[Stones] Fathers 4 Justice

[Andy Burnham]

...actually, as you're on the committee... It appears that 'attack' on 
Stonehenge has been in the public domain for several weeks, as this 
report from a fortnight ago illustrates:
http://www.wiltshiretimes.co.uk/mostpopular.var.1183884.mostviewed.fathers_4_justice_plan_west_wiltshire_protest.php

Had English Heritage made any efforts to beef up the usually fairly 
laid-back security to counter this 'threat'?

Andy Burnham wrote:

> Cerri,
> Fair enough, I didn't know you are now on the Managemant Committee, 
> well done you, but I still don't think you should have been commenting 
> in such a personal way. I thought the "Drag the family courts out of 
> the Stone Age" was a very poignant point and I would encourage 
> everyone to read about some of the awful things that the family courts 
> get up to with no redress by the people invoved possible, but not on 
> this list...
>
> I wasn't having a go at you about '3 people cracking the stones', I 
> thought it was a very stupid question from the journalist, and an 
> answer like 'don't be silly, it's stood for 4500 years and is not 
> about to be cracked by 3 idiots' would have been better.
>
> Personally I find publicity seekers like the idiotic 'New 7 wonders' 
> person to be far more annoying. I don't know, fly round in an airship 
> for a couple of days and you're suddenly god's gift to ancient 
> monuments? Why do the media fall for it? Now we see English Heritage 
> out canvassing for people to vote for Stonehenge to be a 'new 7 
> wonder'. Words fail me.
>
> Thanks for the reply
>
> Cerridwen Connelly wrote:
>
>> Andy,
>>
>> I was interviewed as a member of the EH Stonehenge management 
>> committee. I
>> assume Peter was too busy negotiating with the protestors to do it 
>> himself.
>>
>> I said that I had empathy with FFJ up until the moment the reporter 
>> told me
>> they had broken into Stonehenge and were walking on a lintel. The 
>> "parenting
>> skills" remark referred to the issue of teaching children to respect our
>> ancient heritage, and that NO ONE is permitted to climb the stones, 
>> even on
>> Open Access events, for their own safety as well as respect for the 
>> site.
>>
>> I said that if they wanted international media attention, all they 
>> had to do
>> was block the entry turnstiles which would have brought out the 
>> police and
>> media without need for leaning a big ladder against the trilithon and
>> stomping back and forth in heavy boots for nine hours on a World 
>> Heritage
>> irreplaceable monument. If it's Stonehenge the media come. There are 
>> ways to
>> publicise a cause without disregarding our heritage.
>>
>> The "three" remark was not in the interview, just a tag line on my 
>> email.
>>
>> Hwyl,
>>
>> Cerri Connelly
>> http://www.technopagans.co.uk
>> "for those who honour the past but love living in the present"
>>
>> Andy B wrote:
>>
>>  
>>
>>> While I don't approve of climbing the stones I have to sympathise with
>>> John's strong views and wonder what experience of the pressures of
>>> fatherhood gives Cerri the right to pontificate so publicly? In fact 
>>> who
>>> set you up as a spokesperson regarding Stonehenge? I think I know the
>>> answer to that.
>>>
>>> I have a DVD cover here showing 6 people on the lintels in the 1980s
>>> during a solstice party. That was the image they chose for the cover.
>>> Like it or not the image of people standing on Stonehenge is one of
>>> those iconic things that gets to the public consciousness. Which is why
>>> they did it.
>>> Ooh - 3 people might break it - give US a break...
>>>
>>>   
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>  
>>
>
>


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