Past can’t be wiped out – that destroys society
Roy Marsden, actor, 79; Carly Simon (pictured), singer/songwriter, 75; Tim Finn, musician, 68; Johnny Herbert, racing driver, 56; Jamie Redknapp (pictured), ex-footballer turned pundit, 47; Iestyn Harris, ex-rugby league player/coach, 44.
IT was a bright April day and the clock struck thirteen. (George Orwell, 1984).
In Feedback of June 16 Mr. McGuin uses a quote he attributes to George Orwell to legitimise his argument, that the toppling of statues, many erected to serve a political purpose, is a threat to our history and even our democracy.
George Orwell’s opening line of 1984 suggests a world where even time is a lie.
Does Mr. McGuin misquote George Orwell when he writes “if you want to destroy a society take away its past’’?
The Orwell quote, most appropriate to the debate about statues, is “the most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history.’’
What are grand monuments to slave traders ? What is their purpose? To quote George Orwell again “the past was erased, the erasure was forgotten, the lie becomes the truth.’’ The statues are lies.
Didn’t slave traders deny and obliterate any understanding of the history of the people they enslaved?
Maybe it’s time the clocks struck twelve, maybe it’s time for the truth.
Install cycle lanes where most needed
THERE is one area in Kirklees that cyclists do not need cycle lanes and that is in the town centre(s).
Our council, as usual, have opted for a low-cost, high-visibility, quick fix to a problem which they obviously thought would win them brownie points.
Cycling inside the ring road is relatively harmless, there is no need for car free provision here.
However, there are many busy arterial routes where there is real need.
Please Kirklees council, do not impose such kneejerk measures in the already struggling town centre in the name of cyclists.
Instead do all you can to help town centre commerce and if you want to help cyclists, put some effort into commuter routes where they are needed.
Plane truth is it’s a waste of money
THE country is facing enormous financial problems as a result of Covid 19, so it is with dismay and incredulity that I read in the
of the plans to spend £900,000 on repainting a military plane used by the PM.
Squandering £900,000 of public money on a vanity project would be inappropriate at the best of times,but to do it right now! Which planet exactly does Boris actually live on?
Dominic Cummings the contemptuous
FROM the Sunday Times: “Dominic Cummings is reluctant to lift the lockdown restrictions too early.” Dominic Cummings the contemptuous: the man who farted in the faces of those enduring lockdown does not run this country, or does he?