Could an arms sale ban threaten western democracy? (Picture: Martin Pope/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In today’s MetroTalk a reader has written about what he thinks would happen if the UK were to stop selling arms to Israel, a contentious topic, he says there would be consequences the public haven’t considered.
Meanwhile, another reader responds to JK Rowling’s twitter comments challenging Scotland’s controversial new hate-crime law, where she prompted the police to arrest her and is it up to the people to change the break the two-party duopoly in our political system?
Share what you think about these topics and more in the comments.
Israel vs Iran backed terrorists
Israel is fighting a war against Hamas. Hamas is not only designated as a terrorist entity but was elected in Gaza, with all recent polls showing continued support among Gazans.
Hamas is supported and provided with arms by Iran, who are actively exporting Islamic fundamentalism around the world, including to the UK.
Israel is not only fighting against Hamas, it is being attacked by Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorists in the north and Iran-backed Houthi terrorist rebels in the south. All these groups are dedicated to the destruction of Israel and the killing of its millions of citizens.
Tiny Israel, the only democratic country in the whole of the vast Middle East.
Those calling for the UK to stop selling arms to Israel (and by implication calling for any western country, including the US, to stop selling arms to Israel) are effectively giving the green light to the Iran-backed terrorists – who will continue to be armed by Iran – to destroy Israel and accelerate their export of Islamic fundamentalism to the west.
Those calling for the UK to stop selling arms to Israel, are (mostly inadvertently, I would guess), effectively calling for victory for Iran and the terrorist groups it supports around the world.
We need to stop this insane thinking right now, if we value our western democracies and our way of life. John, Buckinghamshire
METRO TALK – HAVE YOUR SAY
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Are you voting with your money? (Picture: Martin Pope/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
In response to the killing of seven aid workers in Gaza by the Israeli military as it responds to the Hamas attack of October 7, Andrew (MetroTalk, Thu) encourages us to write in protest to the Israeli ambassador.
This is a rather limited reaction when Israel has caused the deaths of thousands of Palestinian civilians, and deliberately destroyed civilian infrastructure in Gaza.
The many of us who are outraged by the suffering of Gazans, and the British government’s inadequate response, would be better off boycotting Israeli products, and spreading this boycott message.
By boycotting, we are bypassing politicians and having a direct impact.
Supporters of the Israeli government might call this ‘antisemitic’ but this is absurd. No one claims sanctions against Russia for its actions in the Ukraine are motivated by racism against Russians.
We are protesting against a government, and to do so is a fundamental right. Kevin, Watford
JK Rowling won’t face police action despite inviting arrest over Scotland’s new hate crime law (Credits: AP)
Thelma and Stella (MetroTalk, Thu) praise JK Rowling for challenging the authorities over Scotland’s new hate-crime law. The Harry Potter author posted that a number of transgender women were men in response to the new crime of ‘stirring up hatred’ relating to age, disability, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity.
She said that if the authorities ‘go after any woman for simply calling a man a man, I’ll repeat that woman’s words and they can charge us both’.
The new law is likely a reaction to JK Rowling (and other transphobes) spreading bigotry about the trans community, including the toxic and nonsensical claim that trans people somehow pose a threat to women’s welfare. They don’t. People have tried to enforce ‘single-sex spaces’ for women and they always end up excluding people who they think look like ‘men’, regardless of chromosomes or genitalia, because there’s no way of knowing. It doesn’t work.
Rowling has picked this fight. Trans and non-binary people are only fighting back because they have to, to preserve their basic rights and personal security.
They don’t want this conflict – they just want simple human dignity and respect, and the right to live their lives in safety and peace. Rob Slater, Norfolk
People power will bring about change! (Or will it, given what people are like?)
We have the power, don’t we? (Credits: Getty Images)
I couldn’t agree more with Simon (MetroTalk, Fri) that we need proportional representation to break the two-party duopoly in our political system.
He says the two main parties will never support it as long as the ‘red or blue gravy trains keep lining the pockets of their respective fat controllers’. We can, though, take heart from New Zealand, which switched from first-past-the-post to PR in the 1990s. Neither of the two main parties wanted PR but the people wanted it and got it thanks to people power.
Throughout history, it has been people power that has won change for the better, such as votes for women and the abolition of the slave trade. Alan Yearsley, Sheffield
Simon asks why ‘we poor plebs’ keep putting up with first-past-the-post.
I’m afraid the reasons is us ‘plebs’ are actually to blame.
In 2011 there was a referendum to change the voting system. It was rejected by two to one.
In 2018, Tory MP Christopher Chope blocked a new law preventing men from filming up women’s skirts without permission, yet the women in his constituency (Christchurch in Dorset) then voted him back in again at the following election. Etc etc.
So, yes, the political system won’t change unless we the people change it – but good luck with persuading them over that. Gary, Birmingham
Who are you calling lazy?
I agree with The Colonel (MetroTalk, Fri) about Metro badmouthing Homer Simpson by calling him a ‘fat slob’. Not only is he an impressive eater, he also puts away a good amount of beer and at the end of the day, still has eyes only for his wife. He is the perfect husband… like me! Martin, South Croydon
I am fed up with people blaming postmen and women for bad service. A customer complained after waiting three weeks for a package I had received for delivery that day. Stop blaming us because the sender hasn’t processed your order in time. Jinx, Kingsbury
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