Just about every day the media talk about “inappropriate” behaviour — how bad it is and what to do about it.

For example:

April 12: Media billionaire Kerry Stokes is in trouble with the Supreme Court after he made ”inappropriate at a minimum” comments disparaging the truthfulness of . . . .

April 16: An Illinois high school teacher suspected of exchanging inappropriate text messages with a student . . . .

April 17: Residents in nursing homes are often exposed to inappropriate medication. Particular concern has been raised . . . .

* * *

So what does inappropriate mean?

The easy answer is that something is inappropriate if it goes against universally-held community standards.

Sounds great.

Unfortunately there is no such thing as universally-held community standards.

Universal standards would have to relate to some kind of absolute difference between right and wrong.

Absolute — as opposed to standards that the community might approve today and disapprove tomorrow.

Which makes true appropriateness, ultimately, a religious question.

So-called secular ethics have nothing to offer.

In secular decision-making — “democratic” or otherwise — the opinion prevailing will be the one advocated by those in a position to impose some kind of literal or emotional blackmail.

Not very satisfactory . . . .

* * *

The key word God would have us bear in mind is “mercy”.

Mercy is always appropriate.

In religion, “mercy” means “showing the same qualities of compassion towards each other as God has demonstrated to us”.

To quote the Bible:

“Be all like-minded, compassionate, lovers of the brethren, merciful . . .

“He who would love life and see good days . . . let him turn away from evil and do good . . .

“For the eyes of the Lord are upon the just and his ears unto their prayers;

“But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”

Many Australians probably couldn’t name the Prime Minister of France.

Well it is François Fillon.

He has held the position since May 2007.

A controversial figure, not least for a statement he has made about immigrants:

* * *

Those immigrants who are not French must adapt.

Take it or leave it, I’m tired of this nation worrying about whether we are offending some individual or their culture.

Our culture has developed with struggles and victories by millions of men and women who have sought freedom . . . .

Most French people believe in God . . . men and women founded this nation on Christian principles, and this is clearly documented.

It is then appropriate to display this on the walls of our schools. If God offends you, then I suggest you consider another part of the world as your home, because God is part of our culture.

We will accept your beliefs without question. All we ask is that you accept ours, and live in peaceful harmony with us.

This is our country, our land and our lifestyle — and we offer you the opportunity to enjoy all this.

But if you’re tired of our flag, our commitment, our Christian beliefs, or our lifestyle, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of another great French freedom, the right to leave . . . .

We did not force you to come here.

You asked to be here.

So accept the country YOU chose.

* * *

M. Fillon (if correctly quoted) is striking a careful balance.

His remarks are becoming more relevant every day.

Islamic societies of North Africa and the Middle East are self destructing, exploding, crumbling into chaos just across the water.

Mediterranean European countries will be preferred destinations for MILLIONS of angry, traumatised, PTSD-suffering fugitives.

How to deal with them?

Has M. Fillon got the balance right?

I think he has.

What do you think?

In Britain, 80 million Easter eggs are sold each year.

80 million little nails in the coffin of the Christian religion.

80 million little propaganda units spreading the word that Easter is about holidays and chocolate.

Not about God.

* * *

But this year something new under the sun is about to appear.

Some British supermarket chains will be stocking the Real Easter Egg — the UK’s first and only fair-trade charity Easter egg.

And the first to mention Jesus on the box.

The packaging tells customers: “Easter is all about cute bunnies, fluffy chicks and eating too much chocolate, right? Well, not quite. We happen to think it’s a bit more meaningful than that. That’s because billions of people all over the world believe that Jesus died on the cross on Good Friday, then rose again three days later . . . on Easter Sunday . . . .”

Two charities will benefit from the sale of the £3.99 eggs.

Traidcraft Exchange will receive 30p from every egg sold.

Baby Lifeline will receive 10 percent of the Real Easter Egg net profits.

* * *

The manufacturer, Meaningful Chocolate Company, says it has received more than 70,000 orders since the egg was launched last September 2010.

It has exhausted its supplies of direct mail-order eggs.

However the Christian-themed eggs won’t be found in Britain’s three biggest supermarkets – Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Asda – which between them have a 63 percent market share.

Perhaps these organisations are less interested in the Real Easter and more interested in real money.

Perhaps if the Real Easter Egg turns out a big seller these big supermarkets may get an attack of religion – and next year be glad enough to cash in.

Egypt is now in the hands of the military.

This situation follows talks last week between the Muslim Brotherhood and the then Vice President, Omar Suleiman.

