Yesterday, October 23rd 2018 I got the train to Glasgow to join the Glasgow Woman's Equal Pay strike & march.
I have no doubt, my daughter, son's and quite a few other people who think they know me, might find this a bit odd and put it down to a manic episode, for why else would someone with social anxciety place themselves in a crowd of strangers, surrounded by sensory overload?
To be honest, its a question I've asked myself many times when I have put myself in similar situations and felt the tightening of my chest as irrational fear grasps my heart, palpitations thudding against my rib cage, as cold sweat begins to ooze from my pores and I struggle to maintain a semblance of something that looks like normality.
The answer is quite simple, when I believe in something strongly, I feel an ethical and a moral obligation to support it, where and when I can.
For me, supporting yesterdays March, rally and strike, was important on a number of levels even though it doesn't affect me directly at this time, because I don't have a job, and indeed, haven't been able to work for almost a decade as a result of the troubles I had in Telford that left me with unpredictable social anxciety and PTSD, that I have spoken about on these pages extensively in the past, and don't need to repeat now.
However in the past, I have been one of these women, underpaid and undervalued who has worked with the elderly and vulnerable, and indeed, with young people in the social care sector, cooking their meals, getting them out of, and into bed, washing their frail, weak bodies and yes, cleaning the shit from their bed sored arses, washing the vomit from there hair and or pillows before dressing, possibly feeding and attending to their toilet needs as well as ensuring they get the correct medication at the correct times. While also being subjected to their occasional verbal and even physical abuse, insults and yes, ever day moans and groans, because these are traits common to the human condition that continue into old age as the normal course of life.
I have been the first responder when the call comes through that a client fallen and injured themselves at home, and I have done the often unsavoury tasks that their families, are either too busy or are unable to do, for whatever other reason it may be, to include occasions like Christmas cover when like many single mums in the sector, has had to leave there own children to see to the care needs of someone else's parents or child because managers refuse to rota those without children at home on to these shifts again for whatever reason they see fit, at these seasonally difficult times.
For years I have felt outraged at the way these frontline workers are treated. These undervalued women who do these tasks that many don't even want to talk about. And let's not pretend that the tasks involved in a careworkers job are not taboo due to the nature of the intimacy they entail.
Nor let us forget, often these women work for less than minimum wage, these days on zero-hours contracts and in the case of social care positions, often with unsociable shift patterns that they have to juggle around their own family lives, and god forbid that these women have anything resembling a life of their own away from work and their family commitments, when it comes to the overall attitude of many in government office, or working higher up the ladder of the care sector, who all too often treat these woman like sciffy's with little to no consideration of the stress and strain of juggling work and family, on frankly, shit wages, and inconsistent, insecure, shift patterns, that add additional stress and strain to their own, already stressful life's.
Let there be no doubt or argument, the care sector is one where high volumes of stress, depression and physical illness are a risk to all employee's, for what else can we expect when it is someone's job to bare witness to the pain and suffering, be it physical, emotional, mental or financial of elderly, or other vulnerable people, or the physical aspect of lifting and laying large often morbidly obese bodies, even with assistance of specialist equipment. (and that is not meant as an insult to overweight clients but as a factual reflection of a nation with a growing obesity problem that carers are at the front line tackling.)
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/stress/stress
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5673154/
While yesterdays march in Glasgow may have been primarily for council contracted workers, many of these roles for homecare and residential care for vulnerable and elderly and indeed young people have been outsourced to private companies, and despite the 1970 equal pay act, which was created to end the disparity in male-female pay, 48years on woman are still subject to discrimination in the workplace particularly in the lower income bracket jobs for vital services like home carers, cleaners, care assistants, dinner ladies, childcarers school dinner ladies, and auxiliary staff in various care environments that are primarily female employed these woman workers deserve better, now and in the future.
On my way to Glasgow to stand with the marchers and support their strike, I read a tweet by Solidarity Scotland leader, Tommy Sheridon, that read;
"My 80year old mother misses her care worker help & attention today. Her ill health & lack of mobility means she relys on the 7 days a week care she receives. However, she is a socialist and ardent trade unionist. She wishes to pass on her 100%solidarity to all Glasgow strikers."
https://twitter.com/citizentommy/status/1054678607078084608
This tweet struck a chord with me, because I thought of how my own mother would have supported the strikers 100%, although my mum, who only ever worked for two employers in her entire life, at Barr and Stroud's, till she became a mum when she gave up her full -time employment to be a full-time mum and housewife. Then for Glasgow City Council as a Home help, when I went to secondary school, and she returned to part-time employment where she worked until her own health rendered it no longer possible. Indeed, there are many women who hold the same role as my mother nowadays, who like my mother are in need of home helps themselves but who work on because caring is in their nature and not motivated by financial gain. None the less these women are entitled to fair and equal pay for the work they do.
My mum, unlike Mrs Sheridon, wasn't a trade unionist, and I can't be sure what her politics were exactly, but I know how she behaved and conducted herself, both in her private and public life, and that behaviour definitely, in my opinion, leaned to the socialist ethic, of caring, sharing and treating all people with equal reverence, respect, compassion and kindness irrespective of any religious, cultural, racial gender, or any other differences they might have to yourself, in how they behaved towards others.
My mum had been a member of the trade union at Barr and Stroud's at one time, I know this because when I left school and started working and said I was going to join the general workers union my mum told me the story of how, and why she had ended her union membership.
Apparently, her faith had been diminished because at some point during her membership, the shop-steward at Barr and Strouds had made off with members union dues, and that action, by that individual, was enough at that time, for my mum to say enough is enough, having been left feeling betrayed by that union representative.
I guess in fairness, to my mum, it could be suggested that many of the woman striking yesterday must feel a similar sense of betrayal, given their 12year fight for fair wages, and the lack of support or action by the top brass of their unions, and indeed the labour party who have failed them over the last 12years, to find a way to resolve these pay issues.
I completely understand any sense of betrayal that the women feel, frankly, I believe all woman are entitled to feel betrayed, by their employers, their unions and the governments.
Moreover, might I suggest that given the 48 years that have passed since the equal pay act was legislated in 1970, all working woman have been failed not only by their unions but by successive legislators, governments and indeed the whole justice system, that in 48 years has failed to ensure equality across the workplace, not just in relation to pay, but as defined by the 9 protected characteristics of the Equality Act 2010.
https://www.equalityhumanrights.com/en/equality-act-2010/what-equality-act
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/41/pdfs/ukpga_19700041_en.pdf
I was proud to stand with all the woman from Glasgow yesterday attending the rally, I was proud to hear my sisters from Glasgow speak from the podium for all woman just like them, and me, who face discrimination in the workplace, not just in Glasgow, but around Scotland, the UK , and indeed the world. Women who throughout the centuries have fought for equality for themselves, their mothers, grandmothers, sisters and daughters who have heard the promises of equality to come, from those in power, from governmental and union leaders, who promise and legislate equality, in the workplace and in society generally.
Promises made by politicians, union leaders and employers, male and female alike, who have much to say on equality, but who fail and fall short when it comes to ensuring that equality is implemented and that the rights of woman are no longer violated.
I hope that woman around the UK, and indeed the world, will see my Glaswegian sister on tv news reports, and join their cry of enough is enough, and demand that the rights of woman be heard and adhered to, not only for equal pay but for equality in treatment and respect in workplace and in society as has been promised for not only 48 years since the equal pay act, but for the many proceeding years of political rhetoric and promises since 1918 when woman were granted the right to vote be heard.
However, being heard means little if what is heard and requested is denied or ignored unjustly.
I hope around the world woman from all walks of life, irrespective of cultural, religious, racial class or other diversities of life, will be inspired by the women of Glasgow calling out for solidarity, for the right to be valued and paid equally to men, as is our right, and as has been promised and legislated for.
And I hope the equality of woman around the world becomes as common and normal as it is for the sun and moon to rise and set and shine in our sky.
I hope as human beings, the female of the species and the mothers of generations of children who will become young adult, workers and leaders of future generations of woman around the world are granted the same respect, and real equality they have been promised and are entitled to as equally valued members of the human race.
Finally, I salute my Glaswegian sisters for standing firm against the injustice in wage structures and inequalities in pay and in the workplace with a clear message of solidarity demonstrated and voiced to their sisters across Scotland, the UK and the around the world a message that says , enough is enough the rights of woman matter.
THE RIGHTS OF WOMAN BY ROBERT BURNS
While Europe's eye is fix'd on mighty things,
The fate of Empires and the fall of Kings;
While quacks of State must each produce his plan,
And even children lisp the Rights of Man;
Amid this mighty fuss just let me mention,
The Rights of Woman merit some attention.
First, in the Sexes' intermix'd connection,
One sacred Right of Woman is, protection. -
The tender flower that lifts its head, elate,
Helpless, must fall before the blasts of Fate,
Sunk on the earth, defac'd its lovely form,
Unless your shelter ward th' impending storm.
Our second Right-but needless here is caution,
To keep that right inviolate's the fashion;
Each man of sense has it so full before him,
He'd die before he'd wrong it-'tis decorum. -
There was, indeed, in far less polish'd days,
A time, when rough rude man had naughty ways,
Would swagger, swear, get drunk, kick up a riot,
Nay even thus invade a Lady's quiet.
Now, thank our stars! those Gothic times are fled;
Now, well-bred men-and you are all well-bred-
Most justly think (and we are much the gainers)
Such conduct neither spirit, wit, nor manners.
For Right the third, our last, our best, our dearest,
That right to fluttering female hearts the nearest;
Which even the Rights of Kings, in low prostration,
Most humbly own-'tis dear, dear admiration!
In that blest sphere alone we live and move;
There taste that life of life-immortal love.
Smiles, glances, sighs, tears, fits, flirtations, airs;
'Gainst such an host what flinty savage dares,
When awful Beauty joins with all her charms-
Who is so rash as rise in rebel arms?
But truce with kings, and truce with constitutions,
With bloody armaments and revolutions;
Let Majesty your first attention summon,
Ah! ca ira! The Majesty Of Woman!
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Wednesday, April 29, 2015
#Millibrand on I’m the Trews; A Critical Analysis
I don't pay much heed to what's trending on twitter as a rule, but for some inexplicable reason the hagtag #Milibrand caught my eye on the trending column as I scrolled through tweets this afternoon.
My first thought was it was probably reactions to the trailer from last nights Ed Milliband interview promo,with Russell Brand, but I curiously clicked on and low and behold no, sure enough there it was, a considerably early edition of the Trews which usually appears on RustyRockets timeline around 5.30pm -6.30pm, I follow the editions daily so have a rough idea of when its going to appear, probably hoping it catches a big enough response to prompt a mention on the MSM news and some extra publicity for Mr Milliband, I thought and pressed the little arrow that started the ever so slightly longer episode of Russells Trews news.
Before I give my analysis of the interview I want to be clear that I am not a Labour supporter or particularly partial to Ed Milliband, I think he's bland, but thats not what this analysis is about, its about the content and merit of the interview.
I will however give him credit for having the courage in his vibrocity to do the interview so close to the election, because it reflects beyond a doubt his eagerness to reach a wider audience, not just of the 9.57m RustyRocket fan base & his twitter followers, but also without a doubt catching the attention of those who take pleasure in slating Mr Brand for whatever reason they find news worthy, Milliband by doing the interview is taking a risk in regard of winning or losing votes, but with the polls showing labour and conservatives as neck and neck, I guess he feels confident that its worth it, only time will tell.
