Why Do Our Big Leaders Dislike Our Protests?

Have your ever been in a school or institution where the teacher or leader demands our silence? Have you ever been a part of a culture where children are to be seen but never heard? Have you ever felt that your very tongue is cut off?

We may recall that classic story from hundreds of years back. It was called ”The Voice of the Shuttle”. The storyline was simple. A powerful leader had raped a woman. To prevent her from telling her story he cut off her tongue. So in protest she wove a big tapestry which told the story. She told her tale using other ways and using a kind of alternative voice. She made a tapestry and hung it on the wall for all to see. She used the public space.

According to the TV news this morning Kemi has been under such threats. The Kemi leaders are reported to be refusing public protest in public places. The TV news this morning concerned the Kemi library services. Rather bad news for the image of Kemi I would have thought. But surely the Kemi leadership is aware of the ”Voice of the Shuttle” story. Surely. The Kemi leadership must be aware of the public space. Surely.

Anyway well done Kemi. You have now used your wisdom to make us the laughing stock of Finland. We Kemi democrats? We Kemi social democrats and even lefties? We, Kemi folk, that respect the public sphere of influence and debate. I guess we must find alternative voices of the shuttle and alternative ways to use the public sphere to express our opinions and knowledge.

But why do our big leaders fear our voices? Do they have something to hide or something to fear? Or are these big leaders just insecure or are they just control-freaks? We know that leaders from history have acted the same way. That is trying to silence all critiques. We know that many leaders are termed as ”Foxes” or as ”Lions”. Political theory tells us this time and time again. But there is also another animal that springs to mind.

Some big leaders are like Squirrals. You know those little creatures with long tails that take their nuts and then hide them up. Squirrals are also trying to work in secret places. They like to gather up all their stuff and keep it away from the public view. Surely our leaders today have more sense than a mere squirral? Surely. We understand about those little squirrals because we know they need to survive during the long and hard and cold winter and this survival has nothing to do with democracy, public spheres or even open debates. Poor squirrals are desperate for survival.

But when Kemi gets onto the Finnish national TV news with such, almost unbelievable, news of very silly actions then we must talk openely again. If the voice of Kemi folk is denied, in their very own public places, then alternative ways must be found. To make this worse this is not new news at all. But now it is national. Democracy in Kemi is now famous just as a Bush and a Blair are famous. Well done Kemi-kazi politics. (sic)

This is one more example of where public debates should be help in our Kemi-Tornio region. This is one more example where the university folk should be talking in public. Local leaders should be open to debate. Local people should attend these kinds of debates. All in public. All for the camera and the internet to see. Without this kind of alternative ”Voice of the Shuttle” only shit happens.

These stories need telling. May I say that Kemi folk need to listen to the ”truth” if that is possible. May I say that such ”truth” can only ”appear” through the public sphere. When we create a public sphere we have a good chance of a decent conversation. Then idle gossip does not win the day. Then a fox or a lion or a squirral does not win the day either. Such is local democracy which is, right now, failing. Badly failing.

Steve Bowles