So Cameron may, or may not have, had drugs while he was at school and/or uni. I can't believe the amount of press this is getting. He was a kid, get over it. I would be reasonably sure most of us did things as teenagers which we look back on and wish we hadn't done. It isn't as though he took us into an illegal war (oh no, that's the other guy, the one people keep voting for). I am sure that the reason people feel outraged is because it manages to raise the fact he went to Eton and then people think "elitist". It really does not matter one iota whether or not he indulged. It has no impact on his ability to lead a country. In fact, we could think that maybe he is more qualified to talk about the horrors of drugs as he actually might have some experience and not be talking from an ivory tower.
7 comments:
Maybe it's because some of us remember the whole Tory debacle following Ann Widdecombe's 2000 conference speech on zero tolerance and the back down of "oh we don't mean nice middle class kids experimenting a little whilst at college" and suspect that scratch a little deeper and that double standard still exists.
If anything I have more sympathy for those who have greater need to escape the everyday than the indulgence of the privileged in getting their jollies.
Or to get biblical on you (I know, I know, don't faint):
"It is not for kings to drink wine, not for rulers to crave beer, lest they drink and forget what the law decrees, and deprive all the oppressed of their rights. Give beer to those who are perishing, wine to those who are in anguish; let them drink and forget their poverty and remember their misery no more. Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy."
I don't think that is an apt quote. I am fairly sure I can remember things about forgiveness as well. He wasn't "king" when he was at school or uni. He shouldn't take drugs now, but what he did then should not be held against him. And you se you used the privelege line. It's not to do with the fact he took drugs, if he took drugs but was at the local comp then you wouldn't care. It's the "Eton" bit that is getting everyone going.
Yes you're right it's the Eton bit that is getting everyone going. Why? Well in part because when the Tories have historically talked about cracking down on drugs they have specifically framed it in terms of the problems on what they'll call something like 'sink estates', they'll target drugs favoured by the lower classes and ethnic minorities and handily pass over (sometimes, as in the case I mentioned above, openly and explicitly) excluding nice little upper and middle class youngsters 'experimenting'. And the hypocrisy of that stinks.
Now to be fair I've never heard Cameron on the subject to know whether he has been directly hypocritical (let's face it , it's rare to hear any actual policy be uttered by the man), but he has aligned himself with a party that has a history of that position and a general zero tolerance stance to drugs generally and he's catching flak as a result. Maybe that guilt by association is a little unfair and yes, I'm sure the dislike of 'posh toffs' isn't helping, but time for the Tories to get more honest about drug use and stop drawing the line of criminality conveniently just around the outline of their feet, no?
As for the quote, I believe it speaks about bearing in mind the difference between turning to something as an escape and solice from a hard life, and on the other hand using something as pure, selfish indulgence. As above the traditional tory line has run contrary to that position.
You are just so going to beat me up next time we meet aren't you!
As if!
Nah I'll just grudgingly accept that apparently some "Tory-Tossers"tm are actually rather wonderful people.
Don't understand it myself, but it appears to be the case ;-)
Can you likewise accept a despicable leftie liberal like myself? ;-)
Reckon we can stay friends - I mean you are very lovely.
Wrong, but lovely none the less :-p
Hey, I'm male. Being wrong is a way of life to us. To be honest, after a while, you just learn to live with it.
I left a comment last night, but lost it. Just syaing how much I have enjoyed reading this dialogue from the middle ground..especailly liked the biblical quote Liz, a new one on me..very apt and political with a small p....doesn't blogging allow us to get to know poeple better!!!!!
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