Russell Brand I do like, although I don't always agree with his opinions, his opinion on not voting being just one of the issues I don't agree on, and I shall briefly explain why.
On 3rd April 2010 I tweeted "if i could and knew how i would start a peaceful revolution in the uk" I stand by that tweet I think the present system is rotten to the core & corrupt it needs to be totally dismantled, rethought & a new honest fair to all political system needs to be created.
BUT, I don't think not voting is the answer to that or how we revolutionize peacefully.
I also think that if we don't vote then we allow the same old corrupt people & powers to control the democratic process because the supporters of the establishment , the elite & the religious hierarchy their minions & followers will vote & thus will hold control, so if we want change we have to vote for what is closest to our own beliefs & political /social desires, then we have to keep up the pressure on those who represent us to make the changes we the people demand, cos thats their job,they work for us and we have the power to make or break them if we keep up the momentum of pressure and make our voices heard.
So, the Miliband Brand interview.
My first impulse was to look at the length of the interview which showed just under 16mins, longer than usual which I expected it would be but I reckoned probably not long enough to cover the important issue we'd expect to be covered adequately, I thought, 20 maybe 25 mins would have been more appropriate.
Russells intro & the primary niceties took 33 seconds & bang 1st obvious cut and edit, shoddy I thought and there appeared to be a few more cuts between that & 1min 1 second into the recording while Russell laid out the bases of his argument and the topic of suffragettes was raised & the validity & impact of the female vote. ED looked serious, although uncomfortable but composed, totally dismissing Russells appraisal saying "thats totally wrong, listing workers rights,the NHS, minimum wage, lesbian & gay rights,(the latter actually being the same thing) and continued the equal pay act of the 1970, Barbara Castle, conceding that it didn't happen! which beggars the question why not, but Ed didn't linger to give any kind of explanation as to why 45 years on from the 1970 Equal Pay Act there is still a substantial disparity between the pay of women & men, I mean its not like Labour haven't had ample time in government during the last 45 years to ensure that equal pay means equal pay in accordance with anti discrimination & workers rights legislation.
The equal pay act 1970 resulted from calls from the 1965 trade union congress resolving full support for the principles of equal treatment & opportunities for women workers in industry, calling on the General Council to request the government implement the promise of the right to equal pay for equal work as set out in the labour party manefesto. Thus showing the power of the people in action, putting pressure on government to act.
Unfortunately despite pressure from unions on going since 1965 the disparity in gender pay & inequality remains, and responsibility for these inequalities and inadequacies lies solely with government who have not imposed measures that insure employers comply with equal pay legislation.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/41
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/employees/equal-pay.htm
http://www.unionhistory.info/equalpay/roaddisplay.php?irn=820
Additionally the Conservative government under Thatcher have done everything they can to restrict the trade union movement & the power of united workers representing the peoples voice & workers rights .
Anti-Union Legislation: 1980-2000
Between 1980 and 1993 there were six Acts of Parliament which increasingly restricted unions' ability to undertake lawful industrial action. Secondary action, better known as 'sympathy strikes', was outlawed and picketing was restricted.
http://www.unionhistory.info/timeline/1960_2000_Narr_Display.php?Where=NarTitle+contains+%27Anti-Union+Legislation%3A+1980-2000%27
http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2008/11/04/great-miners-strike-1984-5-twelve-months-shook-britain-story-strike
Progress comes from people demanding change, politics responding, not all the way, and people pushing for that change to carry on said Ed.
mmm, strange I thought, not all the way??? but don't government work for the people, and isn't it there job to make the changes the people demand? apparently not.
but without politics without government the change doesn't happen says Ed .. well no Ed , goverment creates acts of law & legislation that can be in favour or against the peoples interests Thatcher introduced ANTI union legislation but the Blair labour government did nothing to reverse or change these unfair acts against the rights of the people the workers, and perhaps we should also remember France 1789-1799 change happened , and it happened because politics/ government wasn't working , wasn't considering the will or needs of the people and it wasn't nice, sure it could be argued without politics it wouldn't have happened but thats because life is politics, there will always be politics, the real issue is politics/ politicians getting it wrong & not doing their job which is to represent the will & needs of the masses, the majority thats what democratic society is supposed to be.
Next...
Russell trys to explain to Ed the majorities anger and frustrations related to the financial industries, Hsbc, libor, banking, scandals, no sorry, not just scandals fraud, criminality & tax avoidance without punishment for the corporations involved.
Ed interrupts here saying he's not trying to avoid the question regarding HSBC and asks , but do you understand my fundamental point? to which Russell replies The NHS yeah! ?????
This reflects a very bad cut & edit as no mention of the NHS has been made in the interview up to this point and I was left wondering what fundamental point wa made and how did I miss it, but after rewinding & replay several time to be sure I hadn't missed it I concluded neither the NHS or anything that could remotely be considered a fundamental point had been said by Ed, so I continued to watch and listen intently.
Russell continued to talk about the NHS points that had been edited out for whatever reason, which I can't say I understand but he then goes on to talk about PFI so I presume in the edit & cut thats missing the privatization of the NHS has been discussed and cut, why? I don't know, it again beggars belief, because this is a fundamental issue which the majority of the public are very concerned about and I am sure would like to have some frank discussion and answers on, but sadly we don't get them from Mr Milliband in this interview, but I guess when you consider that 4.5% of NHS services were outsourced to private providers under New Labour & there are at least 38 labour lords with vested interest in the privatisation of the NHS , Including lord Prescott & lord Mandelson its not surprising that its an area that Mr Milliband might not feel comfortable discussing a week before the election.
http://socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/nhs-privatisation-compilation-of.html
I'v got to say in his defence, having read his parties manifesto, & if we concur in the interest of supposition that everything in the manifesto is true,allowing some of these cut edits to be shown which I suggest covered the topic of NHS privatization it just might & its a big might, have scored him some positive points with the public, but Nhs appears to have been cut, so I guess we'll never know.
& we'r e only 3 minutes 49 into the interview, Russell appears to be trying really hard to give Ed the opportunity to explain his position but is beginning to appear a little frustrated with Ed and Ed, well, Ed just isn't answering questions cohesively, is looking like a fish out of water, and I am beginning to loose my patience and interest in the whole bloody thing , but I'm determined to stick with it and give him the opportunity to convince me there is some validity to his political status which I have yet to witness.
So Ed states there are 2 issues here, does politics make change happen & what scale of change are we talking about, change has happen and will happensays Ed and, there seems to be another bloody editorial cut .
Russell asks will you confront those powerful interests? no answer more editorial cuts and Ed says , my whole argument in this campaign is whose the country run for, is it just run for the richest & most powerful or is it run for working people I think this is the biggest question we face as a country I think its the biggest question that most western countries face... i think a more equal society is a more successful society & thats why we need to have a system and a plan, thats what we've got in this election, to change the way the country works.
Ow do we do that ED? asks Russell ED makes a face like the egal on the muppets pausing...
At this point 5 minutes 17, I admit I screamed at the screen cos I haven't heard one straightforward sensible answer to any question asked, in fact I am thinking there are numerous questions the public want answers to in relation to the NHS, housing, pensions,Tax, benefits & wages in relation to inflation, zero hours contracts, austerity and of course corruption, MP's embroiled in child sex abuse scandals where do you stand on that Ed, wars we don't want to go into but government takes us into like Libya the crisis in Syria not to mention the never ending war crimes against the people of Palestine will you call for sanctions on Israel? and what about the refugee crisis this country has helped create but offers no solution or practical help & aid with for the millions of people we have rendered homeless & displaced but complain when they flee in terror and seek a new life in Britain what about immigration? what about trident and spending billions on nuclear weapons that can be never be used without destroying mankind the planet while children go hungry and live in poverty and deprivation?and yes what about the fucking corrupt unpunished bankers , what about HSBC while you claim not to be avoiding answering but haven't answered, when you gonna step up to the mark ED and give us some answers...
I ask myself am I being to impatient there is still 10 minutes to go, but so far there has not been one valid answer to a question & its possibly the worst episode of trews I'v ever watched, its beginning to piss me off, but I continue watching, waiting for some semblance of meaningful political discussion cos so far,I'm just not seeing it happen...
Ed answers and its a banking job, "we reform the banks, we need banks, banks are a good thing not a bad thing,"
mmm okay, so that suggest the fault is the bankers, Russell asks again could we see some of the bankers going to prison for rate rigging, libor scandal...
Ed looks like he wants to cry, and replies "of course if there is fraud committed by bankers..
Russell says its evident that there is ...
Ed repeats of course if there fraud committed by bankers but theres a bigger issue than that which is banking system that works for small businesses ...
I scream aww for fuck sake man gie us a fuckin break,
http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/why-have-no-bankers-gone-to-jail
http://www.maxkeiser.com/tag/libor/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwP7OGq68eo
I collect myself and carry on listening calmly,
Ed continues his campaign message speel on banking, energy companies, tax avoidance gonna make sure people don't avoid their taxes, non domes, bla bla fucking bla...
My first thought was it was probably reactions to the trailer from last nights Ed Milliband interview promo,with Russell Brand, but I curiously clicked on and low and behold no, sure enough there it was, a considerably early edition of the Trews which usually appears on RustyRockets timeline around 5.30pm -6.30pm, I follow the editions daily so have a rough idea of when its going to appear, probably hoping it catches a big enough response to prompt a mention on the MSM news and some extra publicity for Mr Milliband, I thought and pressed the little arrow that started the ever so slightly longer episode of Russells Trews news.
Before I give my analysis of the interview I want to be clear that I am not a Labour supporter or particularly partial to Ed Milliband, I think he's bland, but thats not what this analysis is about, its about the content and merit of the interview.
I will however give him credit for having the courage in his vibrocity to do the interview so close to the election, because it reflects beyond a doubt his eagerness to reach a wider audience, not just of the 9.57m RustyRocket fan base & his twitter followers, but also without a doubt catching the attention of those who take pleasure in slating Mr Brand for whatever reason they find news worthy, Milliband by doing the interview is taking a risk in regard of winning or losing votes, but with the polls showing labour and conservatives as neck and neck, I guess he feels confident that its worth it, only time will tell.
Russell Brand I do like, although I don't always agree with his opinions, his opinion on not voting being just one of the issues I don't agree on, and I shall briefly explain why.
On 3rd April 2010 I tweeted "if i could and knew how i would start a peaceful revolution in the uk" I stand by that tweet I think the present system is rotten to the core & corrupt it needs to be totally dismantled, rethought & a new honest fair to all political system needs to be created.
BUT, I don't think not voting is the answer to that or how we revolutionize peacefully.
I also think that if we don't vote then we allow the same old corrupt people & powers to control the democratic process because the supporters of the establishment , the elite & the religious hierarchy their minions & followers will vote & thus will hold control, so if we want change we have to vote for what is closest to our own beliefs & political /social desires, then we have to keep up the pressure on those who represent us to make the changes we the people demand, cos thats their job,they work for us and we have the power to make or break them if we keep up the momentum of pressure and make our voices heard.
So, the Miliband Brand interview.
My first impulse was to look at the length of the interview which showed just under 16mins, longer than usual which I expected it would be but I reckoned probably not long enough to cover the important issue we'd expect to be covered adequately, I thought, 20 maybe 25 mins would have been more appropriate.
