Rare Privileges

Hello there, I hope 2022 has started positively for you all and things are looking good for this coming year. Before I go on, I'd like to thank all of you who have taken the time to get in touch about the novel I finished last year called 'Barefoot on the Grass.' All I can say, for now, is there are no immediate plans for a release as I am waiting for news, but as soon as I know more, obviously, I will share with you. I would also like to take this opportunity to say thank you for all the New Year wishes, I share your hopes that better times are coming for us all. Anyway, my motivation for writing this post today is because of recent events in the news regarding those who are well known and how far removed their lives seem to be when compared to most of us. It does feel, where rules are followed by the majority, there are some people who seem completely convinced, they should not be treated the same. In fact, in more than one case, they appear almost offended when they believe their freedoms are being restricted regardless of what's happening with the rest of the population.

As an example, the Prime Minister of the UK, Boris Johnson has been in charge of the country for the entire time COVID has been such a part of our lives. When it was at its worst, he would give nightly briefings on television, asking us all to stay home, to wear masks, and to outline the numerous restrictions which were deemed necessary, to keep us all safe. Although there were a few people who felt the subsequent lockdowns, the vaccination rollout, etc were all part of some wild conspiracy, most of the population appreciated the basic common sense behind taking extra care and complied with the rules which were rapidly put in place. Even though it did mean, we couldn't meet up socially, we had to maintain a degree of distance between us and any kind of travel was strictly forbidden. Like so many other nations in the world, it was not easy for us to live without our usual freedoms but if it meant keeping everyone safe, it felt like a small price to pay. However, while the vast majority of the population were following the rules, some of the members of Mr Johnson's government clearly believed, it should be a case of 'do what we say but not what we do.' 

First, one of the PM's former aides, Dominic Cummings was discovered to have travelled quite extensively around the country with his family. When this news was released, he insisted he had not really broken the rules and proceeded to offer a decidedly dubious list of reasons as to why he had been out and about. Next, we had the now-former health secretary, Matt Hancock, who had spent some considerable time telling us all about the importance of social distancing and how it was imperative we didn't get too close to each other. Sadly, for Mr. Hancock, CCTV footage from his offices was released to the tabloid press, showing him in a steamy clinch with a woman who turned out not to be his wife. Considering the placement of his hands, not to mention other parts of his body, it was blindingly obvious they were not observing any of his own rules! Even more recently, it seems the PM was hosting all manner of parties for his staff while everyone else had nothing more than the hope of a Zoom call to keep up in touch with their family.

But it's not just politicians, there have been numerous other incidences where someone has decided the rules are not something that applies to them. At the height of lockdown, the singer Rita Ora hosted a birthday party with thirty guests at a restaurant that should have been closed, countless influencers left the UK for Dubai and posted endless pictures of themselves pouting away while showing scant regard either for the local population or anyone they might meet when they returned to their own country. I doubt whether any of us missed the apparent ease with which celebrities hopped around the globe while we had to prove even stepping outside the front door was actually necessary. When the restrictions started to hit the USA, it was really quite staggering how many American A-Listers ended up in Australia, pictured enjoying sun-drenched days on the beach, maybe lounging on the deck of a lavish yacht or mingling with guests at a barbecue. Now, please do not misunderstand, I can say with total sincerity, jealousy is not the motivation for this post - it's the blatant injustice that really has got under my skin! How can it be absolutely vital the majority of us stay home, wear masks, etc, whereas those with money can carry on their lives as normal? Worse still, when fines for not complying with the government guidelines were being handed out left, right and centre, it seemed there was a huge blindspot when the person committing the offence had once appeared in a movie! It's not as if they received the same treatment as the rest of us - even when Ms Ora was eventually fined for her party, she promptly leapt on a plane and flew to Australia and the USA, while almost no one else was allowed to even get on a bus without a valid reason.

I do believe the pandemic has highlighted just how exasperated the general public has become of the antics of the privileged few. I have heard so many times, "if we did that, we would be in so much trouble", when yet another example is exposed by the press. But I don't believe the fault lies entirely with those with these privileges, we have to look at those who make the rules too. Can it be they are so starstruck, that even the thought they might have to actually punish a celebrity is beyond them? Is it because of the immense wealth some people have, they can buy their way past the rules? You would hope not but I'm really not so sure. It's proudly stated by many nations across the world, nobody is above the law, but that doesn't seem to be true at all. If you have enough money, if your face is instantly recognisable, it seems to follow, the law doesn't always apply to you. I know there have been a few who have received a fine but it's entirely possible if you asked a celebrity about COVID restrictions, they would have almost no idea what you were talking about. After all, their lives haven't changed at all, they can still travel, socialise and do all the things they always could. Personally, I have never been more thankful for the advent of the smartphone because now nearly everyone has a camera with them, at the very least, it's infinitely more likely, certain people will get caught out and maybe it will deter others from having such a cavalier attitude.

Finally, I want to say, I have abided by all the restrictions that the UK government has put in place because I believe it's important to do anything which might protect our community. For me, it had nothing to do with which political party was in charge, it was always about trying to keep as many people COVID- free as possible. Whether or not you approve of vaccines, whether you even believe the pandemic was real- it seems to me, to potentially risk a person's health is not a price I am willing to pay. It's this last point that really makes the actions of some of the privileged few so obnoxious- their only concern is for themselves and not wanting to be inconvenienced by rules that, in their mind, should not apply to them. I hope the concept of 'nobody being above the law' stops being nothing more than a noble idea and starts to become a fact again because that really is how it should be - all of us being treated equally.

Anyway, that's probably more than enough for one day, so please stay safe and as always..until the next time,

Take care out there xxx