CODGER Why I think Marcus is right to fight for our children
AFEW weeks ago I promised to avoid Covid 19 in this column and try to write about other subjects to give you and me a break from the pandemic. But perhaps that was being too ambitious because I now find it is almost impossible to avoid the subject when I read the letters page.
Why is it that contributors to the opinion pages are determined to advise us that whatever the Government is doing, it is either the right thing to do, or the wrong action. Clearly these writers should have been appointed to the Cabinet if they are so knowledgeable on the subject.
The very limited facts I have gained suggests that there is not a single government in the whole world that actually knows what to do to control this virus. They are all watching each other and if one country comes up with a solution the others will doubtless climb on the same bandwagon and follow suit.
The correspondence I have read to date reminds me of a time way back in the 1970s when I surprisingly got myself elected to the local borough council. I sought advice from an experienced councillor and was told to listen to what was happening before adding my contributions.
It was not so much the subject matter that I found fascinating, but that hardly any of my new colleagues seemed to understand that fact and opinion are not the same thing! A councillor, who I will choose not to name, was a dedicated contributor on every subject, sometimes talking what I thought was some sense, and sometimes not.
He did have one irritating habit that I can remember well to this day. His opening words nearly always were “the fact of the matter is…” and thereafter he would invariably regale us with his opinion! Clearly he was keen to suggest that he knew what he was talking about.
Sadly, most of the time the opinions he shared with us contained little that I could recognise as fact, and just occasionally I would stand up to say so, particularly when I was fortunate enough to have some information that was, more hopefully, factually correct.
Writing this column each week has shown me I can also fall into the trap of sharing my opinion dressed as a fact without checking first. I am grateful for the existence of the internet and have on occasion been surprised to find how often my opinion dressed as a fact is far from reality.
I rarely contribute to the letters page, albeit in my name, unless I am confident of any facts I offer, and invariably have checked them first. I am fortunate perhaps that any reader of my occasional letter rarely links my real name to this column. I do though have to try not to abuse this column and therefore leave too much to the sub editor to correct.
The only fact from this virus that concerns me is what Marcus Rashford is doing to try to ensure all children who have free school lunches continue to eat during school holidays. My father died when I was just 10 years old and I discovered with my mum and sister what it is like to not have much to eat during the school holidays.
From experience I know he is right to fight to ensure all youngsters can eat every day. Will the fact that the media tend to agree with him make for a better Christmas with plenty of food on the table?
Now I will return to my original promise. I will try to avoid the subject of the coronavirus until perhaps the time that my factual knowledge would be worth consideration by the SAGE committee.
I guess that means we will have a long time to wait for my next words of wisdom on the pandemic!