Freedom and democracy
A Plumb Jam Studios Presentation……
One glorious summer morning , during the school holidays , I , along with three friends who , for the sake of their reputations shall remain nameless, hatched a plan………
The first part of the plan involved a covert operation to recover at least four cigarettes from our parents , an extremely risky procedure which was guaranteed to have dire consequences if any of us were to be found out !
The second part of the plan was equally ambitious if not down right Illegal. We were to assemble at 9am near the cow field at the back of our estate and wait in ambush for the milk float……..
With our recently acquired cigarettes and matches , penknives , spears and food rations etc. , we hid behind the hedge that bordered the track where the milk float was due to (according to our ongoing surveillance reports) stop at for approx 3 minutes , completely unattended , whilst the driver delivered his allotted cargo.. After a short wait , the milk float appeared , and parked as planned . The driver duly obliged us by performing exactly according to plan and disappeared from sight . As quiet as mice , the four of us nervously crept up to the milk float and took the milk . Armed now with all the necessary items for the day ahead , we proceeded at a dash into the woods adjoining the cow field and regrouped at our tree house ,whereupon we consumed the milk and smoked our cigarettes (which none of us enjoyed , three of us were sick .) and congratulated ourselves for the success of the plan and not getting caught !
Fuelled by our newfound success as petty criminals we decided to journey through the wood emerging on the other side on the boundary of the grounds of the “Old hall” one of the local drinking establishments which had seen better days , and was owned by an old woman called Phyllis . To us , Phyllis just had to be a Witch . There was no doubt about it . She had long filthy black hair , large moles or warts on her face and an impressive outcrop of hair sprouting from each with a matching moustache. All this ,Together with the fact that we had never seen her smile or take off her welly boots , or even change her clothes in our entire lives , meant that none of us would ever step out of line whilst in her presence. To put it bluntly we were terrified of her .
On this particular day however , we decided to explore the grounds of the Old hall, something which we had never before even considered….
We were very well aware that the old hall was strictly off limits unless you wanted to get boiled alive and eaten ! This legend was common knowledge amongst all the kids in the village ,and names of unlucky victims that had suffered such a fate ,were readily available from the older kids , should one wish to ask !
After scouring the perimeter fence ,we found a suitable access point and proceeded cautiously into enemy territory. The grounds consisted of about two acres of woodland scrub backing on to the rear car park of the property .As we were circling the newfound kingdom we found an area which had been cleared of trees approximately fifty meters square. In this clearing was a tractor , some other unidentified machinery and several large pipes roughly three meters long by a meter wide , which to our delight , we found that not only could we get in them , but with someone pushing the pipe for us , we could get quite a speed up on the newly cleared grassy slope whilst coming to an abrupt stop at the edge of the clearing by hitting the trees at the bottom of the slope. After a minute or so to recover from dizziness , fits of giggles and the pain of impact at the bottom , we would all assist rolling the pipe back up the slope for another go!
We were having such a great time that we forgot all about being boiled alive and eaten. So much so , that our whispers became shouts , screams and yelps of excitement !
It was whilst we were recovering from our latest run ,chuckling and breathless , leaning on the pipe at the bottom of the slope that we saw her.
Standing no more than ten feet away from us , Clad with the customary welly boots and ragged unwashed clothes , hair and warts and all was Phyllis , pointing a shotgun at us , she screamed “put your hands up!”
With lightning speed , all four of us thrust our hands in the air as high as we could . Standing there , trembling we listened to Phyllis tell us that we were in big trouble and
then babble to herself about what she should do with us . Eventually she seemed to come to a decision and pointing the gun at us all in
turn she said ”Now clear off before I change my mind !” and “ I’m gonna tell your parents , I know who you are !” We ran as fast as we could , all the way home .
Slamming the door behind us as we entered my house , I called out to mum and dad
who were in the kitchen . We had decided to tell them what had happened as we ran home so we immediately started babbling about Phyllis and the gun and how we thought she was going to kill us etc. My dad , cross examined us to get to the bottom of the story and after a couple of minutes , satisfied himself that he had all the information he needed to pronounce judgement regarding the situation . He sent my friends home , me to bed and said “serves you bloody well right !”.
I was ten years old.
It was the school summer holidays of 1976.
It was the first and last time that I “nicked “a cigarette from my mum.
It was the first and last time I stole from the milkman.
It was the first and last time I trespassed on private property !
How would this story end if it were to happen today ?
Well , lets see…. First, the police would be called . This would involve calling some main exchange somewhere far , far away . Then an armed response unit would be called . Meanwhile an area around the Old hall would be cordoned off . Helicopters would circle the area ,from the media and police looking for signs of movement and newsworthy footage. Upon arrival of the armed response unit attempts would be made to coax Phyllis out of her pub and place her under arrest with a view to prosecution and mental health assessment . At the same time , councillors and members of the police would be attempting to comfort the distressed children and parents , and assure them that this evil mad woman will not be allowed to hurt them and that justice will be done.
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If Phyllis is lucky , she might come out of it alive.
The children will be taught from this, that the law is flawed and can be used to ones advantage .They will loose respect for the law , and , ultimately their parents , however , whilst all this is sinking in , they will be bought treats to cheer them up . They will become heroes at school , probably making front page of the local paper , and , quite probably the evening news ( I guess that would depend more on Phyllis’
response to “come out with your hands on your head !“) Ultimately the children
will be shown, to their total surprise that the bad guys can win so long as they know
the rules and how to play them. The saddest part of this is the fact that the children
will be SHOWN by the very people who are here to protect us.
