Blog 42 I’m Spartacus

How not surprised are we? How utterly not shocked? The priveleged in their gilded cages dangling over the rest of us – the ones that bought us the Iraq Invasion, political sleaze and global economic meltdown, decided in their wisdom to play fast and loose with our right to privacy; circumvent the law and spy on us by exchanging private information internationally. That is the charge.

Prism is the name of one element of this unpleasant unfolding fiasco – and apt it may be as a prism breaks up light and throws it out at odd angles.

And they’re telling us its ok because they’ve managed to do it legally – which makes it worse not better because it’s more conniving. Remember tax avoidance, if you can find the right accountant, is often legal.

Imagine you are at school and a message goes round that 6^th formers will be punished if they are found to have bullied 5^th formers – so they get some lads in a neighbouring school to do it for them. Would that be acceptable?

I’ve blogged before about that sense of helplessness in the face of blatantly arrogant authority so here is a suggestion – a small simple one in keeping with the satirical tone of BGOTR.

Take the lead from that wonderful film Spartacus starring sparkly eyed, dimple chinned Kirk Douglas and featuring a rather saucy homoerotic scene with a young Tony Curtis.  Yes I’m sorry I have a secret weakness for these films – Quo Vadis with the oily but intense Robert Taylor, Ben Hur with the beautiful if somewhat misguided Charlton Heston plus a surprising cameo from John Le Mesurier of Dad’s Army fame – sorry, sorry, sorry, I know – back to the point...

In Spartacus, as you may remember, once the liberating leader was about to be uncovered, the supporters concealed his identity not by trying to hide him but by all claiming to be him with a shout (begun by T.C. I think) of,

‘I’m Spartacus.’

A phrase much over-used in comedy sets (yes I plead guilty).

So what I am suggesting is that you tweet, e-mail, facebook, phone or use any other communications medium at your disposal and encourage others to do the same (like those chain letters we used to send when we were 12!) sending the message to everyone and anyone you know,

‘I’m Spartacus’,

Let the bastards analyse that.

If your friends ask why – either explain in your own way it is a protest against people abusing hard won civil liberties or link them to this blog. If liberty and freedom are not their ‘bag’ then perhaps they should be watching something more appropriate – might I suggest,

Night of the Living Dead.

Though it may be worth pointing out that in the film Spartacus, all those who heroically claimed to be Spartacus get – er – crucified!