Cost of Living

[MyNameIsTerry]

I see my own politics as more centre-left actually.

Makes sense to me, Lenco. You're a level headed guy and don't display the hate of those farther left or right who are like zealots.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Back in 2008-10 (during the height of the last GFC) there were obviously quite a few individuals with very right-wing views who perceived people with disabilities as a 'drain on the system' and inadvertently 'the bane of their lives', whereas it wasn't our fault that the economy went pear-shaped towards the end of the 2000s; it was caused by global events that were largely beyond the (at least immediate) control of the authorities here in the UK. I could even sense vibes of increased hostility back then from certain staff at my then-current day centre, as if some of us were perceived as 'time-wasters' at that time, coupled with the usual (but understandable) indignation over certain staff members being 'overworked and underpaid', sadly while seemingly using some of us clients as 'scapegoats'.

Also I never understood why certain sad cases suddenly believed that they had carte blanche to go around bullying and insulting innocent individuals with disabilities (even those who were/are White British themselves) willy-nilly just because we had decided to give our membership of the EU the heave-ho.

Brexit or not, there are surely still homegrown laws and legislation in place in this country that render hate crimes of all persuasions unlawful, irrespective of all the ECHR stuff, that surely won't be going anywhere soon. It's the adequate and appropriate policing of such incidents (or the lack of it) that's also heavily at fault, plus I still think more should be done to educate youngsters about differences, and tolerance and understanding/awareness of them while still in full-time education, and not to get too embroiled in what 'Mr/Ms. Know-It-All' on social media says.

People like that shouldn't be in roles dealing with vulnerable people. It's understandable hard times can be a reason for behaviour but you still feel guilt & shame for it

As far as hate laws go nothing changes. The police are under the political spotlight making it tempting for senior coppers to go with what's trending.

Those that started being more vocal due to Brexit thought voting out of a political construct = approving of their hatred for xyz. They were wrong. The same with the Scottish referendum and God help us the border poll under the GFA when it eventually comes.

The nationalists get whipped up. The racists come out. It's up the the judicial system to show no weakness and enforce the laws in a strict manner. To do anything else will be perceived as tacit approval of their beliefs & behaviour.

It's just idiotic people. When the French lorry drivers protest some will be violent towards innocent foreign drivers. That doesn't mean public support for their underlying problems equates to attacking anyone for any reason.

[Lencoboy]

People like that shouldn't be in roles dealing with vulnerable people. It's understandable hard times can be a reason for behaviour but you still feel guilt & shame for it

As far as hate laws go nothing changes. The police are under the political spotlight making it tempting for senior coppers to go with what's trending.

Those that started being more vocal due to Brexit thought voting out of a political construct = approving of their hatred for xyz. They were wrong. The same with the Scottish referendum and God help us the border poll under the GFA when it eventually comes.

The nationalists get whipped up. The racists come out. It's up the the judicial system to show no weakness and enforce the laws in a strict manner. To do anything else will be perceived as tacit approval of their beliefs & behaviour.

It's just idiotic people. When the French lorry drivers protest some will be violent towards innocent foreign drivers. That doesn't mean public support for their underlying problems equates to attacking anyone for any reason.

And sometimes a perfect excuse and justification for certain behaviours/attitudes, even if those persons responsible aren't absolutely hard up themselves.

My dad said that certain individuals already have a kind of predisposition to certain inhumane habits/attitudes anyway (especially when it comes to longstanding issues such as domestic violence and child abuse), but sadly during periods of intense hardship they often have a tendency to exploit the situation by using it as justification for the ways that they act, even if they're far from being poverty-ridden or even far from suffering from intense stress.

Usually just power-mad bully-boys/girls.

[ankietyjoe]

Lenco, I haven't been in this thread recently and if I accused you of right wing anti immigrant idealisations and that's not the case, I apologise (something which I'm apparently not capable of).

