Category: Politics & Society

Hidden in Plain Sight

Modern slavery is often hidden in plain sight, right in front of us. It’s happening on our streets and in our towns, and awareness is a key to combating it.

Hidden in Plain Sight is a short video which shows how anyone could come across men and women held in slavery in places they visit, like nail bars, car washes and cafes in any corner of the UK, meeting the demand for cheap goods and services. It illustrates, in a compelling and cinematic way, the visible signs of modern slavery in everyday life,

The Salvation Army provides specialist support through a Government contract to rescued victims of modern slavery to help them begin to rebuild their lives. Modern slavery is sadly growing with more than 10,000 people being referred to The Salvation Army for support since 2011.

Victims frequently say they believed their traffickers when told that no-one would help them if they escaped. The Hidden in Plain Sight film ends with an opening door and a message that the Salvation Army will believe them and is ready to help. The film was gifted to the Salvation Army by director Alex Haines and the Fat Lemon Production Company.

Hidden in Plain Sight has been shortlisted in the 2020 Charity Film Awards and public votes are now needed to take the film to the finals. Please click on the link to vote, so that more people will see it. You could make a huge difference.

You can take action against modern slavery by spreading the word, sharing the video, learning how to spot the signs, and donating to help provide essential support to the thousands of people still caught in slavery today.

See also here: Unseen Promise

Staying Friends on Social Media

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The algorithms of social media often dictate that we live within an echo chamber of friends who share our outlook on life. But not everyone agrees with us, nor do we always agree with others. The old adage of ‘agreeing to disagree agreeably’ sometimes goes out of the window when passions run high, and social media can be a catalyst to entrench our opinions and polarise debate.

In an increasingly divisive society, we may need to relearn the concept of being nice, affirming each other and appreciating diversity.

When I post something on Facebook I expect disagreement, but I don’t expect rudeness. People can get so angry that others have a different, well-considered opinion from them, one that may be part of their very being.

Often on social media there is no engagement with the issue(s), just simply shouting an alternative opinion, with no concept of nuance in any discussion. We are not heard by shouting. There needs to be respect, both for ourselves and for others. It’s also perfectly acceptable to admit the merits of someone else’s position whilst not necessarily agreeing with it ourselves.

Please don’t think that I’m saying I’m perfect in this regard, I’m not. But I do feel we all need to take a careful and humble look at ourselves and how we respond to things posted on Facebook and social media generally.

Personally, I approach this as a person of faith, and so many of my attitudes, thoughts and actions derive from this and make me the person I am.

Paul writing to the Philippians says: Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others.

Here is the context of the whole passage, where Paul suggests we should have the same mindset as Christ Jesus. Be kind to each other.

Coming out as gay

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I write as a straight man, even though someone once found my website using the phrase ‘is john ager gay’, but also as someone who seeks to empathise and understand those who struggle with their sexuality and societal attitudes.

It came as a complete surprise when I heard this morning that Phillip Schofield had come out as gay, even if there were those who said they always knew.

Much has already been spoken and written about this, and I can’t possibly (nor do I intend to) cover all the issues raised by this announcement. However, I would like to raise questions of why it’s so difficult for people to come out, and why can’t people be allowed to be who they are in the first place?

I found a number of well-articulated comments on Twitter helpful in this important discussion and I leave them with you:

Owen Jones: It’s up to all LGBTQ people how or when or whether they come out. But when someone with a public platform comes out, it helps people who are struggling with their sexuality. Love and support to [Phillip Scofield]

Patrick Strudwick: Next year will be 30 yrs since I came out. (14, at my comprehensive school, it stopped me killing myself). To STILL see people trapped in the closet for decades before having desperate, highly-charged comings out reveals how little things have changed. We have so much more to do.

