The Southport Drinker rails against the anti alcohol lobby a lot. Stonch too has pointed out the insidious way they make their point. The Pub Curmudgeon also vents his spleen in this direction and the re-incarnated Tyson has exasperatedly mentioned it too in a recent post. You don't need me to add to this, but one thing. As I go about my household duties, I listen to Radio 4. So what's coming up at 12 noon in "You and Yours?" I quote "Alcohol:How can we reduce the harm alcohol causes our society?".
Looks like I'll be listening to the Navy Lark on Radio 7 instead. Or maybe Five Live. I doubt if my nerves can stand another bloody lecture!
Ironically what does the BBC use to illustrate its show? Look at the picture and see.
A few months back the PM program ran an extremely one sided week long piece on alcohol featuring folks who had ruined their lives through too much alcohol.
ReplyDeleteIt's the only time I've felt angry enough to write in. I merely requested that, in the interests of balanced journalism, an equivalent amount of airtime should be given to those folk whose go out an enjoy a pint whilst holding down a steady job.
Predictably I got no reply.
This is a further example of the actions of the New Temperance Movement, to which I have referred previously. At the CAMRA AGM this year in Cardiff, I attended a seminar on the NTM and what CAMRA can do to combat it, and the campaign that is being waged now about community pubs being the safest places for drink has partly come from that. The NTM is employing people and tactics from the anti-smoking campaign, and hopes to achieve a similar result. It won't of course, but it could do a lot of damage along the way. As to anyone who thinks this is one conspiracy theory too far, I would simply ask whether they can convincingly argue that it is an accident that all this anti-drink pressure is steadily mounting.
ReplyDeleteI believe that many MPs, on at least £63,000 per year (plus expenses) with subsidised bars that had all day drinking long before it was made legal for the rest of us, and who are allowed to smoke in the Palace of Westminster, can be far too insulated from real life to make informed decisions on this matter, and may well be persuaded by the NTM propaganda.
There is a minimum price petition to the Prime Minister on the CAMRA website that is worth looking at; non-members can sign it as well. It is aimed at reducing the price gap between pubs and supermarkets without raising pub prices, and thereby tackling a major cause of binge drinking. Signing it might be a way of piercing the politicians' preconceptions on this issue.
Sounds like creeping American puritanism to me. Better kick out all the expats!
ReplyDeleteI think alcohol is too much part of our culture for it lose much ground although that's no reason to be complacent.The riposte should be promoting real ale - a wholesome product of natural ingredients enjoyed in moderation. That and listening to the Navy Lark!
ReplyDeleteIt's puritanism pure and simple. After drugs, cigs, alcohol what's next - shagging?
ReplyDeleteSD i'm not looking forward to the shagging shelters outside of pubs!
ReplyDeleteSpoilsport!
ReplyDelete