One Down, Two To Go

For the last six months or, so my sidebar has contained a quote from Mahatma Ghandhi about brutal and seemingly unconquerable regimes, and how thy can always be overcome, eventually.

When I first saw it I thought of three things. I thought of the regime In Zimbabwe, ruthlessly murdering opponents and wilfully visited appalling hardship on its people. I thought as well of our government. OK, no murder here (at least none that we know of, although personally I’d never rule it out, and I guess you could always point to Iraq and Afghanistan). Nevertheless the increasingly intolerant and confrontational nature of Brown’s governmental apparatus leaves me wondering how long it might be before things here get really awful.

I thought too, on a purely personal level, of my own workplace. A tad dramatic maybe, but brutality can take many forms. The senior management team had recently had two particularly unpleasant individuals added to it, who were throwing their weight about in no uncertain terms and making life extremely uncomfortable for a number of very good people. Thoroughly decent members of staff were treated very poorly by people I can only describe as bullies. The feeling of fear was tangible, the atmosphere terrible. I posted the quotation as much as anything else, as a secret reminder to myself that it could not last forever.

Well, as of a couple of days ago the bullies are gone, kicked into touch by the appropriate Director, who had quite obviously seen and heard enough. Relief is everywhere. I do not take pleasure from people losing their jobs (although I can think of a few potential exceptions I might make come the next General Election) and I haven’t joined in the expressions of glee that have surrounded me. But I did think of Ghandhi’s words, and on Wednesday evening I enjoyed the warm glow of a glass of Scotland’s finest whisky and reflected on their truth.

And now I’m wondering who is next. Which ZaNu will go first ? PF or Labour ? The quote stays until they’re both gone.