Russells intro & the primary niceties took 33 seconds & bang 1st obvious cut and edit, shoddy I thought and there appeared to be a few more cuts between that & 1min 1 second into the recording while Russell laid out the bases of his argument and the topic of suffragettes was raised & the validity & impact of the female vote. ED looked serious, although uncomfortable but composed, totally dismissing Russells appraisal saying "thats totally wrong, listing workers rights,the NHS, minimum wage, lesbian & gay rights,(the latter actually being the same thing) and continued the equal pay act of the 1970, Barbara Castle, conceding that it didn't happen! which beggars the question why not, but Ed didn't linger to give any kind of explanation as to why 45 years on from the 1970 Equal Pay Act there is still a substantial disparity between the pay of women & men, I mean its not like Labour haven't had ample time in government during the last 45 years to ensure that equal pay means equal pay in accordance with anti discrimination & workers rights legislation.
The equal pay act 1970 resulted from calls from the 1965 trade union congress resolving full support for the principles of equal treatment & opportunities for women workers in industry, calling on the General Council to request the government implement the promise of the right to equal pay for equal work as set out in the labour party manefesto. Thus showing the power of the people in action, putting pressure on government to act.
Unfortunately despite pressure from unions on going since 1965 the disparity in gender pay & inequality remains, and responsibility for these inequalities and inadequacies lies solely with government who have not imposed measures that insure employers comply with equal pay legislation.
http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1970/41
http://www.inbrief.co.uk/employees/equal-pay.htm
http://www.unionhistory.info/equalpay/roaddisplay.php?irn=820
Additionally the Conservative government under Thatcher have done everything they can to restrict the trade union movement & the power of united workers representing the peoples voice & workers rights .
Anti-Union Legislation: 1980-2000
Between 1980 and 1993 there were six Acts of Parliament which increasingly restricted unions' ability to undertake lawful industrial action. Secondary action, better known as 'sympathy strikes', was outlawed and picketing was restricted.
http://www.unionhistory.info/timeline/1960_2000_Narr_Display.php?Where=NarTitle+contains+%27Anti-Union+Legislation%3A+1980-2000%27
http://www.workersliberty.org/story/2008/11/04/great-miners-strike-1984-5-twelve-months-shook-britain-story-strike
Progress comes from people demanding change, politics responding, not all the way, and people pushing for that change to carry on said Ed.
mmm, strange I thought, not all the way??? but don't government work for the people, and isn't it there job to make the changes the people demand? apparently not.
but without politics without government the change doesn't happen says Ed .. well no Ed , goverment creates acts of law & legislation that can be in favour or against the peoples interests Thatcher introduced ANTI union legislation but the Blair labour government did nothing to reverse or change these unfair acts against the rights of the people the workers, and perhaps we should also remember France 1789-1799 change happened , and it happened because politics/ government wasn't working , wasn't considering the will or needs of the people and it wasn't nice, sure it could be argued without politics it wouldn't have happened but thats because life is politics, there will always be politics, the real issue is politics/ politicians getting it wrong & not doing their job which is to represent the will & needs of the masses, the majority thats what democratic society is supposed to be.
Next...
Russell trys to explain to Ed the majorities anger and frustrations related to the financial industries, Hsbc, libor, banking, scandals, no sorry, not just scandals fraud, criminality & tax avoidance without punishment for the corporations involved.
Ed interrupts here saying he's not trying to avoid the question regarding HSBC and asks , but do you understand my fundamental point? to which Russell replies The NHS yeah! ?????
This reflects a very bad cut & edit as no mention of the NHS has been made in the interview up to this point and I was left wondering what fundamental point wa made and how did I miss it, but after rewinding & replay several time to be sure I hadn't missed it I concluded neither the NHS or anything that could remotely be considered a fundamental point had been said by Ed, so I continued to watch and listen intently.
Russell continued to talk about the NHS points that had been edited out for whatever reason, which I can't say I understand but he then goes on to talk about PFI so I presume in the edit & cut thats missing the privatization of the NHS has been discussed and cut, why? I don't know, it again beggars belief, because this is a fundamental issue which the majority of the public are very concerned about and I am sure would like to have some frank discussion and answers on, but sadly we don't get them from Mr Milliband in this interview, but I guess when you consider that 4.5% of NHS services were outsourced to private providers under New Labour & there are at least 38 labour lords with vested interest in the privatisation of the NHS , Including lord Prescott & lord Mandelson its not surprising that its an area that Mr Milliband might not feel comfortable discussing a week before the election.
http://socialinvestigations.blogspot.co.uk/2012/02/nhs-privatisation-compilation-of.html
I'v got to say in his defence, having read his parties manifesto, & if we concur in the interest of supposition that everything in the manifesto is true,allowing some of these cut edits to be shown which I suggest covered the topic of NHS privatization it just might & its a big might, have scored him some positive points with the public, but Nhs appears to have been cut, so I guess we'll never know.
& we'r e only 3 minutes 49 into the interview, Russell appears to be trying really hard to give Ed the opportunity to explain his position but is beginning to appear a little frustrated with Ed and Ed, well, Ed just isn't answering questions cohesively, is looking like a fish out of water, and I am beginning to loose my patience and interest in the whole bloody thing , but I'm determined to stick with it and give him the opportunity to convince me there is some validity to his political status which I have yet to witness.
So Ed states there are 2 issues here, does politics make change happen & what scale of change are we talking about, change has happen and will happensays Ed and, there seems to be another bloody editorial cut .
Russell asks will you confront those powerful interests? no answer more editorial cuts and Ed says , my whole argument in this campaign is whose the country run for, is it just run for the richest & most powerful or is it run for working people I think this is the biggest question we face as a country I think its the biggest question that most western countries face... i think a more equal society is a more successful society & thats why we need to have a system and a plan, thats what we've got in this election, to change the way the country works.
Ow do we do that ED? asks Russell ED makes a face like the egal on the muppets pausing...
At this point 5 minutes 17, I admit I screamed at the screen cos I haven't heard one straightforward sensible answer to any question asked, in fact I am thinking there are numerous questions the public want answers to in relation to the NHS, housing, pensions,Tax, benefits & wages in relation to inflation, zero hours contracts, austerity and of course corruption, MP's embroiled in child sex abuse scandals where do you stand on that Ed, wars we don't want to go into but government takes us into like Libya the crisis in Syria not to mention the never ending war crimes against the people of Palestine will you call for sanctions on Israel? and what about the refugee crisis this country has helped create but offers no solution or practical help & aid with for the millions of people we have rendered homeless & displaced but complain when they flee in terror and seek a new life in Britain what about immigration? what about trident and spending billions on nuclear weapons that can be never be used without destroying mankind the planet while children go hungry and live in poverty and deprivation?and yes what about the fucking corrupt unpunished bankers , what about HSBC while you claim not to be avoiding answering but haven't answered, when you gonna step up to the mark ED and give us some answers...
I ask myself am I being to impatient there is still 10 minutes to go, but so far there has not been one valid answer to a question & its possibly the worst episode of trews I'v ever watched, its beginning to piss me off, but I continue watching, waiting for some semblance of meaningful political discussion cos so far,I'm just not seeing it happen...
Ed answers and its a banking job, "we reform the banks, we need banks, banks are a good thing not a bad thing,"
mmm okay, so that suggest the fault is the bankers, Russell asks again could we see some of the bankers going to prison for rate rigging, libor scandal...
Ed looks like he wants to cry, and replies "of course if there is fraud committed by bankers..
Russell says its evident that there is ...
Ed repeats of course if there fraud committed by bankers but theres a bigger issue than that which is banking system that works for small businesses ...
I scream aww for fuck sake man gie us a fuckin break,
http://www.historyandpolicy.org/policy-papers/papers/why-have-no-bankers-gone-to-jail
http://www.maxkeiser.com/tag/libor/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwP7OGq68eo
I collect myself and carry on listening calmly,
Ed continues his campaign message speel on banking, energy companies, tax avoidance gonna make sure people don't avoid their taxes, non domes, bla bla fucking bla...
Tony Blair and the £8million tax 'mystery' http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/tony-blair/8999890/Tony-Blair-and-the-8million-tax-mystery.html
Russel looks well, its hard to describe his expression , its kind of , there are no words , bewildered perhaps but bless him he carrys on with an air of seriousness, composure and professionalism thats quite miraculous all things considered.
Bankers bail outs, shall we be discussing anything other than banks I ponder although I use the term discuss lightly cos this is hardly a discussion, and no questions have yet been answered by Ed Milliband that I can identify, perhaps its just me.
Ed explains it wasn't about the banks it was about ordinary peoples savings, yes it was Ed and who was rigging the interest rates, oh yes that was the banks and bankers, wait a minute did I just hear that correctly did Ed just say Northern Rock , but wasn't that in 2007 and who was in government then, oh yes Ed I beleive that would have been labour and prime minister Gordon Brown former chancellor of the exchequer!!
and who bailed out the banks oh yes the tax payer and did they have a choice was it put to the vote by democratic referendum if the public wanted to bail out the bank or let it sink or punish those responsible for the crisis & misery caused to the hard working people who lost out. , no Ed it wasn't.
OH yes Russell your soo correct we do have no choice.
And then more bla bla bla, and editorial cuts, which are frankly seriously embarrassing obvious.
and Ed says there is an alternative, its about how do you learn lessons,for me and its different for you obviously,its about how do you make practical change happen practical change people can believe in, now practical doesn't mean eah non existent, doesn't mean not real, bla bla... another cut & edit, Russell doing well keeping a serious interested expression at this point, body language arms now folded suggests he's wishing it was over already with 8 minutes to go, not accounting for cuts & edits out takes, so its turning into an endurance test I imagine for all concerned... and wow zero hours contracts gets a mention from Ed,telling Russell he'll be very angry with him if his team are on them.
Meanwhile In May 2014 The Daily Mail reported 62 labour MP's employed staff on zero hours contracts
I'm now pulling out my hair in frustration, waiting for answers, or even some different questions on the topics I mentioned earlier, but no Eds now telling us he has the power to take on and challenge the financial industry and corporations internationally, that a big assertion, but interesting for sure, but something tells me he's not really serious or maybe he's had a shandy or too by now cos he really isn't very convincing, maybe the edits are too blame but consistent with traits of all career politicians he's still avoided answering the questions asked, and Russell asks what about Murdoch and breaking up monopolies, Ed makes his funny upside down smile face, bla bla bla...he drones on ...
I'm thinking about sticking my head in the oven but its electric, please god let it end soon I whisper, I'v got to see it through to the end...
The thing I'd say to you about this says Ed, is these people are less powerful than they used to be..
I fall to the floor like a cadburys smash potato man and rollabout laughing my arse off...
Russell nods, yeah I get that...
But Eds not pledging its not about pledging apparently...
but wait a minute, Ed not looking for euphoria, no few of us are Ed , most of us are looking for honesty in our political hierarchy , an end to corruption, an end to inequalities and inadequacies in legislation and government, frank answers to serious questions on serious issues regarding our health and social welfare our economy and the illegitimate war machine promoted by government that costs us billions.
so in conclusion, I want to say reach your own, for me I agree with Russell it wasn't a perfect interview but if I must sum it up which I suppose I must I sum it up thus;
Ed Milliband is just another bla bla bland career politician with the same old bla bla bla badly rehearsed rhetoric that offers the same old corrupt system of empty unanswered questions on the important issues that affect the people, he ain't got what it takes to change things ... so I'll end with this
which pretty much nails exactly what i'm thinking.
