The Milk Of Human Kindness Turns Sour............Again
Good to see the 5Live News Board revert to type today with class rearing its ugly head during the debate on Michael Perham's 3,500 mile voyage from Gibraltar to Antigua.
Among the almost inevitable cries of "but he was followed by Daddy," "Sailing isn't a sport," was one based on the argument that kids in the city won't be able to follow his achievement. Why do people assume that the city is some sort of no-go area for sports, if you travel into or around London, for example, by public transport what you see is a city bursting with sporting opportunities from golf ranges at Poplar, sailing clubs at Millwall, the third oldest rowing club in the world down by the Greenwich foot tunnel, football pitches, basketball courts the lot.
Michael has fulfilled an ambition that he has had since he was a (comparatively) young boy, forget the fact that his Dad was following - two miles is a long way if you capsize in mid-Atlantic, he has done something that will stay with him for life and his life has barely begun.
We all have aims, or dreams or ambitions in life. Dreams are those things which we know in our heart we can never achieve but still cling to, ambition is the thing that drives you on, believing that with the right conditions you can do something to life you above your normal circumstances. I have fulfilled many of my ambitions, and many remain unfulfilled but they are still there waiting for me.
Let's celebrate one person's achievements not denegrate them with petty jealousy.
6 comments:
Oi I stuck up for him. And your polar boating! ;-)
Agreed Paul. What that boy has done is a wonderful thing. It makes a change from the usual stories that make headlines regarding 14 year olds and he deserves our congratulations.
I disagree with anyone who spews out the old class thing with regard to sailing because of what a local council has done nearby to us. Walsall MBC actually own their own borough pool for sailing and it is used by schools in the area, not just Walsall to give school students experience of sailing. In two of the borough's schools, in what are pretty rough areas, sailing is part of the PE curriculum and a very popular choice it is too.
Yes, Paul, "Credit where credit's due" would be applicable here.
Inverted snobbery is something I've come across since I was quite young and I detest it.
I know you did Gavin and it was appreciated!
Apparently, Jane Garvey was quite shocked by it. Well what do R5 expect if they turn their station into Chav Radio ?
As for calling him a Toff, how do they know that his Dad didn't start from humble beginnings and aquire his money by working bloody hard ?
Well done to that gutsy boy.
Agree with everybody.
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