Reason’s lost to the bullying minorities
THE HUGE majority of the British people still live lives governed by the twin principles of human decency and common sense and would like to continue that way. The first stems from honesty, truthfulness and manners, the second from reason, moderation and the simple question “does it work?”.
Yet this lifestyle, which guarantees an agreeable society in which to live is now under daily attack from a variety of new and fanatical fashions which brook no dissent and treat all who may dare to disagree with naked aggression. To these creeds any hint of disagreement or non-obedience is met with rage and attack.
The campaigns vary from Extinction Rebellion, trashing public places and defacing statues, via BLM demanding virtue-signalling through to the various “woke” insanities. Let me lump them all together as political correctness. You either concur and conform or pay the consequences.
I get the impression, and wholly approve, that growing numbers of us are getting sick and tired of the sheer arrogance of these bullying minorities, matched by the gutless capitulation of those in charge and who should know better.
More recently the students of Magdalen College Oxford removed the portrait of Her Majesty from their Middle Common Room on the grounds she was associated with the empire and colonialism.
These juvenile popinjays can decorate their halls any way they like but we lesser mortals hoped they might have brains in their over-privileged heads.
If they had, they would know that the monarch is passionate about the Commonwealth which derived from massive decolonisation over which she enthusiastically presided.
Meanwhile up at Cambridge 150 dons and tutors have decided to refuse to teach the students of Oriel College because a statue of Cecil Rhodes, who made millions
in southern Africa but at least donated many of those million to Oriel and the scholarships named after him, still stands in an alcove high on the college hall.
There is a short and simple response to this blackmail – for that is what it is. The university authorities should simply reply: “Well, you were engaged to impart wisdom and learning. There were terms and salaries. You feel unable to comply. Our accountants will now feel unable to sign your pay cheques. The phone lines are open. Please let us know when you feel able to resume the terms of your employment.”
For here is the bullies’ Achilles’ Heel. Ninety per cent of them do not run businesses or have private income. They depend for every morsel they eat on the pay cheque from either the public purse or an academic institution funded by others. It would be an interesting test of their dedication to see how long they can eat fresh air.
On 50 issues including Covid and lockdown small minorities, not one elected, have been ordering us all about. It really is time this so-called democracy re-established the rules of democratic governance. Not mob rule but the ballot box and the true role of the public servant – to serve or resign, not to dictate.