FESTIVE DECORATIONS BEING TAKEN DOWN

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Festive decorations being taken down

The Christmas decorations in Leicester are being taken down and put away for another year.

City council workers have started removing hundreds of bulbs strung across the city's busiest shopping streets. Work is expected to be complete early this week.

The council has, however, kept a Christmas tree in Town Hall Square illuminated for members of Eastern Orthodox churches who celebrated Christmas at the weekend.

A council spokesman said: "The Christmas tree in Town Hall Square will remain illuminated until January 10 for Eastern rites."

He said Horsefair Street would be closed for a period today so decorations could be removed.

I took the photo at the top of Gallowtree Gate, early evening, Tuesday 11 January.

SHIA MUSLIMS IN RELIGIOUS PROCESSION TO MARK TRAGEDY

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Shia Muslims in religious procession to mark tragedy

Hundreds of Shia Muslims took part in a religious procession yesterday to mark Muharram, the month of mourning.

Men, women and children wore black as a symbolic display of grief over the slaying of the Prophet Mohammed's grandson, Imam Husayn, whose death is thought to be one of the most tragic events in Islamic history.

The procession set off from the Masjid-Al-Husayn Shia Muslim mosque near Uppingham Road, North Evington, with devotees carrying a banner which read "Husayn, The Defender of Human Rights".

Members of the Islamic group beat their chests to symbolise grief at the martyrdom of Imam Husayn. People also distributed leaflets and recited eulogies.

One of the organisers, Onali Ismail, said this year marked the 22nd anniversary of the event taking place in the city.

He said: "The Shias of the world have mourned and lamented the death of Imam Husayn year after year since the event of Karbala, over 1,300 years ago.

"They lament in their love for their imam but also to keep alive his message of always supporting the truth and never bowing down to falsehood."

OUR CHERISHED RIGHTS HAVE BEEN THE RESULT OF A LONG STRUGGLE

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Our cherished rights have been the result of a long struggle

Michael Myers (Mailbox, December 29) seems to be mainly concerned over my assertion (First Person, December 11) that "we are a country that belongs to all who live here and where all share equally in deciding its future".

Of course we already have a culture, a good one, and this is important; but it is also important to note that we have fought for it, forged it, and improved it over the centuries, and that a driving perception has been that we all count equally and share equally in taking it further.

So I make my assertion, agreeing with St Thomas Aquinas ("It is through culture that man lives a truly human life."), V S Naipaul ("if a man picks himself up and comes to another country he must meet it halfway"), and especially with Colonel Rainsborough at the Putney Debates, 1647: "...for really I think that the poorest he that is in England hath a life to live, as the greatest he; and therefore truly, Sir, I think it's clear, that every man that is to live under a government ought first by his own consent to put himself under that government; and I do think that the poorest man in England is not bound in a strict sense to that government that he hath not had a voice to put himself under..."

And please note that the Putney Debates started in St Mary's Church simply because it was convenient. These were secular debates before the General Council of the Army. The demands were political demands from the soldiers addressed to the establishment and the landowners.

We should be teaching our children about the struggle that has gone on to get the rights that we value.

A good overview is the excellent website from the British Library, 2008 exhibition, "Taking Liberties".

Allan Hayes, Leicester

CITIZENS' EYE 2012 PROGRAMME LAUNCH

At The Crumblin' Cookie this evening, for a party launching Citizens' Eye's 2012 programme. Preparatons continue apace for their coverage of the Olympics and Paralympics later this year, that will see Leicester the biggest media hub outside London.

THIS WEEK'S VISITORS (1,208)

Regular update on the number of pageviews received from different parts of the world in the week just ending.

1. United Kingdom 641
2. United States 164
3. Russia 156
4. Gemany 61
5. India 47
6. France 40
7. Ukraine 30
8. Canada 25
9. South Korea 16
10. Myanmar 8

This week's total: 1,208 (last week: 1,096). These are aggregates of figures from the top ten countries only. Blogger's stats software doesn't show me numbers of pageviews below the tenth-ranking country.

The world map at the top of this post is the graphic that I see on the stats page. The darker the green, the more pageviews from that country. I can see different versions of that map for "now" (i.e. in the last two hours), "today", "this week", "this month" and "all time" (which seems to mean the last 12 months). They're updated each time I look at them.

LEARNING ABOUT BENE ISRAEL

This evening I attend an informal talk by Leon Charikar, President of the Leicester Progressive Jewish Congregation, on the Jewish communities of Mumbai: the Bene Israel.

According to folklore there has been a Jewish Community in the rural Mararashtra for over 2000 years.

• Where did they come from?
• By what means did they arrive in the west of India?
• How did they survive and maintain their identity?
• Did they keep kosher, did they observe the festivals?
• How did they dress and what work did they do?
• How did they live and work alongside other religions and cultures around them?
• What is their relationship to other Jews who came to other parts of India at different times?
• What part did they play in the history and development of India?
• How has their community fared in the modern world?

