davishopefulacademia1

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A few months ago, or maybe longer, who can keep track of time anymore, the Comet network began airing reruns of Babylon 5. 

I loved Babylon 5. 

It was conceived and presented like a grand scifi novel, not at all like episodic tv of the time. As the show went along, it built an entire universe of complex characters with complex motivations whose loyalties and understandings would change organically throughout the course of the show. 

Years later, Lost would try to hold down something similar, but JJ Abrams’ revolving door of writers and producers could never master a coherent vision. And as polished as the 2004 reboot of Battlestar Galactica was (and it owed more than a little to B5′s operatic tone, though it was produced by a Star Trek alumnus), nothing could quite match the scope and originality of Babylon 5. 

J. Michael Straczynski may very well have made the greatest scifi series ever. 

While there were many wonderful and colorful characters on Babylon 5, I think many would agree the standout was Ambassador Delenn, a mysterious representative of the Minbari people, who would undergo a dramatic physical transformation (literally emerging from a chrysalis like a butterfly) so as to merge human and Minbari species. She was known as “the one who is” and provided a voice of wisdom and comfort, a true spiritual leader to those around her. 

No mere romantic foil, Delenn was something new in the presentation of female leadership: she may not have been a warrior, but she fought with wit and cunning, a diplomatic charm and charisma that won hearts and minds. Delenn was a character who understood sacrifice, for herself and for others and never questioned when it was necessary. Her strong belief in her purpose and, later, in her joining with John Sheridan, was an unbroken thread that held her world together. 

Straczynski wrote some of the best material for the show centering on Delenn and he couldn’t have cast a better actor to deliver his words.

Delenn was played with fierce intelligence and otherworldly gravity by Yugoslavian actress Mira Furlan. At 13 I remember being smitten with her accent and her smile, but mostly just carried away with her performance: while almost all of the human characters on the show were recognizable American stereotypes, Furlan made you believe Delenn was truly from Somewhere Else. Learning how her experiences during the Serb/Croatian War helped her in her interpretation of Delenn, only adds to the seamless intensity and soulfulness of her performance. She was one of a kind and there have been no characters to come close to Delenn and no performance like Furlan’s, either. 

This was posted on Mira’s Twitter earlier tonight:

Straczynski confirmed not long after that Mira has passed away, only 65 years old. 

Here is his memorial to Furlan (for convenience, I’ve typed it up below each passage):

When Mira Furlan came to audition for Babylon 5, her home country of Yugoslavia was in turmoil and shattering into two separate countries. During our first meeting, we spoke about her work and her life, and I learned that she had been part of a touring theater group that continued to cross borders of the disintegrating country despite receiving death threats from both sides in the civil war.

I expressed my admiration for her courage, but she shrugged and waved it off. “What’s the worst that could have happened? Yes, they could have killed me. So what? Art should have no borders.”

Very few people knew that side of Mira: the fiery, fearless side that fought ceaselessly for her art. She brought all those traits to Delenn, and in turn I tried to write speeches for her that would allow her to comment on what was happening to her homeland without calling it out by name. I guess I must have done it correctly because one day during the Minbari Civil War arc, she appeared in my office door, a cup of tea in one hand, in full makeup but wearing a pull-over robe from wardrobe, and said, “So, how long did you live in Yugoslavia?”

Her husband, Goran, has always been the rock of her life. He was an is a gentleman, quick to laughter, an accomplished director and as much an artist as Mira, which made them the ideal couple. I’ve rarely seen two people so utterly meant for each other. 

I remember the last time Mira appeared at a convention with me and some of the other cast. She didn’t quite understand what it was all about, but gamely did her part. When the audience question period came along, a fan held up his hand and said to Mira, whose Yugoslavian accent was much stronger in the beginning than it became with time, “Say ‘moose and squirrel.’” 

She had no idea what this meant, but she said “Moose and Squirrel” and the room erupted in one of the longest sustained laughs I’ve ever seen at a convention. We explained it later, but really, all that mattered to her was that the audience had been happy.

We’ve known for some time now that Mira’s health was failing…I’m not sure that this is the right time or place to discuss the sheer randomness of what happened…and have all been dreading this day. We kept hoping she would improve. In a group email sent to the cast a while back, I heard that she might be improving.

Then came the call from [actor] Peter Jurasik (Londo Molari). “I wanted you to know that Goran’s bringing Mira home,” he said.

“Do you mean, he’s bringing her home as in she’s better now, or is he bringing her home as in he’s bringing her home?”

