Rhubarb, laburnum,
rhododendron, juniper,
pulmonaria, digitalis,
nicotinia, periwinkle,
cannabis, aconitum,
salvia, laurel, hemlock,
rosemary, farage.
With acknowledgements to
The Poison Garden at Alnwick Gardens in Northumberland
I'll have a go at explaining it, MC. The fact that some of the working-class were/are racists is no justification for racism. Alf Garnett was no working-class hero. There is no justification for the current violence on the streets, and yet you, as an ex-copper, seem strangely reluctant to come out and say exactly that. I can only conclude that you are in fact working undercover for the Met by pretending to be a follower of online conspiracy theories such as 'two-tier policing' which you mentioned recently elsewhere. Oh ... I've blown your cover. Sorry.
Wed 7th Aug 2024 10:36
MC,
brilliant classicist or not, Powell was an out and out racist, in that he approved of refusing housing, employment, and public services to people on the grounds of colour, race and ethnic or national origins; hence his oppostion to the Race Relations Act.
The “Rivers of Blood” appellation derives from his allusion to a prophecy in Virgil’s Aenid: in which he said: “…like the Roman, I seem to see 'the River Tiber foaming with much blood'.”
And no, the working classes are not racists as you appear to imply: the Battle of Cable Street in 1936, against the British Union of Fascists, fought by trade unionists, communists, anarchists, British Jews, and various socialist groups proved that.
Interesting views. There never were the words "Rivers of blood"
ascribed to Powell. He was a brilliant classicist who talked of
the "Tiber" from a Roman POV. The latter day interest is that the
working class of his time seemed to get what he was alluding
to and were his biggest supporters by far. Explain that in retrospect, if you can.
Mon 5th Aug 2024 09:52
I've been there Greg, and you're spot on.
The very same people who were spouting his racist rhetoric in the pub, during the Brexit campaign were yesterday, regurgitating Powell's "Rivers of Blood" bile whilst the pub doors had to be locked on police advice.
Sheep, "Led by Donkeys"!
A re-post from 2021 ... I have no words for the present situation, apart from these. I have never written a poem about 'Tommy Robinson', and I hope I never will
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M.C. Newberry
Thu 8th Aug 2024 19:00
Certainly, in the context of today's views, Powell is the epitome
of "racism". His stance is consistently challenged albeit he is
not around to defend his prophecies. He gave an interview to
a prominent US talk show host back in the day that is worth
referring to, in which he explained his position over the
accusation of "racism". I did not "imply" that the working class
were racists, merely that they were his biggest supporters on
what was reported then. It is demonstrably incorrect and
patronising to assume that they could not understand how
uncontrolled/unlimited immigration could affect their own
lives and were suspicious of its outcome. Fast forward??????