2011 was a year of protest and revolution. The Arab Spring, while still not conclusively a long term force for good, certainly provides strong indications that democracy is spreading to countries where the very word would have had to been whispered 12 months ago for fear of reprisals. The spark for this progress was provided by Tunisian street vendor Mohamed Bouazizi’s lighter in December 2010, when he set himself on fire in protest of the way he was treated by government officials. He died in January 2011, and should be top of everyone’s ‘Man of the Year’ lists, even if he only pips Olly Murs by a couple of votes.
And then there’s the ‘Occupy London’ protest. Staining London’s landmarks with shabby tents and unwashed bodies, the demonstration is against corporate greed, social inequality, capitalism, banker’s bonuses, and anything else this ugly mob can put on a banner. These impotent ‘protesters’ return smugly to their student digs and family homes at night, complete in the knowledge that they have shown that they care. What they really need, of course, is a Mohamad Bouazizi.
I reckon Billy Bragg would be perfect. A mixture of denim and wooden guitar would certainly combust pretty quickly, and provide an iconic promotional photograph for publication in all of our capitalist newspapers. The fireball would also provide a short period of much needed heat for some of London’s homeless, thus further supporting the protest against social inequality.
In New York, Rosanne Barr supports the ‘Occupy Wall Street’ movement. I rest my case.