“He’s bringing her home, Joe,” Peter said, and I could hear the catch in his voice as he said it.

And as a family, we held our counsel, and began the long wait, which has now ended.

Mira was a good and kind woman, a stunningly talented performer, and a friend to everyone in the cast and crew of Babylon 5, and we are all devastated by the news. The cast members with whom she was especially close since the show’s end will need room to process this moment, so please be gentle if they are unresponsive for a time. We have been down this road too often, and it only gets harder.

If you are a fan of Mira’s work, fire up those special moments when she shook the heavens and relive the art she brought to her work. For any actor, that is the best tribute possible: for the work to endure. As much as this is a time to grieve, it is also a time to celebrate her life and her courage. 

All of our thoughts tonight will be on the memories she left behind, the dazzling light of her performances, the breadth of her talent, and the heart and love she shared with Goran, and with all of you. 

Joe Straczynski

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Ive managed to get all 2 shots and i feel fine. The 3rd shot i got was no problem either

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https://ohrh.law.ox.ac.uk/the-continuity-of-the-headscarf-controversy-from-politics-to-fashion/    

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The European Court of Human Rights Wide Margin of Appreciation is a Disaster for the Ordinary and powerless

The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) (“the court”), has frequently ruled on cases involving religion. The rulings have become controversial, despite the opinion of the court that all their rulings conform to human rights law and liberal democratic values. However, despite the best endeavours at neutrality with liberal values, the issue is of whose best interest is the ruling for. The European democratic system is constructed for the majority while at the same time making room for the minorities living with the state.

This blog does not to imply the courts ruling is malicious in any way. There is an understanding, there is great difficulty in the balancing act between minority beliefs[1] and the host/plaintiff states wish for self-governance and the right for the member stated judiciary and administration to make their own judgements. The ECTHR has judicial oversight over the Articles, one of them being Article 9[2].

The nature of the European union(EU) has changed over the decades. The first members were culturally homogenous committed to liberal democracy & tolerant towards ethnic minorities[3].  The ex-Warsaw Pact countries which contain larger numbers of Catholics and Orthodox are less tolerant towards Islam and the concept of neutrality[4]. Member states representatives sit in the Parliamentary Assembly which elect the judges[5].

   The task of the court can be one of a balancing  acts, weighing the needs of human rights, cultural diversity and the host nations need for security. The furore against the muslim veil is currently based on the need for physical security, cultural preservation and secular neutrality as with Lacitie.

The rulings of the ECTHR are based on a wide margin of appreciation  as there rarely is any consensus in the private and public affairs of the EU member states[6].

The ECTHR accedes to the choice of the individual states when there is a wide margin of appreciation in their rulings.

The reason for the allowance of subsidiarity is, states are needed to protect people’s rights and interference with the routine running of that state, such as emergencies which the derogations in the articles are compiled for.  There might be a political need for a wide appreciation in allowing states to control their own national laws, avoids the accusation against the court of acting as a foreign power[7].  The court must respect the competencies of the member states to avoid over interference.

One of the contentious rulings has been on the most visible symbol of the veil of Muslim women. The case of Baynak the expulsion of a pupil was ruled by the ECtHR to be within the French state’s margin of appreciation. In Dahlab[8] the court ruled in favour of neutrality against the applicants wishes to wear the headscarf. The ECtHR ruling[9] weighed this against the parents and pupils being offended.  The rulings were intended as to be concordant with human rights, however these ruling have conflicted with most feminist activists and the women who would make their own decision whether to be veiled, without anyone telling them what to do. The problem does remain whether male Christian judges should be allowed to decide on Islamic women’s issues[10]. The ECtHR using a wide margin chose to prioritise the state. This is at the cost of inclusivity of Muslim women[11], which is made worse when the wearing of the headscarf is set against the interests of the parents and pupils.

The court’s rulings should consider that Muslim woman’s own choice to wear the veil with her ethnicity. Many ethnic people self-identify their religion and ethnicity together. For the Muslim women it is their ability to use their own judgement via Islamic feminism without the judgemental opinion of European bias including Western feminism[12].

[1] Engeland (2019): 216 (1st para) “…considerations with regard to religion, culture, and traditions, while upholding the democratic and human rights values enshrined in the ECtHR.”

