BE CREATIVE. BE CONTROVERSIAL. BE CURIOUS. BUT CRUCIALLY, BE INFORMED
SEPTEMBER ‘10
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A meaty debate: Is Gaga an offal role model?
Debates Four debates on the month’s hottest issues, providing you with both sides of the story.
Listings Listings of the very best intelligent and inspirational talks, events and debates.
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What is In-Debate
Is torture justisfied to stop future terrorist attacks? Are illegal downloads really killing the music industry? Should we follow France and Switzerland in banning the Burqa? In-Debate is a new monthly publication available free outside London tube stations. We think that it’s about time we got around the bias that litters our mainstream news and media and we want to give you, the reader, the whole argument. There is no wrong or right, no left or right, only the facts. Every month In-Debate will strive to deliver and debate the month’s hottest news topics. We provide the overview to the argument and then both sides to it. Ultimately, there is no bias, there is only opinion, leaving you to conclude with an informed mind. In-Debate also provides you with a comprehensive list of the next months more intelligent and inspirational listings. From our 100’s of sources we pull out the best the month has to offer. Be it talks, debates or events, they are a great place to become a little wiser or maybe even for a special date. The editorial comes from the award winning and globally respected opinion and journalistic powerhouse Intelligence Squared, so you can be assured that we have the finest journalistic talent scribing away for you. We are also giving you the opportunity to involve yourself in the debate by joining our Facebook page and following us on Twitter!
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Contents
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In-Debate p.5 History will be kind to Tony Blair. Tony Blair’s memoir, ‘A Journey’, has reignited a flurry of debate over his legacy. Some pundits rank him among Britain’s greatest post-war leaders, while others claim he was a warmonger who eroded our social values. How will you judge Tony Blair?
p.9 A Mosque at Ground Zero is an insult to the dead.
September 11th 2010 was supposed to be a day of remembrance for the victims of 9/11, but the day turned into a political storm with protest over plans to build a Mosque near Ground Zero. Are these plans insulting to the dead? Or is it a chance for America to sets them apart from fundamentalists?
p.15 Paedophile priests undermine the Pope’s authority.
The issue of paedophile priests has overshadowed Pope Benedict XVI’s visit to the UK with some accusing his Holiness of covering it up, while others argue he is not to blame for individual crimes. Does all this undermine the Pope’s authority or does the Church still have spiritual value, despite its failures?
p.19 Lagy Gaga is a bad role model for women. The “meat dress” Lady Gaga wore to the MTV Music Awards has been front-page news around the world - some have applauded her for being a true feminist while others have accused her of damaging feminism. So was the dress a protest against the objectification of women or a meaningless fashion statement? Disclaimer: In-Debate’s goal is to offer a balanced platform where both sides of an argument are evenly represented. These views are not In-Debate’s, but a summation of what has been portrayed in the media.
Be creative, Be controversial, Be curious. but crucially, Be informed.
1 Sept '10
In-List p.23 Brain Food p.25 Mind Fuel p.27 Inspiration p.29 IQ2 Debates
In-Addition p.12 Month in Numbers p.13 Fantastic Facts p.28 London Treats p.30 News Crossword p.31 Sudoku Enquiries: letstalk@in-debate.com Media Enquiries: daniel@in-debate.com Editor-in-chief: rob.lyons@in-debate.com Printing: Acorn Ltd In-Debate LLP - OC347029 W11 3LQ
We all love a little argument here and there, but how much do we really know about what we are arguing and how much about our own opinions has been shaped and moulded by the newspapers we read? We think that if you really want to win your argument, you need to know both sides to the issues - this way you can argue your opinion but be prepared for someone else’s, without being caught off guard. . So every month In-Debate will give you four debates on the month’s hottest topics that you’re going to argue with your friends about!
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Politics
Debate
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History will be kind to Tony Blair
Image: Worldeconomicforum/Flikr
The publication of Blair’s memoir, A Journey, has caused a flurry of press coverage, with some pundits arguing that Blair ranks among Britain’s greatest prime ministers by virtue of his bold social reforms and popular touch. Others have a more negative view of his talents: on the right, many claim that he presided over an erosion of social values, and on the left, few can forgive him for overruling popular opinion in invading Iraq. In a reflection of Blair’s radical distortion of the traditional left/right spectrum of British politics,
+ Agree
Only time will tell how history will judge Tony Blair. Will it be kind to his legacy? Or will he be held responsible for much of what he is accused of?
- Disagree
The public knows that Blair did well as PM He was a good prime minister who implemented effective social policies Anger against Blair is a vendetta by the press Blair succeeded because he spoke to the British public This is the man who took Britain away from the damaging old divisions
It's a little known fact that...
supporters and detractors can be found in a multitude of political standpoints but it may be that history’s eventual judgment of Blair rests on quite different issues. It’s certainly the case that, while the anti-Blair camp are on their strongest ground when discussing Iraq, pro-Blair commentators are keen to focus on his achievements on social reform and Northern Ireland.
His triumphs were Brown’s and his mistakes all his own He crucified Britain The decision to go to war in Iraq left him with blood on his hands He lacked real leadership skills Iraq overshadows all Blair’s domestic achievements
Tony Blairs full name is Anthony Charles Lynton Blair. At university, Tony became the lead singer of a band called Ugly Rumours. In 2007 Blair converted to Catholicism, once he had stepped down as Prime Minister.
Tony Blair has become the first ever British prime minister to be questioned by police in a criminal investigation. Cash for honours. Blair is the first Labour leader to win three consecutive elections. Blair is the youngest British Prime Minister for almost 200 years.
In-Debate 5
+ 1
History will be kind to Tony Blair. The public knows that Blair did well as PM
How depressing that Blair has had to cancel a book-signing appearance because of a tiny minority of troublemakers – as the second longest serving post-war prime minister and the victor in three general elections, he deserves our respect. Although the press like to imply that everyone in the UK hates Blair, a YouGov poll found that 47% of voters would describe him as “very good” or “fairly good” prime minister. All this talk about Iraq is simply a media obsession – another YouGov poll found that the public see rising immigration, rather than Iraq, as Blair’s biggest mistake while in office. The press’s criticisms of him are hyperbolic and immature; let’s remember that this is the man who brought peace to Northern Ireland, introduced the minimum wage, and presided over a prosperous Cool Britannia.
Agree
He was a good prime minister who implemented effective social policies
2
Blair doesn’t deserve all the criticism – the national minimum wage and the Sure Start programme prove that he was true to his Labour roots and did care about lowerincome households. Anyone who supports free-at-point-of-use healthcare – and that is almost everyone in the UK – has reason to be grateful to Blair. His electoral success has moved healthcare policy to the left, forcing the Tories of 2010 to pledge their allegiance to an NHS that they couldn’t care less about in the 1990s. Those on the left should reflect on that before they throw accusations at him.
3
Anger against Blair is a vendetta by the press
Blair isn’t the bearer of poisonous fruit – it’s the media establishment that is dispensing poison. Commentators on both sides of the political spectrum have become so used to making wild, irrational accusations against Blair that they have lost sight of the facts of the situation. In fact, Blair was a good politician who will be vindicated by history. If you’re suffering from Blair rage, this says more about you than him – ever since Churchill, it’s been a British habit to revile our best prime
6 In-Debate
ministers at home while they’re feted abroad. Blair led us into the Iraq war not out of pure mendacity but because he overemphasised the importance of the UK’s relationship with the US. He didn’t invent the idea that Saddam Hussein was a serious threat – it was the dominant theory at the time, and the political/media establishment largely supported military intervention in Iraq. Blair-haters in the media prefer to blame Blair because it’s more psychologically comfortable than accepting that they, too, were wrong about Saddam.
