OUR BASIC HUMAN RIGHT IS FREEDOM, freedom of expression and choice without discrimination. We punish and invade impoverish and Middle Eastern countries who do not obey these rights, yet in a growing number of European world powers have forgotten such rights.  French Muslim women are now forbidden to wear the Burqa with anti-Burqa campaigns reaching Belgium, Italy and Spain. Even here there is talk of such right being abolished for some Muslim women. You would be wrong to think such view in recent days was from the BNP leader Nick Griffen. In fact it came from our coalition government by Conservative MP Phillip Hollobone who expressed support for similar measures in this country.

After all, we have been through has a society, war have after war trying to win equality for those oppressed have we just merely given up to the pressure of standing up to what is right or wrong. Some would state that this due to globalisation that has caused an east and west divide. This has lead to us becoming “Islamophobic” like in societies before when we were all anti-black and anti-Jewish? This is something I highly doubt.  Or maybe it could be considered that due to globalisation there is a crisis of national identity. What does seem likely considering in Britain if you are patriotic you’re stereotyped to be skinhead and a member of the BNP party?

Others clearly state that it is just a human mechanism to target a small minority in society when things go wrong like Hitler did with the Jews. As in France there are only 2,000 women who actually wear the Burqa.  One can suggest that this is highly plausible because Islam is an easy card play like the Jewish faith was in the 1930s.  This can be further emphasised by the black mugging in Britain during the 1970’s and 1980’s because of a recession there was inner city unrest and strikes, the mugging problem was amplified by the government even though it was only small scale. This distracted the British public of wider social issues as many called for tougher immigration security. This may sound familiar and credible as many argue that this is exactly what is happening in France currently.   They have already seen inner city unrest and large scale riots and with the French government preparing further harsh pension cuts, it can be seen as winning political strategy to bring about anti-Burqa laws. Also it is curious to note that the Burqa ban in Belgium is the only thing the Belgium government can decided on since it has been unable to form a government or even deal with the financial crisis.

In France like many other European countries Muslim women are the poorest in society with many deluding themselves to believe this is the result of the Burqa, However, many women who wear the Burqa wear it by choice and feel liberated. In Egypt there is an increasing number of female intellectuals’ who are choosing to wear the Burqa.  Personally, I have not tried it but should the French government be helping these women instead of taking away their freedom of choice away.

There is always going to be mixed feeling towards the Burqa but as a diverse society should we be more excepting or should there be a limit on choice and freedom.

In today’s society we have merely become a generation that believes that females should stay young forever with consent bombardment by both broadcasting and print media for anti-ageing creams, lotions and tips. Some-one whom hasn’t conformed to such obsession is Julie Andrews.

Julie Andrews is well known for her lead roles as Maria in the Sound of Music and Mary Poppins. Julie Andrews has certainly climbed every mountain; an on screen legend and a key inspiration for me and many others whom have been fans for decades. Like many other stars of the era she has merely become a larger and life representation of an array of different contemporary clinches. For some she is a symbol of old fashioned goody-goody showbiz, for others she represents a lost generation of virtue and kindness, then again for quite a few she is a much-loved gay icon. For me she is a glamorous, glorious and graceful lady whom made me love musicals.

She has now become a representation of something altogether less glamorous and glorious with the media tarnish her long anticipated comeback; an evening with Julie Andrews. The Sunday Telegraph called it a “theatrically tragic spectacle”. The Guardian found it “creaky” and “cheesy”, dismissing the second half as “dismayingly indulgent”. Meanwhile, London’s Evening Standard conceded the veteran diva’s “hunger to perform was certainly admirable, but the musical rations were nowhere near satisfying”. The Daily Mirror quipped “How do you solve a problem like getting your money back after a Julie Andrews concert?”

In all fairness, what else could they expect? Julie Andrews never concealed her on going voice problems that was damaged by an operation 13 years to remove a polyp from her vocal cords and was carefully entitled as an ‘An Evening with Julie Andrews’ and that’s what they got.

One can suggest that this is merely the society we live in today a world of fantasy. Ageing women in the media spot light are expected to stay young forever with perfect hair shiny, smooth skins and trim figures such as Terri Hatcher. Whereas male mature stars like Bob Dylan, Bruce Forsyth and Meatloaf are allowed to forget words, wheeze, moan and mime through performances but women stars like Julie Andrews are expected to remain clear-voiced as they were 50 years ago.

The years of the real old glamorous showbiz were we would applaud real; ageing women and talented actress with the likes of Julie Andrews, Audrey Hepburn, and Kate Winslet have been destroyed. We are now a spectacular society that likes to see fake naked girls win Oscars.

Like most eighteen year olds I am waiting for my A-level exam results. There is so much anticipation and worry of waiting for exam results, but the most worrying thing is not if I have done enough, well maybe part of it, but it is the exam grade boundaries because the labour government are trying to cut down on people gaining A/B’s because A-level’s have become ‘too easy’. Tell that to any student “Your grade A or B is not worth as much because it is so easy to get that grade.” Yeah right. How much effort and tears are put into A-levels hoping you get the grade? In any case A-levels are getting more difficult. (more…)