As I look back to the heat of summer and what I wrote about Left v Right. I wonder if we are any closer to finding the middle ground of a debate? Its fair to assume that immigration has dominated the news this summer. So, when politicians head back to parliament for a short period, until they break for conference season. Have they been listening to what I call the quiet majority I wonder?
Living in Epping I have seen and heard the frustration of many people the last few weeks. But what you don’t see is the conversations many of us have bumping into each other. Many are fair people with a wide range of views on many different topics. It reminds me of what I have already learnt in my 57 years, many of us have a different world view, based on what we have seen and lived through. Some of us have seen how labels and ignoring people can often make communities angry.
Living on an old council estate, you heard labels being thrown around like ‘thugs’ or ‘racists’ simply for the haircut we had. Now we are seeing more labels coming out yet again. No more no2 buzzcuts perhaps, but the labels seem the same. Many commentators framed as ‘immigration experts’ who give their views and lines written for them, with their media training. They will throw labels around like confetti at a summer wedding. They do that in my view, because they don’t have the lived experience many of us have.
Those that Know You The Least Will Often Judge You The Most
Why are they so quick to label people, who is writing the lines given to them for their commentary? I have lost count how many times I have said the words, those that know you the least, will often judge you the most. Many do that because they rarely meet us, they don’t see what we see, our perspective is alien to them. As they often talk about asylum seekers and migration, many with banners saying come on in. I was actually saddened to see a disability organisation banner in Epping. Basically along the lines of, you are welcome here and those opposing are racist.
But what they ignored is that many of us with disabilities and a new diagnosis, often need help themselves. I lost everything when I had kidney failure for example, I know what it can do to you. Why then are we ignoring our own people who need help? Its so incredibly naive to think the numbers coming in are sustainable. Just to be clear, I have no issue with people coming here having worked with many. Also as a transplant patient I have been treated by people from all over the world. But basic common sense should tell you that the numbers are not sustainable.
Are politicians ignoring who I refer too as the quiet majority? Waving flags and giving their views, protesting about what they care about. Now we see many upset by flags, which got me thinking. How is it any different to other protests that have happened with other flags? The minute people who often suffer in silence speak up, many standing up and giving their views. Suddenly, often instantly, they are labelled as right wing racists, why? Its worrying to me that we seem to be losing the art of debate.
Its lazy to label people in my view and it does not solve the problem we have in this country, nor does it lead to a wider debate. People need to share their views and as I wrote about in left v right, I believe many are middle of the road. I hope to explore more with the quiet majority from September and see where is goes, if anywhere at all. I kind of figured its best to at least try and get back to the middle ground of a debate. If you would like to get involved, by all means contact me.
As someone working class living in social housing, we see many labels and stereotypes. Its often the same tired lines and argument, from those that have never met us. Its often assumed we take a left wing or right wing approach, but I sit firmly in the middle based on my lived experience. I have seen how people judge us, I have seen how people respond. No longer do I follow the one party is the enemy, or label someone a bigot, simply for holding a different view.
Online I have been called a centrist, perhaps because of this obsession people have with labels. Or more likely, because I am not telling them what they want to hear. I am proud that I have some balance in my views, that I don’t go straight to a label as a lazy reply. I hope, perhaps naively that we can have more debate. But I fear labels will increase, as ideologies clash and politicians try and work out what to do next.
But I will finish on this. If politicians or society as a whole, keeps ignoring the working class and those struggling the most. It will lead to you one day having to react, when arguably you should have been more proactive. You should have listened more to different views and the struggles of many in our own country. Ignoring people in our own country, is not something any politician should do, no matter what party we support or follow.
