to kill innocent people to make their point or to gripe their gripe. Appalling!
The Muslim faith has also come to the Western worlds attention due to our insistance of going to a Muslim country and sticking our noses in. Sometimes I really wish we would just leave other counteries alone. Okay, so maybe there's a dictator, okay so maybe people are dieing, okay so maybe we want their oil...OKAY! Do I care? Not anymore I don't. The Middle East has survived for centuries doing things it's way whether 'it's way' is a good way or not, (no more or less good then the way the West does things), it is no business of mine. I would like to care about the welfare of other people from these far flung counteries I would love to say democracy and the Western life style will cure their problems but the harsh fact is that that is unlikely. They will just be exchanging one set of problems for some others. Demoracy has it's own evils.
I want to be fair minded and understanding towards people these counteries. I want to be tolerant of other religions. I do not want to dislike people of the Muslim faith. The trouble is that when someone straps a bomb to themselves and then goes for a walk amoungst woman, children and old people then blows themselves to Hell my tolerance buries itself deep.
And now, some cartoonist draws a few cartoons depicted The Prophet Mohammed,( a long with a few religious 'heads'), and a few extreme members of the Muslim faith set fire to embassies and threaten peoples life. I haven't seen the cartoons but I know that the reaction of these few is completly out of line. It must be because the majority of Muslims are as appalled,(according to the press), by such reaction as none-Muslims.
If the cartoons were truly offensive then the cartoonist should apologise and that should be that. I have a sneaking suspicion though, that the cartoonist knew sod all about the Muslim faith and had no idea his cartoons would cause all this. If that is the case his only crimes are ignorance and insensitivity.
The reaction though is worthy of more damnation then the cartoonist deserves. The signs and banners that I saw on the news features, written by some of these people, shows clearly that there are some out there who will use any excuse to stir up hatred and fear.
I suppose though, that we can take come comfort in one thing. No matter what religion we follower, no matter what the colour of our skin, no matter how many generations live and die the human race mantains the same level of illogical and senseless behaviour that would make a four-year old seem wise.

For Christmas I asked for some John Cusack films, no particular ones it was just a passing comment when asked if there were any DVDs I would like. He's one of my favourite actors for a few basic reasons - he can actually act, (always helps in my opinion), he comes over as smart and thoughtful and yes, he's tall, dark and good looking, (unfortunately I'm as superficial as the next gal).
One of the films I received was, 'Runaway Jury', I harboured a guess that I would enjoy it, (as there isn't a John Cusack film I've seen that I dislike), and settled down to watch it. I soon found myself getting involved with the centre topic of the film, the right of every American citizen to carry a gun', or words to that effect. I am only minimally familiar with the American Constitution so forgive me if I'm not exact in my references. The main characters, (played by John Cusack and Rachel Weisz, initially, appear to be criminals, manipulating the jury in a case where a innocent man was gunned down by an embittered ex-employee of the firm they both worked for, for millions of dollars. As the film progresses it becomes clear that the motive behind the characters actions are more sympathetic. Infact, it turns out that when they were at high school a fellow student went on a gun rampage killing other students including the sister of the Weisz character.
I won't go to deep into the film but money isn't the only motivation of the main characters, they have other, very personal issues to finalise. It's a moving story with, unfortunately, grounding in reality. People are gunned down by individuals who have, 'gone off the rails', shall we say? It does, without a doubt, make a sensible person comptemplate the consequences of a culture that allows its citizens to own guns. The God given, (?!?!), democratic right for an American to own and carry a gun.
I know that by the end of the film I and not for the first time, found myself questioning this right. Off course, the real problem is not guns, it never has been - it is the human species. Until a gun is in the hands of a human it is no more harmful then a packet of cookies.
On both sides of the 'pond', law enforcement officers and members of the military have to go through thorough training to be permitted to carry a gun. I understand that, before being given a gun license, American citizens have to undertake some training? I also understand that it is, also, possible for an American citizen, (not just Americans I dare say), to buy a gun in a less then legal way.
Yes, off course, every individual should have the right and means to protect themselves, their loved ones and property, (Americans certainly don't have to worry about the English Monarchy anymore), but is it right they they use a gun to do so? The price that is paid is often an extremely painful one a pain that America has suffered on too numerous occasions. From distressed students to embittered ex-employees and torturous people whose only answer is to pull that trigger the price is, indeed a VERY painful one.
We should stop worrying about American gun culture; we should stop worrying about guns. What we should be worrying about is US. We must take a long hard look at ourselves and decide if the answers we tell ourselves and the means we take to implement them are only leaving us so emotionally scared, so physically harmed that they is no return.
I don't know if I've made any sense, it can be hard to make sense of something that is so senseless like the death of a person in such a way as was at the heart of this films story. All I know is that it made me think and question things. It's odd how a simple request for a John Cusack film can lead to such deep and painful thinking. They really aren't enough films that make us think.

