Digital IDs and homophobia. Two huge topics co-hosts Stuart ‘The Wildman’ Mabbutt and William Mankelow have attempted to tackle in this episode of The People’s Countryside Environmental Debate Podcast, the podcast where you, the listeners, send in questions for us to discuss.
Stuart and William don’t see the questions before recording and they usually try to relate them back to nature, the countryside, or the environment but you the listener often take us in unexpected directions.
The first unexpected turn comes from this question sent in by Clodagh in Larne, County Antrim, Northern Ireland - “The Prime Minister in England has said digital ID cards will come in. What do you think about that? Some say it won’t stop the migrants coming across the channel in the small boats which is the quoted aim, others say its design is to squash people who show images of themselves on Twitter with a St Georges flag saying they are proud English. Is the idea good for anything, or abhorrent to you both?”.
Stuart doubts digital ID cards will have any effect on migrants, since the process they use isn’t legal and operates through the black market, while William notes that consolidating all IDs into one digital system could create security risks.
Stuart compares the topic of digital ID cards to Brexit, saying he doesn’t have enough information to form an opinion, and it currently doesn’t concern or affect him at all. It “ doesn't even flex a hair follicle on my back at the moment.” William on the other hand observes that those who find digital ID systems abhorrent see them as excessive state interference, often influenced by a simplistic reading of George Orwell’s novel 1984.
The second bend in the metaphorical road comes in the guise of this question from Steven in Port Carlisle, England - “Do the Homophobes out there realise Homosexuals come from Heterosexual stock?”
William compares homophobes to racists, suggesting they are either driven by an agenda, ignorance, or both. He emphasizes that a person’s sexuality only matters to him in the context of a romantic relationship; otherwise, it is irrelevant. Stuart suggests taking an environmental perspective, examining arguments on environmentalism or sustainability, and identifying where any hypocrisy may exist.
What do you make of this discussion? Do you have a question that you'd like us to discuss? Let us know by sending an email to thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com
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