Locked up again



Scottish Socialist MSP Tommy Sheridan is back behind bars once more as a result of his protests. He refused to pay a fine levied on him by the courts for a trumped up breach of the peace charge. This was the only charge the authorities could use to victimise him and many other peace campaigners. What was their terrible crime? They exercised their legitimate right to peaceful, non violent protest in a democratic nation. The crowd contained many well-known troublemakers such as pensioners and Church of Scotland ministers. So much for the freedom of expression. It seems it is prefectly alright to fight a war to - allegedly - stop the spread of Weapons of Mass Destruction when it suits our governments, but their own citizens expressing their inalienable rights to protests about the vast, awesome arsenal of atomic annihalation our countries possess is a no-no. The Roman trickster god Janus had only two faces - these hypocritical smeggers in power wear more faces than Imelda Marcos did shoes. Good on you, Tommy - I don't agree with everything you say, but you always stand up for what you believe in to the extent you are prepared to go to jail over it time and time again. That level of committment and honesty is something we don't normally see in politicians and should be encouraged.