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politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Let’s talk about Islamophobia
politicalbetting.com » Blog Archive » Let’s talk about Islamophobia
Vladimir Bukovsky died recently, in the country he called home after his 1976 expulsion from Russia. He was one of the last Russian dissidents from a time when concerns about Russia related not to its interference in Western elections or its financial links with Western leaders but about the spread of its Communist ideology, its brutal control of Eastern Europe, its appalling treatment of those who protested (incarceration as “insane” in psychiatric jails) or those who wanted to leave (Russian Jews – Anatoly Sharansky, for instance). All a very long time ago now, from a period when the Berlin Wall was standing, a structure exemplifying the brutal reality that Communist states were prisons: to try and escape meant death. It is history now, unimaginable to the generations since, even if there are some, even in the West, who still mourn its passing.
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Brexiteers racist. Shocked I Am...
I mentioned the Uighurs several times when he/she used to say "Good morning, Islamophobes".
Any approach not taking one of those options would be so slow as to be meaningless.
If anyone who is more expert in these matters than me can show me where my logic fails, I am listening. But the alarming conclusion is that China is in a sufficiently secure position now that it can act with more or less total impunity.
I shall up my stakes for leader...
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/09/corbyn-plays-all-the-old-favourites-in-bristol-but-no-ones-dancing
CON: 44% (+5)
LDM: 28% (-5)
LAB: 26% (=)
GRN: 1% (=)
Via @DeltapollUK, 3-8 Dec.
Changes w/ 14-21 Nov.
Finchley & Golders Green Constituency Voting Intention:
CON: 46% (=)
LDM: 34% (+2)
LAB 19% (=)
Via @DeltapollUK, 3-6 Dec.
Changes w/ 14-21 Nov.
Kensington Constituency Voting Intention:
CON: 39% (+3)
LAB: 29% (+2)
LDM: 27% (-6)
GRN: 2% (=)
BXP: 2% (New)
Via @DeltapollUK, 4-8 Dec.
Changes w/ 7-13 Nov.
Conservative remainers drifting back over fear of Corbyn ?
But yes you are right that China is both able and willing to use very extreme measures to eliminate any sort of opposition.
At some point I think that sort of ruthless power will be used outside China.
On topic, the West as a whole should increasingly coordinate its foreign and security policy multilaterally amongst like-minded countries, and in the first instance use that to keep China (and others like it) out of South American and Africa. It should also start to form closer bonds with India, which has its own challenges but is at least sympathetic to democratic values.
The West is still a powerful force if properly led and coordinated with hard and soft power. But not even the US is powerful enough anymore to contain China on its own.
Yep. Terror of Corbyn will keep both those seats in the blue camp.
The ST business section this weekend was instructive in that.
Though obviously the Tories will lose 20% off their total because of an incident in a hospital
China seems to be on a long upwards trajectory in terms of world power. Sadly the precedents for getting powers that are on the rise to treat minorites fairly are very poor.
The Spanish in South America, Britain and its empire, the USA and Native Americans are just a few of the terrible examples that spring to mind.
The West should not turn a blind eye though.
CON: 39% (+3)
LAB: 29% (+2)
LDM: 27% (-6)
GRN: 2% (=)
BXP: 2% (New)
Via @DeltapollUK, 4-8 Dec.
Changes w/ 7-13 Nov.
Western policy should reorientate to seek the overthrow of “communism” and the establishment of democratic government in a China as its primary purpose, IMHO.
Hong Kong and Taiwan (and TS in 1989) shows the idea that democracy doesn’t suit the Chinese people to be utter horseshit.
Such cultural revolutions are nothing new under the Maoists, of course.
And their new economic power now allows them to do so again.
But with over a century of resentments added.
What to do is obviously a thornier question. One of the problems we face in these situations is that the only ones that can replace the Chinese dictatorship is the Chinese people themselves. So we need to have them view their own autocratic government as the enemy. This is difficult to do when we stand up for minorities and people's natural tribalism makes them take the side of their own government against the minority.
The correct response is for Western governments to focus on our common humanity rather than abstract criticisms. Do not speak about "human rights abuses", speak about individual stories of organ harvesting, torture and starvation. Don't use language about Chinese abuse of Uighurs, frame it as one part of Beijing's oppression of the Chinese people overall. Don't lecture them about "minority protections", spread photos like this one:
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.reddit.com/r/pics/comments/dsylqp/picture_of_a_political_prisoner_in_one_of_chinas/
The two years since 2017 have taken their toll. Corby looks old, and tired, and listless. The stench of antisemitism clings to him, rightly or wrongly.
Corby will walk off the stage in three days time.
For the last time. The magic show is over.
https://yougov.co.uk/uk-general-election-2019/
Empty suit.
Gyimah collapsed to third, looks like Felicity Buchan will gain Kensington back for the Tories
I am a bit bored with this election, TBH. Seems to have been going on since June. There is a world out there ......
Corbyn had hoped Bristol might mark the first gig of The Comeback Tour. It felt more like The Long Goodbye. It wasn’t just the audience and the warmth of a summer’s evening that were missing. It was the energy and the enthusiasm. Two years ago, there had been a sense of hope. A feeling that change was possible. Now there was just weariness, a weight of resignation. A commitment to a cause that already felt lost. The crowd had turned up as much to keep the faith with themselves as with their leader.
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/dec/09/corbyn-plays-all-the-old-favourites-in-bristol-but-no-ones-dancing
What a shame that Labour are unelectable and soon bankrupt.
It was bloody cold.
ICM and Remain United ComRes not great, but consistent with prior equivalent polls.
Overall a pretty good polling day for Con.
But they've drifted quite a bit on Betfair - presumably because of the phone incident.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1905_French_law_on_the_Separation_of_the_Churches_and_the_State
Hospitals need improving, but it’s been this way a long, long time and as Wales shows it is not a problem any specific ruling government will easily fix.
Two campaigning days to go...
Brown and Blair privatised more of the NHS than all other tory governments combined. The NHS should fear Labour more than anything else.
At present new peerages are greatly reduced in an effort to get the bloated numbers down & then capped at 600.
Chuka may be out of luck.
Sure, these were long term Chinese goals - but it has now become a crash development program (note today’s announcement of a ban on the use of overseas hardware and software by 2020).
What was a worldwide collaborative system of tech development is in danger of becoming two separate competing systems. And given how much of the ‘West’s’ technology is situated in China’s backyard (Taiwan and S. Korea), we are in a potentially precarious position.
Pretty much all the recent constituency polls have been on the money or underestimated the Tory vote share compared to the MRP which bodes well.