Saturday, February 28, 2015
Today I spun the dial
Today I spun the dial on my radio & finally tuned off the BBC.
There were a number of reasons, why? starting with I am sick of the political propaganda, none truths and half truths, and also because I find myself becoming increasingly enraged that I may be listening to someone who has heard in house gossip about this or that, child abusers or overly tactile celebrity pedophile who has chosen to keep quiet a mist the growing revelations in wake of the Jimmy Saville child abuse case.
When Gary Glitter was first exposed as a pedophile a number of years ago, I was as surprised as anyone, I had spent my pocket money to see him preform at the Apollo in Glasgow as a kid, I took my daughter and son to see him at the SSEC in the 90's , I was angry to think I had paid good money to line the pockets of a child molester.
Likewise Rolf Harris, I grew up watching him on TV, copied his Jake the peg routine, and all of a sudden faced with his abuse revelations I was shocked, even upset, and not just because of horrible abuses, it felt almost like a betrayal, here was a man who so many of us admired & took into our hearts and he's been exploiting and abusing young people.
In recent years & months I have felt sick to my stomach as it has been reveled that more & more ppl who I have supported financially whither by attending their shows,buying their music or films are being exposed, ( no pun intended , as having abused children & young people.
When the Jimmy Saville story first broke I can't say I was surprised, I wasn't I had had a bad feeling about him for sometime, he was creepy, none the less, as a child I had made several trips to Kislyth where he was friendly with a father Conner or Connelly( i cant remember his name exactly) , of the local parish & he was involved with a number of charity events in that area,I had relatives there so my friend Myra & trolled along to see him do his walking thing , although I never met him , i knew some of the young people who did.
Saville was very friendly with father O 'Conner, who I had been told on good authority could get us an introduction, not so much to Saville but the Bay City Rollers, apparently that particular preexist had connections with all sorts of celebrities and us kids were impressed.
As it happens when my aunt discovered I was hanging about the chapel I was warned off, partly cos I was a prody( though my friend Myra was a catholic) but also because my aunt had apparently heard some unsavory stories about the good father O'Conner.
Looking back now I can't help wonder what these rumours might have been, and additionally did she warn other parents of whatever these rumours were and what action was taken.
Anyway I am kinda digressing...
So back to the recent, or not so recent issues surrounding Savilles pedophilia and the rumors, that were apparently rampant and an open secret at the BBC.
Over the past year and months since the news broke about "historic child abuse " at BBC & the links to the hierarchy of government & monarchy , I shudder when I think about it, but more than that, I get very very angry.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that some people who might know something, no matter how small, may be scared or unwilling to come forward as it could effect them , their reputation or their job, but for fuck sake , where is their ethic , their conscience?
We are talking about kids, yes, perhaps some of them were feisty teenagers who appeared to be up for it, harsh as that may sound, it doesn't change the fact that they were exploited and abused. They were taken advantage of by people of status , as a result of their status and position, they were taken advantage of by adults who were fully aware that what they were doing was wrong, and that had they not been people of celebrity or status they very probably would not have been able to commit the offenses they committed.
Lets not pretend that many a young teenagers would /will exhibit sexualised behavior and would be up for a kiss or even more with their idol, that does not make it right that the idol /celeb takes advantage and exploits that to get fucked.They know what they are doing is exploiting the situation.
And lets not forget that some of these cases we'v seen have revealed that the celebrities involved were abusing children from 4-5 years of age upward, these kids have no idea whats happening, and even if they did , its still wrong, its still abuse, & a painful one for a child, an adult mans hard penis does not enter a child's vagina or anus without pain, indeed oral sex is not a pleasant experience for a child even if they are trying to please their favorite famous person nor is being man-handled and groped.
In Savilles case we are talking about vulnerable people in care of the establishment, at the BBC the victims came from a mixed sector i presume, but none the less they were vulnerable to exploitation by the status of their abusers & this applies to the MP's & royals we are hearing reports about.
When stewart Hall was arrested I wrote to my MP shocked that he was released on bail , details can be found in an earlier blog ( Wednesday 23 January 2013 http://junei96.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/letters-emails-to-my-mp-regarding.html )
Since then I have, heard & read about several celebrities being arrested, all bailed until trail, all able to carry on abusing & grooming should they wish via the internet with false profiles or other wise.
Additionally, the police seem to be dragging their heels when it comes to arresting and charging members of Parliament past and present, eg, The minister for Health at the time of the Saville abuses Edwina Currie, and any MP's or members of the royal household being named on social media seem to either pop their cloggs, or carry on with business as usual.
I 've also heard & seen some of the celeb's found guilty and jailed, none of them have admitted their guilt all of them denying and blaming and casting aspersions on their victims, & some have walked away free, but i'v not been convinced of their innocence, but I am not the jury and so, have to accept the verdicts of those who were.
None the less, even in the cases of those found guilty, i'v seen & heard their friends and workmates at the BBC defend them to the hilt, with little concern for the alleged victims, and not forgetting this type of media support on air, is in itself a way of propagating support & could also I might suggest, help win public opinion over were that person be later put on trial, this I suggest is also a way of exploiting the public, I don't like it, I think its wrong.
I am not suggesting that they should not support their friends, BUT , using the public air waves to show them in good light or remind us of their popularity is taking advantage of the situation, lets not forget that for all the fans they have who will probably have their dvds & cds at home there are others, like me who while they area under suspicion & possibly pending trails for heinous crimes don't wan't to hear there songs and lyrics that may possible take on quite a different light in the circumstances, ie Cliff Richard's living doll takes on a whole new meaning given the allegations against him we are hearing about now.
And all they while I keep thinking about these rampant rumors and open secrets, what about the victims.
Anyway today I moved the dial, and I'll find a station somewhere where I am not listening to war or election propaganda or a suspected child or vulnerable person abuser or abuser protector, I have plenty of CD's to listen to in the meantime.
Because right now I find myself feeling a sense of betrayal that the programme presenter who I might be listening to at anytime of the day, could be someone who has heard these rumors or seen inappropriate behavior by their celebrity friends and stayed silent, I admire loyalty in friendship, but not at the cost of a child or vulnerable person being abused.
I think there comes a time in all our life's when we have to re evaluate our loyalties & indeed, friendships for the greater good, and when it involves the sexual abuse of a vulnerable or young person then without a doubt I think we have to do what is correct and speak up no matter how it reflects on us. So, for now I have tuned out as a conscientious objection and while I listen to my CD's I will hope that those at the BBC or anywhere that could make a difference will make their voices heard and speak out for those who have been abused through for they are the ones we should be giving our support to.
There were a number of reasons, why? starting with I am sick of the political propaganda, none truths and half truths, and also because I find myself becoming increasingly enraged that I may be listening to someone who has heard in house gossip about this or that, child abusers or overly tactile celebrity pedophile who has chosen to keep quiet a mist the growing revelations in wake of the Jimmy Saville child abuse case.
When Gary Glitter was first exposed as a pedophile a number of years ago, I was as surprised as anyone, I had spent my pocket money to see him preform at the Apollo in Glasgow as a kid, I took my daughter and son to see him at the SSEC in the 90's , I was angry to think I had paid good money to line the pockets of a child molester.
Likewise Rolf Harris, I grew up watching him on TV, copied his Jake the peg routine, and all of a sudden faced with his abuse revelations I was shocked, even upset, and not just because of horrible abuses, it felt almost like a betrayal, here was a man who so many of us admired & took into our hearts and he's been exploiting and abusing young people.
In recent years & months I have felt sick to my stomach as it has been reveled that more & more ppl who I have supported financially whither by attending their shows,buying their music or films are being exposed, ( no pun intended , as having abused children & young people.
When the Jimmy Saville story first broke I can't say I was surprised, I wasn't I had had a bad feeling about him for sometime, he was creepy, none the less, as a child I had made several trips to Kislyth where he was friendly with a father Conner or Connelly( i cant remember his name exactly) , of the local parish & he was involved with a number of charity events in that area,I had relatives there so my friend Myra & trolled along to see him do his walking thing , although I never met him , i knew some of the young people who did.
Saville was very friendly with father O 'Conner, who I had been told on good authority could get us an introduction, not so much to Saville but the Bay City Rollers, apparently that particular preexist had connections with all sorts of celebrities and us kids were impressed.
As it happens when my aunt discovered I was hanging about the chapel I was warned off, partly cos I was a prody( though my friend Myra was a catholic) but also because my aunt had apparently heard some unsavory stories about the good father O'Conner.
Looking back now I can't help wonder what these rumours might have been, and additionally did she warn other parents of whatever these rumours were and what action was taken.
Anyway I am kinda digressing...
So back to the recent, or not so recent issues surrounding Savilles pedophilia and the rumors, that were apparently rampant and an open secret at the BBC.
Over the past year and months since the news broke about "historic child abuse " at BBC & the links to the hierarchy of government & monarchy , I shudder when I think about it, but more than that, I get very very angry.
Don't get me wrong, I understand that some people who might know something, no matter how small, may be scared or unwilling to come forward as it could effect them , their reputation or their job, but for fuck sake , where is their ethic , their conscience?
We are talking about kids, yes, perhaps some of them were feisty teenagers who appeared to be up for it, harsh as that may sound, it doesn't change the fact that they were exploited and abused. They were taken advantage of by people of status , as a result of their status and position, they were taken advantage of by adults who were fully aware that what they were doing was wrong, and that had they not been people of celebrity or status they very probably would not have been able to commit the offenses they committed.
Lets not pretend that many a young teenagers would /will exhibit sexualised behavior and would be up for a kiss or even more with their idol, that does not make it right that the idol /celeb takes advantage and exploits that to get fucked.They know what they are doing is exploiting the situation.
And lets not forget that some of these cases we'v seen have revealed that the celebrities involved were abusing children from 4-5 years of age upward, these kids have no idea whats happening, and even if they did , its still wrong, its still abuse, & a painful one for a child, an adult mans hard penis does not enter a child's vagina or anus without pain, indeed oral sex is not a pleasant experience for a child even if they are trying to please their favorite famous person nor is being man-handled and groped.
In Savilles case we are talking about vulnerable people in care of the establishment, at the BBC the victims came from a mixed sector i presume, but none the less they were vulnerable to exploitation by the status of their abusers & this applies to the MP's & royals we are hearing reports about.
When stewart Hall was arrested I wrote to my MP shocked that he was released on bail , details can be found in an earlier blog ( Wednesday 23 January 2013 http://junei96.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/letters-emails-to-my-mp-regarding.html )
Since then I have, heard & read about several celebrities being arrested, all bailed until trail, all able to carry on abusing & grooming should they wish via the internet with false profiles or other wise.
Additionally, the police seem to be dragging their heels when it comes to arresting and charging members of Parliament past and present, eg, The minister for Health at the time of the Saville abuses Edwina Currie, and any MP's or members of the royal household being named on social media seem to either pop their cloggs, or carry on with business as usual.
I 've also heard & seen some of the celeb's found guilty and jailed, none of them have admitted their guilt all of them denying and blaming and casting aspersions on their victims, & some have walked away free, but i'v not been convinced of their innocence, but I am not the jury and so, have to accept the verdicts of those who were.
None the less, even in the cases of those found guilty, i'v seen & heard their friends and workmates at the BBC defend them to the hilt, with little concern for the alleged victims, and not forgetting this type of media support on air, is in itself a way of propagating support & could also I might suggest, help win public opinion over were that person be later put on trial, this I suggest is also a way of exploiting the public, I don't like it, I think its wrong.
