The WMN has today reviewed Angarracks latest book. Simon Parker said that the 'amateur historians' latest book was 'so dense with information' that it was 'no easy read'.
Whilst I agree that Angarrack does not appear to have any formal training, and does not make a living from his efforts, his attempts at exposing the antics of University of Exeter trained 'experts' and profession historians can hardly be construed as being amateur.
Angarrack is described as being 'obsessed and consumed' by the subject matter. In other words, he is 'obsessed and consumed' by the prospect of getting the authorities to obey the law. Should such a condition be frowned upon?
It seems that the review, which mainly consists of direct quotes from the book, has been written by someone who clearly has not had the time, or inclination, to read it.
The WMN 2002 review of his last book described Angarrack as being a 'Cornish historian, author and activist'; an 'experienced chronicler' who 'challenged the academic world' - but there is now a new editor in charge of the paper.
So is the WMN's attitude influenced by the authors latest revelations about UKIP/WMN collusion in the run up to the last EU elections, or are there other forces at work ?
Not hyper sensitive - apparently just "consumed and obbsessed".
Others have passions and interests, but Angarrack is "consumed and obsessed"!
The same paper carries a review of a book written by former Grand Bard Rod Lyon on the history of the Gorseth. The former electrician is not described as an 'amateur historian', nor is he portrayed as being "consumed and obsessed" by his subject matter.
If the WMN think the subjects Angarrack discusses ought to be made more accessible to the Cornish - it should, for instance, have published details of last years High Court hearings.
Funny how the paper received all the same press releases others got, but never printed a word on the matter.
Perhaps WMN realises that its principle readership are the retired low rank civil servants that populate cornwall in their retirement and is giving its market what they want?
If there was a demand for cornish nationalist media it would be provided, C24 being the nearest thing to it indicates the level of demand.
And C24 content indicates that most cornish activists are most interested in bitching about language forms, which ironically is something that cornish people living in the utopia of a free cornish republic would still not give a toss about (see RoI for an example).
Strange, isn't it? John is publicly put down as an "amateur" historian, but I haven't as yet. I do not have a University education. I have no letters after my name. Instead, I studied - with wonderful tutoring from sorely-missed people like the late Peter Pool and Vivien Russell - and am recognised as an authority on early Cornish history and archaeology (particularly West Cornwall).
Well, we'll see how long that lasts. "English" Heritage wanted me replaced as Conservation Officer at Penwith District Council because: a) I publicly stood up against their policies regarding Cornish sites and monuments and their turning of a blind eye against the damage/destruction of ancient sites (especially if the perpetrator was a member of the Country Landowners Association); and b) I knew far more than they did because I had intensively studied and recorded it all from the age of 8. (Oh, and c], I was fiercely Cornish in those public views). As you know, they engineered the destruction of my 24-year career and sucessfully blacklisted me from holding any professional position related to Cornish heritage (you employ him and we'll curtail all funding). In recent years, I have become increasingly political in my public statements - not yet to John's degree, but getting close. See the next edition of "Cornish World" in an article to be entitled "Under Siege", which I'm writing at the moment.
Parker also caused a lot of trouble about the SWF of Cornish before the AHG meetings got under way by publishing several articles by anti-SWF agitators.
So you agree that the paper exists not merely to publish news in an unbiased manner, but exists to give retired civil servants what they want - and what these people want is for the paper to slyly hold up in a negative light people who wish to ensure government obeys the law?
Only a naive idiot would expect a commercial entity to be unbiased, especially in respect of profit and pleasing the proprietor.
Do you expect the BBC not to represent the views of londoncentric middle england, when this is the class and geographic referenec of the majority of its staff? It will be interesting to see if the bbc gets more engerlund thuggish when its beginns relocating to Manchester. I would anticipate that the SW, cornwall, east midlands and wales will no longer appear on the bbc when this occurs.
edited by: IrishJack, Aug 26, 2008 - 03:17 PM
Tiocfaidh ar La,
But I'm starting to think that it won't for us cornish, no unity, no leadership, but lots of factions and backbiting
The Bureaucracy needs to expand to meet the needs of the Bureaucracy
Phrases like "amateur" historian" regarding Angarrack's work is nothing short of hugely insulting, but I'm not surprised after my recent run in with him.
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My correspondence with Parker re the Council Logo:
Simon - I have always thought of you as someone on " our side". However, I could not believe your comments on the logo and consider your comments way out of touch with the Cornish public. Everyone I speak to are up in arms about this cultural genocide , yet you pass it off as saying we'll get used to it and it's not that important.
I sometimes wonder if any journalist gives a toss about our oppression.
Regards - Graham.
Graham,
I don't know what you're referring to. I wasn't aware I'd said anything.
But I do take great offence from the insinuations you make.
I have spent my life fighting for Cornwall's self-determination and distinctiveness - to which anyone in the Cornish movement and Gorsedh Kernow who knows me or knows my work will testify.
To have you question my intentions is both insulting and inaccurate.
Many, many of us are working hard for Cornwall.
This kind of in-fighting isn't helpful.
Simon
Simon - This is the piece that I was referring to:
But the WMN's Living Cornwall Editor, Simon Parker, disagreed, saying: "I'm sure there will be as many people out there who like the new logo as those who don't.
"It is probably opposition to the unitary authority itself which is driving opposition to the new logo - rather than the actual design - and led mainly by those councillors who feel they might soon find themselves out of a job.
"At least it's not costing taxpayers anything, unlike the BBC's recent rebranding exercise, and at least it's not a lash-up like the 2012 Olympics logo.
"And regardless of the arguments for or against the new authority, the fact is that come next April it will be a reality and all of us in Cornwall will have to learn to live with it. I personally feel the new logo, with its clear references to the black and gold of Kernow and black and white cross of St Piran, is a good way of marrying Cornwall's past with its future.
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There is no one in the press when push comes to shove. He's a Gorseth man. Case closed.
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Where there's a Negative - there's always a Positive. You just have to find it.
No, hypersensitivity seems to be right, just because media bias exists doesn't mean that the review wasn't generally positive and that negative comments on it are nitpicking pendentry.
No, I'm saying that it is hypersensitive for peope to pick on a little phraseology, which is technically correct, within an article that is largely positive, and hold it up as a clear bias against JA and cornish activism.
Wood and trees, nit picking, not see in the round, helicopter view, etc, etc.
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