World Have Your Say, Friday November 2nd

We are on air now. You can listen LIVE here. Do get in touch and share your views. You can post them on this very blog, text them to us at +44 77 86 20 60 80 or email us at worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk .

You can also call us here in the studio at +44 20 70 83 72 72

morning / afternoon / evening, Peter Dobbie here with news of todays WHYS, on air at the usual time: 1700 GMT First things first:

DO YOU TRUST YOUR POLICE ?

The reason I ask is because London’s Metropolitan Police force has been found guilty of endangering the public over the fatal shooting of a man officers mistook for a suicide bomber. The force broke health and safety laws when officers pursued Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes to a London Tube station and shot him seven times. The family’s solicitor, said the police had been an “unstoppable force” when they pursued him, and the defence had “descended to the gutter” to blacken his name.

POORLY BRIEFED

During the trial, the jury heard that police commanders had made a string of errors on 22nd July, two years ago, that culminated in an unwarranted risk to the public and ultimately the death of Mr de Menezes. The family’s solicitor, said the police had been an “unstoppable force” when they pursued him, and the defence had “descended to the gutter” to blacken his name.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ?

Can the police be trusted where you are to always get it right ? Is there a bigger question – even though one man died, are our streets safer because the “bad guys” think they might get shot ? We’re not saying that Jean Charles de Menezes was one of the “bad guys” — he wasn’t. No argument. No debate. He simply wasn’t. An innocent man died.

But are the police, in many parts of the world, perhaps not what they appear to be. Think of Iraq – questions over militants dressed as police, and then killing people. Think Gaza – a police force used as a bench mark for peace and self-determination. Northern Ireland – where sectarian tensions are policed by people from different sides of that same sectarian divide. And for every expert who says the police are a bench mark of a civilised society, you’ll find someone else who says they’re not to be trusted, not to be looked to, when YOU are in trouble. Tell us what you think.

BIG PROBLEMS IN MEXICO – MILLIONS AFFECTED.

Also today Mexico.  A massive rescue operation is under way in the southern Mexican state of Tabasco after rains caused the worst flooding there in more than 50 years.
More than one million people are believed to be affected, with 300,000 thought to be trapped in their homes and more rain forecast in coming days. Most of the state is under water and its governor has urged anyone who owns a boat to help the rescue operation. President Felipe Calderon said the situation was “extraordinarily grave”. If you’re there we want to hear from you. Call us, tell us what’s going on. And be safe.

As ever:

WORLDHAVEYOURSAY.COM
TEXT: +44 77 86 20 60 80
PHONE: +44 20 70 83 72 72

Later, Peter

friday – immigration, middle east & healthcare

Hi, James here in London. Half of the team are on their way from Phoenix to San Francisco for a special show tomorrow (yes that’s right – on a Saturday!). Anna is masterminding the show and has written more about the programme here.While the SF team prepares for that extravanganza, we’re getting ready for Friday’s show here in Bush House. So what could be getting you talking today?

IMMIGRATION ISSUE – THE ITALIAN WAY

Italy’s centre-left government, long accused by critics of being soft on immigration, has pushed through a decree allowing police to expel European Union citizens believed to be a danger to society. No trial will be needed and proof that they are a danger to scoiety can be as little as the absence of a steady job. Any EU citizen can be kicked out of the country, and threatened with a spell in jail if they ever return to Italy.

Of course the new legislation is causing controversy. It appears to directly contradict the principle of unlimited cross-border travel to which other EU countries adhere.

But the Italian government says the new law is vital to stop a spate of violent crimes in the country, which it says has been carried out by immigrants – many of them from Romania.

So is the Italian government right? Is this the way to deal with troublesome immigrants?  Are other EU countries too soft on immigration? Or is this a step too far? Your thoughts please.

GRIM PREDICTION FOR US IN MIDDLE EAST

US troops could stay in the Middle East for the next 50 years, according to a US general. John Abizaid, former commander of US forces in the region, says America needs a presence due to the rise of Sunni and Shia extremism in Iraq, the “Arab-Israeli” conflict and US dependency on oil.

Could this turn out to be a reality? Your thoughts please.

PUBLIC vs PRIVATE HEALTHCARE

What healthcare provision do you have in your country? Do you pay for private treatment or are you somewhere where you rely on the public health system? If you had the choice (and the money), would you prefer to pay for private care? Or do you think systems like the NHS in the UK are the way forward? In our meeting yesterday, Paul came up with the idea of looking at socialist vs capitalist health care systems, using the Michael Moore film “Sicko” as an example of exposing various systems around the world. Would you like to discuss this today? Let us know.

HOW OFFENSIVE IS THE “N-WORD”?

We’ve done a few shows about the “N-Word”, but it’s back in the news again today – this time in North Texas after a student took offense to the use of the word during a class discussion about a classic American novel. Richland High School officials are issuing an apology to one of their students because he was disturbed by the use of the racial slur during a class discussion about Huckleberry Finn.

Should the school have apologised? How offensive is the “N-Word”?

SHOULD PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN HAVE TO THINK ABOUT OBESITY?

A kids’ channel here in the UK is getting ready to broadcast a show that teaches pre-school children “toddlerobics“. These are daily exercise sessions as part of a fun show on Nick Jr. It’s got a serious message – recent British government figures suggest a quarter of children will be obese by 2050, and the key is getting younger kids active. But should children – aged two to five – really have to worry about obesity?