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Today Programme Report - Text Only Version 大象传媒 Radio 4 |
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September 2005 Your Evidence on Respect We asked you to submit YOUR evidence on respect.聽 Here are just some of the emails we received: FITTING IN From Trevor Bennett: 06/10/05 There is much talk about multuculturalism and acceptance into this country but I think its up to the "incomers" to do the fitting in. If you want to get on in a foreign country the best way is to adopt their ways and not stand out in a crowd. That is not to say that your own private ways or traditions should be abandoned, but you just keep them to yourself and your family. Those who look and act differently to the indigenous population only draw attention to themselves. The majority of Jews dont stand out in a crowd (and I'm not Jewish) but those Muslims who walk around our towns and cities in Middle Eastern clothing draw attention to themselves. We see many middle eastern business men and women being interviewed on television wearing western clothing, and most of them would fit in anywhere in British Society. If they dont find a need to wear clothing that says "were different" why do so many others.? If they wish to fit in to the British way of life and be accepted they must try adopting the British way of life, if they cant do that they have no excuse for being classed as "different", and should perhaps seek and go to a country where their "difference" will not be noticed. With regard to religion and schools,again its us and them. Any religion and religious symbolism should be banned from all schools then teachers will be teaching "pupils" and not British and Ethnic minorities. SECULARISM: Sent Sat 17/09/2005 I previously submitted the following views on respect - defending the view that secularism is essential if there is to be respect for all citizens within a peaceful, tolerant society. I explain what secularism is, since most people do not know, but I did not submit my solution which is:- That all aspects in which there is inequality between the rights of religious believers and the rights of the non-believers from religion, law and custom should bring them into line. -Sectarian schools should be integrated so that all schools take children from their locality. -The rights of children, teachers, parents and society should respected by not allowing the teaching of any opinion as fact, discrimination against teachers or non-believing parents. -Public ceremony should be secular - that is not conducted in line with religious tradition. -Laws and practice that reflect religious prejudice against other religions, non-believers, women or gays should be repealed or reformed. -Undue political influence on politicians by organised religions should be at least considered unacceptable. -Privileges and subsidies should be progressively reformed until the religions do not have undue advantage over non-believers e.g. church pemised should only attract a subsidy if they are used by the secular community, who should have equal rights to the advertising space available. -Clerics should have the option of keeping their community role, divested of their religious affilliation and developed as part of asecular community support system. -Public subsidy should not favour religious chaplains over support to non religious users. Anne Shaw In the report on the Today programme one of the witnesses declared that secularism is necessary for there to be respect for all the views within a society. From the response to what she said, it was obvious that the panel, like most of the British population do not know what secularism is. And why is this? Because non-belief and an understanding of the life stances that reject superstition and faith are excluded from school teaching on ethics and citizenship, and public service broadcasting is allowed to promote belief in god as good, when the evidence shows that it its influence has been violent and intolerant. This programme was supposedly about respect, yet there is no respect for the rational, moral and ethical stance of people who do not believe in one or other of the religions, all of which have caused, directly and indirectly, prejudice and discrimination against women, gays, other religions and anyone else who does not agree with them. Secularism is Freedom of religion, Freedom From Religion within a state that is neutral on such matters, giving no priority, privileges or subsidies to any belief system over any other. It is regularly asserted that we live in a secular country, this is untrue. We live in a country that is steeped in religion, under a monarch who rules by divine right. Pubic ceremony asserts belief in a supernatural god that many of us reject. The history of religion is one of violent conflict, persecution, prejudice and discrimination and their doctrines and attitudes shape our present day attitudes to woman, gays, health and welfare and education. On health sexual and reproductive health, sex education, the equality of women and gays, and stigma and prudery are areas in which religious influence has been and still is against the interests of good physical and mental health. On education, faith schools present rights issues for children, teachers, parents, community schools and society that are never acknowledged in our media, because the views of secularists and humanists are excluded. There are many other areas on which religions could and should be challenged. But because of pulpit and now mosque pressure, right thinking, rational, evidence based thinking that may offend believers is censored, and decisions such as those taken by your panel will be taken without all the evidence being considered. Anne Shaw BENEFITS SYSTEM AND CULTURE Sent Fri 16/09/2005 For reasons too complex to explain here I found myself in early middle age in a series of low paid unskilled work living in a series of "bed sits" and "sink" accomodation. I was therefore able observe, indeed live amongst,the "Benefit culture" section of the population. This experience