We here in Britain have a traditional <br />belief in fair play. <br />Like, if we lose an away match, <br />we trash their town centre, <br />hold the town square as our turf <br />for several hours against the <br />full might of the police <br />who hours before, got us safely <br />to our seats and kept the home crowd <br />from throwing more at us <br />than we could shout at them <br /> <br />(That's one thing about <br />not learning foreign languages: <br />they have to learn English <br />to insult you...) <br /> <br />Proportionality. <br />It’s reassuring. <br />A level playing field. <br />And if one end dips away, <br />change ends at half time. <br /> <br />Like Waterloo, as we were taught, <br />was won on the playing fields of Eton. <br />Whatever that means. <br />That’s Waterloo in Belgium, <br />not the rush-hour and every <br />man and woman for themselves. <br /> <br />So it’s really offensive to our sense <br />of fair play when those countries <br />of the Middle East who love fighting <br />and who’s ever going to stop them, <br />do they want to, it’s <br />a national sport, kinda gun Olympics – <br />when those countries don’t play <br />the rules of proportionality: <br />the death toll in the ‘conflict’ <br />- and Dubya-or-quits agrees with this – <br />should be more or less equal; <br />and in these democratic days, <br />that should include civilians <br />in with the troops. <br /> <br />Proportionality. <br />It’s reassuring. <br />A level killing field. <br />Bodies strewn equally. <br />Perhaps if it dips away one end like this, <br />They should change ends at half time. <br />Though, would anyone notice?<br /><br />Michael Shepherd<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/proportionality-a-disgusted-rant/