No representatives of the Egyptian Christian community were invited to participate in the talks, despite their having been part of the original demonstrations demanding “reform” . . . .

* * *

For all the talk about “democracy”, the power-brokers orchestrating this revolution ignored the 10 million or so Christians who comprise more than 10 percent of the population.

One need not be surprised.

Persecution of Christians has been increasing in Egypt — and many observers expect an acceleration in sectarian murders, starting about now.

On New Years Day, a car bomb exploded in front of a Coptic Church in Alexandria, killing 21 worshippers.

A fortnight ago, Muslims broke into the homes of two families of Christians, murdering 11 people including 4 children.

It is bad luck about Egypt.

The media are encouraging  us to view the whole situation through rosy glasses and to await the joyful democratic future they say is on the way in Egypt.

Some will find it joyful, but it is hard to be confident that the typical Egyptian battler will be any better off.

* * *

There is likely to be a big exodus of Christians from Egypt before long, much as there has been from Iraq.

You can hardly blame people for not wanting their children killed.

Where are such Christians to go?

Why not Australia?

This is something about which our Federal Government and Opposition could unite to support.

There is already an active Coptic Orthodox community in Australia.

Australia could certainly benefit from an influx of Christians.

Why are all those Egyptians out on the Cairo streets?

“The Egyptians want and need democracy,” say some media experts.

Perhaps. But what do they mean by “democracy”?

It’s a word with an infinite variety of meanings.

You could say that, after all, President Mubarak was returned to the presidency democratically last year — when his party won 81 percent of the seats in parliament.

So has Egypt already got a democracy?

Perhaps not. Many opposition parties were banned, and opposition leaders imprisoned, at the time of that election.

Egypt’s democracy is what you could call a “sham democracy”.

* * *

Cynics might say that all democracies are a sham.

Consider Australia.

Doesn’t our “democracy” consist of the owners of the TV channels bullying voters into electing certain rulers — while making them think they are exercising free choice?

We are suspicious of our media. But isn’t it them to whom we go for our ideas?

Where else could we go for ideas?

To the Church . . . ?

Why not?

What Australia needs is a non-party-political but authoritative voice, fearlessly proclaiming true principles of social morality.

Even in these seemingly non-religious times, about 500,000 Australians attend Catholic Mass every weekend.

If priests and bishops courageously took the opportunity to teach them the Catholic stance on moral issues, the media might soon lose its ascendancy . . . .

* * *

A note for LORD OF THE RINGS fans:

J.R.R. Tolkien described himself as a Catholic and a monarchist.

He once wrote, “I am not a democrat, if only because humility and equality are spiritual principles corrupted by the attempt to mechanise and formalise them, with the result that we get, not smallness and humility, but universal greatness and pride . . . and then we get and are getting slavery.”

For the last week, Coles Supermarkets have been selling their own milk brand for $1 a litre.

Sales have increased.

Coles are assuring the dairy industry that this won’t lead to them forcing farmers to accept a lower price for their milk.

But nobody believes them.

Woolworths, Aldi and Franklin supermarkets have all been quick to happen to discover that they, too, could afford to drop their milk prices by about 50 percent.

* * *

Already the supermarkets have cornered 65 percent of milk sales.

Now the percentage will be higher.

Farmers will have nowhere else to turn when told that they must survive on less than the miserable 45 cents per litre that they currently get.

Many will simply walk away from their farms and get another job. Or go on the pension. Or commit suicide.

50 percent of dairy farmers left the industry during the last 25 years. Recently 4 to 5 percent have been quitting per year. That rate now seems certain to further accelerate.

Today dairy farmers are on their knees. Their farms are flooded. They have big bills to replace damaged equipment. They must buy in feed for their cows.

The cows are producing less milk because their routines and diet have been interfered with.

* * *

Wouldn’t it be nice to see consumers BOYCOTT Coles and Woollies on principle?

But they won’t.

If consumers based their actions on principle, they’d have been boycotting those shops for years.

Woolworths are Australia’s biggest investors in poker machines through associated companies under their control. Thus they destroy lives, families, and jobs — and drive losers to crime – every day.

But they do not care. Woolworths are confident that shoppers don’t care either.

Supermarkets facilitate cigarette sales by selling straight onto the street. You can purchase the cancer-causing addictive substance without needing to come inside or wait at a check-out.

Supermarkets also sell alcohol — the worst social nightmare that our society has to deal with. Alcohol fuels domestic violence, street violence, road fatalities, promiscuous drunken sex (with unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted diseases etc.), liver disease, brain disease, work absenteeism.

You name it.