Over the centuries wars have been fought, campaigns have been launched and banners have been waved; all in the name of our rights.
Our right to be free, the women's right to vote; freedom of speech; decriminalisation of homosexuality; the woman's rights to her own body; the list is endless. Although some issues are still being argued and there are rights that are still to be won, we have been taking steps in the right direction over recent decades.
I look around now though in 2012 and in some areas, we seem to be taking steps back. The Big Brother society that George Orwell wrote about in 1984 is not a merely a figment of imagination, it is in some respects, peeking around the corner.
Freedom of speech for example, which day by day seems to turning into freedom of speech, but only for nice people, or people who agree with your point of view. But then, we are plebs aren't we? What do we know?
Then we have religion and it's interference with the State. I don't dispute anyone's right to have religious beliefs, but I would argue against any one religion having influence over the running of the country. Although I'm an atheist, I'm sure that Muslims, Sikhs etc would also wholly disagree with the Church having any influence or capacity over laws and how the country is run.
I saw the story of a 10 year old boy recently who, 10 months after joining, was removed from the Scouts on the basis that he wouldn't swear the Scout Promise of "doing their duty by God". It seems that in order to learn to tie knots that you need religion.
Be who you want to be and say what you think is slowly but surely turning into "Say the right thing, have the right opinion, know your position as a pleb and be religious or else".
Personally, I say what I think and if "they" don't like it, they can shove it. If that makes me guilty of hate crime, well then so be it.
Freedom of speech for example, which day by day seems to turning into freedom of speech, but only for nice people, or people who agree with your point of view. But then, we are plebs aren't we? What do we know?
Then we have religion and it's interference with the State. I don't dispute anyone's right to have religious beliefs, but I would argue against any one religion having influence over the running of the country. Although I'm an atheist, I'm sure that Muslims, Sikhs etc would also wholly disagree with the Church having any influence or capacity over laws and how the country is run.
I saw the story of a 10 year old boy recently who, 10 months after joining, was removed from the Scouts on the basis that he wouldn't swear the Scout Promise of "doing their duty by God". It seems that in order to learn to tie knots that you need religion.
Be who you want to be and say what you think is slowly but surely turning into "Say the right thing, have the right opinion, know your position as a pleb and be religious or else".
Personally, I say what I think and if "they" don't like it, they can shove it. If that makes me guilty of hate crime, well then so be it.
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