The Debate Link quotes WEB DuBois in a post about the white nationalists in Virginia and Trump’s refusal to even condemn them and their act of terrorism: As we saw the dead dimly through rifts of battlesmoke and heard faintly the cursings and accusations of blood brothers, we darker men said: This is not Europe […]
On the brink
I suppose I should be glad that we went to South Korea earlier this year, given the current international climate. Better timing than our earlier plans to visit Libya and Syria, both interrupted by war. So if the worst happens, we will have personal experience of what is lost. Not much of a comfort. When […]
Dispiriting
Politics in Pakistan. What can I say?
Political afternoon
First watching the live blogs on Metafilter on the US ‘skinny repeal’ healthcare bill, with John McCain’s surprise ‘no’ vote killing it. Then, immediately, turning closer to home, to where the Supreme Court of Pakistan gave its verdict on Nawaz Sharif. Sharif is gone. I have mixed feelings about all of this. On one hand […]
Noxious
I learned this morning that a prominent member of the Trump White House was not only in my year at university but belonged to my house. I don’t remember him at all, and none of my university friends do either except for one who knew him personally – there were countless young men of that […]
Heroes and terrorists
A white man drove a van over Muslims leaving a mosque after prayers in London. It has been declared a terrorist attack, along the lines of other lone wolf attacks committed by Muslims in recent months, which is encouraging. I feel churlish in noting that the narrative about the attack has coalesced not around the […]
Temple stay
The Gentleman Friend enjoyed the temple stay more than I did, but largely because I have little affinity to anything meditative or spiritual. We had a small room, unfurnished, with a blanket on the floor to sleep on, and had surprisingly comfortable nights. As seems to be universal in South Korea the shower was spectacularly […]
Gwangju
Arrived in Gwangju yesterday afternoon. A pleasant city, which presents itself as a city of art and design. There is an ‘art street’ which had a series of small shops, many with genuinely nice ceramics and paper work, a few galleries with average but not terrible stuff. There is an art centre which appears to […]
Myanmar days
We have cancelled a long-planned trip to Myanmar as the GF has to save his leave for trips back to the UK that are an unfortunate necessity these days. I was very much looking forward to a journey through the country, but am relieved also not to be going. It seems very wrong with the […]
Today
Article 50 will be triggered today. I have felt sad all day, not like the disbelieving anger on the day after the referendum, just sad and despairing. Another hope for cooperation and peace gone. The EU is certainly not perfect, but if only the Brexit movement could have been used for reform, not to gouge […]