On criticism and democracy
A. Lincoln
“I should regret to see the day in which the people should cease to express intelligent, honest generous criticism upon the policy of their rulers”
“I should regret to see the day in which the people should cease to express intelligent, honest generous criticism, praise and reflection upon the policy of their rulers.”
I will admit
I am not a Conservative voter
I have never voted for the Conservative Party
But I can see many members of that once alive party whom I would entertain & consider voting for and with whom I might disagree with I would respect
I am blocked by more “Conservative” ministers and MPs than I can count on one hand.
Which is fine that is their choice - but never once have they played the ball I gently lobbed their way for them to easily rebut with clear and capable argument
“I always cheer up immensely if an attack is particularly wounding because I think, well, if they attack one personally, it means they have not a single political argument left. If they block me with no argument well...”
Thanks David Allen Green for the “well”
But more importantly of how we frame a debate and on the language we use
But at its core
Two values empathy and respect
Empathy & respect for yourself and others
ted.com/talks/robb_wil…
Watch it
Read the transcript
Oh ok then I will quote it’s conclusion
For a left of centre voter my 3 main figures I quote are Churchill, Thatcher and Reagan
I like to learn from wherever & whomever I can
quora.com/What-did-Maya-…
After all if after decades of research they are able to easily explain to Nadine Dorries a customs union then I should really listen to the man with all the common sense Jacob Rees Mogg
Or his Brexit dividend of five times the size of that lie on a red bus
To lessons from a pandemic
ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK22148/
China has questions to answer
But stop playing the scapegoat
Play the ball
A country that was “well prepared” and “followed the science” and “did the right thing at the right time”
thetimes.co.uk/article/corona…
I did not vote for Boris Johnson
I would not vote for Boris Johnson
But I want him to be competent as he runs the British government
I may disagree with the policies he proposes and the effects of them
After all I want the country to level up, to ramp up and be better
I want Boris Johnson, his government and his party to do well
It won’t change my vote
But it will garner my respect
zip it
“Aggressive” journalists
politicising a pandemic
accusing critiques of wanting deaths or exploiting deaths
Thank you
For affirming that you cannot play the ball*
Endless repetitions of we did the right thing at the right time just show your contempt for others
And your lack of respect for yourself
On Boris Johnson and on his government
Now I would say this may come as a surprise
But it doesn’t
This is a natural consequence of electing as leader a man who is a lying cheating racist self serving charlatan
All that remains is how they plan an exit strategy from that choice and who succeeds him to ensure continued power
Jacob Rees Mogg prior to the election of Boris Johnson as party leader couldn’t answer yes when asked if Boris had a moral compass
Those who elected him leader & elected him Prime Minister
You knew what he was & is
Own him
Face up to him & his party
A decade of lies & racist deflection from its exploiting a global financial crash
And now it seeks to hide the culmination of the hollow con of Brexit in a global pandemic
The first on a decade of austerity
The second on Boris Johnson
And the third on the rule of law
I hope you are open to them and find them interesting whatever your political hue