In a comic re-run of our “self inflicted injury” approach to deadlines, no sooner were we back on the treadmill of lessons than we were worrying about the collation of examination results and the termly grades that are the be-all and end-all of the educational life of our school. Suddenly everything has to be done and dusted by midday tomorrow. A self imposed deadline which, as far as I can see has no real relevance to anything in the so-called “real” world as opposed to dictates of the fervid atmosphere of our institute on the hill!
I didn’t get out of school until 6 pm this evening after marking part of the sixth form’s mock exam which should have been marked by a computer but had to be done by hand as we do not have the optical reader which would have allowed me to leave way before darkness fell!
The fun and games continue on Monday when we have one of our periodic monster meetings of the entire teaching staff talking about pupils way into the same darkness that engulphed me this evening.
The stories of what happened today in the demonstrations against the imposition of increased tuition fees for university students is a disturbing indication of what is to come.
Even in my days in university all demonstrations were places where, mixed with the “normal” students making a shamefaced manifestation of their wishy-washy liberal sentiments, there were always members of the hard left or the SWP or Communists (in the days when it was still intellectually acceptable to feel something approaching toleration for that much abused system) or hangers on from some sort of more politically involved group than the overwhelmingly white, middle class and slightly diffident students making polite demonstrations that I was involved with.
Smashing shop windows in Oxford Street and splashing paint on the Roller of the Prince of Wales seems to be a taste of what is yet to come.
The cuts have not yet really begun to be felt by the general population and, it has to be admitted that student tuition fees is something of a side issue from what is going to affect the pockets of the people in Britain in the next couple of years.
The Lib-Dems, after swigging deeply from the poisoned chalice should not be particularly surprised that the party is now imploding to a chorus of vituperation from people who feel that they have been betrayed by the vacillating approach which is an integral part of the realities of being part of a government which is largely made up of people with whom you don’t agree. I am not sure what the Lib-Dems should have done, but I am blood sure that I will never forgive them for joining the government of Conservatives and I look forward to their being cast into the everlasting darkness (with burning sulphur ever unconsumed) there to gnash their organic, macramé brushed teeth in impotent agony. God rot them. And the Conservatives too. Don’t think that I failed to notice that the so-called Prime Minister of my country invited That Woman to come and have tea with him in Downing Street. God rot the lot of them!
Much as I despise those in the political ascendency at the moment in my country, I am equally disgusted by the violence which opportunistic demonstrators use which devalues the reasoned opposition of those with a valid case against the present shifting of the weight of payment for the present financial crisis away from those who are mostly to blame and onto those who lack the power to force the government to protect their privileged positions in the financial system.
I think that last paragraph has to be said all in one breath and with innocent eyed exasperation so that the cathartic effect takes away the reason that you might have said it in the first place.
What I should do is go back to my telephone and read another sci-fi story from the 1950s; start reading my book on evolution and make myself a nice cup of tea.
Ahhh!
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