Hmmm.....

"Rights" it's a word I encounter frequently in today's media. Often in the context of "it's my right to/not to...blah blah" or "that's a breach of my human rights....".  I recently read an interview given by Joanna Lumley to Good Housekeeping in which she commented:

"You are entitled to fresh air and that's it. Do the rest yourself."

It made me stop and think and yes, I have to say I agree with her. She certainly wasn't suggesting in any way that there shouldn't be support within society for those who are vulnerable or that we shouldn't support one another- simply that we are responsible for our own actions and any resulting consequences. This business of being an adult is all very tedious at times! I do eventually pull up my big girl's knickers [as Elaine over at Mortgage Free in Three] so hilariously calls it and do the right thing but I'd be lying if I didn't admit that there's always an initial inclination to look around for a scapegoat.

Whilst upon the topic of scapegoats the word is in fact Hebrew. Two goats were presented to the altar of the tabernacle where the high priest would draw lots for the Lord and the Azalel [the desert demon who's usually shown with goat's horns rather like our traditional devil]. The goat who was selected for the Lord was sacrificed . The priest would take confession and then transfer all the sins to the second goat who would be banished to the wilderness. He had thus escaped sacrifice and was henceforth known as the escaped or scapegoat. May I extend my thanks to Mr Albert Jack and his tome "Pop Goes The Weasel" for this little snippet.

Arilx