What made me unhappy today ?

[Set2Stun]

I'm unhappy (and furious) over news I've heard over the weekend.

Last Friday night, while a group of about twenty people were sitting down to dinner at one of the oldest synagogues in my home town of Melbourne, an utter nutter poured flammable liquid on the front door and tried to set the place on fire. Luckily someone inside noticed the smoke, raised the alarm, and everyone made it out the back door and called the emergency services. No-one was killed or harmed (save possible trauma and/or smoke inhalation), but the damage is considerable. Police have CCTV footage, but no-one has been arrested or charged.

On the same night, a Jewish-owned restaurant was besieged by so-called "protestors" who hurled abuse, chairs and tables, and nearly broke windows. The police were called. No-one was arrested or charged.

On the following morning, cars were set alight in another part of town. I've no idea why. Once again, no-one has been arrested or charged.

This is not the first time this sort of thing has happened. It's been happening ever since October 7th, and the police shrug and do nothing. Why do we fund the police for doing nothing?

Ahem. Sorry to rant. Back to your previously scheduled programming ...

Did a quick news check, looks like one man's been charged in the arson attack and three have been charged in the restaurant incident:

Three protesters charged over incident at Israeli restaurant in Melbourne

Three people have been charged with assault, riotous behaviour and criminal damage after a group of protesters converged on an Israeli-owned restaurant in Melbourne's CBD on Friday night.

www.abc.net.au

https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/man-charged-melbourne-australia-synagogue-1.7578337

 

[Rath Darkblade]

Thanks, Set2Stun. I haven't seen those stories, and I checked the local TV news daily, but they haven't said anything. I simply cracked. =( Coming on top of a firebombing of a synagogue last year (after which all our politicians, from both right and left, predictably visited and said "This will never happen again") ... plus a whole bunch of other, less high-profile racist incidents ... it's very sad and infuriating to see it happening again.

Yes, I know politicians can't do anything about people being stupid and racist. That's just one more reason I'm sad and angry. They're just using ordinary people's grief for their own political gain. *shrug* But hey, that's democracy for ya. :-\

The police here seem to believe that many of these attacks are committed by underworld figures who are "hired" by other actors in this little saga. It's scary, especially given that one of these synagogues is only two suburbs away from where I live.

That sucks Rath. It's overwhelming and frustrating when you start to see major red flags like that and can't do anything. It feels like every day sometimes with the global news stream.

I'm feeling a bit mouldy with the world right now too. I'm housebound, can't walk very far, but not bad enough to qualify for an NHS wheelchair because I can walk small distances round the house most of the time. This means I also don't qualify for a wheelchair assessment so I'm left kind of guessing about what would be suitable for my needs. I'd kind of given up for now because I don't have a reason to have to leave the house but the cheapo attendant chair I have for hospital visits is falling to bits so I risked buying a new one online but with a self propelling option too. I let myself get a bit excited about it, imagining that it would feel a bit like riding a bike again, freewheeling, and I could get spokey dokeys and maybe not go far but at least manage a bit on smooth surfaces and... it actually really sucks. It's painful and slow and I can't manage it at all. It gives me a tiny bit more freedom to, say, adjust my own position in a room and maybe move up and down the sandwich aisle myself in the food court which is definitely something, but I let my imagination get ahead of me and now I'm feeling REALLY out of sorts.

That really sucks, Woof. *offers hugs* Yeah, cheapo anything probably isn't great. It especially sucks that the NHS doesn't think you qualify for a motorised wheelchair. =(

Hopefully you can find a better solution soon. Is there a way you can show an NHS representative (or someone?) what a shoddy cheapo wheelchair you have to put up with, so that they can do something? *shrug* I don't know, I'm just conjecturing.

 

[Woof]

The police here seem to believe that many of these attacks are committed by underworld figures who are "hired" by other actors in this little saga. It's scary, especially given that one of these synagogues is only two suburbs away from where I live.

That's a strange theory they're working on. Who would bother hiring when there are so many angry, media-fed fuses to light for free? Or are things not quite there yet in Aus?

Is there a way you can show an NHS representative (or someone?) what a shoddy cheapo wheelchair you have to put up with, so that they can do something? *shrug* I don't know, I'm just conjecturing.

That's sounds very reasonable and rational... We don't do that anymore in the UK, especially not on healthcare. Everything's so grossly underfunded and mismanaged that the bones get picked with power and leverage instead and I have neither of those. Guess I need a dastardly plan to get some.

 

[Rath Darkblade]

That's a strange theory they're working on. Who would bother hiring when there are so many angry, media-fed fuses to light for free? Or are things not quite there yet in Aus?

I'm guessing the angry and media-led are still sensible enough to realise that trying to burn people alive is a Really Stupid Idea™. (At least I hope they are!) So, they hire would-be killers online ... presumably in what the media calls "the dark web". (Insert evil, maniacal laughter here).

That's sounds very reasonable and rational... We don't do that anymore in the UK, especially not on healthcare. Everything's so grossly underfunded and mismanaged that the bones get picked with power and leverage instead and I have neither of those. Guess I need a dastardly plan to get some.

I hope you can get some help from some source, even if not the NHS. Having to deal with a cheap wheelchair can't be fun.

As for the phrase "dastardly plan" ... I'm sorry, but can't help but be reminded of Baldrick and his cunning plans. (Alternatively, cue the "mwahaha" again).

 

[Woof]

TMW you thought, at worst, you were Blackadder but realise you're Baldrick and you don't even like turnips

There aren't really any aspirational characters on that though are there? I could cope with being Flashheart or Bob I suppose.