Getting Your Nob Out On The Radio

OK, so I'm a bit late at picking up this story - it's a couple of weeks old - but John Barrowman and the BBC have apologised after Captain Jack got his nob out on the radio.

On the radio. ON THE RADIO. It's a sound-only broadcast medium. You don't watch it. You don't see anything. So what exactly is the problem? The sound of a zipper? His reference to his fruit and nuts? Behave.

If I told you that I was sitting here naked whilst typing this blog entry, would that be grounds for complaint? (Actually, don't answer that.)

Interestingly, the report I linked to connects this incident to the Ross/Brand affair. I worried at the time that the moralism of the like of the Daily Mail over Ross/Brand would lead to an revival of demands for 'naughtiness' to be excised from the media and that essetnially harmless pranks would be caught in the reactionary net. It seems to me that John Barrowman's nob shows that this worry may be coming true.

A Victory For Free Speech And Secularism

Today's excellent news is that a Christian group has failed in its efforts to prosecute Jerry Springer: The Opera for blasphemy.

I haven't actually seen it - in fact, it's gathering dust on my DVD shelf while I fully intend to watch it at some point, several friends having told me it is really very funny. But whether it's funny or not, worth watching or not, whether I've even seen it or not, is SO not the point. So it mocks Christianity? So it has the right to, and just because you don't like it does not give you the right to attempt to ban it.

Incidentally, some of the more crusading Christians do a lot more than 'mock' those who do not share their superstitions, they positively damn us to hell. Yet, my tolerant, broad-minded and pluralist self has never once popped down to the High Court to demand that some geezer in a wig ban them from issuing their fire and brimstone.

And the fact that the Daily Telegraph fears that this ruling 'weakens blasphemy law' simply warms my heart. As I was saying just the other day, in relation to Islam rather than Christianity - no bias in this blogger's desire to have all religions lose their legal privileges - there should be no such thing as 'blasphemy law'. It's archaic, irrational and censorious.

Burning Books

This one's old news, but I've paused to contemplate the fact of Bible-bashers burning Harry Potter books. At first you think it's just wacko, but seriously, this stuff is frightening. Of course, the stories are from the USA, but don't think it could never cross the pond - after all, the government funds and endorses an Academy in the North East which might not burn Potter books but does ban them.

And reactionary stuff that seems very much on the fringes during 'normal' times can suddenly grow during times of economic and social crisis. As Paul Weller sang in The Jam's Funeral Pyre:

As I was standing by the edge
I could see the faces of those led pissing themselves laughing
(and the flames grow higher)
Their mad eyes bulged their flushed faces said
The weak get crushed as the strong grow stronger

We feast on flesh and drink on blood
Live by fear and dispise love in a crisis
(what with today’s high prices)
Bring some paper and bring some wood
Bring what’s left of all your love for the fire
We’ll watch the flames grow higher!

Freedom of speech ?

Couple of blogs have this you tube of a student being tasered.


I watched it and was shocked. OK, perhaps that is naive, but this guy was not threatening in an way,it was just some awkward questions. He may have gone on or been annoying, but that did not justify in anyway the response.
As Liam points out on his blog :

When I was at university politicians, particularly the Unionist ones, expected their meetings to be rowdy with some mild violence of the pushing, shoving, egg and chair throwing sort.

No one was throwing anything , it was just some awkward guy .He may have been annoying but pretty sure that isn't a public order offence !

It was not so much the American police heavy handedness that shocked, nor Kerry standing by, it was the reaction of the rest of the audience.No one seemed that bothered that the supposed American freedom of speech was being stamped upon and silenced. Initially a few people cheered and it was only when the guy cried out whilst being tasered that a few people objected . Why didn't people stand up and do something ? This was a hall full of students and they stayed glued to their seats. Would this level of apathy happen here at a University ? I would hope not.
Its a far cry from the student radicalism of the past in the US.

Still, if the Labour Party can allow the manhandling of an elderly man who heckles, why should I be shocked by anything really. Tasers at conference ?

Hat tip : Liam and John A.

Update John A in the comments says it was a private security form employed by the university. So tasers in the hands of people with even less accountability .