I dont get why all the fuss.
You dont agree with your taxes going on security for him, quite frankly, tough, thats the way this country works.
I dont like my taxes being wasted on some tyneside numpty that has recently knocked up 12 (or something like that) women and its going to cost 2M, I dont like the fact a lot of money gets wasted on some pointless art or buildings, ppl that claim benefit because they cba, Im sure there are others that disagree with gay pride parades and other demonstrations that taxes go on policing etc, theres lots of things, seems ridiculous to single out one thing whether you agree with it or not, this does benefit some people and more of our money is wasted in ways that benefit far less.
He's not on a crusade, to convert the heathens, he's here for those that cant get to Rome that want to pray with him, thats their choice, let them do whatever they want as long as it doesnt interfere with anything we do.
I do think though, that if a visiting state has the money then they should contribute towards the security of their party and their expenses.
Another way the country works is in allowing people to express their views, including not liking the idea of pissing 12m of taxpayers' money up a wall for the security of someone whom many people don't want here anyway.
MPs waste money on new homes and duckponds and cruises and then lie about it. Don't like it? Tough.
Abu Hamza takes the piss out of the entire country by claiming every benefit he can get his hook on while simultaneously telling anyone within earshot that Islam is the only religion and Britain is a nation of evildoers. Annoyed? Meh.
20billion (not a typo) flushed down an IT system for the NHS which then fails, leading to another 2billion lost in tax credit fraud or errors. Not happy? Too bad.
This just doesn't do it for me. For every person who is happy that the pope is in Britain for this tour, there's someone who's unhappy about it, like me. My sister and I were sitting watching him sniffle and mumble his way through speech after uninspiring platitude over the weekend and we found it hard to understand what fulfilment this could have given anyone. By all means, let him come here. But don't make us pay for it. Or at least take a referendum or something. Who decides that yes, the country still reeling in recession can afford to drop 20m on this? I didn't get that petition through the post.
That's what annoys me. The government should be in charge of public amenities, national defence, etc. I'm used to watching them waste time and money on fucking those things up. But the pope's visit is a religious thing, not a governmental thing, and therefore the last people who should have to fund such a visit are the taxpayers, whether we appreciate his importance or not. Let all the Christians put £20 each in a bucket to pay for his visit. Let it be bankrolled by a private company with a religious agenda. Opus Dei could probably have afforded it. Fuck sake, the pope himself could afford it. But no, here's a better idea, make the grockles pay and then accuse them of being anti-religion if they raise a word of protest.
And I haven't even gotten into what this man represents to someone like me, who isn't religious. A man who decided that the best thing to do with the details of a thousand and one child abuse cases perpetrated by priests would be to not release them to the police He has the power to withhold that information and the government has to be happy with that? GG.
As usual with religion, I could waffle on about it all day but I won't. All I'm trying to say is that if no-one speaks out then nothing will get done. And Martz is right about Dawkins, even though he comes across as a tosser on TV (Dawkins, not Martz). If the country truly is all for freedom of speech and if Christians are really so open-minded and peace loving as they pretend, let's put 20m together for a Dawkins weekend and watch what happens. I'd put £20 towards that.