Hard to know what is the best with these issues…but to be ( and no pun intended ) the Devil’s advocate…..

Has the Catholic church the right to discriminate in this way? what is next ?

No adoptions allowed unless the parents are practicing Catholics?

No Muslims , Jews or Protestants need apply?

Is it right that they brand all Gay people as being unsuitable?

Given the sickening crimes perpetrated by members of the clergy and covered up by the hierarchy both here and indeed worldwide can they be relied upon to make fair and just decisions on a localized basis ?

spot on!!

Fair dues!!! great to see a deserving case winning a few quid!!!

when i saw the heading and the first lines i thought it was a case of a long deserved medal finally being awarded!!

there is for instance a campaign to get Dick Winters of Easy Company ,506PIR fame a Congressional Medal of Honour, something he was denied due to a daft policy of one CMOH per action per Regiment !

still damned good news , thanks for letting us know! 😀

I see it different.
1. I disagree with Israeli foreign policy. That does not mean I have a problem with Jews, be it meant as race or religion. I often can’t really dintinguish those from non-Jews and to tell you the truth, I don’t care about them at all.
2. I disagree with current US foreign policy. That does not mean I have a problem with Americans in general. I have personal and/or business contacts with many US citizens and our relations remain as correct as they only can be.

You would love to paint me as a hater because that would make it easy for you to dismiss my claims without actually needing any arguments…

I see a great similarity with someone questioning Americans, immediately labelled a Jihad supporter.

hmmm…seem to remember saying something pretty much the same every time some of us disagreed with either US or Israeli actions….Its known as a persecution complex something that is very prevalent among certain members of this forum.:rolleyes:

And before some of our Canuck or Yankee friends jump in i dont necessarily believe the conspiracy theories ..but i am open to other views…

I do seem to remember a 737 going in behind some house in the states and leaving a relatively tiny hole in someones back garden? so maybe it is poss that wreckage would be minimal?

Those Ocker sayings are used only out in the bush or on old Chips Rafferty movies

Well actually….ever tried to have a conference call with some Aussies???

all we could understand was….” gaddddayyyyyy spooorttt…” which we think means ” good day friend ” !!!!

and as for the normal tech speak you get these days on any business discussion….unintelligable!

A world fit only for the strong?

Well said J Boyle.

I have known a number of folks with real handicaps and any claim that the average drug addict should be given the same consideration is nonsense. Falling on hard times is one thing, but then choosing to make matters worse by becoming a drug addict as well is mindless.

Regards

Sauron

Oh dear…missed the point again Sauron!!!!

” choosing” ???? Really???

Quote;

” Never forget the old saying ” There ,but for the grace of god ,go I ”

Hopefully you or any member of your family or circle of friends will never have to avail of the limited resources available to the Rehab organisations. “

Who can say what may happen to them in the future? who is to say what might happen to their family in the future?

after most wars there is a flux of drink or drug related problems amongst those who defended freedom…are they to be condemned as well if they ” foolishly” tried to flee the demons that are running around inside their heads? are they to be cast out as well?

If you honestly believe that people CHOOSE this course of life then i really think , in the words of your southern neighbours , that you need a Reality check!!!!

Both sides have their points…

Rewarding bad behavior isn’t a good idea…anyone out there ever have a puppy?

But you have to give a hand to those who need it…especially through no fault of their own.

But Hurrifan, I think your comparison is a bit too broad..there’s a big difference between drug addicts and the handicapped.
Yes, I know that people turn to drink and drugs for many reasons…mum was unloving, the pressure of the real world, or they wanted just to be like Eric Clapton (in the old days). But at some point they had a choice …unlike the handicapped.

It’s a pity some waste their lives and a lot of society’s resources that could be better used elsewhere…fighting cancer, better education, environmental causes…
rebuilding a Vulcan.:rolleyes:

unfortunately i believe that you have missed the point that i was trying to get across….People using disabled parking spaces are ignoring the needs of those in need, those who would be seen to be disadvantaged or in the view of among the weak of society..

