Yes, YOU can change the world. Or more pertinently, WE can change the world.
People of all ages, from all ages, have been changing the world since humans arrived on it.
There’s no doubt that the standard of living of the average human has considerably changed and improved in the past 100 years, 1000 years, 10,000 years.
But there’s still so much that needs fixing. So much is wrong. Terribly wrong.
The cover of the new book, “The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated” boldly claims:
“It takes a lawyer, an activist, and a storyteller to change the world.”
What a true maxim.
And this inspirational book, which the actor/activist Jane Fonda describes in the foreword as “transformational”, cites multiple examples from around the world of how people-power movements and lawyers can work together to win in the struggle for social justice.
As the book’s publisher, OR Books, summarises:
‘In these vibrant narratives, 25 of the world’s most accomplished movement lawyers and activists become storytellers, reflecting on their experiences at the frontlines of some of the most significant struggles of our time.’
Here in Britain this month we’ve witnessed first-hand how social justice CAN be achieved when an activist, a lawyer, and a storyteller work together.
Described as Britain’s biggest miscarriage of justice, around 3,500 managers of Post Office branch shops were wrongly accused of theft, fraud, and false accounting, when all along it was computer software at fault.
More than 700 branch managers were criminally prosecuted by Post Office HQ, even though the organisation eventually became aware of the software fault.
Many of the Post Office shop managers – known as sub-postmasters – lost their livelihoods and life savings.
Some were imprisoned even though they were completely innocent. There were four suicides. Many of the sub-postmasters became mentally and physically ill, as they were forced to live in near poverty.
Complaints and actions against the unrepentant Post Office HQ got nowhere for over two decades, even though the case was published in newspapers and featured in a BBC documentary.
It took an activist, a lawyer, and a storyteller to change everything.
ACTIVIST and former sub-postmaster, Alan Bates, who inspired and organised over 500 of the sub-postmasters to take group action. Read more in the The Mirror.
LAWYER James Hartley, of Freeths Solicitors, who represented Alan and the sub-postmasters. He won two landmark court cases against the Post Office. Read more here.
STORYTELLER Gwyneth Hughes, who spent three years writing the true four-part drama called ‘Mr Bates vs the Post Office’ .
THE STORY broadcast on ITV which enraged the nation and directly resulted in the Government promising urgent action to promptly exonerate and compensate all the wrongly accused. Watch on ITV catchup.
Unfortunately, the Post Office scandal is just the tip of an ugly iceberg of so many things that are wrong in Britain today.
Journalist Alun Drake has written an exhilarating new book, called ‘Fixing Broken Britain’, which brilliantly summarises the case for reforming the UK. He calls it,
‘A blueprint for national revival’.
So, two new books I can highly recommend. If you only read two books this year, make sure these are the ones.
The Revolution Will Not Be Litigated: https://orbooks.com/…/the-revolution-will-not-be…/…
Fixing Broken Britain: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Fixing-Broken…/dp/B0C9S85258/
𝗝𝗼𝗻 𝗗𝗮𝗻𝘇𝗶𝗴 is an independent campaigning journalist and film maker who specialises in writing about health, human rights, and Europe. He is also founder of the information campaign, Reasons2Rejoin
