The Oxfam Shop in Abingdon has a rainbow window made of mostly scarves and a few books.
My heart leaps up when I behold
A rainbow in the sky:
So was it when my life began;
So is it now I am a man;
So be it when I shall grow old,
Or let me die!
The Child is father of the Man;
And I could wish my days to be
Bound each to each by natural piety.
Poem by William Wordsworth
Thanks, Backstreeter; a little flash of early morning colour.
As above, well done on the visual and literal splash of colour, it’s what keeps this blog bright, vibrant, diverse and interesting.
I’m not the biggest fan of that particular charity organisation as not only are they the most expensive shop of that kind in the town but are alleged to spend as much as 70% of the money they raise on advertising!
Hmmm. Rainbow….. Abingdon…. rainbow …… Abingdon.
For some reason that rings a bell in my mind. Can’t think why.
doL – Thanks for flagging that (or not as the case may be).
Link to the petition for anyone interested
https://www.change.org/p/abingdon-town-council-fly-the-rainbow-flag-in-abingdon-for-pride
Didn’t get the rainbow references initially, then the penny dropped, very funny 🙂
Badger, You might want to check your figures. The Daily Mail (included only as a ‘worse case scenario) did an piece claiming 25% not spent on giving aid. Oxfam’s own site says 8% fundraising, 8% running costs, 5% campaigning which adds up to 21% Given that, it looks likely they use somewhere between 20% and 25% on overheads. Far from perfect but a far cry from 70% and on a par with other large charities NSPCC 24.7% ; Red Cross 10-15% ; Unicef 25% Great Ormond St 16-17%
On another note. The Chilcot report is out. It highlights Tony Blair’s arrogance as he apparently did not consult with the cabinet in going to war with Iraq. Intelligence was flawed. Saddam Hussein did not have weapons of mass destruction. A failure of our intelligence services. Our troops were sent to war with inadequate equipment. The vehicles they used were of no use against ied’s. Army chiefs should have railed against the government. Were they arrogant too? Conspiracy theorists said that Saddam Hussein was going to change the currency for oil from the US dollar to another currency which would have destabilised the dollar, this is why he wanted to get rid of Saddam Hussein. I would be interested to hear what other people think.
For once Janet, I think you’ve pretty much nailed it 🙂
I’m surprised Backstreeter hasn’t done a post about the pride flag, this blogs normally first to report when the council males a mistake
I think everyone should sign the petition, it’s a disgrace!
Spot on Janet – Iain you’re being your usual town council subversive, that said and on a completely different tack, has anyone in town felt poorly these last few days? Hay feverish? Sore eyes etc ? I’ve felt it and spoken with many who’ve felt the same and on Monday the air wreaked of weed killer/crop spraying?
Yippee another petition against democracy.
Where can I sign? Sob,sob….
I find it strange that so many minority groups who feel themselves under threat of marginalisation or discrimination seem to be so keen to ringfence themselves, and to define and distinguish themselves by their minority status. Surely we should be working to remove labels? No one should notice that the President of America is black or that two of the contenders for the Tory party leadership are women, or indeed what sexual preferences anyone has. It should be utterly unimportant. The Abingdon flag is inclusive of all Abingdonians, however they choose to self-define.
Sarah, apart from being brave, that was just so well put, I have quite a few gay friends, but they’re not outrageous or challenging, they just get on with their life, quietly unobtrusively.
The town council’s decision reflects very poorly on the town and they should be ashamed of themselves.
I agree with Sarah. It was unfortunate that a councillor referred to the movement as political, but, that apart, where would it end? So many groups have flags that how would they choose which to fly? And for events held where, how far away?
Sarah’s comment is spot on.
Shame on those who criticise the councillors who in all likelihood reflect the actual views of the Town when taken as a whole. Abingdon’s history is firmly North Berks, and Oxford was and is still a very different place.
To be fair, I like the flags along Ock Street, perhaps a compromise could be one or two Rainbow flags dotted along there?
Out on s limb again yet again Iain ?
Kelly – it is up to Town Councillors to decide where it ends.
A decision was made a few years ago to recognise Armed Forces Day by flying its flag. I wasn’t on the council then but believe it was supported by councillors from all parties.
I am very proud to have seconded this motion to fly the rainbow flag in conjunction with Oxford Pride to demonstrate that Abingdon is an inclusive town that values all its residents.
As far as I am aware there have not been any proposals to fly any other flags.
Sarah, a wonderful utopian view but with only 1 black U.S. president in over 200 years, only 1 woman prime minister in nearly 300 and still no openly gay person in either role we will obviously notice. Despite homosexuality being ‘decriminalised’ in 1967 it was still illegal for 2 consenting adult males in a hotel room as recently as 2000 (because it did not constitute ‘in private’ under the terms of the ’67 act). There is still a very clear need to make a stand against discrimination and violence towards any group and to that point the decision of Abingdon’s town council was shameful and an insult to all right thinking people in the town.
Steve – I dont think I’m out on a limb, and frankly if I am, it’s one I’m pleased to be on.
Sadly, whilst things are clearly improving there is still too much casual discrimination about people’s sexuality. You still hear ‘gay’ and ‘poof’ used as forms of abuse and many religions regard homosexuality as a sin.
As a society we still have a way to travel and more visible symbols of inclusion and acceptance made by our institutions is a good step. I am (contrary to Steve’s comment) not a serial critic of the council (I disagree with them profoundly on the issue of the Guildhall but otherwise I think they do a good job) and I do hope they will reconsider their decision if only for the way it makes our lovely town appear.
I agree with you Neil – it is up to town councillors to decide where it ends and they have made the right decision. While having some issues re the armed forces, I have no problem with flying their flag as there has for so long been armed forces at Abingdon.
I don’t know either whether there have been requests to fly other flags but there certainly would be if the stable door is opened. I work with autistic children and we have a flag we use at some events. I wouldn’t expect the flag to be up in Abingdon when we hold an event in Oxford, or even on National Autism Awareness Day. Many other charities would be in the same position so, as I said, where would it end?
I live in a town that flies the Rainbow flag during Pride. There are one or two other flags that are flown through the year apart from the “civic” ones.
Does anyone at all have any evidence of councils that have been inundated with demands for floods of flags to be flown because they fly a rainbow flag?
I have never heard of this actually happening.
Not sure whether I agree with making a concerted effort to totally ignore people’s differences. Far better to acknowledge, understand and celebrate the diversity that society has to offer. Why ignore it?
How boring to just say “we’re all human”. We have the capacity to express ourselves, or be diverse. We’ve spent 7 million years splitting in to a myriad of differences. wanting to see everything as “beige” just seems to me wrong. Pointing and staring is unacceptable of course, but revelling in the different shapes, sizes, colours, beliefs and sexuality in which we come is far better and healthier for society than pretending “it’s not there”.
Saying that “the leader of the free world is a black man” is not bad. Or nasty. Or spiteful. It’s what it is. There is nothing wrong with that. Thinking that there is an issue with that differenceor, heaven forefend, mentioning it, is the backward step.
vive la difference! As those Europeans would say…