02/02/2017 Timeline

Power to the people, but do protests really make a difference?

As the Scottish child abuse inquiry begins,

we speak to a survivor from a top private school.

And the Flying Scotsman - Graeme Obree's with us live.

Hello and welcome to Timeline. There's a lot of Brexit and Scottish

budget news. But no-one grabbed more head lines than President Trump.

Thank you for all your feedback through the week.

We don't see you on the telly for ages, and now you're

It's lovely to meet you. I'm Shereen.

I'm a genuine fan. Bobby filled out the nomination form

to nominate you as one of Scotland's community heroes. According to this,

you have served your community to exceptional standard, you are an

unsung hero... What was that like? Great fun.

I think you got into Charles Kennedy!

First tonight - Donald Trump is all over our news feeds,

and social media proved vital in motivating 1.8 million people

in the UK to sign a petition calling for the President's official state

It also mobilised people all over Scotland to get out on the streets.

The United States is all the poorer for having him as a President. I

feel sorry for those people there. I'm glad that I've living in

Scotland and not in the United States at the moment. Why are you

wasting your time? My two sisters are in America, they relocated

there, now he wants to deport them. He is persecuting my family, that's

the main thing. Second, he's persecuting Muslims. Third, he's

persecuting human beings! Those are the scenes this week,

Here in the studio is equality activist Samina Ansari,

and in London is Tom Slater from Spiked Online.

Samina, how did you feel watching these protests

I was quite in awe. I thought it was phenomenal that people wanted to

stand shoulder to shoulder in some dart against the situation, against

How did you feel watching these protests

We are getting involved in protests. Certainly from myself, if we look at

history, there has been protest, whether it has been fro Rosa Parks,

whether it has been from other people, where people have takening

to the streets and from that, there has been a change in policy. The

Iraq war, there was 1 million people out protesting, it did not stop the

war? You're right but it changed the course of politics. In terms of the

credibility of the leaders, the parties in power, it changed that.

It encouraged people to be interested in politics. It didn't

stop the war but it did change the landscape.

Tom Slater, she has a point? Definitely, one of the most

heartening things post the election of Donald Trump, is the fact it

brought people out en masse, to reinvigorate people. Protest can

make a difference and affect change but in relation to these protests

there must be a clear cut demand and assessment of what is going on. What

is troubling me looking at the protests is that there is a lack of

clarity and a tendency of sometimes it being hysterical. There is a joke

that ends with the reference to the Nazis, it seems that every argument

with regards to Donald Trump starts with rhetoric. There is an element

where we are clouding the issue and peddle an opposing politics of fear,

rather than taking up his arguments. So it is heartening to see the

protests but we would like to see clear cut arguments about the

change. Samina Ansari, do you think it is becoming hysterical? I think

that the guest has a point in terms of there must be an ask in terms of

of the protest. So the protests is raising awareness. So they have that

place but in terms of the petitions, that you touched upon, 1.8 million

people signed that, and in terms of that ask to stop the visit so. There

is a place in terms of protest and asking but I don't see hysteria in

terms of the protests. They have been peaceful.

They have been peaceful, with regards to what Tom was say being

the Nazi reference is that hysterical, does it defeat the

purpose? What I did see, especially on social media, in reference to

Donald Trump's family, or his appearance, I don't like that

mocking of features but in terms of other movements and sentiment around

it, I agree with it. Tom, do you think it is having

impact, the protests and the petition here, across the pond at

all? I worry in some respects that the impact of the protests are

counterpart. We have heard of raising awareness but who are we

raising awareness or arguing with? It is fair to say you can attribute

a section of the Trump to being this understandable reaction to the way

in which the lib rails and the left have spoken of Donald Trump over the

years. So treating concern over immigration is suspect, and then the

hysterical tendency to shout down people that they disagree with that.

And the that is a swinging of a blunt response. There is a concern

of playing into the caricature of the extreme liberal in that respect.

We are entrenching his vote, rather than challenging it. Unless we

believe that all of the million of people that voted for Trump are

abrant fascists, there must be something that they are concerned

about that we don't fully understand, and that is clouded out

in the protests at the moment. Samina Ansari, is there a point that

both sides must find a way of communicating with each other? There

is that element. But people are standing up against the rhetoric

coming out, the misogyny, the Islam phobic, the homophobic, they have

found a way to do that, whilst there should be communication fro both

parties, it is being done peacefully.

