It's that time again, a time for me to have my say and to keep you informed of what is happening.
As some of you may be aware I recently gave a 'virtual' talk on Stonehenge and the Druid involvement since the infamous 'Battle of the Bean field', up to and including the present day. I can now inform you that it was recorded and will shortly be available for wider viewing and information purposes.
As well as this, I hope to shortly make available the legal arguments we have put forward over the years and have it available all in one place for information and research;
This will include evidence given and articles written,
and I am well on the way to correlating and presenting this in a 'Stand alone' format ready for uploading to a suitable place up there in cyber space,
The Vernal (Spring) Equinox, again passed peacefully at Stonehenge with myself and a handful of Druids, Pagans, and Pilgrims conducting 'our' observances from the adjacent field.
We hope to enter into discussions with the relevant Authorities this month in order to secure the opening of Stonehenge for what is called Managed open access at this years Summer Solstice, no doubt I will have more to say on that issue in May.
News now of, 'The Trials of Arthur';
The book I co-authored with CJ Stone,
Sad news, in that the revised edition is for the moment no longer available, although I hope to have a few copies put aside should the need arise;
Good news, in that we (Chris and I) have found a new publisher and we hope to relaunch under an imprint of a well known Arctic bird (other publishers are available) next Autumn. Launching simultaneously both here and in the US.
Now to the Rant side of this missive.
We are totally opposed to the current proposals going through Parliament that sets out to criminalise lifestyles and threatens non violent protest, and I personally shall oppose such legislation at the Bill stage and 'Fight' it, should it become an Act.
The excuse used that otherwise 'legal' protest may be deemed 'Illegal' when they hold up traffic or otherwise disrupt the public, would be laughable, were they not so serious.
Are they then to ban social events such as festivals (Have you ever sat in the tailback at Pilton when the Glastonbury festival is on ?) or Sporting events such as football matches or The Henley Regatta:
And what about the 'Licenced' events that cause disruption and detours to traffic, such as carnivals and Parades, are they to 'criminalise' them too? And are we to sue the owner or Driver of the broken down truck that caused the disruption that made us late for work, or will they criminalise that also?
As for those who say it's all about the level of noise, again I look to the festivals and the sporting events, the music carried on the wind and the roar of the crowd from the 'Terraces', the 'Oumpah-pah'of Brass bands on Parade. Many thing we do 'create' noise, there are those who take offence at Carol singers and street preachers, but we are not about to legislate against them are we?
Noise and disruption are part of the human condition, in fact it's these social events that make us who we are and let's face it, there would be very little point in protesting if it were not to 'make your voice heard' would there?
The lawful right to protest is in danger of being eroded and once it is we have no right to take the moral high ground against the human rights abuses elsewhere in the world, it's not so much Draconian as Authoritarian legislation and bares little or no comparison to the Land our father and ancestors fought for, and I was born into.
Arthur /|\
(c) King Arthur Pendragon 2021