[2]    UK Human Rights Blog. 1 Crown Office Row barristers' chambers.  Article 9 | Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion     https://ukhumanrightsblog.com/incorporated-rights/articles-index/article-9/   (accessed 07/11/20)

[3] Ferrari: 14 (2012)

[4] Ibid: 15

[5] Ibid: 13

[6]    ECTHR RESEARCH DIVISION

DIVISION DE LA RECHERCHE

_______________________

Overview of the Court’s case-law on

freedom of religion   https://www.ECtHR.coe.int/documents/research_report_religion_eng.pdf        para:42 page 10 of section 8 4) Individual and collective aspects of freedom of religion   (accessed 07/11/20)

 [7] The acting as a foreign power used by the BREXIT campaign.  

[8]  Dahlab v. Switzerland, European Court of Human Rights, Judgment of 15 February 2001, Appl. Nr. 42393/98..

[9] Ibid: 1st para, page 5

[10] Engeland: 215 (2019)

[11] Ibid:216

[12] Ibid: 217 “… women to seek equality and empowerment within the Islamic Framework…”

[davishopefulacademia1]

http://willswritinguniverse.blogspot.com/2015/12/on-nature-of-new-age-star-religions-and.html

(5th blog) Jedi is the new one on the block . It is an example of the move away from traditional religious thinking. The jedi religious concept has been helped by the electronic media such as the internet. In many ways the  growth Jedi as a religion is the result of growing consumer choice in the digital age 

just below the hallowed Jedi picture is ISCKON. www.isckon.org 

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(5th) Will Consumer Society overcome Religion in this era?

Religion in today’s modern secular society  appears to have fared poorly against consumer society[1]. According to Gauthier religion has not gone away but shifted, with peoples attitudes, from one form to another[2].  A  survey cited in Stolz shows 50% of British Adults claim to be ‘non-religious’ has been part caused by the effects of globalisation and consumerism[d1] . Consumerism/modernisation has increased choice for the religious attendant.  The attendant can decide what church to attend. The person can choose their own religious identity and practice[3].Modernisation changed the way authority figures were viewed. There was individualistic values and self-realisation leading to less obligation to authority figures[4]. Individuals have a wider choice what to do with their time. Churches and religious places compete with leisure and social media. Churches are competing for dwindling numbers of attendants. People are more selective on choosing “their” church. Attendants are known to expect high quality services, in terms of speakers, music to be “entertained”[5].

People are no longer beholden to any one institution. Their belief has moved away from any institution and can become internal, within themselves. Hence “invisible” and the move towards more spirituality[6].

People may not identify with traditional church-goers , these people may pic and choose their religion. Many new beliefs have started away from the traditional three Abrahamic religions. ISKCON[7], Paganism[8], Wicca are now in the mainstream[9]. The movements that have combined eastern Buddhist practices were able to happen as a result of greater media exposure and travel, offering the individual, a greater choice.  Buddhism success came through exposure to high status individuals in the film & creative industries[10].  Any new movement must be good at customer targeting. In London, various churches offer services to the socially isolated while mega-churches will target the prosperous well connected of society[11]

The religious movements taken part in consumerism to generate an income[d2] [12].  The marketing of the pilgrimage site of Lourdes and the mega-churches are examples[13]

In this age consumerism is one of the forces that is the underpinning of capitalism/ globalisation[14]. Consumerism first and foremost is the local economy gone global. Consumer culture is firmly part of international culture and is the standard of living, the West expects other less developed countries to aspire too. A consumer society can be defined as that where the people can acquire goods and services financially and exist above subsistence level[15].

 Despite the mega-churches & new movements, there are still traditional faith attendants such as regular Sunday Church goers. These places are ensconced within their local communities. The consumer thesis only considers westernised Europeans. Other ethnicities & faiths such as African’s, Jewish, Muslim, & Jehovah’s Witnesses,  will attend their place of worship for faith, locality and never out of consumerist choice. Attendance is not reliant on any cosmetic and consumer reasons.

 Lately in this neo-liberal crises many churches have taken the lead in basic social care such as meeting places[16] food banks & domestic resources such as white goods & furniture. However,  this can be a matter of personal choice as churches are not obliged to carry out these tasks.  

