Welcome To Zelo Street!

This is a blog of liberal stance and independent mind

Saturday 4 December 2021

Quentin Letts And Instruments Of Control

As the Government has mandated a modest increase in restrictions following the discovery of the Covid-19 Omicron variant - which may be more transmissible and have a significant reinfection rate - so many members of our entitled media class have demonstrated their resistance to the idea of wearing face coverings in shops and on public transport by offering up a series of lame and easily debunked excuses.

Harry Potter and the Gobshite of Arslikhan

This phenomenon reached its nadir yesterday on BBC Any Questions, where the odious Quentin Letts (let’s not) demonstrated an ability to simultaneously argue in his spare time while being seriously economical with the actualité as the question was put: what should be done with those people who refuse to wear said face covering. What say Quent?

I think we should respect them, and I think we should allow them to make their choice for themselves. I have a problem with masks, because to me … I’m not convinced by the science [speed limits, seatbelts, drink driving, using mobiles while driving, nah, it’s just not convincing so don’t bother, eh?] … my personal preference is not to wear these things”.

Do go on. “They set off my chest [no reliable citation, and nor will one be forthcoming] … but also, to me, they’ve become instruments of control [groans] and I find them slightly sinister [more groans] … I think there is something to do with thought control about this [more groans and a solitary clap] … I think there is an element of officialdom trying to put out a message by forcing us to wear a mask rather than the simple health science”.

That would be the simple health science that backs the wearing of said masks, then. But he wasn’t finished. “I’m not convinced by the science [maybe a fortnight on a Covid ward would be more persuasive?]. I think it’s got much more to do with sending a message, and I don’t like the message”. Thus the warped view of the entitled media class in one.


So, as Jon Stewart might have said, two things here. One, while Quent and his media pals are blubbering into their reassuringly expensive upmarket repasts, there really are instruments of control being prepared by the Government he, and many of they, so slavishly and shamelessly support, as the FT has reported. Priti Patel’s policing bill will expand stop and search, and all but criminalise peaceful protest.

But Quent is whining about having to wear a face covering, which is mandated by law. So he’s cool about breaking the law, but only if it allows him and his pals to please themselves. As with Julia Hartley Dooda, regulations and restrictions are for the little people and should not impinge upon the media class’ freedom to do as they please.

And Two, Quent’s pleading that wearing a face covering has an element of control does not seem to be echoed in countries like Spain and Portugal, where mask mandates are generally adhered to by the population without the mardy protests seen from our media class. But then, in both countries, there are enough people of A Certain Age who know what instruments of control are, because they remember them well. And masks aren’t.

Quentin Letts is merely the latest example of whining entitlement to indulge in a petulant display of victimhood. Wearing a face covering does not oppress him, or anyone else. It is nothing to do with control, and all to do with reducing transmission of a potentially deadly virus. His behaviour is grossly irresponsible. But you knew that anyway.


Enjoy your visit to Zelo Street? You can help this truly independent blog carry on talking truth to power, while retaining its sense of humour, by becoming a Patron on Patreon at

https://www.patreon.com/Timfenton

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

That same "argument" is put forward by Fourth Reich loonies whenever sensible gun laws are proposed in Amerika.

Idiots like Letts are a threat to public health let alone human sanity.

Mr Larrington said...

Not just a Super-Twat repeat offender in his own right but plagiarising fellow Super-Twat Desmond Swyne? Get in the sea, Letts, preferably somewhere off Australia where the wildlife wants to kill everyone.

Unknown said...

Yet another prime candidate for the Gaffa Tape treatment, ideally a full mummification in this odious jerk's case.

Anonymous said...

Forget masks letts needs a full face cover gimp outfit ugly little self entitled smug shite

Malcolm Redfellow said...

The Times political sketches used to be readable and amusing. Since Letts got the billet, neither is the case. Nor am I convinced of his ability as a theatre critic.

Torontoboy45 said...

@5. Somebody of influence in theatre land called him a fucking disgrace a few years back.

Sam said...

"an element of control" ehh? Pretty sure anti-mask nutters also railed against the proliferation of CCTV but now that a way of disguising themselves legally (as 100s of the US Jan 6th insurrectionists did)they still moan it's yet another Bill Gates plot.

Anonymous said...

Letts is in no position to critique anything or anyone.

He has the intellectual capacity of a duck.

Anonymous said...

Shame really, as the rest of us do need him to wear a mask...

iMatt said...

Funny how the hard-right are the ones who love to invoke WW2 in regard to Brexit. "We got through WW2, so we can cope with a hard Brexit they cry. And yet, when it comes to wearing a mask over their mouth and nose for an hour or two when entering a public building or using public transport, they proceed to shit all over their WW2 based arguments as they display their inability to cope with a slight inconvenience.