Once again the argument between science and religion is sending sparks flying with the growing ethos of 'Intelligent Design'. From what I understand, it originated in the Bible belt of America. Where lawns are perfect, picket fences are pure white and families are so happy it makes the rest of us what to reach for the nearest bucket! Maybe that's a bit harsh, these people intend no harm infact, they think that they are helping, they think that what they believe in, (that nice God of the free world), is the right thing to believe in, that 'he' loves us all and will save us. The fact is, they are causing harm, in fact, these people might just be as dangerous, if not more so, then those we refer to as fanactics, you know, those who think it's okay to strap a bomb to themselves and then go for a stroll in a crowded area.
I have a ever growing suspicion that Intelligent, has very little to do with it because if it did, then it wouldn't be the word applied to all this. Intelligent would be keeping the two issues of science and religion as far apart as possible. They might stray in to each others territory now and again but all in all they are two subjects NOT to be confused.
Science is FACT as we know and understand at this time. It isn't full proof and yes, it can be wrong but it has hard evidence on it's side and is usually, something that can be either seen or fully explained.
Religion is FAITH, it has no hard evidence and can be only part explained at the best of times. They is nothing wrong with that, we need to have faith, but it mustn't be blind as it seems to be with Intelligent Design.
We can not rule out the possibility of a higher Being because stranger and more wonderous things happen in out little universe now and again. I find it hard to believe in a God but I do have the sense to know because I don't believe doesn't mean it isn't possible. What we can't do though, is let FAITH take priority over FACT. That is why science can not be over-ruled by religion. We must teach our children both under seperate classes in a non- bias and informative why allowing them to use their own intellect to make up their own minds.
Science is for science class; Religion is for Religious class and the two must NEVER get confused.

At the recent Australian Film Awards Russsell Crowe played host. He walked on, carrying a telephone and warned people that if they stayed too long on the stage then they'd be saying, 'hello', to his little friend. He was sending himself up in regards to the incident in a New York hotel, earlier in the year, when he threw a telephone at a hotel employee. Amusing...well, yes actually.
I am not about to condone his behaviour - I think the word 'wrong' puts it in simple contents. In my opinion though his behaviour takes a back seat to the media coverage and attitudes towards what he did. Okay, so he got into a strop and threw a phone at someone, no-one wants to be on the end of that but if it has been anyone else it would have barely made the news.
The guy has paid his dues, said his apologises and is the first to criticise himself for his behaviour that day. Okay, so he's a BIG movie star, okay so his track record isn't exactly perfect, but nevermind all that...he's interesting. He's a 100% mascaline guy who's talented, intelligent and hard working. So, he has a temper, Hell you get on the wrong side of me and it won't be a phone slicing through the air towards you! The fact that he is able to, 'take the mick', out of himself makes it clear that he can laugh at himself and that's healthy if you ask me. If you behave like a jerk then at least have the decency to admit to it.
I'm sorry that the hotel employee got hurt, (I believe it wasn't anything serious), but I'm sure he has been compensated for it.
In future, I guess, Mr Crowe will be nothing but politness itself to hotel staff...maybe.

Amazing, it snowed. Where you ask, well, in various bits of the UK, (how the heck did that...), yes, a few inches of snow and little old Blighty has a fit. You would find it hard to believe that it has ever snowed here before. It's not that we weren't warned. Those nice BBC weather people have been threathening it for a few days, (don't you just love those BBC weather guys and gals almost as nice as the news presenters), but then, I guess, most of us didn't believe them. 'Snow, you say, no, not here, never get us here, not since the year blahblahblah has it snowed!' Yeah well, you tell that to the people who found themselves stuck at Bodmin yesterday.
The thing I found amusing, (there were a few things), was the police reaction. They knew it was going to snow but they didn't expect it to be that bad or something along those lines. Ahh, in other words you were caught slacking mate, just say so...just say that yes, you saw that nice weather person mention snow but you didn't believe them, then forgot about it and then whoosh you find yourself freezing your arse off trying to save an old-dear who's stuck in her car with all that white stuff around her.
Even the Army got caught up in it, which must have been a preference to having their rear-ends blown to the back of beyond in Iraq I suppose. 'Soldier, you have a choice. Either go and save a bunch of people snowed in their cars in some pretty part of England or be shipped out to Iraq where you may get to be blown to kingdom come.' Tough choice huh?!
Anyway, my sense of humour, on this subject, may not be tasteful but that's the mood I'm in today...grumpy with a shade of pissy.