CAPITALISM OR JUSTICE? YOU CAN'T HAVE BOTH.

       According to a recent article by the BBC, the World Bank is warning that food prices are close to pushing millions more into extreme poverty. Since June 2010 an additional 44 million more people have been pushed into poverty. The bank claims that a further 10% rise in food prices would push 10 million more below the extreme poverty line of $1.25 a day, while a 30% price increase in the price of staples could lead to 34 million more poor. It is estimated that at the moment there are about 1.2 billion people living on less than $1.25 a day. The bank also warns that the prices of wheat, corn and soya all rocketing.

      While this disaster is unfolding the so called “financial crisis” (gamblers and spivs gone bust) is still with us and will unfold over the next year or so with the possibility of chaos and civil disobedience on a massive scale. Greece, at the moment, has almost daily mass demonstrations in most of its cities, with a general strike planned for this month. Spain has the Squares in its large cities occupied, and every other country in Europe has demonstrations and more planned on a unified front. The real pain has still to hit.

      Meanwhile the IMF is hell bent on screwing the people of various countries, most of Europe included, by handing governments loans, Of course we all know that nothing the IMF or the European Central Bank does, helps to alleviate the poverty in the world. On the contrary, for their loans they demand “deficit reduction” which translated into ordinary speak, means, cut all social spending, privatise everything in sight and send the money to the busted banks and bond market.

       This is capitalism, a system where the parasites with the money gamble and con their way to greater wealth for their little club, and when the gamble doesn't pay off, then they turn to the ordinary people and plunder their assets, decimate their standard of living to ensure that the gamblers and spivs don't lose out for their greed.

      How much longer can we afford to allow such a system of greed and exploitation to decimate our world, a world that we will leave to our children and grandchildren. Do we leave them a future of poverty and greed, devoid of hope and opportunity, or do we leave them a world that will allow them to develop to their full potential, free from the fear of deprivation, a sustainable world that sees to the needs of all. The choice is ours!!!

ann arky's home.

BLAIR'S WAR - BLAIR'S LIES.

Protest 21st January 8am Queen Elizabeth 2nd Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, SW1P3EE

http://stopwar.org.uk/content/view/2217/1/

         Tony Blair is back in front of the Chilcot inquiry. The hearing comes against a background of the statement from his chief legal adviser which effectively says that Blair ignored his advice over the legality of the Iraq war. Lord Goldsmith, who was attorney general in the Blair government, has said that he felt uncomfortable with Blair's public statements in the run up to war.

It is clear that Blair had a strategy of not asking for legal advice from his legal adviser, trying to avoid it being put in writing, and in general ensuring that he heard nothing which might hold him back in his determination to follow George Bush into the war.

        Blair deliberately went to war despite knowing that the lawyers thought the war was not legal. He is now giving evidence for a second time at Chilcot, to try to explain the discrepancies between his original evidence and that of Goldsmith.

      Stop the War, along with CND and BMI, is calling a demonstration outside the Chilcot inquiry this Friday, 21st January, at 8 am. We are asking everyone who can be there to attend. He is scheduled to be in the hearing from 9.30 to 2pm but there is now talk of him being there all day because of this latest statement. We would especially encourage people to come from 8 till 10.30, but there will be people there for the duration of the hearing.

Other things you can do to highlight Blair's lies:
1. Call a local protest/set up a STW stall on Friday if you can't make it to Westminster.

2. Hold a meeting on Truth and lies about Iraq - we can help find speakers for you.

3. Donate to Stop the War to help our campaigning, and take out a direct debit/membership to contribute to our work over the coming year

Protest 21st January 8am Queen Elizabeth 2nd Centre, Broad Sanctuary, Westminster, SW1P3EE

ann arky's home.

TAX DODGERS OF THE HIGH STREET.

      This is just a few of the big wealthy businesses that are ripping off the British tax payer while the government turns a blind eye and swings the hatchet at public services. We in Britain are being mugged by a gang of public school thugs. As far as I am aware, mugging is a crime against which you are entitled to fight back in self defence, you can legally take what action is necessary to defend yourself. Hit back hard.

BHS:
        BHS is part of the Arcadia group, owned by Sir Philip Green. Well no, not really, because he gave it to his wife, who doesn't actually work there at all, but she lives in Monaco so doesn't have to pay income tax. This costs Britain around £300 million. That's enough to pay the full £9,000 hike in tuition fees for 32,000 students. Or, the salaries of 20,000 NHS nurses.
      To make matters worse, David Cameron sought advice from billionaire Sir Philip Green on government cuts, We are not really “in this together”.

    WHERE DID ALL OUR MONEY GO? 

     HE SENT IT OFF TO MONACO!

VODAFONE:
     Vodafone owes the UK an estimated £6 billion in avoided tax. This money would cover most of the £7 billion per year cuts to the welfare system.
     It's not only Britain where they aren't paying up. Vodafone owes the Indian government £2 billion in tax from buying an India company. This could save millions of people in India dying from starvation.

