Secret Lemonade Drinkers Society
Reader comment on item: MPAC, CAIR, and Praising Osama bin Laden
in response to reader comment: Alice in Wonderland

Submitted by guy leven-torres (agricola) (United Kingdom), Jun 19, 2007 at 05:41

Back in the days of black and white television I recall with much pleasure (gosh is ‘Guy' that old?), an advert advertised ‘R. Whites Lemonade' and portrayed a Britain wherein thousands of men sneaked downstairs every night to consume the favoured lemonade. The advert in fact, was brilliant and hilarious. There was no sex, nudity or any other of the modern paraphernalia associated with today's adverts.

The Worldwide Web is awash with ‘blogs' and ‘bloggers' most of whom, if not all use false names, many of which are deliberately designed to inspire visions of battle, revenge and other ‘knightly' virtues of the heroes of computerised virtual ‘Valhalla'. Names such as ‘Odin', ‘Black Nite', ‘White Avenger', ‘Web Knight', ‘Virtual Arthur' and many, many more. Sometimes it is hard not to laugh but is also inspires the thought, ‘what have these ‘individuals' of ‘‘Electronic Chivalry and Bold Deeds" got to hide?' The reality I often imagine, is probably some spotty ‘nonentity' with bottle glass spectacles and a physique like my aged dad's red trouser braces, sitting behind the screen and keyboard.

Why all the need for secrecy? What are they afraid of?

The truth is of course, that Cyber Space is full of strange people and the Web is a gift for the millions of eccentrics and nonentities out there with nothing to fill their otherwise vacuous lives. Many more feel the Web is a place that is safe from censorship but more importantly, allows people to speak in a way they would not in the physical company of others. This in itself raises questions as to the probity and accuracy of the individuals that write ‘blogs' and allows those they write against, to cast doubt upon their views and their reasons for stating them.

One can understand perhaps the need to retain secrecy of identity when attacking and criticising dangerous elements like a political elite in Communist China, or even a modern Russia that actively persecutes and prosecutes dissidents and does its level best to close down websites and blogs that oppose the said regime. Again one can understand the need to maintain privacy, if somebody is involved with sensitive work, has a high public profile, or a well known figure and wants to disseminate views on the quiet in order to oppose perhaps, members of his own political party or group. But the average ‘blogger' seems to me a nobody: an individual that until the age of the Internet would have been born, lived and died without anybody knowing. The advent of the Web allowed millions of such ‘nonentities' to enter the public consciousness, albeit for a while but the feeling remains. ‘what have these people to hide as ‘‘nobodies" and in fact who would be interested in knowing them anyway and their obviously dull existences?'

I am an ex soldier and still have a uniform in my wardrobe. On it is clearly labeled my name and rank, regimental insignia and colours, all denoting that I once, not so very long ago belonged to the British Army reserve infantry. This was no chocolate soldier Reserve either and the reality of war is now familiar, as many in Britain's famous Territorial Army have only so recently found out by serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. I even volunteered for this myself but due to medical problems for which I was originally discharged, this offer was not taken up, although I stated I was prepared to serve as a ‘medic' or in any capacity, in order to get back into uniform, serve my country and have some ‘fun'. War is not ‘fun' of course but it is exciting and dangerous and the blood does rise. I was also bloody angry at the actions of Islamists after 9/11. In short the warrior in me wanted a scrap and to be part of the action.

I also hate arrogance and the Islamists really tick me off with their vile boasts and actions! ... Even though I am very opposed to violence in the normal run of things, these blighters were harming women and kids and that really gets to me….

My dad was the same at the outbreak of World War II just like millions of others who wanted to do their ‘bit'. That was all I wanted to do after all. My Doctor had other ideas though, unfortunately telling me forthrightly, ‘No way Mr Leven-Torres!'

So I took up the pen instead of the SA80 and even if not as satisfying as serving in the Regiment I belonged to, it does have its moments, like when I received hundreds of e.mails supporting my open stance attacking Islamists and the European Union, on whom I have declared ‘Literary War'. I also get lots of highly abusive e.mails from those opposed to my cause and many even, from those one would have thought would have sided with me. Well that is war isn't it? And in such a situation one can find friends and allies in the strangest places. And strangely enough most of these came from people using their own names as writers and commentators. It told me a lot about the types that write on the web as ‘bloggers'.

In war it is vital that one knows who one's allies are. It is imperative that they are identified by the uniform they wear for two very basic reasons. Firstly it allows one to see clearly who is what and where and the numbers involved in any attack, that if it is to be successful must be well supported and led but more importantly, that the enemy to be grappled with, is able to see the hopefully, thoroughly intimidating masses of armed might facing them. It is also good for morale that most important ingredient of battle winners. An enemy faced by vast numbers of determined troops is a frightened and demoralised enemy. And there are records in history of enemies surrendering before a shot is fired in such circumstances.

There are also numerous examples of heavily outnumbered enemies refusing to surrender for the sake of the uniform and regimental pride. The pride in wearing a uniform openly identifying the wearer as a member of a group, anxious to go down fighting, come what may has inspired incredible feats of bravery over the years. This was in fact what inspired me to volunteer for battle duty once again, even if my well- meaning doctor disagreed. But I am here where people can see me doing my ‘bit' to rid the world of this awful scourge. I write under my own name and fall or stand by it on my own terms. That is being a soldier in the full face of my enemies, just like my ancestors before me and hopefully my descendants as well….

I do not write for fame but in the hope that others will join me and write openly under their own names, so that our enemies know who and what we stand for and so opposed, defeat them. I am Everyman one would hope. It was Everyman that defeated Hitler, the Kaiser and every other tin-pot totalitarian that threatened us in the not so distant past. There are hopefully billions of us out there….

The ideologues and sniffy condescending elites will sneer at us on the surface but in their quieter moments, they will perhaps ponder upon and fear us! We are the common people and if there is one thing they hate and fear, it is the masses of brave men and women organising in defence of all they hold dear. Those men and women need to wear the same ‘uniform' by using their real names not poseurs' ‘nom-de-plumes' with more to hide than truth can tell. Only by being in open view of the enemy can we seek to intimidate him, for while we skulk and crawl about in fear of ourselves and them we are playing into their hands, because that is what they want and need to win. They rely upon fear of suicide bombing and threatened prosecution and persecution. Let us stand up now and openly oppose them where they can see and tremble in fear. And do you know it works darned well too!

‘Secret Bloggers of the World Unite!' Or ‘The Grand Global Society of Secret Lemonade Drinkers'….. ‘Cliff Richard Secret Admirers' Club' or ‘I'm Really a Square ‘‘But Don't Tell Anybody Man" Secret Society"… ‘Secret Virtual Society of Body Mass Challenged Weight Trainers' or The Secret Society of, ‘I'm Really A Geek But Inside is A True Warrior Waiting To Get Out!'

www.guyleven-torres.co.uk

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