MilitantAnarchist
5th May 2010, 23:25
I initially wrote this to get published in the Big Issue, but they take stuff by email... I had no computer at the time, so it was a waste of time, but I hope you enjoy it :p
‘If you don’t vote then don’t complain’
A phrase that haunts me whenever I discuss politics. My usual response to this isn’t one of politeness, it’s become a sentiment that resounds in the minds of a lot of people, and hearing it now is the political equivalent of the Christians favourite ‘God works in mysterious ways’, a phrase that just embodies a complete dogmatic loss of thought.
Whatever the medium, it’s hard to ignore the propaganda the politicians are putting out there to win your votes by telling you exactly what you want to hear. That is how it works at election time. At best, we suspect that these are empty promises, and at worst it’s something we joke about. Election time is the only time we have politicians appealing to us, for our help to get them in power, and it is certainly the only time you will see them in your area on the back of a campaign bus.
In the theatre of politics, we all know this act belongs to the Tories. It’s the same monotonous story its always been ‘Labour fixes the Tories fuck up way back when, then Tory has to come in and save the day by fixing the fuck up Labour made fixing the original fuck up, then that Tory government does the same thing and makes a bigger fuck up, so Labour has to step in again...’ and so on, it’s been so confusing and going on so long now nobody knows who fucked things up to begin with. This year is no different, Tory wanker David Cameron is using that tired slogan of ‘change! You need Tories to fix it’ the regurgitated Thatcher motto from the soon to be 20th Eton old boy to be in charge of our country. I’m sure your first reaction to this little token tantrum your reading will be one of ‘oh the writer is just disillusioned,’ but don’t give up on it just yet, let’s look at why people all over this country are feeling this way.
To start with, I shall reiterate my point of being told what we want to hear by a group of people that need us to vote for them. Now, these people have nothing to do with you or me, the manifestos pretty much read the same, nothing will change for us in the slightest, it will only change for them, by them I mean the ruling class. In my opinion, voting is one of the greatest liberties we have, but it’s pointless when what you’re voting for is completely impotent. To fully understand the truth, we all need to educate ourselves in the nature and the crimes of our government, and for many people, unless it’s an upcoming plotline for Eastenders, nobody cares.
In the 21st century, we live in a corporatist nation; it’s gone beyond capitalism now. Now I’m not arguing for a socialist alternative, in fact I’m not arguing for any alternative here, but the commie cartoons that adorn the back pages of the Socialist Standard of greedy demonic fat cats aren’t too far from the truth. Take a look round any town and city and try to find its distinguishing features and true uniqueness. The corporations have taken over now, and what was once called an ‘opportunity’ is now called an ‘investment’. Everything done in parliament is now just pure business, I’m surprised number10’s address and bank accounts aren’t in Guernsey. We live in a reality where social services are auctioned off to the highest bidder, the surveillance that is an insult to freedom is privatised, and any form of freedom of expression his ‘licensed’ or ‘monitored’ right from busking to public gatherings.
This is the reality of what we support when we vote, people who should be there to speak for us, and make our lives better are supporting themselves, and are no longer are they politicians, but just clever business men. So my answer to ‘If you don’t vote then don’t complain’ is just fuck off.
‘If you don’t vote then don’t complain’
A phrase that haunts me whenever I discuss politics. My usual response to this isn’t one of politeness, it’s become a sentiment that resounds in the minds of a lot of people, and hearing it now is the political equivalent of the Christians favourite ‘God works in mysterious ways’, a phrase that just embodies a complete dogmatic loss of thought.
Whatever the medium, it’s hard to ignore the propaganda the politicians are putting out there to win your votes by telling you exactly what you want to hear. That is how it works at election time. At best, we suspect that these are empty promises, and at worst it’s something we joke about. Election time is the only time we have politicians appealing to us, for our help to get them in power, and it is certainly the only time you will see them in your area on the back of a campaign bus.
In the theatre of politics, we all know this act belongs to the Tories. It’s the same monotonous story its always been ‘Labour fixes the Tories fuck up way back when, then Tory has to come in and save the day by fixing the fuck up Labour made fixing the original fuck up, then that Tory government does the same thing and makes a bigger fuck up, so Labour has to step in again...’ and so on, it’s been so confusing and going on so long now nobody knows who fucked things up to begin with. This year is no different, Tory wanker David Cameron is using that tired slogan of ‘change! You need Tories to fix it’ the regurgitated Thatcher motto from the soon to be 20th Eton old boy to be in charge of our country. I’m sure your first reaction to this little token tantrum your reading will be one of ‘oh the writer is just disillusioned,’ but don’t give up on it just yet, let’s look at why people all over this country are feeling this way.
To start with, I shall reiterate my point of being told what we want to hear by a group of people that need us to vote for them. Now, these people have nothing to do with you or me, the manifestos pretty much read the same, nothing will change for us in the slightest, it will only change for them, by them I mean the ruling class. In my opinion, voting is one of the greatest liberties we have, but it’s pointless when what you’re voting for is completely impotent. To fully understand the truth, we all need to educate ourselves in the nature and the crimes of our government, and for many people, unless it’s an upcoming plotline for Eastenders, nobody cares.
In the 21st century, we live in a corporatist nation; it’s gone beyond capitalism now. Now I’m not arguing for a socialist alternative, in fact I’m not arguing for any alternative here, but the commie cartoons that adorn the back pages of the Socialist Standard of greedy demonic fat cats aren’t too far from the truth. Take a look round any town and city and try to find its distinguishing features and true uniqueness. The corporations have taken over now, and what was once called an ‘opportunity’ is now called an ‘investment’. Everything done in parliament is now just pure business, I’m surprised number10’s address and bank accounts aren’t in Guernsey. We live in a reality where social services are auctioned off to the highest bidder, the surveillance that is an insult to freedom is privatised, and any form of freedom of expression his ‘licensed’ or ‘monitored’ right from busking to public gatherings.
This is the reality of what we support when we vote, people who should be there to speak for us, and make our lives better are supporting themselves, and are no longer are they politicians, but just clever business men. So my answer to ‘If you don’t vote then don’t complain’ is just fuck off.