Johnny Vedmore

The BBC presenters seem to smile smugly as they read out more accusations of anti-semitism leveled at Corbyn’s Labour Party. The headlines morph and evolve as they are told over the United Kingdom’s rolling news networks. First of all the newsreader tells of “anti-Jewish” comments made by a Labour member. But when no one is found to argue against the vague accusations, the wording changes to anti-semitism. The BBC is being constantly lobbied by the Israeli government, they always have been under significant pressure from the Middle Eastern nation, but about a decade ago, they appeared to stop fighting back. Now we are bombarded with fake news stories where the wording has become like a giant sticky cobweb, capable of trapping the naive passer-by, but also the shrewdest linguists.

I’ve been listening to Ben Shapiro intensely for over two years. I’ve been a regular listener, but not because I respect his points of view on any subject, and especially not because I love the tone of his voice, but because I’ve been preparing for the future. A few years ago, I decided to change the way I communicate with people of a different ideological persuasion. The Brexit debate had taught me something intriguing about how two opposing forces actually discuss their opinions. Most sticking points in any argument over such a divisive issue were usually because of the language used. People would often become offended enough to halt the discussion and declare someone an obvious racist, or a wet liberal. This would then lead to an exchange of personal insults, and/or virtue signaling, followed by the end of discussing any real issue. I thought that was not how adults were meant to act, but to be honest it seems as though the majority of people are only capable of a discussion with people who wholeheartedly agree with all of their opinions. Houses all over the world are filled with people of similar views agreeing with each other, and cursing their joint ideological enemies. How are we meant to get anywhere if we are incapable of having a simple discussion about policies with the people we oppose? So I decided to learn how to listen to the enemy.

I am completely and utterly fed up with Brexit, you might be as well. But it seems as though the savage Leave and Remain armies, that do battle daily, have become stuck in a kind of ideological trench warfare, with neither side willing to budge an inch. None of the participants involved in the Brexit debate will submit to the will of the other, a massive democratic decision is being rolled back, and each side is looking more and more like fascist generals squaring off their infantrymen and preparing for death or glory.

The small 15-year-old girl stood on the doorstep of the formidable Kendall House with her child care officer. Her stepfather and mother had no desire to continue being her legal guardians, and there were little other options open to a homeless teenager in the early 1970s. They had made the poor little lady homeless at a crucial and complicated time in her mental and physical development. Her child care officer had spent the time in the car on the way to her future accommodation telling the anxious young lady of how great Kendall house was. By the time the girl was stood on the front step of the care home she would have had a chest full of excitement and trepidation. The front door opened to the sight of a strict-looking lady, who engaged in a brief conversation with the girl's official state chaperone. Once he was out of sight the lady looked down upon the teenage girl, “I’m Miss Law” she said, “I’m in charge of this place.” The girl must have felt a chill down her spine as Miss Law grabbed her by her hair and pulled her in through the door. She realised at that moment that this was not the fairytale palace which had been sold to her during the short journey there.

Our country is weak. Our citizens are disillusioned, and susceptible to promises, which can never be achieved. Our previous generations had warned us constantly that we should never let this happen again. The many angry people of these British Isles, who feel voiceless and persecuted, are crying out for an authoritarian figure, who can unite them under another crooked and murderous ideology. We are on a path to civil war and death camps, and if you think I am exaggerating then you are incredibly naive.

Happy Brexit everybody! So this what the future looks like. I was promised pink hoverboards and killer cyborgs but instead we’ll be arguing about Brexit as our crazy little island sinks into the rising tides.