Free Press??

 

          The following article is testament to the British state and its "support" for freedom of the press. The press being handed a script by the state officials of what to write about an incident rather than the reporters reporting what actually happened. To think that this couldn't happen today is rather naive in the extreme, though perhaps the need now is less since all the major media outlets are owned by strong supporters of the state and the established order. So will load their tales in accordance with their views and will not rock the boat too much. 

The Mitchell Library

          Forward was a socialist newspaper published in Scotland from 1906. The founding editor was Tom Johnston, who was one of two main shareholders, alongside Roland Muirhead. It was associated with the Fabian Society, the Independent Labour Party and the temperance movement. It was committed to socialism and reported on these issues.
           In 1915, the paper was closed down for six weeks on the order of Chancellor David Lloyd George, for reporting a meeting where he had met a hostile crowd.
“When Lloyd George got up to talk, according to Forward, he ‘was received with loud and continued booing and hissing ... Two verses of “The Red Flag” were sung before the minister could utter a word.’ The meeting ‘broke up in disorder’ and reporting of it was restricted, with newspapers told to reproduce a press release stating that Lloyd George had been given a sympathetic hearing.
           Forward was shut down for six weeks, under DORA, after publishing its uncensored account of the meeting, though Johnston had been careful, as he thought, not to print anything that contravened it (William Beveridge, assistant secretary at the Ministry of Munitions, found it correspondingly difficult to make a case against him). Johnston wrote in his memoirs that Lloyd George ordered the police to remove copies from every newsagent in Scotland, and ‘had the police search the homes of known purchasers’.”
           Three men were arrested under the Defence of the Realm Act and charged with published material “calculated to cause mutiny, sedition or disaffection among the civilian population and to impede the progress and restrict the production of war material.’ Lloyd George’s actions were debated in the House of Commons on the 4th and 10th January 1916.
           Editorship of the Forward newspaper was passed to Emrys Hughes in 1931, George Thomson in 1948 and Francis Williams in 1957.
It ceased publication in 1959.
         Find out more about our newspaper collections in our "Breaking the News" exhibition in the Mitchell Library on the ground floor.

 Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Silencing Dissent.

         The tentacles of the state's authority machine spread far and slither into a variety of places. Ever seeking to silence dissent, tie the lips of resistance, isolate the people from the true nature of society, and advance their desire for a submissive population.
       If you ever go on to espive.net, you would expect to find a plethora of views and information on autonomous spaces, resistance to injustice, support for migrants, direct action against repressive state actions, support for those in struggle for freedom, etc..
      However today you will find a very simple message that highlights how the freedom of speech is always under attack from those who oppose real change to this repressive and exploitative society that dominates our daily lives.
      Those who  desire freedom must always be on a war footing and ever vigilant, as the attack on our freedoms is relentless, surreptitious and backed up by repressive legislation, all moulded in favour of those in power.
 

     The following is the clear message you will find today if you click onto espiv.net: 

ENGLISH
Hello, comrades:
        We would like to inform you about the latest developments on the shutdown of the server.
          The information we received is that the server went out of order after an oral command of the rector of Panteion University to their computerisation section on the occasion of a complaint about digital piracy.
       More specifically, this complaint concerned two book titles that were uploaded in pdf format to one of the hundreds of blogs hosted by the server. We immediately tried to contact the rectorial authorities and work out a solution, wanting to regain access to the content of the blogs as soon as possible.
        The server, which hosts 850 blogs, has been located in Panteion University since the beginning of Espiv project in 2008. From time to time issues have arisen, and so far we have managed to overcome them and keep the server in place, at a public university in Athens (Greece).
       We understand that many things have changed over the last 12 years, and from time to time we have discussed the real conditions under which Espiv project continues to operate. However, it is our intention and desire to keep the server in place, with all political and labour collectives, neighbourhood assemblies and self-organised projects hosted on it.
     Our repeated attempts to receive a clear answer from the rectorial authorities fell on deaf ears. On Thursday, 28 May 2020 (a week after the shutdown), we received information that the rector will refer our issue to the next council of the senate of Panteion University, which is unknown when it will take place. One should not be too superstitious or naive to assume that all this is due to increased academic duties. After all, the command to shut down the server was given impressively quickly. With universities still closed and after a two-month lockdown, conditions were considered favourable to add another movement’s infrastructure to the long list of squats and projects recently suppressed. A choice that expands repression in the field of internet, imposing the normality of social media, digital snitching, and recording and surveillance of any information circulated on the internet, again showing that the role of the cop can be played well by all sorts of rectors and state employees. The choice to suppress an infrastructure that supports the expression of dozens of collectives within the antagonist movement can only find us against them.

