Leaning Into Left

What put me where I am politically?

What made me left leaning?

I grew up working class under Margaret Thatcher. I watched her and her cronies dismantle mining communities, using media manipulation, and police, and scabs.

Homosexuality was illegal. I’m not queer, but it made no logical sense to me that two consenting adults could not engage in consensual sex. It still doesn’t make any sense to me. Why is that? Because it’s a fucking stupid and dangerous thing to do to people.

The way in which the Irish were handled during The Troubles parallels the way Americans treated Muslims post 911. I have Irish blood from my two grandfathers.

I grew up during punk.

I grew up during Two Tone.

I read a lot.

I liked Alan Bleasdale. I liked Ken Loach. I liked Mike Leigh. I watched The Mark Thomas Comedy Project.

I read The Beats. I read Hunter S. Thompson.

I read 2000AD.

I lived through Tony Blair and spin courtesy of Alistair Campbell. Weapons of Mass Destruction. David Kelly dead in a field at Harrowdown Hill.

I read Mr. Nice by Howard Marks.

I listened to Rage Against The Machine.

I watched All The President’s Men.

I read Transmetropolitan.

I read Penny Red.

So many things brought me this way. And they all made sense to me.