an essentially persuasive model of facilitation...

I wonder if the honourable member thinks normal people really talk like this.

John Bercow (Buckingham, Conservative)

My starting point is that I have always felt that where the science is essentially
persuasive, as I believe it to be, we should have a model of facilitation. We
should go with embryo research because of the tremendous human opportunities that
it offers. That is to say, I take an empiricist, pragmatic, instrumental view,
rather than the view that some abstract principle should inveigh against the
possibility that such research should be allowed or extended.

Traduc:

If the Great God Science says we can do it, then it's OK because whatever we can do, we should do.

But this isn't "some abstract principle", it's the empiricist view, and therefore the correct one. Abstract is bad, you see...and so are principles...but that isn't a principle, you understand...just an empiricist view.

And there's a difference.

And the difference is shut the hell up you weird religiousy people. That's what.


Seriously, do these people ever hear themselves?

But I'm disappointed. I am used to hearing this kind of blithering gibberish from Canadian MPs, but it wasn't that long ago that we had real schools in this country. Honestly, this could have come out of the mealy mouth of a Quebec MP.

That old ghost is getting louder

Norman Lamb, the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Health, dismissed the objections of disability rights groups to the eugenic screening of embryos, saying it is a case of discrimination against the disabled. Lamb said he did “share the view” that “it is tantamount to regarding an individual with a disability as less valuable in some way”.

“It must surely be preferable to avoid babies being born with very serious disabling conditions. That seems quite different from doing everything possible to avoid any discrimination against an individual who has a disability.”

A brief, telling exchange

William Cash Conservative MP for Stone:

Does the hon. Gentleman agree with Einstein, who said:
"Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind"?

Norman Lamb, Shadow Secretary of State for Health, Lib Dem MP for North Norfolk.

I would not necessarily agree with that comment—and let me move on.

But once we've had some more time, I'm sure it will be fine

Most Rev Peter Smith, chairman of the English and Welsh Catholic bishops' department for Christian responsibility and citizenship, says that society needs more time to consider issues raised by the bill, including hybrids and saviour siblings, before legislation is passed by Parliament.

Just more time, that's all.

Thanks Bishop Smith for helping me clarify my feelings about the English "Catholic" bishops.

you'll never hear this on the streets of Rome

for Giancarlo

Mad

I'm rather miffed.

I think it's time for some noisy mad-music

OK Your Grace

you go first.

Wish List

Since I'm in a sharing kind of mood, I thought I would give you my wish list for immediate improvement of the general scene in Britain.

Whatever party these ideas belong to, I will allow the reader to decide.

After this, it's back to reticent I promise.

I, like anyone who spends a lot of time paying attention to politics, have a few things I'd like to see changed. These are only purely political things, open to tinkering by legislative and regulatory changes. I do not believe that politics is the only thing, or even the most important thing, that makes a society. That's socialist thinking. I do not think, contrary to Mr. Brown, that "Britishness" is something that can be created,promoted or enforced by government decree.

But inasmuch as we are talking specifically about political matters, things that can legitimately be dealt with by parliaments, I have a few items on my list that I do not think are terribly off the mainstream conservative beaten track, however much they may be ignored by those who currently rule the parties. Off the top of my head, these include (apart from the obvious like the immediate recriminalization of abortion, the abolition of artificial means of contraception, IVF and other artificial methods of procreation):

- an end to Britain's membership in the EU, or at least a significant re-configuration of our treaty commitments. It would be nice to see British people governed by laws made by British parliamentarians at Westminster.

- an immediate halt to or at least radical reduction (90%) of immigration and a significant increase in border security.

- automatic deportation of illegal immigrants convicted of crimes.

- the systematic re-patriation of illegal immigrants and "failed asylum seekers" who are not convicted of crimes.

- a complete reform of the police force with emphasis on putting a stop to the "managerial" style of policing with its politically correct dumbing down and rule by pencil-pushing bureaucrats. cf: Baroness P.D. James.

- automatic sentencing for violent offenders.

- a reform of the welfare system that favours payments to single mothers and discourages families from staying together.

