The Queen is said to be furious and embarrassed after footage was released recently by the Sun newspaper, showing her delivering a mock Nazi salute in 1933. Unfortunately, this is what happens when Royalty tries to bury it's past. The actions of a naive young girl maybe, aged only 5 or 7, who did not know what she was doing, and the full implications of her actions, under the influence of others So it's a case of blaming the adults I guess. In the black and white film footage she his shown with her mum, the Queen mother, her Uncle Prince Edward and her younger sister Princess Margaret. Many will say, it is time to move on, and in the hearts and minds of some of her subjects she will always remain as a dignified role model. But Republic which campaigns for a democratic alternative to the monarchy said the palace should stop dodging responsibility. Others are saying you cannot bury history, because if you try to do this, it has a habit of coming back to haunt you. In 1933, the fact is, due to Nazism, anti-semitism was on the rise. Hitler was already known as the leader of the National Socialist Working Party (the Nazis) had already started rounding up Communists, Socialists and Liberals, purging as many political opponents as possible - giving him one man dictatorial powers. Already talking of the master race, building roads on the outskirts of towns that would carry millions away to their deaths. Already they saw Jews, Roma (Gypsies) and the handicapped as a serous biological threat to the purity of the German (Aryan) race. Jews became the principal target of Nazi hatred. The Nazi salute, was already seen by many as a symbol of fear. It could be said that the Queen, was hoodwinked, by her uncle Prince Edward, later Edward V111, it is known he was a sympathiser of Hitler's Nazi regime, he admired Hitler's economic and social reforms as the Nazis swept to power, and wanted Britain to offer them their hands of friendship. Later after his abdication, he visited Germany with the idea of discussing becoming a figurehead for an international movement for peace on Hitler's terms. And later on in his life his view of Hitler remained undimmed declaring him to be "not a bad chap." Thankfully Hitler was defeated, but despite all the vestiges of privilege, this story, will act not just as a painful reminder of the historical past. It also serves as a warning, an echoe to our present times, when the dangers of fascism still lurk, and governments with undemocratic mandates, run amok. Lest us forget either the Nazi sympathetic 'tendencies' at the heart of the British establishment. At the end of the day this information should have been in the public domain 50 years ago, what was to hide, just an innocent secret, an honest simple mistake?
Powerful poem on the news of a new Conservative budget, based on the experience of living in Britain under austerity as a young, queer, unemployed female immigrant student - and not taking it any more. Already gone viral, with thousands already having viewed this three minute call to arms, a blasting riposte to a system that glorifies the rich and its economic policies whilst telling the rest of us we are 'worthless.'
Well done to the Scottish National Party Westminster Group who have met and decided to vote against the Governments attempt to relax ban on fox hunting south of the border in tomorrows vote, they would have collectively voted against the Tory's proposals, so now David Cameron has been forced into a humiliating climbdown, made to delay a vote on crippling the hunting ban, it is so good to see the Tory's outfoxed, you see they can be defeated. It is clear that the vast majority of the public are against a repeal of the Hunting Act, in both rural and urban areas. Cameron knows this but always likes to push things too far and will attempt to get the act through again, probably in autumn, because Cameron himself is a supporter and lover of this barbaric sport. For years treating animals inhumanely, a matter of course for a man who regularly uses benefit claimants, for his own legal bloodsport of choice. They don't really see a fox, they see a recalcitrant an ungrateful peasant, fox hunting just another way of expression their class rule. Despite the vote not going ahead, remember too, that ten years after the Hunting Act in February 2005, hunts continue to meet, most notably on the sports big occasion, such as Boxing Day. There are still 189 packs recognised by the Master of Foxhounds Association. Recently Middleton Hunt were caught with 16 fox cubs in a barn next to their kennels, taken from the wild and separated from their mothers, a clear case of trapping, the cubs to be used as an easy kill for any new hounds the hunts are training for when the hunting season commences again next month. Thousands of people are still attending organised hunts throughout the winter, in theory hunts are now supposed to practice trail hunting. This allows hunters and riders to follow a scent trail pf fox urine laid out in advance in they are supposed to allow riders the experience of hunting without the climatic act of a fox being ripped apart by dogs. But inevitably and tragically dogs do encounter foxes and do kill, the hunt masters claiming again and again that such kills were purely accidental, which has resulted in only a handful of hunters being ever convicted of breaking the ban, clamping down on illegal hunting is not seen as a police priority, a case of one law for the rich, and another for the poor. Despite the ban animals are still being killed. People continue to hunt, illegally, as the law stands now, but they carry on regardless, without prosecution, so thank goodness for hunt sabouteurs. They are the only organisation still taking direct action against the hunters, hunt sabs constantly out in force trying to stop this cruel practice, I will continue to support people bravely standing up to defend the lives of hunted wildlife from this barbaric tradition and practice. The hunting Act needs to be strengthened not weakened, because foxes are not the only animals being killed. It must not be returned. We must stay vigilant and constantly oppose this barbarism.