Critics miss the point – Blair succeeded because he spoke to the British public
4
Left-leaning writers criticise the “formidable election-winning machine” that is Tony Blair for his warmongering, but they fail to realise that the success of New Labour was down to his recognition that the public wanted a tough approach to law and order and other social issues. His genius lay not in pandering to the liberal left but in his efforts to check the “atomisation” of British society. Cameron – and everyone else – was wrong about Blair. The public adored him for his authoritarian ways, as illustrated by a recent interview in the Telegraph where he expressed his admiration for law and order systems in “the emerging market countries”. The idea of turning Britain into a Singapore-style police state might be repugnant to the left-wing media elite, but ordinary people would love to see it happen.
This is the man who took Britain away from the damaging old divisions
5
OK, Blair is a strange figure, with his transatlantic vocabulary and his business like attitude to politics. But his pragmatism and charisma were uniquely suited to the circumstances he found himself in. His post-ideological stance moved British politics away from binary left/right distinctions and created a more fluid way of working. Previous governments had prided prided themselves on labelling their parties and these labels served as an indication of policy. It’s true that he is self-serving, but don’t let that obscure his excellent political instincts: he grasped that what the public wanted was a salesman, not an ideologue. Blair may not be the darling of the press, but he won hearts where he needed to, among the general population.
Debate - Politics His triumphs were Brown’s and his mistakes all his own
OK, Blair did well on the minimum wage, public sector reform and civil partnerships. But reforms like the national minimum wage and Sure Start owe more to his Chancellor and successor, Gordon Brown, than to Blair himself. Blair likes to characterise Brown as a blunderer who lost Labour the election. But the electorate’s recent rejection of Labour had more to do with civil liberties and headline chasing than economics – both issues that first became problematic under Blair. His memoir peddles the usual excuses and reveals him as shallow, self-serving and deluded about his mistakes. As for the accusation that the press are unfairly hounding Blair, a quick analysis of each major newspaper’s position shows that they are pretty evenly divided.
2
He crucified Britain
Forget attacking Blair from the left – there are many important criticisms to make from the right, too. Norman Tebbit blogs for the Telegraph that master manipulator Blair “crucified” Britain, presiding over a national breakdown in family life, the influx of “three million foreigners”, and a huge extension of the EU’s powers over Britain. Far from being a decent prime minister whose only fault was to give Gordon Brown too slack a leash, Blair is a “poisonous vine that can bring forth only poisonous fruit”. His memoir is an exercise in self-justification, little better than fiction, and the only reason to buy it is because proceeds will be donated to service charities.
His terrible decision to go to war in Iraq left him with blood on his hands
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If anything, the media are too easy on Blair – in a recent interview, Andrew Marr stuck to the figure of 100,000 deaths caused by the Iraq war, rather than the more plausible figure of at least half a million or a million dead. The left’s response to this haunting death toll isn’t a psychological peculiarity – Iraq is a blood-soaked disaster for which Blair must take the blame. Writing for the Independent, Robert Fisk winces while listening to Blair’s “schoolboyish” self-defence – the former PM acts as if the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were glittering successes soon to be repeated in a grateful, liberated Iran. Blair’s references to
conversations with Israel in the run-up to the Iraq invasion are deeply suspicious, especially in the context of his current involvement in IsraeliPalestinian peace talks.
4
He lacked real leadership skills
Ordinary people may or may not have seen Blair as a lovable authoritarian, but when it came to the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, he lacked real courage and was incapable of imposing his will on the Treasury. Former Army head General Sir Richard Dannatt describes evidence of WMDs in Iraq as “most uncompelling” and criticises the plans for the war’s aftermath as an “abject failure”. Blair’s decision to commit British troops to two wars at once, with inadequate funding, inevitably ended in disaster, and he must take the blame. Blair was also guilty of hiding behind his advisers including Alastair Campbell, his famous spin-doctor. The Labour party came under fire for its use of spin doctors in its early time as government with money spent on these so-called advisers quadrupling since 1991. Their power to dictate decisions and hide the frailties of leadership came under further criticism with Tony Blair refusing to attend a committee to give evidence about the role of such advisors in government. If Tony Blair truly had great leadership skills then he had no need for spin-doctors.
Disagree
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Iraq overshadows all Blair’s domestic achievements
An illegal war that resulted in the deaths of such a horrendous number of civilians is not a matter to be put to one side or to be counterbalanced with domestic reforms. Besides the death toll, Blair has done real damage to the international system: who can hope to mount a successful liberal intervention today? What would happen if an invasion of North Korea was necessary tomorrow on the liberal grounds of responsibility to protect? The gung-ho attitude to the UN that the UK allowed the US to get away with means that the UN will not sanction a Western-led intervention for a long time to come. This is the long-term way that he has made the world a more dangerous place, and we will be living with the consequences of the war in Iraq for many years to come.
In-Debate 7
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Headlines
Debate
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A Mosque at Ground Zero is an insult to the dead. Image: Chop Ip/Flikr
September 11th 2010 marked the 9th anniversary of the terrorist atrocities that gripped America, and what was supposed to be a day of remembrance for the thousands that perished also turned into a day of protest and uproar. Terry Jones, the Pastor of a small Church in Florida hit the headlines with most notoriety with his controversial plans to burn the Quran, the Muslim Holy Book, however these were stopped after global outcry and the promise to meet with the Imam responsible for plans to build a Mosque at Ground Zero.
+ Agree
A row has been convulsing America over the proposal to build Cordoba House, an Islamic cultural centre, which will be housed in a 15-storey building two blocks away from where the World Trade Centre twin towers stood before 9/11. As well as a library, gym and conference centre, it will house a mosque. Is this sick and offensive? Or is it a perfect opportunity for America to show the enemies of freedom precisely what sets the US apart from violent, intolerant fundamentalists?
- Disagree
The Mosque causes deep offence to a memory we need to honour
It’s not at ground zero and it’s not strictly a Mosque
There are hundreds of available locations so why choose this one
America is the land of the free
Ignoring public opinion undermines democracy A Mosque at Ground Zero is a victory for bin Laden We don’t know who is behind Cordoba House. How do we know they’re moderates?
It's a little known fact that...
Why make war when we can make peace Allowing offence to override principle is exactly what we should be fighting This whole business is cynical and dangerous
The actual cost of cleaning up the World Trade Centre site totaled $650 million. Each World Trade Centre tower weighed 600,000 tons. During 9/11 8 buildings were completely destroyed. Only 42% of victims have been identified
Another Manhattan Mosque, stands five blocks from the northeast corner of the World Trade Center site. The Islamic cultural center and Mosque are estimated to cost $100 million Room 1E438 in the Pentagon is used as a make shift Mosque every Friday.
In-Debate 9
+
A Mosque at Ground Zero is an insult to the dead.
