ISRAEL, CRANEFLIES, ITALIAN SAUSAGE
I’m a lil icked out by these proposals to ban “some” pro-Palestine protests. Seems a bit blatantly pro-Israel to me. And although allegiances aren't chosen based on how satisfying one feels the words are to say (“pro-Palestine” has a punchy movement to it whereas “pro-Israel” flows nicely off the palate) some of it seems just as arbitrary.
My pro-Israel friend (make sure you have one) was recently dismissive of my pestering him on the Epstein files (which I did get uncharacteristically riled up about): “trafficking happens all the time!” he said. God knows how he'd view me if I waved away in a similar fashion some mad lad attacking jews - antisemitic, probably!
But alas it was some mad lad attacking jews that helped precipitate this fresh debate on protests. They’re grossly overreported, these attacks - the Independent do so for their political implications; the BBC due to its huge public interest; The Sun, because they sell more papers. And all these outlets are doing the same thing really. It’s a numbers game baby
Brum market badge sellers being absolute hustlers
The year before last, a muslim man returning home from Mosque got set alight on a street where I was staying at a friend's house. It didn’t hit the national headlines - I only knew it happened cos the police got in touch for potential questioning. Despite being probably less than 20 metres away from the attack, I would have been useless; I didn’t see or hear anything. I think I was eating chips & mayo and watching Have I Got News For You. The comedians on it were probably talking lightly about such issues gripping our nation while a very real victim of it was being made just outside. Such is life.
Anyway, I don’t suppose the Right will now feel moved to propose bans on protests outside immigrant hotels. They’re being thick and falling into the exact hypocritical trap that they’ve accused the Left of for years. And a lot of the time they’ve been right, the Right. It seems the two wings take turns being morons. Aren’t they meant to flap in unison, or is that just on birds?
I’m hungover and bloated from Italian sausage (not a euphemism) and just bloody sick of it all to be honest. I might try to resume the conversation with my pro-Israel friend - it did get pretty tense between us and I wonder whether or not there’s more to discover about myself by unpicking it. I’ve never been one to cut off a friendship due to politics - my Dad would be my only buddy left if I did - but if you hold in everything that bothers you you’re kinda dooming the friendship anyway, no?
I’m also sorta dying to know if it’s his actual politics that irk me so, or just his fuckin personality. I can’t say I liked him much when he gleefully ripped the legs off a spazzing daddy-long-legs in Year 8, and neither am I too keen on him when he celebrates what appears to be the annihilation of a country of mostly innocent people. Obviously he doesn’t see it that way - the latter, that is. I’ve not quizzed him for his angle on the cranefly incident.
He is funny, though, and in my books that forgives a lot. My second ever band was with him, and although the Flying Retarded Monkey Demons didn’t get around to playing any live shows, I still treasure those memories of artistic camaraderie (four sweaty lads drinking super lager and writing songs about wanking).