To Hate or not to Hate a Nation?

What about if that nation should, with gifted impunity, rain down upon humanity the most horrendous crimes known to the human race? What about then? Or else, what?

In George Orwell's pioneering novel, 1984 (published 1949), the term 'Doublethink' was introduced to the world- 'the ability to, at the same time, hold two contradictory beliefs.' The word was Orwell's but the concept- that ability to openly and blatantly lie, specifically 'for political purposes,' to compliant others, a compliant cohort, an entire nation, even though that other, cohort or entire nation may have witnessed otherwise with its own eyes- had, likely, already been in operation for millennia. To tweak many definitions of the term, I think that I would highlight the 'holding of, specifically, two beliefs, perhaps going so far as to be able to differentiate, afforded the space in which to do so, emphasise also that the holding of the untruth requires an act of well-practiced self-deception. Read 1984 and it soon becomes evident to what purpose this act of self-deception is all the while undertaken.

Thirty years ago, whilst touring through the spectacular nation of Chile, I met in the coastal town of Arica, and briefly spent time with a couple of, also touring, israelis. For some reason or other they were drawn to something or other about my being. I think it may have been the fact that I was the only other known-to-be-fluent English speaking soul in the hostel. They- two young men- also spoke Spanish, fluently enough to my unpracticed ears, but 'preferred' to converse in English. These are my thoughts, several decades later, the israeli travellers' perceptions may be otherwise. We may have shared a meal, a coffee, I no longer recall, but we did spend some time in conversation. Maybe, this was mostly about the nation through which we were travelling?

A couple of days after our initial meeting, we chanced to find ourselves upon the same minibus, travelling up into the Andes. The bus owner/company was undertaking a daytrip for, ostensibly, Spanish-speaking tourists; I was set on being dropped off at a junction a couple of miles from the hamlet of Parinacota, 4,400m above sea-level, population about 30, spending a few days there. My mind was set!

My travelling 'companions' translated some of the tour info for me, although the guide also did his best for the sole non-Spanish-speaking traveller. My travelling 'companions' tried to persuade me not to disembark at such an altitude, at the end of one lonely twisty track heading out toward the twin peaks of Volcan Parinacota and Volcan Pomerape, hopefully somewhere on the plateau also the aforementioned hamlet. They were concerned for my wellbeing- altitude sickness and stuff.

To me they were a friendly duo, helpful to my orientation and progress. I left, as planned, breast pocket bulging with coca leaves, headache in tow. In my defence, I'd exploited the situation, conveniently 'forgotten' much of my student politics. We did not talk about the Occupation. I mention this event because, to my mind, these people were okay, to me they were friendly. If I met them today much would be different. Immensely so!

Back to 'Doublethink,' cousin to 'Doublespeak'- no further definition required. To contextualise this permit me to elaborate. The world, some of it, those with access to the internet, may/could, over the past two years, have observed israel undertaking a Genocide upon the Palestinian people. Definitely, within that internet-available cohort that did not feel compelled to look away, individuals could have observed images of starving and dead Palestinian infants, shortly after to be told that what they had just seen was staged or otherwise not real, that there is no starvation in Gaza. Two years into the israeli atrocities this serves as an example of overuse of Doublespeak and Doublethink. I know, I know, Israel is a non-European nation significantly founded upon blatant lies, violence, terrorism and Doublespeak. Which is why I have found myself revisiting my brief encounter with those two israeli citizens. Thirty years on I find myself feeling ashamed that I was not more attuned to the Balfour Curse! Israel may have upped its rouge status in recent years but it is only by means of certain Doublespeak-and-think that it has not always been widely regarded and treated as a rogue state, and done so by many more nations. Doublespeak and Doublethink, by other specifically Western nations, has, effectively, ushered it to its present state of 'global threat to Middle-Eastern and wider global stability.' Like a pet (former 'kitten') tiger that some idiot millionaire has just witnessed eating the rest of the man's family. Except, of course, tigers, in their element, are things of beauty and wonder... so nothing at all like israel. Nothing at all. Poor analogy! Sorry.

