I'm supposed to be finishing a conference paper on John Locke's theory of war for the University of Hull, but I'm so distracted by the news that keeps coming in of hunt supporters rebelling against Blair's backbenchers who are seeking to ban hunting with hounds – hardly a chapter goes by without finding something relevant in Johnny Locket.
For instance, Locke continually insists that the only justification for war is that of self-defence and only against an aggressor who violates or attacks one's life, liberty, and/or property. There is no distinguishing between the three values for Locke – an attack on one's property is as vile as an attack on one's body.
The hunting community are suffering from an attack against all three values. The ban will directly throw thousands out of work; it prohibits humans from engaging in a natural act of ridding pests and vermin from their property, and it thusly and thirdly denies rights of usage to the owners' land.
Last week eight brave supporters got into the House of Commons and protested. Predictably, socialist and u2018activist' Labour MPs branded the freedom-fighters as u2018thugs' – the same MPs had won their own socialist credentials in marches, protests, and sit-downs for more welfare dosh from the taxpayer of course.
Hunts are self-financing and independent and the government likes them not!
Today, a top Blairbuddy is being held at his home by Welsh hunters – men and women from the mining valleys, who are as far removed from the caricature of the u2018hunting English toff classes' as you can get. These men and women do not mince their values. At one book signing last year, I spoke to an ex-mining and hunting Welshman. He told me that they wouldn't put up with any of those balaclavared animal rights hunt saboteurs – “We'd leave them in the ditches, and they know that – that's why they don't bother with us.” And besides, wearing the hoods and balaclavas – “well, you wouldn't know who you'd hit, would you?”
In my novel, Wither This Land, the hunting community kidnap a Minister to show him what it's like to have his liberties taken away. I've sold the book to many of the top people in the Countryside Alliance and Countryside Action Network, although I don't think my story has influenced present proceedings, rather it has predicted them. Nonetheless, fact and fiction have converged eerily over the past year and even anti-hunting acquaintances have had to think twice about our political drift.
There is a growing bubble of frustration and anger in the country, which I picked up on in the novel, and since publication I've been banging on doors to get the book greater distribution and coverage. But it's difficult with a left-leaning literary establishment that would be more entertained by stories of gay repression in Thatcher's Britain than a nation being split apart by political correctness and being sold by the pound by euro-philes and philistine bendy-wendy spin-doctors smoothing the brains of the nation with GM-free gloss paint.
Reading Locke, I find that “hunting delighted him” – good man! – but more importantly, we find a reasonable and coherent defence of liberty, livelihood and property, which is sorely required in my once somewhat free country. The ban on hunting affects people's rights, and it is strongly rumoured that Prince Charles would leave the country for other hunting fields should a ban be passed. In that light, Locke's comments on invading the rights of the princes or people distract me further! “I am sure,” writes Locke, “whoever … by force goes about to invade the Rights of either Prince or People, and lays the foundation for overturning the Constitution and Frame of any Just Government, is guilty of the greatest Crime, I think, a Man is capable of, being to answer for all those mischiefs of Blood, Rapine, and Desolation, which the breaking to pieces of Governments bring on a Countrey. And he who does it, is justly to be esteemed the common Enemy and Pest of Mankind; and is to be treated accordingly.” (Second Treatise, 418)
So one Minister is held u2018hostage' by hunt supporters. Another – the slimy Alun Michael (strongly resembling Minister for Rural Affairs Alan Jones in my novel) – cowardly backed out of a meeting last week to u2018celebrate' to so-called u2018right to roam' Act, which permits anyone to wander freely across farmers' lands – lands which the government says the owners will not be allowed to hunt on. A potential protest prompted his quick withdrawal. Maybe he had heard of the kidnap plan …
More is being planned – and I hope to get to some of the demonstrations in my area. The government's taken on the countryside, the landowners, hunting miners, country sports enthusiasts, the majority of the press, the monarchy, and human rights acts. We'll see how far this political suicide continues – after all, in 1974, the miners brought down the socialist Conservative Government of Edward Heath, may be the Hunts can bring down the warmonger Blair and his class-war activists.
Tally ho!
September 28, 2004
