First as usual is America where Trump politicised his independence day address to the people as a re-election platform rather delivering a speech extolling the virtues of unity. Last year Trump spoke of the "extraordinary heritage" of the country at an event with a militaristic theme that involved Air Force flyovers and tanks parked on display, but this year during the address taking a combative tone, he vowed to "defeat the radical left and that he would fight to preserve the American way of life against anarchists, agitators, looters, and people who, in many instances, have absolutely no clue what they are doing, we will never allow an angry mob to tear down our statues, erase our history, indoctrinate our children, their goal is demolition, the patriots who built our country were not villains, they were heroes".
I personally beg to differ with Trump, the American fore fathers were actually classed as Regulators, Villains and Traitors to the crown depending who's concept of history you wish to follow. The great fight between the colonists and the British was no different to the civil war for emancipation, which was no different than the two world wars against fascism, the downtrodden and oppressed fighting for their right to live equally. All we are seeing in this present day climate is the new evolution of people uprising to protest where only the oppressors use weapons of destruction against the peaceful masses and there is little or no loss of life.
After Trumps speech to the nation, protesters in Baltimore, about forty miles (sixty five kilometres) north of the capital, pulled down a statue of explorer Christopher Columbus, whom Trump had mentioned in his speech and rolled it into a harbour displaying more aggression. But as many people in the US celebrate the memory of Columbus, who in textbooks is credited with discovering "the New World", the Americas, in the 15th Century, Native Americans have long objected to honouring Columbus, saying that his expeditions to the Americas led to the colonisation and genocide of their ancestors.
Meanwhile, in a videotaped address for the fourth of July, Trump's Democratic challenger for the presidency in November, Joe Biden, addressed the nation stating that the people of America now have a chance to give the marginalised, demonised, isolated and oppressed a full share of the American dream going on to accuse Trump of fuelling racial tensions and that Americans have a chance to rip the roots of systemic racism out of the country for good. All this election too and froing carried on even in the midst of a muted celebration of Independence Day as the nation held family parties rather than attending organised events that were cancelled.
So as America celebrated their independence from Britain, let's check out what old Blighty was up to. The main talking point was the lack of social distancing as people got drunk with the official easing of pubs and clubs. In many locations around England crowds gathered in streets and car parks outside pubs congregating rather than distancing themselves with sporadic cases of nudity, happy drunkenness and angry drunkenness with the odd fight, but all in all apparently was a good humoured success according to the politicians, but we still need to wait and see what the lasting effect of reopening public venues is for the nation.
Other news includes the lighting up of buildings to celebrate the NHS, the drastic need for reform in the funding of the social care sector which is inadequately funded and has been for years. As an ex-caregiver, I have seen how those individuals within the older generation that worked their whole lives paying their share of taxes are still put upon by the government when they retire. If the person has saved or paid into a private pension they are stung by the government as their private pension is taxed and their savings or assets are used to cover their social care and care facility costs which shows us how lopsided our social care sector and biased instead of equal for every individual. As costs rocket and care companies charge more and more for less and less care, something is needed in a society that is gradually growing older with each year that passes. My father had both a private and state pension which meant he was subject to tax on his private pension for the twenty eight years of his retirement up till his death and as his care needs increased he was subject to payments towards that care because he had too much income and savings while someone who hadn't taken precautions for the future get their social care for free, which still dumbfounds me to this day how the baby boom generation are treat inadequately. On that note I will call it a day.
Rant you tomorrow!
