Easy As Falling Off a Bike pt 3189

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The Daily Dormouse.
(aka Bike, est. 2007)
Part 3189
by Angharad

Copyright© 2017 Angharad

  
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This is a work of fiction any mention of real people, places or institutions is purely coincidental and does not imply that they are as suggested in the story.
*****

“Three emails so far, one of which was from the Echo, they want an interview with the professor who expelled a student because of her religion.”

“I haven’t expelled her.”

“That isn’t how they seem to see it.”

“I mean they haven’t received the letter yet, have they?”

“Still waiting for you to sign it.”

“I’ll draft a statement for the Echo but we’ll check with Tom first before we send it.”

“Okay, I’ll put the kettle on.”

I drafted a simple statement of what happened and how the girl had stuck her head above the parapet when I’d asked for any questions. She didn’t lack bottle but she did perhaps lack sense. I mean asking for a bacon sarnie at a bar mitzvah would not be the wisest of actions, telling a professor of biological sciences that she’s wrong about an item of proven science, ain’t too bright either.

Tom eventually emailed me back that my account was okay but to clear it with the press officer. I didn’t know we had one, but then I just work here. I asked Diane if she knew who the press officer was and she gave me chapter and verse. I asked her to ask him to call me.

It struck me as appalling the time that was going to be wasted because of some religious nut and my time isn’t cheap. I eventually spoke to Julian Pears, as he was called and filled him in on the details, he then asked me to send all the stuff including my email to him and he’d deal with the press. I told him that Tom was backing me and he said he understood that, he could see that my approach was reasonable but that it looked as if the girl was looking for confrontation. I suppose she was, either that or martyrdom—either way I’d be happy to oblige—wonder where I can borrow a lion—being eaten by dormice would take too long.

I wasn’t too sure about this Julian fellow but I eventually sent my statement to him. I was then on tenterhooks to see what the Echo did with the truth, which they don’t usually allow to interrupt a good story.

I had an email back from Julian to say he’d spoken with Jackson at the Echo and explained the facts of the matter and Jackson had said it was obviously a storm in teacup but they’d run some sort of story anyway.

Just before I left I surfed the Echo website and saw what the scurrilous Jackson had written.

‘Girl suspended because of her religious convictions. A senior professor at Portsmouth University suspended a female student because they clashed over evolution, which the girl claimed was simply a theory against the infallible word of God.

‘The university say it hadn’t suspended the student just asked her if she was studying the right course, but she said it was said aggressively by the professor, who she says looks down upon her because she’s from Leigh Park council estate and the professor is one of the wealthiest women in England, let alone Portstmouth.

‘Professor Cathy Watts, who is one of the university’s super professors, effectively a dean of the faculties of science, isn’t new to controversy but has she gone too far this time? The Echo is on the case but do let us know what you think about this? Is Darwin just a theory or is evolution proven beyond doubt?’

I called dear Julian and told him I was briefing my lawyers and would defend myself against all comers, showing little mercy for my enemies. He swallowed audibly on being told this and asked me to hang on until he could see what he could do. I told him I was calling Jason as soon as I put the phone down to him.

Jason sounded upbeat simply asking what sort of damages I’d settle for. I told him I was only seeking apologies. He thought that was being too soft and that he’d always fancied playing with ecclesiastical law. I pointed out that the JWs were a sect not an established church.

“So d’you want to bankrupt them or just the Echo?”

“That wouldn’t be very Christian, would it?” I replied and he nearly collapsed laughing at the other end of the phone.

As we were talking Diane tapped on my door, “According to security, there’s a mob outside the car park calling for your resignation.”

I told Jason and he simply told me to stay calm and not run any of them over. I hadn’t thought of that, running them over and it was so tempting, but I had to agree with his advice and bodywork repairs aren’t cheap. The problem was that my car has a named parking spot. According to Diane’s latest intelligence, my car was now covered in egg and flour and it looked as if the protestors were waiting to do the same to me. I told her to call the police.

I called Sister Maria who told me she’d get the girls home by taxi, we’d sort out the cost later. She wished me luck with the infidels as she called them, but then I suspect they think that about the Church of England.

It struck me as how ridiculous this whole thing was. I hadn’t sacked the student neither had I backed down against her ill informed accusations. I wasn’t going to back down against the whole of her bloody sect either. If they want to pursue such nonsense in their Kingdom Halls or their own homes, that’s fine with me, but if they call my science in to dispute without any evidence except some ancient book which is mostly myth and Jewish folk history and not a scientific text, then they are personally criticising me which is bordering upon defamation as well as being suicidal.

“’S getting worse, they’re on facebook wanting to crowd source a defence in court should you try to sue them,” said Diane from the door of my office. “That means they’ll have every JW throwing money in the bucket.”

“How many are there?”

“God knows,” she said and we both laughed with much more hilarity than was deserved.

“Why d’you think they’ve chosen to try and bring me down?”

“Because you support Professor Dawkins?”

“Well of course I would, we’re both biologists. This is basic biology, evolution is a proven scientific fact, genetics show it beyond any shadow of a doubt.”

“That should mean you win then?”

“Except the Echo is opting for trial by tabloid.”

“Hmm, I suppose it is—scurrilous rag—it is.”

“I’m not going to disagree, Diane.”

“Police are here.” She opened my door and two police constables strolled in.

“We’re here to investigate reports of a vandalised car—property of Professor Watts.”

“That’s me, do come in—any tea available, Diane?”

“Just a bloody slave,” she muttered and the two coppers smirked.

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Comments

More Effective Solution

Wouldn't it just be easier and probably more cost effective in the long run if Cathy and/or Simon just buy the Echo?

