I'd Like To Claim Asylum Somewhere Where The Express Isn't Published

The Daily Express. It's never been a paper I've had much time for. Even during my time as a paper boy, it barely featured as hardly anyone ordered it. But as an avid Private Eye reader, it's nonsense stories and colourful owner often have me raising an eyebrow.

Well it's set a new precedent today when not only were BOTH eyebrows raised at once by the front page, but also my blood pressure and bad temper noticeably increased.

Their story, as shown on the right, was regarding the welcome news that it's not acceptable to send someone to a country where they might face torture, imprisonment or execution just for being themselves.

Lord Rodger's comments, quoted in the article, have been condemned; however I feel that whilst unhelpful, his analogy was innocent and he admitted they were stereotypical. But the coverage of the news by the loony papers has not just been unhelpful it has been both prejudiced and baffling.

The main issue for the Express, and it's sister the Daily Star ("No Room For Gays"), is not that the asylum seekers are gay. It's in fact mainly just that they are asylum seekers, and that now they fear (as always) our country is about to be overrun by asylum seekers claiming to be gay.

Of course we have two issues with that 1) what's their alternative? Send people off to be killed just in case someone gets in by incorrectly claiming they were gay? The cost/benefit of that are pretty damn clear to a sensible person! 2) how many people will use that excuse? I can see it being interesting culturally for some to claim they are gay when they aren't. I suspect it won't be an issue.

So what we have is scaremongering, on the most disgusting level, in order to keep out the "dirty foreigners". These people will happily have blood on their hands just because they don't like people who aren't like them. Disgraceful. Disturbing. So no surprise there from these papers then...

If you feel benevolent and particularly generous, this writer always appreciates things bought for him from his wishlist