Flood, fire, Farepak and financial distress

If we ever needed further proof that western governments only care about their wealthy citizens this was it

Sections of Los Angeles are currently ablaze and, keen to help the good folk of the region, the US government has extended aid to the area almost immediately.

Compare that to the plight of the victims of the New Orleans floods. A delayed government reaction. Accusations of looting and rape. No immediate airborne response.

Could that be anything to do with the difference between rich, successful white people and poor, working class black people?

And for those who think the British government are any better, look at the treatment of the Northern Rock and Farepak cases.

Last year thousands of citiznes, who had to save throughout the year for a plentiful Christmas, were devastated by the collapse of Farepak.

The government did nothing. The victims will only receive a few pence out of every pound they saved and will not see any money until 2008.

And the Rock savers got their money guaranteed. The Bank of England put more than £10 billion to help keep the bank afloat.

Surely a few million could have saved Christmas for the Farepak unfortunates.

Lets face it people. It's not what your country can do for you, it's what you can do for your country.

Is freedom of speech suffering a slow death?

Who would have though that freedom of speech was no longer an unalienable right?

First there was the situation in Burma where, although the nation's regime is oppressive, resistance was crushed so violently and so brazenly while the world looked on and did nothing.

Then there was the trouble Copenhagen where left-wing groups, punk rockers and anarchists protested the closure of the Youth House, a popular hang out where concerts and parties were often staged.

Protests in the Danish capital resulted in violence as police prevented protestors from reaching an abandoned building they hoped to make the new Youth House.

More than 400 people were arrested.

And today four members of an anti-war protest group were jailed for their efforts in London.

Hundreds of protestors made the march to Trafalgar Square after police, who had threatened to use a 100 year old law to prevent the demonstration, finally gave in to people power.

Surely, in a world where communication is key, we should not be barred from reaching out to our governments in the most effective way imaginable.

It is strange to think, that in a time where most countries have, or crave, some form of democracy, that the leaders we elect to represent us can repress us by not letting us having the most fundamental of all rights.

The right to stand up and speak our minds.