I am not suggesting that they should not support their friends, BUT , using the public air waves to show them in good light or remind us of their popularity is taking advantage of the situation, lets not forget that for all the fans they have who will probably have their dvds & cds at home there are others, like me who while they area under suspicion & possibly pending trails for heinous crimes don't wan't to hear there songs and lyrics that may possible take on quite a different light in the circumstances, ie Cliff Richard's living doll takes on a whole new meaning given the allegations against him we are hearing about now.
And all they while I keep thinking about these rampant rumors and open secrets, what about the victims.
Anyway today I moved the dial, and I'll find a station somewhere where I am not listening to war or election propaganda or a suspected child or vulnerable person abuser or abuser protector, I have plenty of CD's to listen to in the meantime.
Because right now I find myself feeling a sense of betrayal that the programme presenter who I might be listening to at anytime of the day, could be someone who has heard these rumors or seen inappropriate behavior by their celebrity friends and stayed silent, I admire loyalty in friendship, but not at the cost of a child or vulnerable person being abused.
I think there comes a time in all our life's when we have to re evaluate our loyalties & indeed, friendships for the greater good, and when it involves the sexual abuse of a vulnerable or young person then without a doubt I think we have to do what is correct and speak up no matter how it reflects on us. So, for now I have tuned out as a conscientious objection and while I listen to my CD's I will hope that those at the BBC or anywhere that could make a difference will make their voices heard and speak out for those who have been abused through for they are the ones we should be giving our support to.
Thursday, June 26, 2014
Random dedication to a someone special...
Somewhere in the not so long ago sometime
He told me he was born on the cusp of June...
of course,
I have no way of knowing if this was true
yet still...
today in comemerative thinkys of this loveday
I dedicate this poem with soulfull love to He...
" Forget thee? if to dream by night, and
muse on thee by day,
If all the worship deep and wild a poet's
heart can pay,
If prayers in absence breathed for thee to
Heaven's protecting power,
If winged thoughts flit to thee, a thou-
sand in an hour,
If busy fancy blending thee with all my
future lot,
If this thee call'st "forgetting," thou, in
deed, shalt be forgot!
"Forget thee?" Bid the forest birds for-
get their sweetest tune:
"Forget thee?" Bid the sea forget to
swell beneath the moon;
Bid the thirsty floweres forget to drink
the eve's refreshing dew;
Theyself forget thine own "dear land," and
its "mountains wild & blue;"
Forget each old familiar face, each long-
remembered spot,-
When these things are forgot by thee, then
thou shalt be forgot!
Keep, if thou wilt, thy maiden peace, still
calm and fancy free,
For god forbid they gladson heart should
grow less glad for me;
Yet, while they heart is still unwon, oh!
bid not mine to rove,
But let it nurse the humble faith and un-
complaining love;
If these, preserved for pacient years, at last
avail me not,
Forget me then; but ne'er believe, that thou
canst be forgot!
(James Moultrie 1799-1874)
He told me he was born on the cusp of June...
of course,
I have no way of knowing if this was true
yet still...
today in comemerative thinkys of this loveday
I dedicate this poem with soulfull love to He...
" Forget thee? if to dream by night, and
muse on thee by day,
If all the worship deep and wild a poet's
heart can pay,
If prayers in absence breathed for thee to
Heaven's protecting power,
If winged thoughts flit to thee, a thou-
sand in an hour,
If busy fancy blending thee with all my
future lot,
If this thee call'st "forgetting," thou, in
deed, shalt be forgot!
"Forget thee?" Bid the forest birds for-
get their sweetest tune:
"Forget thee?" Bid the sea forget to
swell beneath the moon;
Bid the thirsty floweres forget to drink
the eve's refreshing dew;
Theyself forget thine own "dear land," and
its "mountains wild & blue;"
Forget each old familiar face, each long-
remembered spot,-
When these things are forgot by thee, then
thou shalt be forgot!
Keep, if thou wilt, thy maiden peace, still
calm and fancy free,
For god forbid they gladson heart should
grow less glad for me;
Yet, while they heart is still unwon, oh!
bid not mine to rove,
But let it nurse the humble faith and un-
complaining love;
If these, preserved for pacient years, at last
avail me not,
Forget me then; but ne'er believe, that thou
canst be forgot!
(James Moultrie 1799-1874)
Friday, May 9, 2014
Thursday, May 1, 2014
my Bealtaine Belfire 1st may 2014
This is just a quick blog kinda random blog to explain somethin that is the kind of thing that oftimes gets me labeled crazy or eccentric or mad ...
but i wanna share it so I will...
Over the last 6 years i have had many bonfires, in my garden , in my log burner , it helps me meditate...
i like to watch the flames dance...
I have seen many things in the flames, i have thousand of photographes, i mean literarly thousands !!
I'v seen things that have filled me with fear, horror, terror, wonderment, anticipation & a whole range of other emotions...
I don't know if their visions... premonitions...
perhaps, yes I think the possibly quite probably are...
In the begining it was a kinda scarey thing to experiance & get my head round...
I thought i was going crazy at times, halusinations... imagination...
but I know, i believe that not to be the case...
it took me a while to accept that...
many won't many will just say "nutter"...
thats okay though, they are entitled to their opinion...
I don't have a religion , but i am a spiritual person I embrase the universe & in keeping celebrate many of the old ways from different cultures around the world...
in my own way ... unformal i pay trubute & homage to the ppl of days gone by & the universe in all its awe, infinity & wonder...
Anyway , tonight i lite my bel fire... & for the 1st time I saw something that for all the things I have seen & felt ...
filled me with an emotion I can't explain, well, not completly...
but it washed over me, & thru with a joy, contentness, a sense of optimison, love & peace ...
& on a day that celebrates the coming of life & fertility to the world in the tradition of my ancestors it felt extra special, on such a beauiful night, an honor, for me to see it ,experiance it, a great sence of connection with everything bigger than all of us mortals so I had to share it...
my little picture of a heart in the ashes of my belfire...
but i wanna share it so I will...
Over the last 6 years i have had many bonfires, in my garden , in my log burner , it helps me meditate...
i like to watch the flames dance...
I have seen many things in the flames, i have thousand of photographes, i mean literarly thousands !!
I'v seen things that have filled me with fear, horror, terror, wonderment, anticipation & a whole range of other emotions...
I don't know if their visions... premonitions...
perhaps, yes I think the possibly quite probably are...
In the begining it was a kinda scarey thing to experiance & get my head round...
I thought i was going crazy at times, halusinations... imagination...
but I know, i believe that not to be the case...
it took me a while to accept that...
many won't many will just say "nutter"...
thats okay though, they are entitled to their opinion...
I don't have a religion , but i am a spiritual person I embrase the universe & in keeping celebrate many of the old ways from different cultures around the world...
in my own way ... unformal i pay trubute & homage to the ppl of days gone by & the universe in all its awe, infinity & wonder...
Anyway , tonight i lite my bel fire... & for the 1st time I saw something that for all the things I have seen & felt ...
filled me with an emotion I can't explain, well, not completly...
but it washed over me, & thru with a joy, contentness, a sense of optimison, love & peace ...
& on a day that celebrates the coming of life & fertility to the world in the tradition of my ancestors it felt extra special, on such a beauiful night, an honor, for me to see it ,experiance it, a great sence of connection with everything bigger than all of us mortals so I had to share it...
my little picture of a heart in the ashes of my belfire...
Thursday, April 17, 2014
In recent days it has come to my attention that a petition has been proposed on change. Org petitioning the British Medical Association (also GMC) Urging people to have their doctors have David Cameron sectioned.
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-medical-association-also-gmc-urge-your-doctors-to-have-david-cameron-sectioned-under-the-mental-health-acts-1983-and-2007
Given my previous blog & open letter to Stephen Fry chairman of MIND on this issue (4th September 2013) I feel it is necessary to write an appendix to that blog now, and further state it was not me who posted the proposed petition, & although it would be nice to think that it was a result of someone who had read my open letter blog & taken positive action , I doubt that is the case, and that it is much more likely, that it is as a result of someone who shares my concerns, themselves, taking positive action.
http://junei96.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/an-open-letter-to-stephen-fry-chairman.html
That someone shares my concerns in this regard, is in itself reassuring, and I genuinely hope that the petition results in receiving ample support to insure action is taken, and again as I stated , not out of malice but genuine concern , which I shall now explain.
I have little doubt that when I wrote the open blog letter to Mr Fry, those who read it, (if of course anyone actually did) they perhaps thought it was a joke, or an act of revenge resulting from personal issues with social injustice & or my personal political believes.
I have made no attempt to conceal my personal dislike for David Cameron or his parties politics & policies on the internet, indeed, I have been openly transparent & critical in this regard.
Nor have I tried to conceal or deny my own mental health issues or diagnosis, because I am not ashamed of my condition & feel very strongly that people like me with mental health conditions should not be made feel embarrassed or ashamed of their condition & that by talking about them we can raise awareness & break down the barriers of stigmatization, negative stereotyping & labelling, that for centuries has seen people like me & others with condition that fall within the vaste spectrum of mental health issues, denied suitable treatment, therapy & support & treated with often cruelty & discrimination that further adds to the difficulties we face in managing our conditions or indeed, can prevent our families seeking diagnosis or support.
My personal feeling in regard David Cameron political ideology had little & everything to do with my open letter to Mr Fry, in as much as, it was not something to do with personal vendetta or meant as a slur on his character ,
when it comes to Mental health & social health and welfare issues, & in regard of ANY individual, I try to be as impartial as is possible in line with my personal belief as a humanitarian, & with regard of my working experience & academic qualifications within the health & social welfare sector, indeed I believe I have A DUTY OF CARE to do so, & that is very important to me.
My concerns were genuine, based on academic study of mental health conditions, & issues related to risk of danger & harm assessment of patient & public.
All this in mind, I would now like to clarify the point I made in my open letter to Stephen Fry & offer, what I believe is supporting evidence in regard of my concerns regarding David Cameron's competence for office as PM, in regard of his cognitive competence as Prime Minister of the UK.
So, let me 1st correct my error in referance to my belief he is criminally insane.
What I actually meant by that comment was that his actions & behaviours‘, I believe are criminal as a result of insanity.
This was inaccurate,
The insanity defence should not be confused with incompitance.
The insanity defence reflects generally accepted notions that the persons who cannot appriciate the consiquences of their actions should not be punished for criminal act. (legal dictionary)
It is my opinion that David Cameron does appriciate the consiquences of his actions & behaviors , but does not believe them to be wrong, but completely correct & this reflects a real risk of danger & harm.
I believe that according to the DSM diognostic criteria David Cameron has reflected behavior that falls with in the criteria of diognosing schizophrenea, which as a condition does not necessarily reflect that the pacient is a danger to self or public, I myself have been diagnosed under the criteria that determines this condition.
According to the DSM criteria for diagnosing schisophrenia the charicteristic symptoms are ;
A
1 .Delusion
2. Hallusination
3.Disorganised speech ( eg, frequant derailment, or incoherence)
4. Negative symptoms that is, affective flattening, alogia or avolition
B
Social occupational disfunction; For a significant portion of time since the onset of the dsisturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self -care are markedly below level achieved expected levels of interpersonal or academic or occupational achievment.
