Question Time

[Beach Hut]

You are talking rubbish.

Try reading this!

Benjamin Zephaniah: Youth Unemployment: I Wanted to Use Poetry to Speak for Myself

And since when has prison never changed a man?

I was lucky enough to hear Zephaniah speak at a conference in the north east 10 years ago. The conference was about the emergence of online technology and how the web would revolutionise the way in which we could purchase goods from suppliers; access knowledge and one another and how businesses could undertake transactions in a matter of seconds.

Zephaniah calmly got up and reminded us to use the technology to release people from poverty as much as thrust business ahead. The conference was on Wearside, a matter of minutes from Sunderland. Zephaniah had spent the previous day in Sunderland and he told us that he could, take us a mile down the road and show us families that could not even afford a joint of meat for Sunday and here we were talking about the advancement of things like online banking.

The point of business development was not lost on him, but he reminded us of how we should reappraise technology to use it for the human good.

Bushy, you appear to be using the man to spout your agenda rather than from any real knowledge of him.

The guy is a bigger cock than Billy Bragg so that says something

 

[Pogue Mahone]

No, just clowns like benjamin zephaniah, who thrive on people too afraid to tell it like it is , and instead carry on listening to his emperors new clothes style bollocks, and even after this lamentable effort, you still dont think his "poetry" dogshit ?
De Rong Song
Your house is
Falling down
Around
Your
Feet,
And you got
Nought
To eat,
Don't worry
Be happy.
Your fish
Have drowned
You wear
A frown,
You search
But you don't
Own a pound,
Don't worry
Be happy.

You ain't got
Nowhere to
Play,
Just balconies
And
Motorways,
Don't worry
Be happy.

You meet
Someone
You really like,
They tell you to
Get on your bike,
Don't worry
Be happy.

You're on your bike
And all is fine,
You get caught
In a washing line,
Don't worry
Be happy.
You go to school
The school is
Gone,
The Government
Put pressure on,
Don't worry
Be happy.
Your tea is
Dry
Your ice is
Hot,
Your head is
Tied up in a
Not,
Don't worry
Be happy.
You worry
Because
You're hurrying,
And hurry
Because
You're worrying,
Don't happy
Be worried.

It's not fantastic, I grant you that. BZ's poetry is best used with primary school children, where it can stimulate debate. It's not really Wordsworth, but there you go.

 

[Hamilton]

And you appear to be just the sort of gullible fool that provide this clown with an audience, people in the slums of bombay live in poverty, people in sunderland might be poor , but poverty ? do me a favour , since when has not being able to afford a joint of f***ing meat been poverty ?

Ironically you're his biggest critic, and yet he'd probably want to campaign for you. You're misguided; poorly educated in these matters; frustrated and disillusioned. I'm sure he would empathise with you to a degree.

You also demonstrated an ability to miss the point of the thread. If you wish to make comparisons between Mumbai and Sunderland then let's start a separate debate. Poverty is relative to those in the situations in which they live. If you had toothache, it wouldn't hurt any less just because I told you there were people living with the pain of hunger.

 

[BigGully]

Ironically you're his biggest critic, and yet he'd probably want to campaign for you. You're misguided; poorly educated in these matters; frustrated and disillusioned. I'm sure he would empathise with you to a degree.

You also demonstrated an ability to miss the point of the thread. If you wish to make comparisons between Mumbai and Sunderland then let's start a separate debate. Poverty is relative to those in the situations in which they live. If you had toothache, it wouldn't hurt any less just because I told you there were people living with the pain of hunger.

Give me the figures of those in 'poverty', the benefit amounts etc. its all out there.

Poverty isnt not being wealthy.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

And you appear to be just the sort of gullible fool that provide this clown with an audience, people in the slums of bombay live in poverty, people in sunderland might be poor , but poverty ? do me a favour , since when has not being able to afford a joint of f***ing meat been poverty ?

FFS you're being the fool here. He was talking about people living in the UK so their poverty should be relative to that of the UK. We're not a third world nation so people should not be living under the bread line. When old people are complaining about the cold weather do you tell them "eskimos live in cold, UK, cold do me a favour?"

Intersting that Hamilton makes the point about a Sunday joint as the last time I was in the north east I was quite stunned by the level of poverty on offer and I was shocked at seeing a Fray Bentos pie in the window of one of those High St fruit machine places being held up as a prize. I must admit I did chuckle at first but then the seriousness of what I saw sunk in. Gambling for a pie is desperate.

I find BZ's poetry a bit lame to be honest but I find his insight and perception interesting and to the point. For me his talent is journalism.

 

[User removed 4]

Ironically you're his biggest critic, and yet he'd probably want to campaign for you. You're misguided; poorly educated in these matters; frustrated and disillusioned. I'm sure he would empathise with you to a degree.

You also demonstrated an ability to miss the point of the thread. If you wish to make comparisons between Mumbai and Sunderland then let's start a separate debate. Poverty is relative to those in the situations in which they live. If you had toothache, it wouldn't hurt any less just because I told you there were people living with the pain of hunger.

Please explain in greater detail exactly why benjamin zephania would want to campaign for me , how would he empathise with me ?

 

[gazingdown]

Poverty is relative to those in the situations in which they live.

Poverty is not relative, it is absolute.

How poor one is, IS relative.

To imply poverty is relative is to trivialise those that really are in poverty and need help. Whilst there *may* be a debate on "relative" poverty in various 3rd world countries, in this country it's a joke to even think about or imply there's a poverty problem. For sure, there are plenty who are poor or very poor, but poverty (apart from very few isolated cases), nah.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

Poverty isnt not being wealthy.

