Divisive Discussions

So, I finally came up with a new story for The Sleaze: I'm Blacking Britain!  It concerns activists blacking up right wing politicians to raise awareness of racial prejudice.  By a strange coincidence, there was a story in the papers today about former footballer Sol Campbell 'whiting up', apparently in order to challenge perceptions of race.  Didn't he do something similar before, when, as a Spurs player he wore that Arsenal shirt for several seasons?  Oh no, that wasn't to challenge people's perceptions about tribalism in football, but rather about money and glory hunting.  I'm not sure what I find most offensive about Campbell: the fact that he left Spurs and signed for Arsenal, or the fact that he's now campaigning for the Tories.  Actually, I think it's the fact that he's a Tory - it shows that he's completely lost sight of his origins - which shouldn't surprise us with regard to someone who can move from Spurs to the Arse and apparently not understand why his former fans at Spurs hate him. 

Ah, football and politics - two things guaranteed to result in conflict.  Perhaps only religion can do more to divide people.  Which is why all three are topics probably best avoided in polite company.  Luckily, we're not in polite company here, so we can discuss these things to our hearts' content.  I say 'discuss', but in reality this is just me ranting.  But it is interesting just how polarising these things can be - for all my talk of the need to tolerate other people's beliefs, even when they clash with our own, every time someone tells me they vote Tory I think 'what a tosser'.  (I'm sure they think the same about me).  It's even worse if I see one of those 'I'm Voting UKIP' signs in someone's window - I just have this urge to throw a brick through it.  I have similar reactions to religious types who try to force their beliefs down my throat: 'sanctimonious gits', I think.  As for Arsenal supporters, well, that goes without saying: 'arseholes'.  (To be fair, these days I find myself hating those smug nouveau rich gits at Chelsea more).  Of course, being tolerant, I don't say any of these things out loud, I just think them.  But perhaps that's the problem with us tolerant types: we don't vocalise our feelings enough, for fear of offending, which just allows the offensive arseholes to shout their bile at will.