But, here's the thing! In order for the rogue state of israel to have gotten this far, for it to have become the only nuclear-weapon-holding state in the Middle East, armed to its filed teeth, for that Apartheid state to have 'regressed' far, far, far 'beyond' the worst of Apartheid South African brutality and outrage, for it to have effectively isolated itself from even those nations (perhaps excepting the US) that still 'officially' insist upon naming it an ally, the degree to which Doublespeak-think has crept into and subverted various additional nation's languages must have been immense beyond reason! Happily, South Africa has since disowned and distanced itself from its own shameful past. Risen to shame other Western nations, South African is currently in the process of prosecuting israel for crimes against Palestine that would have been unimagineable in (formerly) Apatheid South Africa. The World should be grateful for South Africa's convictions and should back it to the hilt!

'A land without people for a people without land,' such a romantic concept is itself Doublespeak, negating the fact that the land never was empty, negating the widespread horrors that the rogue state perpetrated at its outset. If you wished to stay in israel- WHY? for the love of god!- you could book into the King David Hotel, advertised as one of the 'leading hotels in the world.' You could stay, in comfort, at the site of the israeli bombing of the same hotel (1946), by the israeli terrorist cell, Irgun, in which 91 people perished and 45 were injured. David Ben-Gurion, israel's founder and first Prime Minister was a member of the Irgun cell, thus a terrorist! Blair, Thatcher, Obama, Clinton, Trump, Charles III have all been wined and pampered and stayed at the site. There is a plaque, at the hotel, to the incident, which, I believe Netanyahu visits annually. Several members of the israeli cabinet are more demonstrative in their celebration of the event. Israel, proud ally to the United Kingdom! Whereas israel does not 'function' as if it has any allies; israel instead has 'interests,' the UK being but one. Pick through the Doublespeak required in order to have reinvented that rogue state, currently undertaking a Genocide with US-provided, German and UK arms.

Israel! frequent participant at the Eurovision Song Contest?
Israel! participant at any and all European sporting events?
Israel! the displaced non-European state?
Israel, spaketh to the world in English, spaketh differently to the chosen people in Hebrew? Different messages for different cohorts!
What, in the name of humanity, is going on? It has required buckets of slight of hand with the language, in order to have covered more arses than we could possibly have imagined! Arses, from Balfour's right up to those of the present day- Home Secretary, Yvette Cooper's, Foreign Secretary, David Lammy's, Prime Minister, Keir Starmer's and so, so many more- autobiographies pending, red ink only, please!

One could never justify the horrors but, given that there 'is' a rogue state, labelled israel, one might expect (never tolerate) such language (Doublespeak-think) to emanate from within the rogue state. But, even this is not enough for the state of israel. Israel requires, also, that other states operate this Doublespeak-think, on their behalf. Far better than I, without reference to Doublespeak-think, at all, Denzel Washington unpacks how this language- he calls it propaganda- has shaped US politics for far too long. He cites, in particular, AIPAC (the American Israeli Public Affairs Committee). The UK's MSM routinely does not permit open debate upon the stranglehold that israel exerts via AIPAC- labelling it as an anti-Semitic trope- turns out even MSM has succumbed. We can only hope that Biden has seen Denzel's speech, understands at least the general thrust of the thing, that it has perhaps induced certain guilty pains within that hollow chest cavity- only 'pains,' we don't want you getting off that easily, we want you to recognise just how many global citizens regard you as an abhorrent War Criminal, first, Joe.

I have discovered that an even greater volume of funding, thus weaponry, than AIPAC, passes through the bloodied fists of Christians United for Israel (CUFI). If one follows this unit's 'reasoning' to it's theological conclusion it'll blow one's mind! Either they, or the God they evoke, has some serious issues with ethics!