The mosque causes deep offence to a memory we need to honour
1
Agree
A Mosque so close to the site that unleashed this decade-old war with Islamic extremism is clearly wrong. The atrocities that took place on 9/11 claimed the lives of 2,973 civilians and 343 firefighters and these fatalities need to be properly honoured. It is not just the memory of the lost that must be preserved but it is also the anguish of the 6,000 plus survivors that must be prevented from further torment and their pain must be respected. Abraham Foxman, national director of the Anti-Defamation League, argues the anguish their families have suffered entitles them to “positions that others would categorise as irrational or bigoted”. The owners of the building may have every legal right to go ahead with the Muslim cultural centre, but they should have the sensitivity not to exercise it.
There are hundreds of locations so why choose this one
2
New York is a city that occupies more than 305 square miles of land so why has it been deemed necessary to build an Islamic cultural centre on this particular space. It is insensitive and moderate Muslims should be voicing their opinions against it not for it. If moderate Muslims want to cool the flames and bitterness that embroils so many Americans then suggesting a new location would be seen as a great act of diplomacy and sensitivity that is just the anecdote needed to build bridges over this rocky relationship. Many Americans see this location as provocative and they believe it to be a slap in the face not only to those that have perished in 9/11, but also to the current service men and women fighting the War on Terror in Iraq and Afghanistan.
3
Ignoring public opinion undermines democracy
A very simple explanation of Democracy is “a political form of government in which governing power is derived from the people”. If this is truly the case then it is anti-democratic not to listen to public opinion as to what they want. In a recent CNN–Opinion poll 70% of Americans said they opposed the construction of the
10 In-Debate
mosque and community centre. It would be understandable for New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg to ignore public opinion if the outcry was as a result of bigotry and racial intolerance, however for many their protest is simply down to preserving and respecting the memory of the dead and the building of mosque so close to the scene of their murder is seen by many as a great insult. American politicians should listen to the people that have entrusted governing power to them and fulfill their democratic promise by saying “no” the mosque.
4
A mosque at Ground Zero is a victory for bin Laden
This is not a moment for wimpish appeals to higher principle. As Newt Gingrich says: “America is experiencing an Islamist culturalpolitical offensive designed to undermine and destroy our civilisation”. Newt’s summary is unequivocally persuasive: “No mosque. No self-deception. No surrender.” And if you like your arguments a bit higher-brow than that, writer Christopher Caldwell states: “Osama bin Laden’s strategic calculus – that the US lacked either the resolve, the cohesion or the cultural selfconfidence to stand up to a mighty blow – has in many ways been vindicated”. We shouldn’t be building bridges to other cultures; we should be repairing the weakness identified by Osama bin Laden in our own.
We don’t know who is behind Cordoba House. How do we know they’re moderates?
5
It’s easy to make these “community centres” sound nice and cosy. But we have no idea who is funding Cordoba House. Who knows what their real intentions are or what they might become. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf is hardly a saint. Just after 9/11, he said: “I wouldn’t say that the United States deserved what happened, but the United States policies were an accessory to the crime that happened,” and “In the most direct sense Osama bin Laden was made in the USA.” He has also refused to condemn Hamas for its terrorist activities. The fact is we just don’t know the true nature of the plan for Cordoba House. In a war where symbols are so important, this is not a battle to abandon.
Debate - Headlines It’s not at Ground Zero and it’s not strictly a mosque
There are two major flaws with the anti-mosque protest. The first is that it is not strictly a mosque and the second is that it is not actually at Ground Zero but instead two blocks away. For it to be a mosque then by definition it must be a purely religious structure, and this is most certainly not that. This is proposed to be an Islamic Community Centre, open to the public and includes a basketball court. It is only the fear mongering right that have opted to declare this a “mosque” and strike resentment into the heart of Americans. Not only is this a community centre but it is being built two blocks away from Ground Zero in the abandoned location of the former Burlington Coat factory. By American law anyone has the right to purchase this premise and make what they like of it and you cannot legally stop people from obeying the law and the constitution.
2
America is the land of the free
America prides itself on being the “Land of the Free”, so who are they to say who has the right to pray and where? America has to set a precedent to the rest of the world and live up to it’s values that they hold so dear or risk being accused of hypocrisy. If it is truly the land of the free then this sentiment must apply to all of society. President Obama said: “We must all recognise and respect the sensitivities surrounding the development of lower Manhattan, Ground Zero is, indeed, hallowed ground. But let me be clear, as a citizen and as president, I believe that Muslims have the same right to practice their religion as anyone else in this country…The principle that people of all faiths are welcome in this country, and will not be treated differently by their government, is essential to who we are.” For American citizens to be truly proud of their country then they must respect the values laid out by their founding fathers.
3
Why make war when we can make peace
The sensible approach to extremism is to praise moderates within Islam and encourage reform. Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf, the leader of the proposed Cordoba House, is just such a figure. Listen to what Rabbi Irwin Kula, President of the National Jewish Center for Learning and
Leadership, who knows the Imam, has to say on the subject: “The ADL should be ashamed of itself...Here we ask the moderate leaders of the Muslim community to step forward, and when one of them does he is treated with suspicion.” Studies have shown that access to mosques and community centres reduces radicalisation by providing moderating, non-isolated forums for Muslim identities to express themselves.
Allowing offence to override principle is exactly what we should be fighting
4
Abraham Foxman’s “crass analogy with the Final Solution”, as Christopher Hitchens rightly characterises it is self-defeating and irresponsible. What we’re trying to fight in the Muslim world is precisely the way that grieving sentiment trumps basic rights and liberties. It is an essential feature of the western democratic tradition that we should never accept an entitlement to irrational and bigoted positions. That is just what we struggle to resist with rights, law and the whole infrastructure of the defense of liberty that our precursors have fought so hard for. Allowing bigotry to determine what happens at Ground Zero would be a victory for American fundamentalists.
5
Disagree
1
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This whole business is cynical and dangerous
Newt Gingrich is a fine one to talk about transparency of funding. Who knows where the money for his rather creepily-named ReAL (“mission for Renewing American Leadership”) comes from or how it will change our lives. Gingrich’s double standards are so blatant that this is clearly about politics, not religion or any Clash of Civilisations. Fear, xenophobia and trying to capture the mantle of 9/11 are right-wing tricks that the Republicans, one would have hoped, would be responsible enough not to exploit. However, they are gearing up for the November mid-term elections and already antiMuslim sentiment is spreading, from Tennessee to California angry crowds are gathering to oppose mosque-building. Politicians have a responsibility not to be fanning these flames.
In-Debate 11
i D 92,000 copies of Tony Blair’s ‘A Journey’ sold in the first four days. £1.5 million is the cost of the Pope’s visit to the UK. 200 year old bottles of beer are discoverd in a shipwreck in the Baltic Sea.
Month in Numbers 8 weeks was the sentence given to singer George Michael for driving under the influence of cannabis. 6-4 5-7 6-4 6-2 the winning score of Rafael Nadal to become the seventh man in history to win all four Grand Slam titles.
$100 million additional loan is pledged by the World Bank to Pakistan.
23 people are injured after a footbridge collapses near the Common Wealth Games stadium in India.
10 civilians are killed after being struck by NATO in Afghanistan.
40% of the Afghan public turn out to vote in elections despite Taliban threats.
7.1 magnitude earthquake occurred near Christchurch, New Zealand.
1.2 million homes are repossed by American banks setting a new record.