Leon's presentation considers these questions, sifts legend and myth from history and fact, and describes his own family connections to the Bene Israel. Before this evening, I knew little more than that this community existed; I learned a little bit when researching my presentation, "How Diverse is Leicester?" for An Indian Summer at Phoenix Square in June last year (see my blog entry for that occasion). I find the whole thing fascinating. The photo above is of the interior of a synagogue in Mumbai.

KNOWING AND RESPECTING THE BELIEFS OF OTHERS

Allan Hayes's First Person column appears in today's  Leiceester Mercury:

Knowing and respecting the beliefs of others

Allan Hayes, of Leicester Secular Society, looks forward positively to 2012

The New Year looks hopeful for the improvement of relations between religions and beliefs. In the past year much more effort has been put into trying to understand one another, into working together and creating an idea of humanity that we can all share and contribute to – what Giles Fraser in this week's Sunday programme called a "big story". This does not mean that serious differences will not be discussed robustly and frankly – they must be – what it does mean is that they will be discussed more in a spirit of co-operation, contribution and accommodation rather than combat and confrontation.

At bottom it means that we will meet one another as people to be respected and listened to. I find that some of the people I now most look forward to meeting again are ones with beliefs different from mine – there is a deep pleasure in sharing humanity.

Here are some recent personal highlights:

A "Challenging RE!" day, with 200 secondary school pupils at Holy Trinity Church was a revelation – young people from a all backgrounds sharing views about what mattered to them; a visit to Gateway school organised by St Philip's Centre during which I was vigorously challenged about my beliefs by pupils; exchanges of views at the Leicestershire Interfaith Forum at County Hall; several events organised by Muslim groups; talking to St Philip's Christian-Muslim discussion group and their subsequent visit to the Secular Hall; the continuing and rewarding involvement with Christians Aware; a very pleasant visit to the Gujarat centre in Preston. Probably the most demanding work, but in many ways the most useful and rewarding, was the preparation of a display on humanism at the invitation of a local primary school.

Two books should be mentioned as looking for understanding and mutual benefit: the first one, out in a few weeks, Religion for Atheists, by Alain de Botton (himself an atheist), tells us that religions are good at some things to do with life and, rather cheekily, that atheists should steal from them. It goes some way to meeting my criticism that humanism needs to be more human – a view that came home to me very much in designing the humanist display referred to above.

The second one by the Vicar of the University Church, Oxford, Canon Brian Mountford is entitled Christian Atheist: it is very sympathetically dealt with in a Westminster Abbey sermon by the Rev Robert Reiss, Canon in Residence; it is of great interest to me as a trustee of the Sea of Faith Network, many members of which might accept the description "Christian Atheist".

Some people may find these developments disturbing. I suggest that they need not: for the more we know and respect one another as people the more we can respect one another's choices of belief. So, things are looking up – but do please think about the effect of faith schools.

PHILOSOPHY IN PUBS

It's the first Wednesday of the month (first Wednesday of the year, even) and that means the regular meeting of Philosophy in Pubs (PIPS). Seventeen of us gather upstairs in the Crumblin' Cookie on the High Street. There were nine of us last month. Five of those attending this evening have come for the first time.

Our stimulus this evening is a quotation found on the website of the Holocaust Education Trust: "When we understand where prejudice leads, we can stop it in its tracks."

When I've been talking about PIPS with various people, they usually ask what it's about and how it goes. I've copied this from the national PIPS website; it says it very well:

"The PIP's are a group of like-minded people searching for philosophical stimulation in a relaxed atmosphere (i.e. pubs, bistros, coffee shops, bookstores & community centres). [...]

"Everyone has Philosophical thoughts and as a group we would like to hear yours - whoever you are, wherever you're from and whatever they may be!

"The enquiries are relaxed with groups large enough to enjoy a number of diverse opinions, yet small enough to allow each person time to put their views across. As a contributor you can schedule your own subjects for enquiry and debate. Alternatively, just turn up and listen to the thoughts of others.

"Respect for others and their opinions are a fundamental requirement of the group as it encourages people to put forward their views without fear of ridicule or intimidation.

"No academic or philosophical background is necessary, only a passion for enquiry. Just turn up and enjoy."

Check out the Facebook page for Philosophy in Pubs Leicester.

Follow the Crumblin' Cookie on Twitter: @Crumblin_Cookie

OCCUPY LEICESTER SET TO RE-ESTABLISH STREET CAMP IN CITY CENTRE

This article is published in today's Leicester Mercury:

Occupy Leicester set to re-establish street camp in city centre

Anti-capitalist campaigners Occupy Leicester are set to re-establish a street camp in the city centre.

The plans were announced at a meeting attended by more than a dozen supporters in the city centre yesterday.

The protesters, some suffering chest infections after spending five weeks camped in front of the Highcross shopping centre, moved into empty offices above the disused Litten Tree pub, in High Street, the weekend before Christmas.

