BRAVERY MAKES A DIFFERENCE

The bravery of the mother, who reported her two sons to the police for attacking and beating up a man on a night out, proves that justice can prevail even in though situations.

 

The brothers now jailed for two years, attacked a father of two outside a takeaway shop on a night out, and left the man forever blind in one eye. When the attackers mother, found out about her sons criminal and abusive behaviour, she made the difficult decision to report her own sons to the police.

 

Carol Saldinack explained today to the BBC, that if the situation was reversed: “I would want to know why or who did this and for what reason and to be punished for what they have done…We can all turn a blind eye to situations in our lives and that’s what’s wrong with everybody now. We are teaching our children that it’s ok to do this and it’s wrong.” She also said that by keeping quiet that would make her just as guilty as her sons were. 

 

This brave mother clearly has made sacrifices and even received threats from her oldest son, saying: “Mother, if you say anything else to the police, it won’t necessarily be me, but you might not wake up in your bed one morning.”

 

But this woman isn’t selfish, and she did what she did out of love for her children who clearly needed some moral guidance, and a lesson teaching them that violence is never acceptable. But unfortunately Carol Saldinack is right in saing that no one really cares anymore.

 

We are living in a self-centred society where we are only looking after our self, and turn a blind eye to everything that happens around us because we don’t want to get involved. But things can only change if we all get involved. It is about time someone put their foot down and proved that it is possible, even for parents to take a stand against the violent ‘youth’ culture in Britain. Just because you love your child doesn’t mean you have to accept everything they do!

SCOTLAND…WAKEUP

The recent ‘fuel crisis’ feared in Scotland, after workers at Grangemouth refinery went on a 48 hour strike at the end of April, created an uprising of angry citizens complaining about the workers not taking the consequences of the strike into consideration.

 

The striking workers were trying to save the pension plans offered to themselves and future workers, and it was the first strike seen at the refinery in 73 years. This attitude reflect a selfishness among the Scottish people for not supporting the workers, particularly since the reality of the ‘fuel crisis’ seemed more like an exaggeration to gain sympathy and anger towards the workers.  

 

I myself was actually looking forward to this ‘fuel crisis’. I was looking forward to having fewer cars around and being forced to walk to University in the morning. Although, I don’t think too many people share my romantic view.

 

Still, to put things into perspective, the Scottish people’s reaction to the strikers has shocked me and it was with disbelief that I heard the various comments made. The Federation of Small Business in Scotland said to the Sunday Mail: “This is terrible news for Scottish small businesses. A reliable fuel supply is the least you can expect from a country as oil rich as Scotland.”

 

And that really is the case. The fuel crisIs never seemed that serious and the only think that potentially created a problem was the panic buying.

And, at least in Scotland people can panic buy.The BBC reported on Monday that the UN had to suspend its food supply to the Gaza strip for the second time in a month because of low fuel supply.

 

BBC wrote: “Chronic fuel shortage in the Gaza strip were hampered by a strike by Gaza’s fuel distributors and petrol station owners.”

 

This is a serious fuel crisis as more then 80percent of Gaza’s population relies on humanitarian assistance and a high proportion of them are children. This fuel crisis affects people that don’t even have access to food and I doubt it is caused by selfish panic buying.

 

I say it is time for the Scottish people to wake up and support their workers and be grateful for living in a country where people can gain positive bargaining results through strike action. Worst case scenario the public will get an extra day off work if the fuel supply does run out and I think the people on the Gaza strip would gladly change positions if that was the level of consequence.   

VOTE FOR CHANGE

Although ‘vote for change’ has been central to the campaigns of both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, the latest comment from Clinton may suggest the opposite.

 

When asked in a television interview with ABC last week, how she would respond as a future President, if Iran launched a nuclear attack on Israel, she replied:

 

“If I was the President, we will attack Iran…We would be able to totally obliterate them.”

 

The comment has been criticised for being irresponsible and insensitive and it seems though doubtful that Mrs Clinton shares the diplomatic abilities of her husband.

 

As the ‘vote for change’ campaigns continues this might indicate desperation from Clinton who is still behind Obama by 131 delegates, and we can ask whether her latest comment is a last attempt in increasing her support base which has mainly contained women, by speaking the language Americans know, War!

 

Through the election campaign I have been rooting for Hilary as her experience and relationship with Europe gave me hope the she was the right candidate to continue her husband’s diplomatic work.

 

Also the ideological conviction she had in relation to the failed but still highly inspirational medical campaign in the mid 1990s showed signs of strength, a woman who cares about the weaker in society and is not willing to compromise her ideological conviction. Now I am not so sure…