This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
Aug 2nd 2013, 2:26 pm
#1
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Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Finally moving!
Posts: 1,236
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
As I remember it, as Shakespeare wrote it:
And as Vera Lynn sang it:
And today I see this
Words fail me. It looks more like how I remember Russia. Has it really come to this? Has the globalised police state come to this? Has the wheel turned full circle?
… this scepter'd isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house,
Against the envy of less happier lands,
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover tomorrow,
Just you wait and see
There'll be love and laughter and peace ever after tomorrow,
When the world is free,
The shepherd will tend his sheep,
A valley will bloom again,
Jimmy will go to sleep in his own little room again
There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover tomorrow,
Just you wait and see.
Just you wait and see
There'll be love and laughter and peace ever after tomorrow,
When the world is free,
The shepherd will tend his sheep,
A valley will bloom again,
Jimmy will go to sleep in his own little room again
There'll be bluebirds over the white cliffs of Dover tomorrow,
Just you wait and see.
Brown? In London? Papers please.
I'm proud to live in Kensal Green, in the London Borough of Brent. Its biggest asset is the diversity of its people, with the strength of our community demonstrated by strong local campaigns to prevent the building of a nearby waste incinerator and to save the local library.
All of which makes what happened on 30 July even more remarkable.
As I approached the Kensal Green tube station, where I catch the Bakerloo Line to work every morning, I could see a group of burly men blocking the entrance to the station. As I got closer, I realised they were uniformed UK Border Agency officers, complete with protective vests and walkie-talkies.
I asked them what they were doing and was told it was a random check of identity documents to find illegal immigrants. They didn’t seem interested in me and I walked straight through, but the two Asian women who entered the station after me were stopped, taken to one side and questioned.
Even as a young man, over six feet tall, with the confidence of a free born Englishman who knows he has nothing to hide, I found this whole experience to be extremely intimidating. The station I use twice a day had suddenly taken on the suspicious air of a border crossing.
I shared my experience on Twitter and found many people had experienced the same feelings and problems. Another resident, Phil O’Shea, told the local paper how he found the behavior of the UKBA staff to be “heavy-handed and frightening” and how when he asked what was going on he “was threatened with arrest for obstruction and was told to ‘crack on’.”
I'm proud to live in Kensal Green, in the London Borough of Brent. Its biggest asset is the diversity of its people, with the strength of our community demonstrated by strong local campaigns to prevent the building of a nearby waste incinerator and to save the local library.
All of which makes what happened on 30 July even more remarkable.
As I approached the Kensal Green tube station, where I catch the Bakerloo Line to work every morning, I could see a group of burly men blocking the entrance to the station. As I got closer, I realised they were uniformed UK Border Agency officers, complete with protective vests and walkie-talkies.
I asked them what they were doing and was told it was a random check of identity documents to find illegal immigrants. They didn’t seem interested in me and I walked straight through, but the two Asian women who entered the station after me were stopped, taken to one side and questioned.
Even as a young man, over six feet tall, with the confidence of a free born Englishman who knows he has nothing to hide, I found this whole experience to be extremely intimidating. The station I use twice a day had suddenly taken on the suspicious air of a border crossing.
I shared my experience on Twitter and found many people had experienced the same feelings and problems. Another resident, Phil O’Shea, told the local paper how he found the behavior of the UKBA staff to be “heavy-handed and frightening” and how when he asked what was going on he “was threatened with arrest for obstruction and was told to ‘crack on’.”
Aug 2nd 2013, 2:45 pm
#2
Ping-ponger
Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,006
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
As I remember it, as Shakespeare wrote it:
And as Vera Lynn sang it:
And today I see this
http://media.boingboing.net/wp-conte...rd-300x347.jpg
Words fail me. It looks more like how I remember Russia. Has it really come to this? Has the globalised police state come to this? Has the wheel turned full circle?
And as Vera Lynn sang it:
And today I see this
http://media.boingboing.net/wp-conte...rd-300x347.jpg
Words fail me. It looks more like how I remember Russia. Has it really come to this? Has the globalised police state come to this? Has the wheel turned full circle?
