This & That: Take 14

French Decision

Hounding and harrying gays on the grounds that they are some sort of abomination is not just some Paisleyite thing. Even the North of Ireland wrapped in its insularity can’t feign to think it is a place apart in that respect. As much as the Nelsonsaurus might dream of a welcome sign across Belfast Harbour promising hospitality to the demented homophobes of the world, offering them special cut price daily pilgrimages to the Giant’s Causeway where they can reflect and marvel on the creation of the world 6, 000 years ago, it is just that, a dream. The Save Ulster from Sodomy mob has not been quarantined within the six north eastern counties under a Free Presbyterian government. Whether that is a good or a bad thing is a moot point.

The Catholic Church in France has recently intensified its campaign against gay marriage. The recession might be biting coupled with poverty, hunger and homelessness on the rise but what taxes the minds of French bishops is same sex couples in a loving relationship. In a a nine page pamphlet, which avoided religious reasoning - knowing how deranged the men of god have managed to make it sound these day - the bishops of bonkerdom have moved to scuttle next year’s proposed reform that would legalise gay marriage.

These people who find it more morally abhorrent to have a condom on your pecker than an altar boy somehow expect to be listened to and taken seriously. The vibrant secular tradition in the country should put paid to that.

Fortunately the trend in Europe seems to be going in the direction not approved of by the bishops. Andrew Browne made the point in respect of the UK:

Conservative evangelicals in England have dreamed or hoped for 20 years that England could be brought back to a Nigerian or Ugandan view of homosexuality. It's not going to happen, and it's not going to happen within the Church of England, either. That's true whoever becomes archbishop. The sexuality wars are coming to an end, and the liberals have won.

In any event if the arguments used by the bishops get too highfalutin or bogged down in detail the French can always resolve the matter by asking of themselves: who would they prefer to have as a childminder – a Catholic bishop or a civil partnership gay?


Closing the Trap Door

Not only are there people in Ireland who think that the world is 6000 years old, in their midst can be found those who have an equally quaint belief: the Republic of Ireland international soccer team can actually play football. If last night’s hopeless performance at home to the Germans does not disabuse them of that notion they are likely to believe that the Gilmore led Labour Party is going to lead a socialist revolution sometime in the near future.

I sat with my seven year old who was so excited at the prospect but ended up asking for it to be changed over to The Titanic as the game was ‘so boring’  All he saw was goal after goal going into the Ireland net and nothing in response. He cheered at the end but it was muted. Even he knew a consolation goal in the dying seconds of a thrashing was little comfort. He at least did not have to pay to see the game. The fans that struggled out on the night will find some, however small, solace in the fact that they watched Bastian Schweinsteiger at his peak.

This was a truly embarrassing performance. The Irish rolled over. The Germans are a team with considerable flair but have been caught out in competitive football time and time again since Löw took over coach from Klinnsman. The former World Cup winner handed his succsssor the makings of a brilliant team but it has never reached its potential, falling at fences it should easily have cleared, none more so than the semi finals of the Euros earlier this year when Italy took the team apart. Italy are not a team to write home about, even if you were in jail, bored and with time on your hands, and a surplus of writing paper and pens.

Trap says he is not for going. Why would he if some masochistic fool is going to pay him big euros to deliver perofrmances like last night's?  Eamonn Dunphy suggested that Mick McCarthy should be considered. Perhaps. Even the much maligned Steve Staunton pulled together teams with more spunk than what played against the Germans. But in terms of achieving anything forget about it. There is nothing to be carved from rotten wood.


A Brolly Good Fellow

On the Slugger O’Toole site a post by Chris Donnelly caught my eye. ‘Brolly’s Altruistic Act.’ It went on to cite from a Belfast Telegraph article which reported that the Derry GAA personality had donated a kidney to a fellow GAA coach.

Altruistic, the word chosen by Chris Donnelly to describe Brolly’s act while undoubtedly accurate seems to understate the magnanimity of what happened here. Donnelly was hardly being unkind, the contrary in fact. Perhaps there just are no words that can emotionally convey all that was contained within the Brolly action. He scaled the rarified heights of selflessness.

I’m honoured to have been in the position to help Shane ... He’s been waiting for a transplant for over six years and when I heard that the only possibility of one was through a live donor I contacted his medical team. Of course, in my considered opinion it’s all going according to plan – and thankfully the doctors concur.

Brolly was not only selfless but very brave. He did something that we would only do, even then with great trepidation, for family. Brolly’s act was courage to be admired, aspired to but rarely reached. He has something we have not.