      We will let you know of any further developments and mobilisations.

NO POLITICAL GAGGING LEFT UNANSWERED.
NOT A STEP BACK.

The administration crew of espiv.net

Visit ann arky's home at https://radicalglasgow.me.uk

"Radicalism".

      The state, to survive becomes ever more paranoid, and sees an enemy in every nook and cranny. It will continually introduce legislation to spy, pry and monitor, every aspect of our lives, from early age, to old age, you are a suspect. New spectres are raised in an attempt to legitimise their ever increasing control over our lives. The latest spectre is "radicalism". We are being warned to watch for any signs of "radicalism" and report it to the authorities. It would perhaps be more useful if we had a debate on what is "radicalism". After all, in this society it is radical to suggest that the fruits of our labour should be to see to the needs of all, not for the benefit of the few.

      However the latest flow of bilge water from the mouth of fascist, two-faced, Home Secretary, Teresa May, seeks to find "radicalism" in our pre-school kids. Those who care for children are being asked to watch for signs of "radicalism", and report it to the authorities. Will we soon find three year old Jean, and four year old John, being dragged into by MI6 for interrogation, because of their "radicalism", and perhaps subjected to some mind altering psychology, to put them on the road to submission and servility.

      The state needs war to justify its existence, if not a foreign blood letting war, such as Iraq or Afghanistan, then an array of pygmy wars, such as "war on terrorism", and now an internal war, a "war on Radicalism". When will we rid ourselves of this octopus of interference the state, this cancer that destroys our freedom of expression, speech and thought? This unnecessary chain and shackle on our liberty, that wants us all to spy and snitch on each other? We can organise our communities my mutual aid, co-operation and free association, without this crippling, prying monster whose only aim is self perpetuation and control.

This from today's Herald:

    Under the Home Office proposals, staff at pre-school nurseries would be required to monitor children for signs of radicalism. Speakers at universities would be vetted for any signs of extremist views that would support or encourage terrorism.
   Colleges and universities would have to provide details to the authorities of who is due to speak at least two weeks before they are due to appear. It would enable background checks to be carried out to find out if they have promoted extremism.
      They must also provide advance notice of the content, including an outline of the topics to be covered. It also suggests, where appropriate, universities should have protocols to pool information about speakers.
   The plans are outlined in a consultative document which accompanies Home Secretary Theresa May's Counter Terrorism and Security Bill.
   However, the proposals face a growing backlash. Scotland's children's commissioner Tam Baillie warned, if passed, they could split communities.
    In a letter in today's Herald, Mr Baillie, Jackie Brock, chief executive of Children in Scotland, Maggie Simpson, who heads the Scottish Childminding Association, Jean Carwood-Edwards of the Scottish Pre-School Play Association said it could impact on how staff work with children.
    They said: "Among many staff caring for and working with children, these duties would fall on, for example, the childminder of a three-year-old and the nursery teacher of a two-year-old.

Read the full article HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Censorship.

       Call for support and solidarity for two American animal rights activists.

Call for action: Flood the jail with magazines

     After lawsuit is filed against Kevin’s jail over magazine policy, a call to mass-mail magazines.

     On behalf of Kevin, we are asking anyone who publishes a magazine, newsletter, or any periodical to send copies to Kevin this week.

       This week, a lawsuit was filed against the jail by Prison Legal News over its refusal to allow magazines (except PLN) into prisoners.

