WHEN EQUALITY MET REALITY

The trial of female black Australian footballer Sam Kerr concluded yesterday.  Not being a follower of women's football, her name was previously unknown to me, as was her country of origin, her colour, her sexual preferences or the fact that she was the captain of the Australian national team.  So, 'the gal's done good' in her career -  credit where it's due. 

Credit ends at that point, however.  Ms. Kerr and her partner,  Kristie Mewis, had been on a night out in Twickenham on the 30th January 2023.  A dispute later arose with the taxi driver who no doubt would have thought 'Why me?' during the journey - one that ended up at Twickenham Police Station instead of the intended destination.  It would appear that their behaviour in the cab was not exactly 'ladylike', one of them vomiting and a cab window being broken apparently. You can't buy class...  I also read that there was further disagreement over the fare.  The taxi driver locked the women in his cab and drove to Twickenham Police Station.  The surprise, of course,  is that Twickenham still has a police station!  

At the station, SK commented to PC Lovell that 'This is a racial f****** thing' - but then she would do, wouldn't she?  You could write the script.  Another 'person of colour' with a chip the size of a plank on their shoulders whinging about race,  when she should have been making grovelling apologies to the taxi driver for the mess they made of his cab and offering financial restitution plus a donation to the 'Taxi Drivers Welfare Fund' -  if there is one -  or some such associated charity if there isn't.  It's not as if she can't afford it, she kicks a ball for a living after all!   It's quite clearly not in SK's nature to apologise when overly merry, she has an altercation with PC Lovell and adds further racial fuel to the antipodean fire by calling him 'f****** stupid and white'.  And there we have it!  SK contends that while she does not deny making her accusation, she rejects any notion that her outburst was racial.  How does that work?  What a foul-mouthed, loathsome piece of imported Aussie she is. 

 The jury took over four hours to find her 'not guilty' on Tuesday.  I would like to know the make-up of the Jury.  If it's anything like our TV adverts then the 12 chaps and chapesses, 'good and true',  would have consisted of more ethnics than white natives.  If it did consist of those with a more pale complexion then they must have been either Liberal-Democrats, to the left of common-sense or downright deluded!  As the prosecutor asserted, if it were the other way round and the officer was described as 'f****** stupid and black', all racial hell would have been let loose.  Demonstrations outside Downing Street, public disturbances in London before kicking-off in other cities and towns across the country.  Looting, processions, calls for changes in the law and all that goes with minority power. 

Anyway, her football club, Chelsea, appear to be taking no further action while Football Australia is to 'reflect' on the matter.  Once again, if the colours were reversed, the disgraced racist white player would be metaphorically tarred and feathered, forced to attend race, gender and diversity classes for an extended period, made to apologise to all and sundry within the world of sport and banned from competitive football until the age of which he or she would be retired anyway.  Slight exaggeration?  Maybe, but sadly. it's one rule for the indigenous white population and another for the coloured minority - a minority that is not so minor of course!  

Footnote,  the BABC describes Kristie Mewis, her partner, as her 'fiancee'.  Is that an upgrade?  Also revealed in one of the stories about the farcical outcome of this case is the fact that the couple are expecting their first child.  I think we can safely assume that its first word will be four-lettered!  Ye Gods and little fishes... 

                     WILL THE UK GOVERNMENT PLEASE TAKE NOTE!

Mr. Trump has done more in three weeks than successive UK governments have done in decades.  Oh what joy to see someone - anyone - have the guts to send a message to the world's poor that it is time for their own rulers to start funding change instead of relying on help from those who pay for and take responsibility for their own lives.  Not having children you can't afford would help in many cases.  

