Special Friends

Just heard on the radio that concern is being expressed that our 'special relationship' with America could be under threat as France may now be joining them going to war in Syria. Poor old call me Dave. Lost the vote now he might be getting a divorce from Barack Obama. Bless.

And that nice Mr Gove shouted at his colleagues who voted against war. You're a disgrace he called them. And he pointed his finger. He must have been cross. Pot. Kettle. Takes one to know one as they say.

Poor old Tories. Mrs T had a war. Why can't they? Even that 'nice' Mr Blair had one. Heart breaking. How are we realistically going to send in an army that has been slashed to the bone financially. How many active service personnel are being made redundant? Does it not make any sense or is it just me? Probably. It usually is.

Do you know what I think about the 'special' relationship? No/yes/couldn't care less? Well here's what I think anyway.

F*** the special relationship and good riddance to it. That's what I say.

Who was it ever special for anyway? Only the Americans, or the American congress. Never us. Our PM's used it to foster their own careers while we all sniggered at them for being so totally sucked in. Their capacity for self deception. The Americans completely used us to get their own way. And still want to now. Obama is NO different to Bush or Reagan. It was/is never reciprocal. This is the same special relationship that obliged us (when we were virtually bankrupt) to pay back every dollar the second world war cost. It took us 50 years. Nice. Thanks.

And this is the same America 'outraged' at Syria's use of chemical weapons (which is, of course, totally, unspeakably outrageous) but happily sprayed napalm over villages in Vietnam. Or dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese. And has been arming the Middle East for decades. I smell an extra large portion of hypocrisy. So please. Have your war if you want. Fat lot of good it will do except maim and kill even more innocent women and men and children. Not the real monsters. And just to satisfy America's Imperialism and bloodlust. Not that we are any better in that respect. Maybe like attracts like? Just not this time. Thankfully. Whatever the reasons parliament have done the right thing.

Maybe, now we are not going to war, and now we are no longer special friends (or blood brothers?)  we can use that money, money we apparently don't have, to feed and provide employment for some of our own citizens here. Hark at me.

Morning Lines

Just a few lines that were in my head when I woke this morning. I wrote them in my notebook where they would usually stay. Unseen. Waiting. Then I had the thought why not blog them, quickly followed by the thought they're rubbish. People will pour scorn. The sky will fall in. The writing gods will smite me down with their sharp pens and pour ink over me. Etc.
But then I had another thought. Why not just do it anyway. Yes it's hardly Shakespeare but then what is. Well, apart from Shakespeare. So here they are. Lines written down this morning. Unedited. Not perfect. Just some words arranged into lines. Not even a title. Get me.....


We just keep going
Even though we're dead inside
We just keep going
Let's stay till the end of the ride....


Have a great day. Would love to read some of your own morning lines......

Why I Am Supporting #twittersilence

Hello.
It is indeed a glorious morning. I am going to keep this very brief. And it's probably not even very well written. But I am posting it anyway.

Today I am supporting the twitter silence. I am staying away from twitter for the day. I am doing this deliberately and consciously to bring awareness to and in support of those women who have received the most vile and appalling violence, rape and bomb threats, via twitter, from men.

The ensuing 'response' from twitter itself (headed in the UK by a man) and the 'authorities' (mostly men) has been, quite frankly, alarmingly underwhelming. And worrying. The so called debate about freedom of speech has been pathetic. Since when did freedom to speak mean allowing this kind of behaviour. How much speaking do we need until we start doing what we know to be the right thing in the first place?

What summed the whole thing up for me was when one of the women contributing to the debate said, quite rightly, that this issue was not about freedom of speech or silencing freedom of speech, it was about an attempt to silence women.

There are so many arguments about today and whether to take part or not. 'Silence solves nothing.' 'It is giving in to the online trolls.' 'We need to be part of the debate not apart from it.'
All are valid. All have their place. I am not going to start arguing with those who are on the same side. Or join a team against others. I am taking a stand in support of.  It is a positive action. Silence can be a very powerful and effective weapon. We all know this. Sadly most of us experience the negative side of it. The heavy emotional blackmailing silence.

This is, in my opinion, a positive organised one. And I have CHOSEN to take part. Just as anyone with a differing opinion can choose not too.

So for me, it's not about doing the best thing, the most effective thing, or even the right thing. It's purely and simply about doing SOMETHING.

NUFF SAID.

Have a great day folks.