I remember when I was at school in the 1960s, being involved in a protest against the obligatory school cross country run. For many it was an annual humiliation and for others it was just something to rail against. They were turbulent times; massive cultural shifts were taking place and the world was changing rapidly. Authority was being questioned and challenged wherever you looked and it felt good to be part of that.
Our protest was harmless and got a few of us into more trouble than it was worth. The start of the race involved the whole year group, apart from those who were excused on medical grounds, lining up across a starting line dressed in white PE kit. A not very large group of us chose to wear red socks, which made us easily identifiable, and when the starting pistol fired, instead of racing off, we walked; in fact we walked all the way and of course came in as a group in last place. It was a futile, adolescent exercise of course and achieved absolutely nothing.
Today was the opening of the European Parliament. It begins with the European anthem, which is Beethoven's Ode to Joy from the ninth symphony. A large group of our MEPs, the Brexit party chose to turn their backs in a token gesture. Childish and pathetic in the eyes of the world of course, but that is the Brexit party.
I am sure that each of them will be drawing their salaries and claiming huge expenses despite doing nothing to enhance the organisation.
Our protest was harmless and got a few of us into more trouble than it was worth. The start of the race involved the whole year group, apart from those who were excused on medical grounds, lining up across a starting line dressed in white PE kit. A not very large group of us chose to wear red socks, which made us easily identifiable, and when the starting pistol fired, instead of racing off, we walked; in fact we walked all the way and of course came in as a group in last place. It was a futile, adolescent exercise of course and achieved absolutely nothing.
Today was the opening of the European Parliament. It begins with the European anthem, which is Beethoven's Ode to Joy from the ninth symphony. A large group of our MEPs, the Brexit party chose to turn their backs in a token gesture. Childish and pathetic in the eyes of the world of course, but that is the Brexit party.
I am sure that each of them will be drawing their salaries and claiming huge expenses despite doing nothing to enhance the organisation.
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