How much would the above cost the tax payer ?
You do the math, lets say.. 1 x police helicopter for the afternoon
1 x armed response team
2 x councillors
1 x court case incl.solicitors , barristers , phsychiatrists , witnesses , cost of keeping Phyllis behind bars through to court appearance , and cost of any custodial sentence issued upon completion of court proceedings . Oh yes , and the cost of any appeal launched by a rather miffed Phyllis.
But don’t forget to include part of your T.V. liscence fee / Sky package payments to cover the media helecopter and constant reporting of the case in the news .
Having considered all that , what if one of the kids hurt themselves , playing in the pipe whilst trespassing ? Assuming for the sake of argument that Phyllis survived the armed police showdown and came in willingly , she would then be liable for
damages/compensation , criminal negligence , manslaughter , she could end up in prison for a very long time and even be forced to sell her property to pay huge debts incurred as a result !
How has all this change come about ?
We are told that we live in a democracy….. and yet I don’t remember being given a chance to vote for anything other than our local M.P.
Despite having lived through several wars and a failing national infrastructure , my opinion has not been sought about anything.
From war to income tax…
From car seats to Immigration…..
I don’t agree with any of it !
The story of Phyllis is a precious memory of mine that reminds me , how much we have changed as a society in my lifetime.
I am forty years old .
There is so much of this change that I don’t like .
So much of this change that I distrust.
So much that I don’t understand.
One good development is the laptop computer , another , is the internet. However it is not the technology we are developing that is necessarily good or bad . It is ultimately what we do with it that counts.
I am using this latest technology to address the world ,to have my say , to exercise my democratic right to say what I think and to stand up and be counted. Without violence or terrorism , but with peaceful common sense.
Change can be brought about peacefully by simply being the majority view. This is what democracy is all about.
We all know that many television programs use modern technology to create interactive shows where one can win prizes or vote out a contestant , such as big brother. So, why cant we vote on daily issues using the same technology . None of us will mind paying a reasonable fee per text for this service, in fact , it has been shown to be a very lucrative technology for the companies who use it.
Yes , recently , there has been some scandal surrounding the fairness/legitimacy of the system and its vulnerability to being used in a dishonest way …. But that’s good. At least it has been noticed and something is being done about it.
Furthermore, for a text vote system to be used for political issues , further safeguards can be easily put in place , and don’t forget that enormous revenue can be created by using this system ,so not only could it pay for itself , but , it could also do a better job of presenting the facts of the debate in the first place .
Instead of voting once every five years for a member of parliament , It is now possible to vote every five minutes on a whole range of individual topics.
Instead of voting for one person or party and hoping for the best , it is now possible to support policies from different people or parties depending on the issue at hand , and , therefore complete freedom of choice and ultimately a real and true democracy
So , why don’t you have your say ?
Are you disillusioned ?
Do you believe you can make a difference ?
Have you just stopped caring ?
Is it because you are too busy trying to survive in this crazy world , that you don’t have the time or even the belief that you can make a difference ?
Well I say that until we Get control of our future back , it will just get worse and worse………and think about it….how much worse can it get ?
Since the beginning of our race , there have been those who have sought to control us .
Many have died for us in the name of freedom , and yet I see , every day , another law passed that takes our freedom away , and as I comment upon this to other people , I am continually saddened by the total lack of interest many people have.
As I talk to these people further , it then becomes apparent that something has been switched off inside them . They seem to have given up . Lost hope , and for the sake of their own sanity , just blanked that part of themselves out , like a traumatic experience….buried it and just carried on…..
I believe that unless we wake up , and quick about it , and start actively pursuing our democratic rights….
We will loose them !!!!
Ok ! So what should I do then ?
I believe that Everybody should have their say .
What you say is up to you
What I am happy to do , being a democrat, is go along with the majority.
So , go on !……Have your say!!!
Join a political party , read about politics , watch the news with eyes open , realise that everyone is human , don’t believe everything you hear . Accept the fact that
there are hundreds of conspiracies ….after all its just human nature, understand that
we the people of earth just want peace …. So who is it that wants war ?
Don’t give in , don’t let yourself and your children down , don’t accept change without very good reason .
Respect your elders .
Try to understand who you are and where you , and the rest of the human race comes from.
Realise that “conventional thinking” never achieved anything , and has only ever been encouraged as a control mechanism.
Our history is wrong.
If we don’t know where we came from , how can we know where we are going ?
Don’t just accept having to call an office in India To get an engineer who lives in the same village as you to call round.
The world has gone mad and its time to get our sanity back.
Start thinking for yourself.
Research topics that you are interested in … the net has got it all!
Look at some of my blogs , I’ve found this information on the net.
If you just sit there and watch the news you are only going to get a one sided report and unless you question it , human nature dictates that sooner or later someone will begin to use this to their advantage. ( I am sure they already are )
Follow your heart .
Every time you act . You not only act on behalf of yourself . You act on behalf of the entire human race , as we are the sum of our actions ,we define ourselves.
Peace to all.
If you agree with this presentation and think that there is merit in the idea of a text voting system for day to day political issues please leave a comment on our message board. Furthermore , if you wish to be part of a growing petition to explore this possibility further then please leave the following message “ im very interested in the text vote system” . I shall collate all the messages and form a contacts list so that I can put together a detailed proposal based on any input you may have that is useful . If you have something to say , THEN SAY IT ! . I want to hear from you .
Unless you have your say…..someone else will have it for you !!!!
Regards
Keith Twidale (2007)