[1] Gauthier, François and Hanna Lehtinen. 2013. “Religion, Neoliberalism, and Consumer Culture.” The Religious Studies Project (Podcast Transcript). 7 October 2013. Transcribed by Martin Lepage. Version 1.1, 25 September 2015. Available at: https://www.religiousstudiesproject.com/podcast/francois-gauthier-on-religion-neoliberalism-and-consumer-culture/    

[2] Gauthier, (1st para) •        https://blogs.lse.ac.uk/religionglobalsociety/2017/10/religion-is-not-what-it-used-to-be-consumerism-neoliberalism-and-the-global-reshaping-of-religion/      

[3] Stolz:4 Modernization and its influences on individuals

[4] Stolz:4 citing Rinallo et al

[5] Ibdi:6 Changing expectations of individuals towards religious organizations

[6] Ibid:7 citing Heerlas & Woodhead(2004)

[7] https://www.iskcon.org/    

[8]Lisa Jade. (08/11/20). Patheos. The Decade’s Most Important Advances in Witchcraft https://www.patheos.com/blogs/livingtheliminal/2020/11/10-years-of-important-advances-in-witchcraft/    

[9]  Cole Moreton, 22/06/09. The Guardian.   https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/jun/22/paganism-stonehenge-environmentalism-witchcraft    

[10] The Beatles & Ravi Shankar.

[11] Stolz:11. Publics and marketing strategies.    Joerg Stolz & Jean-Claude Usunier (2018): Religions as brands? Religion and spirituality in consumer society, Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, DOI:

10.1080/14766086.2018.1445008

https://doi.org/10.1080/14766086.2018.1445008    

[12] Stolz et al: 1 Joerg Stolz & Jean-Claude Usunier (2018): Religions as brands? Religion and spirituality in consumer society, Journal of Management, Spirituality & Religion, DOI: 10.1080/14766086.2018.1445008 To l: https://doi.org/10.1080/14766086.2018.1445008      

[13] Ibid: 1. Introduction

[14] Gauthier, Francois & Martikainen, Tuomas. (2013). Religion in consumer society: Brands, consumers and markets.                

[15] Stolz: 3

[16] Sacha Hilhorst. How church partnerships are transforming social action.   https://demos.co.uk/blog/how-church-partnerships-are-transforming-social-action/  

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GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ADOPTS AMERICAN ANTI-ABORTION RHETORIC (Ozy a modern media company & Getty Images) https://www.ozy.com/around-the-world/greece-america-anti-abortion-orthodox-church-nationalists/288342/  

4th (2) Blog. When Religion becomes Authoritarian. Dont know bout you, I find this gathering of old men & the angry fundamentalist people behind them (including the women), very creepy :(

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4th (2) Blog. When Religion becomes Authoritarianism

Figure 1GREEK ORTHODOX CHURCH ADOPTS AMERICAN ANTI-ABORTION RHETORIC (Getty images

 Right Wing Ethnic Nationalism is the growing problem faced by all progressively minded people across Europe. This ideology, in its different guises, occupies the conservative to the far right of the political spectrum. The political-right ideologues who have been elected use various forms of populism across the breadth of the class system to consolidate power. These right-wing nationalists include Boris Johnson, Victor Orban[1] and Mateusz Morawiecki of the Polish Law & Justice political party. Other religious ideologues include Narendra Modi and Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Modi and Erdogan have used religious nationalism to consolidate their power in India and Turkey, respectively.  Mateusz & Orban lead post-Soviet countries which now have a renewed religious following. The ex-Soviet Eastern European countries maintained their religious practices. The religious practices of the respective Orthodox and Catholic Churches were insular and reflected the inward nationalism of the people[2]. Ani Sarkisian notes that these post-Soviet churches had become parallel societies and never culturally diversified and have remained conservative in all aspects of life.  

The election of the right-wing ideologues this has manifested itself as ethnic Christian nationalism[1]. This ideological project has recently been seen with the  co-operation between the Polish catholic church and the ruling Law and Justice Party (PIS[2]) party in terms of the anti-LGBT campaign[3] fronted by “campaigners” such as Kaja Godek,  the promotion of the “traditional family” campaigns and prohibition of abortion[4].  

 The Russian Orthodox church[5] is the political partner to the current Russian government and has some influence on the international Orthodox stage[6].  I also researched the motivations of the Orthodox church in central Europe. There are various reasons for the rise of  xenophobic nationalism of the Central and Eastern European populations[7]. One reason is the political right and its media demonising the mostly Arab refugees of 2015 stoking tensions.

