The Pope’s Popeing In

Image: Guardian

My parents were married 40 years ago today. On 16th September, 1970, they married in Mount Florida Parish Church on the south side of Glasgow. Three years later they had me, two after that my sister, Fiona, and then in 1979 they had Binny. I bet they feel old. Not half as old as me, mind you. Not only can I say my parents are today celebrating their Ruby anniversary, but I’m also on the slippery slope to 40 AND my old pop will be hitting 70 next year. Time waits for no-one.

So—HAPPY ANNIVERSARY folks! Enjoy the concert and meal at the Schoenbrunn Palace in Vienna!

In other news, yesterday started off wild and windy. I looked out my winter coat and even wore a t-shirt under my work shirt because it gets so cold in our office. By lunchtime the sun had come out and the wind had dropped to a paltry breeze. That’s Scotland for ye!

You wouldn’t believe the amount of road closures and upheaval the population of Scotland’s central belt is being subjected to because the Pope is coming to town, not to mention the cost. In Edinburgh alone, despite having had £20 million cut from the council’s budget we’re spending £20 million on making sure his brief visit here goes without a hitch. It’s a farce.

As I said in earlier posts, if he comes out and publicly apologises for the sickening behaviour of his underlings against children and revisits the Catholic Church’s position on abortion, condoms and gay rights, then I might just think it to be have been worth it.

I caught a glimpse of Prince Street on the BBC news earlier this morning and it was a very strange sight to see it so devoid of traffic and the usual hoards of pedestrians. That said, even though I left for work half an hour earlier, there wasn’t any difference to my journey. I’m sure that will change once the crowds build up and the traffic backs up. By the time I leave the office, though, it will hopefully all have dissipated. I would have liked to have gone up to cover the event from a Twitter/research capacity but that’s the way it goes. I would probably have centered my attention on the protests, but I’m sure I’ll see plenty about it on the news later on.

Some of the stuff I’m reading about this visit is incredible. For example, the Pope’s entourage have said they are going to inject some badly needed faith into the core of British society. Who the fuck are they to judge us and come out with statements like that?Now, I’m the first to admit Britain is a bad way in some areas, but I’m not going to take lectures on faith and the ills of our society from the very people who were responsible for trying to cover up the biggest case of child abuse in the past two centuries, who try to wash over the Holocaust like it never happened, who say that all abortion is wrong, who are blatantly sexist and who are anti-gay.

Britain is a nation of free people; free to think what we like, say what we want and do as we wish (within the boundaries of the law). We can’t say the same about Mr. Pope and his religion, though, can we?

The Prime Minister said the Pope will get a warm welcome from us? Not while he’s coming out with shite like that he won’t. Personally, I can’t wait to see the back of his head.

The bottom line is that most people in Scotland and the UK do not want him here. He does not deserve to be here on a State visit for his position on many moral issues, and we, the taxpayer, should not be footing out to have him here. In my opinion, Her Majesty should not be receiving him—unless, that is, she is planning to give him a piece of her mind. Bravo, Ma’am if you are.

Overheard on the bus from Leith this morning: “Someone said there’s a bloke in a white robe and pointy hat coming to town. I never knew the K.K.K. were so popular here in Scotland.”

I spent last night working on my GREENER manuscript. I was tired, though so didn’t push it too hard, because although I felt I was doing good work I suspected I wasn’t on top form. I’m even more tired today and have a frontal lobe headache. Not good. Maybe this coffee will help.

If you’re a Neil Gaiman (@NeilHimself) fan check this one out. He’s offering to follow you on Twitter, retweet you, phone you up at your house and read a poem or short-short story to you. You have to bid for the honour, which you can find the bidding link here.

Have a good one people.