The State of the World

What do you complain about the most?

I try not to be a complainer, but I am deeply concerned about the state of this world and my own country, the UK.

I used to be proud to be British. In my youth we were a decent and fair country, with problems yes, there would have been many who disagreed with me about how nice it was to be British, but nowhere near as many who would agree now that we have not changed for the better.

In my youth we had a few gangs and a few no go areas in cities, but not many. Now we have many gangs, our cities are suffering terrible levels of violence, particularly knife crime. In fact we don’t really need gangs, individuals are doing a bang up job of killing, including school kids. Most recently a 14 year old killed a 12 year old. Just why?

What state of mind, what heart from hell, do you need to have to stick a knife in an unarmed person? I’m now in favour of life sentences for murder on a remote island prison where there will never be a visitor. Your victims family have lost them, now your family lose you. I’m that appalled.

Obviously there would be a strong rehabilitation and caring programme for young murderers, who would go there, to their own wing. Perhaps getting them away could be the saving of them. Perhaps knowing that place existed would be enough to at least make some think twice.

You always hope that such a deterrent would remain empty. That’s the point.

One vital thing though, if it turns out that anyone has been fitted up, as they say, by police officers, they will be released and guess who will take over their cell and their sentence?

I just now believe we must have very serious deterrents, but I also believe that we must find a way to put this right. Affirmative action first.

The top?

Successive governments have done nothing about this, and it transpires that our new government have cut funding to projects that are working, taking away hope. They came in on such a wave of ‘after the terrible mess the Conservatives made we will be the heroes’.

So far they’ve targeted pensioners, groups dealing successfully with the problems of our youth, and done absolutely nothing about Non-Dom tax status. They’re putting in place plans to approve things that won’t come to fruition for decades. They’re constantly hitting those who can’t help themselves whilst leaving the wealthy alone.

This coming from someone who was glad they won even if I am a LibDem.

I’m not complaining, I’m disgusted. They will try to lie their way out of it, blame the past, but they are creating a fresh hell right now.

Drives me nuts

I’ve deliberately gone this route to make a few important points. It drives me crazy that these problems even exist.

Firstly, there will be many in this world feeling exactly as I do for one reason or another. We should all remember that Gandhi won through ways of peace. Peaceful, respectful, strong people can make a difference.

Secondly, I don’t enjoy writing like this, I’m a creative writer who wants to make my reader laugh, but we need to be talking about these things. Violence has swept our world twice within living memory, governments start it, we can’t rely on them to do the right thing. So…

An overwhelming voice for peace and respect, coming from anyone who believes this can’t go on, is vitally important. It will build a movement. We need a movement for respect.

People laugh at the idea of a peaceful world, quite rightly because there’s always violence somewhere. But laughing doesn’t help.

The numbers of people killed through violence in this entire world, in just one day, would probably be enough to populate an island. Hopefully not Greenland (the largest island in the world), but who can tell?

We can’t laugh anymore.

Which brings me to blame, a powerless emotion if ever there was one. Blaming people, governments, and systems, for the problem is right but it solves nothing. It comes down to this:

The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.

Often attributed to Edmund Burke but this can’t be confirmed

Being more inclusive, and not leaving it to men because this will take all of us:

We will stand or fall by what the decent do, or don’t do.

That means me, and you.

To end on a positive note

Here are the lyrics to one of my favourite songs by Barry Manilow:

One Voice

Just one voice
Singing in the darkness
All it takes is one voice
Singing so they hear what’s on your mind
And when you look around you’ll find

There’s more than one voice
Singing in the darkness
Joining with your one voice
Each and every note or another octave
Hands are joined and fears unlocked

If only one voice would start it on its own
We need just one voice facing the unknown
And then that one voice would never be alone
It takes that one voice

Ba, ba, ba, ba
Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba
Ba, ba, ba, ba, ba, ba
It takes that one voice

Just one voice
Singing in the darkness
All it takes is one voice
Shout it out and let it ring

Just one voice
It takes that one voice
And everyone will sing

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Barry Manilow

BE the difference

Simple but true. There are many voices at the moment, but not enough to make a difference.

Join us…please. The kids are depending on it.

If you can, watch the Iris Elba documentary on knife crime, the last line by the young man will break your heart, and the documentary is extremely well balanced, eye opening, and shocking.

Being a complainer isn’t a great thing, but the subject of violence always makes it worthwhile.

Deb xx