The Orthodox church is viewed as the custodian of ethnicity, tradition and morality[8]. Dr Trakakis[9] discusses how little freedom within Orthodox doctrines to question or express doubts. Unfortunately, those who do vocalise such questions are vulnerable to becoming social outcasts. It is too easy to be a social outcast[10]. The Orthodox church has Exclusivism[11], which Trakakis defines as  a sense of superiority to other Christian religions and Western values. The Orthodox clergy subscribes to a form of autocratic Hierarchicalism. While sections of the clergy do allow for some pluralism, the overall creed is for unquestioning acceptance of doctrine and custom[12]. There is ethnocentrism which  to the Greek and Serbian churches will conduct liturgy in their own languages with little correspondence between each other – a form of linguistic nationalism.

 The orthodox church is the state religion & the religion of the majority in its host country. It follows that the church has legal personality. The combination of religious guardianship of morality, tradition and ethnicity with politics skews politics towards a socially conservative patriarchal type which promotes heteronormative family structures. These values are hostile to LGBT+ communities and in some ways the values espoused by the nationalist eastern orthodox clergy share a common outlook with White American conservative churches. The similarities do not end there, and I note that the Catholic and Polish Orthodox churches have become excellent at lobbying their governments and influencing large masses of people to support conservative policies and populist politicians.

[1] Ani Sarkissian: 473. Journal of Church and State vol. 51 no. 3, pages 472–501; doi:10.1093/jcs/csp096 # The Author 2010. Published by Oxford University Press o

[2] Prawo i Sprawiedliwość,

[3]  PATRICK KELLEHER (11/10/18)  Pink News Polish anti-abortion campaigner who called homosexuality a 'perversion' taken to court (pinknews.co.uk)

[4] Poland abortion: Top court bans almost all terminations - BBC News   (23/10/20)

[5] (7) Orthodox Patriarch of Moscow consecrates Main Military Cathedral - YouTube

[6] Washington Post (7) Here's why the Russian Orthodox Church is deeply connected to the Syrian War - YouTube  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTElnqJNtIk  

[7] N.N. Trakakis (07/12/15) Why I Am Not Orthodox - ABC Religion & Ethics   https://www.abc.net.au/religion/why-i-am-not-orthodox/10097536   Against Orthodoxy

[8] N.N Trakakis, Against Orthodoxy. (2nd para)

[9] Supervisor Profile: Dr N.N. (Nick) Trakakis - RexR (acu.edu.au)  (5thpara) The author states, “ But unlike these secular thinkers, I am not advocating the wholesale rejection of religion… “ https://rexr.acu.edu.au/framework/browse.php?srperid=2160

[10] Ibid: (4th para)

[11] N Trakakis. Why I Am Not Orthodox - ABC Religion & Ethics.  Exclusivism

[12] Ibid: Hierarchicalism

[davishopefulacademia1]

National Post. Russian LGBT campaigners risk their lives in open protest

and the little girl:   Ohio Girl silent protest against preacher (daily mail Alexandra Klausner)

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(6th) The Fundamentalist Far Right Religious & Political Campaign against LGBT Rights

Around 2012 LGBT rights was gaining acceptance in the Western countries and it seemed the rest of the world would slowly follow suit and reach a compromise with their LGBT populations.  Unfortunately reports, studies and accounts have shown planned violence against LGBT rights, has gathered at a brutal pace globally

 The culture regarding LGBT had changed in Britain since 80’s and Mary Whitehouse infamous misuse of religion to paraphrase those dying AIDS.  The issue of LGBT rights in Western Europe still has problems. The established churches along with the public are more grudgingly accepting of gay rights. However,   this is different in many ex-soviet countries especially Poland and those with orthodox christianity as the majority religion. There has been a concerted attack on LGBT peoples in various countries. Russia has enacted anti-LGBT laws and many orthodox Christian countries would want to follow a similar anti-LGBT path.  The motives for such laws are “traditional values” and “family”.

Figure 1https://nationalpost.com/category/news/

The orthodox church has remained steadfastly mono-ethno-centric.  The anti-LGBT and anti-liberalisation campaigns are concordant with each other. In the fundamentalist parts of the Orthodox church, liberalisation and LGBT are associated with Western European corruption.  These are  associated with social & sexual  liberalisation with imagined malign foreign influences. The American church militant associates LGBT rights, which is described as a and biological unnatural practice to undermine society. with foreign communism &  domestic liberals. Outside of Europe the American organisation, the World Congress of Families provides the trans-national religious framework  for Far-Right criminals  to co-ordinate and refine homophobic politics, under the cause of “family protection”.

The politicisation of the LGBT community is the development of a social process where politicians and social players have turned LGBT people into the scapegoat. The hate campaigns have mobilised people against their LGBT neighbours. ,This turns what is nothing into an issue of major conflict between people[1].

