On Libricide

So we still burn books do we? Sad isn't it? Of course these are just nutters - minor sects who under the cover of making a point are actually trying to recruit. This inevitably triggers severe cognitive dissonance in a lot of people. Liberals will be saying that certain building work going on within sight of Ground Zero should be allowed to go ahead because it indicates that The US is a bastion of free speech. However, burning books raises both sides of the question doesn't it? We should allow people to do what they want, but burning books is a thuggish censorship of what the thugs themselves do not agree with. I of course subscribe to the meta view that any book burning is wrong full stop but I am sure that there are many books I would happily toss into a fire based on my dislike of their contents. Obviously the actual specifics of the reasons for burning religious books are simply boys games as far as I'm concerned but I'm happy for any books to exist - even those by Piers Morgan.

On the subject of books, I'm tempted by this wheeze, though maybe more because it seems a less risky adventure for someone as nervous of authority as me than for any feelings of outrage about TB's stance on the Iraq war, though I do have that as well. Only days after 7/7 I watched as he denied that this atrocity was in anyway related to the Invasion of Iraq only to see that being the very reason put forward by the bombers themselves on their pre-martyrdom videos. The really annoying thing is that this hubris is seen as statesmanlike by many people - most abroad I would reckon, - I hope to see the history of Tony Blair record him in the list of failed politicians. But hey, history is not written by the bereaved of either Iraq or of British Soldiers or even by any relatives of the victims of 7/7. I am ashamed to share a country with him.