Friday, 2 August 2013

I'm a 'Caitlin Moran' socialist

I'm close to tears, but in a good way.  I thought that Caitlin Moran would be one of those jolly columnists who would write vaguely funny gossipy columns that would make a distracting read.  She can be.  But, she can also write with a poetic passion about suffering and poverty that can move me close to tears.  She lives a happy life now, with husband and children, but she was raised in deep poverty.  Others she knows aren't that fortunate: there is the the story of her schizophrenic friend struggling as benefit cuts means he has to try to find somewhere new to live on £75 per week.  She writes of the desolation of trying to live on benefits as governments slowly erode the system.

Moran makes me proud to be a socialist, because that is what I am.  I believe we have a moral duty to pay tax to ensure everyone can live with a decent roof over their heads and with enough to eat.  I believe we have a duty to ensure that no-one need live in constant fear of benefit cuts and means testing.  I believe that no-one should ever get ill because they are poor.

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