People who find themselves with an addiction have an illness ….it is an illness that some people are more likely to catch than others you dont have to be a down and out or for that matter a “hooray henry”.

do you honestly believe that people WANT to become drug addicts? do you honestly believe that people who drink too much started out on life wanting to become a drunk? do you honestly believe that those who are clinically obese decided heyyy lets get overweight? In a lot of cases its the world we live in and the society we have that drives some people to the bottle , the needle or even McDonalds…And once any of these get a grip its hard to get away from them.

i have seen too many of my father’s generation, and before, who through no choice had to leave their native land for work.For a lot of them the bottle was their only solace in an alien land . do you know what it is like to be alone , far from home and knowing no one? It isnt nice.

Now they are old and uncared , some are alcoholics.Are they to be thrown on the scrap heap as well? after all they made the choice to drink didnt they?

Drugs are , i believe the modern day equivalent to drink and from what i know a lot cheaper.Is it any wonder, in some cases, that in this age of “greed is good” those who have little or nothing want to hide away from the cruel comparison that their life might be? Or that others cant handle loosing that same wealth or position through no fault of their own? are they to be condemned as well?

If as a society we decide that certain people who are weak are essentially an underclass then we are on a slippery slope that may end up with extremist right wing loonies deciding WE arnt good enough either!!!!

WE are judged by how we look after the weakest in our societies.

And as for wasting money…..Unjust wars in far away places? Infantry weapons that break down? ammunition that jams? Lives cut short ?

Hurrifan, my son is disabled. Apart from paying my dues to the state, I pay for private medicine, and a private pension because when push comes to shove, the government is not there, for me or for him.

Having paid twice over, I object to having my earnings directed to the ‘unfortunates’ who could, but refuse to help themselves.

I am genuinely sorry to hear about your son, i too have had to deal with disability from an early age with my late sister having been born with serious disabilities including Downs syndrome and major heart defects which left her wheelchair bound for much of the time & eventually caused her death at the age of 11. i also have many friends and relatives who have found themselves either house bound or with very limited mobility.So you do have my sympathy and understanding , sincerely.

You and indeed no one should have to depend on private medical insurance or your own private means to get help or treatment for your son.The system, is wrong but that doesnt mean that others should not receive help either, no matter how “undeserving” their cases may seem.

my point is that if we refuse to help those in need , some of which may not be in a position to help the situation they find themselves in, then what is next? Do we ban the idea of helping the mentally disabled? Do we say no more AA treatments? where do we draw the line? Who do we trust to choose who gets help and who doesnt?

You can bet your life the ‘shopping vouchers’ will be for the stores whose owners give ‘loans’ to the Labour Party. Yet another hand out to the ‘underclass’. No one asked them to take drugs. No one asked the taxpayer if he wanted more of his hard earned cash given to the ‘less fortunate’. Those of us ‘fortunate’ enough to work are bled to death for a socialist society, where the shirkers and ‘disadvantaged’ are pandered to night and day.

When will people wake up and realise pandering to these people only encourages more and more ‘spongers’.

The Government would do better using the Afghan poppy harvest to wean these addicts of their poison, it would be cheaper and more effective than another handout. Only problem is, the CIA would not take kindly to having their boat rocked.

the first part of this post reminded me of a friend who is unfortunate enough to be a paraplegic .He was rightly enraged to find that able bodied but very stupid people frequently use the few designated disabled parking spaces that are available in our local town.

His solution was to leave a message under their wiper blade.It ran as follows;

” Thank you, as an able bodied driver, for using one of the few designated parking spaces available for disabled drivers .

i hope that you never , unlike myself, HAVE to use one of these spaces.”

so, Bentwaters, where is your wiper blade ???

Never forget the old saying ” There ,but for the grace of god ,go I ”

Hopefully you or any member of your family or circle of friends will never have to avail of the limited resources available to the Rehab organisations.

the 2nd part of the post isnt a bad idea !!