And I wonder if the presence of the President on social media is

amifying the noise with all of the tweeting that the President is

doing? I'm sure that there is an element to that. But I would like to

see clear cut arguments in relation to taking up on these things and the

focus on his tone, vulgarness, the fact he is willing to say offensive

things at the Tron drop of a hat on Twitter at 3.00am, is clouding the

issue. The striking of calls for Theresa May not to normalise Trump

and not to treat him as a state leader, we are in danger of

whitewashing Trump or those that went after him. We need clear cut

arguments, rather than treating him as a singular hit figure.

Thank you very much. It is interesting what you are saying

about the language that is being used, the language by Donald Trump

Here's rhetoric expert and political scientist,

Thank you very much. Donald Trump breaks with the generic

expectations of political speaking. Rhetoric is the name given to the

ancient art of persuasion. We must persuade a majority of people...

Trying to convince people to see the world in a certain way, to support

your cause. I believe in the United Kingdom. I believe in the union.

By appealing to their emotions. The people of Scotland are speaking.

Persuading people by something of your own character. I will stay true

to my word. As well as persuading people by

logical argument There will be no deal.

Part of Trump's appeal, is that he does not speak in the same way as

normal politicians. What the hell is going on? At the speech in which

Donald Trump is talking about his time in Scotland, just around the

period of the Brexit referendum... I went to Scotland, it was right after

the vote, which, by the way, I hate to say but they asked me what do you

think, I said I think it was going to pass.

It is really not like a political speech. But then handicap and Obama

called it totally wrong. On the one hand that is as he is

speaking in a very off the cuff way. There was so many press it looked

like the Academy Awards you have never seen.

And how it shows itself in his conversational style of speaking, he

meanders, he does not follow a point. They wanted me to hold a

club, no, no, I don't want that picture.

He is stilling a story... I own 100 of it and I don't have a mortgage on

the prompt He is speaking more from the

entertainment side. They showed me hitting a shot. But wait a minute,

they had me playing. Then all of the reporters said... I swear to God, I

didn't play. I didn't play. It reaffirms that the media are

lying. That they can't trust you. It's totally dishonest, folks.

What you try to do is establish a connection. Donald Trump does, a

lot, is to use the word "you" I am with you, I will fight for you and I

will win for you. Usually, we may think that is a bad

idea from the point of view from rhetoric, not building a distance

between you and the audience. When Mexico sends its people, they are

not sending its best, they're not sending you.

The way that Donald Trump does it is he links the I, the you and the we.

We are going to make our country great again.

He presents himself as the man who's going to do things for you. I will

build a great, great wall... Jooishgs You're going to get tired

of winning, you're going to win so much. Boy, did we do well.

Well, you've been getting in touch on social media.

Yes, we asked you if protests make any difference.

James from Glasgow says, "It's an illusion to convince us

of how lucky we are to live in a "free society".

User, kitchernperson says, "Is changing policy all

How about rallying supporters of a cause to share strength

Peter from Perth thinks, "They can make a difference

if the politicians fear they will not be elected again."

Paul asks, "How many protestors are housing refugees?

This week the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry begun,

16 months after getting the go-ahead.

It comes after years of campaigning from survivors.

More than 60 institutions will be investigated,

including six of Scotland's top private schools,

faith-based organisations and other care providers.

Public hearings begin at the end of May.

And the inquiry is fully independent of government,

One survivor, John Findlay, who was abused at Aberlour House,

Gordonstoun's former prep school in Moray,

told Jackie O'Brien his story and how he feels about the inquiry.

John Findlay is approaching 40 but he's seeking justice for an incident

that happened almost three decades ago. After being administered

painkillers for a rugby injury, the 12-year-old schoolboy was sexually

assaulted by a teacher in a dormitory at Aberlour House. It is

Gordonstoun's junior boarding school, run separately and in

different premises from the prestigious public school at the

time. He gave me, what I can only presume

was an early version of a date rape sort of drug.

Later on, came to my dormitory and abused me. Once I was able to move,

afterwards, I confronted him about it. I was convinced by him that

actually it was due to, that imagined it.

