As an antidote to election nausea I have turned again to Lewis Carrol's Alice. Since both Tweedles have now decided that “playing by the rules” is the thing, the obvious passage is from Alice's trial:
At this moment the King,who had been for some time busily writing in his note-book,called out “Silence!” and read out from his book, “Rule Forty-two. All persons more than a mile high to leave the court.”
Everybody looked at Alice.
”I'm not a mile high,” said Alice.
”You are,” said the King.
”Nearly two miles high,” added the Queen.
”Well, I shan't go, at any rate,” said Alice; “besides, that's not a regular rule: you invented it just now.”
”It's the oldest rule in the book,” said the King.
”Then it ought to be Number One,” said Alice.
Playing by the rules
“Playing by the rules” is actually a brilliant phrase, appealing as it does on the one hand to those who think we should be commonly bound by agreed principles of humanity and justice, and to those who think of their area of interest as a club where anyone is admitted to the waiting list if they can dress properly, are the right colour and gender and will replace the divots.
However,
”When I use a word,”Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, “it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.”
I think we know the practical meaning they will take from it if elected.
The mindset is entrenched. Here is Stephen Kerr, the Tory candidate for Stirling, in response to a question about the NPT:
”We completely oppose the further proliferation of nuclear weapons. The international community must ensure that North Korea gives up its arsenal and Iran does not develop one. The best way to do this is through determined diplomacy. We do not, however, accept the accusation of double standards. Non-nuclear weapons states have agreed to eschew nuclear weapons; they should be held to their treaty obligations. Nuclear weapons states have agreed to work towards these weapons' elimination, but Governments must never forget that their first duty is to protect their citizens. Nuclear weapons provide that protection to British citizens.”
Which, being translated, means: “Of course we need rules, but not when they conflict with our interests.” For a perfect case study of how this operates, as well as being an appalling catalogue of abuse in its own right, witness the clearance of the Chagos islanders to allow for the US base at Diego Garcia. It's all there -- the background racism, the cynical misrepresentations, the contempt for law, the ability to brazen it out. Maybe we should be habituated by now to all this but,then, some of the best sailors are seasick at the outset of every trip.
Positive responses
There are better antidotes than Lewis Carrol. The anti-G8 week in July provides a rich programme to help us regain our sea legs, and there are indications this week that civil Scotland does not uniformly fear and distrust the G8 resisters. It is likely that Unison Scotland will, in the next day or two, give its backing to the blockade of Faslane on 4 July, as well as to the Make Poverty History demonstration on the 2nd and the Alternative Summit on the 3rd.
On a smaller scale, but significant all the same, the team organising the Faslane event, because of the expected size of the it, have had to find new sleepover places in Glasgow and we have approached churches we have never asked before. The contacts are aware of what we are planning but all the responses have been automatically positive.
An election issue
Another cheering instance is the fact that, in Scotland atleast, the UK's WMD have emerged as an issue -- in contrast to recent elections. A System 3 poll has just come up with the finding that 78% of Scots are opposed to buying a new nuclear weapon system to replace Trident.
Oh well, just when I was beginning to enjoy being part of a beleaguered minority...