May 7th 2015

Two weeks ago the world was an altogether different place.
Quotes will be quoted, embarrassments will be played and replayed. Humiliations will be written about and gloated over.
Tectonic plates, will be forever moving in Scotland and hats will be forever eaten in Asdhdown’s forest.
We’re all worn ragged by it.
I’ve argued with my neighbour, storming off to spend too much money in the clothes shop.
I hung up on my best friend as our shouting about charismatic leadership reached a rather nasty conclusion.
Conservatives in Number 10, without the vaseline softening of the Lib Dems, and what are we going to live through.
The sweetest victory for the Australian Crosby, who led a campaign that focused on bacon sandwiches and tripping. Cameron being pumped up, his shirt sleeves rolled up, as the papers, the telly and every single media outlet encouraged us – the people – to believe that if was ALL ABOUT THE ECONOMY.
It’s not just about pennies and pounds though is it? It’s about heart, compassion, empathy. It’s about caring for the needy. It’s about a welfare state that was ours, but is increasingly becoming chopped up and sold off to the Qatarians, Chinese, and wealthy Oil Barons, who could give a shit about Queenie in Poplar or Alf in Morley. ‘If you work and do the right thing.’ said Mr. Cameroon then this land is yours for the picking. But what if you can’t work? My neighbour would say you are lazy; he had to live through hardship., Stop smoking if you want to use a food bank!!! Blinded by the amoralists who believe that their shoddy behaviour is allowable – money talks after all.
This is a democratic country and the people have spoken. My sadness is that most of the people were not properly informed, were frightened into believing all sorts of nonsense, the very people who will turn their backs on the selling off of the NHS, the hiving off of schools, the people who flick their curtains at the homeless and tut into their warm Pinot Grigio.
What of the unemployed, the elderly – well you know the list – and as the well heeled breed a generation of well heeled, educated kids who can afford to go to university, and then will end up running our country, but who will never properly know what it’s like to queue at the food banks, for them and us my heart breaks.
Tell me I’m being too dramatic. Tell me that I must keep the faith, tell me that integrity hasn’t died at the ballot box.

7 thoughts on “May 7th 2015”

  1. Integrity hasn’t died at the ballot box.
    But you’re not being too dramatic. We will carry on doing what we can to stave off the marauding menaces & keep fighting for real things that help our families, friends and neighbours get through. Both BB & Aidan have survived thus far with clear eyes & a good sense of themselves despite (& maybe because) living 2/3 of their lives under Tory governments. We live in interesting times … 😕💬💬

  2. Jeni, you are absolutely right. I wish you weren’t. The election was won on fear. It’s a tragedy

  3. Hear hear! I couldn’t agree more about our future being in the hands of future university students – a rarity of whom actually go for the intense passion for study of their chosen subject.
    I’ve applied to a variety of jobs in the past, all of which claiming that “my qualifications were good, but I didn’t have enough experience”. I took this in my stride, realising that these employers had a point; experience would let them see I was capable but would also let me see if I, a human being therefore subject to change, had also tried out this endeavour to see if I did in fact enjoy the job but if it also met my expectations.
    Yet, here we are. In the midst of a tumultuously political week where everyone wants to be heard but is also spouting misinterpreted spiel to try and sway their arguments.
    For the politicians (and our future university candidates with no experience; no idea if it’s what they really want) they lack experience in the topics they wish to alter. There’s a huge difference between observing and living.
    For the people, they lack experience in understanding how difficult it must be to be a politician knowing that 50% of the time you’re going to be hated and there is nothing you can do. In a bizarre way I wish people would remember that politicians are human beings like them too, a desire to please and be pleased flowing through their veins.
    But I digress: those future candidates. In a world that thrives on experience- those that have it, having it, creating it -there seems to be an innate lack-there-of for politicians. You are exactly right when you say they don’t understand what it’s like to stand in a queue for a foodbank. But my greatest fear isn’t their lack of empathetic experience but their lack of job experience.
    They canvassed (interviewed). We listened (interviewer). We voted (employed). Yet as an employer I’ve now no idea if they have not only the skills sets, but have they really done this job enough to know it’s really for them? Is their passion soon to dwindle? Will they give up caring?
    Where will that leave you? Me? Our nation?

  4. Dear Jeni
    You’ve made me cry, I was too stunned for that yesterday. I’m even older than you and I can see no hope ahead. Watch Murdoch go for the BBC now. The billionaire Press Barons have got most of the media sewn up and they frightened the electorate with their poisonous lies,
    In sorrow,
    Penny.

  5. Jeni
    Like you I feel so sad.
    Sad that everything we have has been fought for, not given freely but fought for, by people of integrity and determination. They have been betrayed.
    I am a child/grandchild/great grandchild of those people, as are you.
    We will give ourselves this weekend to feel sad, despondent, angry, frustrated, bewildered. By Monday we will like our mothers/grandmothers/great grandmothers take a deep breath and fight,fight,fight.
    Sent with love
    June

  6. I just simply do not understand how so many could vote in favour of bedroom tax, food banks, zero hours contracts etc. There is fear now that the disabled will be further hit. They just DON’T GET IT !! There are no smaller places to move to, they don’t get that the houses may be council but they are their Homes they are not just bricks and mortar, memories are in those homes. Food banks ? Remind me please which century we are in???
    I won’t go on I think my point is made.
    But one day I sadly hope just one person who voted for them needs help or are forced to move then and only then will they realise they did the wrong thing.
    Xxhugxx

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