Not the Best Idea Ever

First of all, I’m back. Despite the weather’s best efforts I didn’t fly away and end up somewhere outside of Rhyl. It was a bit of a close thing at times though.

Now to business. As I’m sure most of you are aware by now, this year’s Oxford/Cambridge boat race was disrupted by a protestor attempting to swim in front of the boats. This led to a restart, Oxford losing an oar, Cambridge winning and the Oxford bow rower collapsing. All because one man was stupid enough to take a disruptive dip in the Thames.

I mean how idiotic can you get?

According to his blog – the visitor count of which must have shot up since Saturday – the protester now identified as LSE graduate Trenton Oldfield believes that “elitism leads to tyranny.” Let me repeat that for those of you in the back. A graduate of the London School of Economics believes that elitism leads to tyranny.

On his blog, Trenton claimed that his swim was an “act of civil disobedience” as well as a “peaceful,” protest. He argues that history shows that elitism – a belief of being more than somebody else – has always led to tragedy and quite possibly he may be right. But I have to disagree with his tactics.

Now I’m not saying I disagree with protesting. If you think I’m saying that than you clearly haven’t read this blog very carefully. If a government is behaving in an unacceptable way, then the people of course have the right to call them out on it. But there are a myriad ways of doing this. You can join a union, sign an e-petition, write to your MP or go to a legitimately organised protest.  If you have a legitimate grievance then there are hundreds of ways that you can go about voicing it.

Tossing yourself into the way of the University Boat Race? That’s unacceptable.

Mr Oldfield calls for the use of guerrilla tactics as a way to fight against elitism. Stuff like deliberately losing documents at work or serving people you consider to be propping up the system cold food – or the wrong food – if you work in a restaurant. He suggests if you are a taxi driver then you take people by the longest and most expensive route.

Now come on. What exactly is that going to achieve? Will it actually change the system? Probably not. Will it result in people quite possibly losing their jobs and their livelihoods? Quite probably. Protesting is a good thing; I would go so far to say that it is a right. But the types of strategies being suggested by Mr Oldfield are not only moronic but down right irresponsible.

I would say to him – if on some off chance he finds this blog – that if he is really interested in changing the system then hurry up, get elected to Parliament, and change things from the inside.

But don’t you dare ever interrupt the Boat Race again.