Lunar Eclipse

The total lunar eclipse on Friday 27th July 2018 has some special features that mark it out from similar events, past and future. For once, it could be easily observable. It will be the longest this century and it will take place in the evening. Maximum is around 9 pm in London whereas total lunar eclipses are often around 4am - 5am. Additionally, being in July could reduce the chance of cloud cover, though in this heat we may get a thunderstorm. There is quite a good evening one due in 2032 but it is in October.

I will be at the Waterworks Site just off the Lea Bridge Road, Leyton E10 7NU, one of the few Dark Sky Discovery sites in the London area but if you have a good south east view of the horizon you can also see Mars in the same area.

It's a wonderful natural event that is well understood scientifically and mathematically predictable to the second. 

And yet, Linda Joyce, astrologer and life coach, tells us "Eclipses create drama and in so doing, they get our attention". "Often the event is unexpected; it seems to rise up from nowhere, even though we’ve been confronting it in our minds." and Donna Page, a professional astrologer with a graduate degree in counseling psychology explains that, "eclipses help shed light on certain areas of your life. This one will give you clarity about knowing what your heart wants, especially when it comes to friendships".  Linda and Donna are brought to us courtesy of Women's Health magazine. 

Christian ministers John Hagee and Mark Biltz are fairly well known as the originators of the 'blood moon prophecy' which details how a specific series of lunar eclipses is related to human activity. In Blitz's case it is the 'end times' based on the biblical book of Joel 2:31. Hagee is more reserved, stating only that certain major historical events were related to the prophecy. They both have best selling books outlining their thoughts.

A reasonable case can be made linking long term physical processes to catastrophic events and making future estimates  based on these. However, the general idea that inactive inorganic matter can affect human feelings is widespread.  The sale of pieces of 'special stones and crystals' shows that the market for this nonsense profitably exists and that there is still work to do to eradicate mysticism from human thought.

A fascinating list of predictions based on religious texts and individual whim as well as some based on scientific principles is here.

The Left hesitates when faced with antisemitism.

So, faced with criticism from both political friends and enemies, the Corbyn clique members just can't bring themselves to adopt the international definition of antisemitism. Why not just take it on board, clear out the more deranged activists and sink the matter once and for all. What's the problem?

There are a number of strands to their opposition to IHRC which generally derive from the extreme left movement within the Labour leadership and the entrists since Corbyn's election. Those who have been aware of Corbyn's relationships over the years know that he is closer to the trotskyists than to the old Labour Left of Michael Foot or Harold Wilson, ironically considered dangerous in their day. He was criticised for working within the Labour party by the revolutionary left but he adopted many of their ideas. 

Bear in mind that the far left theoreticians genuinely believe they are not antisemitic. To them, antisemites are the fascists, the neo nazis, and the various oddballs that think all Jews are responsible for the death of Jesus. This is why they go to great lengths to stress that they are criticising the Israeli government. And the reason they despise Israel so much is because it is a very successful enterprise orientated nation. It is everything they hate about capitalism and the West in general. It has to be criticised and vehemently so. Nothing Israel does or achieves can be praised. Israel's links with the West just aggravate the Left more and more. Any criticism of Israel's islamic enemies has to be avoided to the point where jihadist groups are even redefined as potential 'progressive' working class movements. To put it bluntly, Israel is a serious counterexample to Marxist theory that the Left cannot allow to exist. In post 60s Britain, these and related ideas were outlined by Tony Cliff, the founder of the International Socialists/Socialist Workers Party and have permeated throughout the far left ever since.

And so, those parts of the IHRC which impinge on these founding principles cannot be accepted. Not just for the reasons mentioned but because to do so, and then act accordingly, would probably require the expulsion of thousands of Labour Party members.

  

Civilisation Politics

Comment on the recent Lewisham East by election has mainly been concerned with the voting patterns and proportions relating to the Brexit/Remain factors. The Lib Dems are desperate to justify their positioning as the political strand committed to reversing the referendum result. At least they now have a clearer distinguishing political stance considering that many voters have generally been at a loss to define what the Lib Dems stand for.  I would be surprised if this will pay off. The tuition fees debacle is still remembered by their younger voters who are now older and wiser. However, how the minor parties win or lose votes to and from Labour and Conservative will be important. All of this is uncertain for various reasons. Will Theresa May's EU plan fail? Will Farage return to UKIP? Will Corbyn alter his position on the EU after years of seeing it as a capitalists' club?

Relatively unnoticed among the minor parties is the emergence of For Britain. Originating as a UKIP offshoot formed by Anne Marie Waters, For Britain is an example of the civilisationist parties which are becoming more and more successful throughout Europe. The civilisation referred to is of course Western civilisation in the generally accepted sense. This involves the acceptance of a Karl Popper defined open society, democratic institutions and free press, the rule of law with an independent judiciary. Another feature is the tendency of the population to reject those political currents that advocate violence or propose  revolutionary activity. It is possible to argue that Christian doctrine (or at least some of it) plays a part but Greek philosophy and secularist principles  may be just as or more influential. What the civilisationist parties are opposed to is relatively clear. Those cultures which have elements of active opposition to western society, that consider others to be inferior, that demand special privilege and avoid integration are at the forefront of civilisationist policies. At the top of the list are those migrants from areas where Islam is the dominant culture. 

Anne Marie Waters political experience has almost certainly been shaped by her work with Sharia Watch and the One Law For All campaign(which she left in 2013) but her stand against islamic privilege was probably too much for her UKIP colleagues. Ignorant analysis tends to categorise civilisationist parties as 'far right racist' or 'fascist' but these labels have little value and are usually just used as a derogatory slur. Closer examination shows that civilisationist parties can be anti-authoritarian and even economically socialist. It is also inaccurate to assume they are strongly nationalist though they are invariably pro European Enlightenment. There is a possibility that antisemites could try to infiltrate and unless they had a careful recruitment policy any bad publicity would seriously inhibit membership growth. A good model is Geert Wilder's Freedom Party which is very pro Israel and has been particularly good at vetting its membership.

Only 238 votes at Lewisham East, faced with often violent opposition and the resulting difficulties in campaigning it will be a struggle for For Britain to take off, but if nothing else, Waters is very determined.