It is not only the vile treatment of sexual minorities and women. Much of this has taken the form of anti-LGBT campaigns which have been run simultaneously as both religious and political campaigns in countries such as Poland[2]. The opinion of that judge and no official rebuke is deeply worrying. In the sense that homophobia has become accepted amongst some, if not all of public officials and the judiciary within Poland.

Religion has its progressive and authoritarian wings as with politics. However,  the differences can be blurred and surprising. In the BSA[3] More Anglicans have been against of LGBT rights than have Catholics[4]. Around 30% of Anglicans had negative attitudes towards LGBT, compared to around 20% of Catholics[5].  Yet Anglicans are considered the more liberal of the two. People who stated they had no religion were more accepting of LGBT people[6].

2.       [7]

Figure 2

 Figure 3Clements-figures-attitudes-to-homosexuality-01-2017-F1

Figure 4Figure 3. Over time there has been a clear decline in opposition to having same-sex individuals as neighbours. Between 1990 and 2008, the proportion amongst Anglicans who expressed disapproval fell from 32% to 11%. Amongst Catholics it declined from 34%

 [8]

  Religion historically and now in the 21st century with added nationalism is  prioritising Heteronormativity, Natalism and include Leviticus in their text. More liberalised congregations and reform synagogues have avoided preaching passages that publicise unreasonable punishment and treatment of what is normal behaviour.

I have observed that LGBT people have become the folk devil and scapegoat for authoritarian politics.

[1] Siri Gloppen & Lise Rakner. Ch15.  LGBT rights in Africa. Research Handbook on Gender, Sexuality and the Law

·         Research Handbooks in Law and Society series  Edited by Chris Ashford and Alexander Maine Published:. 2 March 2020. . DOI:. https://doi.org/10.4337/9781788111157.00022

[2] Poland: Court rules campaign linking LGBT and paedophilia is 'educational' (pinknews.co.uk)  

[3] British Social Attitudes survey

[4]  Attitudes towards Gay Rights, Ben Clements, University of Leicester, January 2017 Attitudes towards Gay Rights | (brin.ac.uk)

[5] BSA Survey of 2013

[6] Attitudes towards Gay Rights | (brin.ac.uk)   Same-sex relations and equality  Figure 2 “Across groups, attitudes towards whether homosexuality is justified or not have become more liberal over time…”(4th para)

[7]

Moment a little girl stood-up to an anti-homosexual preacher by silently holding up a gay pride flag

A first-grader named Zea stood up to an anti-gay preacher in Ohio by holding up a rainbow flag

Zea stands her ground just one day after the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage all across America

People ran to give Zea high fives and one man named Zachary Traxler designed a t-shirt with Zea's image on it

[8] http://www.brin.ac.uk/figures/attitudes-towards-gay-rights/    Same-sex relations and equality  Fig 4b. Figure 4b (BSA). Between 1987 and 2014, based on the BES surveys, all groups registered declines in the proportions agreeing that such measures had gone too far. In 2014, around a third or less of Anglicans or Catholics thought such measures has gone too far; highest at two-fifths of other Christians. Amongst those with no religion, a fifth expressed this view. A similar picture is evident in the BSA data, covering the period 1994-2013, although in this case Anglicans are the exception in that they do not register a decline over time in the proportion thinking that such measures had gone too far. All other groups do so.

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Valentin Gendrot: life of an undercover journalist.   Valenetin Gendrot joined the police & ended up exposing institional racism, violence, mistreatment of victims of crime, corruption and more.   https://www.welcometothejungle.com/en/articles/valentin-gendrot-undercover-journalist

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(1st blog) French Racism undermines Secularism (Lacitie)

.1st. France has a problem with Racism. Problems with Enforcing ‘Lacitie’.

 I have observed that France still has a problem with acute racism & discrimination against black & brown peoples. This structural malaise makes mockery & dispels any neutrality in administering /enforcing Lacitie.

At the time of writing, the murder of Samuel Paty[1] has increased the French government’s decision to crack down on any perceived Islamic extremism. I am in total agreement for the prosecution of all those involved in helping to plan the murder of the teacher, including the father[2] of one the pupils who passed information onto the murderer[3].

 Lacitie is intended to be an example of constitutional neutrality. Historically Lacitie is based upon the three Republican values.  While Lacitie is cited as being neutral[4] and adheres to the principle of a secular constitution,  there are problems within Lacitie that have become major.

