JUST ANOTHER DAY

Once again Jonathan Freedland has hit the spot. I urge you to read his piece from Friday 8th August 2025 in the Guardian at:
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/aug/08/hope-summer-gloom-escapism?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

There are areas of life that have medicinal benefits for our mental health. Not looking at or reading the news and putting in ear plugs is sometimes one’s ‘go to’ strategy to alleviating that ever present sinking feeling that there is something very wrong going on. It is not so much displacement activity or escapism, as clocking in to the fact that there are other things happening despite the surrounding gloom. A gathering of people to observe or take part in a sporting event or entertainment production is just as important as attending a demonstration against some inhuman atrocity or in support of simple human rights. The extraordinary surprise is that sporting events or leisure activity can still manage to take place. The fact that Ukrainians can appear at track and athletic meets, tennis tournaments and musical venues is an instance in point. 

What is even more surreal is the image of our Foreign Minister David Lammy happily fishing alongside Vice President of the United States J.D. Vance on the banks of an English river. Whilst it is laudable that such opposites can find common ground, it is tragic that a ‘Labour Party’ activist, who professes allegiance to a socialist ethic and welfare state politics, can have no influence, not even of any kind, over a right wing nationalist who supports a psychotic narcissist, an Israeli war monger wanted by the International Criminal Court, and a Russian dictator’s desire to claim sovereignty over another country and likewise wanted by the ICC.  Does Mr Lammy really think that flattery and bonhomie will change the course of conduct of a Donald Trump through Vance?

In addition, how can a British Prime Minister listen to Mr Trump denigrating one of his friends and colleagues in the Labour Party, and simply smile and say “Actually he’s a friend of mine”, without pointing out the atrocious and criminal friends and colleagues admired by Mr Trump. Of course that changes nothing. The fact that Mr Netanyahu can just brush aside world condemnation just because he has Mr Trump’s ear and support is an outrage. What influence Great Britain and the EU?

I am sorry to bring back gloom and doom and I refer you once again to the contemplation by Mr Freedland of joyous human activity. It is far better for you.