Friday 10 December 2010

Panic on the streets of London....

So the vote was passed, the streets were full of anger and the Daily Mail got their photo to become outraged to. All I keep reading is that we have lost the argument if we resort to violence.  The irony of this is delicious.  The Tory press moan about violence towards monuments that are there as a result of violence.  Nothing of course about the Police charging children with horses, or the more than 100 protesters hospitalised, or the violence by the Police towards a protester in a wheelchair.  Why were the horses brought in?  It was because the protesters were throwing things like snooker balls apparently, but where is the logic in that?  You kettle groups of protesters, they get angry, they throw things, and then you charge at them with horses.  This is supposed to be a calming measure!!!  Unbelievable rank hypocrisy.  Still the Mail complain about cruelty to Horses, whilst celebrating hunting and field sports in general.  My MP was, as usual, on the money of course.  Not a word about the issues, she was only concerned about the horses, that the Police CHOSE to employ.  Don't worry about the students being beaten unconscious of course.  Then we have the idiot decision to parade Charles and Camilla past the protests, and the feigned shock that they threw some stuff at them.  There is a student in hospital at the moment undergoing an operation to stop bleeding on the brain, but the pot of paint on a Rolls Royce is more important of course.  I am sick to death of hearing that violence never works when my taxes are going to fund illegal wars and I am supposed to pay again for my children's education.  Violence works when it suits the government and media, and I am afraid to admit, I genuinely believe it might have to continue in this case.

The Education cuts are proportionately bigger than virtually every other cut, they were a choice, and an ideological one at that.  If we continue to be lied to, ignored, kettled, attacked, abused and pilloried, then violence is inevitable, and will soon become absolutely necessary.

Thursday 9 December 2010

No ifs not buts this woman drives me nuts

Whilst fully supporting the students, I wish they would choose another chant....anyway...

My favourite MP has come out and blogged in favour of the education cuts.  Hardly surprising of course, but this time, I am going to take it VERY personally indeed.  She makes references to courses being "Mickey Mouse".  I am currently taking one of these "Disney Based" courses.  I am doing a BA Hons in Theatre Studies.  It is part time, and distance learning based, and as a result, I am getting into debt paying for it, but it was my choice to do so I suppose.  This "Mickey Mouse" course has helped me to set up my own small business; a Theatre Company. It provides employment of varying levels to 7 people, and whilst we have struggled through the recession, we continue to survive.  We provide work and income for Venues, Lighting and Sound Companies, Costumiers, Make Up companies, Publishing companies and Licensees.   Her government have already began the process of cultural pillage of the Arts, which impacts on so many in society.  In spite of the fact that the Arts industry is reckoned to bring in to the economy twice what it takes out, the cuts go ahead.  There is not much sound economic sense behind the decision, and it smacks of an ideology rather than an economic necessity. The cuts in the arts, and perhaps more importantly to the local authorities that have done so much for the Arts will have a negative impact on every child.  The ability to  think creatively and channel imagination is SO important to any child, and it will stifle much of the business world in the long run.  This is long term thinking though, and as we know, our MPs think in terms of five year cycles.  Businesses like mine should be celebrated, helped, nurtured and encouraged.  Not stifled, blocked and insulted.  The arts are a "Soft" subject.  Terms like "Mickey Mouse" just help to reinforce these ridiculous and unnecessary prejudices.  Small businesses all over Bedfordshire have suffered during the recession.  My MP would have us believe that the recession is all the fault of the Labour party, and I would not agree with her on that, but I would hope she would agree with me on one thing.  Small and medium businesses are crucial to the recovery in this country.  Without them, any possible recovery will be next to impossible.  So tarring people in Media, Photography and humanities that you do not understand serves no purpose other than to disenfranchise, discourage and belittle.  Is that the way the government want to go?  Really?

Where do the figures come from about four hours of lectures?  Is it another Daily Mail horror story based on nothing other than bile?  Or are there any real figures to back this up?  I suspect I know the answer.  I study for around 20 hours a week as well as run my own small business and a household.  I know how hard it is to thrive in further education, and I am not alone in this.  That doesn't suit your rhetoric though does it?

You may, Mrs Dorries, be happy with the Cultural vandalism that your Government calls progressive.  Your disgraceful and insulting put down of people wanting to go into subjects that you do not understand is sadly typical of the prejudice that myself and many other in my Industry have to deal with.  Why put people off of their dreams and aspirations, when it would enhance the cultural health of the nation as well as the economic one?