I see you posting a lot of comments about immigrants, immigration and your 'specific politic views that you can't talk about', so it seemed obvious to me that's what you were hinting at.

It's another thing I'm particularly sensitive to as my partner is 'quite' brown, as are my two 'kinda' brown kids.

[NoraB]

It's another thing I'm particularly sensitive to as my partner is 'quite' brown, as are my two 'kinda' brown kids.

My DIL is half-Indian and my other son's partner is half-Jamaican. I have three mixed-race grandchildren, so I understand your sensitivity. However, I don't see Lenco as racist.

For a start, why should he be so passionately against the likes of that scumbag, Tommy Robinson, if he's racist? (He's very clear in his dislike of Tommy and his ilk)

My opinion is that Lenco abhors disability hate crime, regardless of race, gender or anything else. It's a massive trigger for him. When he's posting on here about disability hate crime etc, he's re-living all those bad things that happened to him. (And I understand what that feels like).

[pulisa]

Sorry AJ, but that's where you're definitely wrong about me!

For the record, I'm NOT right-wing at all and despise the current (Tory) govt and many of their policies. So please do not label me right-wing nor imply that I'm a racist, which I'm definitely NOT.

All hate crimes are appalling, regardless of whether the recipients are British, Foreign, White, Black, Brown, Disabled, you name it. So again, please don't jump to conclusions about me.

I think that Lenco has explained how he feels about hate crimes in general very openly here, Joe.

[ankietyjoe]

I know.....that's why I'm apologising for jumping on a misconstrued comment. Because sometimes comments can be misconstrued, right?

[Carnation]

Apologies for butting in on the personal debate which seems to have resolved itself and everyone's mates again and I'm taking a risk of having a wet fish across my face, but this thread is about the cost of living and I know people will be very concerned about it and it would be helpful to keep the subject in text.
Asda just put their sugar from 75p to a £1.00
Not forgetting to mention the energy companies already hiking the bills up massively and the heating isn't even in full flow yet. I'm sure they are making it up because the figures just don't make sense.
P.S. Don't like to see you guys upsetting each other.

[Lencoboy]

My DIL is half-Indian and my other son's partner is half-Jamaican. I have three mixed-race grandchildren, so I understand your sensitivity. However, I don't see Lenco as racist.

For a start, why should he be so passionately against the likes of that scumbag, Tommy Robinson, if he's racist? (He's very clear in his dislike of Tommy and his ilk)

My opinion is that Lenco abhors disability hate crime, regardless of race, gender or anything else. It's a massive trigger for him. When he's posting on here about disability hate crime etc, he's re-living all those bad things that happened to him. (And I understand what that feels like).

I have never so far (touch wood and thank God) been a victim of actual disability hate crime, or at least not knowingly anyway.

But I'm sure I've witnessed others being on the receiving end of such crimes in some form or another over the years.

As far as that gobsh1te Tommy Robinson is concerned, not only do we hardly hear of him these days but the EDL (sans TR as leader since October 2013) also seem to have petered out over the past 5 years or so as we haven't heard of any marches/demos of theirs since about 2017, thank God (again).

The EDL's rival group 'Britain First' (BF) seem to have become much lower-key over the past few years too.

Going back to AJ, I accept his apology and understand that he may have misunderstood my DHC comments in the context of Brexit and misinterpreted them as 'racist' and 'right-wing', which is far from the case.

I also acknowledged that he himself might have also been going through a bit of a bad patch recently which can sometimes make us see red in rather irrational ways and then saying or doing certain things willy-nilly without as much as a second thought which I have been known to do myself many times over the years.

[pulisa]

It's interesting that people are still willing to shell out for gig tickets and Christmas stuff though...Latest technology phones and gadgets will be flying off the (online) shelves and Black Friday (sorry, Lenco) "sales" are already on of course.

Fuel prices going up massively in March?.. Petrol/diesel vouchers as Xmas gifts maybe?