8 MTV Video Awards are won by Lady Gaga including Video of the Year for “Bad Romance”.
3 Pakistani Cricketers are accused of betting corruption after being exposed by the News of the World.
In-Debate 12
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In-Debate 13
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Paedophile priests undermine the Pope's authority
Debate
Headlines
Image: Roblisameehan/Flikr
Pope Benedict XVI has conducted his first Papal visit of the UK by touring England and Scotland for four days. Despite hundreds and thousands of followers and admirers the Pope’s visit has been shrouded in a cloud of anger that has raged on the issue of peadophilia within the Catholic church. Over the past decade, allegations of serious child sex abuse within Catholic schools and children’s homes have emerged as far afield as the US, Ireland and Malta. Despite the Church’s efforts
+ Agree
to calm the scandal – efforts which some allege have included settlement deals to keep victims quiet – public antagonism keeps growing. Some have accused the Pope of knowingly presiding over an “institutionally paedophile” Church, while others argue that the Pope is not to blame for the crimes of individual priests. So is this really the Church’s biggest crisis since the Reformation? Or does the Church still have value in these increasingly secular times, regardless of its failures?
- Disagree
The Pope was responsible for covering up abuse
The Pope is working to address the problem
The Church willingly paid off victims of abuse
The Pope is an important spiritual leader
The only way to salvage the Church’s reputation is to completely restructure its power
Child abuse is not uniquely a problem of the Catholic Church
The Church’s archaic laws on sex means it has already lost its moral authority
The good the Church has done for children
The Church has been hypocritical about paedophile priests
It's a little known fact that...
The Church cannot be blamed for the sins of its members
As of 2008, there were 1.166 billion Catholics worldwide and 563 million Protestants. Saint Vitus is the Patron Saint Against Oversleeping. Benedict speaks fluent German, Italian, French, English, Spanish and Latin and read ancient Greek and biblical Hebrew.
The total cost of the Popes visit is £20m. Vatican has 900 citizens and 3,000 employees. The 2004 John Jay Report was based on a study of 10,667 allegations against 4,392 priests accused of engaging in sexual abuse of a minor between 1950 and 2002.
In-Debate 15
+ 1
Paedophile priests undermine the Pope's authority. The Pope is responsible for covering up abuse
The Pope is not only aware of the horrifying child sex abuse going on in Catholic institutions, but has actively covered it up. A report by Ireland’s Child Abuse Commission on Church-run children’s homes in 2009 makes for very disturbing reading. Research into a number of institutions found that “physical punishment was severe, excessive and pervasive” and “sexual abuse was a chronic problem”. From 1981 to 2005, the Pope - then Cardinal Ratzinger - led the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) and wass directly responsible for dealing with alleged offenses against Church doctrine ranging from theological disputes to child abuse. The CDF insisted on dealing with child abuse allegations internally rather than handing over investigations to civic authorities.
The Church willingly paid off victims of abuse
Agree
2
The CDF used the Church’s very deep pockets to pay off abuse victims – one survivors’ organisation reports settlements totaling between $400m and $1.3bn. The cover-ups led to serious crimes going unreported, unpunished and accused priests often transferred rather than defrocked - leaving them free to carry on abusing children in other places. The Pope’s tolerance of child abuse went beyond mere negligence, he encouraged a culture of impunity that sustained generations of abuse.
The only way to salvage the Church’s reputation is to completely restructure its power
3
Despite enormous pressure the Church is merely taking symbolic steps. Any other organisation accused of crimes of this magnitude would take more serious measures. For example, after the incompetence in the Baby P case became clear the head of Haringey Council’s Children’s Services resigned. Some of this institutional arrogance probably comes from the Church’s Mussoliniera establishment as a modern state. But in his book The Case Of The Pope, human rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson argues that the Pope is not a head of state but the head of an organisation.
16 In-Debate
The Church’s archaic laws on sex means it has already lost its moral authority
4
Far from helping anyone resist sexual temptation, the Christian habit of polarising sex and purity is in good part to blame for the pornification of modern culture. Repressing sexual desire makes people more not less inclined to destructive sexual behaviour. This problem is further exacerbated by the church’s condemnation of condoms despite 5.8 million people becoming HIV positive and 2.5 million dying from Aids every year. Today more than 28% of African children have lost one or both parents to Aids, yet the Church has consistently blocked international policy decisions that would make condom education a major tool in the battle against Aids. Consequently, the Church has had no hesitation in quoting false scientific evidence to back its case. In 2003 the Vatican claimed that “serious scientific studies” revealed that HIV can pass through condoms. No scientists supported the claim. It was a lie.
The Church has been hypocritical about paedophile priests
5
In the past decade there has been an avalanche of revelations about abuses carried out by Catholic priests and members of religious orders in countries around the world. By February 2004, 4,400 priests in America alone had been accused of attacking 11,000 minors over a 50-year period. Bishops who knew about abuse failed to report them to police and reassigned accused priests after first sending them to psychiatric counselling. The 2009 report on “endemic” child abuse in schools run by Roman Catholic religious orders in Ireland, shows the problem is widespread. The Commission found that, over many decades, Irish Governments had colluded in a conspiracy of silence with the Church as no action was taken even though abuse was known to be endemic. More than 800 individuals were identified as physical or sexual abusers – an extraordinary number compared with the handful of prosecutions that have taken place. The Vatican’s response too has been tardy and inadequate. In 2002 it blamed the crisis on “pan-sexuality and sexual licentiousness” in society and made clear that the Church would maintain “secret canonical norms” to avoid a “culture of suspicion” – a coverup in other words.
Debate - Headlines The Pope is working to address the problem
Child sex abuse investigations have only come under the jurisdiction of the CDF since 2001. This was when, in an effort to address the problem, Cardinal Ratzinger insisted that all allegations of child sex abuse pass through him. Despite the scale of the task – he looked at around 3000 cases over 10 years – he has gone out of his way to meet with victims and has spoken openly about the need for the Church to take the problem of child abuse very seriously. While the British press characterise the Pope as an evil apologist for paedophiles, he has in fact done more than anyone else in the Roman Curia to compel the Church to face what he once called “the filth marring the priesthood”. The Pope has expressed his willingness to re-organise the internal structures that abetted abusers. He has launched inquiries into abuse and has publicly apologised and accepted responsibility. What more could the head of any organisation realistically do?
2
The Pope is an important spiritual leader
The Pope’s fiercest critics, like Geoffrey Robertson QC, are using child abuse revelations as an opportunity to attack the Church. Robertson is motivated more by a long-held desire to undermine the Vatican than any real empathy for the victims. Terrible as the child abuse allegations are there is more to the Church than the actions of individual priests. The most important role the Pope plays is as a spiritual leader to many, a counterbalance to an increasingly morally vacuous western world. It’s not just believers who see him in this light – the atheist philosopher Jurgen Habermas met with the Pope (then Cardinal Ratzinger) in 2004 to discuss how Catholicism could help combat the damaging “unbridled subjectivity” of the West. The permissive, sex-obsessed atheist world is actually less well equipped to combat paedophilia than a religion that celebrates chastity and selfdenial.
Child abuse is not uniquely a problem of the Catholic Church
3
All the anti-Catholic clamour obscures the more
provocative reality that child abuse is far more common than we’d like to think. The sad truth is that many adults, whether they’re priests or not, abuse children in their care. Rather than pointing a hypocritical finger at the Catholic Church, we should recognise that we live in an abusive world where vulnerable, powerless people – and who is more vulnerable and more powerless than a child? – are routinely victimised.
