{Spiritual Darkness}[2nd December 1987]

[Redbook4:192-193][19871202:0005]{Spiritual Darkness}[2nd December 1987]

19871202:0005

Watching an ‘Everyman’ programme on the divisions within the British Sikh community, I was struck by the darkness of one speaker – the most extreme supporter of Khalistan interviewed. As he described the conspiracy between the Indian and British governments which had resulted in imprisonment of British Sikhs for (?)homicide-related charges, and denied their guilt – not because they had not done what they were charged with but because he did not recognise the British courts – the darkness was very much apparent. I do not recall that he was darker in skin than others; I think he was wearing a dark suit. But the darkness was most definitely in his eyes, supported by and/or colouring his expression.

It was a frightening thing: I have seen it occasionally in the eyes of the Provisional Irish Republican Army's spokesmen (although not recently).

If you are a follower of what I have just labelled 'tactical relativism',* you will say that this reflects my own politics. I do not think so: I have also seen it elsewhere, although never in quite such an intense form: in a convicted criminal (forgery or fraud, I think) whom I knew casually for three years before I learnt of his conviction; perhaps in a local ne'er-do-well who once shot up the bar at the [local pub] (I later discovered); possibly, more faintly, in the odd businessman, although I can't think who; most definitely and quite intensely on occasion in part-time and full-time [special forces] men {with} whom I worked on exercises from time to time.

*'Tactical Relativism' consists in throwing accusations, made against you, back at the accuser: in the hope of undermining his position, irrespective of truth.

[An example of this was reported within the last few days at the United Nations, were the Russian representative apparently countered challenges from the U.K. representative on the Russian annexation of Crimea and invasion of Eastern Ukraine, by identifying the Falklands, Gibraltar, and Diego Garcia as matters were it not for which the UK would be in a better position to criticise Russia. <20170219>]

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