It's been said, although never forcefully enough and not by enough people, that where the US goes the UK is sure to follow. Imagine, 'if' such stuff as Denzel has cited happened over here, why the BBC may find itself 'unable' to broadcast openly upon an ICJ identified genocide, it might not be able to broadcast documentaries that give insight into the atrocities daily being conducted by israel inside Gaza and the West Bank. It might no longer find itself having to interrupt anyone having the balls to speak out on the subject, with, "israel/the IOF refutes blah, blah, blah..." Such like. Imagine!

Had Orwell had a slightly larger window into the state of the future UK, slightly further on and into the next (21st) century, had he envisioned the empty doll that is Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, former Head of the Crown Prosecution Service, son of a toolmaker (no kidding), as PM, then it might well have ballsed-up the entire idea for his novel, brought about a complete rewrite, or he might have elected to write in Starmer as some sort of empty vessel or complete buffoon. Doublespeak may have had to become Triplespeak or Multispeak or Deadspeak, or... Somehow just plain, 'lying,' doesn't seem anywhere near adequate, does it?

With hindsight, it seems unlikely that such a character as Starmer may ever have gotten anywhere near to the leadership of the Labour Party, become the Alt-Labour Party, ultimately risen to the UK's PM, had israel not already been making a push for expansion in the Middle East (Asia, not Europe!). The use of Doublespeak burst wide-open at the election of Corbyn! Think of all those names that kept the ball in the air, the comedians, the celebrities, the lobby-journos, the politicians, BOD, all those 'bodies' of pre-appointed individuals that have steered the UK's politics, those such as the CAA (Campaign Against Antisemitism), that have dictated that which can and that which cannot, must not, be broadcast. Much like all of that Baroness Mone et al produced PPE, there must be towers of boxes of 'anti-Semitic trope' stickers, ready at the fingertips- the product equally invalid, the damage far more widespread, with unuttered claim to having been far more deadly!

Ask yourself, could any genuinely impartial Broadcasting Corporation have scheduled the broadcasting of such a 'programme' as 'Is Labour Anti-Semitic' on the virtual eve of the General Election? Much like the widely discredited '40 beheaded babies,' it matters little if the script falls apart months or years after the event. Too late! If only there were journalists in our midst who might unearth these things before the damage has been done. Better still, to have insisted that the programme be taken down on 'impartiality grounds.' Those two 'cases' (beheadings and antisemitism) were clearly deemed so urgent as to have had to sidestep the established Doublespeak methodology, instead bumped to outright lie. Can't have too many souls merely being hindered through words and statements of Doublespeak. Both barrels for these lies! 'God's Speed! Let those fabrications wing half way round the globe before the truth has gotten its socks on!' we might imagine the protagonists proclaiming.

Many of those who were formerly silent, many of those who outright lied, then hoped nobody would remember, are now manoeuvring to pretend that they were against what israel is doing all along, that they were always on the right side of history. Perhaps, in many cases, it will be easier just to skip the israeli genocide 'inconvenience' in any upcoming autobiography? Dredge up some Oscar-nomination-styled tears, should the grandkids ask too many awkward questions. Alex Davies-Jones MP managed to humiliate herself, her constituency and her nation, all in one ugly lump, demonstrating that she has likely never before had to deploy the dark art of Doublespeak, that the mask does not yet fit comfortably upon her lying nose. Alex did not Doublespeak, she outright lied, and lied to herself and, in consequence, looked af if she thoroughly disbelieved herself, as did many of the viewers. We can only guess at her state in the green room after such a debacle. 'Grandma, what did you do during the genocide?'

