Author: basgallop

RIP
was only talking about him with mum and dad the other day, they saw the young ali train in ghana back in 64… the year before i was born… wowsers
he was their, already with a burgeoning interest in pan african and civil rights issues… (thanks flaps for showing me the lrb article, pic probs nigeria on same trip)
oh and as someone else pointed out watch ‘when we were kings’, a fascinating, beautiful film… in his pomp such a gabble and flamboyant swagger!
okey doke tweed jacket costume on… wedding bound xxx

eu referendum polling card belly flopped through the letterbox this morning
i shall be voting to remain
not (of course!) for specifically rational reasons, tho probably some of those exist, in brief, i am passionately pro european, having been fortunate enough to live in various countries in europe, wish to do so again and would like my kids to have that wonderful opportunity too
furthermore i love the fact that folk from other countries can come and live and work here, French, German, Spanish, Portugese, Polish, Czech, Lithuanians etc… exotic polyglot cultural bamboozlement!
they’ve bought so much vibrancy and fun to the frequently staid british culture and greatly enriched my life
….
and yes i appreciate that the referendum is not specifically about this…. also that the european union is profoundly flawed, that it innately panders to vested corporate interests
but hey ho, what if we do opt out as murdoch and so many others on the ultra right wish us to do? which is worse? the eu or the abhorrent evil of this current conservative government… archetype of all the worst aspects of crony capitalism
not much of a choice in truth! sadly i don’t expect to see a checkbox for ‘click here for socialist utopia’ on the ballot form
disregarding cameron, osborne and their constant evil disgusting fear mongering, both the greens and the labour party are in favour of remaining
… politico/economic issues aside, i personally feel it is also a battle of stories…. yeah, yeah the media feeds us so much of that old person stodge ‘britain, island nation, once was great, blah blah’… doubt that was ever true!
i live on the coast, if i go up to the cliffs on a clear night, grok at the abundant majesty of the stars… then, yes, see somewhere in the distance the orange neon glow of the lights of france! .. turn the other way, can i see London? nope just the blooming incinerator
(this may not be strictly true, but round the coast a bit, you can see France from up by hastings castle).
the channel should be seen as something that connects, not something that divides, trade in the ancient world was by sea
the coast has always been an abundant realm of edge, with trade comes ideas, knowledge, culture… pizza … and philosophy
many of my ancestors came from over yonder there, a mongrel ancestry is always healthier, more interesting
… and our beautiful language? one which i take such delight in mangling! why we are blessed with twin strands in its very dna, anything in english can be said in words from either a brusque germanic tradition or using the waftier gabble of latinate language… groovy!
I would wish that our society, rather than being insular, inward looking, should face outwards, have a generous confidence in itself… to be welcoming to others, accepting of difference
… and yes, this should be true both with our european neighbours and the refugees and migrants camped on the doorstep…
oops i seem to have meandered off piste… nothing new there, nuff said… i’ll be voting to stay