The French government of Chirac legislated religion to the  private sphere. The motive for the legislation, that France’s heritage was under threat.  This follows the principle set down since 1905 of the separation of church, religion, and state. Neutrality in Lacitie is meant to symbolise the  French government’s impartiality in administrative affairs[5].

The main religious culture of France is Catholicism . There is frequent unreported racism within France including unconscious bias. Any institutional racism has manifested itself within the police[6] and the political and administrative bureaucracy.  There is no practice of ethnic monitoring within France.  The French Government/ Higher Political Class has always insisted,  France is not a racist country[7]. However, I feel this is the problem at the ideological centre of Lacitie.  The problem is the political ruling class has never recognised the assertion of the Black & Brown underclasses especially the Muslim  asking for treatment.

Lacitie works with republicanism. Republicanism united the many disparate 19th century cultural groups, such as Bretons, Corsicans & so on.

However, the politicians & institutions remain with both outdated concepts, choosing not to recognise the non-western people and religions, such as Islam within their midst. Added to this problem is the growing acceptance of racism & ant-Muslim sentiment in all aspects of society. An example of institutional racism is the account by Valentin Gendrot, a reporter, of his time in the Paris police. There has been a move towards authoritarianism in politics and law enforcement, which has favoured the with majority police force.

France politicians can claim France is no longer prejudiced, however the history, unemployment, housing statistics[8] & police violence tell another part of the story.

I have used the term “Higher Political Class” to describe politicians and the French Government. This is a privileged class of persons either by being white, comfortably middle class or richer. They are generally male & female. The majority will be of Christian denomination. All have access of sorts to the public and private institutions of power. It is ‘Upper Class White Privilege’. The Holders of Upper-Class White Privilege can ignore and are not affected by the dangers and discrimination that affect the poor and ethnic population of French society. An example is Macron the president describing “valeurs actuelles,” a far-right racist publication as a “good magazine[9]”

I noted many contradictions within the French State. While pledging itself to equality and pluralism , the state refuses to recognise and accept and differences outside the Westernised outlook of the state administrators and police enforcers.  

[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-54625270   Accessed 23/10/20  

[2] Named as “ Brahim Chnina”    Yaron Steinbuch,  https://nypost.com/2020/10/20/suspect-in-french-teacher-beheading-messaged-parent-who-wanted-to-fire-him/        Accessed 23/10/20  

[3] Abdullakh Anzorov  

[4] Adhar & Leigh:56.  Neutrality, (Ch.3 Liberal Perspectives)

[5] Doe: 33-35. The Separation Model

[6]     Kim Willsher  (3/09/20) The Guardian          https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/03/french-reporter-who-joined-police-exposes-racism-and-violence-valentin-gendrot   Accessed 23/10/20

[7]       Kim Willsher.(03/06/20). Guardian Newspaper.  France not racist state, Macron… https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/jun/03/clashes-at-paris-protest-against-racism-and-police-violence     Accessed 23/10/20  

[8] Leland Ware(186), Color-blind Racism in France: Bias Against Ethnic Minority Immigrants, 46 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 185 (2015), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol46/iss1/11

[9]     Guardian Newspaper.(31/08/20).  Racism investigation after French magazine shows black MP as slave

 https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/aug/31/racism-investigation-after-french-magazine-black-mp-slave-daniele-obono-valeurs-actuelles     Accessed 24/10/20  

[davishopefulacademia1]

Is a Reactionary polemic the cause of fear & hatred against non western religons? 2nd migrants & religion

The white conservative polemic is that the migrant communities refuse to integrate into majority UK culture & their religious practices are not in line with Britain’s[1].  The most visible migrant community being the Pakistani Muslim communities in the North of England. Their relative success only has ingrained resentment from the white English population[2][3]. The white English in conflict with the northern England Muslim population are mainly from those who worked in the semi-skilled manual and factory jobs[4], based in the ex-Mill Towns of the north of England.  

When a migrant arrives in any country, they are not a part of, the first thing they will do is too seek out people with a similar language, ethnicity, culture & religious practice  It is not out of desire of deliberate segregation, that is the outsider’s supposed mutual hostility of the host countries culture.   This desire is borne out of the need for safety. Outsiders are labelled with curiosity, hostile indifference, or outright open hostility[5].