"There are no journalists in Gaza!" David Lammy once said, over 200 journalist deaths ago- not so long in modern day Genocide terms. Well there almost aren't, not anymore, Dave. Another quote to shun in any upcoming autobiography, I would politely like to suggest. Maybe, don't bother with the tome, at all- a 'criminal' misuse of honest ink.
Anas al-Sharif, Mohammed Qreiqeh, Ibrahim Zaher, Mohammed Noufal, Mohammed Al-Khaidi: the Civilized World honours your work and mourns your passing. May you rest in peace.

As a former member of the Labour Party, someone who has been more peripheral to the Party-as-such, finding myself aligning more often with figures such as Dennis Skinner, Tony Benn, Michael Foot (if you can remember), I believe that Alt-Labour has become what it is through way too much Doublespeak-and-think. Blair undoubtedly lied to the nation regarding weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, one million souls sacrificed in consequence. He and Straw (extraordinary rendition) should stand trial in the Hague- neither will, instead they marked and caused another significant tear in the fabric of international law and justice. They weren't the first, Kissinger was awarded the International Peace Prize way back in 1973- might just as well give it to Trump-via-Netanyahu-nomination, it's already far beyond possible means to repair; or, maybe, melt it down for another warhead. I'm rambling a bit here, back to the gist: I believe that it is the pseudo-leadership of Starmer and his over-deployment of Doublespeak and Doublethink that has finally stomped out the last dying ember of Labour as a Party of worth. Perhaps he already has a place on the board of the Tony Blair Institute, the vessel currently in 'his charge' on fire and dropping fast... eject, Sir Keir! Watch the flaming wreck spiral down from the safety of your chute.

And, much as Israel has trashed international law- which nation now could do worse to another?- through being afforded constant exemption and the open bullying of its designs upon others, Starmer, or rather those who have steered Starmer, have managed to trash far, far beyond merely the Party. Johnson may have established copyright on overreach of lying in parliament- wasn't the first to lie but the first to lie so much more than speaking the truth. So Starmer, in one sense, owes much to Johnson, the man he pretended to oppose. Turns out he's more of the same, perhaps worse, more arms for the US to deploy, more nations to threaten, more austerity for the home nation, more cuts, more lobbyists driving the ship, paying and gifting ministers, more subservience of MSM! The shift requiring deathly volumes of Doublespeak-and-think. When Home Secretary Yvette Cooper proscribed as terrorists, Palestine Action, few believed the group to be terrorists, even less so a threat to citizens. When she responded to questioning about the arrests of 500 citizens, including an elderly blind man in a wheelchair, with knowing wink-winks about secrets her government couldn't divulge, few can have believed her. 'Official Secrets' don'tcha know! 'Aunty Yvette, what did you do during the genocide?'' 'Tell us, which side were you on?' 'Did you ever kill anyone, aunty?' Not directly, rather depends how you spin it.

EDL (English Defence League), now there's a group who are prepared to deploy violence upon others. Violence and, more, threat thereof, yet still falling some way short of actual 'terrorist.' Just as well for Yvette, EDL are not proscribed, police cells are already too full of blind, wheelchair-bound pensioners. There's a thought that requires more than a modicum of Doublethink. Co-founder of Palestine Action, Huda Ammori, has accused the UK government of defamation, I think now, also, sued the government, with cited evidence from the ongoing legal challenge against the group's proscription. Huda speaks with greater conviction than does Cooper, perhaps because she's on the right side of history, against the genocide. Huda's words resound as more focused than, necessarily, do the Doublespoken words of Cooper, whose autobiography genocide chapter is going to require a mega-heavy edit before it's able to be committed to the printed page. Take some heart from Liz Truss's efforts, Yvette. And, for Heaven's sake don't use that photograph of you and israeli ambassador, Tzipi Genocide Hotovely, inside the dust jacket, makes you look mighty pasty. Just saying.

And, finally, circulating back to the heading, 'To Hate or not to Hate a Nation?' I've already made up my mind.

To the Tempo of Marching Feet!

The tighter the sound the less there is room to question. Or to slide in that wafer-thin element of doubt.