Ref source handout DSM criteria for schizophrenia Wolverhampton university 2007
The criteria for diagnosing anti social personality disorder (sociopathic, psychopathic) traits & behaviors include lack of empathy or sympathy for the plight of others, spontaneous behaviors that inflict harm on others, & lack of comprehension or emotion towards accepted norms & or feeling of guilt..
http://www.sociopathworld.com/2010/04/diagnosis-sociopath-dsmhare.html
As I covered the areas in my previous blog open letter to Stephen fry, regarding the serious implications of David Cameron state of mental health & the risks to public & himself in regard of his prime minesterial duties power & responsabilities I will not drag this blog out but refer you back to the provisions under the mental health act 1983 section 2 artcle 2b & ask that you consider the facts provided & concider the evidance of Mr Camerons behaviors & actions & the additional referances he himself has made in recent days comparing himself to Jesus & his big society agenda & conclude blog with some links that demonstrate Mr Camerons behavior in office & leave it to the reader to reach their own conclusions and respond accordingly, if you the reader, feel there is risk or dangers from the DavidCameron's behaviors, to the public or indeed, himself, as a result of these actions ,I urge to sign the petion at
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-medical-association-also-gmc-urge-your-doctors-to-have-david-cameron-sectioned-under-the-mental-health-acts-1983-and-2007
that promted me to write this blog appendix to my previous blo open letter to stephen Fry.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/11/is-david-cameron-continuing-jesus-work-big-society
http://youtu.be/t7lCrGW9jvE
http://youtu.be/KE1EwKVfh0w
http://youtu.be/dBlDfp85gP8
http://youtu.be/_VPi_uANRvo
http://youtu.be/kiE5TxfMSa0
http://youtu.be/YpVS4O5jCZE
http://youtu.be/Hhd5IP4i1_M
http://youtu.be/bHyY0Z6jpCI
http://youtu.be/m02hL0Ve6_I
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-medical-association-also-gmc-urge-your-doctors-to-have-david-cameron-sectioned-under-the-mental-health-acts-1983-and-2007
Given my previous blog & open letter to Stephen Fry chairman of MIND on this issue (4th September 2013) I feel it is necessary to write an appendix to that blog now, and further state it was not me who posted the proposed petition, & although it would be nice to think that it was a result of someone who had read my open letter blog & taken positive action , I doubt that is the case, and that it is much more likely, that it is as a result of someone who shares my concerns, themselves, taking positive action.
http://junei96.blogspot.co.uk/2013/09/an-open-letter-to-stephen-fry-chairman.html
That someone shares my concerns in this regard, is in itself reassuring, and I genuinely hope that the petition results in receiving ample support to insure action is taken, and again as I stated , not out of malice but genuine concern , which I shall now explain.
I have little doubt that when I wrote the open blog letter to Mr Fry, those who read it, (if of course anyone actually did) they perhaps thought it was a joke, or an act of revenge resulting from personal issues with social injustice & or my personal political believes.
I have made no attempt to conceal my personal dislike for David Cameron or his parties politics & policies on the internet, indeed, I have been openly transparent & critical in this regard.
Nor have I tried to conceal or deny my own mental health issues or diagnosis, because I am not ashamed of my condition & feel very strongly that people like me with mental health conditions should not be made feel embarrassed or ashamed of their condition & that by talking about them we can raise awareness & break down the barriers of stigmatization, negative stereotyping & labelling, that for centuries has seen people like me & others with condition that fall within the vaste spectrum of mental health issues, denied suitable treatment, therapy & support & treated with often cruelty & discrimination that further adds to the difficulties we face in managing our conditions or indeed, can prevent our families seeking diagnosis or support.
My personal feeling in regard David Cameron political ideology had little & everything to do with my open letter to Mr Fry, in as much as, it was not something to do with personal vendetta or meant as a slur on his character ,
when it comes to Mental health & social health and welfare issues, & in regard of ANY individual, I try to be as impartial as is possible in line with my personal belief as a humanitarian, & with regard of my working experience & academic qualifications within the health & social welfare sector, indeed I believe I have A DUTY OF CARE to do so, & that is very important to me.
My concerns were genuine, based on academic study of mental health conditions, & issues related to risk of danger & harm assessment of patient & public.
All this in mind, I would now like to clarify the point I made in my open letter to Stephen Fry & offer, what I believe is supporting evidence in regard of my concerns regarding David Cameron's competence for office as PM, in regard of his cognitive competence as Prime Minister of the UK.
So, let me 1st correct my error in referance to my belief he is criminally insane.
What I actually meant by that comment was that his actions & behaviours‘, I believe are criminal as a result of insanity.
This was inaccurate,
The insanity defence should not be confused with incompitance.
The insanity defence reflects generally accepted notions that the persons who cannot appriciate the consiquences of their actions should not be punished for criminal act. (legal dictionary)
It is my opinion that David Cameron does appriciate the consiquences of his actions & behaviors , but does not believe them to be wrong, but completely correct & this reflects a real risk of danger & harm.
I believe that according to the DSM diognostic criteria David Cameron has reflected behavior that falls with in the criteria of diognosing schizophrenea, which as a condition does not necessarily reflect that the pacient is a danger to self or public, I myself have been diagnosed under the criteria that determines this condition.
According to the DSM criteria for diagnosing schisophrenia the charicteristic symptoms are ;
A
1 .Delusion
2. Hallusination
3.Disorganised speech ( eg, frequant derailment, or incoherence)
4. Negative symptoms that is, affective flattening, alogia or avolition
B
Social occupational disfunction; For a significant portion of time since the onset of the dsisturbance, one or more major areas of functioning such as work, interpersonal relations, or self -care are markedly below level achieved expected levels of interpersonal or academic or occupational achievment.
Ref source handout DSM criteria for schizophrenia Wolverhampton university 2007
The criteria for diagnosing anti social personality disorder (sociopathic, psychopathic) traits & behaviors include lack of empathy or sympathy for the plight of others, spontaneous behaviors that inflict harm on others, & lack of comprehension or emotion towards accepted norms & or feeling of guilt..
http://www.sociopathworld.com/2010/04/diagnosis-sociopath-dsmhare.html
As I covered the areas in my previous blog open letter to Stephen fry, regarding the serious implications of David Cameron state of mental health & the risks to public & himself in regard of his prime minesterial duties power & responsabilities I will not drag this blog out but refer you back to the provisions under the mental health act 1983 section 2 artcle 2b & ask that you consider the facts provided & concider the evidance of Mr Camerons behaviors & actions & the additional referances he himself has made in recent days comparing himself to Jesus & his big society agenda & conclude blog with some links that demonstrate Mr Camerons behavior in office & leave it to the reader to reach their own conclusions and respond accordingly, if you the reader, feel there is risk or dangers from the DavidCameron's behaviors, to the public or indeed, himself, as a result of these actions ,I urge to sign the petion at
http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/british-medical-association-also-gmc-urge-your-doctors-to-have-david-cameron-sectioned-under-the-mental-health-acts-1983-and-2007
that promted me to write this blog appendix to my previous blo open letter to stephen Fry.
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/apr/11/is-david-cameron-continuing-jesus-work-big-society
http://youtu.be/t7lCrGW9jvE
http://youtu.be/KE1EwKVfh0w
http://youtu.be/dBlDfp85gP8
http://youtu.be/_VPi_uANRvo
http://youtu.be/kiE5TxfMSa0
http://youtu.be/YpVS4O5jCZE
http://youtu.be/Hhd5IP4i1_M
http://youtu.be/bHyY0Z6jpCI
http://youtu.be/m02hL0Ve6_I
Friday, April 4, 2014
Scotlands woman of substance Margo MacDonald
A great sense of sadness washed over me this afternoon as the news came over the radio that Margo MacDonald had passed on.
My reaction suprised me as I felt tears roll down my face and quickly turn to sobs, cos I never actually knew her, yet I was reacting like I had just heard a family member had died, but then perhaps, in the greater sceme of things I kinda had, as a member of the MacDonald clan by birth on my mothers side I feel I can claim kinship.
As quickly as my reaction took hold I heard a wee voice in my head saying pull yourself together woman, life goes on, something my own mum would have told me, and I kinda suspect Margo would have very much agreed with.
Margo Macdonald was the first person ever to stoke a flame of interest in politics in me as a young teenager, it was she who inspired me to stand in the elecection in social education class as the SNP candidate, which I lost!, however the result apart, her insperation to inflame that interest in politics & indeed social issues never left me there after.
I won't go on about Margo MacDonalds contribution to politics and raising awareness of many important social & indeed health issues, I will leave that to those who worked with her & knew her personally.
I just wanted to take a few moments to pay tribute & respect to a great Scots woman, a woman of substance & integrity, a woman who was a great insperation to me and many others, who will never be forgotton as one of Scotland great & insperational daughters in the political & social world.
Thoughts & condolances with Margo's friends & family at this very sad time.
My reaction suprised me as I felt tears roll down my face and quickly turn to sobs, cos I never actually knew her, yet I was reacting like I had just heard a family member had died, but then perhaps, in the greater sceme of things I kinda had, as a member of the MacDonald clan by birth on my mothers side I feel I can claim kinship.
As quickly as my reaction took hold I heard a wee voice in my head saying pull yourself together woman, life goes on, something my own mum would have told me, and I kinda suspect Margo would have very much agreed with.
Margo Macdonald was the first person ever to stoke a flame of interest in politics in me as a young teenager, it was she who inspired me to stand in the elecection in social education class as the SNP candidate, which I lost!, however the result apart, her insperation to inflame that interest in politics & indeed social issues never left me there after.
I won't go on about Margo MacDonalds contribution to politics and raising awareness of many important social & indeed health issues, I will leave that to those who worked with her & knew her personally.
I just wanted to take a few moments to pay tribute & respect to a great Scots woman, a woman of substance & integrity, a woman who was a great insperation to me and many others, who will never be forgotton as one of Scotland great & insperational daughters in the political & social world.
Thoughts & condolances with Margo's friends & family at this very sad time.
Friday, March 28, 2014
GLASGOW RALLY & MARCH AGAINST FASCISM & RACISM 22 MARCH 2014
Last Saturday, the 22nd march 2014, I attended the anti racism & anti fascism march & rally at Glasgow's Georges
square.
It was a fresh sunny
day & there was a good turn out, for
the rally, & I can say with all honesty,that the many speakers I
listened to with interest,
councilors,
human rights activists, trade unionists & miscellaneous others, had a
profound impact on me, although perhaps not the impact I expected, or that it left me
with, feelings & emotions I find not easy to relate, as I write this blog
at 5.18am after another disturbed & restless sleepless night.
There was
a great deal of talk about the effects of current immigration policies and the blame game played by government that
focus's on immigrant workers & asylum seekers in regard of employment
& housing issues & any kind of rise in crime statistics.
There was
emotive & moving descriptions of dawn raids & arrests of asylum
seekers, dragged off in the night to detention centers that amounts to modern
day equivalents of Nazi concentration camps.
Police
& establishment corruption and the tragic & unjust treatment of the Lawrence family, after the murder of Steven Lawrence, were all spoken of with
passion, in relation to human rights violations and abuse,
and the
treatment of people in police custody, & or, in relation to unverified suspicion of crime, & stop & search procedures, as well as discrimination's, were all, correctly, addressed.
There was reference to the despicable austerity policies,imposed on the nation that target primarily the vulnerable, the disabled & the poor.
Employment,
health & social care, the bedroom tax, cuts to front-line services & the privatization of the NHS, were all addressed, as were the effects of cuts to legal aid & advisory services on the poor.
