Rogue States

One of the last self-governing and self-respecting countries on earth is Switzerland.

But this United Kingdom, neither self-governing nor self-respecting, has still managed to become a rogue state by licensing human-animal crossbreeding, by permitting the manufacture of spare parts babies, and by purporting to abolish fatherhood.

And Switzerland (alas, all the more easily, even if the grounds of that ease are splendid in themselves) has also managed to become a rogue state, first in relation to assisted suicide, and now also in relation to heroin.

I write this only because I would die for the United Kingdom and in so many ways still greatly admire Switzerland. Both are going through what look like national mid-life crises, perhaps following on, at least in the British case, from the inexplicable decision to have a national adolescence over the last fifty or so years.

Full maturity cannot possibly be restored too soon.