4
The Church has done good for children
The Church should undoubtedly do what it can to make amends for the crimes perpetrated by its clergy and ensure that similar wrongs are prevented in the future. But let’s not forget that the Church has also been a global champion of children’s right to education and healthcare. Even Geoffrey Robertson admits that the schools, hospitals and development organisations set up by the Church have benefited children all over the world. Abusive priests are in a tiny minority – let’s not allow this scandal to obscure the great contributions to humanity made by the Catholic Church.
The Church cannot be blamed for the sins of its members
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Disagree
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The Catholic Church has always upheld ideal standards of conduct for its clergy, including - since the later Middle Ages - the enforcement of celibacy, but it has usually been realistic about the prospect of these standards being met. The Catholic Church is foundered on its belief of free will and recognises that everyone is capable of sin even its priests. The Church hierarchy, nevertheless, has been appalled by recent scandals involving paedophile priests and has acknowledged that its response has not always been appropriate. In the early days, policy was often based on the popular psychological theory that people could be cured of such behaviour through counselling. But there has never been any doubt where the Church stands morally on the issue, Pope John Paul II declared: “There is no place in the priesthood and religious life for those who would harm the young.” The US Church instituted reforms to prevent future abuse, including requiring background checks for Church employees and volunteers.
In-Debate 17
Entertainment
Debate
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Debate on the following page
Lady Gaga is a bad role model for women
Image: Petercruise/Flikr
Infamous feminist contrarian Camille Paglia has caused controversy again recently by describing everyone’s favourite pop goddess Lady Gaga as a “plasticised android” whose popularity heralds the death of sex. Numerous fans in the media have come to Lady Gaga’s defence – she’s clever, she’s funny, she’s a great performer.
objectification of women and a meaningless fashion statement. Whatever your opinion on Lady Gaga – and even if you have none at all – her music, her videos and her public persona have become battlegrounds for debate around porn, pop culture and the status of women in the music industry.
Meanwhile, the internet has been a-flutter with responses to the ‘meat dress’ Lady Gaga wore to the MTV Video Music Awards, which has been variously interpreted as a protest against the
The debate rages on as to what exactly Gaga stands for. Is she a feminist icon as many would like us to believe ? Is she an inspiration to women around the world? Or is she damaing to feminism?
+ Agree
- Disagree
Female emancipation is not about being able to wear hotpants Saying the word enough times doesn’t make you a feminist
Gaga brilliantly undermines porn culture Saying the ‘F’ word is precisely part of Gaga’s fearlessness
She’s an attention seeker not a feminist
Gaga is being herself and there is no better message for feminists
Gaga’s “inventiveness” is overrated; she is profoundly conservative
Have a bit of fun with your feminism
Dance to her music but don’t elect her
It's a little known fact that...
She is truly an inspiration
Lady Gaga birth name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta.
At age 17, Gaga gained early admission to NYU.
The name Lady Gaga is a reference to the Queen song called “Radio GaGa.”
She was included in Times magazines list of the 100 most influential people in the world in 2010.
Lady Gaga taught herself how to play piano at four years old. She once purchased $1000 worth of pizza’s for her fans.
Gaga reputedly died her hair blonde after an interviewer confused her with Amy Winehouse.
In-Debate 19
+
Lady Gaga is a bad role model for women.
Female emancipation is not about being able to wear hotpants
1
Agree
There is a pervasive myth in pop culture that suggests that women choose to wear revealing outfits to demonstrate their fearlessness and their self-confidence, rather than their unimaginative accommodation of society’s obsession with sex. Gaga poses in revealing outfits and her videos are often brash and pornographic in nature. There is nothing liberating in this so-called self-confidence. Feminism is any “political, cultural, and economic movement seeking greater, equal, or, among a minority, superior rights and participation in society for women and girls.” Gaga has never concentrated on the real issue that so many before her have fought for. If she is to declare herself a true feminist then she must remember the real issues, such as the worthwhile and tangible (but boring) goals of equal pay and fairer childcare provisions.
Saying the word enough times doesn’t make you a feminist
2
Gaga calling herself a “feminist” is no different in spirit than Labour Leadership candidates calling themselves “socialists.” The Labour candidate is using the word to communicate substance-less popular sentiments such as “we believe in the people” and “we’re all working together.” It is crazy to assume that simply because Gaga likes to say that she’s a feminist, she automatically becomes one. There is nothing daringly original in anything Gaga has done. As Hadley Freeman (Guardian) argues ‘from her name (which she stole from the Queen song ‘Radio Gaga’), to her music, to her every look, everything has been done before… Even the meat dress she wore was done by Elsa Schiaparelli more than 70 years ago.’ Same goes with her feminism: she is adopting the mantle without earning it.
3
She’s an attention seeker not a feminist
Gaga’s flamboyance is not a statement for feminists. Quite the contrary, it’s an attentionseeking ploy that has enabled her to grab the media spot light at every opportunity. Every new dress she dons and every sexually ambiguous video she makes has her followers raving and her
20 In-Debate
critics foaming. Camille Paglia highlights that Gaga is “so artificial at all times that very little of the real, the emotional and the passionate is allowed to leak through”. The façade that she hides behind has meant that we never get to see or understand who she really is. Guardian journalist Kira Cochrane highlights that “Gaga seems to live inside a mass of contradictions: one moment she says she’s not a feminist, “I hail men”; the next she’s declaring she is a feminist, and making feminist remarks (“When I say to you, there is nobody like me, and there never was, that is a statement I want every woman to feel and make about themselves”).” A real feminist would not be so ambiguous about it.
Gaga’s “inventiveness” is overrated; she is profoundly conservative
4
Gaga’s celebrated inventiveness is nothing more than an extension of the familiar themes explored by other female pop stars. She frequently identifies herself with symbols of authority and guarantors of the status quo: in her videos she can be seen making out with a police woman and dancing in piles of money; the video for Telephone is set in a prison full of sexy gyrating dancers. Some claim that her videos are artistically parodying porn, but - as porn is already a parody of sex – this is just a redundant attempt to parody the parodied. She might pretend not to be the same as other anaesthetized, passive female pop stars, but we cannot escape the recognition that she has turned herself into an object in an uncannily similar way. She is slim and attractive too, so it can hardly be said that she is setting herself up in opposition to the usual prerequisites of female pop stardom.
5
Dance to her music but don’t elect her
There is no harm in enjoying Gaga’s music, but we shouldn’t look to her for our opinions on politics. If we did, her influence would be damaging. Gaga is clearly and repeatedly endorsing contemporary society’s superficial values, and only getting away with it by cleverly duping people into believing that she’s doing something different. The contradictions in persona should stop any wise person following her and thinking she’s great. Yes her music might be something that people admire but don’t for one second let Gaga be the face of feminism just because she says she a feminist. There’s a lot of talk but very little substance.
