Another fine roundup of articles for us. You were right. That was a *great* speech by Michael Gove.
And, as always, there is some good news and some bad news. Politics is usually bad news these days. And the Scottish Literary Alliance is more-a the same. But You're very lucky to be banning PB.
Happy Bank Holidays to You and Yours. Paddy is looking exceedingly well, tho I hope not too wet. That was too bad. And, of course, best o' luck on the writing. Looking forward to reading it, after reading Tempted by Her Forbidden Viking in October. Can't wait.
Excellent speech by Gove. And any “literary” society that seeks to exclude women who speak up for the rights of other women is a laboring under a misnomer. That’s called a hate group.
Michelle, new subscriber, first time commenter. Thanks for your interesting recaps in TGIF of life across the pond.
I appreciated Mr Gove’s remarks. He makes good points, but I don’t know if I’m on board with calling an entire movement anti-Semitic. Hypocritical? Certainly.
The left are the masters of deciding what is in someone’s heart and then condemning them for the beliefs they project them as having. I always shudder when we normals do anything that looks like what’s in the left’s playbook.
I think many BDS people are anti-Semitic, as are many anti-Israel protestors. I can’t call an entire movement racist, though. Seems a bridge too far.
It is a hard call and I agree it is open to debate. I do think the end game is the destruction of Israel which is a state dedicated to ensuring the Jews have a place of safety. Something like 95% of Jewish people believe in the necessity of the state of Israel (aka they are Zionists). Thus as the BDS movement targets anyone who is a Zionist, they are targeting 95% of the Jewish people and the vast majority of Jewish owned businesses.
I also certainly think everyone has to make up their own mind on what they want to call it. I really believe in the right of dissent.
One thing I think is interesting is for a number of good reasons Israel is a world leader in cyber security (for example Cyabra is based in Israel). Should massive companies like Disney which are frequent targets of bad actors give up that security?
I am also certain that there are many well meaning people who have not thought deeply about the subject and simply hate the destruction and loss of innocent lives. I do wish more of the 'ceasefire now' or anti-war types would actively condemn Hamas for what they did prior to 7 Oct, for 7 Oct and for what they are doing now (including stealing the humanitarian aid so that it can't be distributed to the starving people). If you haven't already started looking at COGAT's daily updates, it is v interesting to see the numbers going in and the numbers being distributed. https://govextra.gov.il/cogat/humanitarian-efforts/home/
And I am delighted to have you on board. Hopefully you will find things to comment on. I am v much a Mills trident person. The whole idea is to make people think.
An update on the Literary Alliance Scotland attempt at shadow banning - -they have pulled the article and claimed it 'a mistake'. Magi Gibson says that they knew about it for several days and only did things when the policy paper became common knowledge on twitter (X)
Yes I knew she wanted to. I thought she'd be standing against Starmer but against Lloyd R-M is much better. He is the one who crossed the floor to try to intimidate Miriam Cates when she was speaking on women's rights.
It doesn't surprise that Gove has gone. I personally think he didn't know about Sunak's snap, crackle and pop because otherwise it would have leaked to the press.
Many years ago, I worked for Intel as a summer job. CMCF -- central mask coating facility which was why they were able to produce the chips more cheaply. There has always been a tie up with Israel.
I have heard tales about the 1970s. I first came over in 1984 during the miner's strike... I don't trust the lot of them. Anyone who wishes to be an MP should be immediately disbarred from standing.
This is the Daily Mail article about the Russell Group likening GC beliefs to anti-Semitism https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13454217/British-universities-plunged-free-speech-row-Russell-Group-issues-statement-likening-gender-critics-anti-Semitism.html
This is the link to the substack which explains the ins and outs of the Literary Agency thing: https://open.substack.com/pub/magigibson/p/the-strange-case-of-terfs-fascists?r=8gufl&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Nice catch, Michelle!
This is the link to the Daily Mail article on the Victoria Atkins' announcement: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-13454127/Health-Secretary-Victoria-Atkins-commits-banning-private-gender-clinics-prescribing-puberty-blockers-children.html
I assume you meant precocious puberty, although it’s kind of precious also.
Yes, going too quickly as I am so behind on my deadline. I will make the alteration. Thank you so much for pointing this out.
Hello Northumberland! Good to "hear" You calling!
Another fine roundup of articles for us. You were right. That was a *great* speech by Michael Gove.
And, as always, there is some good news and some bad news. Politics is usually bad news these days. And the Scottish Literary Alliance is more-a the same. But You're very lucky to be banning PB.
