At Large
Back With a Vengeance
The British government returns to the nation’s bedrooms.
(Page 2 of 2)
Note that there was no evidence, or even suggestion, that the home had actually discriminated against homosexuals, or that there were not homosexuals among those who refused to participate, even allowing for the fact that the elderly residents might well have not been sexually active anyway. The mere fact they — the residents — had not wished to answer the question was apparently construed as evidence of guilt.
The council also claimed that the home had resisted using images of elderly homosexuals, bisexuals and transgender people in its leaflets, and, with the greasily-gross Brezhnev-speak increasingly common among British local authorities, stated: “The Government specifically states the home must be open to the gay and lesbian community and that it must demonstrate this to qualify for funding. In the absence of any willingness to do this, funding has been withdrawn.” If other public authorities feel obliged to act in the same way, many residents of old people’s homes may be forced to either disclose details of their sexuality to government snoopers or find themselves on the streets.
Even in the days of the Henry VIII, who first outlawed homosexuality, or of Cromwell and the Puritans, or of the prosecution and jailing of Oscar Wilde, people minding their own business and leading their own lives had not been forced to make such disclosures.
It has also been announced that from now on the Office for National Statistics will routinely ask people about their “sexual identity” in every household survey it conducts. It will be interesting to see if the present Archbishop of Canterbury has anything to say about a sacred realm of privacy into which the law must not intrude, or the preservation of freedom, self-respect and responsibility.
About the Author
Hal G.P. Colebatch’s “Immram,” Counterstrike, is being published by Australian publisher Imaginites.
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frost| 1.5.09 @ 9:14AM
Personally, I don't care at all about a person's preferences (two of my finest employees just happened to be gay) - - BUT, this is yet another wonderful illustration as to why a certain British grandfather (Richard Starkey, AKA Ringo Starr) said: "Anything the government touches turns to (crap, 'cept he utilized the vernacular that is usually deemed unprintable)." Nailed it, 'ay?
Dan Schwartz | 1.5.09 @ 10:38AM
At first blush, one is sympathetic to both Pilgrim Homes as well as the residents.
However, the old-age home is in fact suffering from a much larger symptom: Sucking at the government's teat, and not (as is common here in America), relying solely on privately raised funds, as many Christian institutions. This is, in part, due to the British (and European) socialist mindset that only the state, and not private charity, should fund social services.
Because of this mindset, it's the British and Europeans who donate so little to charity, justified to themselves by relying on taxation and government bureaucrats (& government-funded NGO's) to salve their souls.
Pilgrim Homes' funding cut-off was of their own mismanagement, in relying solely on the Government for funding without securing alternate private charitable contributions.
American institutions are, too, subject to rules when they accept federal funding: During his confirmation hearings for Chief Justice, John Roberts talked about this very issue, equating rules attached to federal funding as no more than perfectly valid contract law. In other words, if you want the money, these strings attached are not optional.
I feel very bad for the residents of Pilgrim Homes; but I fault the rot of European Christianity in general, and the Church of England in particular, for the supplication to the state of compassionate charitable giving.
Ray| 1.5.09 @ 11:17AM
Yet another reason politically correctness must be wiped out. This sort of thing is the death of freedom.
Marc Jeric| 1.5.09 @ 3:32PM
This talk about political correctness reminded me of my young days in that communist country where I grew up. Every block of apartment buildings in the city had a so-called "block committee", usualy headed by a politically reliable janitor, which had the duty to a) spy on residents for any unapproved political activity or talk, and b) approve or discontinue the right of a family to inhabit their apartment (you see, all apartment buildings were confiscated by the government without comprensation). So I was warned by my parents to watch my language outside the apartment and not to cause our expulsion. Now that was the real political correctness at its best!
Alan Brooks| 1.5.09 @ 6:56PM
right, Frost, the quote i believe is from the Hunter Davies bio.
Ian Sandeman| 1.9.09 @ 1:27PM
The more publicity that can be given to the effects of all the so-called "equality" regulations introduced by the present British Government and the homosexual ministers and lackeys within it and its departments, the better.
Everyone is now equal except those who disagree with these policies which are breaking down the cohesion of British society.
These people couldn't care less about the old people in Pilgrims Home in Brighton - they can be thrown out into the street unless the management of the home dances to the homosexual/lesbian lobby's tune.
Maggs| 1.11.09 @ 6:34AM
scandalas and very frightening.
I bet there was no place on the form though for celibacy, or we could put N/A if we are sexually inactive
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