There was
mention of the frightening & concerning rise of overtly fascist political groups & movements in Ukraine, Hungary, Greece & other parts of Europe,
as well as the UK prime ministers frightening role as broker in arms deals,
that see rich totalitarian governments & dictatorships in the middle east &
other destinations armed with weapons of great mass destruction &
killing potential, weapons that all to
often, find there way into the hands of unidentified extremist & mercenary groups who rage devastating wars on their own people, nations that have poor
records in all areas of human rights & issues of sensitive, discriminatory
justice.
&
There was well justified references to mainstream media propaganda &
misinformation in the press including the role of BBC reporting with bias on political & human rights issues as the
establishments tool of manipulation & mind control, all of which I whole heatedly agreed with.
In fact i
think i can safely state, that there was absolutely nothing said by any of those addressing the crowd that i
did not agree with, and without a doubt
they were all competent & passionate speakers on the issue of
discrimination & human rights, many referring to the need to raise awareness
to these very important issues we are all facing. The words
"solidarity" & "comrades" were frequently repeated by the speakers, as might be expected at such an
event.
"
Social media is a great tool,"
"Talk
about these issues of human rights abuse,racism, & fascism on facebook,
twitter & other networking
sites,"
"Spread
the word, Raise awareness "
was the
cry of more than 1 speaker, and rightly so.
However,
sadly i must admit, as i smiled ,my face twitched behind my mask of normality,
my heart filled with a sinking sorrowful feeling, as I stood there alone in the
crowd thinking,
I ALREADY
HAVE, TO LITTLE & NO AVAIL...
as my personal experience of
human rights violations & abuse by fascist of the establishment crept round
my cranium, dragging my spirit down in a selfish moment of self indulgence, haunting memories of sleepless nights of almost 7 years of trauma & mental
health hell...
& my
own struggle for justice that has fell largely on deaf ears & indifference of mostly all, including friends & family, who tell me I am wasting my time
seeking justice, no one cares, I ain't gonna get it and I should move on...
easier said than done, believe me , i'v tried.
So there
I stood, on a sunny afternoon, in the busy town square of my native Glasgow, surrounded by hundreds of others, of apparently kindred spirit & motivation, feeling isolated, unsupported, & totally alone feeling almost like i wanted
to scream as i struggled to hold back a deluge of tears of self pity, yeah how self-centered i am, I know.
In
reflection, I guess that's the biggest impact
last Saturdays rally had on me... that feeling that my struggle has been
regarded as one of self indulgence & self pity...
and i can
assure you its not an impact that sits easy on my shoulders, for that was never
ever my motivation to keep going in the battle for justice, that feeling of
selfish self indulgence, that "me" factor, was circumstantial in
relation to human right issues, it was was never my motivation in relation to
related issues or involvement /activism, its just something that happened, a consequential, i would have preferred not to have had experienced, but perhaps
my biggest educator and yes, it did come to drive me on & keep going these
last 5-6 years.
I ain't
going to go over the all the details of my own experience in relation to the
crimes against me, the abuse & violation of my rights, the treatment I have received & the effects it has had on my mind body & spirit, its already
well documented on my former Facebook pages in notes , ( which I can no
longer access ,)
It is ,as
I said, documented in my blogs, on my Google page, in my poetry & art project and via the 86+K tweets i have posted these past 6-7 years in relation
to human rights, metal health issues, discrimination, inequalities & inadequacies within the health social welfare & justice system, in my
attempts to raise awareness of human rights issues, mental & social health,
welfare & social policy issues, because, & somewhat ironically, health
& social care promotion was the career path I was following, the course of
study I had chosen to hopefully find a career in when my degree was complete ,
it was the field I wanted work in as a social health & welfare care
provider when I completed my university studies, & it was strangely, the root cause that initiated the
financial issues , distress & everything else that led to the violations,
abuse & crime of violence (ABH) I was to have perpetrated against me, both
in my home & by & in every office of public care & legal provision
I came into contact with thereafter in my attempts to seek fair treatment &
justice.
I feel its fair to suggest that my blog
publications & tweet history will
clearly reflect that although, yes, I have sought to raise awareness and get
support to have my own case addressed fairly & justly according to my human
rights & law, my attempts to raise awareness in regard of human rights
issues has not been primarily self serving, but a genuine concern & belief
in the need for the human rights of all people be adhered to, that health & social welfare care is an issue that affects us all, globally, & that my
beliefs & motivation are born out of
that fundamental belief that the
human rights of all need to be respected & addressed without
discrimination, & without inequalities & inadequacies that reflect a
system that sees the poor & vulnerable & the "different"
treated with disdain & neglect & indeed indifference, while those with
wealth & status receive privileged treatment from a global justice system
that serves primarily the rich & powerful.
I am as I
have said many times in the past, representation of that 1 in 4 of the population whose rights are abused.
I am the
mother who cry's herself to sleep at night worrying about how she is going to manage to continue to feed,
cloth & house her children,...
I am the
father who opens his vain in the job-center in a desperate plea for help & support that goes unheeded,...
I am the
teenager who hangs them self in their bedroom as a result of cruel & nasty jibes & bullying from people who don't even know me...
I am the
man who tries & tries to be heard then looses the plot & goes on a
shooting spree killing innocent bystanders and close associates cos no one would listen or give me the support i need & sought...
I am the
prisoner abused & wounded detained
in a cell for endless hours, ignored, whose rights are violated.
I am the
disabled person who lost their home, their support system & died alone
after swallowing all the prescribed meds in the cabinet washed down with a
bottle of vodka cos they just couldn't take anymore of the stress , worry & mental trauma...
I am
everyone of you who deserves to to have their voice heard & who is ignored
and abused by an establishment & system that is meant to have a duty of care
towards me.
I am June
MacKendrick, daughter, mother,granny, sister, friend, colleague & stranger... a woman from Glasgow who's human rights were abused & who failed in all attempts to seek justice and raise awareness of human rights abuses.
a human
being silenced...
a statistical reminder of a world that doesn't care...
I am Chelsea Manning
I am
Nabeel Rajab
I am
Barnett Brown
I am
Jeremy Hammond
I am
Michael Hastings
I am
Arron Swartz
I am
Julian Assange ...
& I
dedicate this blog entery to them, the activist & message carriers punished, incarcerated & or murdered by a corrupt establishment & hierarchy
system of the NWO who seek to control us all by abusing & decimating our
human rights & freedoms.
Monday, March 3, 2014
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
plea to celebrities 2 bring an end to child labour enslavement explotation
I write this blog as an open letter to the many celebrities from the world of hip hop, rap, street dance ,and other arts and sport that often follows a fashion code that support the wearing of branded clothing & footwear that is produced & manufactured by companies using child labour.
I make a plea asking that they will join me in an effort to bring an end to the horrific exploitative abuse of children to benefit the shareholders of corporate brands like Nike, Rebok, Adidas, Gap, Levis, Calvin Kline and the many others, who reep the profits from the sales of their products manufactured & produced by factories in 3rd word countries, exploiting poor people forced by poverty, to work, & have their children work, to the detriment of education, in draconian, dangerous work house conditions, for unfair low wages.
No child should be exploited or enslaved in the 21 century.
Yet as long as we continue to buy and ignore the facts pertaining to the production of these garments & the conditions people living with poverty are forced, by circumstance to accept, we are contributing to their exploitation & enslavement.
Furthermore, we become puppets of these corporate bastards by buying their products for our children or ourselves.
Indeed in the case of you, the celebrities & sport people, who accept sponsorship funding or who promote these products by wearing & advertising them, you yourself become aiders & arbiters, accessories in the exploitation, the crimes & abuses of these children.
As a mother of three, now adult children , I am well aware of the pressures on working class parents to buy these brand products, and I'm well aware that it is as a result of my children's admiration for celebrities & sports people who advertise & wear these brands that makes them popular.
I am also a grand mother & I am again aware of the cost of buying these products, the exploitation in the production extends to excessive cost for the products that in truth could be made and manufacture anywhere including in the UK , USA , EUROPE , & other countries at fair cost to both consumer & manufacturer, providing work for those of working age who have completed education, but, who now find work harder to secure as a result of government practice in our home nations that saw textile & manufacturing industries closed down in favour of outsourcing to the nations that offered cheap slave labour were employees are denied workers & human rights where poor people are exploited as a result of their poverty.
I understand that there are those that would argue that without the work they would be poorer & in worse poverty , this however is nonsense, what it would do would forces standards and working conditions by these employers in developing nations to improve their working conditions & workers rights in order to compete in the market across nations to a global standard of fair working rights & could I suggest see the return of texitle industries to the home nations from where they were outsourced in favor of cheap exploitative labor.
Thee is no shortage of need or demand for textiles, nor will there ever be people wear clothes for all season & all reason around the world.
While we continue to support these practices we allow & condone by complacency these inhuman practices that see children abused & exploited.
What if it was your children, would you support, promote & buy these products if it was your child being subjected to the conditions these children are exposed to purely because they & their parents are poor...
might I suggest that it is a case of there but for the profits of the corporate bastard go I and mine...
So I beseech you, please join me in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of these exploited children enslaved by poverty, help bring an end to their exploitation and misery by boycotting the Brands that use manufactures & factories that exploit children & their families, who live with the misery & misfortune of poverty.
Add your voice to mine & boycott any brand that exploits the poor, support the human rights of these children & their families, as you would were it your own children and family, please, help bring this immoral practice to an end & build a better future for all children.
I offer this informative documentary by Humanitarian crusader John Pilger in support of my argument.
http://youtu.be/pfrL2DUtmXY
THANK YOU.
I make a plea asking that they will join me in an effort to bring an end to the horrific exploitative abuse of children to benefit the shareholders of corporate brands like Nike, Rebok, Adidas, Gap, Levis, Calvin Kline and the many others, who reep the profits from the sales of their products manufactured & produced by factories in 3rd word countries, exploiting poor people forced by poverty, to work, & have their children work, to the detriment of education, in draconian, dangerous work house conditions, for unfair low wages.
No child should be exploited or enslaved in the 21 century.
Yet as long as we continue to buy and ignore the facts pertaining to the production of these garments & the conditions people living with poverty are forced, by circumstance to accept, we are contributing to their exploitation & enslavement.
Furthermore, we become puppets of these corporate bastards by buying their products for our children or ourselves.
Indeed in the case of you, the celebrities & sport people, who accept sponsorship funding or who promote these products by wearing & advertising them, you yourself become aiders & arbiters, accessories in the exploitation, the crimes & abuses of these children.
As a mother of three, now adult children , I am well aware of the pressures on working class parents to buy these brand products, and I'm well aware that it is as a result of my children's admiration for celebrities & sports people who advertise & wear these brands that makes them popular.
I am also a grand mother & I am again aware of the cost of buying these products, the exploitation in the production extends to excessive cost for the products that in truth could be made and manufacture anywhere including in the UK , USA , EUROPE , & other countries at fair cost to both consumer & manufacturer, providing work for those of working age who have completed education, but, who now find work harder to secure as a result of government practice in our home nations that saw textile & manufacturing industries closed down in favour of outsourcing to the nations that offered cheap slave labour were employees are denied workers & human rights where poor people are exploited as a result of their poverty.
I understand that there are those that would argue that without the work they would be poorer & in worse poverty , this however is nonsense, what it would do would forces standards and working conditions by these employers in developing nations to improve their working conditions & workers rights in order to compete in the market across nations to a global standard of fair working rights & could I suggest see the return of texitle industries to the home nations from where they were outsourced in favor of cheap exploitative labor.
