Jennifer the Humanist

07/08/2024

05/08/2024

We stand with other faith and belief groups across the UK in condemning the violent scenes that have unfolded across the United Kingdom since Monday 29 July. That day, three children lost their lives and five other children and two adults sustained injuries when they were attacked at a dance class in Southport, England. This shocking incident has rocked the Southport community. The families of the three girls who were killed and the families of those who were injured deserve our total compassion and empathy.

This incident has prompted a backlash out of all proportion and reason. We have seen racist and anti-Muslim rioters wreaking destruction across many cities and towns. This has been been whipped up by far-right agitators spreading misinformation online. Those taking part have targeted asylum seekers and the buildings thought to be housing them. We have seen racially motivated attacks in the street. Mosques have been damaged, and the rioting has escalated into a more general disorder. Civic buildings such as libraries have been attacked and shops have been looted.

While our response to these events expresses a non-religious worldview, we wish to stand in solidarity with faith groups in condemning these attacks. In particular, we express solidarity with and support for Scotland and the UK’s Muslim communities, who have been specifically targeted.

Many of the rioters’ chants have expressed the idea that “England/Britain is a Christian country.” This sentiment, legitimised by what are now mainstream political factions, rejects the very principle of secularism: the separation of church and state vital to the functioning of a modern, diverse, multicultural democracy. It expresses a desire for public institutions to enforce a single, faith-based worldview across an entire populace. This would create a highly dangerous situation for members of smaller religious communities and humanists alike. It must be resisted at every turn.

We are also deeply concerned at the sp*ed and ease with which agents of disinformation have been able to promote their messages via social media. This resulted in misinterpretation of a violent crime committed in Stirling over the weekend. It has also been centrally responsible for the rioting across England and Belfast. In the past, certain platforms took swift action against accounts spreading misinformation. But over the past year previously banned accounts have been reinstated and intentional falsehoods promoted.

We trust that violent rioting will be met with the full force of the law. The principles of tolerance, the rule of law, and diversity that define the UK must express themselves with new urgency in the coming days and weeks.

Humanist Society Scotland, August 2024.

04/08/2024

Tomlin Kahlo Buchan
is 2 today

She is a very protective big sister
to Chomsky and Pascal

She is clever and gentle
and occasionally bloody raging
(which is quite funny as she only weighs 2.8kg)

But mostly, she is a wee cuddly darling
with the most beautiful caramel eyes
Our wee Tomlin 🤎

03/08/2024

Out with Mr Jennifer the Humanist

02/08/2024

The 20th of July
was a bit of a family affair

We have known Sarah
since she was a baby
(she is now a dentist)
as her dad, Stuart
is Mr Jennifer the Humanist’s cousin

And we are delighted
that she met David
(on a freezing Fraserburgh beach
in a February
with a dog called Sadie)

So, twa wiks ago
ah goat tae conduct thir mairrage
an ah wis a bit greetin’
an anawe, fir bits o’ it
ah wis spikin’ richt

“A mairrage is a promise
twa herts be gled tae mak
A promise tae be tender
tae help, tae gie and tak

A mairrage is a promise
tae be kind, tae unnerstan
Tae be thochtful and consid’rit
Tae be fair and nae demand

A mairrage is a promise
Tae share ae life thegither
Fill’t wi luv, an meant tae be
Keepit lik yon foriver”

poem by Georgina Buchan

Congratulations to the most fabulous
Mr and Mrs Williamson
and enjoy your beach honeymoon
(canna believe yuv picked Bali ower thi Broch)













NeverFullyDressed

30/07/2024

On Saturday
I married Steph and Jonny
(they of the space hoppers at their wedding)

Today Jonny and Steph came over to the house
(their car still decorated
with ribbons and confetti)
for a big cuddle
before they headed off on their mini moon

Actually bloody adorable, the two of them ❤️

29/07/2024

I find that
the majority of people who complain about
young people
don’t actually spend any time with
young people

See this team?
They are the West Region Explorer Scouts
who were chosen to attend the 39th
Blair Atholl International Scout Jamborette

Every one of these kids
had two years of their childhoods disrupted
by the pandemic and the lockdowns

They missed out on school, Scouts, socialising
They missed out on their friends

But everyone in this team of young people
all aged between 14 and 17
has worked within their own Scout units
been to Regional training weekends
(in all weathers)
and then turned up to this Perthshire field
and BUILT camp
so they could host young people from
Europe, Canada, USA and Barbados

Over two weeks
these young people have worked
they have played
they have sung
they have danced
they have made pals
(in all weathers)
and to be perfectly honest
these young people have been nothing less
than amazing

They have been adventurous
they have been brave
they have been ambassadors
they have been leaders
they have been friends

I am so proud of every one of them

These young people are brilliant

27/07/2024

27/07/2024

I am a Scout Leader
and part of the Welfare Team
at the
Blair Atholl International Scout Patrol Jamborette

Three Blairs ago
there was a Rainbow Cafe
which catered for twenty to thirty Scouts
However
around two hundred young people turned up
Members of the LGBTIQA+ community
along with their pals and allies

Last Blair
the young people ran their own
information workshop
and a Pride march

This Blair
the young people made button badges
and one young person designed
an official Blair Pride badge

They organised a
Rainbow Cafe
a Pride March
and a disco

They also wrote their thoughts and feelings
on this sheet
which will be cut, lined and hemmed
and kept as a marquee wall liner
for BA2026 💜🌈

26/07/2024

Me and Mr Jennifer the Humanist
have been at Scout Camp for two weeks

Off the field for lunch
Coffee
and a fancy p*e

(a fancy p*e
is a p*e in a real flushing toilet
with a clean sink
nice soap and hot water)

22/07/2024

Tuesday 7pm
at the flagpoles

We might all march
to the beat of a different drum
but we will all march forward together
and
we shall leave no one behind ❤️🌈

21/07/2024

On the field with
Pascal, Chomsky and Tomlin
and Barry

20/07/2024

In the style of the village of St Combs
the wedding celebrant is married to
the bride’s dad’s cousin

Sarah and David’s wedding
with
the Inverallochy ice cream van ❤️

17/07/2024

Welfare Team
heading to the
Barbie and Ken disco

16/07/2024

Blair Atholl International Scout Jamborette
With Mr Jennifer the Humanist
and our two weans

15/07/2024

Welfare (WellBlair) Team

15/07/2024

Blair Atholl International Patrol Jamborette
It is a wee bit damp

14/07/2024

8pm
and goodnight

14/07/2024

Tom of Lude
A brand new favourite place

12/07/2024

The 39th
Scottish International Patrol Jamborettte
one day to go 💜



www.jamborette.org.uk

11/07/2024

On Saturday
heading to
Blair Atholl International Scout Jamborette
Preparing for being on
The Welfare Team

10/07/2024

This afternoon’s funeral
Four thousand words of stories and anecdotes
about a cracker of a woman
Music that reflected that woman’s life
throughout the decades
We smiled and laughed
we chatted
we ad-libbed
but mostly
we smiled
a lot

As everyone left the crematorium
I was cuddled to within an inch of my life
And then
there was one guy
who shook my hand
and said
“yes, very good, but not to my taste”

Raging?
Actually F*CKING raging
Have went fur chips