Run for Cover

No, not what we need to do since the Attorney General effectively said he could do anything he liked under cover of the "National Interest", but the title of a rather good "B" movie starring James Cagney, made, I think in 1954.
It is a tale of cowboys and a few Indians, but mostly it is about people's speed to judge, their herd mentality, jealousy and redemption. Pretty average cowboy stuff. You will, however, be pleased to hear Cagney wears a white hat, the baddies all have black hats, and the townsfolk various shades of grey.
But the thing that struck me was some of the dialogue, which, I daresay, reflected the thinking of the time, and, in view of my age, probably my pre-programmed view of life.
The best example was when the deputy sherrif, to whom Cagney had shown nothing but kindness and a wish to toughen him up, turned out to have been in league with the baddies all along..
" Don't blame it on yer larning - if it hadn't been that it would have been somethin' else!" In effect, you went rotten because you ARE rotten.
I don't subscribe to that view. I have unbounded faith in education, education, education ( remember that?) but that education does NOT only come from school. It comes from parents and grandparents as well, something that has almost been forgotten until IDS spelled it out again recently.
In Glasgow - and I'm sure in other places - there are some families that are 5 generations into not having worked. We -you - other taxpayers - have supported them for more than 40 years to a greater or lesser extent. Anyone on benefit, also doing the odd night behind a bar, or a little labouring, would be entirely mad to start work to earn an extra £25 per week, and having to work for it too. And don't forget the peer and family pressure. I actually once heard a mother tell her daughter, who had come to work for us in defiance of her situation, that she was insane. The mother had come to our office, pulled the 16 year old out, and shouted at her for 20 minutes in the street.
Now I know Mr. Brown likes to control everything, and his policy of increasing the public sector, the sector on benefit etc etc is merely a sophisticated form of gerrymandering, but we are perilously close to the end. Even in France, after a certain ( lengthy) period, you don't get benefit any more.
We have to reinstate policies that bring an end to dependency. Without this, the British people will never get up off their knees. It is only the influx of Poles and others that are keeping things going. And still we have slipped from fourth best productivity to 25th.If they all decide to go home we are well and truly screwed.
By the way, the deputy sherrif saved Cagney from being shot, and so redeemed himself, shot by Cagney in the process. Quote from Cagney " Ya drew! Ya drew! an' I thought ya was drawin' on me!"
Brilliant.