Uganda's proposed Anti-Human Rights Bill

An unspeakably vile piece of legislation proposed in 2009 is now back on the table again for President Museveni to pass .. or not.

This was originally put together back in 2009 and makes horrific reading - to see what's entailed if it passes into law just download this short 4 page PDF written by Uganda's Civil Society Coalition on Human Rights and Constitutional Law.

If you think it's as barbaric as I do, then please sign All Out's petition to be part of something that will hopefully stop this hideous bill again.

How many guns do they need?

Mitt Rommney, current US presidential hopeful, said last night:

And our military — we’ve got to strengthen our military long- term. We don’t know what the world is going to throw at us down the road. We — we make decisions today in a military that — that will confront challenges we can’t imagine. 

In the 2000 debates there was no mention of terrorism, for instance. And a year later, 9/11 happened. So we have to make decisions based upon uncertainty. And that means a strong military.

It's sobering to be reminded of the USA's military expenditure in 2010:

And Iran isn't even listed! But then, you can never have too much stuff ... 

The Drugs Don't Work ...

We recently had some nonsensical and contradictory comments from Justice Secretary Alan Clarke on the UK Government's Drug Strategy:

We've engaged in a war against drugs for 30 years. We're plainly losing it. We have not achieved very much progress.

and

We are disappointed by the fact that, apart from making progress, it can be argued we are going backwards at times.

This of course is no surprise to anyone who thinks about it for a while and is not blinkered by the idea that, no matter what, drugs must remain illegal. When something is illegal it cannot be regulated and so quality of the drugs people are using can't be checked (for spiked or deadly mixtures) and there can be no offer of any useful education or treatment until things are pretty bad for the individual, to name just some of the problems.

Clarke opined:

We keep trying every method we can to get on top of one of the worst social problems in the country and the single biggest cause of crime. (my bold)

Well, not every method, clearly, because he also states:

The government has no intention whatever of changing the criminal law on drugs.

So, there you have it. Basically, the government's policy is ... to continue with the approach that by Clarke's own admission has failed for 30 years. Mind you, drugs policy would not be alone in that.

Last year on the Cannabis Law Reform web site a statement from the Labour Party was reprinted:

On drugs, our message is clear: we will not tolerate illegal drug use.

Yet another area where Labour and Tory are in agreement then, given that Labour have no plans to change their illegality. The Lib Dems, to their credit, have a sensible approach and naturally, the Green Party takes a mature and realistic approach to drug use.

This is the whole BBC item.

A better world ...

I know, I will post something soon about a wonderful recent tour around the Tiptree marmalade fountains soon but for now here's a rather pithy cartoon: