  When I first read about David Blunkett's latest urlLink lurch into fascism (hope nobody here's allergic to hyperbole) my initial reaction was a shrug and a "meh". But the more I hear about it, the more alarming it sounds. Read these: urlLink Butterflies and Wheels urlLink The Independent urlLink Johann Hari urlLink Anthony Cox And urlLink this by Polly Toynbee, from the last time Blunkett tried to get this through. It was the piece by Butterflies and Wheels that first made me sit up and take notice - regarding Blunkett's appearance on the Today programme (I haven't listened to it myself because it's a Real Player file, and I won't have that thing on my computer.
Won't have it, I tell you!). To quote Ophelia Benson: "He wants unity and community and tolerance, and he doesn't want us expressing strong opinions about religion if they might get in the way of unity. Of course, we're allowed to express opinions about religion - as long as they're sensible. " We can express opinions about religion as long as they're sensible, can we, Dave? No danger of misunderstanding or dodgy interpretation there! To hell with freedom of speech, now everyone's got to be sensible. Fine by me - how sensible is the opinion that a virgin, impregnated by a ghost who was also the creator, gave birth to the son of God?
Or the opinion that the earth is around 6,000 years old? How fucking sensible is the opinion that 72 virgins await a martyr in paradise? That women are subordinate to men? That homosexuals should be put to death? That September 11th happened because urlLink God had removed his protection from the US thanks to those eeeevil queers, secularists and baby-killers? But religion must be protected, because it's special, it's spiritual, it's precioussss . Why do we draw a ring around religion to prevent it being questioned?
Because it wouldn't last five minutes in a straight fight with logic and reason. Maybe my first reaction will be the right one. Perhaps all this is worth is a shrug and a "meh". I hope so. But just in case my point has been lost in this otherwise subtle and balanced post, let me state again - religion is utter tripe, and David Blunkett can go sanctify himself. 
