Oh, For God's Sake... (No. 1 in a no doubt infinite series)

Apparently, Cherie Blair was "investigated" by police after "motioning to slap" a 17-year-old boy at a school sports event in Scotland over the weekend. Eventually, it was taken no further, but that's hardly the point, is it? As much as I might personally dislike the Blairs, is it just me who finds this particular incident risible?

It seems as if this is the country we have become: fussy, interfering, do-gooding and pedantic. It's clear that this was just some playful banter during a social event, but some officious tossbag has taken it upon themselves to report the incident to plod, who themselves are likely to be fairly peeved at having to deal with such a piddling, trivial complaint. And so it proved, although the hand-wringers still bleated that the proper procedures had been followed and that the investigation had been entirely right and proper. Couillons, as the French might say.

It seems as if everywhere we turn, there is always some overbearing and clumsy attempt to control our behaviour by some overbearing, pathetic numpty who thinks they are duty-bound to regulate the public's morals and actions, believing they are stemming a tide of immorality and filth. Mary Whitehouse has an awful lot to answer for, because I think this is the source of this particular British affliction. Why the obsession with preventing all of these so-called thought crimes, or is it just that when people are allowed to think and speak freely they're dangerous?

And while we're at it: Pope Benedict XV (Oh, the sweet irony of that name now!). Congratulations that man. At first, I though he'd buckled under the weight of a hypersensitive mob outcry, but no!. He was "deeply sorry for the reactions" but not for what he actually said. A number of Islamic groups were unhappy about this. Tough luck. I didn't see any apologies from the guy shown on TV news over the weekend calling The Pope and all Catholics "infidels". Alright, it has a specfic meaning, but that's fairly offensive too. Also, the arrogance of some demanding that the Pope demand forgiveness from an Imam or to study the teachings of the Qu'ran or some other such nonsense. Who gave any of you a direct line to God? Why don't you all just shut up?

For something that is supposed to provide spiritual nourishment and a means of seeking meaning tolife and the world, isn't it amazing just how much trouble religion can cause?