The Law, of course, is an Ass!

Now, this really is outrageous. Outrageous, I tell you!

My friend Hicham Yezza (you will remember him from my postings last year, if so click here) and the news is that he was recently found GUILTY of attempting to defraud the British government regarding his work permit. I haven't really researched the technicalities of the government's case because it probably isn't worth it ,considering the duplicity of our friends in power – but Hicham's case is the most disgusting breach of that justice that I can remember. Here is a man – the most peaceful and sensitive of men anyone could hope to meet – a man who left his home for work one day just like any of us might do, and who would (if it hadn't been for a sustained campaign to get his emergency deportaton stopped) have never seen his possessions again. Can anyone of you imagine that?

There are villains in this country, and some of them are illegal immigrants – that has to be acknowledged. I am sure that some of these people are probably terrorists with some fundamental and misplaced idealistic tendencies amongst them, but the simple truth is that Hicham is NOT one of them! The authorities are using him as a scapegoat – nothing more – and it makes me feel ashamed to be British. I am middle-class (except for the fact that I was born in the backstreets of Naples), and I am white. This gives me a great sense of probably misplaced protection that people such as Hicham can never enjoy. That is a horrible indictment of our society. Oh goodness, I'm lucky. Poor Hicham can't possibly be so lucky.

For fuck's sake – this guy has contributed to the intellectual culture of this country – he has even applied to be nationalized and to become a British citizen. Is this the right way to reward that commitment? Hell, no it isn't.

PLEASE, look at the link above and do what I (and many other people) have done: Write to Hich in prison; write to your MP; write to the Home Office; write to HM The Queen; write to slack-jawed Gordon Brown. Write to anybody – just make sure that Hich is not forgotten.

I remain, your faithful servant...