Gail Cartmail blog

Holier than thou?

Religion has been in the news recently.

The Anglican Church continues to debate the ordination of women and the high court ruled that councils have no statutory right to hold prayers at meetings.

I have a relaxed attitude to faith, live and let live is how I feel. On the positive side I have seen up close faith’s comfort to a person I loved at the end of his life.

It is when religion interferes with individual or collective freedoms and introduces disadvantage that I object.

I sometimes find myself in situations of collective worship arising from friendships. That’s fine since it is my choice but I object to religious ritual in what should be secular life.

Bideford Council defended their practice of prayers on the basis that it dated back to Queen Elizabeth 1 a pretty rubbish argument. As many have been quick to point out so does public execution.

What has crept into discussion on the issue is whether those in favour of this practice would feel the same if, and this is the example always used, the dominant faith group was Muslim.

This ‘unintended consequence’ point is heavily loaded and risks plunging even secular anti-racists into a ‘fair treatment’ debate in the same way I feel duty bound to support the ordination of women despite not being a Christian.

Three cheers then for the Equality and Human Rights Commission which backed the right of two gay men to book a double room despite the B&B owners' objection on grounds that it was in conflict with their Christian faith. Such religious prejudice isn’t only offensive and hurtful, it can be downright terrifying.

Three men were jailed last week for their role in distributing a leaflet calling for gay people to be executed. Their interpretation of Islam is that anyone caught in homosexual activity should receive the death penalty.

Opposing religious ritual or beliefs when they seek to dominate, repress, exploit or exclude is important and individuals like ex-Bideford councillor Clive Bone deserve our praise.

The Equality and Human Rights Commission has suffered chronic funding cuts as have many not-for-profit advice agencies. In addition to brave individuals willing to stand out against discriminatory practices we need adequately funded enforcement agencies.

The coalition government disagrees.

Time to apologise?

At last two men have been convicted of the murder of black teenager Stephen Lawrence. Others complicit in the racist attack are still at liberty.

My daughter was born the year Stephen was killed at a bus stop in south east London. As a parent I can barely imagine the pain borne by Stephen’s family at all that has been lost, with the nagging certainty that other culprits have still to be brought to justice.

Lib Dems: “appalling inequalities in income and health”

At their conference the Lib Dem leadership decry “appalling inequalities in income and health”. I attended the conference last year as a visitor and spoke at a fringe meeting alongside co-author of ‘The Spirit Level’ Kate Pickett.

The coalition government at an early stage gave new meaning to “women and children first”. One in five young people is unemployed, 72 per cent of the Emergency Budget was from women’s income, Educational Maintenance Allowance was scrapped and university fees tripled.

Gay Pride

Someone I know well was recently badly beaten up by three young men who assaulted him on his way home from work.

It is clear that this vicious attack was a homophobic hate crime. Thankfully my friend managed to escape but was badly injured.I was shocked, how could such a thing happen in a vibrant and diverse area?