Sam Wise: [Phillip Schofield] grew up in a time when gay people didn’t have any rights and nobody can blame him for feeling he could not come out. Still today homophobia is alive in our society and people in the public eye feel they can’t be who they are…the fact that [he] has only felt able [to] come out now says more about our society than it does him. He’s made a courageous step today and the fact his wife and kids are right behind him with love and support is excellent.

Coming to terms with and being your authentic self is never easy, especially in the public eye. Phillip and his family deserve our love and support.

Dear friends…

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I completely and passionately remain (did you see what I did there?) of the view that the decision of the UK to leave the EU is fatally flawed. I believe some dark forces have been at work, and feel (like many Remainers) that something of my identity has been taken away. Passions run high.

But things have changed, Brexit is happening and the legal process of leaving has begun, although the full effects will not be felt until the end of the transition period in eleven months time.

It was a divisive referendum in 2016 and continues to be a bitter debate which has divided friends and split families, but now is the time for us all to come together and start healing those divisions.

It’s not the outcome I wanted, but both Leavers and Remainers need to take positive steps to understand each other and work together for the common good, because we all want what’s best for the UK.

I apologise if any of my comments or posts have caused offence over the last few years, and I hope for a similar response from others. My views haven’t changed, I need to remain true to myself, but let’s all agree to disagree agreeably and move forward together. After all, relationships are what life is ultimately about.

PS – I’ll try very hard not to say ‘I told you so’ when things go wrong, but I can’t promise. We’re all human. John.

This Sceptred Isle

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This royal throne of kings, this sceptred isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by nature for herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or as a moat defensive to a house
Against the envy of less happier lands;
This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England,
this nurse, this teeming womb of royal kings,
Feared be their breed and famous by their birth,
Renowned for their deeds as far from home
For Christian service and true chivalry
As is the sepulchre, in stubborn Jewry,
Of the world’s ransom, blessed Mary’s son;
This land of such dear souls, this dear dear land,
Dear for her reputation through the world,
Is now leased out – I die pronouncing it –
Like to a tenement or a pelting farm.
England, bound in with the triumphant sea,
Whose rocky shore beats back the envious siege
Of watery Neptune, is now bound in with shame,
With inky blots and rotten parchment bonds.
That England that was wont to conquer others
Hath made a shameful conquest of itself.

From Shakespeare’s Richard II, lines spoken by John of Gaunt.

A step in the right direction

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Like many people, I’ve become concerned about the number of plastic items and the sheer volume of plastic packaging that pass through our household, plastic adding to the many well-documented environmental problems for our planet.

I try to recycle as much as I can, but that’s by no means a solution to the problem, so I thought I’d try a bamboo toothbrush. A bamboo handle only takes six months to break down, whilst a plastic handle can take hundreds of years!

Apparently, 3.5 billion plastic toothbrushes are sold worldwide each year and most get completely lost in the recycling process, toothbrushes that end up in oceans and rivers destroying marine life and contaminating food supplies.

The make of the toothbrushes is Shibui and this word, along with shibumi and shibusa, are Japanese words which refer to a particular aesthetic of simple, subtle, and unobtrusive beauty. Like other Japanese aesthetics terms, such as iki and wabi-sabi, shibui can apply to a wide variety of subjects, not just art or fashion.

The toothbrushes come in cardboard packaging and are indeed a thing of beauty. Now to find out how functional they are.

Update: I really like them, they feel good in the hand and feel good for the planet.

An Understanding Brexiter

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Even though I profoundly disagree with Conservative MP Steve Baker, he fully understands the sadness and sorrow Remainers are feeling today as the UK leaves the EU. “I will celebrate. I will allow myself a smile, I’ll allow myself that glass of champagne, I will enjoy myself. But I’ll celebrate discreetly, and I will celebrate in a way which is respectful of the genuine sorrow that others are feeling at the same time.” Thank you for your empathy and understanding.

Update: Since posting this a number of people have challenged me about this and why I’m praising an architect of Brexit. My reply: I’m not a Steve Baker fan, but his attitude towards today is a million times better than Farage. That’s all I’m saying.