The Post Bag: Letters To Squall

Suicidal Tendencies

Squall 14, Autumn 1996, pg. 70.

Dear Squall,

In response to Neil Goodwin’s Green Terrorism? I’d like to say a couple of things.

When are people going to stop patronising the fuck out of some kind of sub-species called ‘little old ladies’, cunning disguised as ‘elderly ladies’ by our Neil? Women just can’t stomach any more of this banal slop.

Also, I can explain the ‘suicide attacks as a tactic to halt road construction contracts’ (leaked by senior Special Branch officers to Contract, the construction industry’s weekly journal).

Simply, this linguistic trap transfers the onus of blame for any death or injury from a machine operator, or agent of the bailiff, onto the person who gets in the way of any so called legitimate work. Be this up a tree, in front of a digger or, as in the case of Jill Phipps, in front of a live exports lorry.

In the very early days of the A30 road protest I had a tree felled directly on top of me and legged it out of the way just in time.

I tried to bring charges unsuccessfully, with the contractors saying that I’d run into the path of the falling tree obviously an early and unsuccessful attempt at a suicide attack.

Another change in tactics has come from the Highways Agency. They have posted notices around Allercombe, Trollheim and Fairmile, the three A30 sites due for eviction, says something like this:

“This is Highways Agency land. Trespassers have committed illegal and dangerous acts. For your own safety leave immediately.“

In this way I believe they hope to, at least legally, clear themselves of any blame for injury or deaths during evictions.

So watch out for getting twatted and then being told you were gagging for it.

Perhaps it takes a woman to see through that one.

In love and sisterhood,

Angel Koyunti
Somerset