I had an interesting email in my in-box last night. It was from the letters editor of the Sunday Times. He had read my letter about the death threat made to Jeremy Clarkson by an MP (previous blog) with interest, and was sorry my views had not made it to their pages. He also hoped that I had read the ones which had.
It is now old news, at least in the news media sense, so I have no illusions that my reply to him will be published, but that's what blogs are for:
"As to the selection, yes, I did see it. Some robust defences of the fact of man's contribution to the fact of global warming (with which I have significant sympathy), and a rebuttal of sorts that was only to be expected from Mr. Challen."
Sadly, I still remain unclear as to whether he actually asked for Mr. Clarkson to be killed, though I noted there was no denial in his reply of this claim.
For an MP to do so seemed especially shocking, and the lack of attention paid to this perplexing. Maybe his boss is still coping with being investigated for being rude about the Welsh, and the police more preoccupied with women reading out casualty lists? I know which sounds like the greatest 'threat'.
But mainly I remain concerned that the interests of the future are being dominated by those whose agendas err on the extreme, and whose methodologies I believe will do more harm than good to the cause of persuading - in a civilised manner - such folk as Jeremy to change their views and/or ways.
I do wonder if I will ever find out if an elected Member of Parliament did make a statement that I can only suppose would constitute a hate crime, or even a legally-enforceable threat, much less see him taken to task for doing so.
At least it may have served to stop our Jezza suggesting (again, I seek confirmation), if in jest, daft notions that troublesome cyclists should be rid of by being ridden over. Who knows what impressionable person may take this as an instruction from on high.
With great power comes great responsibility, guys! Did history... or Spiderman... teach us nothing?
