I was just in the health food shop and I remembered that my stepdaughter is gluten intolerant, so I bought her some spelt flour. That's spelt F L O U R.
Ooooh boy. I’d avoided coming on because I knew someone would have this and it touches a nerve. I’ve already had it out with coworkers but here goes... This is irrelevant whataboutism. The history of the empire should not be celebrated. Period. There’s no real discussion to be had. And how long ago was The Empire ****ing things up for people across the world? Not that long at all. We’re not talking about ancient history. Probably should get to work on returning all the stuff we stole from around the world that sits in British Museums too. Fill it with our real history. I bet that tourists will be queuing out the door to catch the Racism, Subverting Democracy and Morris Dancing exhibits. You can’t complain about loss of history while actively denying the history of other nations that were pillaged, manipulated and subverted by the British Empire for years, even up until the 80s and later. Just out of interest, how long are the countries who have been irreparably damaged by a violent, oppressive system allowed to be upset about it? People who talk like this have such a poor knowledge of British history. It’s not your fault, it just doesn’t get acknowledged or taught with any accuracy. Nobody hears about how (for example) my parents, who are ethnically Persian, were forced out of London with their families because the UK government decided they wanted to kill the democratically elected leader of Iran to get cheap oil by strengthening a hideous despot in his place. They are British people. Dad was a navy engineer. Mum has been a healthcare worker for 30+ years. Celebrating the empire does not represent them. They shrug at it now, but it’s bullshit to suggest we look at our past through rose tinted glasses and celebrate it in the face of those of us whose parents, grandparents and prior generations built it with their own blood and no reward. Just look at Windrush for more recent examples of that. Colonise an area, take their skilled labour, then discard them like used up trash when they aren’t fit to serve you any more. The Empire never died, it just got moved closer to home. Denying songs about the Empire isn’t “forensic racism”. That honestly makes me sick. It’s only “forensic racism” if you’re a knob who wants to drink wine and sing a crap song without thinking about what it really means or how it affects others. Oh and Churchill was a racist too. Toodles! Now the inevitable response to this, and one I’ve had before is, “Well if you don’t like it, leave!” Fair point. But see the problem with going into a country and screwing up its peaceful and democratic elections with gunfire and politically motivated murder is that it leaves people a bit testy. That effect doesn’t go away in 50 years. Probably not until more violence, more hurt, more pain. It’s not damaging to your country to be critical of its history. It’s more damaging to ignore it and refuse to grow, change and develop tolerance, acceptance and the idea that you have to help your country to be accountable for the things it did and try to repair the damage it caused. Even if you weren’t born sixty years ago. Saying “well I didn’t do it!” is what the kids I teach do when I ask who spilt juice on the carpet. A patriot is the person who sees the mess and helps to clean up because it will make the place better for everyone.
Great post. Your comment about installing the Shah as a replacement leader for the one that had been democratically elected, reminded me of the ongoing battle to undo another Johnson cock up, the imprisonment of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. It seems that the UK government was paid £400 million to supply the Shah with Chieftain tanks, a deal that was never completed after the Shah was deposed. Since then we have refused to return the money and this is now being used as a bargaining chip in releasing NZR. https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...ease-prison-uk-delay-trump-iran-a9687161.html
Have just booked a few days away at the end of September. Messaged my boss to let him know when I was going to be off before I put the request in just to give him a chance to say no if it was likely to be a problem. He immediately messaged back "what about quarantine?" I replied "I reckon I'll be OK as I can't see them doing a lockdown of the Isle of Purbeck"
Just popped up on my timeline that this time last year I arrived in Italy for my 50th Birthday Celebrations. So lucky it wasn’t this year. Oh and Fats if I forget, don’t forget you’ll be a year older than me on Saturday . Old man
Oh look at this https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/18679221.cycle-lane-bassett-avenue-southampton-removed/
Not till Monday I had a four day warm up last year in Naples before I went to Positano. Such a beautiful part of the world...though I am biased
Holy moly this rain is insane. The roads are literally underwater there's no other way of putting it.
