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Society or No such thing as?

(22 Posts)
trisher Tue 03-Mar-15 09:44:57

I read Michael Sheen's St David's Day speech and felt like cheering and crying at the same time. His last paragraph sums it up-
“Do we want to be a society that is supportive, that is inclusive and compassionate, where it is acknowledged that not all can prosper, where those who are most vulnerable, most in need of help, are not seen as lazy or scrounging or robbing the rest of us for whatever they can get? Where we do not turn our backs on those facing hard times, we do not abandon them or exploit their weakness, because they are us.

We leave no one behind, we only say we have crossed the finished line when the last of us does, because no one is alone and there is such a thing as society.”
I love it. If only our politicians would listen to people like him. So who is right Gransnetters? Is there such a thing as "society"?
You can read the whole speech here
www.independent.co.uk/news/people/michael-sheen-gives-rousing-st-davids-day-speech-about-the-importance-of-the-nhs-10079981.html
Thanks Michael!

soontobe Tue 03-Mar-15 10:02:00

There is society, but not everyone is playing that game.

Mishap Tue 03-Mar-15 10:39:42

Of course there is - and he is right. Good on him.

GillT57 Tue 03-Mar-15 10:40:21

Well said that man.

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-15 11:40:08

Well said Michael,

rubylady Tue 03-Mar-15 13:50:48

This is why it is so important to listen to everything we can in the next few weeks if undecided who to vote for, but we must vote. To complain about the state of affairs and then not to vote would be very wrong. It is our duty, is it not, when we have GC to try to get the country back in shape, to start to have politicians we can believe in (this may never happen) and to be able to pass down a country we can again be proud of. I, for one, think that politics should be taught more in schools and then when the students leave, which is at age 18 now, they know more about what is going on in the world and have a head start in who to vote for.

jo1book Tue 03-Mar-15 14:02:44

Sorry folks but Sheen is an actor! He reads the lines given to him!

soontobe Tue 03-Mar-15 14:08:45

But what if we vote "wrongly".
A "wrong" vote is worse than not voting, surely?

Anniebach Tue 03-Mar-15 14:10:04

Sorry jo1book but are you claiming actors are not capable of expressing their own views and need everything written by a script writer ?

durhamjen Tue 03-Mar-15 17:37:37

He wasn't acting, he was speaking as an individual who has a vote.
I wish I'd been there to hear him. I believe everything he said.
There's no such thing as a wrong vote, soontobe.
Vote with your heart, the way that Michael Sheen spoke.

trisher Tue 03-Mar-15 17:50:32

Politicians only read the lines they are given as well*jo1book*. If Sheen didn't write this himself he obviously really believes what he is saying.
Sorry last link didn't give all the speech
www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/mar/02/full-text-of-michael-sheens-speech

Gracesgran Tue 03-Mar-15 17:55:22

How lily-livered he makes our politicians look. Whether you agree or not the words did not meander round the issue but went straight to the heart of the matter. How I wish our politicians would say what they really believe or even, as he said, have a belief in the first place.

Thank you for posting it trisher

Gracesgran Tue 03-Mar-15 17:59:41

Sorry folks but Sheen is an actor! He reads the lines given to him!

Jo1book If he has read the words he has been given they are still not weasel words. Perhaps all the parties should employ actors too but, of course, that would mean them writing a speech that actually says something.

durhamjen Tue 03-Mar-15 18:13:15

I wish he'd stand for parliament. Quite a few actors are political.
NHA party, of course.

durhamjen Tue 03-Mar-15 19:03:46

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/mar/02/mps-michael-sheen-nhs-britain-politicians

durhamjen Tue 03-Mar-15 19:10:14

www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/02/churches-call-government-welfare-sanctions-inhumane-and-un-christian

Soontobe, I think your church is telling you who not to vote for.

Eloethan Wed 04-Mar-15 01:00:53

I don't think Michael Sheen was employed as an actor to give the speech - it appears that what he said represents his own views. Good for him.

Why is this not coming from any of the mainstream political parties?

Anniebach Wed 04-Mar-15 13:42:51

If anyone doubts Sheens passion do look on BBC I player for his recent documentary on the Chartis Rebellion in South Wales , think it's titled Valleys Rebellion

durhamjen Wed 04-Mar-15 20:59:48

Anniebach, my brother-in-law was the engineer at Newport when the Chartist mosaics were put in the underpasses. They were made by a friend of his.
He was most upset when they were removed recently, without even telling the person who made the mosaics.

Anniebach Wed 04-Mar-15 22:25:24

Durhamjen, it was awful it was done without any consultation. Martin Sheen wrote an open letter in the press to the council . They should not have been touched, South Wales is the birth place of many movements which made this a better country for the poor and the exploited . You may find this of interest, I inherited my g grandfathers papers, he was a baptist minister who worked closely with Keir Hardie, the first Labour MP, Aberystwyth wants them, welsh historians want them , I have to decide , have been putting it off for years . They are in the bank !

durhamjen Thu 05-Mar-15 18:16:44

Wow, I would not like that decision.
Definitely keep them in Wales, but you do not know what will happen in the future to the depository where they will be put.
They need to be where the greatest number of people can get access easily.
Is Wales part of the County Archive Research Network?
When we lived in York, all the York history was going to be sent to the University, the Borthwick Institute, instead of being kept in the library in the centre of York. It would have meant less access for family historians.
However, I have noticed that the library has been refurbished and people now have greater access. A win for the general public.

Anniebach Fri 06-Mar-15 10:34:31

I think durhamjen, the National Library of Wales at Aberystwyth may be the place where most can access them . I didn't want them in a book and certainly wouldn't sell them , refused several times. I know Aberystwyth has documents on him but my papers include letters between him and Hardie, diaries kept thought the depression etc , quite distressing to read

Thank you