You might think I am joking, and in a way I am joshing a little, but I want to make a point about politics. I’m going to be talking left and right a lot here, of course I am using generalisations. I’m also talking a more traditional left and right.
I have called myself a leftie, many, many times; it’s not a term I think of as offensive, I wear it as a badge of honour, but I don’t like it. I don’t like it, because like anything, politics is complicated.
I don’t like the ism’s. I’m not a Socialist or Communist in any true sense of the words; if thinking we should look after the weakest in society and helping others makes me so, then so be it, but I ain’t. I’m not particularly pacifistic; I’m not a warmonger, but I know you need to slap someone back sometimes. I wouldn’t say I was wed to any system particularly; I don’t think Socialism will lead to some great utopia in much the same way I don’t think (well regulated, but that’s a whole other post) Capitalism is the root of all evil. I don’t think any of the ism’s (in this sense) are an issue to be honest, the problem is always the same, it’s the human. GI-GO.
We elect people who have no interest in people, they are only driven by money and greed.
I’m aligned with many on the right when it comes to crime and punishment, for example. I’m not saying rehabilitation can never take place, and when it comes to prisons, because I think about these things, I look at other approaches. I think and wonder why something akin to what they have attempted in Norway can’t work here? (one example – there are many – https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/stories-48885846 )
(Side note: the snake oil salesmen and women will sell us Norway, but provide whatever they want. Same as what happened with Brexit and will happen with the NHS.)
I can never square the death penalty though, people say things like “if your child was…” Yes, that’s why I am not on the jury, because I would want retribution. I cheer when Samuel L Jackson shouts, “Yes they deserved to die, and I hope they burn in Hell”.
We should never make the mistake of thinking those who support capital punishment are on our side if – god forbid it never does – the worst should happen to us. They will sell us capital punishment as the ultimate retribution, but it’s about them saving money. It costs money to house a prisoner for the rest of their life; even if we could throw them into a box and ignore them forever, we still need to guard that box, we need to make sure the box is kept safely away from the public. It all costs money, and those on your side, well they care about money a lot more than they care about you. As an aside, I’ve often considered, should I ever be in that position, death the easy way out; I’d rather die quickly than be left to rot, knowing I will never be allowed to walk freely again. Imprisonment for life feels more of a punishment than a “humane” death. I’ve covered it before, but I do not have the stones for suicide. (https://satan-speaks.com/2022/11/23/mental-health-mash-theme/)
I ramble, but my point is that I believe life should mean life, a sentence should be a sentence, and you have to be as sure as possible that someone is rehabilitated before release. It should never be about money when dealing with public safety and criminals.
It’s about morality. It’s where we are willing to draw a line and say we won’t cross this, and in this respect the right are far more inclusive. Sally who wants the ‘strange rainbow people’ out of her village will stand next to Brian the well known fascist. Who thinks anyone slightly darker than the inside of a fresh coconut should be deported at best and executed at worst. There have been people from all the sides of politics who cover every gender and sexuality; those are used as wedge issues, but as a general rule most of them couldn’t give a shit. We all get tangled in this web of crap they throw, but if they thought the politics of the left could grab them more money they would be there in a shot. It’s those pesky coins. It’s always about money. Always has been, always will be.
Think about it, everyone in politics, arguably life has to stand with someone at one point or another; you can’t do it all alone. When you stand with that someone they are going to want something as well. “Sure Davey boy I’ll stand with you on rights for orphaned hedgehogs, but you’re going to have to agree to stand with me with this issue.”
This is where the divide is for me. I suspect it falls here for many. Left and right is far too simplistic a term for it. It’s not black and white; even if you are told black and white, we know the in-betweens, we don’t need to see. With this stuff we have to see, otherwise our minds fill in the gaps, and we start seeing what we want to see in people.
Those on the left can be just as nasty as anyone on the right in getting what they want; I lean that way so my natural instinct is to defend my “side.” But, I know people who claim to be on the left and wouldn’t be out of place at a reform meeting (no caps, very deliberate). That’s also something about politics and life in general, an arsehole is an arsehole is an arsehole, and so on. That’s who and what they are; the fact they agree with you on the preservation/eradication of something won’t change that. They are an arsehole. But sometimes that arsehole will say “Sure Davey boy I’ll stand with you on rights for orphaned hedgehogs, but you’re going to have to agree to stand with me with this issue.”
And then we’ve got to decide where we’re going to stand. Do we stand with the arsehole because we agree on this issue? Maybe we align on a few, but their main policy you detest.
You have to decide where to stand; it’s not about left and right, both have policies I can agree with, similarly with things I disagree with.
If your only interest is money; it’s easy to stand with the arsehole.