Just Think
Just think how serene life would have been
Without Brexit and Trump to make us so mean!
We’d be surging ahead with elation instead
Of shuffling along with feet made of lead;
We’d be smiling and whistling with teeth all glistening
Instead of shouting and screaming with hackles all bristling.
If only the lies had not promised relief
From the austerity robbing joy like a sniggering thief.
If only the racism and fear had not robbed us of cheer
And caused the specter of fascism to once more draw near.
Just think what our lives might have become
If we’d all benefitted from that better income.
Just think if the division now sitting at our gate
Was unity and not this ugly snarl of hate.
Just think………………
Opher 22.2.2018
Looking back to the time of the referendum is a strange thing to do. Back then the country was quite a friendly, cheery place. Racism was well on the decline. The economy was booming. The pound was strong. It seems a bit of a utopia now.
Of course there were underlying problems. We had had too much immigration too quickly. A lot of Eastern Europeans were coming in and a lot of Muslims were coming in as refugees from the war zones and economically ravaged countries. There was the specter of terrorism hanging over us. It was causing a lot of pressure on our institutions. It was causing fear and concern. The immigrants were concentrated in a number of areas. On top of that many areas of Britain were suffering from depression. The major well-paying industries had disappeared and people were thrown out of well-paying jobs into stuffing shelves, delivering parcels or flipping burgers on low pay or else they were on the dole. We’d had years of Tory austerity (and bloated bankers). There was a lot of discontent.
The politicians jumped on these problems, ramped up the fears and desperation and used it to create hate, division and a new wave of nationalistic populism.
Now our economy is dragging along on the bottom, hate crime and racism is rife, the pound has dived and fascists are marching on the street. The future looks bleak.
Just think how good things might have been if we hadn’t foolishly voted out? If the politicians had dealt with the problems so many of us were experiencing instead of sweeping it under the carpet? If we hadn’t had years of austerity?
Now we’re busy shooting ourselves in both feet so that we can run faster.