I'm afraid that I do, since I actually report LGBT issues on occasion.

Actually, we have no idea whether there is "an increase in sexual crimes" or simply an increase in the reporting of sexual crimes or an increase in the interest of the country's mainstream media in sexual crimes (particularly in the black communities) – etc.

There are real issues with rape – including 'corrective rape'

There is still massive poverty too – not helped by South African governments since Mandela following neo-liberal economic approaches, which do absolutely nothing to dent poverty. But the idea that somehow apartheid was somehow an era to look back at with nostalgic longing does rather beggar belief.

I would concur with that based on my experience on the rugby tour. Reminded me of a trip to Madrid and Spain in the eighties when I saw evidence of a fondness for the days under Franco!

We also visited this: [urlhttp://www.voortrekkermon.org.za/[/url which is a monument to the Great Trek the Afrikaners made away from the southern end of SA in order to avoid (amongst other things) the abolition of slavery imposed by the British.

We played a team from an Afrikan's school in Pretoria and the lads went and stayed with the families. The attitude of the school was one of assumed superiority. That is the only way I can describe it. The home visits opened a few eyes as well. Barred electric gates, guard dogs, barred windows etc.

Compared to the first game played v a team from Soweto the contrast could not have been greater in atmosphere and attitude. The team also played games around Cape Town where the Afrikaner influence is much less and that was far better. Still differences in privilege in terms of the schools visited and hard to tell what underlying attitudes were compared to the more or less outright living in the past up north but still much better.

It certainly sounded like you were saying that having the vote and equal rights were responsible for poverty and high crime rates.
If you're not saying that ... then are you blaming crime rates on Mandela? ... or are you saying that it was so much better under apartheid that they should have kept it?

To keep it simple for me ... was getting rid of apartheid and gaining equal rights a good thing or a bad thig?

On my first visit, I got taken to the local bowling club (crown green), where my mother in law (or common-law mother-in-law, to use The Other Half's formula) played. She's a down-to-Earth Yorkshire lass. But of course, she's also white, so was accepted.

Anyway, she wanted to show off her son to her bowling chums.

It was the most extraordinary step back in time. We couldn't go in the main bar, so sat in an odd and nearly deserted other room. And there. we met women in (I guess) their late sixties, who were dressed in the floral prints 1939 in Malaya (I'm thinking [iTenko[/i here), with the lipstick to match.

A fan spun overhead and a large black woman worked quietly in kitchen beyond.

The situation reached utterly surreal levels when one of the women started talking about her son, who had died in a car crash, and whose picture, in his coffin, she carried. Fortunately, common-law father-in-law decided that was enough and we escaped before she could share the picture with us.

If you haven't read those two Tom Sharpe books, BTW, I'd heartily recommend them – very, very funny, in a very, very dark way.

Generally: I would never seek to suggest that there are not problems in that country – but goodness, what country doesn't have them?

Let's also be quite clear – I don't know all the reasons for those problems and some of them may well be connected with cultural issues. But 'culture' has, over history, been changed and is changeable. If it wasn't, we'd all still be living in caves.

And I'd suggest that poverty and lack of opportunity are absolutely crucial here. We know that these things increase crime. We know they increase birthrate. We know they increase all manner of things. This is why meaningful reduction of inequality should be seen as being in the interest of everyone.

You don't have to got that far to experience that, there are still clubs in Yorkshire and North East England where that happens too.

I haven't seen it to that extent, but hey - I'm not disputing it.

At least Cameron can keep out of the limelight over here for a few days when he attends Chavez's funeral. He will be going won't he?

I wish Cameron would go and not come back. Better still he should get in the coffin with Chavez ( Osbourne too ! ) as that'll be good news but then on the other hand I'd feel sorry for Chavez having to share a coffin with Cameron and Osborne.

In theory a good thing - in practise only those who live there can answer, which is why I ask the question?

It is interesting all those lefties on here who crave greater state control and suggest examples of where it benefits everyone yet cry wolf when increased democracy is challenged - hypocritical or what?

Apparently, El Presidente is to be stuffed and mounted, prior to being exhibited in a glass coffin.

I should imagine that is a must see for some on here!

It's interesting to see who comes out of the closet to defend fascist or neo-fascist states.

Whoah there.
Democracy and state control are not opposites.
A government in a democracy can exercise state control.
State control can exist without democracy (e.g. Dictatorship).

Cretins like Sarah Palin and the Tea Party would disagree.

Just imagine what it'd have been like had she become VP and then if anything happened to John McCain she became the the President !

Watch [iIron Sky[/i.

Is that the Nazis on the moon film ?

Oh-ho ... McCain would have had his chips !



I've waited so long to use that.

Yes.

And great fun it is too.

It was a masterstroke from McCain.

Had he been elected, he would have been virtually unkillable. WTF would have assassinated McCain, knowing that Palin would take over?

nah, facsists go round telling people what to do and label people. Oh hold on.

Seems like your definition of "fascist" isn't the same as mine.

It's the sort of wishy-washy, technically inaccurate use of the word that waters down its real meaning, don't you think?

scumbag, the world is better without him

Yeah, raising millions of people out of poverty and giving them the healthcare and education they never had before.
Total scumbag.