Parents Protecting Children UK are proud to congratulate our friend Arnold Wesker on receiving a long overdue Knighthood in the New Years Honours List.

We hope that his increased profile will lead to a West End performance of his play “Denial” – not only about False Memory Syndrome but about the whole phenomena of false and misleading accusation. There were echoes of this theme in his critically acclaimed latest play “Longitude”, recently performed at Greenwich, which showed how official character assassination can take on a life of its own.

From our home page:

“I hope that technology in the form of your web site helps bring the cause of false accusations home to those who don't know of the pain caused by such false accusations, and brings together those falsely accused so that they don't suffer the pain of isolation in addition to all else. Good luck.” Arnold Wesker Playwright

Letter received in November 2001

Dear Jan

I have no hesitation in sending you a letter of support in your campaign to protect children with disabilities and their parents wrongfully accused of neglect.

Whereas you and I both know - you even more so with your professional background - that there are very serious cases of children being ill-treated, nevertheless we also know, all too painfully, of the existence of the zealot mentality: the pursuit of imagined injustice that is more to do with the zealot's identity crisis than the supposed malpractice he/she is hell-bent on eradicating.

I keep by me a quote from the late Professor Isaiah Berlin, which applies across the spectrum of human behaviour from the domestic scene to the vast political arena. I add it at the end of this note.

I hope you are listened to; your long-going endeavours should be evidence enough of innocence. No one really guilty of ill-treating their children would have persisted as long as you have. It is apparent to me that you are driven by the power of the most honourable of righteous indignations.

Good luck.

Arnold Wesker

Isaiah Berlin quote:

“The oldest and most obsessive vision is, perhaps, that of the ideal of the perfect society on earth, wholly just, wholly happy, a final solution of all human problems within men's grasp, but for one - some one major obstacle such as class war, or the destructive aspects of materialism or of Western technology; or, again, the evil consequences of institutions - state or church; or some other false doctrine or wicked practice – one great barrier but for which the ideal is realised.

It follows that since all that is needed is the removal of this one great obstacle in the path of mankind, no sacrifice can be too great, if only by this means can the goal be attained.

No conviction has caused more violence, oppression, suffering. The cry that the real present must be sacrificed to an attainable ideal future - this demand has been used to justify massive cruelties...”

Extract from speech of acceptance by Sir Isaiah Berlin on receiving The Jerusalem Prize, May 1979.