Tale of the red planet and strife on Marrs

ANOTHER Monday morning... and a fresh news week starts with the usual blank page.

All the same, yesterday’s banner headlines still linger in the memory. For we readily recall that last week’s big story around these parts – and also across the world – centred on the media attention given to punk rocker Michale Graves’ gigs being cancelled across Britain, including one right here in Worcester.

Of course, that’s the nature of news. By definition, it’s the very personification of permanent motion. As the former chief sub editor of a daily newspaper back in the days when properly staffed papers actually were what it said on the tin, I can certainly vouch for that.

But let us return to last week’s depressing tale of hate, ‘cancel culture’ and brute censorship. What about the main protagonists today, on this bleak February Monday morning? What of Brian Marrs, punning owner of the popular Worcester music venue, campaigning Green Councillor Neil Laurenson, the Green Party, and the scores of keyboard warriors who only days ago were falling over themselves to luxuriate in that comforting, wonderfully warm bath called hypocrisy?

While tidying up my winter-ravaged small garden this morning, I began thinking about the events of last week. Gardening is wonderful for the brain, by the way. Mindless snipping, sweeping, trimming and random deadheading allow for all manner of cerebral peregrinations.

So here I am again, tapping away some of those thoughts that were only stopped in their tracks by the daily monsoon we’re rapidly having to get used to. And the first one is this…

There can be little doubt that Brian Marrs has taken a massive financial hit because of Friday night’s Graves gig being cancelled. By my estimation, the decision was only made at the last moment, presumably timed so that he could inform the ticketholders by email.

This must have taken some time, too. I went on the Marrs Bar website relatively late on Friday afternoon and it clearly stated that the show was a sell-out.

So. All these punters will need their ticket money refunded, the house staff’s shifts were probably rescheduled at some cost, and the boss himself must now be out of pocket to the tune of rather a lot of the folded stuff.

This therefore begs a number of questions. Is Mr Marrs entitled to compensation for damage to his business? And if so, who would pay? Would it be Worcester City Council, the Green Party, the councillor who launched the one-man campaign in the first place… or all three?

And, come to think of it, how does the potential damaging of a small Worcester enterprise stand ideologically with members of the local Green Party?

Tell you what. If I were Brian Marrs, I’d be talking to my solicitor right now...

Further questions. Is this the shape of things to come? A single individual takes exception to an artist, starts an online movement, and the concert is scrapped?

At the moment, the urge to no-platform is a far-left phenomenon. But judging by the mood of Britain at the moment, the pendulum might one day swing in the opposite direction, with the forces of repression emanating not from the left, but from the right-wing corner of politics.

And encouraged by the actions of their opponents, with censorship having been normalised, one could easily see how some future British Establishment might regard carte blanche had already been granted to the arbitrary shutdown of anything that did not conform to some new political philosophy.

One comment from last week’s story still resonates. Councillor Laurenson used the words ‘silence is complicity’ to justify his actions. This slogan is, as it happens, also much used by advocates of Critical Race Theory (CRT) which holds that ALL white people are racists unless they publicly state to the contrary.

If only George Orwell was still with us. I’d be fascinated to hear what his thoughts might be about that priceless little gem...

As for me, I don’t believe in any forms of censorship. All forms of expression within the law should go unhindered. Neither do I support the idea that a historical mistake should never be erased from the charge sheet.

For example, David Bowie once flirted with fascism. And at a Birmingham gig in 1976, a totally bladdered Eric Clapton ranted and raved his support for Enoch Powell. Remember?

Nevertheless, it would seem that these two rock stars were forgiven at some stage. But by the looks of things, I doubt very much that similar concessions will be afforded to Michale Graves, condemned for voicing his backing for the Proud Boys six long, long years ago.

Anyway, I’m wondering if this is the end of the matter. Upon reflection, methinks quite likely not.