We would like to have as many periodicals as possible mailed into the Kankakee County Jail as soon as possible. This will accomplish two objectives:  

• Testing the jail’s willingness to comply with the law.
• Allowing us monitor what, if any, magazines are rejected or not passed on to prisoners.

If you publish a magazine

    We’re asking anyone involved with any kind of periodical (zine, newsletter, magazine, etc) to mail a copy to Kevin. It must be clearly marked as coming from the publisher to be allowed in. And if your budget allows, please add tracking so it can be confirmed if magazines are being delivered to the jail but not Kevin.

On behalf of Kevin and all prisoners, thanks for the support.

***

Please send Kevin a letter of support:
(Note: Kevin Johnson is his legal name.)

Kevin Johnson #469551
Jerome Combs Detention Center
3050 South Justice Way
Kankakee, IL 60901

Tyler Lang was released from state custody in November 2013. He is currently out on bond awaiting trial on the federal charges.

Who are Tyler and Kevin:

     Tyler Lang and Kevin Olliff are two Los Angeles animal rights activists who were arrested in rural Illinois for “possession of burglary tools.” After a traffic stop in which they refused consent to a police search, their car was searched anyway. Inside, police allege they found bolt cutters, wire cutters, muriatic acid, ski masks, and cammo clothing.
      Police believe these items were “burglary tools” intended to be used in a crime, and arrested Kevin and Tyler. The two are held on felony charges which carry up to 3 years in prison. They have remained in jail since their arrest on August 14th.
      There is no evidence linking them to any crime or intended crime, nor were they arrested on anyone’s property, and their history as animal advocates is the only basis for these serious felony charges.
      There are additional details which cannot yet be released, but will be posted here as soon as we are able to share more.

More details HERE:

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

 

Tragedies Feed Corporations.

“Today, a young man on acid realised that all matter is merely energy condensed to a slow vibration – that we are all one consciousness experiencing itself subjectively. There’s no such thing as death, life is only a dream, and we’re the imagination of ourselves. Here’s Tom with the weather.” – Bill Hicks

     This little quip from a favourite of mine, the late Bill Hicks, is to me a true reflection of that babbling brook of bullshit we call main stream media. They continually juxtapose graphic images of some horror, like a typhon torn country with bodies buried in the rubble, and the latest fashion in poodles neck wear, scenes from some mass shooting somewhere, and Harry and Kate shaking some prat's hand. I suppose, like all propaganda, it is very well thought out. Pretend to bring you what is happening in the world, but hope to leave you smiling, feeling that a lot of nice things happen in our country. Over the years I have gone from watching the “news” with a little disinterest to now seething with rage and disgust at the lack of information, lack of depth, and the fact that a great big slice of the world I live in, is censored out. Reported tragedies seem to be no more than appeals for you and I to throw lots of money at the banks, who after making millions from it, will pass it on to corporate organisations who will make a fortune delivering a portion to those in need. In this society, tragedies are a means for the corporate bodies to make a mint. Why is it always you and I that are expected to supply the money and not the multi-national corporations with their billions sloshing around in their bank accounts. In such tragic situations as the recent typhon, you and I would give willingly what we could to help, and freely offer ourselves when possible. The rich fat corporate world waits until the money is collected from you and I, before it offers up the goods. Fat cats feeding off the misery of ordinary people, acceptable and the norm in this greed driven system of capitalism. Humanity takes second place to profit.

 

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

 

The Ever Threatening Presence Of Big Brother.

This information and appeal from OpenMedia:

      Now we know why the TPP Internet censorship plan has been kept so secret.

Wikileaks just made public secret documents that show how industry lobbyists are trying to impose an extreme Internet censorship scheme.1

We knew it was going to be bad. We knew it could mean that entire websites and families could be kicked off the Internet. We knew it could lock out the deaf and the blind.