lasted five or so years. Two outstanding lessons came from that experience. The first is there is immense and flagarant fraud built into the system,which for the sake of an easy life is ignored even condoned. The second lesson is that the benefit system has an insidious corrupting effect on the whole of society, but in particular feckless and irresponsible parents. My solution would be to pay one adult in every household in the land in receipt of unemployment benefit a wage at the level of the minimum wage for a nominal 38 hour week. No benefits whatsoever (except the usual child benefits etc) viz the normal way of receiving an income. In return every one would be required to pay Council Tax; Rent:Heating and lighting etc. Thus every one in Society would actually be part of it. I bet we would soon notice an increase in voting at Election etc. Peter Bolt: Redditch :Worcs MULTI-OPTION VOTING Sent Fri 16/09/2005 Dear Respect, Because most political decisions are based on majority votes, most political problems are reduced to dichotomies, to a closed question, a choice between only two options; and people then vote for or against. Prior to this, those involved tend to fall into two camps and argue with each other, that is, to show little respect towards each other. And in voting against each other, they repeat this behaviour. In contrast, in conflict resolution work, be the problem domestic, industrial or political, mediators ask only open questions. In other words, the problem remains multi-optional. And every endeavour is made to find that option which is acceptable to all concerned. Mediation is win-win. In politics, however, the questions are invariably zero sum; it's win or lose. If, instead, political decisions were based on multi-option preference votes, then could be identified that option which was everybody's highest average preference. And politics could also be win-win. Democracy, after all, is for everybody. Accordingly, the voting procedures should be able to reflect this inclusivity. They should allow the voters to show respect for other persons' opinions or options; in other words, they should enable those voting to give at least a low preference to other persons' options. In a word, the voting procedures should facilitate the identification of the best possible compromise, i.e., that option which is everybody's highest average preference. The appropriate methodology is called a Borda count. It was first proposed in the year 1435. For reasons unclear, while the 大象传媒 often discusses various electoral systems, it has not debated non-majoritarian forms of decision-making. Yet multi-option voting is used in the Norwegian and Swedish parliaments (two-round voting and serial voting respectively), while Finland has used multi-option referendums, (two-round voting). Indeed, the Scandinavians are known for a more consensual politics. And consensus is getting close to respect. In the UK , however, our politicians tend to show respect for each other, only when they're writing their obituaries! In NI, of course, it's even worse. But part of the problem here is also a belief in majoritarianism. Yours (if I may say so) respectfully, Peter Emerson Director The de Borda Institute ASBOS AND DISABILTY Sent Tue 13/09/2005 'A 15 year old boy with Tourettes Syndrome received an ASBO with a condition that he did not swear in public...' There is growing concern that a number of disabled people, and in particular people with mental health issues and learning disabilities are receiving SBOs for behaviour which may be impairment related. In addition to this, the likelihood is that people inappropriately asbo'd in this way will break the conditions of their order and will then find themselves entering the criminal justice system. There is also evidence to suggest that disabled people face a high level of hate crime and harassment and may be more likely to be the 'victims' of anti social behaviour. The Disability Rights Commission (DRC) is keen to ensure that policy and practise does not discriminate or adversely effect disabled people and that it actively works towards achieving equality. We are concerned by the anecdotal evidence contained within the attached report and by the lack of comprehensive monitoring by the Home Office on their ASB initiatives. The attached document is a report from Asbo Concern and Napo which highlights these issues and includes a number of examples of disabled people receiving ASBOs. The report also raises a number of other problems with implementation which may be of interest to the Jury. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you require any further information. Hannah Terrey Senior Policy Officer - Developing inclusive Communities Disability Rights Commission 020 7543 7035 A JURY CHOSEN BY THE 大象传媒 CAN'T BE TRUSTED Sent Tue 13/09/2005 I don't trust any jury chosen by the 大象传媒. It has too many politically correct motives and elements. You only have to look at the disparity between the votes of the 大象传媒's invited audiences and the wider national votes in (can't remember what replaced the equally fixed Any Questions), to see the 大象传媒 is just as dedicated to social engineering and fiddling the agenda and the debate as it always has been. So I would say one cause for the lack of *respect* in society is the feeling that one's opinions are irrelevant because they are manipulated by an overmighty media. If there were shock jocks, if there were public access television, if a wider range of opinion were able to achieve expression on the media it might carry a tad more credibility. But this is just another 大象传媒 exercise in nannying. John Wilkinson INVITATION TO ANOTHER CITIZENS JURY Sent Tue 13/09/2005 Citizens Jury - The Future of Rookery House for the Community Erdington, Birmingham Erdingtons' Citizens Jury would like to invite people interest in the Citizens Jury process and findings to the launch of Jurors report & recommendations to be held on Thursday, 20th October, 2005 at Rookery House, Kingsbury Road , Erdington Birmingham. For further information Contact Jeanette Burrows & Laura