At times as I watch the footage of cities being destroyed I just want to cry or get angry (usually both). I just want to ask the question how in the 21st century can a psychopath bring so much destruction and misery in the name of power lust and why does the world sit back and let this happen? We thought that after Hitler the world would never again be held to ransom by a lunatic despot. So why is it happening when most of the world hates this lunatic with a vengeance?
We can only hope that the current economic pressure being put on Russia brings the country to its knees and the people see Putin for what he is - a thug and a murderer.
The consequences for Putin must be severe, but that doesn't help Ukraine at the moment and I guess all we can do is support them in any way we can.
To this end Hethersett is holding a 24 hour Sunflower Walk for Ukraine, starting on Saturday evening at 8 pm from the centre of the village. Residents will be raising money from sponsorship to support a Ukrainian Charity which usually works on behalf of underprivileged children but which is now joining in the humanitarian effort. There is a Facebook page about the walk and also a Just Giving Page. If you would like to donate just go to the Just Giving Page and search for Sunflower Walk for Ukraine.
If you live locally and can support this walk it would be great. It is being organised by Kim Rout and she can be contacted on [email protected]. I will be out with my camera and intend walking for two to three hours and then walking some of Sunday as well. It will help in some small way to support Ukraine and also push up my mileage for my 1,500 challenge in 2022 in aid of the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
On television a couple of days ago, they had a Ukrainian singer who is singing their national anthem from her balcony in defiance of the Russians. During an interview with Breakfast TV she used the words (and I make no apology for repeating them) "Fuck Putin."
Interviewer Dan Walker immediately stopped the interview, the feed was cut and he made a big apology to any viewers upset by the language. But people need to be upset, they need to be angry. Not about one four letter word uttered with passion but about what is happening to a peaceful country.
This four letter thing poses a problem for me as it's a matter of double standards. I understand that using four letter words on television in the morning or afternoon isn't right, but here we had a person in an emotional state giving vent to her feelings and probably using the words most of us have or are uttering every day.
The double standards come from television programmes shown after the watershed where the use of four letter words is now completely normal. It is no less offensive than having them uttered during the day but it is of course acceptable because it is after the 9 pm watershed and children are all expected to be in bed. Of course no child has a television in their bedroom.
I find many four letter strewn programmes offensive but it has now become the norm and it's rather ridiculous to have to apologies when it happens during the day. We also get it when football matches are being televised. The commentator will often say "apologies if you heard any inappropriate language". This comes from a football crowd who major in inappropriate language whether you like it or not.
I remember when Johnny Rotten of the Sex Pistols made national headlines for using the F word in a Bill Grundy interview. He was castigated and Grundy was sacked. It was outrageous at the time. Now it's commonplace. I do find it objectionable when taken to the extreme by people like celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay who just pop in expletives to add to something that isn't worth listening to anyway. Ramsay seems to think that the way to deal with people are to shout and bully them!!!! Pardon me if I disagree.
And so to the subject of sport and we have the ridiculous situation where Russians are being banned from some sports but not others where they are being allowed to compete under a neutral banner with no national anthems. This is obviously ludicrous half measures. Ban the lot of them until such time as their country can behave like a democracy and until such time as they are not run by vicious henchmen.
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Whilst we were in London we went to see a thought-provoking exhibition of photographs under the heading "America in Crisis." It underlined the social inequalities in America from the 1960s until the present day and posed the question "how can the world's most advanced and richest economy be in a country where inequality is so rife?
The pictures showed everything from a family barbecue to a riot and were meant to be a snapshot of America over the past six decades.
I was particularly impressed by the work of a photographer by the name of Matt Black. He comes from California and was born in 1970 and has showcased poverty in the modern USA. To me his work is reminiscent of the literature of John Steinbeck or the art of Edward Hopper. All three wrote/painted or photographed poverty and loneliness.
One photograph from Matt Black had a special resonance for me. I haven't been able to track it down but it is of a desolate American town with a sign hanging up for anyone driving in. The sign just says "Season's Greetings." It has an immense sadness.
The exhibition has about 140 photographs. It is impossible to sum up the state of the nation in such a relatively small disaply but it has a good try.