- a reform of the school system and a return to traditional teaching methods and subjects.

- the abolition of systems like the student's "appeal" process that make it impossible for teachers to discipline disruptive students. (Or how about just bringing back corporal punishment?)

- the cracking open and exposure to a bright light of the festering marxist hive of crawling moral and political corruption that calls itself the National Union of Teachers.

- the re-institution of laws prohibiting public indecency and the promotion of same.

- the abolition of all current "sex education" programmes in schools.

- the reform of the religious ed curriculum in schools to emphasize Christianity and teach it as the official religion of this nation.

- immediate deportation of Islamic extremist imams who publicly advocate the overthrow of the democratic system, the imposition of Sharia law, the suppression of civil rights, or violence, or the concept that Muslims should "take over" Britain.

- a country-wide moratorium on planning permission for the building of any new mosques.

- re-nationalizing the railways and getting the damn trains to run.

- the abolition of TV licensing fees. If the BBC can produce good products, let them compete fairly in the market to sell them like everyone else.

- the removal of about 90% of the nation's CCTV cameras and an inquiry as to the legality of the government spying on citizens.

- a legal definition of marriage that clarifies its meaning and purpose as the procreation and raising of children.

- abolition of inheritance tax on estates worth under £1 million and stamp duty for first time home buyers. (Given the indecently inflated housing values, however, I think this limit is too low. In some areas, even a very modest home can be valued at close to £1 million and the idea of inheritance tax that forces anyone, rich or poor, to sell a family home just to pay the government is an inherently unjust law that violates the rights of private property.)

-the creation of tax incentives and rewards for homeowners who keep a house more than ten years.

- re-instate the stringent divorce laws that were in place before 1949. I hold to my belief that it was easy divorce, not contraception, that started the snowball.

- unequivocal affirmation by Parliament of the Christian nature and origin of British society.

- the repeal of the fox hunting ban.

- the repeal of the smoking ban.

- the abolition of the Health and Safety Executive.

- the decentralization of control of local councils. There was a time, not too long ago, when the local council did not merely exist as the means of enforcement of edicts from Westminster.

- the repeal of most of Tony Blair's 'reforms' of the House of Lords...

and probably quite a bit more in this vein that I can't think of off the top of my head.

Now, I know from reading the papers and following blogs and generally keeping my ears open, that these are some pretty mainstream conservative opinions. Some or all of them are represented by individuals in the Conservative party. Some of them are even official party policy. I agree wholeheartedly that holding these opinions makes me Rightwing. But the last time I checked, being Rightwing is not, not yet at any rate, a crime. Some may find it odious and I'm fine with that.

Whatever.

And old ghosts are whispering in the corners

Dr. Desmond Turner:

Cutting the time limit would mean more births of deformed children. Do we want that? I think not.

The Wolves are Licking their Chops

Mrs Iris Robinson of the Northern Irish Democratic Unionist Party (led by Ian Paisley) told the House of Commons in the HFE bill debate:

I make no apology for speaking as a born-again Christian. I
represent the voice of those who look to a higher authority—one to whom we will
all one day answer for the decisions that we make in the House. Each one of us
is an individual of amazing worth. I approach the Bill through the central fact
that we are all created in the image of God. Much science will be discussed and
debated, but I want to remind us all that we need to consider the case fully—both
biologically, through the logical argument of our God-given minds, and with
respect to the mind of God.

Too often the House and this country have suffered from woolly liberal thinking.
Unless we stand firm on certain matters, the United Kingdom will become utterly
morally bankrupt. As Members of the House, we should not be engaged in bringing
society to its lowest common denominator. Instead, we should seek to raise
standards across society.

Father Tim notes that no one interrupted or heckled her, but neither did anyone refer to the speech afterwards. I suppose that these people are at a stage at which the blinding light of truth and clear thinking leaves them in stunned silence. Or perhaps they are so far gone that their minds simply blocked it out since they could not process the information.

If you haven't written to your MP about this, please do so immediately after reading the relevant material here.