LL-L: "Language politics" 16.JUL.2000 (01) [E]

[Lowlands-L]

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 L O W L A N D S - L * 16.JUL.2000 (01) * ISSN 189-5582 * LCSN 96-4226
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 A=Afrikaans, Ap=Appalachean, D=Dutch, E=English, F=Frisian, L=Limburgish
 LS=Low Saxon (Low German), S=Scots, Sh=Shetlandic
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From: john feather [johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk]
Subject: Language politics

Sandy wrote:

>This is criminal activity on the part of the government, which in the
United Kingdom is legal since no British citizen is granted any human
rights
at all under English or Scots law. <

Ignoring the fact that an act cannot be simultaneously legal and criminal
within the same legal jurisdiction, to the best of my knowledge I have the
right to vote in various elections and the right to trial by my peers in
the
case of any but the most trivial offences. I also have the right not to be
tried for the same offence twice and the right not to be discriminated
against on sexual or racial grounds. Before anyone else says it, I know
that
the present government is contemplating abolishing two of these rights, but

I do still have them now.

Clearly the minority-language issue raises passions but it never seems to
me
to be right to get one's facts wrong. I am also aware that there are
Lowlanders out there who are not familiar with the subtleties of English
and
Scots law and I feel it is wrong to mislead them.

As to whether Britain or parts of it are a democracy, Karl Popper said that

the key property of a democratic government is that you can vote it out of
office. I think we can still do that.

John Feather johnfeather at sceptic1.freeserve.co.uk

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