A post from Tedious Tantrums
Last week's post “SNP Worries” resulted in various comments, which questioned if the SNP were dealing with issues in an acceptable manner. Furthermore, do they have the intellectual depth required to deal with, not just with the central issue of gaining independence, but the thornier issues, which will require a more strategic response.
I would appeal to the SNP to follow a single approach which, if carried out in the true spirit of its aims could well make the difference between gaining independence or not. That sounds arrogant. There are far better minds employed on working out the best way for the SNP to proceed. However, we are all entitled to our own opinions.
How about giving “anything and everything is possible”.
Okay so how about applying that to a few wee issues which have been bothering the SNP?
Alcohol abuse. Let’s start with this gem. The truth of this issue is that it is culturally based. No amount of minimum pricing and preaching from our medical friends will do the job. That’s the same medical profession who are who are, lets be honest, far from being paragons of sobriety. The culture change required will take time, maybe more time that we would all like but it is the ONLY way to sort this out.
Smoking. The truth of this is that secondary smoke doesn’t harm anyone. Get the truth of the available real science out to people. Let them make their own decisions. Let pubs, restaurants, and all other places where people might want to smoke make their own decision to be a smoking venue or not as is their right. Non-smokers can make their own decisions about whether or not they will frequent those establishments.
Renewable power. The truth on this one is simple. It doesn’t work. It is the most expensive way to generate electricity bar none. Demonstrate to the Scottish people how much of their electricity bills go to subsidising windmills and the like. Then give them a get out clause. If some people are happy to pay more for windmill electricity carry on; if others don’t they should be able to say no thanks. The burden of funding power generation is for the generators, not for governments using tax payers money.
Sectarianism. Integrate our communities including education. A state school is a state school. If people want their children taught a particular religion they can have that done by their church, which might actually get more people to go to church. School is for educating children, not for any form of indoctrination, awareness of religion, yes but nothing stronger.
Everything and anything is possible.
Now the reply to that would be “but it has to be realistic”. Well no. The higher you aim the higher you achieve. We could do with increasing the confidence of the Scottish people. Not the football flag waving type of mock confidence though complete with doom and gloom waiting in the wings.
Well Alex, when do we start? Now is a good time for me.
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13 comments:
On Alcohol abuse. I still firmly believe our crap relationship with alcohol comes from the ban it culture we have among our young folk. The fact that young folk (12 to 18) are experimenting in an unfettered fashion coupled with the idolisation of the activity (in adverts its always portrayed as fun and hip) leads to the problems we get. Responsible adults need to understand young folk will try it out probably before age 18, I don't encourage it but the young folk I work with are allowed to drink if they want, the only rule (and its been in place since forever) is no spirits.
I think the new laws are a step in the right direction, the big retailers need to be a bit more responsible.
Smoking. I don't mind it myself but I understand some folk do. As I understand it second hand smoke is an issue, although nothing like to the extent they lobby groups make out. Banning it in cars for example is rubbish.
Renewable. I like windmills, I know they're subsidised but so is most forms of generation in the first instance. The fossil fuel levy was specifically for subsidy to the nuclear industry in its first guise.
Sectarianism. Totally agree on the schools, they're places of education, not of indoctrination and the fomenting of passive intolerance. As to the football side of it: its not Scotland's shame because it certainly does not represent the majority Scottish view.
Change is never simple and rarely as easy as the initial plan suggests. Let's hope the SNP will recognbise a huge opportunity to do things differently and for the better.
I won't hold my breath.
Thanks Pa.
It's either a genius or a fool who claims truth when offering an opinion.
Crivvens, TT, as a slogan "Anything and everything is possible" is about as limp as they go. At least Obama's was a bit snappier.
On content, I score this article 1 out of 4. Three times over you say "the truth is" without providing a single shred of evidence, not even a link.
Sweden and Finland have taken effectual steps to tackle alcohol abuse. You witter about needing a culture change, but say nothing about how to bring it about.
You huff and puff "secondary smoke doesn't harm anyone". Perhaps sixty years ago you were denying that primary smoking had anything to do with lung cancer, strokes, heart attacks. If not, maybe you will accept that second-hand smoke can't be all that good for you.
You dismiss all forms of renewable power, by saying "it doesn't work".
No, putting a focus on renewable power is the only thing that does work in the long term.
I agree with you about sectarian schools.
Sorry, but you aren't selling me on the "smoking is wonderful and smoke doesn't hurt anyone" theme as the mother and grandmother of asthmatics and the daughter of a heavy smoker who died of lung cancer.
If you want to smoke, that is your business. Your FORCING ME to breath your smoke is NOT only your business. 'Your rights end where my nose begins.' Take your smoke where me and mine don't have to breath it.
