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KAFKA’S CYCLE

And the Slow Death of a Complaint

“The love of power and the love of liberty are in eternal antagonism”

 John Stuart Mill

PLEASE GIVE THIS 5 MINUTES OF YOUR TIME – IT MATTERS

I see what I write about and I assert my right to freedom of expression and my right to be heard. It is under threat.

State’s vandalism – closing over 100 special schools in UK in pursuit of parity of esteem for some but denying self-esteem to many.

 State’s negligence – Grenfell Tower Inferno and 2006 Building Regs while blaming everyone else for the fatalities.

State’s folly – Putting the cycling lobby Sustrans in charge of UK’s road planning and, as a result, UK far behind USA with fast chargers for electric cars and the EV revolution. Within the State London’s elite with their own Black Holes for the stats – real figures, not think-of-a-number figures such as Sustrans’ precise forecast of “1,232, 177 additional cycle trips” in Newcastle – obituary notices and human fallibility. Planners never think of that in the first place, including their own.

They are blind to the downside of urban cycling in UK’s narrow, winding streets.

Cyclists’ ever increasing and totally unavoidable risk of death and serious injury, inhaling toxic fumes close to rush hour slow-moving traffic and the added maxi-perils of hired cycles and scooters, especially electric ones, their riders unprotected by helmet and face mask.  And a lot extra work for A & E in our NHS.

Meanwhile others with a personal interest hitch a lift in the same bandwagon and Ombudsmen look the other way, details in my book.

The Threat

I send human rights lawyers a copy of Kafka’s Cycle a Slow Death of a Complaint – a highly revealing case study for students of law, politics and sociology – I say that I will delete anything untrue. They hate to be criticised in public, and they reply:  “I will not give the assurances you seek in your letter, nor will I read the book and catalogue points of disagreement. For the avoidance of any doubt, if you, or your publisher, publishes disparaging, libellous or defamatory statements of any kind about <us>, we will avail ourselves of our legal remedies, bring legal action and seek injunctions or damages as appropriate along with the costs of doing so.” <my underlining>

I write the truth, express my honest opinion and assert it in the public interest – your interest which they should respect – the defences under 2013 Defamation Act.

They are trying to shut me down. My publishers dare not publish Kafka’s Cycle, nor dare I. But at the age of 87, I am grateful that I have not lost my whistle and I take this as a compliment.

Comments and suggestions welcome. Your help now needed.