Recently, I’ve been asked to sign a couple of petitions “demanding that the government” undertake various actions relating to cancer diagnosis and treatment. I must confess, I find myself conflicted. On one hand, of course, as cancer patients we all want easy access to the best treatment and management possible. On the other hand, I am always uncomfortable with petitions to government that start with “we demand that…”.

Up front, I should make it clear that I spent four decades working with governments around the world (local, regional, national and pan-national) so I am fortunate to have intimate knowledge of how government process and resource management works.

Depending on one’s political bias, one will interpret an action undertaken by a government either positively or negatively because as human beings (particularly those who are politically-motivated), we are not very good at being dispassionately even-handed. For example, an action not to fund a particular initiative may be interpreted as being financially prudent by a left of centre government, whereas, the same action undertaken by a right of centre government might be interpreted as callous or uncaring. Equally, a left of centre government might be labelled as being financially irresponsible whereas the same actions by a right of centre government would be regarded as being careful with tax revenue. It all depends on your political bias. Any action can be spun any number of ways.

My experience is that 95% of the governments I worked with were completely responsible and cared deeply about what they did. They weren’t out for self-gain or self-aggrandisement. They weren’t only interested in making their mates rich or any of the usual lazy stereotypical tropes that are the product of biased pre-determined value judgements. Most of them agonise over funding decisions, conscious of the need to balance the tax burden on their citizens with the need to manage national economies and look after those who need support.

So when someone “demands” that a government do something, I instantly become quite uncomfortable. Government constantly juggles a million different priorities all of which are mutually dependant, so that any action taken in one sphere will automatically impact other spheres. There is only so much money to go round. I have literally seen national cabinets in tears, agonising over which social priorities to fund. They want to fund them all, but they simply don’t have the money to do so.

One can argue that we should pay more tax (actually, I think we should but that’s just a personal opinion), but where do we draw the line? I vividly remember my Father paying ludicrous amounts of tax in the mid 1970s (70-odd percent I recall). Was he a wealthy company owner? No – he was a humble family doctor who throughout his working career, eschewed the lure of lucrative temptations in other medical practices to care for the neediest in our society in Toxteth (at that time, one of the poorest parts of Liverpool).

The conflict I feel is similar to how I feel about the current situation regarding race and racism in the UK and across the world. I have spent a lifetime fighting inequality. As one half of a mixed race marriage, I have experienced first hand the viciousness of racism (from all sides, depressingly). Racism is a cancer (and I use that word very advisedly, given my audience) that afflicts every demography and every community in this country. And yet, I find myself in strong opposition to Black Lives Matter. The conflict is that I absolutely support the statement (although not in isolation, of course – every life matters). But I am profoundly in opposition to the stated aims of the BLM movement. I passionately and vociferously support (and have contributed to) the progress towards genuine equality and the eradication of racism. There is much work still to do and I will continue to support such efforts until I breathe my last. I passionately support the march towards equality but I cannot support political intentions of the organisation BLM. I believe it is wrong to compel people to tacitly agree with them or argue that by not supporting them, we are automatically against them because that simply is a sickening perversion of the reality.

In the weeks following the appalling incident with George Floyd in the US, I researched the BLM organisation extensively and was entirely uncomfortable with many of their stated aims. Politically, I am very middle of the road and am the very definition of a floating voter. To my mind, there is no difference between the far right and the far left – they both result in a silencing of opposition, a loss of personal freedom and oppression of those who do not agree with the warped outlook of the leadership.

But here is the conflict – I absolutely support BLM’s right to assert their agenda. In a compassionate and mature society, we must be able to voice our differing views. We must be able to have engaging, respectful, courteous dialogue in order for the worst excesses and opinions of mankind to be smoothed off. We do not overcome extreme views by silencing them in public debate – that simply drives them underground where like minded souls become more toxic, entrenched and ultimately, violent.

So – I still debate with myself whether to sign these petitions or not. But I will not bow to the pressure of what is deemed by others to be socially-acceptable compliance. I will not bend to the assertion that I am letting down my fellow cancer patient, both current and future, by continuing to have informed debate both within myself and with others.

As a human being, I am gifted free will and free speech. It is my responsibility to use both intelligently. But for now, I will continue to lobby my MP and others as appropriate. I don’t think that ‘demanding’ is the right approach. But I respect the fact that others might hold a different opinion. I hope the same is true in reverse.

Stay strong. Fight hard. Smile lots.

For Further Reading by Mike Gibson:

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Concerned about the social changes happening in today’s world?

Pain with chronic illness is real!