MJ: “Er, what do you know about English self-defence case law and decisions? What exactly? Sweet bugger all.”
TIA: And what do you know about what I know? Sweet bugger all? Yep.
MJ: “Yes, juries’ decisions vary, because they are human beings.”
TIA: Juries decisions vary between countries both because they are human beings–from different cultures–and because the laws differ. (Which they do.)
TIA: For either reason, or a combination, self-defense cases will not always be decided the same way in both countries. For example, good luck getting Tony Martin convicted in Texas. They’d have made him Chief of Police in many small towns in TX. (FYI: Chief of Police is a public law enforcement office like the Sheriff of Nottingham.)
TIA: So, Pundit Joe had a point, although it was overstated.
MJ: “And yours don’t?”
TIA: I never said, implied or intimated that they did. In fact, I said “sweet-bugger-all” about such a claim. (Heh. I like the phrase.)
MJ: “Think OJ Simpson. Look at Jihadwatch and Dhimmiwatch for examples of American capitulation to Muslims on a colossal scale.And you’re about to elect a very Muslim-friendly president.”
TIA: Boy, I’m supposed to defend a lot of positions that I never remotely claimed to have, aren’t I?
TIA: But I will say this while we’re on the subject: I don’t know of any no-go zones for Xians in the US. Certainly none near my home.
MJ: “Pundit Joe did more than “overstate his case”. He got it totally wrong. Out of ignorance, which he at least admitted.”
TIA: His civility is fooling you. Pundit Joe’s probably just humoring you b/c he is polite. One important difference in the US/UK cultures is that rudeness often passes for cleverness in the UK.
MJ: “You, like so many of your fellow countrymen, think you know about the UK and generalise about it. On what evidence?”
TIA: I read your newspapers. I’ve visited many times for both business and pleasure. I worked there. I work with many Brits and former UK residents. I served in the RAF during the Battle of Britain, earning two VCs and losing a leg and the hearing in 3 of my 4 ears. I advised Admiral Jellicoe to pursue the High Seas Fleet at Jutland, but the cautious bastard wouldn’t listen. Charles Dickens bounced his early story ideas off me. Chuck was trying to decide whether “A Tale of Two Cities” should start by claiming that it was the best of times or the worst of times. I suggested a bold compromise. I dunked Lord Nelson’s corpse in brandy after the battle of Trafalgar. I fought on both sides during the English civil war. I wrote Shakespeare’s sonnets while he made gloves. Two queens tried to behead me in the 16th century for being the wrong flavor of Christianity. Battle of Hastings? I missed it b/c I had the flu. Sorry. I held the stone while King Aruther pulled the sword from it. Ever hear the name “Londinium”? I suggested it to the Romans.
TIA: Finally, we certainly don’t “generalise,” but we might “generalize” from time to time.
MJ: “Can you afford to be smug?”
TIA: Of course I can afford it. I buy smugness by the case at the local Wal-Mart. I can get 50 lbs (that’s almost 23 kg, BTW) of smug for $14.99. ($14.99 = 13.2 hectares, I think.)
MJ: “Our newspapers at least shriek with horror when cases like this come up.”
TIA: I will admit that you are very correct here. There is a lot of shrieking. Just not much in the way of change.
MJ: “But self-cricitism – self-knowledge – is healthy. How self-critical is your press?”
TIA: Come on now, you don’t want us to be self-critical. If we were self-critical, we would encroach on the most popular European pasttime, one that predates football, being self-righteously indignant about something America is doing.
TIA: (In all seriousness, I think that the western world in general, and the US and Israel, in particular, are easily the most self-critical nations in the world. That’s not intended to get your goat.)
TIA: Heh. It’s been good chatting with you, MJ. As I said before you began to insult me personally, I admire your courage and wish you luck. That still goes.
TIA: I tried to get this point across in my previous post but maybe it got lost in translation.
TIA: Rae certainly put it more forcefully. I’m glad that you seemed to appreciate her point.
TIA: I would suggest, however, that you (MJ) might be the crankiest person I have come across in a month of Sundays. Lighten up. It’s only our lives and civilization on the line.
TIA: Sweet bugger all, it’s time to say good night.
TIA: Good night, Gracie.
