I’m Andy Hawthorne—61 years old, living in Coventry, England. Some might call me a grumpy git because I battle PTSD demons on a daily basis. Others might just say I’m a grumpy bugger by default.
Either way, there are two things I give a damn about.
First: proper freedom of speech. Not the half-baked, state-sanctioned compromise we have in the UK today. My stance is simple: the state should only ever stop speech if it directly incites physical violence or fraud.
Instead, modern British law obsesses over:
- Preventing "harassment" (often just uncomfortable truths)
- Protecting reputations (frequently of the powerful)
- Curbing "social discord" (policing hurt feelings)
That is the qualified, balancing approach of our modern legal framework. It is absolute rubbish.
Second: I cherish a proper sense of humour. Mine was forged on British comedic greats—Spike Milligan, Monty Python, Douglas Adams, Billy Connolly. Absurdist, anarchic, satirical, and anti-bureaucratic.
Most of it wouldn't be allowed today because it might bruise someone's delicate sensibilities.
That is why this site exists. I am sick of the industrialisation of offence, the tearing down of traditional British irreverence, and the complete loss of our ability to laugh at ourselves. I am equally sick of the cozy arrangements between government ministers and media moguls designed to manage what the public is allowed to know.
So, I’m writing this without permission.
Sharp commentary for people who refuse to walk on eggshells