Have you ever considered a job as an Ipswich banner writer?

 

[User removed 4]

FFS you're being the fool here. He was talking about people living in the UK so their poverty should be relative to that of the UK. We're not a third world nation so people should not be living under the bread line. When old people are complaining about the cold weather do you tell them "eskimos live in cold, UK, cold do me a favour?"

Intersting that Hamilton makes the point about a Sunday joint as the last time I was in the north east I was quite stunned by the level of poverty on offer and I was shocked at seeing a Fray Bentos pie in the window of one of those High St fruit machine places being held up as a prize. I must admit I did chuckle at first but then the seriousness of what I saw sunk in. Gambling for a pie is desperate.

I find BZ's poetry a bit lame to be honest but I find his insight and perception interesting and to the point. For me his talent is journalism.

I dont agree with the theory that poverty is relative , i live a comfortable life, but would you describe it as living in poverty compared to a premier league footballer on £140k a week ? of course you wouldnt, poverty is poverty , and the people in sunderland who couldnt afford a joint of meat werent living in poverty.

 

[BigGully]

Intersting that Hamilton makes the point about a Sunday joint as the last time I was in the north east I was quite stunned by the level of poverty on offer and I was shocked at seeing a Fray Bentos pie in the window of one of those High St fruit machine places being held up as a prize. I must admit I did chuckle at first but then the seriousness of what I saw sunk in. Gambling for a pie is desperate.

FFS I hope you didnt go around patronisingly patting those northern folk on the head and tutting saying 'there there' in your southern swanky accent.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

how would he empathise with me ?

As a boy he was an uneducated, angry and frustrated man?

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

FFS I hope you didnt go around patronisingly patting those northern folk on the head and tutting saying 'there there' in your southern swanky accent.

Of course I dont. But I do appreciate that down south we know little of how the rest of the country operates.

 

[Hamilton]

Poverty is not relative, it is absolute.

How poor one is, IS relative.

To imply poverty is relative is to trivialise those that really are in poverty and need help. Whilst there *may* be a debate on "relative" poverty in various 3rd world countries, in this country it's a joke to even think about or imply there's a poverty problem. For sure, there are plenty who are poor or very poor, but poverty (apart from very few isolated cases), nah.

Excellent. So you are happy to go and live in Easterhouse, Glasgow? You reckon there's no poverty problem in the UK. That's a delusion that is a result of where you are.

With regards to Sunderland...

25.4% - that's over 15,000 of our children and young people are living in poverty in Sunderland. 64% of these children are in lone parent families. An even greater number, over 30,000 (51%) are living in low income families, finding it hard to manage day to day family life and unable take part in many of the opportunities and experience that many of us take for granted.

 

[Seagull58]

"I couldn't go to the Jobcentre and say I want to be a poet. You still can't do that and it amazes me."
Benjamin Zephaniah

If he took any of his efforts along with him, then frankly I'm not OVERLY surprised.

He's not being truthful. Of course he can go to the jobcentre and say he wants to be a poet, but what are they going to do about it? Send him for an interview for the Poet Laureate job? Does he expect them to say "That's great Benjy. Here's a load of allowances to help you survive while you write shit poetry"?

 

[User removed 4]

As a boy he was an uneducated, angry and frustrated man?

Is that meant to answer my question or are you being facetious ?

 

[BigGully]

Of course I dont. But I do appreciate that down south we know little of how the rest of the country operates.

You need to get out more.

I go to a working mans club with my Dad, each Sunday hey have a meat raffle, it never ceases to amaze me how these old timers, buy £5.00 worth of tickets to win £2.00 worth of sausages.

It really isnt a good indicator of poverty.

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

I dont agree with the theory that poverty is relative , i live a comfortable life, but would you describe it as living in poverty compared to a premier league footballer on £140k a week ? of course you wouldnt, poverty is poverty , and the people in sunderland who couldnt afford a joint of meat werent living in poverty.

I'm not suggesting poverty is relative in a financial sense. It clearly is not as you point out. But, certain, developed, countries should have a higher standards than others. The UK being one of them. Not being able to afford some meat for your supper is a sad situation.

 

[User removed 4]

You need to get out more.

I go to a working mans club with my Dad, each Sunday hey have a meat raffle, it never ceases to amaze me how these old timers, buy £5.00 worth of tickets to win £2.00 worth of sausages.

It really isnt a good indicator of poverty.

HT is VERY metrosexual, you know the sort , carries a manbag, bit of a slaphead yet still uses a hairdresser instead of going to the barbers.

 

[Hamilton]

I dont agree with the theory that poverty is relative , i live a comfortable life, but would you describe it as living in poverty compared to a premier league footballer on £140k a week ? of course you wouldnt, poverty is poverty , and the people in sunderland who couldnt afford a joint of meat werent living in poverty.

But you are not suffering are you. Surely, there's the point (although I am sure there are many in poverty that would say they are not suffering, but that is probably more a case of their character at work.)

 

[User removed 4]

I'm not suggesting poverty is relative in a financial sense. It clearly is not as you point out. But, certain, developed, countries should have a higher standards than others. The UK being one of them. Not being able to afford some meat for your supper is a sad situation.

Not being able to afford meat for your "supper"( I'd love to hear you asking for your "supper" up there)but having the spare cash to be in a fruit machine arcade is poverty is it ?