Highly pertinent to this, in whose cause do we 'march?' At whose decree? The term 'march' here being used figuratively. I write as more of a limper, myself.

Where we currently find ourselves, are we to respect or to fear those ranks of uniform? Those lines upon someone else's drawn-up map, do they shield upon our behalf, or against, at the behest of another? Are those rules delivered at an increasingly unaccountable State's bequest or that of 'our still' democratic system?

I believe that lobbyists far outnumbered members at the last Labour Party Conference. Splashing cash aplenty amongst the ranks of the annointed. Increasingly, membership is easily outnumbered, as members either flee or are hunted down by former Israeli spy, Assaf Kaplan, now operating within Starmer's cabal, trawling social media, Lord alone knows where else his talons may reach.

"What, nothing? Nothing by way of return from all those lobbyists?" we think. It has often been pointed out that Alt-Labour has no policies, or almost none, that leader Starmer spins like a cockerel in the breeze. Instead, follow the money and the direction is clear as day. Government in full sail, racing away from its citizens. To the Promised-but-never-delivered-Land!

Let us hope and pray that Your Party is soonest able to start repairing the damage, halting, for ever, the UK's ugliest chapter, 'our' nation has now sunk to culpable in an ongoing genocide! A situation unlikely to have ever been the democratic wish of its electorate. Not mine, for sure.

George Monbiot speaks far more eloquently than can I, upon the worries of governments determining who is to play the role of terrorist whilst shifting awkwardly and culpably behind the resultant and bloody shadows. Careful where you step, minister. Do not slip in all that infant blood, risk staining that gifted suit. Can the citizen, then, not any longer ask 'precisely what part is its government playing in support of the real terrorists...' whether they (culpable ministers) choose to label them (the actual terrorists) 'allies' or, worse, as 'friends.' "No friends of mine!" comes the rallying call. But, dare we any longer wave the 'wrong' flag whilst denouncing the Home-Foreign-Secretary-come-Prime-Minister? Any combination therein.

We learn now that YouTube has overtaken ITV in viewing figures amongst the young. We learn also that the BBC, a corporation many of us might have once taken to the streets to defend (Centre for Media Monitoring), has, in very short time, elected to shed that following... "In reverence to what?" we may well ask. Are we, any longer, even permitted to ask that question? 'Anti-Semitism!' the finger might point. 'Blood Libel!' those with a proven soft spot for actual genocide might shout. 'We have to point out that blah, blah, blah... the Corporation we wish we hadn't ever considered getting out of bed to protest for will bluster. No conversation may progress without a tip of the hat to 7th October 2023. Do not dare to reference the days, weeks, months, years, decades prior to this, lest you dip and tuck and nod and 'misstep' to the wrong beat! "How many infants snipered and blown apart today, in the defence of the only democracy in the Middle East?"- seriously? 'Democracy's' somebody else's label, not mine! One cannot be both an apartheid state and a democracy, doesn't work that way. "How many murdered at the hands of the most moral army in the world?" Again.

So, it's no longer really that, is it, no longer a just beat? Instead it has become a more angry tempo, the marching of another's jackboots. If Sir Keir Rodney Starmer, son of a simple toolmaker (almost Christ-like figure, really), UK Prime Miniter, wishes to wave 'recognition of statehood, something the rest of the globe takes for granted,' exploit it as the worst kind of ugly threat, then so be it- British Exceptionalism, Trump-styled.

There go your police forces, there go your ministers, there go the upper echelons of the BBC, there go the editors of the MSM, heads of the mightier corporations, CEOs of the utilities. Don't they look so smart in their garb?

Don't you dare to say that thought! Keep it locked tight in your skull, lest you too morph to terrorist. Young (including children) and/or old snatched from the street, international rights, in tatters where they so recently stood. That's how it 'works, ' Control the narrative, decide the boots. And, that, my friends, is using terrorism in order to suppress a nation. Welcome.