Plea to the irresponsible (Mike Bradley)
With the return of longer periods of daylight and better weather thoughts turn to spending more time out in the fresh air enjoying long walks out and about.
It is always heartening to see those committed hardy souls who every year give up their time to walk along the roadsides picking up the rubbish that a thoughtless minority discard. It would be nice if those responsible could take a little time to stop and think and dispose of their rubbish in the proper place.
Twice a year my wife and kids “do their bit” along the Laxfirth (Tingwall) road from the school out past the Vatster quarry to the main road, a distance of three miles or so and this weekend they collected seven big bags of assorted rubbish. Not an overly huge task except for the amount of dog crap left behind by some careless dog owners who also can’t be bothered to clean up after their beloved companions.
It makes the task of doing the Voar Redd Up even more hazardous as you have to constantly keep an eye out for “little gifts” so kindly left behind in the grass on the roadsides. This is especially bad in the area from the Vatster Quarry down to the brig at the bottom of the hill… presumably where the assailants assume that the dastardly deed cannot be witnessed.
So I would like to take this opportunity to thank those who do clean up but also to make an appeal to those people who walk their dogs out along this (and any other road) to also do your bit and clean up after your dogs. Also I should point out that what you are doing is not only morally wrong and antisocial, it is also illegal and you could be prosecuted for it when caught. The issue (no pun intended) has been reported to the relevant authority so be warned…. you are being watched.
Mike Bradley
Laxfirth,
Tingwall
David Spence
Mike, although you may not directly connect what I have to say to what you have written, it seems that after years and years of Tory rule (Capitalism) (and lets not pretend Tory, sorry, Tony Blair was acting as a Labour Prime Minister)) it does not surprise me that the creation of ‘ the me society ‘ now prevails.
‘ Look after number 1 and screw everybody as much as you can ‘ is the main theme and attitude of many people now. This also accounts for the very much ‘ lack of responsibility ‘ to the community (which has also been battered and broken down to the ‘ me society ‘ ) in many area’s where once upon a time people were proud to be part of a community and do their best to get involved for the greater good.
Now, people do not think like this any more unless a ‘ financial reward ‘ is involved.
It is the monetary system which dictates the moral values of our society. ‘ Why should I clean up the mess other people have made? It is not my responsibility. Mind you, if you were to ‘ pay me some money ‘ I may help in cleaning up the mess ‘, would be the attitude of most people nowadays, unfortunately.
It is a shame that Shetland, in terms of the communal value, has gone like many other places, where selfishness, not my responsibility, what can I get out of this financially, is the basis of our society now.
Are we better off in terms of the community being stronger under a Conservative Government?……..Well, it seems after years and years of Tory rule, we are most certainly not.
Gordon Harmer
David, although you may not directly connect what I have to say to what you have written, here I go anyway.
Here’s me thinking you could maybe bring the subject of capitalism in on a conversation about frogs legs; but dog poo, you have excelled yourself.
Maybe you should have gone down the road of a capitalist is someone who would come along and gather up all the dog poo and convert it into something useful, using slave labour. Then cleverly market it and make millions selling it to the poor unsuspecting, hard done by proletariat.
The problem with socialism is the proletariat isn’t going to rise up against capitalism and consumerism. The only time they’ll rise up is during a commercial break to go to the bathroom, grab more beer or quote Karl Marx on debating web sites.
Boy are you in for a shock when the Conservatives recover from the shock of UKIP’s local election results south of the border. They are going to oust wet and weak Cameron and bring in tough Thatcherite, capitalist, consumerist Boris Johnson as Prime Minister. Your keyboard is going to melt when he implements all those extreme right wing policies the like of which we have not seen since the eighties.
Now I don’t know if what I have written is as ridiculous as your contribution but I have had a good go.
David Spence
lol Gordon, if you care to ask people what they think about the Conservatives and Margaret Thatcher, I would expect the answers you will get will not be too complimentary…….especially given the massive mixed reviews of Margaret Thatcher and her legacy as portrayed by the media. She certainly divided the country in many ways, and to a degree, still does.
I am not saying socialism is better than capitalism, afterall both political ideologies incorporate socialist values, but if we are modelling our economy based on the US system, then this does very cause division within the population. Even today the US frowns on anything remotely socialist, despite it incorporating such a system within its education, health and social responsibilities, albeit secondary to the private sector.
Gordon, I do not know if your philosophy is based on the ‘ those who are rich should get richer by exploiting everybody else mentality ‘ or your political thinking is purely on ‘ business values ‘ regardless to any social, moral responsibility or by supporting the injustices such a system may have on the population as a whole?
I would be intrigued on your views on the privatization of state run services and whether or not you feel this Government, despite Cameron saying ‘ The nhs was safe in our hands ‘ is being responsible to a minority (private enterprise) at the cost of the majority (state run services)?
I would suggest you look up the documentary ‘ Sicko ‘ by Michael Moore, and get a clearer picture of the US Health Care System (which, by the way, is 33rd in the world and not 1st as you may think) and see that it is the Insurance companies which dictate health care and treatment and not the doctors or professional medical personnel. Another aspect of the documentary also points out that Cuba, despite US propaganda, has one of the best health care systems in the world.
Yes, you can pick bones with both socialist and capitalist systems, but the overall value of those systems is reflected in the moral values of the people, and I would have to say, in regards to the United Kingdom, most people would be happier with a socialist system than the ‘ me first, screw everybody else as much as you can, financially, capitalist system ‘ which you would advocate.
Michael grant
can you pair go and get a life.
Mike Bradley
Have to agree with Mike Grant……
I am totally bewildered as to how making a reasoned plea to folk to clean up after their pooches when out for a walk can be somehow turned into a debate on the merits of political dogma (get it ? .. Dog-ma).. oh never mind… can I ask you to two to not hijack my letter and go find your own corners to set up your soap boxes. In the meantime thank you to those dog owners whom I have spoken to who fully support what I have said.
David Spence
Mike, I apologise for my previous comments. The reason I said what I said is because, and many people will agree with me, the basic fabric of our community and society has broken down to the ‘ me first and anything else thereafter ‘ which is strongly promoted by a capitalist system. You can ask many older people if society is better off now as a community or was it better in the past? I expect many people will say the community was stronger and more bonded in the past.
I fully agree with your letter in what you have said and I think there should be more done to keep the countryside clean of man-made rubbish……..albeit the Council are no longer providing skips in the rural area’s, which is a great shame and counter-productive in keeping those area’s clean.
JohnTulloch
Did we have 4000 volunteers to “redd up brukk” in this utopian age of the past?
J Tulloch, Arrochar