Debate - Entertainment Gaga brilliantly undermines porn culture
Despite her cavorting and bare flesh, there isn’t a sense that Gaga is offering herself up for sexual consumption in the same way that other female pop stars are. She uses her body in an imaginative and playful way that is not necessarily sexual – in fact Gaga’s pop persona is more about the grotesque and the strange than about sex appeal. The persistent rumour that “Gaga is a man” stems exactly from this: how can (straight) hot blooded men not find her sexy, despite the obvious use of pornographic tropes like the lesbian prison ward in her video, Telephone?. Gaga’s liberated, ironic attitude to her body will help women everywhere dissolve the self-undermining body anxiety that porn culture foists on all women. For this alone she should be celebrated as a feminist.
the ‘F’ word is 2 Saying precisely part of Gaga’s fearlessness
It is true that the term “feminist icon” is thrown around too much, and often facetiously. Even Katie Price has been called a feminist. But, because “feminist” is a tainted word, the very act of using it to describe herself actually does make Gaga a feminist. She is not afraid to use the term, despite the negative connotations that people attach to it. Gaga’s entire persona is an argument for feminism and questions what is expected of women in today’s society. The contradiction in her name is the perfect example: “Lady” suggests gentility and sweetness while “Gaga” directly contrasts this with craze and madness with her excessive make up, tight dresses, high heels and false eyelashes she exposes the role of sex and often femininity. Guardian journalist Kira Cochrane points out that in fact, Gaga exposes femininity as a sham in all sorts of ways. If the typically feminine woman is supposed to be simpering, seductive, weak, manipulated – essentially submissive – Gaga kicks against all these qualities.
Gaga is being herself and there is no better message for feminists
3
Gaga does things her own way, with great fun, a real relishing of exuberant freedom and an entirely original style. Her costumes will be
remembered for their visual splendour and utter bizarreness. She shows a refreshing sense of humour. And many of her costumes actively demonstrate defiance and strength rather than passivity, like the suit of armour she wore in one video. Caitlin Moran wrote of Gaga’s influence that it would be “hard to oppress the generation that have been brought up on pop stars with fire coming out of their tits!” She is indulging her own sense of humour when she kisses a police officer in her video. Just listen to the humourlessness of the old-school feminist argument that such a humorous kiss is an identification with existing power structures! We are in deeply worrying territory if her attractiveness is used against her. Her encouragement to be completely oneself is itself an empowering feminist ideal.
4
Have a bit of fun with your feminism
Having a sense of humour about feminism is what will bring more people around to it. Of course it is a serious issue, but Gaga is telling us not to forget that it can be a joyful ideology too. People are more likely to have the energy and the will to champion the unglamorous but worthwhile aims of feminism if they can also enjoy the freedom that Gaga so impressively embodies. Even when she is perched on a toilet she is making an empowering point. Gaga is not a manufactured industry product - she exudes wilful self-invention.
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Disagree
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She is truly an inspiration
Gaga should be a true inspiration to women. She avoids Paglia’s implication that modern female stars need to be ‘sexually appealing and charismatically sensual’ and instead has won countless fans by being the exact opposite – a thorough non-traditionalist. Her ‘Meat dress’ worn at the MTV Music Video awards took her inspiration even further. In an interview with Ellen DeGeneres after the show, Gaga offered an insight into the dress. She explained that she was making a statement against the US Military’s “Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy on sexuality and argued that “If we don’t stand up for what we believe in… if we don’t fight for our rights, pretty soon we’re going to have as many rights as the meat on our bones.” Gaga is a fighter. What more do feminists want?
In-Debate 21
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Brain Food Live talks, events, debates and inspirational listings
Our listings section has been sourced from some of the leading institutions in London. We want to create a valuable resource for you, by consolidating and finecombing the best events throughout the month. These events are guaranteed to keep your brain ticking and your mind thinking. For more information on any event please visit the event providers website.
Business
Science
Chairman’s Inaugural Lecture - The Perils of Property
Exchanges at the Frontier: Brian Greene
The RSA - 5th Oct, WC2N 6EZ, 6.30pm RSA Chairman Luke Johnson will discuss how a fixation with property ownership has unbalanced the economy and distorted behaviour and public policy.
Economics after the Crisis: Why financial markets are different Hunterian Museum-12th Oct, Old Theatre, 6.30-8pm, Free Amid the financial crash there was much talk of a crisis of capitalism and the need for a revolution in economics. Lord Turner, chairman of the FSA will advance a case for economic freedom arguing, that the crisis should provoke us to think deeply about the conventional wisdom of economic growth maximisation as a clear objective of economic policy, and market liberalisation, including in financial markets, the universally applicable means.
The Future of Banking
The RSA - 4th Oct, WC2N 6EZ, 6pm, Free Michael Geoghegan, Group CEO of HSBC argues that the world needs a strong banking system now more than ever, and looks at how we can create a global regulatory framework to support it.
Them and Us: Why we need a fair society
The RSA - 7th Oct, 8 John Adam Street WC2N 6EZ, 1pm Join Will Hutton as he argues that we need a wholescale revision of the capitalist system that has fairness firmly at its heart.
Bankers and Bonuses: What has the City ever done for London?
Wellcome Collection – 28th Oct, 3pm – 4.30pm Brian Greene is Professor of Physics and Mathematics at Columbia University, New York, renowned for his discoveries in the field of superstring theory, and will be conversation with A C Grayling to discuss the social impact of their discoveries and explore the frontiers of scientific knowledge.
Story of London: Surgical Futures
Hunterian Museum - 5 Oct, 7pm, Free, booking essential BBC Science correspondent, Richard Hollingham talks to three leading experts to find out what the future holds for patients undergoing surgery in the next decade. Three experts in their field will present the cutting edge research that they are doing to solve some of the most common health issues that will affect us as we age: stroke, cancer and osteoarthritis.
Towards a scientific and societal agenda on extra-terrestrial life
Royal Society – 4th Oct, Kavli RS International Centre, 9pm Should extra-terrestrial life exist, upcoming efforts will provide living generations with a realistic chance of its detection. With a mix of invited talks and panel debates, we particularly look into the detection of life, the communication with potential extra-terrestrial civilizations, the implications for the future of humanity, and the political processes that are required.
Cloning, stem cells and regenerative medicine
British Library - 4 Oct, Conference Centre, 6.30pm, £6/£4 Since the establishment of the Royal Exchange in 1565, London has grown rich from its status as an international banking centre. But recent events and the backlash against bankers raise important questions. Can banks return to their role of supporting innovation to fuel the growth of London?
Royal Society – 19th Oct, The RS London, 6.30pm, Free Ian Wilmut the Director of the MRC Centre for Regenerative Medicine looks at the extraordinary opportunities to study the molecular mechanisms that cause inherited diseases that are being provided by new methods of producing stem cells. The lecture will illustrate not only the potential value of these new methods, but also the manner in which their development was prompted by research to clone a sheep.
Seizing the Opportunity of the Cloud: the Next Wave of Business Growth
The Selfish Genius: Dawkins and the misuse of Darwin
LSE - 5 Oct, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, 8.30-9.30am The pervasive nature of technology and the increasing pace of development are rapidly changing the way we work, live and play. For more than three decades, Microsoft, and current CEO Steve Ballmer, have played a vital role in leading a technology industry that has transformed the world of business in dramatic fashion. Ballmer will discuss what’s next, how cloud computing is altering paradigms, and new business opportunities enabled by the cloud.
