Expressing indignation.

I’ve just travelled back from Uppermill on a bus that goes through Diggle and, this being the mid-afternoon, collects a bundle of school students from the high school located there. I swear there was barely a sentence to be heard that was not embellished with the word f***ing! Young people need to learn to have some variety and imagination in their cussing. On the whole it’s not even really indignant cussing; it’s just everyday language. I wonder what they say when they are really, seriously indignant about something. 

I’ve not expressed my indignation about serious stuff for a while, with or without sweary language. I’ve been avoiding the bad-news items. Here’s something new for me to get indignant about: 

“Trump, speaking on Tuesday evening at a joint press conference at the White House with the Israeli prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, said Gaza could become the “Riviera of the Middle East”, and declined to rule out sending US troops to make it happen.

“The only reason the Palestinians want to go back to Gaza is they have no alternative,” the president said. “It’s right now a demolition site. This is just a demolition site. Virtually every building is down.””

He neglected to point out that Gaza is a demolition site because the US and the UK and other countries helped provide Israel with the wherewithal to make it so. Or that perhaps the Palestinians feel that they belong there, rather than in Egypt or elsewhere.

It goes on:

“Saying Palestinians could live out their lives in “peace and harmony” elsewhere, Trump added: “The US will take over the Gaza Strip and we will do a job with it, too. We’ll own it and be responsible for dismantling all of the dangerous unexploded bombs and other weapons on the site.”

“If it’s necessary, we’ll do that, we’re going to take over that piece, we’re going to develop it, create thousands and thousands of jobs, and it’ll be something that the entire Middle East can be very proud of.”

Later, the secretary of state, Marco Rubio, wrote in a post on X: “The United States stands ready to lead and Make Gaza Beautiful Again. Our pursuit is one of lasting peace in the region for all people.””

There goes another slogan: Make Gaza Beautiful Again. I expect the Palestinians appreciate that sentiment but not on Trump’s terms.,

Here’s a bit of Michael Rosen on the latest Trumped up plan:

“Newsroom:

'Shit, have you seen this Trump thing?'

'Yup.'

'How the fuck are we gonna manage this one?'

'It's a serious proposal.'

'Like invading Ukraine?'

'Nope, we've got to look at this from all angles. The view from the hotels on Gaza will be amazing...'

'Good point.'

And here’s some of his poetry on the wider situation:

Searching for peace

is always a bit of a hunt

it's why we let Hitler

have Sudetenland.

And Hitler said thanks

that claim is the last

my ambitions for land

are all in the past.

Chamberlain said it

(but not in rhyme)

I've got the solution!

Peace in our time.

Hitler meanwhile

gave us a sign

wherever he went

would be judenrein.

in case you're asking

what does this mean?

It meant no Jews

the place would be 'clean'

Trump's on to it too,

You can hear him sing:

He says he'll 'clean out'

what he calls 'the whole thing'

But it doesn't end there

today he had the face

to say he'll send troops

to occupy the place.

Luckily we have

great liberal sages

who safeguard our freedoms

all down the ages.

They will defend us

they're on our side

They will safeguard us

from this genocide.

They will be outraged

by this murderous vision

and attack it with wit

and deadly precision.

We haven't noticed

their justification

for mass killing

and devastation.

In fact and of course

they are always persistent

in speaking in tongues

and being inconsistent.

It's us who must shout out

it's us who must persist

it's us who most protest

it's us who must resist.

Life goes on. Stay safe and well, everyone!