‘There has been a loss of respect for elders’

Religion

WHEN Guernsey people went to church, or even to Town, they dressed up in a suit or their best clothes or their best bib and tucker. Nowadays Guernsey people come to church in shorts, T-shirts and trainers. I suppose this does not matter, but when the choir and clergy are very well dressed is it not respectful to dress well?

I saw the other day a person reading his iPhone when prayers were being said. Again, perhaps this does not matter, but it is a bit off-putting if you are next to the person.

Most clubs even these days insist on members being appropriately dressed, but the Church seems to have no standards, except for the clergy and the choir. Perhaps it is better to have attendees rather than none at all, so the old standards are not adhered to.

On the subject of the Church, why do we not have a Bishop of Guernsey or the Channel Islands? Why do we have to answer to the Bishop of Salisbury who lives in the south of England and may never have been to Guernsey or Jersey? After all, we conquered England in 1066, we are a Crown Dependency, with our own laws and government etc. We answer to the Duke of Normandy, the King of England, as the head of the Church of England and therefore to the Archbishop of Canterbury, but surely we should have our own bishop. Is there any good reason for not having our own bishop? No doubt there are many reasons, but I cannot think of one good one.

I notice that the Church of England, and no doubt other Churches, pray for the poor. This is commendable, but should we not pray for the rich and well off as well? You could say that the rich need to be prayed for more than the poor. At least we should not confine our prayers just to one group in the social pecking order. All need to be prayed for in different ways and for different reasons. Just because Jesus favoured the poor, quite rightly in his day, but life has changed and we now have a greater division between the rich and poor. All should be included in our prayers, not just one section of society.

Perhaps the Dean of Guernsey or a member of the Church might answer my queries?

Assisted dying

In the past our grandparents did not usually live beyond their 60s. Even our parents died in their 70s or, if they were fortunate, in their 80s. Now many live into their 90s or even 100s. Modern medicines and the elimination of many diseases which were common in the old days have allowed us to live much longer than we expected.

The downside of this increase in age is clear to see. Hospitals are full of aged patients and in a few cases bed-blockers, especially in the UK. Many countries have recognised that some who have certain diseases which cannot be cured are in some cases having to suffer unbelievable pain and discomfort when all they wish to do is to end their suffering.

The Scottish Government is considering assisted dying and even our sister island Jersey is contemplating it. Guernsey has always lagged behind on many matters – are we to be the one island to refuse to take cognisance of the wishes of the suffering by not allowing assisted dying?

Of course there must be safeguards to make certain there is no exploitation of the legal right to end a person’s life. It is not beyond the whit of man to legislate to make certain that such a course of action is not only legal but just. Can the States of Guernsey take the lead from other countries that have managed to produce an effective law to allow assisted dying to prevent the terrible suffering that some have to endure during the last days of their life on this earth. Surely it is possible to be humane, as we are with our pets and animals, when there is miserable suffering and great pain by prolonging life unnecessarily? I say this because my own mother had no wish to prolong her life, which had brought her much joy and happiness, and when I saw my own wife die of cancer in great discomfort, I could not help thinking that those who prolong the life of other human beings in pain and suffering are cruel to say the least, and to my way of thinking cannot justify their stand against assisted dying.

Noise pollution

Guernsey used to be a quiet, peaceful place to live and enjoy. Holidaymakers remarked on this pleasant environment in contrast to the UK and other countries. Unfortunately, owing to the dismal performance of those in authority, this is no longer the case. Our green and pleasant land is blemished by the appalling noise of motorcycles and cars with either no silencer or the vehicles have been doctored to make a hellish noise, tantamount to those wishing to frighten people and animals alike. Why we have to tolerate on all our roads this fiendish ear-shattering noise pollution, no one in their correct senses can understand. If you should have the distinct misery of living along the Cobo front or on other straight roads in Guernsey and have this constant unwarranted noise, which no studio or nightclub would accept, and added to it by the breaking of the speed limit, thus creating even more noise. Why do we have to accept this anti-social behaviour which has been protested against for many years without any action to curb it by those who should be doing something about it?

Drunks are rounded up for disorderly behaviour, why not the noise polluters?

Informers

Recently there has been a spate of car drivers and motorcyclists reporting other road users for drink-driving, or dangerous driving, or driving without care and attention. This has never been heard of in Guernsey except in the Occupation when those with a radio were reported on to the German authorities. It is similar to, in recent times, in East Germany when citizens were reported on for doing nothing illegal, except the reporter did not like the person.

I have heard that 25% of all reports to the Guernsey Police against other road users have been spurious and unfounded. It is likely that a ‘speedster’ has been held up by someone driving to the speed limit, preventing them from speeding. I've heard the worst case was when an old woman was reported for dangerous driving or something similar and when she got home where she lived on her own she found policemen at her door ready to interrogate her for her driving. Drivers who report on other drivers without justification should be charged for wasting police time.

Respect

Talking to the elderly and those in authority it appears that like in England there is no longer any respect for the police, teachers and anyone in authority, whatever task they have been given.

Every generation had criticised the next generation for their failing to meet the standards of the past. I remember my father saying to me that we, my generation, could never fight a war like he had to or his grandfather in the First

World War. It is of note that there has only been one year since 1945 when British troops have not had to face being shot at or blown up. Would my father have accepted that my generation were able to contend with some of the privations that he had to withstand without a cry for mental health?

Undoubtedly there has been a loss of respect for elders and those in authority. Spare the rod and spoil the child was a well-known saying in the past. Have we gone too far in sparing the rod?

These reflections have not been written with the purpose of attacking those in authority, but to reflect on Guernsey in the past, in contrast to the present day.