I remember I had only recently left school when us Brits were informed by the press about a food shortage in a far-off and previously unheard of country called Biafra.  We were all urged to donate money, clothing and presumably anything else that was going begging.  No-one questioned how much actually got to those who were allegedly suffering.  No-one mentioned the corruption that was, and doubtless is still rife in these so-called third world countries.  The whole system of world-wide aid can be likened to the welfare and benefit bill that the UK taxpayer faces on a daily basis, just larger.   Take away the ever-present handouts  from those on welfare benefit, universal credit and access to food banks  - and many have made this a lifestyle choice - and you'll find recipients will either sink or swim.  Similarly, take aid away from those countries that have relied on the west for financial support for decades and you'll see their inhabitants sink or swim - literally in many cases!

The headlines regarding the American President's move to make huge cuts to the USAID programme make interesting reading with not a little relish and mirth thrown in for good measure.  The BBC states that 'Experts warn of threat to global health', while The Guardian warns that 'Trump's foreign aid cuts could be big strategic mistake'.  The media outlet 'politico.eu' sees Mr.Trump's measures as 'leaving the UN food agency scrambling'.  I bet it is.  These worldwide agencies and charities have never been made as accountable to the public purse before and they do not like it.  How good it is therefore to note the message from the U.S. Dept. of State which opines that 'The United States is no longer going to blindly dole out money with no return to the American people'.

Oh, that our Chancellor was of similar mind and had considered British pensioners when attempting to fill her £22 billion black hole - a term that is not without irony when you consider which part of the world our money ends up slushing about in with little accountability or gain for those funding the projects.  Imagine having the vision, the wherewithal, the guts to take the financially draining bull by the metaphorical horns and say, 'The UK agrees, aid has to stop. Taxpayers should not be ripped off any longer and we are stopping all aid as from tomorrow and all projects will cease at that point'.  Aaaahhhh,  such bliss.  Neither the Chancellor nor Mr. Starmer will ever have the balls to follow such an inspirational lead, which is a pity as they would be looking a vote-winning gift-horse in the mouth.  Sadly politicians are totally out of touch with the electorate. I have always been of the opinion that charity starts at home.  Is it too novel an idea to suggest that government finances follow business practice and cut their cloth according to their pocket?  Why should working people in any country subsidise those in foreign climes, many of which are ruled by despots, juntas, or at best those you won't find shopping at Harrods with money they've actually worked for.  

Diversity, gender and race are all getting the same treatment in the USA.  There had to be a push-back of the power minorities are wielding across the so-called developed world. How refreshing and warming  it is to read of a president who openly queries the participation of transgender athletes, highlights racial problems in South Africa and attempts to dismantle diversity, gender and equality departments across the board in American politics and business.  Throw in the proposed lack of automatic right to American citizenship and the enforced repatriation of migrants to their country of origin and you have a recipe for automatic and universal approval. This is as close as one can get to a 'migrant-induced orgasm'!

When I am stopped outside a shopping centre by a charity worker inviting me to give my time, and ultimately my money, to whatever cause they are promoting, I now ask the salary of their chief executive and do they have a department responsible for equality, diversity and gender?  If they do, they will be told in no uncertain manner that they obviously have too much funding already and that I will spread the word regarding their misplaced priorities and their financial profligacy when they should be concentrating all their efforts on the people they aim to support.

Merely reading that the politically-chattering classes are 'shocked', 'aghast' and 'appalled' by the president's moves is music to my right-of-centre ears - Aaaaahhhh all over again.  It is reassuring to know that at least someone is taking taboo subjects seriously, putting their country first and is proud of their flag!  

Perhaps UK residents should send a collective letter to the US government and ask if we could become their 51st state.  With a future such as Mr. Trump envisages for the USA, selling our soul to the Yankee Devil seems a small price to pay in the long term.  If only lawyers can be kept out of politics, the world would be a better and less costly place.  

I will sleep well, smiling as I drift off.  The thought of all those to the left of Stalin running about like chickens of a headless condition realising that not everyone shares their views and that there is a wider public with common sense who until now have struggled to be heard is further music being played to this very appreciative Brit.

Don't get me wrong, I am still no devotee of the American President, but he does do what he says he would and doesn't waste time with pointless committees.  So for that, my eternal gratitude.  Overall, the man is still a pushy, classless, bully-boy arse, but on current form I can live with that...