France has a new president today. Emmanuel Macron, the youngest leader since Napoleon Bonaparte. How’d that one work out?? I wonder how, in future years, history will remember Macron. Whether as a great leader or just reduced to a psychological ‘complex’ like the previous young geezer. I hope the former, I like Macron. He’s ‘different’ enough to ride the wave of ‘populism’ because he’s never held an elected role before and he’s a perfect ‘centrist’ in a world of growing extremism. Political extremism rather than religious, in this instance.

Because in my (really simple, often malfunctioning, sometimes purely pathetic) mind, voters are split into four. So you have 25% fairly hard right wingers, 25% red-flagging lefties and then 50% in the middle split between ‘centre-left’ and ‘centre-right’. And real progress generally comes from the centrists because they’re more politically flexible and tolerant. The ‘hard’ parties can only extend their support by either becoming weaker in their stance, or by finding hate-figures that everyone’s a bit nervous about and using that fear/jealousy/xenophobia as a tool to move voters along the spectrum. Hitler did it with Jews, Marine Le Pen does it with immigrants and the EU, Trump did it with ‘Mussslims’ and building walls, Corbyn does it with ‘the rich’.

Which creates a culture of hate. Which is why the French used that word so often when talking of sweet Marine. She tried to get as many people hating immigrants as she could. Unfortunately, her work is not finished. She never expected to win the election and, like Hitler, she’s very clever. She’s content to have a fairly large controlling interest in the opposition and is already preparing for 2022. So Macron really had better be really really good.

Meanwhile, over in Ireland, they want to prosecute ‘national treasure’ Stephen Fry. For blasphemy. Yes, Ireland. Not Saudi Arabia, not Pakistan but the Republic of Ireland. Because in a radio interview 2 years ago he slagged off God. But like, really slagged off God. Albeit in his beautifully eloquent and deep bass way. You can hear it on youtube. He’s merely voicing an opinion. Along with anyone else enjoying ‘freedom of speech’. Yet police in Ireland want to ‘speak to him about what he said’. Why? Its on youtube. He won’t deny he said it. Can’t really, cos he did say it. And probably proudly too. So do they want him to deny he meant it? To retract it? Or basically, are they just stalling because the entire nation is looking more and more ridiculous and stupid as the process continues? They should either issue some kind of Catholic ‘fatwa’ on him or just go away. He can say what he likes. He’s a national treasure.

Happy Monday

A xxxx