“The more people chant about their freedom and how free they are, the more loudly I hear their chains rattling.” ~George Orwell (1903-1950)
We’re a free country, aren’t we? Well, kind of. We are encouraged to think so. Our government tells us we are. The more they tell us the more we wonder.
George Orwell
Democracy
We have a democracy, freedom to vote and elect our members of parliament. We used to feel superior to the Soviet Union where they had votes, but you were only allowed to vote for a member of the Communist Party. We, on the other hand, can only vote for the candidates the political parties give us. We may have good conscientious prospective parliamentary candidates who work hard, or we may have some semi-aristocrat with connections parachuted in at the behest of the government, perhaps, like Pooh, of little brain. Perhaps a trade union leader who wishes to try his hand at politics, but with no local knowledge but a burning desire to destroy capitalism. There are people with the gift of the gab who realise that an MP’s salary is good and their expenses allowances are very flexible. They need only to obey the party whip and life can be easy.
Movement
We have freedom of movement; we are not like the serfs of yesteryear who were tied to one estate. Yes, but come March 29th we will lose our right to travel, work and live in any of the 27 other countries of Europe. We will have the right to travel freely only within the UK. Of course, you can apply for a visa but if you have to ask permission, you are not free.
Be watchful.
Speech
We have freedom of speech and expression. Yes, but if you are an A level student doing a chemistry project on explosives and your name happens to be Mohammed, how long after you start using the internet before your freedom is questioned? Last week, a man was interviewed by the police for approving a ditty about transsexuals.
Kamila Shamsie, whose book Home Fire, involves a story about an Islamic Fundamentalist felt it wise to get a friend, with an Anglo-Saxon name, to do her internet researches for her.
Religion
We have freedom of religion. Yes again, but some of our religious leaders insist that a child is saddled with the same religion as its parents. In some cases, the child is not allowed to change on pain of death. A lesser sentence is for the person to be ostracized by the family.
“Freedom is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.” ~ George Orwell.
Freedom from –
That’s freedom to – to vote, to move, to speak and to worship. Now for freedom from; freedom from famine, flood, fire, fever and fighting. What about freedom from homelessness?
Famine
Food banks are keeping famine at bay, but are we proud of that system? We failed to deliver freedom from fire for the occupants of Grenfell Tower and the survivors became homeless as well.
Flood
Freedom from flood. Yes, but only if you live in London which has the Thames Barrier. Those on the Somerset Levels, those whose road subsided on the Isle of Wight and those in several places in the North who lost bridges, roads and properties, have been poorly served.
Flood morphs into the larger problem of rising sea levels and global warming. The ‘Greatest Nation on Earth’ has decided climate change is all bunkum and there are no votes to be gained from considering it.
Conflict
Freedom from conflict is under stress as NATO is being denigrated by some. Our own government has been unable to respond to threats, cutting the army and providing aircraft carriers without aircraft. I sat watching a lone Sri Lankan fast patrol boat, off Columbo last week. They have at least 6, I have seen them all together. We do not have even one in the English Channel just now. I believe we have three, somewhere.
Look after your freedoms
Slavery
We have freedom from slavery. Yes, but with wages fixed and costs rising – travel, power and housing, we are having to work harder to stand still. Taking debt to ‘tide you over’ is encouraged by banks and government, but it can enslave you.
Two men did some work on our roof. They were an odd couple, one younger and skinnier than the other. Later we discovered they were master and slave and the master went to jail. Next time, I hope I recognise the signs and do something about it.
Be Aware
When the government speaks of freedom, as they are now, with trade deals, sunlit uplands and freedom from our neighbours and obligations to the EU, listen for the rattle of chains. You can hear it as they plan for Martial Law. The rattling of chains was never louder.
Retired, almost. Lived in Chandler's Ford for 20 years. Like sitting in the garden with a beer on sunny days. Also reading, writing and flying a glider. Interested in promoting science.
I work hard as a Grandfather and have a part time job in Kandy, Sri Lanka for the winter months. Married to a beautiful woman and between us we have two beautiful daughters and 3 handsome sons.
Reader Interactions
Comments
MALCOLM PICKUPsays
I DO WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT . AS LONG AS ITS WITHIN THE LAW.
TO MANY RABBLE ROUSERS THOUGH .
I THINK WE’VE BEEN SOLD DOWN THE RIVER BY TERESA MAY ON BREXIT .
I COMMENT ON FACEBOOK. AVOID TWITTER LIKE THE PLAGUE . TO MANY SO CALLED CELEBS MOUTHING OFF ABOUT SOMETHING AND NOTHING. CHEERS. MP.
Great stuff Mike, something to rattle all of us. Here is six pennyworth.
We lost freedom of speech some time ago with legislation concerning hate speech and restrictions on causing offence. Censorship is widespread; jokes, comedy – unless woke – is virtually gone. There was time when it was possible to speak freely as a university lecturer, but as Germaine Greer discovered, objections to gender fluidity is off the menu. And when the Imam enters the lecture room, ready to be offended, with direct access to the Vice Chancellor by-passing normal complaints procedures, you have to be careful. Add to this the Antifa thugs who take it upon themselves to decide whose meetings should be disrupted with violence or threats.
