I’m sat in my kitchen on a Sunday afternoon in late November, on a good day I can see for over 20 miles and the Shropshire hills, home to centuries of myths and legends are the backdrop to my life, beautiful and just remote enough to change every time that I look at them.

The sharpest peak in the photo is Caer Caradoc, it looks beautiful and peaceful but has a Bronze Age fort at the summit and is said to be the place of Caractacus’ last stand against the Roman invaders.

When dusk falls, I can see the occasional twinkle of distant lights in houses and small settlements in the distance, timeless in their fashion and a reminder of how remote some parts of the country are.

And I thank whatever providence led me here, my own land and borders, protected from casual trespassers by hedges and fences, protected by more targeted trespass by two canine early warning systems and my own willingness to ask questions afterwards should anybody gain access.

And I fear for my country, so beautiful, a shining light of civilisation and decency for centuries.

Now the home to packs of wild beasts that inhabit our once glorious cities, roaming at will, terrorising ordinary people, calling for death to the ‘other’ and demanding that we pay attention to a foreign war whilst ignoring our own citizens.

We’ve all been complicit in this, allowing the gradual erosion of our rights and meekly accepting charges of racism when the bad behaviour of others is called out.

We’ve let the drip-feed of leftist ideology, critical race theory, rising Islamism and tighter government control walk us to a point in our nation’s history that may well be pivotal for generations to come.

I read an awful lot and I watch films and TV with one eye to the underlying messages within.

I grew up idolising Batman as a character in comics and films and I genuinely think that The Dark Knight is a masterpiece that will be hard to better for generations to come.

The underlying message of hope and sacrifice is immensely powerful but I often wondered if Nolan believed the outcome himself or whether The Joker held the truth of the story.

At one point The Joker highlights the plot to come:

‘Their morals, their code; it’s a bad joke. Dropped at the first sign of trouble. They’re only as good as the world allows them to be. You’ll see- I’ll show you. When the chips are down these, uh, civilized people? They’ll eat each other. See I’m not a monster, I’m just ahead of the curve.’

Fast forward to 2021 and these words were prophetic.

People reported their families, friends and neighbours for infractions of rules that made no sense and did so gleefully.

The police became an instrument of the state, arresting people for drinking coffee and beating people in the streets for daring to be in the open air.

We’re now watching people march in support for terrorists and break the law en masse while the same police watch and do nothing, while the same cowed and cowardly police forces arrest lone men for ‘racist words’

We’re close to a tipping point of some sort.

I watch a lot of films.

Cabaret isn’t available to stream or buy anywhere these days.

It’s curious.

A great film with amazing performances, songs and choreography that shines a light on pre-war Germany and the rise of the nazis.

From an early scene where Joel Grey’s MC takes the piss out of Hitler , through to a vicious beating by Brownshirts of the club owner to this little number where he’s dancing with a gorilla

‘I know what you’re thinking:
You wondered why I chose her
Out of all the ladies in the world.
That’s just a first impression,
What good’s a first impression?
If you knew her like I do
It would change you’re point of view.

If you could see her through my eyes
You wouldn’t wonder at all.
If you could see her through my eyes
I guarantee you would fall (like I did).
When we’re in public togtheer
I hear society moan. 
But if they could see her through my eyes
Maybe they’d leave us alone. 

Spoken: (There you are my liebling. Your favourite!)

How can I speak of her virtues,
I don’t know where to begin?
She’s clever, she’s smart, she reads musics
She doesn’t smoke or drink gin (like I do).
Yet when we’re walking together
They sneer if I’m holding her hand.
But if they could see her through my eyes
Maybe they’d all understand.

(Emcee and Gorilla dance)
Why can’t they leave us alone. 

Spoken: Meine Damen und Herren, Mesdames and Messieurs
Ladies and Gentleman
Is it a crime to fall in love?
Can we ever tell where the heart truly leads us?
All we are asking is eine bisschen Verstandnis 
Why can’t the world leben und leben lassen?
‘Live and let live….’ 

I understand your objection
I grant you the problem’s not small
But if you could see her through my eyes
She wouldn’t look Jewish at all.’

And that’s the point that I think we’re close to.

The normalisation of hate and the beginnings of something very, very bad.

Our state media hides from the truth of a massacre and allows blatant propaganda from rapist child murderers.

I live remotely enough that I’ll probably be untouched by what’s coming, but..

But.

If we don’t all start standing up now, whatever we and this shining little island once stood for will be gone.

And it will be our fault.

One last line from a film.

This time it’s The Terminator

Sarah Connor: What did he just say? Gas Station Attendant: He said there’s a storm coming in. Sarah Connor: [sighs] I know

Get ready