     THEY SAY TOP UP!      

       WE SAY PAY UP!

LLOYDS TSB:
     The Lloyds banking group was bailed out by the government after taking too many risks with our money. The bail out cost the British public £850 billion, that's 95% of this country's deficit. Yet we are the ones facing cuts – not the bankers.
     In fact these banks are actually promoting tax avoidance by encouraging wealthy customers to channel money through China.
     Pay them a visit and picket their premises, organise demonstrations to let the public know what they are up to. You are being asked to pay the shareholders bonuses by taking a cut in your standard of living, don't swallow the crap, fight back.

ann arky's home.

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER!!!!

       

      The following is a letter written to Indymedia Scotland and the reason I have posted it here is that I fully agree with the writer's sentiments. The student movement should not fight in isolation hoping to sort out something on education cuts. To quote the millionaire twins, "we are all in this together", the fight is a matter of self defence for the whole of society, excluding the millionaire parasites who at this moment in time are calling the shots. The ideology that is being forced onto the ordinary people of this country affects everybody, workers, students, unemployed, claimants, pensioners, the sick, those with mental health problems, housewives, single parents, couples and children. These groups should not be left alone to fight their own battles, like the letter says, the state is powerful, has limitless resources at its disposal and will pick the groups off one at a time. It is only through linking up and working in co-operation across the full spectrum of society with true solidarity can we win this fight. It is a defining battle, if the ordinary people lose there will be a totally corporate society, a society with no social welfare, everything provided by the private sector, at a price, and if you can't afford the price then it will be an appeal to a charity. We will have become a society of profit providers for the corporate world with no say in the shape our society takes. On the other hand, if we win, we can start to create a society that will see to the needs of all our people, a society built on the simple principles of mutual aid, voluntary co-operation and free association based on sustainability. We can create a society that frees all its members from the fear of deprivation. However, it will take courage, co-operation and organised solidarity. We can draw on lessons from some of our victorious battles of the past, to mention two, the 1915 Clydeside rent strike and the 1980's poll tax struggle. Solidarity and direct action was the key in both these victories. 

More on Glasgow working class history, HERE.

Dear Student Anti-Cuts Protesters,

       Thank you. You are an inspiration. You have lit the blue touch paper. But now is not the time to stand back. I was proud to be part of the tremendously successful Edinburgh University-led protest and occupation yesterday. There was a huge turn-out for an Edinburgh protest, and the sudden occupation of the university took everyone by surprise. I am not a student: I'm currently a benefits claimant, and was marching with the Edinburgh Campaign Against Poverty. One of the reasons I am most proud of the Edinburgh protest is that it made an active effort to work in solidarity with workers, benefits claimants, and all others affected by the cuts. As in London, we were all also delighted and impressed by the number of school students who came too. This is an aspect a number of the University anti-cuts campaigns are missing, and that's what I'm writing to you about now.

         Your struggle is not isolated. You are not alone. All those affected by the cuts – workers, claimants, families, everyone – should be proud of you and impressed by you, because you have with rage and love and energy led the charge against these repressive and unnecessary cuts. Workers are being betrayed by the TUC just as students are being betrayed by the NUS: currently so many in Britain are waiting and hoping for organisations to work for cross-class struggle against the cuts. You can contribute to that.

        This government, for all its flimsy rhetoric, is incredibly powerful. States are powerful. You do not win a fight against a state, with all its apparatus of power – from police who beat us up to teachers who punish schoolchildren for their brave protest “truancy” – unless you work across social groups, across classes, in solidarity with the huge diversity of people who are struggling with this government.

       University student protesters, you are privileged. Many, if not most you, have far more financial freedom and time than many affected by the cuts (though certainly you will suffer terribly from them); many of you are white, or male, or have other markers of privilege. It is easier for you to protest and occupy than it is for many, because you will face less repression and have more freedom, and so you have a responsibility to use that power for others.

       So do not let your struggle against fees be compartmentalised. Do not let the anti-cuts fight be divided. Go out and meet with trade unions, with workers and their councils, with disability and LGBTQ rights groups, with women's groups, with those fighting for their benefits, with everyone who is affected by the cuts. None of us will win alone. Together, we can. Do not be parochial. Do not let your struggle be the only reported struggle, and do not waste the power you have.

       This is not to say that you must come and rescue the struggling poor or oppressed minorities. That would perpetuate structures of privilege and oppression. What I am saying is that you are organised, and that you are starting to be heard, and that all the other organised groups who have to struggle harder to be heard need you to work for them.

      Be strong. Use your privilege. Extend your fight. Make it stronger. Show solidarity – but also be active in your solidarity. I say this without pretension or apology for sincerity: your country needs you.

