I’m writing this after the recent machete murder incident in Woolwich. So much anti-immigration and Islamophobic gobshite on my facebook wall means I can’t stand by and say nothing about this but I’ll try and keep it succinct and to the point.
Firstly what happened was truly horrific and should be absolutely condemned as an atrocious act of pure evil, nothing else can describe it. But I would say the same about the acts of war and genocide taking place throughout the world by both corporate governments and idealistic terrorists. Imagine what we and the British news media would say if we were being bombed by a hostile government or suicide bomber on a daily basis like they are being in many other countries?
Sure, Islam can be perceived to have an agenda that wants the whole world to become Muslims, but Christianity or the corporate UN Agenda 21 can be seen to have a similar plan of action. We must see through and resist all forms of totalitarian control and celebrate the sovereignty of the people that insists that our leaders are representatives rather than rulers.
It is one of the primary tenets of corporate state craft that it furthers one to have an evil enemy. In my younger years this was the Soviet ‘iron curtain’ and the Chinese ‘yellow peril’ but when the trade barriers came down we were sore pressed to find a worthy opponent until Islam extremists stepped up to the plate. Do not be deceived, the corporate powers that be are seeking to control the mineral and land resources of the world for their own gain and profit and that is one of the real reasons behind the global war on terrorism. ‘War on terror’ is a contradiction of terms and both terms are wrong. What we all need to realise is that we’re being played off against each other. Divide and rule is another classic tactic of state craft to control a people.
Problem, reaction, solution is still another tactic. Create a problem and make it look like your enemy has caused it and even if they have then ‘big it up’ into a huge global incident. History shows us however that governments are quite capable of staging their own ‘False Flag’ events if the enemy fail to deliver. Look a little deeper into the Woolwich incident and ‘machetes’ have been involved in two other incidents currently in the news - the attack by a Chechen Muslim in Florida thought to be with a machete and the riots in Sweden linked to unrest among Muslim communities after a machete wielding man was killed by the police. These kinds of memes are used time and again in government propaganda efforts and by extremists willingly play up to the stereotype as well.
The issue of immigration in general is an interesting one. It can be seen as an attempt to de-stabilise a society by filling it with people that have no other concern but to increase their economic wealth while having no concern for the society and land that is their host. We should be suspicious of Agenda 21 and EU directives that encourage this destabilisation and seek to develop ways of integrating genuine migrants into society and discouraging pure economic workers from other countries who just want to make a quick buck at the expense of our own workers and our health and education resources. Immigration has always been a fact of life in this country that has previously made a massive contribution to the material, cultural, and spiritual health of these Isles but we desperately need to develop ways to ensure that as a people whether black, white, yellow, pink, or blue we continue to work together to create a just society of the people for the people.
Anyroad enough of this political diatribe, I could go on but I won’t. All I can say to those who have posted knee jerk reactions on my wall is do your research, connect the dots, and don’t allow yourself to be ‘played off’ by the media propaganda but be sure of your facts before you spout off. Enough said.
Meanwhile life here at Withering Heights goes on. Spring didn’t so much as arrive as creep in like a naughty spouse after a sordid night out. I have come to the conclusion that the default weather setting for these Isles is cloudy, wet, and cold. If we get anything resembling nice weather it is a wonderful bonus that should result in all but essential workers given instant time off to make the most of it. I’m sure this would contribute mightily to the health and true wealth of the nation.
I’ve reached a few milestones this month. It’s been over a year now since my heart attack and stroke and I still appear to be making progress. I’m about 15% up to my previous level of fitness but believe me that is quite a long way from waking up after a month in a coma unable to move, walk, or talk. The nurses in intensive care called me the ‘miracle man’ and this year has been nothing short of miraculous and every day I wake up is a miracle and a blessing, I’m so thankful for my life now.
It’s also a year since I stopped drinking alcohol and smoking weed. I drank literally every day for 25 years or more and although I am allowed a small amount of alcohol I prefer not to bother with it now. I find when I’m out I’m even more unruly than I ever was on drink and much as I would still like the occasional toke of weed for my emotional and spiritual edification the state of my lungs forbids its use and I’ve never liked eating it anyway, too much of a commitment.
