Rights

I Have Rights

I wrote this after going to see the film ‘The Suffragettes’.

I was surprised to find that women were not given the vote in Switzerland until 1974. I was not surprised to see that equality is only now being considered in Saudi Arabia in 2015.

In Britain we have had a long history of social reform. Our children no longer are forced to work in factories, down mines or on the land. They are all afforded education. All our population over the age of eighteen can vote. We have laws on racial equality. Slavery was abolished. We have regulations concerning employment rights and health and safety legislation.

Nothing was ever conceded without a struggle. Our rights and freedoms have been well paid for in blood, torture and death. The establishment, who control the media, were always quick to put forward the case against reform and whip up hysteria and doubt. They have never been slow to claim that to bring in reform will undo us all. They have always been proved wrong.

Our rights, freedoms and social reforms are precious because they were wrested from the powerful through the spilling of much blood by determined, brave and resolute people.

We should be watchful; they are easily eroded in the name of security and the needs of the economy. In practice this usually means the interests of the powerful, wealthy members of the establishment.
I Have Rights

 

I have rights

Set in blood

We shall win

 

I am equal

Set in blood

We shall win

 

I am free

Set in blood

I shall win

 

We have fought

Set in blood

We shall win

 

What we have

Has been paid for

In full.

 

What we have

Can be taken back

Easily.

 

Our rights, our freedoms and our equality

Are worthy of the blood

Lest we forget.

 

Opher 13.10.2015