South Place Ethical Society, 3rd Oct, Conway Hall, 11 am, Free Dr Fern Elsdon-Baker talks about Richard Dawkins’ brand of evolutionary theory - which says that natural selection acts at the level of genes, not organisms or species - now seems to publicly dominate our understanding of what Darwinism is all about. This has fuelled a growing feud between science and religion. But does Dawkins give us the full picture? Does disagreeing with Dawkins necessarily make you anti-Darwin, anti-evolution or anti-science?
In-Debate 23
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Mind Fuel Live talks, events, debates and inspirational listings Arch 4 (summer) 2007/08 Susan Derges © Courtesy of Susan Derges/V&A images
Society / Politics Rock ‘n’ Roll Politics
Kings Place – 4th Oct, Hall One, 7pm, £9.50 Broadcaster and columnist, Steve Richards, takes you for a unique behind the scenes tour of British politics, the personalities, the tears and tantrums, the moments of high drama, the hopes and ideas that motivate the best politicians and the role of the mighty media. Steve will be joined by Neil Kinnock and Elinor Goodman for an evening of entertainment that gets you closer to what is really happening and why.
Power Shift: West to East
LSE – 13th Oct, Hong Kong Theatre, Clement House, 6.30pm The world is tilting away from the West to the East, from the United States to China, from the Transatlantic to the Pacific. Or is it? LSE experts with very different answers to these questions will battle it out in an open forum. Professor Michael Cox is Co- Director of LSE IDEAS, Professor Westad is a professor at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and an expert on Chinese international affairs.
Is London growing too big, too fast?
British Library – 5th Oct, Conference Centre, 6.30pm, £6/£4 London is the most populated city in Europe, and still growing. Migration has brought wealth and new talent, but there is a need to ensure the infrastructure meets new needs. What kinds of innovations do we need in the twentyfirst century? Can dynamism in past innovation, from the railways and the docks to airports and Canary Wharf, inspire us to respond to new challenges, or should we just put the brakes on and protect London from change?
Will London still be a major global player in 2050?
British Library – 8th Oct, Conference Centre, 6pm, £6 / £4 At the turn of the 20th century, London was the largest and most influential city in the world. Now there are many other big players: Shanghai, Tokyo, New York, to name a few. Are other cities doing better in developing education, arts and science? How will London’s ability to innovate fare in a time of spending cuts and increasing regulation? Will London get left behind or is there something special about it that will keep it racing ahead?
Art / Literature An Evening with David Bailey
Kings Club – 4th Oct, St Pancras, 6.30pm, £6.50 As one of the world’s most notorious photographers recognized for his iconic images of 60s and 70s legends and his love of women, few know of David Bailey’s passion for Picasso, Pliny The Elder, and his dedication to making his own sculpture. David Bailey will be in conversation talking about his inspiration, the challenges he has faced mastering a new medium and the comparisons between the two art forms.
Shadow Catchers: Camera-less photography
V&A – 13th Oct 2010 – 20th Feb 2011, £5 This autumn the V&A will present the first UK museum exhibition of work by contemporary camera-less photographers. Shadow Catchers: Camera-less photography will display images by five leading artists who, for the past twenty years or more, have been creating exciting new photography without the use of a camera.
Matthew Williamson: Talking Fashion
V&A - 22nd Oct, 7pm-8pm, £8/£6 Matthew Williamson is one of the most successful British designers in the fashion industry today. To mark the publication of a book from Rizzoli he discusses his career with the Sunday Times fashion writer Colin McDowell. In collaboration with Sunday Times Style
Angus Hyland: Pentagram
V&A – 8th Oct, 7pm – 8pm, £8/£6 Angus Hyland is a graphic designer and design firm Pentagram partner, and has received over one hundred creative awards. In this talk he discusses what constitutes an effective brand, and how to create an identity that reflects a client’s corporate personality.
Series: Turner Prize Artist’s Talks
Tate Britain – 22th Oct, The Otolith Group, Auditorium, £5 Turner Prize nominees; Dexter Dalwood, Angela de la Cruz, Susan Philipsz and The Otolith Group discuss their thought and production processes with acclaimed curators, writers and critics in this series of talks.
Preview: An Evening With James Ellroy
Bloomsbury Theatre - Oct 6th, 7.30pm, £10 Ex-panty-sniffing burglar. Ex-alcoholic hobo. Ex-husband twice over. Lock up your daughters and their underwear, LA Confidential author James Ellroy is the man your English Lit teacher warned you about! Famed for a Twitter-like writing style Ellroy is here to promote his second edition of memoirs, The Hilliker Curse (My Pursuit Of Women).
In-Debate 25
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Inspiration Live talks, events, debates and inspirational listings
Inspirational On Being Wrong
The RSA – 4th Oct,, WC2N 6EZ, 6pm, Free Would society function better if more of us were wrong sometimes? Award-winning US humourist and author Kathryn Schulz provides not only an account of human error, but a tribute to human creativity - the way we generate and revise our beliefs about ourselves and the world.
5x15 Stories
5x14 - 18th Oct, The Tabernacle, Notting Hill, 6:45, £15/£20 James Brabazon recounts the tale of an African coup. Alex Bellos takes us on an adventure in numberland. Rachel Johnson on the Lady and the revamp. Howard Jacobson holds forth. Alexander Masters tells the story of Stuart Shorter, whose life he wrote backwards. 5x15 - 28th Oct, at Union Chapel, Islington, 7pm, £12/£15 Miranda Seymour recalls life in her father’s house. Noel ‘Razor’ Smith on facing up to a life of crime. Toby Young tells the tale of how he got into university. Posy Simmonds breathes life into Tamara Drewe. Hannah Rothschild on Mandelson - the real PM?. http://www.5x15stories.com/
The Big Debate: Is French Food a Spent Force?
Kings Club – 12th Oct, Hall Once, 7pm, £18.50 The Big Debate will be held at King’s Place and the gripping motion for 2010 will be Is French Food a Spent Force? Nothing too controversial there then. Proposing the motion will be London’s Chair of Food Rosie Boycott alongside broadcaster Janet Street-Porter and they will be up against writer and tv performer Jonathan Meades who lives near Bordeaux and the Sunday Times’ restaurant critic AA Gill.
Justine Picardie: Coco Chanel
V&A - 15th Oct, 7pm-8pm, £8/£6 Justine Picardie, author and fashion columnist for the Sunday Telegraph tells the history of Coco Chanel, who shaped modern fashion and created an haute couture empire.
Editor's pick A conversation with James Caan
LSE – 21st Oct, Sheikh Zayed Theatre, 6.30pm, Free A recession can uncover some great entrepreneurial talent and surprising opportunities. The speakers will explore how we can make the UK more entrepreneurial, what are the key components in creating a successful business, the major pitfalls and what are the emerging sectors for people to capitalise on. They will also debate whether an entrepreneurship can be taught or is a part of genetic make up. This event is free however a ticket is required.
Brown at 10
LSE – 7th Oct, Hong Kong Theatre, 6.30pm, Free Gordon Brown’s three years at No.10 were the most turbulent of any premiership in the postwar history of Downing Street. In Brown at 10, Anthony Seldon tells for the first time the full, compelling story of the astonishing end of Gordon Brown’s tenure, and with it the demise of the New Labour project. This will be a frank, authentic and penetrating account of a remarkable political era by one of Britain’s foremost political and social commentators. This event is free and open to all however a ticket is required.