Needham Birmingham Community Empowerment Network RESPECT ON THE ROADS Sent Tue 13/09/2005 I would consider that respect should cover behavior on the road and the lack of ability to consder any other road users. Why is it imposible for people to indicate on roundabouts as to which directionthey intend to take and help speed up the flow of traffic? Kay Ashton AGGRESSION AND RUDENESS FROM YOUNG PEOPLE Sent Tue 13/09/2005 I run an after school homework centre at my local library which is used by children and teenagers from the local schools. I have noticed over the last three years a deterioration in the behaviour and attitude of those who come, which demonstrates itself in various ways - swearing, rudeness, aggression, abuse and a refusal to acknowledge the authority of the rules or the staff. People like myself, who are trying to provide a service in these circumstances, have only one sanction available to us to help us deal with this behaviour; we can send the offenders home. They know (and tell us frequently) that we "can't touch" them (either literally or metaphorically) and they take pride in their mastery of the situation.I know that this is the kind of behaviour that some of these children display throughout the school day, and that their teachers feel equally hamstrung by the law. The only sanction they have is the detention, and I'm sure that they know that the number of detentions earned has become a badge of honour to some children, as has the number of times they can be sent home from the homework centre. The solution to this problem is also the key to how it has come about. The sudden decline in children's behaviour in school began when corporal punishment was banned. The government must know this, because every teacher does. I also work in an infant class, where it is easy to see that a smack on the legs could provide the kind of sharp lesson that would not need to be repeated. It would also establish the idea that the teacher is a person with real authority, which lesson could be reinforced throughout a child's school career. Critics will argue that corporal punishment leads to a cycle of increasing abuse, but it is only since it was withdrawn that we have really noticed such a cycle. I would also extend this argument to the home. I've seen the TV programmes that tell you how to control your kids, and they look like very hard work. How much easier and more effective a smack is, because it provides instant retribution and does not drag on for ages thereby wearing the parent out. I know this is not a popular suggestion for the liberal elite, but you asked for evidence from the people on the street and here is mine. For your information, I live on a very large estate with a high proportion of social housing and therefore many children from broken homes. Paula Hill VANDALISM AND CRIME COULD BE SOLVED BY A MODIFIED FORM OF NATIONAL SERVICE Sent Tue 13/09/2005 I am concerned at the rising level of vandalisim, crime, violence etc., with gangs of youths hanging around street corners looking for trouble. Although I wouldn't support a return of compulsory National Service in it's original form (training people to fight) I would suggest that a year's service in a National Humanitarian Relief Corp, where training in all types of constructive skills (building, plumbing, roadworks, electrics, catering etc.) would be given, rather as the Army do now but without the combat training. This Corp could be deployed anywhere in the world, including the UK, wherever they were needed - be it getting supplies to victims of floods, earthquakes etc., setting up emergency accomodation, helping to rebuild devastated areas, restoring communications etc. It could also be used at other times to regenerate deprived areas, at home and abroad, and the skills learned and practiced in this Service would stay with the "troops" when they returned to "civvy" street. This plan has several advantage points: 1. It would bring down the number of unemployed. 2. It would teach skills which could be used in the workplace eventually, hopefully leading to Employment. 3. It would bring help to areas which need it, but currently are not getting it. It was demonstrated recently in New Orleans how depleted the country's resources were because so many of USA Armed Forces are currently deployed elsewhere. If this Humanitarian Relief Corp idea was adopted on an international level, every time there was an emergency anywhere all countries would have a force which they could send immediately and not compromise their country's security in any way. I realise that there are many relief agencies in the world today, but this is an idea which makes a year's paid service compulsory for all, not just the people who decide to become aid workers voluntarily. Jane Cox. MUSLIMS' EXCEPTION FROM RE LESSONS Sent Tue 13/09/2005 One of the items that is sure to arise is that concerning immigration, tolerance, multiculturalism and so on, particularly concerning Muslims. My evidence is that at my son's school (for the record a high achieving grammar school - I mention that only because bad behaviour, social issues etc. are not relevant in the school in question), Muslim children did not have to attend RE lessons, presumably at their, or their parents' request. Religious Education as taught these days is not only about the Christian Scriptures - it is about morality and ethics, and looks at all the world religions. Why should Muslims be exempt from attending these classes? And why then claim that they are not welcomed into the community? Surely this is a case of self-imposed exile from British life. Christopher Knowles RESPECT THROUGH AN END TO SPIN Sent Tue 13/09/2005 If our government seriously want a revival of respect in our society then they must begin to show respect to the people they serve. Away with spin and economies with the truth. The outcome may well be that they will also regain the respect they have lost when they begin to show us some respect. Michael Yarrow The 大象传媒 is not responsible for external websites |
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