Author Archives: bernardporter2013

Cage-fighting seems an odd way to celebrate the USA’s 250 years of independence. And displayed on the South Lawn of the venerable and much respected White House, it seems almost irreligious. I have to say I knew very little about … Continue reading →

Most people professing a religion have been born into it. That makes it less a matter of choice for them than of accident. For others it may be a question of compulsion, enforced by theocratic states. For all of these, … Continue reading →

Friends have been very considerate to me about West Ham United’s relegation last week. They know how devoted I was to the club. Thank you all. But in fact I’m not half so upset as I would have been if … Continue reading →

It’s not only Americans who are obsessed just now – understandably in their case – with Donald J Trump. In the bits of Europe I live in he’s hardly ever out of the news. The same must be true in … Continue reading →

When the ideology of the ‘free market’ first appeared on the political scene in early 19th century Britain, the main objection made to it there was that it was immoral. If everything was left to the ‘market’, then it drove … Continue reading →

One of the things that President Trump is known for is his lack of artistic taste. Of course it’s considered élitist and snobbish to draw attention to this, which is why so few of his critics do. But it’s difficult … Continue reading →

(Sorry to be away so long.) Racial prejudice is not ‘natural’. If it were we would expect children to have it from birth. Masses of research, however, establishes that this is not so. So does the experience of most of … Continue reading →

I’m no Royalist – as anyone on the Left who wants to compliment King Charles III over his speech to Congress yesterday clearly needs to establish – but, yes, I too thought it showed a masterful ability to navigate the … Continue reading →

We often complain about ‘career politicians’; by whom is meant those who have had no other careers before becoming politicians, and so have little experience of what might be called the ‘real life’ of those they are supposed to be … Continue reading →

I imagine that Donald Trump will go down as the worst President in American history (any other candidates?); except by those who believe that his – yes – considerable achievements will put him up there among the Gods. He’s already … Continue reading →