Ghetto mentality

BBC: Rome's battle of the bells

In Rome, the capital of Christendom, which has some 600 churches with over 1,500 bells in their bell towers, the ancient art of bell-ringing has almost died out.

I'm sure there must be a good many Christians out there who would object to Rome's being described as the capital of Christendom. Just do a Google search of 'pope' + 'antichrist', if you don't believe me. On second thoughts, don't: life's too short.

As a non-Christian, I take great exception to the area I live in being described as part of Christendom. I also take great exception when news reporters use phrases such as a Moslem area of the city or a Jewish area of the city or a gay area of the city. As far as I'm aware, we don't reserve specific areas of cities for people of specific religions, races or sexual orientations: it's a genuinely offensive idea.

If journalists must describe areas in such ways, they should at least use a qualifier such as predominantly to indicate that the current demographic situation has emerged as a result of the contingencies of history, and should not be taken to endorse exclusivity.

Now, I'm going to get off my hobby-horse and pop down into the Lesbian Capital of Britain for a newspaper.

Richard Carter

A fat, bearded chap with a Charles Darwin fixation.

2 comments

  1. And there's you in the "Yorkshire area" - the special bit of Britain penned off to keep the rest of us safe and sane.

  2. Spoken like a gentleman. I'm just not going to specify as to which of you I am referring!

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