Bright Club: Hidden Treasures
UCL - Bloomsbury Theatre, 26th Oct, 7.30pm, £5 UCL’s intelligent variety night is coming home! Join our team of comedians, lecturers, researchers and musicians such as Steve Hall (We Are Klang), Robin Ince (Nine Lessons and Carols) for a whirlwind of stand-up sets, joke-strewn minilectures, delightful music and clever banter exploring the treasures hidden right underneath our noses.
X-factor: Singing in the name of quality? Royal College of Music, 14th Oct, Institute of Ideas From SuBo to Jedward, talent shows have been the mustwatch TV of the past decade. Overnight superstars have been made of Cheryl Cole, Susan Boyle and Leona Lewis. Yet even as light entertainment shows, they are not without controversy, criticised for everything from being modernday freak shows to killing creativity and originality by turning popular music into karaoke. Do such shows offer the opportunity to tap a gold mine of talent excluded from elitist cultural institutions, or do they reduce serious singers to the same level as dancing dogs and warbling bin men?
Five Speakers - Fifteen Minutes Each www.5x15stories.com
If you would like to be featured in our listings section please call 0207 221 1177 or e-mail letstalk@in-debate.com For more information on any of the listed events please contact the event providers.
In-Debate 27
London Treats
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EATLondon Restaurant Festival October sees the return of the London Restaurant Festival including the ultimate gastronomic road trip, the Gourmet Odyssey with G.H. Mumm Champagne. In one lunchtime, you will eat at three of London’s most exciting and influential restaurants, meeting chefs and fellow foodies along the way. After a G.H. Mumm Champagne reception at the glamorous Met Bar, guests will board an iconic Routemaster bus and food-hop their way around the city’s most exclusive restaurants having a different course in each.
Festival 2010 andthe festival runs from 9th – 16th October See www.visitlondon.com for a complete list of routes available, tickets, and more information.
DRINKHarvey Nichols Bar Perrier-Jouët Belle Epoque Bar, Fifth Floor, Harvey Nichols, Knightsbridge Harvey Nichols has recently launched a stunning new Champagne bar at the flagship Knightsbridge store. Created in an exclusive collaboration with Perrier-Jouët Champagne, the interiors designed by Shaun Clarkson ID are inspired by Emile Gallé’s iconic 1902 anemone design for the Belle Epoque champagne bottle. Special Perrier-Jouët vintages, such as the ultra rare Belle Epoque Blanc de Blanc, are available along with food champagne paired tasting menus.
For more information visit www.harveynichols.com
SLEEPThe Draycott Hotel The Draycott Hotel is the London home of the Mantis Collection, a privately owned group of luxury boutique hotels and game reserves world wide. The small elegant five star hotel replete with luxurious finishes, grand interiors and staff to satisfy your every whim, is conveniently located between Knightsbridge and Chelsea. Formerly known as Cliveden Town House, it occupies three red-brick Edwardian homes just around the corner from Sloane Square. The Draycott retains a strong sense of individuality and history, making it the perfect place to treat yourself to a city break .
In-Debate 28
For more information and availability please visit www.mantiscollection.com
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IQ2 Events
Intelligence Squared (IQ2) has become London’s premier debate forum and are renowned for arranging intellectual boxing matches between some of greatest minds around. Their debates are exciting, engaging and current. Tickets cost £25 and each event promises to be a fantastic night out. William Gibson on ‘Zero History’
Talk: Mon 4th Oct, Cadogan Hall, 6.15pm Starts 7pm American-born William Gibson is one of the most acclaimed and successful writers of the last twenty years. He coined the phrase “cyberspace” and developed the concept in his bestselling first novel Neuromancer, creating an iconography for the Information Age long before widespread use of the Internet. Gibson will be talking about his life and work, and in particular his new book Zero History.
Assisted suicide should be legalised
Debate: Tue 19th Oct, Royal Geographical Society, 6.45pm Speakers for: Emily Jackson, Debbie Purdy, Mary Warnock Speakers against: Lord Carlile QC, Baroness Finlay, Richard Harries Chair: Sue Lawley Journalist and broadcaster. The law allows me to kill myself, but what if I have a progressive illness and reach a stage when I long to end my life but cannot do so unaided. Isn’t it needlessly cruel and illogical that as the law stands? Or is that just a recipe for more uncertainty?
The Great Explorers
Festival: Thurs 28th Oct, Royal Geographical Society, 6.45pm Is the age of exploration over? Maybe. But most of us still yearn for the rough, rugged and romantic places of the explorer’s imagination, places where no travel company has been before us…. And some of Britain’s greatest explorers and travellers will be taking us there. Speakers will include Justin Marozzi, Anthony Sattin, Christina Dodwell, Robin Hanbury-Tenison, Benedict Allen, John Gimlette and Ed Stafford, the first person to walk the entire length of the Amazon river.
Stop bashing Christians! Britain has become an anti-Christian country
Debate: Wed, 3rd Nov, Royal Geographical Society, 6.45pm Speakers for: Lord Carey, Peter Hitchens, Howard Jacobson Speakers against: Matthew Parris, Claire Rayner, Dom Antony Sutch Chair: Jonathan Freedland. If you’re a Sikh in Britain you don’t have to wear a motorcycle helmet. If you’re a Muslim woman, you can wrap your head in a scarf. But daren’t assert your faith or customs as a Christian. Are Christians protesting too much? Or are they right in saying that they already receive special treatment?
Don’t Eat Animals
Debate: Thurs, 9th Dec, Kensington Town Hall, 6.45pm Speakers for: Abbas Daneshvari, Heather Mills, Peter Singer Speakers against: Julian Baggini Robin Dunbar Paul Levy Chair: Sir Simon Jenkins Author, columnist on the Guardian and Evening Standard, and chairman of the National Trust. Steak and kidney pie. The Sunday roast. No one with a streak of compassion, no one who calls themselves human could then stretch out their hand, plonk the slaughter in their shopping basket and feel they were doing right. Or could they?
*All events start at 6.45pm with doors opening at 6pm, unless otherwise stated. For more information or to book tickets please visit www.intelligencesquared.com/events
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Across 1 Tony ___, BP boss who resigned in July (7) 3 John ___, UK prime minister from 1990-1997 (5) 7 New Zealand city badly earthquakedamaged in September 2010 (12) 9 Ed and David, brothers in opposition (8) 10 US government unit (inits) (3) 13 Important North Atlantic food fish (3) 15 Sport in which the USA beat Turkey at the 2010 FIBA Championship (10) 16 Group of countries in an alliance (4) 18 Capital of Austria (6) 19 Robert ___, BBC News Business Editor (6) 21 British colony in the Caribbean north-west of Jamaica (6,7)
Down 1 Full of rushed activity (6) 2 Joseph ___, birth name of the current Pope (9) 4 Scour (a surface) (6) 5 Shakespearean play set in Venice (7) 6 Low-priced (5) 8 Ethnic group deported from France in 2010 (4) 11 File for storing email on arrival (2-3) 12 Sarah ___, possible future US presidency candidate (5) 13 Former president of the USA (7) 14 Sum of money paid in compensation (7) 16 Actor, ___ Baldwin, former husband of Kim Basinger (4) 17 Unwanted email (4) 18 Promises (4) 20 Immoral act (3)
News Crossword.No1 *For solutions to this months Crossword just email us at letstalk@in-debate.com
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In-Debate 31
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