But the TPP Internet censorship plan is even worse than we thought. The leaked documents reveal that:

• U.S. President Obama is trying to impose laws that would clamp down on free expression, compel your Internet service provider to track your Internet usage, and impose extreme penalties for everyday online activities.
• The TPP would create secret transnational Internet censorship courts. It could override national courts and national laws.2

      Yeah, it’s that bad. This leak could change everything -- but only if people know about it. We need to raise a loud public call at this unique moment:

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SHARE ON FACEBOOK NOW

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SHARE ON TWITTER

THEN, SHARE THIS WEBPAGE WITH EVERYONE VIA EMAIL: https://openmedia.org/censorship

      The leaked documents have revealed that the United States government and lobbyists are nearly alone in pushing the most extreme parts of the TPP’s Internet censorship plan.3

    However, the leaked draft also lets us know which countries oppose these extreme new rules. And here’s the good news: many countries are pushing back.4

      The more voices we join together, the stronger the message we can send. It’s that simple. Your action today will make a difference.

Thank you. We can do this,

     Steve and Josh, on behalf of your OpenMedia.org team

P.S. If you’re still reading this, it means you care. This plan is worse than our worst fears. Your small team here at OpenMedia.org are working hard to make sure people know the truth about what’s going on. Can you do your part by chipping in what you can today towards our campaign?

 

Footnotes

[1] Secret Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement. Source: WikiLeaks

[2] How the TPP endangers access to knowledge, technology, and information. Source: Public Citizen.

[3] Leaked treaty is a Hollywood wishlist. Could it derail Obama’s trade agenda? Source: Washington Post.

[4] The Trans Pacific Partnership IP Chapter Leaks: Canada Pushing Back Against Draconian U.S. Demands. Source: Michael Geist.

Visit ann arky's home at www.radicalglasgow.me.uk

Open Media, Or Censorship.

This Speaks for itself.

Having trouble viewing this email? Click here.

We now know the controversial international agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), threatens to criminalize your online activity including use of your favorite websites. A new chief negotiator named Michael Froman has just been announced. Will you send him a message at this pivotal moment before Big Media lobbyists get to him?

“The Biggest Global Threat to the Internet”: That’s how legal experts describe the controversial international agreement known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).¹

The TPP agreement threatens to criminalize use of your favorite websites—including YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and your favourite blog—and even your online comments.² But you can stop it if you act now >>>

A man named Michael Froman has just been appointed as the new TPP chief negotiator. Froman now has a unique ability either to put this secretive, global Internet criminalization plan to an end – or to cement it into place for generations.

The question is: Who will Michael Froman hear from in his first week on the job? You, or the Big Media conglomerates that see the Internet as a threat?

Legal experts are now warning that under the TPP, normal online activities “could lead you to be cut off from the Internet, have your computer seized, be fined up to $150,000, or even land you in prison.”³

Will you *click here* to send a message to Michael Froman at this pivotal moment? We must speak up before Big Media lobbyists convince him to criminalize use of the Internet.

We can do this,

Steve and Josh, on behalf of your OpenMedia team

P.S. After you participate in this time-sensitive action, please help us continue to push this campaign by chipping in whatever you can now—every bit really does help our small team succeed. Thank you for supporting this community in its time of need.

Footnotes

[1] Recent analysis by lawyers at the Electronic Frontier Foundation called the TPP the biggest global threat to the Internet. Source: Electronic Frontier Foundation.

[2] Provisions in leaked drafts of the TPP could prohibit use of “temporary copies”, which according to policy experts at InternetNZ, are crucial: “The Internet—and computing—fundamentally depends on making temporary copies.”

The EFF writes that if this proceeds, “anyone who ever views content on their device could potentially be found liable of infringement”.

[3] The quote comes from the EFF’s Maira Sutton writing in the Daily Dot.

About OpenMedia

OpenMedia fights for the open Internet, through OpenMedia.ca and OpenMedia International. We empower people to participate in Internet governance with fresh and engaging citzens' campaigns. Together with the pro-Internet community, we've successfully defended the Internet from threats to neutrality, affordability, privacy, and media choice. ann arky's home.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH V RELIGIOUS CENSORSHIP.