10 comments:

  1. Anthony,

    I like the site's new format.

    'These people who find it more morally abhorrent to have a condom on your pecker than an altar boy'

    Good to see you back on form with these classic observations. You have been somewhat jaded recently. This provoked an image of Benedict wearing a blonde wig, tracksuit, gold chains with a cigar in the minds eye!

    'The sexuality wars are coming to an end, and the liberals have won.'

    Agreed, but it is a pyrrhic victory given the terminus of this particular lifestyle choice is human extinction.

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  2. Robert,

    nice to see you around. Half expected you to make an appearance when the events of the marching season were being discussed.

    I have been jaded since The Blanket days Robert! The writing has long been off the boil, but I am glad you found something to appreciate in the above piece.

    Benny Saville - that idea appeals to me now for some reason!!

    I suppose given there that there is no teleological purpose to human life extinction is a possibility. But it is much more likely to come from wars or the side effect of modern technology than from gay people bonking. It is not that people are being told no to procreation. They are merely being allowed the freedom to live their lives free from discrimination.

    I think gay marriage is a good idea.

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  3. First its the catholic church then its Jimmy Saville next we hear its Morph who is a playdophile, great comment Anthony re condoms,anything the catholic church has to say re morals is a deflection on their own,its hard to believe that the people have not put those clowns in dresses back in the circus where they belong,
    Time for Trapattoni to get a pony and trap back to Itlay.
    never been a fan of Brolly as a matter of fact I think his comments are as bad as anything Spillane comes of with,but reading about his selfless and humanatarian act I can only say that was a mega good thing he did and good luck to him for it.

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  4. I don't believe any religious person telling two consenting people what to do in the bedroom-where is their bible love to the human race-the DUP-the Catholic church-the others are mad for sex not mad against it- Joe Brolly done the human race proud-

    Marty-

    " Jimmy Saville " maybe it is all true about him but there is something very wrong when all these allegations come out after he died and cant defend himself- it is said he was to powerful whith-in the BBC-there were sex claims that came out about clinton when he was president of America and they were true-you cant get more powerful than him at that time-

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  5. Mother superior was talking to the rest of the nuns...."we have a case of Chlamydia in the convent" an old nun at the back replies "I hope its better than that Chardonnay shite we had last year"George Clooney is making a film about the life of Jimmy Saville,its called OH Shes Eleven...
    Renault and Ford have joined forces to create the perfect small car for women.mixing the Renault Clio and the Ford Tarus they have designed the Clitaurus,it comes in pink,and the average male car thief wont be able to find it-let alone turn it on-even if someone tells him where it is and how to do it,rumour has it though,that it leaks transmission fluid once a month and can be a real bitch to start in the morning!some have reported that on cold winter mornings,when you really need it,you cant get it to turn over.new models are initially fun to own,but very costly to maintain,and horribly expensive to get rid of,used models may initially appear to have curb appeal and a low price,but eventually have an increased appetite for fuel,and the curb weight typically increases with age.manufacturers are baffled as to how the size of the trunk increases,but say that the paint may just make it LOOK bigger.this model is not expected to reach collector status,most owners find it best to lease one and replace it when it becomes troublesome...

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  6. Anthony,

    I allowed the hyper-nationalism to wash over me for a change!

    The writing remains as prolific as it is intellectually trenchant. Engaging, instructive and always beneficial.

    'They are merely being allowed the freedom to live their lives free from discrimination.'

    Despite my discomfort with homosexuality I won't be found amongst those who want to deny them that allowance.



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  7. Religion take note ;This week I safely dropped a man from space,while you shot a child in the head for wanting to go to school..Science

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  8. I was going to say you are a rare breed Robert a cara but while thinking about it most of your coreligionists that I,ve ever been in contact through work or other are among the most liberal people that I,ve met,though having said that none were affiliated to the lol, so in that it does make you something of an exception,wish there were lots more like you,we could maybe engage meaningfully and sort this fucking mess of a place out once and for all for the benefit of all our people.

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  9. So that is what the BBC STANDS FOR ...BROADCASTERS Bumming Children..
    Susan Boyle has just come to Jimmy Saville,s defence saying "I was on Jim,ll fix it when I was 13 and he never touched me"...

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  10. Robert,

    You are generous but the writing is not what it once was. Jaded and below par – still in the ring but the depleted energy doesn’t allow me to cover it as effectively these days!

    Despite my discomfort with homosexuality I won't be found amongst those who want to deny them that allowance.

    Much to your credit.

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