That nothing really happened. That is was because the painkillers were

so very strong that he gave me, and please tonight tell anybody, because

of course, he would get into trouble.

Many years on, how do you feel that incident has shaped your life? Has

shaped John Findlay? It's had a dramatic effect upon my life without

any shadow of a doubt. I had the headmaster's commendation on the

entrance to Gordonstoun. I literally was the star pupil at Aberlour

House, however, when I got to Gordonstoun, I no longer wanted to

be in the limelight. I wanted to keep my head below the par pet. I

was very happy to be very average. My work, my relationships,

everything subsequently has been tainted by that experience because I

have an ingrained dread that the work, the worst is going to happen.

So, what hope do you have that the Scottish child abuse inquiry will

start to address the issues of your past? I would love to say that I

have hope, however, it's yet another announcement of yet another inquiry,

and yet another process. I see, actually, no progression whatsoever

with regards to any government or any school providing genuine help

for victims of abuse. It's all very well to say, yeah, we're looking

into it but, for crying out loud, it's about time that you could just

turn around and say, instead of spending however much on enquiries,

why not just spend the money on helping the victims of this abuse?

Aberlour House is now fully merged with Gordonstoun, which is one of a

number of private schools investigated as part of the child

abuse inquiry. It says it will in full and supports efforts to address

historic abuse. The Scottish governments wants the inquiry to

undertake its work in a four-year timescale to address the issues

raised by the survivors and it stress it is is one of the few

countries that has funding for those affected.

You would like to give evidence? I would love to. Without a shadow of a

doubt. Some argue it will help Gordonstoun,

learn from the mistakes of the past, surely that brings some comfort? It

does, certainly binge an element of comfort but resolving what happened

in the past is just as important as focussing onnen preventing it in the

future. Trusting somebody and being abused by that individual shatter

your entire world from the sense that you're framework, your

psychological outlook of: This is a person I can trust, rely upon, and

this are there for my benefit... And it just evaporates.

That evaporation... It never leaves you.

You just lose faith in eeverybody. And that is a horrible, horrible way

to live. If you've been affected by any

of the issues we've been discussing and would like details

of organisations offering advice and support

you can go online to bbc.co.uk/actionline,

or you can call free any time to hear recorded

information on 0800 066 066. Now, last week we featured

the Banana flats in Leith as part Now they've been awarded

Category A listed status, meaning they are as architecturally

important as the Forth Road Bridge. We went along to find out what some

residents make of it all. I think it is a very good thing that

it is listed. It has been a long time coming. My favourite thing

about the building? I like the windows looking out on the veranda.

It is a dirty ugly looking building, simple as that. I have lived here

for about eight years, I studied architecture, and landscape

architecture, so I am quite proud to live in this building. The top flat,

so it is a bit like the penthouse of Cables Wynd House. It is a building

of character and there are some great characters who live here. A

really bad name, it gets. I always thought listed buildings had to be a

hundred years old, and this is not 100 years old. That is what I always

thought. It is just concrete slabs all put together, that is all. Not a

listed building to me, definitely not. We had our anniversary so we

went out on the veranda with a bottle of champagne and watch the

fireworks. The views are spectacular as well. Fireworks night, there are

queues to come into the flats to watch the fireworks. It is a great

place. It is amazing the people who come and stop, holiday-makers and

that, taking photographs. People are fascinated with it. I'm not. They

are fascinated with that. I think they look more like a

boomerang! Right, Graeme Obree -

here's a man who likes Really, I became famous for building

bikes and winning bike races. Most people remember Old Faithful. There

was a piece of an old washing machine in there and most people

remember that. You cannot get away from that. The washing machine bike!

But, you know what, that is what people latch onto. Today is the

day... You must break that record, for emotional survival. That outlay

is the sense of fear or suffocation. -- that outweighs it.

