Coming so soon after this post, I know I'm in danger of turning into what George Orwell so famously described as one of those "fruit-juice drinker" types that he berates in The Road To Wigan Pier but I don't care, I really love this article by Leo Benedictus in today's Guardian.
Benedictus in the article is in no way naive of the experience and difficulties that beset the coalition of communities that co-exist in London, but what emerges from reading the article is that core sense of decency that I believe we all share irrespective of where we are from, what language we speak or who we think should win Celebrity Big Brother.* As Benedictus himself writes:
"The following articles are based on brief visits and should not form the basis of any new generalisations; instead, it is hoped that they will help to undermine some of the old ones. One principle, however, was confirmed and reconfirmed by every encounter. Vietnamese, Somalis, Congolese, Koreans, Portuguese, Nigerians, Turks and Poles are really just the same as everybody else - they work hard, love their kids and move to the suburbs when they can afford it."
Maybe I'm reading too much into the article, or at least taking from it what I want to see, and I do seem to be using that word 'decency' a lot lately - and it's not even my word - but it is what I truly believe and in my naive fashion what underpins my politics in a roundabout way. Maybe I'll just have to finally get round to stumping up for that thesarus I've always needed.
OK - I'm off to knit myself some tofu for my tea tonight.
* Write in vote for Germaine Greer
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