Tuesday 7 August 2012

No to turning street lights off at night, putting people in danger, say no to all cuts

Walking home from the pub after closing hours the other night I discovered that I was walking in the pitch dark. I thought a light had gone and reporting it would solve it but stupid I forgot that Hertfordshire like many other counties now is turning off its street lights after a certain time of night. Midnight in our case. Which for many people who go to bed early before midnight will never affect granted but for others who work at night, walking home from the town’s pubs and clubs or seeing a friend late at night will put them in danger. Not only the fact that it’s hard to see anyway with the roads and paths being maintained less now too due to cuts the likelihood of tripping up is increased. Plus the fact that it puts women and old people in danger unnecessarily. I don’t imagine turning street lights off at night saves that much. In our street they have recently installed new efficient lights so surely these would be better anyway and more cost effective. This for me was another small thing I’ve noticed and how the cuts are starting to affect me personally. I am registered blind and do have some sight left which I do use of course. Having a bit of light does help me but now I have to use my cane a lot harder to make sure I don’t trip up. I fear for people who in bigger cities where crime rate is far higher walking home on their own late at night in the pitch dark. Who knows who may be lurking? I don’t wish to scare people but just make people aware of some of the ways cuts are affecting me and others. None of these cuts are needed if we had a government prepared to tax the rich and take the wealth off them and use it to fund public services properly we could eliminate the deficit and put people back to work and run public services properly. For this we need a new workers party willing to put the interests of working class people first. A government based on the ideas of socialism willing to change society in a transitional way moving away from capitalism and ending the greed and wealth of a minority instead allowing the majority to enjoy the worlds wealth and environment which they have never been able to. Cuts to street lighting may seem a small and insignificant thing but to me it matters, as do all cuts, As a socialist I oppose all cuts as we did not create this crisis, It was in the private sector, the banks and their wreck less gambling which we are now paying the price for. Well I say no and reject the need for any cuts. However difficult it is it may not be the popular thing to do, it may be easy for me to stay in the Labour Party say I’m against cuts yet vote for them in the council chamber ring my hands and say there is nothing I can do. When we all know there clearly is. You can roll over or fight. I prefer to fight back. We must to change society for the better.

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