Brr!
The weather has, rather unexpectedly, broken. After forecasts of 19C and sunshine, we have 13C and rain. Here's hoping for a better day tomorrow.
Knitting
Progress is being made on the purple pullover I'm knitting in Jaeger "Odessa". I've now completed all the bits, and the front (the last part knitted) is soaking at the moment in preparation for blocking. Pictures once it's dry, I promise.
Knitting this has entailed a number of "Firsts" for me:
There's another big first coming up: sewing in set-in sleeves. Any tips?
Comments
I've had fewer responses to my political posting than I expected. Today I received a fairly strongly worded one from a person who apparently doesn't feel quite strongly enough to provide either a name or an email address. The gist of their query seems to be whether I believe that people who do bad, even terrible, things have the same fundamental rights as people who don't. I'm paraphrasing here - do go and look at the comment yourself for the details.
As I can't reply directly, but feel that this deserves an answer, I'm going to do so here.
To put it bluntly. Yes, I do.
I believe that every human being has the right to be treated with respect, and according to the rule of law. Even if they have done, or may do, or are accused of doing, things which I find abhorrent. I believe that it is important that justice is done, and that it is seen to be done. I believe that what you do is far more important than why you do it: in other words, that there is no occasion on which it is right to say that the end justifies the means.
Until people are willing to accept that there may be more than one right way to live, or govern, then I don't see how any peace can be made to last, whether it be negotiated or imposed.
Knitting
Progress is being made on the purple pullover I'm knitting in Jaeger "Odessa". I've now completed all the bits, and the front (the last part knitted) is soaking at the moment in preparation for blocking. Pictures once it's dry, I promise.
Knitting this has entailed a number of "Firsts" for me:
- the first pattern I chose because I liked it, and not because it came in my size
- the first pattern I've knitted with set in sleeves
- the first pattern where I've done serious rewriting and recalculating to get something that will (hopefully) fit me
- the first garment I've knitted for me (other than accessories) in a lightweight yarn that is likely to suit me
There's another big first coming up: sewing in set-in sleeves. Any tips?
Comments
I've had fewer responses to my political posting than I expected. Today I received a fairly strongly worded one from a person who apparently doesn't feel quite strongly enough to provide either a name or an email address. The gist of their query seems to be whether I believe that people who do bad, even terrible, things have the same fundamental rights as people who don't. I'm paraphrasing here - do go and look at the comment yourself for the details.
As I can't reply directly, but feel that this deserves an answer, I'm going to do so here.
To put it bluntly. Yes, I do.
I believe that every human being has the right to be treated with respect, and according to the rule of law. Even if they have done, or may do, or are accused of doing, things which I find abhorrent. I believe that it is important that justice is done, and that it is seen to be done. I believe that what you do is far more important than why you do it: in other words, that there is no occasion on which it is right to say that the end justifies the means.
Until people are willing to accept that there may be more than one right way to live, or govern, then I don't see how any peace can be made to last, whether it be negotiated or imposed.
posted by LornaJay at 6:43 pm
4 Comments:
I absolutely agree with you, Lorna.
Can't 'anonymous' see it from the other point of view? What if it was some other country treating Americans like that. I dont think 'she' would see it the same way, then.
Inciting fear is a bad way to run a country, many Americans now think it is OK to do whatever is necessary to 'protect' themselves.
I read in a Dutch newspaper yesterday that a Dutch citizen (born in Egypt) was interrogated nude for 5 hours in the airport on arrival for no reason other than his name and colour. All he wanted to do was go on holiday to Florida with a friend.
When he left he was told, 'we dont want your sort in our country', and 'we were only doing our job'. Frankly I find this terrifying.
European governments have not been doing enough to stop the US government's blatant crimes against human rights.
You are right to speak out about it. More power to you.
Dawn
Shouting about people being beheaded doesn't have much to do with what you said about the suicides in Guantanamo. Plenty of the men in Guantanamo haven't been convicted of anything: the three (four?) who were sent back to the UK a few years ago had no charges brought against them - because they hadn't done anything.
I could go on, pointing out logical flaws in Anonymous's argument, but I expect it wouldn't make much difference. And I expect that she isn't one of your regular readers, interested in knitting or running a pub, but one of those people who hunts down blogs where she can shout angry things into the darkness. And that she might have been sent here by her equally angry friend of the same name.
Set-in sleeves - an ounce of preparation will save you a pound of cursing afterwards. Block, pin and if necessary tack the sleeve in place before sewing the first stitch. Start pinning, and sewing, at the centre top of the sleeve and work down the front and down the back. At least, that's what I'd do. I'm looking forward to seeing it.
Lorna, I am a "Yank" with proud roots in "Old Europe" (UK and Denmark).
Not all of us believe or act as Anonymous. This whole situation in Iraq and the current administration's positon as the world bully is absolutely wrong.
WRONG.
Your comments were spot on. We must preserve all liberties for the least desirable, as well as the most upright. To do otherwise is to destroy the concept that gives all of us freedom and decency.
Keep reminding us that the US is not what is was or all that we should become.
Ali
Well said.
I have some caveats about the whole language of 'rights'. I think it encourages people to apply it primarily to themselves ('I have a right to XYZ') and only secondarily, if at all, to other people. Moreover, I think it's easy for some people to confuse 'rights' with 'privileges': a confusion which works in both directions.
I'd prefer to have a language of 'responsibilities'. Not 'I have a right not to be tortured' but 'I have a responsibility not to torture other people'. I think that would redistribute the emphasis more appropriately.
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