No – really, it’s true, and it upsets me greatly.  You see, I’ve always seen myself as a nice guy doing his best to be fair, who takes people as he finds them, and whilst almost certainly a little flawed, is essentially one of the good guys.  But I got up the other morning to find that I’m not just racist, but a product of “white British cultural values”, which rather points the finger at my family and friends too.

But before you start cancelling me for being the monster I clearly am, I’m sorry to have to say that if you live in the countryside (and presumably that includes Hasketon), you’re probably one as well.   

How do I know this?    Well an organisation called the ”Wildlife and Countryside Link”, which is a charity umbrella group whose members include the RSPB, RSPCA, WWF and the National Trust, made the claim in evidence provided to Parliament on racism and its influence on the natural world. The report makes claims such as:

• the British countryside has been influenced by “racist colonial legacies” which have created an environment some fear is “dominated by white people”.
• The country’s green spaces are governed by “white British cultural values”
• The perception that the countryside is a “white space” prevents people from other ethnic backgrounds from enjoying the outdoors.
• “Racist colonial legacies continue to frame nature in the UK as a ‘white space’”.

Obviously, it’s nonsense. In fact, it’s ridiculous beyond words.  Nobody I know would even remotely qualify as a racist, and I’m pretty sure I’m not one too. I mean, where actually are these colonial legacies?   The customs post in Blacksmiths Road; the checkpoint on the B.1079, the Boulge Road vigilantes?   Madness.  It’s woke inspired claptrap coming from people who like to knock British traditions, history and way of life and then in the same breath encourage us to be tolerant towards people who in some cases extend little tolerance towards us.    The irony is that in most towns there is more open public space than there is in the countryside.  It is more spacious of course, but most open spaces are farmland either under crop or being grazed, and you better stick to the footpath if you don’t want to upset the farmer.

I think a large part of the problem is that there’s far too many ‘activists’ these days.  You know the sort of person – the people who feel strongly about their cause but aren’t really interested in taking part in a democratic process to further it.   So, they shout loudly instead of seeking to persuade, block roads, wave placards or throw soup over paintings in order to gain attention.  They’re simply annoying most of the time, (though they did happily prevent some people getting their child to a hospital appointment) and achieve very little apart from making themselves feel virtuous.

The slightly more intelligent activists find a way of worming their way into positions of influence on QUANGOs, charities, PTAs, Trade Unions etc. The head of the Wildlife and Countryside Link is a man called Richard Benwell, who very much fits this picture. People like him are more of a problem since they’re focused, cunning and driven. They’ve usually no useful contribution in the form of practical ideas, but they are good at what really turns them on, which is gaining and exercising power – especially over other people.

But here’s the thing:  I, and many others, donate money to these charities because we like to see animals protected, we enjoy watching birds, we consider the natural world to be important, the countryside is important to us.  What we DON’T do is donate money so they can use it compile a report that seeks to make us feel guilty for being white.  It’s mad. I’ve not yet resigned my membership of the RSPB, but I’m seriously considering it.

So, everybody out there, please DO come to Hasketon.  We’re all very friendly, and it would be a pleasure to see you!