How about some fine wine and friendly chat, Have You Sayers?
Wednesday brought a pleasing bunch of letters in Have Your Say. Dr Frank’s letter was especially inspiring, making me want to join him on the frozen tundra of Northern England, draped in bear skins, armed with bow and arrow on the hunt for mammoths, before cutting hunks of red meat to roast on fires in the lee of fallen giant oaks.
Eric Bahrt would of course join us, gathering nuts and mosses for a delicious salad while informing us at length of its high nutritional value. Ye Olde Pedant would sit by the fire sipping liquor, insisting he was past working age but entertaining us cooks by discussing the advantages of old age and health benefits of moonshine. Blissfully absent would be the insane chatter of Messrs Wilcox, Pike and their ilk – freeing us from having to formulate answers based on reality only to be ignored by prejudiced minds spouting “alternate facts” from delusional worlds.
These would be banished for failing to accept that discussion is not possible with people who believe that 2+2=5, preferring instead to wallow in the mud of their fantasies.
But we have to give the devils their due: I agree with what JC Wilcox says about Islam. I share his opinion that the Koran preaches war, making Islam a religion of war. Reading the Surahs (chapters) one has to admit that the values and rules they contain are in sharp contrast to our Western values – and this observation has nothing whatsoever to do with Islamophobia. Multiracial societies are possible but multicultural societies are not as long as the Koran is not shaped to fit to the modern Western world. East is East, West is West and never shall the values meet. Indeed, we liberals (though Wilcox is no liberal) should acknowledge the inherent dangers of the Koran and safeguard against the obnoxious ideas it expresses. (Trump’s visa ban against Muslim countries doesn’t count, being completely ridiculous!)
As with Wilcox, many of Nigel Pike’s letters belong on the garbage heap, but he can express his thoughts concisely and humorously when he leaves out politics. I still harbour hope that these two might be persuaded to open their eyes. Which is why I suggest we all get together over a few nice bottles of wine. I propose Ye Olde Pendant as master of ceremonies, refreshing our glasses when needed, and of course Mr Beasley would have to be moderator. Dr Frank could take the initiative, being the most active writer here. Maybe the discussion would be interesting for The Nation, too, so the editor is hereby invited. Looking forward to it!
Egon
