Fake man on top

5 November

Religious hatred is strong here in our country my friends, and I’m not just talking about anti-Islam either. Today November 5 and is the day many of us celebrate Guy Fawkes Night. How many of us remember the reasoning behind it and of why we stick a funny little man on top of our bonfires I wonder? Then allow me to remind you. In 1605 Guy Fawkes was caught in the cellars under the House of Lords preparing to blow the House up, along with King James in an attempt to restore a Catholic monarch to the throne. After 400+ years, I would have hope we didn’t need to do this anymore. It’s time this one was finally ended in my mind.

However, such an attempt would seen as treason in Ulster I fear. Every July 12 sees the start of the Marching season where protestant marchers makes their way through the streets of towns and cities, drums beating and banners flying. This is to mark the victory of William of Orange over James II at the Battle of the Boyne. This fight was more about Protestants and Catholics than anything else. Since then, Ireland has seen a lot of conflict over the years with Ulster seeing more open warfare during the so-called ‘Troubles’ in the 1970s-90s before Blair managed to bring about some sort of agreement and an end to the open fighting.

So religious hatred is nothing new and shouldn’t really be a surprise to us and yet we are. We shake our heads at how one Islamic group slaughters other Islamic groups and perhaps even say, ‘We don’t that here at least.’ It’s easy to point our fingers abroad and forget that it’s the same here in the UK but not seen as openly as in the East. How sad is that! For most people the reason behind November 5 is forgotten, if they ever knew that is. Now it’s just another excuse for a huge piss-up and for spending even more cash which we are told most people can’t afford anyway. Oh dear …

Today’s photo …

Kile with a butterfly

Today’s not-so-funny …

Who had a bushy tail and was executed for trying to blow up Parliament?
Guy Fox.