Regarded by historian Carl Degler as a “revolution” in which “The American people…abandoned, once and for all, the doctrine of laissez faire”[1], the extent to which the New Deal constituted a change, rather than an attempt to protect America’s pre-1929 values from the pressures of the Depression has long been a source of historical controversy.
Considering [...]
I'm Ben West, 19, from Southampton UK. From October I'm a History & Politics student at Oxford, but beforehand, I'm travelling overland (by train) to Iran, crossing the US during the 2008 elections and reporting from Chernobyl's 'red zone'...
The soldiers went out to war that day
to fight
to die.
they say boys became men that day
their boots full of mud
the stench of blood in the air
the machinery of death grinding into gear
their hearts drunk on tales of glory,
their minds drowning on a sea of fear
according to some these men were the greatest
the best this land [...]
Encapsulated in a single plastic bag all he needs
an evening of forgotten troubles
in a 330ml can.
a day of relaxation and tarry goodness
in a box of 20s.
an hour of his deepest desires
in a glossy magazine.
His life bleeps before his eyes one at a time
bleep.
bleep.
bleep.
A knell for every broken promise
a knell for [...]
Jingle Bells.
Where is it now?
The goodwill, the cheer, the spirit?
Last year I saw a loving family intertwined around a solid wooden table
their hearts and stomachs filled with the best of life.
This year I saw starving miserable creatures slurping water with bits of vegetables floating in it
in a bright red plastic bowl
I saw a family where [...]
There’s a breathless hush on the freeway tonight
as yesterday’s tomorrows file along the freshly baked concrete columns
and the chainlink fence flutters in the breeze adorned with the flowers
of those that now lay beside it.
And beyond it out in the harbour
Jerusalem’s lights still twinkle
as they have always done
freedom, liberty and hope
for everyone-
twinkle twinkle little star, rest [...]
Is it that time already?
I was in the middle of a dream
Making the most of wasted time
with the most amazing people that I’ve ever seen.
Its time for us to move on grow up get out
to go our seperate ways
but if in times to come theres nothing left
just remember.
A short eternity ago life threw us together
and [...]
The war we will inevitably face in sooner or later against the regime of Saddam Hussein is one of hidden dangers that go much further than the security risks posed by Iraq. The war we are squaring up to fight, and inevitably win, is one of the scariest situations we have faced since the Cuban [...]
That’s it then. We’ve got the blessing of the UN, and so we’re going into Iraq to remove a tyrant, free the world of terror, and to bring peace and democracy to those persecuted by Saddam. But will this bring about the end of terrorism? No. Sustained bombing and propaganda will not win the war [...]
Notes from First Proposition Speaker in KES Debating Society Motion, Oct 2004
Well firstly, I’m here to tell you that the war on terror can’t be won, because it doesn’t exist.
What is terror? Can you fight it? How do you fight it? Why do we face terror?
Why hasn’t anyone asked any of these questions?
Nope, they’re [...]
Poetry that doesn’t rhyme is a fucking waste of time
[I'm wasting time here]
dribbling on the page.
It’s all over isn’t it.
Thank God for that, was starting to drag
lover turns to recreation which turns to obsession which turns into occupation which takes over
your mind
your thoughts
your life
and you realize
that living life
waiting for you to come to your senses
living [...]
So this is where we are after all this
The end of something that never was.
I miss feeling like we were something and that the World was ours.
And the way you are and smile and look.
That the world was ours a grand delusion, about as real as Oz.
Dorothy is dribbling Toto along the Yellow Brick road [...]