I watch these "reality TV" shows (I mean "real" life not "manufactured" life, aka Big Brother, etc.) - following the police, A & E, etc. I am often gobsmacked at what is seen to be acceptable behaviour towards officials who already have a tough job. If that is freedom of speech, you can keep it.
Aug 2nd 2013, 2:50 pm
#3
Home and Happy
Joined: Dec 2002
Location: Keep true friends and puppets close, trust no-one else...
Posts: 93,814
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
People complain about illegal immigrants, people ask why the government and the police aren't doing more to prevent illegal immigrants from living in the UK (or wherever) yet when moves are made to check up and remove said illegal immigrants, people complain........
Aug 2nd 2013, 3:05 pm
#4
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
Seems fine to me, as Polly said people complain when they think nothing is being done about illegal immigrants then complain when they are being proactive.
Aug 2nd 2013, 3:49 pm
#5
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 337
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
yep , if you're all legal & above board what's to worry about? Are we supposed to just keep on allowing illegals to go unchallenged?
Aug 2nd 2013, 5:13 pm
#6
BE Enthusiast
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 315
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
"Government, government - DO something!!!"
Government does.
"Government, government - how DARE you?!?!"
It's a no-win for them, unfortunately.
Aug 2nd 2013, 5:16 pm
#7
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,006
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
Maybe, but I just can't bring myself to feel sorry for them.
Aug 2nd 2013, 5:17 pm
#8
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 41,518
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
That's the way it looks to me, too.
Aug 2nd 2013, 7:06 pm
#10
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 3,388
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
When I was a young woman I stayed with some friends in Paris. We were fairly hippy/punk in appearance. One day we were stopped by some 'flics' who demanded we produce our 'papiers' . While we were getting out our ID cards and passports, a very respectable looking middle aged man came up and started remonstrating with the policemen. He wanted to know why they weren't asking for his papers and demanded that they did so. Very pink in the face, the policemen examined his papers and reassured him that they were satisfied that he was, in fact, the local Gaullist (Conservative) councillor.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
Aug 2nd 2013, 8:30 pm
#11
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Joined: Jul 2002
Location: Dreich Alba
Posts: 12,006
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
When I was a young woman I stayed with some friends in Paris. We were fairly hippy/punk in appearance. One day we were stopped by some 'flics' who demanded we produce our 'papiers' . While we were getting out our ID cards and passports, a very respectable looking middle aged man came up and started remonstrating with the policemen. He wanted to know why they weren't asking for his papers and demanded that they did so. Very pink in the face, the policemen examined his papers and reassured him that they were satisfied that he was, in fact, the local Gaullist (Conservative) councillor.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
Aug 2nd 2013, 8:34 pm
#12
Was in Canada, now home.
Joined: Aug 2011
Location: Devon
Posts: 3,388
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
"National profiling" would be discriminatory, if it existed and you hadn't made the term up, and if it wasn't just another word for racial profiling.
Aug 2nd 2013, 8:57 pm
#13
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Joined: Nov 2007
Location: Beautiful Dorset, UK
Posts: 2,195
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
What powers do the UKBA officers have in this situation? I didn't think there was any legal requirement to carry ID papers in the UK....
Aug 2nd 2013, 9:14 pm
#14
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,215
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England
When I was a young woman I stayed with some friends in Paris. We were fairly hippy/punk in appearance. One day we were stopped by some 'flics' who demanded we produce our 'papiers' . While we were getting out our ID cards and passports, a very respectable looking middle aged man came up and started remonstrating with the policemen. He wanted to know why they weren't asking for his papers and demanded that they did so. Very pink in the face, the policemen examined his papers and reassured him that they were satisfied that he was, in fact, the local Gaullist (Conservative) councillor.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
On what basis are the UKBA approaching people on the tube? If it is on the basis of racial profiling it is discriminatory. If I saw them doing it, I hope I'd follow the example set by that Gaullist councillor 40 years ago.
Aug 2nd 2013, 9:15 pm
#15
Concierge
Joined: May 2006
Location: ex ex-pat, in Taunton
Posts: 27,215
Re: This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England