Hello

Happy July 4th. to all my American and Canadian friends. Though why you Americans should celebrate your independence from the United Kingdom I don’t quite understand.

Yesterday marked the arrival of my fourth grandchild, Oliver. Or Ollie as we shall all call him. He is without doubt the most handsome, clever and alert 6 pounds 11 ounce young man in the known universe.

There are moments in life when the world seems to suddenly move in glutinous slow motion, everything leading to doubts and uncertainties. Your optimism slipping into brave smiles to obscure the hot breath of fear enveloping you. Yesterday morning was such a time for the family and me. Phone calls in the middle of the night, premature visits to the hospital, things going slightly wrong, and then the decision to deliver the baby by Caesarian section.

Because I had a cold I was relegated to a safe distance. Sitting in the corridors, trying to think positively, but for a while there, it was all too easy to remember that phrase, there are no atheists in a foxhole. I offered up all the prayers I could think of in my quiet corner for my little girl to be OK. I don’t know if there is a higher being, which is why I qualify as an agnostic, but I do want to say thank you, if he or she is there, because it did all turn out fine.

Whilst thanking any infinite Almighty I also want to pay tribute to the maternity unit of the Queen Elizabeth 2 Hospital in Welwyn who were a shining example of when the National Health service gets something resoundingly right. The staff were helpful, informative, polite, efficient, hygienic and above all very human under somewhat trying circumstances. The upshot was our very happy and enhanced family smiling hugely.

Furthering my somewhat tenuous medical link I ask you what do Dwain Chambers the runner, and Majid Ahmed, the student have in common?

Both committed offences for which they were punished but are still suffering the consequences.

Dwain Chambers admitted taking substances that enabled him to train harder and recover quicker which enabled him to run 100 meters at around 10 seconds. He was caught, and his punishment was a lengthy ban. After the ban was finished the British Olympic movement reminded him, that under their rules he must never run for our Olympic team again. He is taking them to court to challenge this ruling.

Majid Ahmed is a gifted student, born in the North of England, in Bradford, who dreamed of becoming a doctor. He had qualified as the best student of his school in all of his exams, having received 4 A’s at A level. He even raised a considerable sum for charity and worked as a volunteer. Everything was coming up roses for Majid as he heard from the university of his choice, the world ranked Imperial College in London, that they had selected him to be a student. That’s when the good news stopped because Majid had also told the university that when he was 16 years old he had a criminal conviction for a small part in a burglary that led to his receiving a 4 month long community service. Imperial College withdrew their offer of a place based on their belief that this young man could never be trusted as a doctor.

There is no doubt that both Majid and Dwain had broken the rules and laws of our society. Equally there can be no reservation that their crimes and misdemeanors warranted punishment. Both men, having received their penalties, showed remorse, and have, according to all reports, behaved in an exemplary manner ever since. How can society then justify, after all this, their punishment continuing for the rest of their lives? This is not justice, it is society seeking revenge that exceeds punishment.