The hostility varies form intolerance, outright violence to political opportunism. Each one presents different levels of danger to 1st generation migrants and us 2nd , 3rd generation descendants. Even amongst the political white liberals, Margaret Hodge a senior MP implied that poor whites suffer, because they are second to migrant families[6][7]. That is one of the may problems we as black people are up against. Even our representatives use their white privilege and legal powers to scapegoat black and brown people of a situation, which is poverty & government neglect, that is not their fault. Her comments were post 9/11 & 4 years into a war. With hindsight the 2 wars have polarised the religion,  ethnicity and politics. The racist arguments of the 1960’s & 70 that immigrants will take housing and jobs while the majority white working population will lose are directly comparable to the present day one’s that say the poor white population lose out to a prosperous ethnic minority population[8].

Unless that person is exceptionally rich or talented[9][10]( for example world class musicians) who are more socially accepted based on money and popularity[11], ordinary outsiders must contend with starting as a nobody. Socially laden epitaphs are ascribed to these outsiders, even the utilitarian “migrant” & “immigrant” would be given a negative spin with connotations[12]. The migrant communities will congregate in together in what they consider safe spaces away from massed mob violence of the increasingly majority population[13]. There is not only majority against minority violence, but also minority against minority violence, with this perceived danger, people would gravitate towards protective communities and cultural & their religious spaces.

 Caribbean people found their community in the local churches they set up when they first arrived in Britain[14],  and still maintain to this present day. By free choice or given no option but to live in the cities, First generation migrant Caribbean & African Black people had no other option other than to reside in the inner cities for Black Britain and the suburbs (banlieue) in France.  

Politics, living space and religion are intersectional and always coincide. Living space and religion are in the communities in the North of England where British Muslims live together primarily for safety as well as solidarity. With British Muslims, their perception/belief of Islam as a system within itself has legitimised the divide in hostile spaces.  

Migration to the Uk is the result of government policy and the post-colonial need for commercial labour.  The religions of the migrant communities have attempted to maintain the traditional practices of their original countries. This is apparent with the Pakistani Muslim community in the North of England.

The injustices inflicted upon  brown peoples is historical and is worsening at this present time. In addition, racial and religious injustices have always been set against poor whites.  

[1] Sally Tomlinson (2018) Enoch Powell, empires, immigrants and education, Race Ethnicity and Education, 21:1, 1-14, DOI: 10.1080/13613324.2017.1365055  

[2] The Casey Review A review into opportunity and integration Dame Louise Casey DBE CB.   https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/575973/The_Casey_Review_Report.pdf  

[3] Community cohesion: the views of white working-class communities Professor Harris Beider  https://www.jrf.org.uk/sites/default/files/jrf/migrated/files/working-class-community-cohesion-full.pdf  

[4] https://www.runnymedetrust.org/uploads/publications/pdfs/WhoCaresAboutTheWhiteWorkingClass-2009.pdf    Runnymede Trust.  

[5] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXnSujE3NC4    Minorities in Britain - The Pakistani Community (1966). Film extracts from a programme examining the Pakistani community in Britain, taken from a 1966 BBC2 series on Minorities in Britain. Narrated by Zaynab Dahya and produced by Michael Bunce. First broadcast on BBC2 at 7.30pm on Monday 27th June 1966.

[6] Kjartan Páll Sveinsson:7   Runnymede Trust. The Poor whites and Multiculturalism: Is There Space for a Progressive Agenda?  Who Cares about the White Working Class? :7

[7] Ibid: “…“should look at policies where the legitimate

sense of entitlement felt by the indigenous family

overrides the legitimate need demonstrated by

the new migrants”

[8] ibid

[9] http://www.tracesproject.org/  An untold history of contributions to arts and culture from men and women who have sought safety in the UK from conflict and persecution.  

[10] http://www.tracesproject.org/hong-dam/  Hong’s artistic expression is rooted in her experience as an eight-year-old girl

[11] https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/shyamanthaasokan/meet-the-uk-artists-who-came-here-as-migrants-and-refugees   Shyamantha Asokan.(08/05/15).  Buzzfeed News. Meet the U.K. Artists Who Came Here as Immigrants.

[12]     Camila Ruz. BBC News Magazine. (28/08/2015)   https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-34061097  

[13] Warwick University. Modern Records Centre. (11/03/20). Notting Hill Riots 1959. https://warwick.ac.uk/services/library/mrc/studying/docs/racism/riots    

[14] https://unherd.com/2018/05/windrush-generation-kept-faith/     KATIE HARRISON.  How the Windrush generation kept their faith