A Welsh dragon is unleashed: Furious Tesco shopper tears away plastic sheets and asks how children's clothes are 'non-essential' in run-up to winter under Wales's 'disgraceful' Covid rules
Years ago during the Cold War, I read an article on local governments and their contingency plans for the outbreak of nuclear war. The only part of the article I remember is an interview with a senior local government officer.
This local government chap was asked how he would cope with lawless behaviour such as looting in the immediate aftermath of nuclear war. He seemed keen to stress that he had what he called the ultimate sanction available to him. In other words he believed he would have the power of summary execution and seemed quite confident that he would use it if he saw fit.
He mention the term ultimate sanction a number of times, almost as if he relished the idea that he could have such power, however remote the possibility might be from his humdrum life.
We see something similar now, because there is certainly a degree of officious enthusiasm behind draconian coronavirus restrictions. There are people who genuinely relish the repressive nature of the restrictions. We have always known there are people like that, but the coronavirus debacle certainly rams the message home.
9 comments:
Yes, I do recall that after a nuclear attack the powers that be had plans to arm Traffic Wardens to police the 'zombies' (Ordinary people hit by radioactive fallout) with orders to shoot on sight. Nice people, the ruling classes.
I read somewhere -
"How would you have coped in 1930s Germany? Look around you."
Slightly too true . . .
Covid, like Brexit, has been an educative learning experience, if you have the inclination to learn. Brexit taught us that many people in positions of power have only a veneer of adherence to the concept of democracy, and covid is teaching us that while we always knew that those in authority would always take any opportunity to wield their power over the public, there are just as many if not more of the general public who long for the same power over their neighbour.
There are certain types of bluster that you can't really do in America, because people are armed.
If there are certain authoritarian types who relish the distant prospect of power, the converse is that there are guys with power who would not use it against their own. That Local Government official would probably find that trained troops would probably desert or refuse to obey orders, and shoot him first.
Well, I hope so, anyway.
I'm rather hoping that the next person in Tesco, just wearing pants, will be Miss Rita Chevrolette, 29...
I only ever buy items I consider essential (just like everyone else does too), so why would a shop stock items no-one wants? This farce cannot continue!
Bill - amazing what they come up with while sitting round tables. As if real life is another planet.
Jannie - it is too true. Most of us would have gone along with it at least.
Sobers - I agree, Covid and Brexit have been a real learning experience. People want their comfort blankets and don't want to work things out for themselves.
Sam - I hope so too. I can't see local bureaucrats being on an army list of essential expertise.
Scrobs - why not start a rumour about the virus being transmitted by clothing?
Ed - I'm still mildly amazed that the farce ever started. As mentioned above, it's been a real learning experience.
Taking up your suggestion to Michael, I suggest, "SARS-CoV-2 stays active for days on some clothing materials, notably buttons, poppers, zippers and belts (where finger's contact)".
It might even be true!
Ed - and the advice to cough or sneeze into your bent elbow must impregnate the sleeve fabric with huge numbers of microorganisms.
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