oh for heaven's sake!

Today I've ran into a couple of articles which made me groan. 

Times of Malta ran an article saying that a group of Muslims in Malta have said their prayers on the Sliema promenade after they have been turned out of an apartment which they were using to meet up and pray.

The journalist interviewed one of the onlookers who said:

"Malta is a Catholic country. They have no right to come here and pray in front of us. I don't care what they do in the privacy of their own home but not here," one Maltese woman said."

... spoken like a true Catholic!!  Obviously other persons commented on this article and took this position. For heaven's sake!! If you believe that Malta is a Catholic country and you are a Catholic, then practice what the Catholic church preaches.  Be tolerant!!  Also, if the Maltese are allowed to have their festas (which I love!!) which are considerably noisy, and can have their processions and their Easter peagants (which I really hate) which border on the gory, why should we stop a group of persons from practising their religion if this is done in a quiet and respectful manner?  As far as I know they were not doing anything indecent or creating havoc, etc. so why should we complain?!!  Anyway, if you want to read this article and all of the comments you can go here: Muslims gather on Sliema waterfront.

On to the next show of stupidity of the day.  The Mail Online states:

"State-funded organisations are being ordered to boost the proportion of female, black and gay staff to reflect the make-up of the UK population under plans unveiled by Labour's deputy leader Harriet Harman."

It goes on to say that:

"Earlier this month a leading academic [Dr Louise Livesey of Oxford University]

 said the BBC should employ more women to help make shows such as Top Gear 'female-friendly'."

So let's look at this from Top Gear's point of view.  As Top Gear's executive producer Andy Wilman aptly replies:

"I also do believe that this sort of claptrap is very patronising to women, because it assumes women can’t enjoy a show’s presenters on merit, but can only appreciate a programme if spoken to by one of their own sex.

As I’m sure our regular viewers know, on account of them normally having more common sense than politicians or academics, Top Gear is a male show, in that it revolves around three males enjoying their love of cars.

That doesn’t make it macho, or exclusatory, it just means one of the show’s editorial pillars involves a journey into the male mind, in the same way that the excellent What Not To Wear veers more towards the female mind."

For Pete's sake! Stop this crap! We don't want to see women everywhere! I don't want anyone to change the format of their product just because someone has decided that we are not inclusive enough. In Malta we are already ruining the education of our children because someone has decided that we have to be inclusive. I had a chat with a couple of friends of mine a few weeks back who happen to work closely with kids and they have confirmed what I've always thought. This inclusivity thing does not work! Instead of helping a child who has learning disabilities to move forward, we are setting back the rest of the class because this child cannot keep up. Anyway, back on the original topic, the Mail Online has also stated that:

"Critics fear programmes will be forced to hire actors, presenters and producers on grounds of gender, ethnic background or sexuality, rather than suitability for the show. [...]
Mr Hunt [Now Tory culture spokesman] said: 'Allowing broadcasters creative and intellectual freedom over the content of their programmes is vital in a free society."

I hate how new shows have to include an Asian, Caucasian, Black, Indian, tall, short, disabled, with glasses, without glasses, with moles, without moles, hairy, non-hairy, bald, with hair ... characters. You can actually have a show without having to include everyone you know! And this selectivity actually gives a different product which can have it own appeal. Honestly, stop ruining everything!!!