Fair Play

A lazy start to Sunday. GF was up first and spent a while persuing the web, the papers, and the magazines. Several things merged into a single thought about the quintesential nature of being English. GF thinks that this can be summed up as "Fair Play".

GF feels uneasy when Fair Play is not seen to be practised - and this was the theme that emerged whilst reading the weekend papers.

• The EU rebate is essentially about fairness. It is not unreasonable for rich countries to contribute more, and indeed contibute more that they receive, to the benefit of poor countries. Pray tell why this should benefit the inefficiencies of French farming however - and they whinge about our rebate when their net contibutein is so much less.
• The EU referendum has dismissed the EU Constitution. Is it therefore fair to continue the debate as if there is still something to be salvaged? Is that fair - the game was lost, the refereee can't change his mind and alter the rules.
• Perpetrators of crime get more protection than victims.
• Pressure groups don't like the use of ASBOs - well GF doesn't like anti-social behaviour and bleeding-heart do-gooders who care more for the thugs and yobs than they do the communities which they terrorise.
• Travellers' sites seem to be immune from planning regulations. This is about fairness. When Councils try to enforce the regulations, the ODPM (Odious Deputy Prime Minister) overturns them. This is not an issue of whether sites should exist (of course they should), but rather whether they should have to conform to the same planning laws as the rest of us. If we breakk planning laws and enforcement notice is served; if Travellers do, nothing happens.
• Christian symbols are ruthlessly wiped out for fear of offending non-Christians, yet we have to show the greatest defference to the Koran. GF says sorry but NO!!! Enough is enough. Respect everyone equally. Fair is fair.

GF can't help but feel this festering sore Government's idea of making things fairer, or better is to make them unfairer or worse for some... not to try and make them fairer or better for all.