Using their nomadic and roaming, unscripted conversational chat style, hosts Stuart and William offer up a very real discussion, as they take a deep dive and explore another listener question, this time from Tony in Newbury, Berkshire, England.
"Environmental campaigns seem to easily be dismissed as localised issues, and not national things, especially here in the UK, but this habit of governments increasingly suppressing protests is seen the world over. Most environmental campaigns are generally fighting the same issues, and as long as the public perception remains of these being local issues, it will always be a David and Goliath scenario.
Campaigners are often amateurs with few resources, with the government, developers etc, and their opponents having huge resources, well paid barristers, and a rigged system in their favour.
Politicians downplay the protesters as localised issues, and lazy suppressed and oppressed journalism, all serve to divide and conquer. It's a strategy used to keep the public under control. It's not in the politicians favour to forewarn communities what will be happening to them, by revealing it in the media what is already happening in other communities. When the truth creeps out is on social media, our leaders dismiss it as staged or misrepresentation, or one sided. It all seems like the George Orwell book 1984 to me.
Isn't it time that all small local campaigns pool their resources, knowledge and skills, becoming a stronger force, and more professional, and more resilient against repression our leaders already distribute?"
Do you have a question you'd like Stuart and William to examine, discuss or debate? Send us an email thepeoplescountryside@gmail.com with your name, where you're listening from, and your question.
