Respect to Malcolm Chisholm. No matter how much I try, I just don't understand the political world. But Chisholm's actions remind me of Robin Cook's stand against the Iraq War
(I'd recommend Cook's diaries of that whole period running up to the war - one of the finest political journals I've read. And, I'm slowly reading Bob Woodward's State of Denial - the impression given is that the US government was all over the place in preparation for the war.)
Over the last year I've had to rethink my understanding of the rights and wrongs of war. I'm more or less a pacifist now - my hesitancy remains because of the WWII question (national self defence is difficult to argue against). And, I think that states do have justifiable powers of force to maintain law, justice, and good order within their borders.
Still, I do not believe the UK has any reason to retain nuclear weapons. We should never have developed them. They are just wrong.
Though the nations rage from age to age,
we remember who holds us fast:
God's mercy must deliver us
from the conqueror's crushing grasp.
This saving word that our forebears heard
is the promise which holds us bound
till the spear and rod can be crushed by God
who is turing the world around.
From, Canticle of Turning by Rory Cooney
1 comment:
It is a sad reflection on politics in Britain when one of the more able and respected MSPs is forced to resign for voting in line with his deeply held principles on a reserved matter… whatever happened to debate, whatever happened to having a conscience? Paranoia and ‘spin’ has destroyed politics in this country, and worse than that the voters just couldn’t care less… ok ranting (yes politics does it to me as well) will stick to making 'girly' comments on your beard ... (or lack of it).However I accept that you must shave (or not) as your conscience dictates
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