Good job! Pushing 60, there. Cycling legend Graeme Obree is here, and he

has brought his bike, even though it doesn't look much like one! We will

talk about that in a moment, the bike is called Beastie. But

firstly... Tell us about this challenge -

what exactly is it, and why It was a great exhibition, a great

idea, in the bath, that I had, then I thought, yes, let's use my skills

to build, innovation, thinking outside the box, and my physical

ability, to do something that will inspire young people. I was talking

to kids in primary schools and I thought, let's bring something this

century that the kids are young people can look up to. What can you

actually do for yourself with the inspiration you have? What was the

challenge you set yourself? I knew there was a spot called -- sport

called human powered vehicle racing. Everyone knows I got banned for my

innovation in the sport, and there is one without rules. Apart from the

skin of the bike has to be a safe material like Kevlar, and you wear a

helmet, the only rules. All innovation actually is the sport.

Tell us about this bike, an extraordinary contraption, it looks

like a bolt, but there is bike in there? There is. It is about how

fast you can go... -- it looks like a throwback to me. If you watch the

programme, when it comes out, you will see the challenge actually

underestimates... A series of challenges. It was a year delayed by

complications, so much more than I thought it would be. You had to lie

in that thing, and we cannot do that here in case it topples over, but it

is made out of old parts, a saucepan at one stage? I was keen to use

parts that, you know, I scavenged stuff, not just stuff, but there are

real materials in there. Any washing machine parts? No, but there was an

old pair of rollerblades. If somebody else did not have my name

could go and get help and do the same type of thing, it was for that.

Graeme, what is it like inside the shell there? It looks uncomfortable.

Very hard to describe. In the film I speak about it. My shoulders were

very squashed in it, no comfort, no room for a bath in there. You are

lying face down? Yes, a lid on it, and breathing to Richard. It is

terribly claustrophobic -- breathing through a tube. You are in the thing

breathing through a tube and you can barely see where you're going. Must

have been terrifying. How fast did you go? On the last day, the very

last day, the last chance, I actually got a world record on it.

You've spoken before about having had mental health problems,

and you address this in your film - did doing a challenge

It was all part of that journey, wasn't it? Some people might say it

is evidenced itself of mental health problems... But actually the whole

thing grew legs and became much more of Project, a challenge, than I

thought it would be. But, yes, I have. I was keen to come on the

programme tonight because I wanted a wee documentary showing about bike

building to enthusiasts, but it became one about my life which

pulled out all that passed again, so I think it was important, and what

is important to say, we all know about the past, but how it is and

how it comes to be is through a lot of changes, simple changes are made

in my life. You suffered from depression for many years. How are

you know? What I did, at some point I said, you know what, I will use my

analytical skills, from bike racing, bike design, and I do talks, I speak

to people about the good things in the past that brought forward in my

thinking techniques and I analyse the situation from that. What

happened... Obviously I will use my life experience, from my entire

life, to engage with life. The problem was when I engaged with live

with that life experience, that was broken. So normally... And I have

benefited hugely and am thankful for all the help from cognitive

behavioural therapy over many years... But it is like programming

a computer to stop it might lead therapy in itself? Yes, and I

replaced that with a very simple programme -- like programming a

computer. So it is like therapy in itself? So now that is disconnected.

I still seek things. I aspire. I do not like the word "Achieved,"

because that is afterwards. But it made such a difference. An absolute

pleasure to speak to you, so thank you for coming in.

And Battle Mountain is on Tuesday night on BBC 2 at 9pm.

That's it for this week's Timeline - we'll be back next Thursday.

Stay in touch with us on our social media until then -

let us know of any stories you want us to be talking about.

Until then, we leave you with two Scottish comedy legends.

We asked you to send them some questions ahead of Still Game

returning to the SSE Hydro on Saturday, and of course...

Ford and Greg take it very seriously...

LAUGHTER A bit nervous, but looking forward

to it. Yes, good nerves. We will tell you exactly what is on it, oh,

yeah... So we will! Good question. No! Even know we are getting less

make up than we were getting at the beginning. It used to be an hour and

a half and now it is about 45 minutes. Gies a chance, man! Why did

you even ask that! This will rattle them... Occasionally things do go

wrong but the audience, they don't notice it, because he just says my

lines... I just walk off, then you know something has gone wrong!

LAUGHTER I want to go and break

the world land speed record, on a bike that I mainly

built myself. The thing that makes me strong

is my fear. You must break that record,

for emotional survival. Have you launched, Graeme,

yet, over? I needed to justify my self-worth,

as a human being. Champion cyclist Graeme Obree

battles himself and Battle Mountain.