I appear to have taken to attending my local parish church of a Sunday in recent times. As a recovering Christian fundamentalist with Pagan leanings this has been somewhat of a challenge but it is proving to be a most agreeable experience. A couple of weeks ago I was invited to sing a song in aid of Christian aid week and I came up with the idea of performing the old Copper family classic, ‘Hard Times in Old England’ with some lyrical changes to reflect the current times. ‘ You go to the Job Centre to look for a job, they answer you there with a shake and a nod, some folks will do anything just for a bob’ – and – ‘The soldiers and sailors come back from the war, been fighting for Queen and for country for sure, post traumatic stress and they can’t get a cure’- anyroad, I delivered a little homely on charity beginning at home based around the old saying that ‘the Blacksmiths mare and the Shoemakers wife are oft the worse shod’ before realising that was putting the kibosh on the whole proceedings while we were looking at films of communities in Africa and South America that the charity is working with. What struck me most though was how happy these indigenous people appeared compared to the lines of shopper zombies I encountered in Morrison’s after the service. I wonder what we’re doing wrong?
Connecting with the Parish Church with its rich legacy of the past has been an enriching experience on many levels. On my first visit to evensong I saw a Robin in the church yard and felt that it meant something but I wasn’t sure what. The last hymn in the service happened to be the same one that my mother chose for her own funeral a couple of years ago. I thought that it was quite a sync moment seeing as there were over 3000 hymns they could have chosen from for my first visit. When I got home and back on facebook the first thing I saw was a picture of a Robin that said, ‘If a Robin crosses your path or visits you it’s a sign that someone in heaven is with you and is thinking of you’.. Good start to my church going experience and a true sync indeed – (sync = synchronicity, a term adopted by C J Jung the psychologist and mystic to denote meaningful coincidences). I’ve figured out that having been to hell this past year, there must be a corresponding heaven and here was a sign indeed!
Talking of Les Flammes d’Enfer I recently took up an invite from Jo van Strein and the organisers of the Zydeco Zity festival in Raamsdonksveer Holland to come to their great music bash. I first played at this festival in 1996 with R Cajun & the Zydeco Bros from Derby and I have probably played about a dozen other times with various bands. My Cajun performing days are pretty much over now but I thought that a little visit and a cameo spot with my old Dutch band ‘ZydeGoNutZ’ was in order. This was made even more poignant on finding that the accordion player Wolfert has just been diagnosed with Lung Cancer. Although I was down to sing a couple of songs I ended up staying up for most of the set playing percussion and guitar. The weather was gorgeous for the whole weekend and I ended up swapping my hotel room for a bed in a van on the camping field. So wonderful to connect with so many Dutch, and other friends on the Cajun & Zydeco scene and special thanks to my ‘nurses’ Becca & Suze for looking after me on the epic road trip. Link to some of that performance can be found here:
http://youtu.be/Mx_EIkXlYFg
Been busy in the woodshed writing new songs and recording demos with the eventual aim of putting together my own solo live project. It’s a long shot but if you don’t ask you don’t get and it’s something I am enjoying working on regardless of the outcome. My immediate aim is to be able to perform a few songs solo at folk clubs and open mic nights etc and then maybe put together a band to do longer performances and it’s all coming along nicely so far.
Recent weeks have seen me hobbling to our nearest bus stop and to freedom! I recently purchased a shooting stick with a seat on it that means I can rest up and get my breath back when I’m walking. This has increased my walking range considerably and apart from Holland I have embarked on several bus trips to Mansfield and even once to Sutton in Ashfield as well as Derby. The more I walk the stronger I am getting, it’s slow but steady progress so far and long may it continue.
One good thing that has come from this illness has been the way I have become closer to my family and my many friends. My sons Bill & Tom have visited recently and although along with my sister Jo they have been going through various problems in the area of love relationships the bond between us continues to grow.
Despite the lack of nice weather the garden inevitably grows and today I have taken delivery of a new strimmer to keep the weeds on the paths in control. On a recent visit from my son Bill he has cleared out the garage and weeded a large border for us, lots of work still to do though in the yard and I keep enjoying doing a bit when I can.
Work on my book continues apace and I have a clear idea of what is left to do now and most of the research is in so it just needs writing up now..Still a lot of work left to do and I’m trying to work a regular writing time into my schedule, which means I haven’t been, but I will..I will..I will.. I will. And already the idea of a second book looms large in my mind.. A daunting task but it’s nice to have plenty to do I guess.
Anyroad, enough for now, hope the summer is a good one for you all.
Revd. H.T. Elsecott –aka Sam Murray
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