Hiya CW,
Guess i feel for the white horse at uffington as passionately as you do for the long man. Mucking around with hill figures/ancient monuments for the purpose of TV entertainment/protest has always seemed to me...... well, like an easy option. These pieces of our heritage are so iconic and instantly recognisable, that they offer a 'quick fix solution' to the programme makers. How they get permission amazes me and the delicate nature of these areas is all too often overlooked.
I don't think many people understand that to some other fellow members of the community we call Britain, these places have a very very special meaning. The general public don't recognise any heathen type belief system as anything other than 'a bit wacky'. (these are the people who probably don't have any belief system at all!). I think someone's beliefs should be respected, and i would treat a druid with the same religious tolerance as a christian or muslim. Getting the general public to recognise that some of these places are as relevant to us peeps as the temples and churches of other beliefs, seems to be an uphill struggle ('scuse the pun). But so be it.
It is better to fight, than not, and i'm just glad that there are peeps like yourself who take the time and spend the energy to fight these things and bring it to the attention of a wider audience. If not, then it all get trampled on and will never be there for future generations to marvel at. Keep protesting, Keep going and keep off the chalk hill figures....
WF x
