The New Enemy Within
The victory of the Parliamentarian New Model Army over the Royalist Army at the Battle of Naseby on 14 June 1645 marked the decisive turning point in the English Civil War.
Here we are in 21st Century Britain, with all the people's money stashed away in Bank vaults and accruing more money on computer accounts for the Banker's and their Corporate clients. And yet, more and more of the "hard working people" are getting poorer and poorer, set to get even more so down the road. When I say the "hard working people" I quote the Tory government's mantra during their term in office since the austerity policy has come into force and continues to be implemented.
We all know that "hard working people" are hard pressed to earn a crust in this country. They seem to work all the hours God sends and have very little to show for it. All the stress and worry, all the years working for the company that doesn't really appreciate them and almost exploits them for all their worth. Yet, the British Tory government wants to glorify these workers on the one hand, and make their position even more precarious and stressful on the other. Zero hours contracts, unfavourable working conditions, pay freezes, redundancy threats, union constrictions etc, etc. need I go on!
The mantra of the "hard working people" of Britain is heard practically every day in the media. Every opportunity to voice this piece of rhetoric by the parliamentarians is seized upon in an effort to drive the point home to us all. The rhetoric that states that the "hard working people" won't stand for any other people who don't work any more. The hard working people are almost heard thinking, "No, I work hard for the money. Why should the people who don't work get paid when I have to work my guts out for very little!" After all they conclude, they pay their hard earned taxes for all these Welfare "scroungers" to do nothing for their money.
The term "scroungers" has gained more of a high profile since the recession. But interestingly not before, presumably because the "hard working people" didn't give them a second thought and possibly could afford a little compassion. But not no more they can't! Not since the rhetoric seems to be in the very ether they breath that they are being hard done by this new "enemy".
Apparently, the new "enemy"is made up of the Welfare "scroungers"who have chosen it as a lifestyle. Who are these so called "scroungers"? It seems they are the half dozen or so examples that the right wing press have unearthed and "outed" in screaming headlines drawing our attention to just where our hard earned taxes are going. The 21st century equivalent of the ducking stool, stocks or pillory, and we think we are so civilized today. We even want to watch programmes on the TV which showcase such people who live in the community such as "Benefits Street" on Channel 4.
The other enemy on Benefits are the "scroungers" who are on Disability allowances who are being targeted as "swinging the lead" and are being persecuted as such. If you are thinking that "persecuted" might be too strong then you might be wrong. Taking Benefits from these disabled people while they are being investigated for months on end is cruel and is a form of persecution. The government calls them "sanctions" in order soften the blow. Disabled people are either ill or suffering from mental health issues of all kinds. They are not on the whole people who are glad to be in that position.
I think that the majority of "the hard working people" would know this if they had time to really think about this issue. But then, they don't have much time to think what with all the work they have to do and all the stress of losing their jobs taking it's toll on them. Ironic really since, if they did think about it beyond the rhetoric, they might just realise that they might end up being these "scroungers" that they are being encouraged to scorn and vilify. Is half the voting public of this country so scared that they voted in the Tory government in order to implement further cuts in Benefits? It seems to me like shooting yourself in the foot.
For all the Tory voters out there, how about we go after the Bankers who are the real villains and not the most vulnerable and poor. I despair to think about the level of intelligence of the average Tory voter. This is a very rich country which is the envy of the world because of the hard earned Welfare state and the hard earned National Health Service. Once these are dismantled, they are gone for good. They will have to be hard earned again by the next generation, if they can. It seems we only know what we have when it's gone and it's too late.
It seems the powers that be always need an enemy to point the finger at and divert the "hard working people's" attention away from the real enemy. All the people need to think more clearly about just who is to blame for the recession and who the enemy really is. Before we all lose.