Thee is no shortage of need or demand for textiles, nor will there ever be people wear clothes for all season & all reason around the world.
While we continue to support these practices we allow & condone by complacency these inhuman practices that see children abused & exploited.
What if it was your children, would you support, promote & buy these products if it was your child being subjected to the conditions these children are exposed to purely because they & their parents are poor...
might I suggest that it is a case of there but for the profits of the corporate bastard go I and mine...
So I beseech you, please join me in an effort to raise awareness of the plight of these exploited children enslaved by poverty, help bring an end to their exploitation and misery by boycotting the Brands that use manufactures & factories that exploit children & their families, who live with the misery & misfortune of poverty.
Add your voice to mine & boycott any brand that exploits the poor, support the human rights of these children & their families, as you would were it your own children and family, please, help bring this immoral practice to an end & build a better future for all children.
I offer this informative documentary by Humanitarian crusader John Pilger in support of my argument.
http://youtu.be/pfrL2DUtmXY
THANK YOU.
Monday, February 10, 2014
Nick Clegg ....UNPRESIDENTED
Today visiting the flooded ares in the south of England Deputy Prime Ministerof the Uk Nick Clegg has said "that people doing a valiant job trying to cope with "unprecedented natural forces."
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10627883/Flooding-crisis-weather-live.html
Well Frankly, & not to put to fine a point on it Mr Clegg, as whoppers go that's certainly got to be in your top ten.
Additionally, I ask myself if you are aware of the inconsistencies of your little speech, because in the space of 2 minutes 32 seconds, you describe the flooding as;
" something we have never encountered before , this kind of deluge is such a sustained way over such a prolonged time... every one is having to deal with something that hasn't happened before..."
Mr Clegg goes on to say he doesn't think that this is the time to point the finger of blame regarding the failure of those responsible in the environment agency who ignored the calls of local people to dredge the rivers over the last few years.
Since that epic tale of Noah long ago alleged "unprecedented" weather conditions like flooding have been common , particularly in the UK indeed in the northern hemisphere, might I suggest that harsh weather conditions in winter like prolonged rain & snow, which then melts & leads to flooding, is the most natural of environmental conditions one should expect, so to describe it as;
"something we have never encountered before..." well is not just inaccurate its a whopping big blaitant lie shame on you.
Only last winter 2012 the BBC reported More than 800 homes were flooded after storms hit parts of England and Wales, as recorded by the Environment Agency.
816 houses had been affected after a band of heavy rain and strong winds swept across the country.
Devon and Cornwall were badly hit, along with Malmesbury in Wiltshire and Kempsey in Worcestershire.
Two people died in the storm - a woman killed by a falling tree in Exeter and a man whose car crashed into a swollen river in Cambridgeshire.
David Cameron talked of "shocking scenes of flooding".
The prime minister's Twitter message also said the government "will help ensure everything is being done to help".
There are about 260 flood warnings in place across England, which means people should take action because flooding is expected.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20488645
And yet as we see the environment agency failed to take appropriate action and thus this year yet again the country has been devastated by harsh natural weather conditions.
As if that's not bad enough it is reported that Residents of Kempsey, Worcestershire, criticise the village's new £1.5m flood defences which they say has made the flooding worse than in 2007
NOTE 2007 , SOME 5 YEARS EARLIER.
SO CLEARLY , THESE UNNATURAL WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IN FACT REOCCURRING NATURAL WEATHER CONDITIONS OF THIS PART OF THE WORLD LIKE I SAID, strange that people working in government with expensive university educations would be unaware of these facts , let alone the historical geographical environmental facts related to these points.
In 2007 the cost of flooding in England was a staggering 3,2billion pounds.
Thirteen people died and hundreds had to be rescued after parts of South and East Yorks and Gloucestershire flooded.
Around 48,000 homes were affected, each costing between £20,000 and £30,000 to repair, the agency added.
The cost for flooded businesses averaged between £75,000 & £112,000.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8464717.stm
In 2005 over 1,800 Carlisle properties were flooded, a 63-year-old man was crushed after a barn collapsed on his caravan in Cumbria, and two elderly women died in flooded properties in Carlisle.
Flood levels in Carlisle, were the worst-hit area in the UK,All of Carlisle's 65 buses were damaged by water, and the police and fire stations were both flooded.
The then Environment Minister Elliot Morley visited the city, where the cost of the flood damage ran into tens of millions of pounds.
He said plans for a £20m flood scheme for the city had been drawn up before the severe weather conditions started and were in the process of being finalized.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4158641.stm
In contrast in the June 2005 flash floods devastated the North of England when North Yorkshire,
forcing many residents to leave their homes and spend the night in the town hall.
The downpour over the North York Moors cut off a number of villages, with Thirsk, Carlton and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe among those affected.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4109692.stm
These flood were, I suggest more uncommon occurrence for that time of year in this hemisphere, however it clearly represents the unpredictability of British weather and the consequences of that unpredictability and yet time & time again we find local & government is unprepared for weather associated crisis.
Evidence that adverse weather in the UK is undeniably normal & predicable and easy to find.
Floods of 2000 http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9153000/9153477.stm
Floods in 1995 Flooding on the River Severn 1995
Floods 1990 http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northwestwales/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8516000/8516287.stm
The problem, dare I say, therefore firmly lies with Government , the environment agency & local councils who despite the predictability of the naturally occurring weather conditions that we know to be normal in the UK during the autum & winter months ,have failed to maintain the infrastructure, drainage & take the other relevant environmental precautions as well as implementing the correct strategic measures through investment & development in environmental projects to insure that the devastating issues & crisis created through natural reoccurring environmental conditions does not have the devastating impact on private citizens & business that we see repeated year after year as a result of poor social, & environmental policy & bad nae negligent communities management from government to local councils in the UK.
As for the rhetoric coming from David Cameron, Nick Clegg , Lord Smith, Eric Pickles , and all the rest of the responsible noble bullshitters defending the failures of agencies & individuals responsible I have only this to say.
STOP LYING YOU INSINCERE NEGLIGENT INCOMPETENT CORRUPT ARSEHOLES THE PUBLIC AIN'T STUPID & THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU IS ENORMOUS.
Stop spending public money on wars the people don't want to be a part of & start using the money to inprove conditions in the UK, that is your duty, that is your responsibility that is what we pay you for, you work for us.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/topics/weather/10627883/Flooding-crisis-weather-live.html
Well Frankly, & not to put to fine a point on it Mr Clegg, as whoppers go that's certainly got to be in your top ten.
Additionally, I ask myself if you are aware of the inconsistencies of your little speech, because in the space of 2 minutes 32 seconds, you describe the flooding as;
" something we have never encountered before , this kind of deluge is such a sustained way over such a prolonged time... every one is having to deal with something that hasn't happened before..."
Mr Clegg goes on to say he doesn't think that this is the time to point the finger of blame regarding the failure of those responsible in the environment agency who ignored the calls of local people to dredge the rivers over the last few years.
Since that epic tale of Noah long ago alleged "unprecedented" weather conditions like flooding have been common , particularly in the UK indeed in the northern hemisphere, might I suggest that harsh weather conditions in winter like prolonged rain & snow, which then melts & leads to flooding, is the most natural of environmental conditions one should expect, so to describe it as;
"something we have never encountered before..." well is not just inaccurate its a whopping big blaitant lie shame on you.
Only last winter 2012 the BBC reported More than 800 homes were flooded after storms hit parts of England and Wales, as recorded by the Environment Agency.
816 houses had been affected after a band of heavy rain and strong winds swept across the country.
Devon and Cornwall were badly hit, along with Malmesbury in Wiltshire and Kempsey in Worcestershire.
Two people died in the storm - a woman killed by a falling tree in Exeter and a man whose car crashed into a swollen river in Cambridgeshire.
David Cameron talked of "shocking scenes of flooding".
The prime minister's Twitter message also said the government "will help ensure everything is being done to help".
There are about 260 flood warnings in place across England, which means people should take action because flooding is expected.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-20488645
And yet as we see the environment agency failed to take appropriate action and thus this year yet again the country has been devastated by harsh natural weather conditions.
As if that's not bad enough it is reported that Residents of Kempsey, Worcestershire, criticise the village's new £1.5m flood defences which they say has made the flooding worse than in 2007
NOTE 2007 , SOME 5 YEARS EARLIER.
SO CLEARLY , THESE UNNATURAL WEATHER CONDITIONS ARE IN FACT REOCCURRING NATURAL WEATHER CONDITIONS OF THIS PART OF THE WORLD LIKE I SAID, strange that people working in government with expensive university educations would be unaware of these facts , let alone the historical geographical environmental facts related to these points.
In 2007 the cost of flooding in England was a staggering 3,2billion pounds.
Thirteen people died and hundreds had to be rescued after parts of South and East Yorks and Gloucestershire flooded.
Around 48,000 homes were affected, each costing between £20,000 and £30,000 to repair, the agency added.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8464717.stm
In 2005 over 1,800 Carlisle properties were flooded, a 63-year-old man was crushed after a barn collapsed on his caravan in Cumbria, and two elderly women died in flooded properties in Carlisle.
Flood levels in Carlisle, were the worst-hit area in the UK,All of Carlisle's 65 buses were damaged by water, and the police and fire stations were both flooded.
The then Environment Minister Elliot Morley visited the city, where the cost of the flood damage ran into tens of millions of pounds.
He said plans for a £20m flood scheme for the city had been drawn up before the severe weather conditions started and were in the process of being finalized.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4158641.stm
forcing many residents to leave their homes and spend the night in the town hall.
The downpour over the North York Moors cut off a number of villages, with Thirsk, Carlton and Sutton-under-Whitestonecliffe among those affected.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/north_yorkshire/4109692.stm
These flood were, I suggest more uncommon occurrence for that time of year in this hemisphere, however it clearly represents the unpredictability of British weather and the consequences of that unpredictability and yet time & time again we find local & government is unprepared for weather associated crisis.
Evidence that adverse weather in the UK is undeniably normal & predicable and easy to find.
Floods of 2000 http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/york/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9153000/9153477.stm
Floods in 1995 Flooding on the River Severn 1995
Floods 1990 http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/northwestwales/hi/people_and_places/history/newsid_8516000/8516287.stm
The problem, dare I say, therefore firmly lies with Government , the environment agency & local councils who despite the predictability of the naturally occurring weather conditions that we know to be normal in the UK during the autum & winter months ,have failed to maintain the infrastructure, drainage & take the other relevant environmental precautions as well as implementing the correct strategic measures through investment & development in environmental projects to insure that the devastating issues & crisis created through natural reoccurring environmental conditions does not have the devastating impact on private citizens & business that we see repeated year after year as a result of poor social, & environmental policy & bad nae negligent communities management from government to local councils in the UK.
As for the rhetoric coming from David Cameron, Nick Clegg , Lord Smith, Eric Pickles , and all the rest of the responsible noble bullshitters defending the failures of agencies & individuals responsible I have only this to say.
STOP LYING YOU INSINCERE NEGLIGENT INCOMPETENT CORRUPT ARSEHOLES THE PUBLIC AIN'T STUPID & THE EVIDENCE AGAINST YOU IS ENORMOUS.
Stop spending public money on wars the people don't want to be a part of & start using the money to inprove conditions in the UK, that is your duty, that is your responsibility that is what we pay you for, you work for us.
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