Slavery in 21st-century Islamism continues, and women and children have been abducted and enslaved (often as sex slaves) by Islamist quasi-states such as the Levant and Boko Haram. Although slavery in Mauritania was criminalized in August 2007, in Mauritania it is estimated that up to 600,000 men, women and children, or 20% of the population, are currently enslaved, many of them used as bonded labour. There are an estimated 40.3 million people worldwide subject to some form of modern slavery. More than ever in the history of the world.
The UN Council of Human Rights has a poor record of protecting our freedoms. Nine of the 29 countries who are members of the UN Council are responsible for violations of human rights: Burundi, Egypt, Rwanda, Cuba, Venezuela, China, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Whilst I have doubts regarding predicted restrictions on freedom of movement – I can’t see the tourist industry surviving on these terms – I also find that repeated inspections of passports in EU countries a nuisance. Remember when they promised passport free travel in the Common Market. At present there are heavy restrictions and inconveniences on travel for security reasons, at airports and railway stations, plus places of work, which are bound up with Islamic based terror. The current level of threat from International terrorism is severe – the second highest level, meaning that an attack is imminent.
Security makes life inconvenient for all of us. It may be inconvenient for a student called Mohamed to obtain information about chemicals via the internet but that is an understandable requirement, as it was for people with German names in WW2 or Irish connections during the troubles. I have a clipping from the Times where Einstein was described as a Hun scientist during WW1, but he seemed to survive. And I recall Irish people being interviewed after reports that they had bought an alarm clock during bomb scares. This reminds me of an offensive joke I used to tell, involving an Irishman buying 12 alarm clocks from W.H Smiths.
I DO WHAT I WANT WHEN I WANT . AS LONG AS ITS WITHIN THE LAW.
TO MANY RABBLE ROUSERS THOUGH .
I THINK WE’VE BEEN SOLD DOWN THE RIVER BY TERESA MAY ON BREXIT .
I COMMENT ON FACEBOOK. AVOID TWITTER LIKE THE PLAGUE . TO MANY SO CALLED CELEBS MOUTHING OFF ABOUT SOMETHING AND NOTHING. CHEERS. MP.
EX BA/CX/GF NAV DEVELOPMENT STAFF.
TRYING MY FIRST GLIDER FLIGHT THIS YEAR. WILL BE INTERESTING.
ALSO LIKE THIS ARTICLE. LETS HOPE BREXIT WORKS ???
Great stuff Mike, something to rattle all of us. Here is six pennyworth.
We lost freedom of speech some time ago with legislation concerning hate speech and restrictions on causing offence. Censorship is widespread; jokes, comedy – unless woke – is virtually gone. There was time when it was possible to speak freely as a university lecturer, but as Germaine Greer discovered, objections to gender fluidity is off the menu. And when the Imam enters the lecture room, ready to be offended, with direct access to the Vice Chancellor by-passing normal complaints procedures, you have to be careful. Add to this the Antifa thugs who take it upon themselves to decide whose meetings should be disrupted with violence or threats.
Slavery in 21st-century Islamism continues, and women and children have been abducted and enslaved (often as sex slaves) by Islamist quasi-states such as the Levant and Boko Haram. Although slavery in Mauritania was criminalized in August 2007, in Mauritania it is estimated that up to 600,000 men, women and children, or 20% of the population, are currently enslaved, many of them used as bonded labour. There are an estimated 40.3 million people worldwide subject to some form of modern slavery. More than ever in the history of the world.
The UN Council of Human Rights has a poor record of protecting our freedoms. Nine of the 29 countries who are members of the UN Council are responsible for violations of human rights: Burundi, Egypt, Rwanda, Cuba, Venezuela, China, India, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
Whilst I have doubts regarding predicted restrictions on freedom of movement – I can’t see the tourist industry surviving on these terms – I also find that repeated inspections of passports in EU countries a nuisance. Remember when they promised passport free travel in the Common Market. At present there are heavy restrictions and inconveniences on travel for security reasons, at airports and railway stations, plus places of work, which are bound up with Islamic based terror. The current level of threat from International terrorism is severe – the second highest level, meaning that an attack is imminent.
Security makes life inconvenient for all of us. It may be inconvenient for a student called Mohamed to obtain information about chemicals via the internet but that is an understandable requirement, as it was for people with German names in WW2 or Irish connections during the troubles. I have a clipping from the Times where Einstein was described as a Hun scientist during WW1, but he seemed to survive. And I recall Irish people being interviewed after reports that they had bought an alarm clock during bomb scares. This reminds me of an offensive joke I used to tell, involving an Irishman buying 12 alarm clocks from W.H Smiths.
Malcolm
Is your Caps Lock key stuck? Sound like you are shouting.
Hope you enjoy your first glider flight, I remember mine even though I am now up to 1300 flights.
no, just learning to use it against this stupid Government lot we have in at the moment.
Will be fun I’m sure . Bit different from sitting at the front end of a 747.
keep up with the writing. was a good read !!!