       Not my favourite guy, but I do share his view on censorship and religion. As we enter a more authoritarian society and surveillance is everywhere, we have a greater need to speak out and a greater need to defend what little freedom of speech we still have. There are those around who would have all you say vetted, censored and the speaker punished, if the don't like what they hear. They seem to think that violence against words is acceptable, if they don't like those words.

      If you are not allowed to voice an opinion that differs from the accepted then nothing will ever change. That may suit the religious nut-cases, but not a civilised society.

ann arky's home.

BIG BROTHER, HE'S STILL AT IT.

       As their crisis deepens and our resistance stiffens, Big Brother gets more desperate in its attempt to cut our lines of communication. The exchange of information is necessary for success in our struggle against this latest onslaught from the financial Mafia, hence their eagerness to stifle that exchange of ideas and information.

This from Contrainfo.

Piedmont’s site is now accessible at piemonte.puscii.nl. Replace ‘indymedia.org’ with ‘puscii.nl’ in all links of the address to access its entire contents. Piedmont and Tuscany Indymedia are under preventive seizure, as Telecom Italia has already begun censoring both sites. Note that toscana.indymedia.org has already been down for technical and internal reasons since months. Get the background of this story here.
more updates on italy indymedia / source

 ann arky's home.

WHAT IF THE CORPORATE FASCISTS CONTROL THE INTERENET.

          We take wikipedia for granted but what would the world be without it? It is not just the loss of wikipedia but all the periferal damage, the censorship, the control over what you can post and what you can watch, that this act would impose on everybody. You would be under threat each time you clicked on a search engine list, or the list would be so depleted that it would be next to useless.The corporate world controls the fiscal policies of most governments and now they want to control you via the internet. You can rest assured that it is not for your benefit but for the benfit of the corporations in the media and entertainment world. It is another tentacle of corporate fascism.

Created by: Online University
Graphics by: Peter Kim

ann arky's home.

BIG BROTHER TOOK A STEP BACK.

                   More on the US big brother approach to the internet, from AVAAZ. 

Dear friends,

Today could be the day we save the free Internet. We've flipped the White House and Congress is on the back foot. Now Wikipedia's blackout has pushed the US web censorship bills to the top of the news. Today we've reached the tipping point. Let’s bury the bill for good. Click to sign the petition:

Today could be the day we save the free Internet.

The US Congress was poised to pass a law allowing officials to censor access to any website around the world. But after we delivered our 1.25 million strong petition to the White House, it came out against the bill and with public pressure at a boiling point even some bill backers are switching sides. Now, the Wikipedia - led blackout protest has rocketed the public campaign to the top of the news.

We are turning the tide. But the dark forces of censorship are trying to revive the bill right now. Let’s bury it for good today. Click to sign this emergency petition to save the Internet now and if you've signed already, to email, call, Facebook, and tweet Congressional and corporate targets. Then send this to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_action_center_b/?vl

The bill would make the US one of the worst Internet censors in the world -- joining the ranks of countries like China and Iran. The Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) would allow the US government to block any of us from accessing sites like YouTube, Google, or Facebook.

We got the White House to switch sides and now our global campaign and the growing public pressure is forcing Congress to abandon the bill. Last weekend, Senator Cardin, who cosponsored the legislation, announced he will vote against it! Then six prominent Republicans penned a letter requesting that the bill be shelved. Now the lower house vote is reportedly on ice.

Just days ago we were told it was impossible to stop the corporate censorship cabal, but now this is at a tipping point and amazingly we could win! Let’s stop US censorship today. Sign this emergency petition to save the internet now and forward it to everyone:

http://www.avaaz.org/en/save_the_internet_action_center_b/?vl

This US legislation could infringe on all of our freedoms. But if we win, we will show that when people unite with one voice from all over the world we can stop the abuse of power anywhere. We have brought this bill back from the brink. Now, if we amplify our voices today, we can put an end to the most powerful Internet censorship threat that the world has ever seen.

With hope,

Dalia, Ian, Alice, Ricken, Diego, David, and the Avaaz Team

 

ann arky's home.