" Sometimes you have to disconnect, to stay connected. Remember the old days when you had eye contact during a conversation. When everyone wasn't looking down at a device in their hands? We've become so focussed on that tiny screen, that we forget the big picture, the view right in front of us." - Regina Bret Disconnect? She sits on the beach, but is not really there, as the surf rages all around, her vista , is her mobile phone, no time to gaze at sky, just presses buttons, of a self contained prison, no room for actual conversation, all the words she needs are in her hands, to consummate all her desires. She plugs herself in, feeling comfortably numb, in this ritual of abandonment, day in, day out, day in, day out, always the same, where she plays in her own personal cube, no room for a view, of real beauty, she is lost, she is possessed, she is of this world.
This morning, looking for hope, a sea of butterflies, fluttered down with the wind, like a picture from heaven. Flowers blossomed, to try and encourage waking thought, to gently distract from crushing blows, that rumbled in the distance, a government drunk on power, that permeated and slid, in clear sight, out of control.
A lazy sky hung in the air, released pangs of harmony, allowed me and friends, to gather up some faith, to carry us into the world afresh. It is good when it is warm outside, inside cannot afford to put the heating on, having endured so much pain before, survival is the only key we save, all for one, and one for all, with our love we will endure.
The Greek people in huge numbers have shown us their opposition to cuts and their refusal to bow down to the undemocratic will of the European financial elites. Across Europe people are rejecting austerity, we can also play our part over here in the UK, saying no to George Osborne's budget and continue to express our opposition to the Tory Government. Respect to the disabled activists earlier pelting No 10 and blocking the road outside parliament to protest against further cuts to welfare to Osbornes emergency budget that has recently been announced. It seems that a further £12 billion extra welfare spending cuts will be made, hitting child tax credit, child benefit payments making a huge impact on low income households, so it will be a case of the unemployed, the disabled and low paid looking forward to some tough times ahead. It seems that George has protected the bankers, and the wealthy elite. Cutting welfare does not help working people but does the opposite by increasing the national debt and causing deflation in the economy. As for rewarding 'hardworking people' in the public sector with a 1% pay rise George is taking the piss, as in reality this is a pay cut, because the cost of living rises above that per year. George said " Britain and left the age off irresponsibility behind" whilst giving with one hand and taking from the other. Lifting taxes such as inheritance tax, allowing homes worth £ 1 million to be passed down tax free. Already I know of people who are not eating properly because they cannot afford basic necessities. Any further cuts will hit them hard. There certainly will be no ease of pain for many.| Osbornes emergency budget will not be fit for the future, he is no economist, so have no idea how he qualified for Chancellor of Exchequer as he uses his power to bring further cuts to social security spending and welfare. that will bring misery to many peoples lives. It seems at the moment that the rich are getting richer, and the poor , poorer, our debts get higher, as Osborne and his coherts fiddle while the economy burns. As his own family firm gains tens of thousands of pounds in a property deal between his family firm and developers. But lets not forget that the Tories don't care about ordinary people, they are Tories after all, not caring is their thing. They are cruel as simple as that. I don't think the government understands that when they continue to hit the poor and working class of any country ( look at Greece) they will fight back We must keep up our opposition to their ideological driven policies, resist and fight back, and back the demonstrations due to take place at the Tory Party Conference in Manchester on Sunday 4th October. Balls to George Osbornes budget, balls to Tory fuelled austerity.
Today July 7th, 2014 the 51 day Israeli bombardment of Gaza began. The relentless widespread destruction and loss of life shocked the world. We should not these 51 days of suffering that the people of Gaza had to endure. Today I remember the beginning of this devastating assault and all the Palestinians who were subsequently killed. Codenamed Operation Protective Edge by the Israeli Defence Force, between 7th July and August 26, Israel carried out its third major military assault on Gaza in the past 6 years (2008-09; 2012, 2014, respectively). It was to be the most deadly, killing 2,251 Palestinians of which 1,462 were civilians, and included 299 women and 551 children, as well as injuring 11,231, a number that includes 3,436 children in a bombardment from land, sea and air. In what amounts to nothing lshort than a crime of terror. The devastation caused by Operation Protective Edge is said to be greater than that of the two previous wars. Gaza had been taken back 1,000 years, but still remained as an open-air prison, where nothing is safe or certain. people still sharing a heavy burden as a consequence of this bombardment. The Palestinians were left with their hospitals and clinics destroyed and damaged, their one only power plant destroyed. Electricity only coming on for about 6 hours per day, with sewage and water systems in tatters. The after effects of this war has taken its toll on all economic sectors. People left living amongst ruins, with many children living with the constant feeling of fear, left with emotional and psychological problems. Around 100,000 people in Gaza are still homeless, one year after the conflict and Israel's illegal blockade continues. But despite, this, and the terrible tragedy that they had to go through, the Palestinians have reliance in their souls, and despite it all, carry much hope. I remember too, again the continuing plight of the Palestinian. I hope our dedication to ending their occupation, suffering and injustice continues and is renewed, I remember those that were lost and long and hope that the human rights of the Palestinian people continues to be recognised and respected. The UK must play its part too by stopping selling Israel arms, that signals it tacit approval, and allows the facilitation of future attacks.
Save The Children : Gaza one year on ; a Living nightmare
