Jiglu: Farmtalking: Discussion: Re: RE: Governments

Originally from: coleen

Dear Pat

I am not sure where I fit in, in the grand scheme of things. I have NO liking for people in power, I accept we need them (if only to prevent anarchy taking over), but then I look and see that these people in power, are corrupt and spreading it far and wide with their ever reaching tentacles. As for truth – well that is some 'slang word incorporated from Australia. 'struth' love! I see good honest hard working people, who because they are not classed as 'superior' in this elitist society we have here in the UK ignored and looked down on. Yourself and mark come into this category – fighting for what you both believe in – and yet look at how you are received. I have written several articles on dogs coming into the UK from overseas and the many zoo that could/are entering the UK. Of course because I am a 'nobody' I hardly ever even receive a reply, when I ring up to enquire – you can hear 'it's that scare mongerer' on the phone, attitude in their voice. Yet, I pick up dogs papers and magazines and 'some named person' with a few letters after his or her name' has got what I was basically saying, in print. Is what I am writing any less important? it is most certainly as accurate as the person with the 'name'. Yet I am seen as the 'crank' and they as the 'knowledge'. We do not breed a society in this Country for bettering yourself really do we? We are still out and out snobs.

I am not a born and bred Country person and I do not go with many things that happen in it. Greed, cruelty, naivety to name but a few of the traits of some Country people – but then they all apply to people who live in the Cities also. We fought the fmd fiasco and it has earned us enemies and in some cases of being 'out of step' with REAL country people'. I think outsiders to small rural areas will always be just that – that is why there is so much opposition to 'townies' as we are called moving into the Countryside – because people fear change. The feeling that we could never love the countryside or understand it – the way a true born and bred person does. Which is true in some cases but not all.

I agree that the farming community is vulnerable, but they seem in many cases not to want help. We all hate change me included, but it is a wise man who recognises the signs and moves on before he becomes like the dinosaurs. If you can move forwards you give them less to beat you with.

I do not have any answers Pat, I can only say we each have to live with ourselves and our own conscience. If at the end of the day if telling lies and ruining other peoples lives in the bargain is how you get a 'thrill' then I guess these people must face their reckoning in another time and place. Some people would make a pact with the devil – for fame and fortune. They will still meet their maker when their time is up, just like everyone else.

Maybe we need lessons in how to spot the spin merchants and con artists. Perhaps Oxford and Cambridge Universities should think of running them (as many of the people in power seem to come from these backgrounds).

Have you ever asked yourself – if there were no alternatives to anything and we all believed and never questioned what we were told – would the World be any different?

Hope you get that book finished...

Coleen

----- Original Message -----
From: ...
Originally from: <...>
To: <...>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 12:06 PM
Subject: Re: [farmtalking] RE: Governments
Dear Coleen
This is part of an article some of my friends had a few days ago. It might
help.

"I was watching a TV programme last night covering the exploits of a
couple of Australian con-artists.

We can all be conned, I certainly have been. The revelation in last
night's programme that most of the victims seemed to continue to believe in the innocence of the pair, despite losing their money and the efforts of the police came as no surprise.

Spin merchants and con artists come out of the same stable.
Circumstances make the farming community exceptionally vulnerable.
Farming people are remarkably uniform in their opinions over a range of
matters. Blair, Prince Charles, supermarkets, the EU, the superiority of British food, field sports, America, vegetarians – all draw very similar responses from all but a few mavericks. Many of the local equivalents of these views are shared with rural communities elsewhere in the world, so it is not just Britain.

These are not the same responses that you get from the rest of the
population, which has much more varied views on the same range of subjects.

I'm not suggesting that the rural community are clones. Choose a different
set of subjects and their views would be very diverse – just that on that particular list, there is a remarkable degree of agreement. In the circumstances that arose over animal health, this particular list mattered.

The con artist or spin doctor does not work against the prejudices of his
audience, he reinforces them. Because of the remarkable uniformity of view, in this case it was really very easy.

He tells you exactly what you want to hear. You like him for that reason.
He or she, then slides in the "con" mixed up in a mass of statements that you will find congenial. If you are not alert, you swallow the con.

In fact, the only people actually likely to be telling the truth, on the
matter in hand, are those you find exceptionally irritating.

It took me a lifetime in business, working with some of the best spinners
in the world, to learn that.

ooooooooo
I'd read the Farming Weekly every week for years, so it came as no
surprise to me that I was going to be unpopular in fighting the State Veterinary Service. These crooks had all the most popular cards – and they were well capable of playing them.

It was pretty obvious that what I had to say would ruffle feathers on the
very people whose support was needed to force reform and defend my home and my wife.

Experience taught me that I would never be accepted by the farming
community because of the fight back. I was lucky that it did not really matter. Whilst nobody likes to suffer abuse and to upset people, farming is simply not that important to me.

I was just about ready to write a book on business matters, when this all
blew up and disturbed my plans.

So, I was in for a long hard slog and knew that perfectly well. The only
defence and weapon was absolute truth (within the constraints of errors and omissions.)

It is slowly beginning to dawn on even some of my most vociferous
opponents that they haven't caught me out on anything other than my spelling. Given the millions of words, that should have been pretty easy for some of these obviously talented people. However, none of the biggest loud-mouths ever bothered to actually check any of the facts. They were probably scared of what they would find.

They could have done so quite easily. Others did.
I see the most consistent opponent has degenerated to the theory that
since the media have not picked it up, I must be lying."

Regards Pat Gardiner
Author wrote:
Hi Francis
I think you will find that whatever it is your are 'researching' there
is
stacks more information in the general domain in America. We seem to
shy
away from putting the truth out there and in black and white. I think
we
have the attitude if we don't announce it – it ain't happening. The
Americans and Australians seem much more open and willing to admit and
discuss problems. Or is simply, they are not afraid to make the 'truth'
known- where as we Brits (or many Brits I should say) run scared.
I am having problems today working out 'who is speaking the truth' and
what
is utter propaganda! I am always asking myself 'what is in it for this
person then'? Is anyone else having this problem.
Coleen
----- Original Message -----
From: <...>
To: <...>
Sent: Monday, October 27, 2003 7:13 AM
Subject: [farmtalking] RE: Governments
Dear Gary, Thank you for your postings. The Vetrecord site is the
official
one for the RCVS in this country, we found it impossible to get them to
print any letters during and after the FMD epidemic in 2001. It is a
propaganda machine for "the establishment" if you like. I actually find
that
more useful info is to be gained from American sites and we got a lot of
us
stuff off the Australian vet site. Funny 'ole world ain't it ?
Frances
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