Kim
I think what you are doing is splendid and I like your style of writing and commenting and the hard work you put in it. It is a running commentary of what is happening and the gross incompetence of this government. Cracks are beginning to show within the tory party. But what I find completely exasperating is that despite all of this, the opinion polls still show a tory lead of 4%. We can argue about the validity of this but in general, and seeing how people are behaving, it is difficult to escape the conclusion that the fundamental problem here is how to inform and educate the population. The MSM being controlled mainly by billionaires and the BBC being the mouthpiece of the government rather than a public interest broadcaster are the two main issues here.
A relatively more trivial matter is the statement of Raab regarding ‘taking the knee’. This statement has significance at many different levels depending on how you look at it. It was an attempt to deliberately either trivialise or misinterpret the symbolism behind the gesture. By relating this to ‘The Game of Thrones’ he is pandering to something that a majority of people could relate to, popular culture, whereas few of the general population would probably know the true meaning and origin of the gesture. It would be inconceivable to think that Raab is so uninformed and that his briefing is so poor, that he did not understand the meaning of the gesture. But let us further examine his words and what they mean in the twenty first century.
‘I’ve got to say on this taking the knee thing – I don’t know maybe its got a broader history but it seems to me to be taken from the Game of Thrones – feels to me like a symbol of subjugation and subordination rather than one of liberation and emancipation.
‘But I understand people feel differently about it so it’s a matter of personal choice.’
Pressed on whether he personally would take the knee, Mr Raab replied: ‘I take the knee for two people, the Queen and the Mrs when I asked her to marry me.’
He says that taking the knee is a sign of subjugation and subordination, and expects then that we all, or at least himself make this gesture to another human being, in this case the queen. It is shocking to hear a politician talking about this subordination and subjugation of all of us to the queen. In fact it underlines the very basic weakness of a so-called democracy that is based on a monarchical archaic system. He also completely misunderstands the gesture of men kneeling to propose. Hopefully if they do that, do they want to be subjugated or dominated? He does not seem to allow for other feelings such as love or respect or whatever.
Raab’s whole speech was an attacks on the demonstrators. I am not sure whether he has succeeded or not in this diversion.