     This letter has been written quickly and not gracefully. It is propaganda. It is flawed. I am currently too busy working and fighting to spend much time writing the philosophical arguments and journalistic analyses. But you can find those elsewhere and I will link to as many as I can find as soon as I can; there are people struggling and writing on all fronts. I am not the only voice telling you this. I am not the only voice asking for your help.

We are already together. We are already strong. Onwards!

ann arky's home.

A PARCEL OF ROGUES!!!!

   First saw this video HERE It would be nice to get it to number one for Christmas.
     Sing the song, spread the word, let them know that we know, and we are going to do something about it. 

Expesive suits and smooth talk doesn't hide the their false words and brutal actions.

ann arky's home.

SELF DEFENCE IS NOT A CRIME- IS IT??

Unity statement -
Defend the right to protest - Defend Education

Now is the time for unity, more so now than at any point in our movement for a better world. The move to privatatise all areas of our lives and work will need maximum unity against their efforts to divide us.

SIGN THE STATEMENT ONLINE NOW AND FORWARD TO YOUR NETWORKS
http://www.petitiononline.com/st53231/petition.html

We need unity to defend education and break the Con Dems’ attacks. Stand with protesters against victimisation.
• Stand with the protestors against victimisation
• Hands off our students, our colleges and our universities
• Broken windows cannot compare to the broken hearts and dreams of a generation denied education and jobs
       Wednesday’s 10th November national NUS/UCU 50,000 strong national demonstration was a magnificent show of strength against the Con Dems’ savage attacks on education. The Tories want to make swingeing cuts, introduce £9,000 tuition fees and cut EMA. These attacks will close the doors to higher education and further education for a generation of young people. During the demonstration over 5,000 students showed their determination to defend the future of education by occupying the Tory party HQ and its courtyards for several hours. At least 32 people have now been arrested, and the police and media appear to be launching a witch-hunt condemning peaceful protesters as “criminals” and violent. A great deal is being made of a few windows smashed during the protest, but the real vandals are those waging a war on our education system.
        We reject any attempt to characterise the Millbank protest as small, “extremist” or unrepresentative of our movement. We celebrate the fact that thousands of students were willing to send a message to the Tories that we will fight to win. Occupations are a long established tradition in the student movement that should be defended. It is this kind of action in France and Greece that has been an inspiration many workers and students in Britain faced with such a huge assault on jobs, housing and the public sector.

We stand with the protesters, and anyone who is victimised as a result of the protest.
Initial signatories include:

Mark Bergfeld, NUS NEC
Sean Rillo Raczka, Birkbeck SU Chair and NUS NEC (Mature Students’ Rep)
Vicki Baars, NUS LGBT Officer (Women’s Place)
Alan Bailey, NUS LGBT Officer (Open Place)
Kanjay Sesay, NUS Black Students’ Officer
Matt Bond, NUS Disabled Ctte (Open Place rep)
Michael Chessum, Education and Campaigns Officer UCL SU
Jade Baker, Education Officer Westminster Uni SU
Cameron Tait, University of Sussex Students' Union President
Nathan Bolton, Campaigns Officer Essex University Students’ Union
Clare Solomon, ULU President
Jim Wolfreys, UCU NEC
Dr Marion Hersh, UCU NEC and Scottish Executive
Alex Gordon, President, National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers (RMT)
Lee Hall, playwright ‘Billy Elliot’
Hilary Wainwright, Transnational Institute
Alex Callinicos, Professor of European Studies King’s College London
Billy Bragg Songwriter
Noami Klein Author and Activist.
All in a personal capacity

SOLIDARITY.

ann arky's home.

LET THE MILLIONAIRES CUT YOUR WAGES???

      

        As the European governments move in with the hatchets at the ready to slash and cut the living standards of the working class what will be our response? We have seen massive demonstrations on the streets in Greece. In Spain 75/80% of public sector workers  took strike action against a 5% pay cut. There have been and still are strikes and demonstrations in other countries across Europe. What will we, the working class in this country, do as the well manicured public school boys start swinging their hatchets?

       The next few months will be crucial, the cuts will come fast and furious as well as sudden, if our response is not equal to that we will have lost the momentum. We have to make it quite clear from the very start that these attacks on our living standards will not be accepted. This is a totally one side affair, all the cuts will hurt the ordinary people but will in no way affect those at the top who are responsible for this so called "massive debt".

         Let's not forget, these cuts are to protect the banks and bond holders from suffering any great losses. We are supposed to be the ones to carry the losses, why? Remember, the cabinet of this government has 23 millionaires in its little cabal. How will they hurt as they cut and slash? They know it is a class war and fight accordingly, isn't time we dealt with it in a similar fashion and fight it as an out and out class war. A pan-European class war linking up with the striking workers in all the other European coutries where the people are making a stand against this savage onslaught to their living conditions. Without a doubt the outcome of these cuts will be a return to Victorian poverty for our people, while the financial sector with its millionaire/billionarie friends re-arrange their balance sheets to their favour. Unless!!!

ann arky's home.