However, they were evicted following a court order granted to leaseholders Safe Computing Ltd at a hearing on Friday, December, 23.

The company said the protesters did not have permission to use the building and the offices were needed for new staff to be employed during 2012.

At the meeting at the Clock Tower yesterday, Occupy Leicester spokesman Isaac Cabon, a 19-year-old student, said the group needed to reorganise after suffering dissent among some supporters.He said: "We are definitely coming back before the end of January. But we are yet to decide where we will set up camp.

"Occupy Leicester has taken its knocks and has fallen, now it is time for us to get back up again.

"The infighting and clandestine power struggles that racked the occupation need to come to an end – when we are fighting a common cause and a common enemy we don't have the time or energy to be fighting among ourselves, especially when we are taking on an entity as large as the one we are."

Mr Cabon apologised for leaving equipment behind in the Safe Computing Ltd building.

He said members of the group would like to arrange a time to pick up their tents, sleeping bags and other equipment.

He said: "We would like to apologise to the company. We believed the offices had been empty for months and there was no chance of them being used in the near future.

"We did not know the computer company had plans to use them."

He said the decision to break up the street camp was taken because many of the protestors were suffering from chest infections after braving the cold for five weeks.

One of the supporters, 17-year-old college student Nicole Bambam Thompson, who attended the court hearing, said she suffered from a viral infection before Christmas from staying out under canvas.

She said: "We will be much better prepared than before. We will bring thermal clothing this time.

"It is important we set up camp again."

Fellow campaigner Mark Smith, 40, said: "I fully support setting up the camp again. I did not want to break it up in the first place.

"We need to keep a presence on the street so that people can see what we are protesting against.

"I am used to life on the streets."

LEARNING THE LESSONS OF HISTORY

This letter appears in today's Leicester Mercury:

Learning the lessons of history

I agree with Manzoor Moghal (First Person, December 13) that learning from the past is a logical pre-requisite for future peace.

The Africans correctly identified the problem with history when they coined the proverb "Until the lions write their own story, the hunters will be always be the heroes" and it is in this spirit that I am compelled to expand on Mr Moghul's assertion that India owes pluralism to the "Mughal Emperors of India who ruled for over 300 years and mostly treated Hindus as equal partners.

Some of the 22 Mughal Emperors were largely benevolent and inclusive. However, others did not consider Hindus as their equals.

On the contrary, they massacred thousands of Shi'a Muslims and non-Muslims and tore down their places of worship.

Prominent Sikh Gurus were killed by Mughals for opposing Mughal persecution of minority religious communities. Subsequently, Sikhism militarised to oppose Mughal hegemony. The "bad" Mughal leaders were Muslims merely in name but far from Islamic in their actions.

Islam's fundamental peace message is often hijacked by zealots.The death of the last Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb led to the emergence of the secular Sikh Kingdom from 1799 to 1849.

I agree, in part, with Mr Moghal's assertion that British Imperialism destroyed the mutual respect shared among Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus but it would be wrong to put all the blame on the British.

Sectarianism replaced secularism and Jinnah's egotistical desire to be the first premier of Pakistan was spurred on by emerging right-wing Hindu nationalism.

I too lament the partition of my beloved Punjab – a place where once all religious festivals were celebrated by all with equal gusto.

Western foreign policy is always mooted as the scapegoat for religious conflict, but the Russian retreat from Afghanistan left a power vacuum. A Mujahidin army of young guerrilla soldiers, armed with CIA supplied AK-47s and anti-tank missiles were left with no jobs. America failed to intervene with meaningful aid to help the Afghans to rebuild their state and the Taliban emerged.

To understand this crucible, in which terrorism is bred, one must take into account the much stronger influence of a strand of Islam called Salafism and Wahabism which both originated in Arab countries in the 19th century.

Al Qaida and its offshoots all adhere to this strict brand of Islam which later gave birth to Deobandism. The Arab countries have failed to utilise their huge petroleum profits to build up their own "United States of Arabia" – they had an opportunity to become an economic super power but instead squandered their wealth on lavish lifestyles and religious intolerance.

Rather than the West, the Arab League is now intervening in Syria and there is hope for a self-determined Arab future. This is tempered by US foreign policy, propped up by the Bible Belt Protestant belief that Jerusalem must be occupied by Jews converted to Christianity for the second coming of the Messiah.

Until nations become truly secular and religion is treated as progressive moral framework rather than a literal theological blueprint and, moreover, until compromise is found in the perennial Arab-Israeli conflict the world will always be distracted from the human race's biggest challenge – Africa.

Can we hope that the foreign policies and billionaires of all nations, including India, China, Russia, Indonesia, Thailand, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, will play a positive role in providing solutions for the Aids, corruption and hunger epidemics that ravish this beautiful continent?As Plato said: "The penalty good men pay for indifference is to be ruled by evil men."

Mr Raj Mann, Guru Arjan Dev Mission, Leamington Spa