Ever write something that you thought would provoke a response but it did not? Ever write something that was intended to be throw-away and it got the more attention than anything else you had published? I am sure that I am not alone in being able to answer yes to both questions.
politics
The Question of Euthanasia; too Tricky?
I will be honest from the start; I support voluntary euthanasia. That said, I am not interested in writing a polemic on the subject. I cannot see too many people being interested in that approach. I want to write a serious book that looks at euthanasia in the form of a consideration of the arguments both for and against. Obviously, I will be tending towards one side rather than the other, but my plan is to do so sympathetically. It will not be a tub beating exercise.
Why not have a ‘No Room for Prejudice’ Campaign?
Being an avid football fan, I am well aware of the 'No Room for Racism' campaign that was launched in March 2019. It is one of many campaigns that aim to improve the treatment of people seen as vulnerable to discrimination. There are many players in the English football leagues who are not white and, therefore, many who may encounter racism during their careers, which is probably why football authorities are keen to be seen as tackling the problem.
Life Unworthy of Life – The Euthanasia of the Disabled in Nazi Germany
On 1st September, 1939, Adolf Hitler signed an order authorising the mass murder of German citizens who were identified as physically or mentally disabled. It was the only such authority for enforced euthanasia that Hitler put his name to. The initial target was to be children up to the age of 3. The campaign was … Continue reading Life Unworthy of Life – The Euthanasia of the Disabled in Nazi Germany
All Lives Matter and the House on Fire Analogy
I recently read a post on social media that was offered as an abuttal to the ‘All Lives Matter’ statement. It used the house on fire analogy, which is basically this: in a street of many houses one house is on fire. All the houses matter but only the one on fire matters right now. … Continue reading All Lives Matter and the House on Fire Analogy
Are We Losing the Art of Debate?
Recently, I have posted on certain subjects that tend to be a little contentious. I did not do it to inflame public opinion, I certainly do not have a following large enough to do that anyway, but because these subjects interested me. I was also hoping to have an opportunity to debate them with like … Continue reading Are We Losing the Art of Debate?
All Lives Do Matter
In 1966, Dr Martin Luther King Jr., faced a problem during the Civil Rights Movements' 'March Against Fear' campaign. In the city park of Greenwood, Mississippi, a mass rally of support was held, during which Stokely Charmichael, a representative of the Student Nonviolent Coordination Committee (SNCC), proclaimed: "what we need is black power". The Black … Continue reading All Lives Do Matter
Egalitarian is Not a Dirty Word
I have recently seen posts in social media suggesting that 'egalitarian' and 'egalitarianism' are ineffective responses to the Black Lives Matter campaign. One post in particular that has been doing the rounds states that no one mentioned egalitarian until feminism was talked about. Personally, I think that this particular post is intended to be inflammatory … Continue reading Egalitarian is Not a Dirty Word
Peter C Whitaker 