As for your contention that give-away prices don't help hook young people on alcohol, which is EXACTLY what they are intended to do, it's not much different than drug users who turn up and give kids free samples of drugs to hook them. Sorry you can't see that, but lots of other people can.
I admire the SNP for having the guts to stand up to people like Tedious Tantrums whose tantrums are indeed getting a bit tedious.
Good on the SNP.
Jeanne, somehow I don't think the minimum pricing bill will make a difference at all. Young folk seem to be able to lay their hands on money should they need it and increasing the prices will only benefit the sellers and punish many who buy the odd bottle now and again. But I suppose it's more of being seen to be 'doing something'.
Thanks Crinkly. I'm guilty as charged if we are talking about a hope for truth being important. If not truth then less lies as a minimum.
Morning Hamish. I'm very happy with the "anything and everything is possible" aspiration. It's a positive aim. It helps wake people up to consider more can be achieved than the status quo might allow.
Evidence? Show me two examples of evidence for your opinion and I'll show you two examples from mine which will contradict them. I know you'll be aware of the drop in the number of heart attacks taking place following the smoking ban in public places. The claim by, unfortunately the SNP, who I support, indicated they had gone down, the truth is they hadn't.You will have read this for youirself. The figures came directly from the NHS.
Finland are all over the place with their attempts to solve alcolhol abuse. Long, long way to go. Again you'll be aware of this. A culture change in Scotland is the only way forward. Changing peoples attitudes is a way forward. What doesn't help is the BMA screaming about peopole drinking too much when the longer term alcohol consumption figures actually show real reductions, not enough but definite improvements.
Second hand smoke and toxins. They have suddenly become a serious danger to health? If this was the case the number of cancer deaths related to smoking would contain far higher numbers of non-smokers.
There may be a future for renewables but it isn't going to happen anytime soon. We have more then enough energy to keep us going for a hundred years or more without importing at all.
See the latest batch of Climategate Emails which confirm the the science used for AGW is complete nonsense. The latest science from a physics point of view is that CO2 and the other so called green house gases in fact
cool.
I greatly appreciate your comments and of course value your opinion.
Hey JR. Thanks for your comment. I don't smoke. Whatever gave you that idea? I'm tolerant of people who do smoke. Tolerance is very necessary in society. I don't see what's wrong with people who wish to smoke doing so and being able to go out for a meal or a drink and smoke as well. It worked before. Non-smoking areas and smoking areas you pay your money and you take your choices.
I don't drink either. Again I am tolerant of those who do. People have a choice if they want to drink or not. This is a good example though of a tried and failed attempt to address a problem. You'll be familiar with prohibition in the USA. The same will happen here. People will make their own or buy from the black market. This will criminalise people.
It will become like drugs because people will get around the law by buying from illegal sources. It's actually happening already as the exploding vodka factory in Lincolnshire showedillegal manufacturing to be taking place.
You are also right about younger and more vulnerable children and even adults being lured into drinking irresponsibly. The technique used is widely known as peer pressure. It is very effective and it will continue to be so until a culture change takes place which makes it less attractive.
I've never really viewed myself as someone the SNP would have to stand up to since I support them. I'm not going to accept everything they say or do as being right. It's the people of Scotland who are important not the SNP. The SNP are a vehicle to achieve independence that's all.
Thanks very much for your comments and opinions JR. I enjoy hearing other peoples views especially when they are sincere like yours obviously are. Take care.
Hi SR.would agree with most of this.Alcohol abuse is initially a learned thing, either from peers or family.problem is when the individual cant stop!
Smoking.As long as the smoker keeps their smoke away from me ,its up to them if they smoke.
Renewable power is not efficient in the industrial quantities that is being attempted.
Sectarianism.Maybe the best way is ban all religion,The government preach multiculturism, then integration ,then split the kids into groups ,then teach each group a different religion.What do you expect is going to happen? Have any of you ever read what is in these religions?Be better to just teach "do no harm".Or "do no evil".
Afternoon Tedious, thanks for the courteous response to my comments on your article.
I suspect we agree on more than might appear. Like you, I want less legislation and regulation.
However I will say the evidence that smoking kills is convincing.
Sure the anecdotsl evidence is: my grandfsther smoked 100 cigs a day and lived to be 60, or the other way round.
The pub-owners could have voluntarily provided no-smoking areas and good ventilation.
But they dragged their feet until it was too late.
I agree approx 37.5% with this statement of yours:
"There may be a future for renewables but it isn't going to happen anytime soon. We have more then enough energy to keep us going for a hundred years or more without importing at all."
Morning Apogee. Thanks for your comments. Family alcohol problems is of course a very important issue. Thanks for mentioning that
Thanks again Hamish. individual responsibility beiung encouraged by government instead of encouraging to rely on government mught wqell do much more good also.
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