Happy Bank Holidays to You and Yours. Paddy is looking exceedingly well, tho I hope not too wet. That was too bad. And, of course, best o' luck on the writing. Looking forward to reading it, after reading Tempted by Her Forbidden Viking in October. Can't wait.
TY, as always, for Your report. Appreciate You.
And I appreciate you. I thought the speech excellent.
I just wish Sunak had held off on the election for about another 12 weeks or so to get some of the messes cleaned up, but this is politics.
I am glad PB are now banned. The RSHE needs to be changed etc. but I guess that will have to wait and parents will have to keep on lobbying.
Excellent speech by Gove. And any “literary” society that seeks to exclude women who speak up for the rights of other women is a laboring under a misnomer. That’s called a hate group.
I was pleased that they did a reverse ferret within hours of the document becoming public knowledge.
A lot that goes on is in the shadows.
I do agree with you about the exclusion of women who speak up for the right of other women as signalling a 'hate group'.
As luck would have it the Sunday Times has an article on the Scottish Green party members who were expelled for saying that biological sex matters and there should be a debate. The Greens appear to have dropped environmental concerns to become the party of omni-cause, but particularly the trans-activist faction. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gender-rebels-expelled-from-scottish-greens-were-treated-like-lepers-vw9n3tbnb or https://archive.ph/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/gender-rebels-expelled-from-scottish-greens-were-treated-like-lepers-vw9n3tbnb
Michelle, new subscriber, first time commenter. Thanks for your interesting recaps in TGIF of life across the pond.
I appreciated Mr Gove’s remarks. He makes good points, but I don’t know if I’m on board with calling an entire movement anti-Semitic. Hypocritical? Certainly.
The left are the masters of deciding what is in someone’s heart and then condemning them for the beliefs they project them as having. I always shudder when we normals do anything that looks like what’s in the left’s playbook.
I think many BDS people are anti-Semitic, as are many anti-Israel protestors. I can’t call an entire movement racist, though. Seems a bridge too far.
It is a hard call and I agree it is open to debate. I do think the end game is the destruction of Israel which is a state dedicated to ensuring the Jews have a place of safety. Something like 95% of Jewish people believe in the necessity of the state of Israel (aka they are Zionists). Thus as the BDS movement targets anyone who is a Zionist, they are targeting 95% of the Jewish people and the vast majority of Jewish owned businesses.
I also certainly think everyone has to make up their own mind on what they want to call it. I really believe in the right of dissent.
One thing I think is interesting is for a number of good reasons Israel is a world leader in cyber security (for example Cyabra is based in Israel). Should massive companies like Disney which are frequent targets of bad actors give up that security?
I am also certain that there are many well meaning people who have not thought deeply about the subject and simply hate the destruction and loss of innocent lives. I do wish more of the 'ceasefire now' or anti-war types would actively condemn Hamas for what they did prior to 7 Oct, for 7 Oct and for what they are doing now (including stealing the humanitarian aid so that it can't be distributed to the starving people). If you haven't already started looking at COGAT's daily updates, it is v interesting to see the numbers going in and the numbers being distributed. https://govextra.gov.il/cogat/humanitarian-efforts/home/
And I am delighted to have you on board. Hopefully you will find things to comment on. I am v much a Mills trident person. The whole idea is to make people think.
Well explained, Michelle. Thank you. 💙
An update on the Literary Alliance Scotland attempt at shadow banning - -they have pulled the article and claimed it 'a mistake'. Magi Gibson says that they knew about it for several days and only did things when the policy paper became common knowledge on twitter (X)
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/6d8c851b-399a-4b7d-815d-9a8fcec5a8fc?shareToken=efbba137ba085e0f51e291b2aecad4da
I didn’t know Kellie Jean King was running. That’s good.
*Keen
Yes I knew she wanted to. I thought she'd be standing against Starmer but against Lloyd R-M is much better. He is the one who crossed the floor to try to intimidate Miriam Cates when she was speaking on women's rights.
This confused me a bit as Lloyd R-M is the MP for Kemptown, Brighton?
All I know is what SEEN in journalism was reporting. https://x.com/JournalismSEEN/status/1793841422308925559
Yes, the confusion comes from in your note as it says he's the MP for Minshull in Surrey?
Apologies.
It doesn't surprise that Gove has gone. I personally think he didn't know about Sunak's snap, crackle and pop because otherwise it would have leaked to the press.
Many years ago, I worked for Intel as a summer job. CMCF -- central mask coating facility which was why they were able to produce the chips more cheaply. There has always been a tie up with Israel.
I have heard tales about the 1970s. I first came over in 1984 during the miner's strike... I don't trust the lot of them. Anyone who wishes to be an MP should be immediately disbarred from standing.