Harry’s Place

I see the Javaid thread is closed. Trevor Phillips was on the radio programme about political correctness this morning, being very robust and telling people who want to live in a theocracy to decamp thence forthwith as there is no place for them in our liberal democracy. Were he and Javaid at any time working together in the Equality Commission or the predecessor CRE? It must have been interesting.

Well that’s a really good statement from Amnesty International, isn’t it, but what can they actually DO about this?

What a pity it doesn’t inveigh equally against the likes of Hamas which teaches Palestinian children from kindergarten age to want to die whilst killing Jews, but hey, Rome wasn’t built in a day, was it?

Apparently, in 2003, the Iranian parliament approved a measure to outlaw all executions of people under 18 years old. It seems this was not approved by the Guardian Council. In fact, if the Council had approved of this, Iran would have officially outlawed executing people under 18 years of age before the United States, which outlawed the practice in 2005.

hey Benj, when was the last time anyone under age 18 was executed in America?

Well that’s a really good statement from Amnesty International, isn’t it, but what can they actually DO about this?

Amnesty does not exist only to take effective action - it does so when it can, and exerts pressure through various channels - but also to record - another important component of its work.

hey Benj, when was the last time anyone under age 18 was executed in America?

Yes, the US outlawed executions of people who committed their crimes when 18 years of age. The last person to fall into that category was Scott Allen Hain, executed in Oklahoma in 2003, at the age of 32, for committing a crime aged 17.

Of course the US has not executed a minor in yonks, thank goodness.

The concept of allowing victims families any say is barbaric in itself as they are hardly likely to impartially weigh the evidence.

Yes, but so telling you had to make an attempt to make the US look worse than Iran.

Nice one Benji.

Obviously the US is streets ahead of Iran in this respect. I was merely making the point that Iran had the chance to keep up if it had approved the law. It is also indicative that there are differing views in Iran on this issue.

‘the US is streets ahead of Iran in this respect’

And in quite a few other respects.

They hang Negroes in America!

In response to PardonMe’s Benji-like comment, here’s a couple to cogitate on.

That didn’t take long.

Ah, that will be the Religion of Peace then… though in fairness, no one ever said anything about a Religion of Love and Understanding

Obviously the US is streets ahead of Iran in this respect. I was merely making the point that Iran had the chance to keep up if it had approved the law.

Indeed, just like Mugabe would be a democrat if only he had let the last election result stand.

What a strange world you live in.

“Retaliation” is not justice. This is the first principle of justice, the base point from which everything else flows. Otherwise there is no justice, just feuds.

Clearly this is all a Zionist plot to secretly murder the peaceful peaceloving Persians of peace.

Were he and Javaid at any time working together in the Equality Commission or the predecessor CRE?

No, they weren’t. Maqbool Javaid was the Head of Litigation during the tenure of Herman, now Lord, Ouseley.

Pardonme writes “Well that’s a really good statement from Amnesty International, isn’t it, but what can they actually DO about this?”

Benjamin alraedy points out that recording these facts is an important part of Amnesty’s work - this allows you to change the question from “what can THEY actually do about this” to “what can I do about this” - and you, for example can write to your MP and request that they raise this; put pressure on your government, ask that they cease economic relations with Iran, perhaps, or whatever other pressure they can put on the Iranian government; you can write appeals to them and so on… it might not sound like much, but sometimes enough public pressure can make a difference. The supreme leader is still a politician (of sorts - no?)

Neil D - i must be missing something, why the go at Benjamin?
Amnesty International is obviously *also* concerned about executions in the USA. That’s not the same as saying that ergo the USA is at least as bad as Iran, or worse - and even if anyone went so far, it doesn’t let Iran off the hook, that there exists still execution by stoning, execution by stoning for the “crime” of adultery, and execution of minors. And in Saudi Arabia. And etc.

‘Neil D - i must be missing something, why the go at Benjamin?’

I guess you’re new here. Benji is a troll who’s sole purpose is to pop up and try and hijack threads. People take an instant dislike to him because it saves time.

I *am* new, but still: uhm. I thought trolls were meant to be controversial, or post deliberate untruths?

“People take an instant dislike to him because it saves time.”

That sounds like sound relationship advice. Must try it, time is precious, after all. :-)

Sonja, the following phrase will place you in excellent steed.

“Fuck off, Benji.”

Akh, Benji isn’t so bad (this notwithstanding).

I’ve told him to f off more times than I can remember with the best of them, but still, I can’t help but sense there are occasions on which he proves to be the voice of sanity and reason and proportion that sometimes is so desperately needed here, when all of these things are lacking.

Persians make nice rugs.

Its also an example of ‘whataboutery’. All debate must be diverted into discussion of ways in which the US is a bad country.

But yeah its mostly because Benji is an insufferably dull person who desperately seeks attention.

Good grief, Ven, what have we been doing for the past three years? Also, let’s not forget this.

‘That sounds like sound relationship advice.’

It is as far as any dealings with Benji are concerned.

Welcome to Harry’s Place, BTW.

Three years? I date my discovery of this place to 2004 sometime. Four going on five years. Aaaargh.

How the Ignatius J Reilly comparison seems ever more apt.

Anyway, just completed my latest book. Be sure to buy a copy. Only 300 quid or so.

Anyway, I fear this is another example of what is so annoying about Benji - the tendency for a threat to be hijacked into a discussion of him, as opposed to the original topic, which is usually, but not always, markedly more important and serious.

So, juvenile executions and “retaliatory justice” (which sounds like a euphemism for “vigilantism” to me), it is, then. Discuss.

Anyway, I fear this is another example of what is so annoying about Benji - the tendency for a threat to be hijacked into a discussion of him, as opposed to the original topic

Strange that, I only posted my uncontroversial opinions on this. If folk want to talk about me, that’s their decision, not mine. Sonja seems quite reasonable, I hope she doesn’t get all spitty now. You dreadful chaps!

Can you give us details of your lastest tome, Mr Venichka, so that I can order it from my local library. £300 is a bit steep for me, what with the credit crunch and being poor.

Ferkin L, Ven. That’s £180 up on the last one I saw.

http://tinyurl.com/5etkm3

hasan prishtina: How depressing: I wiki’d Ousley and found that he is 41st on the list of 100 top British Black people- that’s not the depressing part: it is that Lee Jasper is number 57. But never mind, Jasper’s wiki entry says: “He is the most qouted black male spokesperson in the UK attracting more headlines than any other single black person in the UK…He has subsequently been cleared of all allegations and has charged the Eveneing Standard with gross racism. His stauture continues to grow and much more is expected from him in 2009. He is extremly popular with students and is in heavy demand speaking at student and public events all over the UK.”

Which shows how careful you should be in relying on wikipedia.