Any reported snooping around for a questionable story would find himself invited for a visit with the Editor In Chief.

Michelle B

Nice thought

Sammi's picture

but it'd be easier for them to buy out a small bank then buy out Jacksons mortgage, then to recall the debt.


"REMEMBER, No matter where you go, There you are."

Sammi xxx

JWs

I happen to have been born into that particular cult. Furtunately I managed to deprogram myself quite early and became a staunch atheist in a sense that I was quite clear about it internally but unable to express it outwardly given the situation. Wrap that up with also being clear on both gender and sexuality and you have quite the ball of preteen angst. I suppose in that sense I had it no rougher than many others who come out of similar backgrounds so I can't pick the JWs out as any worse than the others in general.

That said, intensive "Study"(Brainwashing) in the form of at least 3 meetings a week plus going out preaching on Saturdays(Pretty much a requirement) is quite enough to bend many minds in ways that make pretzels look relatively straightforward. As with any other religion the power structure determines what is right and wrong, with themselves at the top of course. Like most cults they severely limit contact outside of the religion which includes a very strong prohibition against sending their children to college.

So it leads me to ask...

Just what was she doing in any course at all, much less one which emphasized biology and therefore evolution?

I'm catching whiffs of polecat here...

Abby

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As a confirmed atheist

I can personally attest to years of religious bigotry, brainwashing, and bullying from catholic priests, c-of-e vicars and non-conformist ministers. In borstal it seemed they had carte-blanche to pick on any kid they wanted and I like a naive foolish twelve-year-old stupidly tried to argue with them when I should have just shut up, kept my head down and gone my own way.

There's no substitute for stupid.

bev_1.jpg

Re: As a confirmed atheist

I was fourteen when I spent about an hour arguing with the priest of the Catholic church I'd been attending for about seven years.

I asked several questions about various bits and pieces in the Bible, and rather than give an actual answer, he simply kept responding that the Bible was correct in every part, even when various parts of the Bible contradicted each other completely and absolutely.

Since I couldn't get an honest answer from him, I told him that I would no longer be coming to the masses each week. He then spent several minutes telling me that I had no choice but to come to mass, or I would be going to hell. I laughed at him and walked out.

A few years after that, also a few years after the adoption ended, I was a member of a Christian church in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. The church had quite strict rules that everyone was expected to follow, yet I soon noticed that the higher members blatantly broke those rules whenever they wished, with nothing happening when it became public. I was so disgusted by the double standards that I walked away from the church and eventually decided that I would follow a more pagan path.

Around that same time, after being in a relationship with a young woman nine years my senior, whom I had been helping by tutoring her in English, math and a few other subjects, I was told to go fuck myself by her parents as they didn't approve of her being independent. My helping her was showing her that she could be independent, and they couldn't handle it, thus they forced us apart. I can't recall whether they stated that they would have me arrested or something like that if I tried to stay with her, but it would not have surprised me at all.

I have no idea what happened with her after that, I had no way to contact her. I do hope that she eventually found some freedom.

What upsets me the most is that the people doing these things don't care about the harm they do to the other person, it's all about them, all about what they want whether the other person wants it or not. To put it bluntly, it's straight out psychological/emotional abuse.

Plods to the rescue

Oh no! I hope Cathy wasn't driving the Jag! That would be close to a sacrilege . Maybe the blue goddess could smite them. Or have am case of Watch Towers fall and crush them!

Karen

It appears to me that Tom or

It appears to me that Tom or whoever has the power to do so, needs to sack the so-called Public Relations person. He has caused a lot more issues with his supposed dealings with the "Echo" than Cathy did in her classroom.
Cathy needs to have the police get all video or film of who the miscreants are/were that screwed over her car and sue them for damages.
She also needs to bring suit against the female student, her parents and the JW church for the public destruction of her PROFESSIONAL Reputation. Go for enough money to seriously "wake them up", and at the same time STATE IN PUBLIC by the press; that ANY funds granted to you by the courts will be given to a local or two local charities. That would definitely assist in getting others behind Cathy.

recovered wasp!

not the vesper kind, white anglo saxon protestant. I was forced to endure the attempt to make me follow the Cof E path by my Mother. Interesting that myself, the sibling with the horns and tail(and perhaps a satin basque and fishnets!) has just had to intervene to prevent an eldery Aunt and Uncle being separated into different care homes, one of them in the middle of nowhere. One of my godfearing siblings refused to prevent this so it was left to the weird queery one to do the right thing!

Not The Worst

In my limited experience, Jehovah's Witnesses seem to limit their public nuisance to door-to-door housecalls in suburbia, and setting up modest literature stands at train stations and busy places in the Big City. At least on this side of the pond, I can't remember them taking a prominent role in any loud or militant demonstrations. Quiet suffering seems more their thing. I think they're mostly (in)famous here for refusing life-saving blood transfusions.

We've no shortage of crazy religious loons (no, that's not as redundant as it might seem) over here, but the worst of them seem to be independent Baptist, or "Bible," or "Christian" churches only loosely affiliated with any sort of denomination. The JW's have quite a bit more dignity than those.

I remember trying to discuss

Angharad's picture

a story in the paper about the finding of a fossil that was several million years old to be told that it was all nonsense and that carbon dating was nullified by atomic bomb tests. When I tried to explain the science, ie he was wrong, he simply told me he couldn't be because it was written in the Bible. I think it has been demonstrated that once you show someone to be wrong in their core beliefs, they just close down and become angry or frightened and it reinforces rather than changes their ideas. All you can do is offer the evidence and let them make their own minds up. Usually it fails but anything other is descending to their level and verging on abuse.

Angharad