[This was posted on my Facebook wall earlier in the week, in response to the furore of political attacks on the Environment Agency. I felt much need to vent my feelings and also that it should be placed here on my blog, for the record - and I couldn't resist the above title!]
I had to restrain myself from an outburst last Monday, following the patently childish attacks by certain political voices against the Environment Agency for the flooding in the Somerset Levels, none more aggressive (and typical of its source) than from that well known pit bull, who was momentarily and, I suspect, deliberately, but later, regrettably let off the leash by his masters - give the little mutt, Pickles, a tickle behind his ear, folks (but no more biscuits, please) - like naughty children, who've been found out and try to throw the blame on their siblings, peers or those without the ability to fight back. Do they ever think about ... are they truly blinded to the fact that we can actually see through their silly, manipulative games, or is this just another attempt at a 'clever' smoke screen to shield some other piece of skulduggery that they wish to pass through parliament unnoticed. Keep your eyes peeled for another raid on the NHS or our education system or our freedom of speech ...
Come what may, what started this post was not only a feeling of total sympathy for those, who are clearly suffering so much stress at what's happening to their land and homes in the South West, but it was also about a simple fact that seems to have eluded many of those, who think they are in 'control' of this country, and who it is patently clear are NOT ... that the rain comes from the clouds, which are formed from those huge North Atlantic storm systems that are plaguing us with exceptionally adverse weather this Winter, it does NOT come from the Environment Agency or any other agency that the aforementioned pit bull is unleashed to clamp its overfed jaws on to break up, destroy or dissolve. It might also behove those self serving political parties to this furore to start paying attention to some other well documented longer term preventative measures, like reforestation and river capture devices that hold up some of the damaging flood water and stop it from sweeping down stream to more populated areas.
And one more thing, lest we forget, the Environment Agency is strapped by regulation set in legislation by politicians, who, at some point, did listen to the people who elected them, which defines how much dredging is permitted without destroying wildlife and ecosystems that are so important to maintaining nature's balance. This may seem counter to the interests of those, who live on the Somerset Levels, but some of the weather patterns we are experiencing in recent times are giving rise to consequences that are far more powerful than human beings can control. So, politicians and power brokers, one and all, sit up and listen to the small quiet voices of wisdom that tell you about the irrefutable effects that our greedy habits are bringing to bear on global weather events. Yes start listening, carefully!
P.S. I wonder what effect Fracking will have and what additional risk of pollution would be introduced on water saturated ground? Just thought I'd ask ...
