First They Came For The Anarchists----.

A call for solidarity: 

Friday, 16 January 2015,  10:00am.

Spanish Consulate General, 

63 North Castle Street, Edinburgh, Midlothian EH2 3LJ 

December 16th 2014 saw 11 anarchists in Barcelona detained in what has been known as "Operation Pandora".
All 11 detainees (4 of them were released on charges on December, 18th) are anarchist activists. One of them is a member of Sabadell CNT union and is still imprisoned. Solicitors for the accused have stated that they have been arrested for being organised; evidence against the accused is non-existent and desperate. Demonstrations have taken place already around Spain, however January 16th may see even bigger demonstrations. Please pass this information on - and if you live in or near a city with an embassy or consulate, let us know!
Join us - We will hand out leaflets against this attempt at criminalisation of anarchism.

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

Hypocrites All.

      The tub-thumping hypocritical defenders of "freedom of speech", apart from their persecution of journalists, practically all of them have blood dripping from their fingers, but not in the defence of freedom, but in the defence of their own power, capitalism and the mighty corporate greed machine. 

       All they bring to the public out pouring of outrage, is hypocrisy, repression, warmongering, and hunger for power. Birds of a feather----. 

Jacque Swartz

12 January 23:51

Those marching in the front row of the Paris free speech march yesterday:
- Prime Minister Rajoy of Spain, whose government just passed the Ley Mordaza, a gag law placing historic restrictions on the right to protest in Spain.
- Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia, which last year jailed a journalist for "insulting a government servant" .
- Foreign Minister Shoukry of Egypt, which as well as Al Jazeera staff has detained journalist Shawkan for around 500 days.
- King Abdullah of Jordan, which last year sentenced a Palestinian journalist to 15 years in prison with hard labour.
- Prime Minister Davutoglu of Turkey, which imprisons more journalists than any other country in the world.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu of Israel, whose forced killed 17 journalists in Gaza last year (second highest after Syria).
- Foreign Minister Lamamra of Algeria, which has detained journalist Abdessami Abdelhai for 15 months without charges.
- The Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, which in 2013 held a journalist incommunicado for a month on suspicion of MB links.
- Prime Minister Jomaa of Tunisia, which recently jailed blogger Yassine Ayan for 3 years for "defaming the army".
- The Prime Ministers of Georgia and Bulgaria, both of whom have a record of attacking & beating journalists.
- The Attorney General of the US, where police in Ferguson have recently detained and assaulted Washington Post reporters.
- Prime Minister Samaras of Greece, where riot police beat & injured two journalists at a protest in June last year
- Secretary-General of NATO, who are yet to be held to account for deliberately bombing and killing 16 Serbian journalists in '99.
- President Keita of Mali, where journalists are expelled for covering human rights abuses.
- The Foreign Minister of Bahrain, 2nd biggest jailer of journos in the world per capita (they also torture them).
- Sheikh Mohamed Ben Hamad Ben Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, which jailed a man for 15 ys for writing the Jasmine poem.
- Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, who had several journalists jailed for insulting him in 2013.
- Prime Minister Cerar of Slovenia, which sentenced a blogger to six months in prison for "defamation" in 2013.
- Prime Minister Enda Kenny of Ireland, where "blasphemy" is considered a criminal offense.
- Prime Minister Kopacz of Poland, which raided a magazine to seize recordings embarrassing for the ruling party.
- Prime Minister Cameron of the UK, where authorities destroyed documents obtained by The Guardian and threatened prosecution.
- Prime Minister Orbán of Hungary, the autocrat of who Amnesty says has "put an end to the free press in Hungary."

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

Freedom Of Speech, If you Have The Money.

      Ian Bone, well known anarchist and class war activist, once again came face to face with the insidious ways of the establishment in silencing opposition. Having been invited to give a talk at Balliol, Oxford, the talk however, was cancelled as the Thames  Valley Police, hit the event with a possible security bill running into the tens of thousands of pounds, to police the event. Since Balliol were not prepared to stump up the money and the organisers of the event, Left Caucus, were unable, the event was prevented from happening. It's called democracy and freedom of speech.

This from Cherwell:

    Questions have subsequently been raised over the legitimacy of the police’s fears, and Ian Bone has been outspoken on the matter. He told Cherwell the tactics of Thames Valley Police were “fucking diabolical… cunning and underhanded.”

    Bone stressed the fact that he was willing to comply with all of the restrictions that Balliol had imposed upon the talk, and intimated that the police had acted in a coercive and persecutory manner. He has now resolved to deliver the same speech next on 1st May, outside Balliol, and protected by the right to protest.

    Bone said that he thought the police were exaggerating the potential danger. Whilst controversial movements on the far-right – such as EDL marches – often cause great public expense, Bone insisted that an hour-long indoor discussion wasn’t even remotely comparable.

Read the full article HERE:

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

Don't Dare Speak Out.

     The Land of the Free, tries to intimidate those who would speak out, but that is the least we should expect from the state, American or otherwise. Like the man said, "an informed public is a threat to the state".

This from Polizeros:

Monday July 1, 21:40 UTC
    One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.
     On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic “wheeling and dealing” over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.
This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me.
     For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.
     In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.
    I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.
Edward Joseph Snowden
Monday 1st July 2013

ann arky's home.

 

One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.
On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic “wheeling and dealing” over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.
This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me.
For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.
In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.
I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.
Edward Joseph Snowden
Monday 1st July 2013
- See more at: http://polizeros.com/tag/edward-snowden/#sthash.yRNbsTAT.dpuf

Monday July 1, 21:40 UTC
One week ago I left Hong Kong after it became clear that my freedom and safety were under threat for revealing the truth. My continued liberty has been owed to the efforts of friends new and old, family, and others who I have never met and probably never will. I trusted them with my life and they returned that trust with a faith in me for which I will always be thankful.
On Thursday, President Obama declared before the world that he would not permit any diplomatic “wheeling and dealing” over my case. Yet now it is being reported that after promising not to do so, the President ordered his Vice President to pressure the leaders of nations from which I have requested protection to deny my asylum petitions.
This kind of deception from a world leader is not justice, and neither is the extralegal penalty of exile. These are the old, bad tools of political aggression. Their purpose is to frighten, not me, but those who would come after me.
For decades the United States of America has been one of the strongest defenders of the human right to seek asylum. Sadly, this right, laid out and voted for by the U.S. in Article 14 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is now being rejected by the current government of my country. The Obama administration has now adopted the strategy of using citizenship as a weapon. Although I am convicted of nothing, it has unilaterally revoked my passport, leaving me a stateless person. Without any judicial order, the administration now seeks to stop me exercising a basic right. A right that belongs to everybody. The right to seek asylum.
In the end the Obama administration is not afraid of whistleblowers like me, Bradley Manning or Thomas Drake. We are stateless, imprisoned, or powerless. No, the Obama administration is afraid of you. It is afraid of an informed, angry public demanding the constitutional government it was promised — and it should be.
I am unbowed in my convictions and impressed at the efforts taken by so many.
Edward Joseph Snowden
Monday 1st July 2013
- See more at: http://polizeros.com/tag/edward-snowden/#sthash.yRNbsTAT.dpuf

 

The State Stifles And Distorts Information

      Spain, like Greece is trying to contain the anger of the people by clamping down on the independent media. Stifle the flow of information and people begin to feel isolated, less able to fight back. To maintain the present system of rule by the financial Mafia, the state has to be the only mouth piece, it is of the utmost importance that we support all those independent reporters and photographers who tell it like it is.

This from arrezafe: 

News about the arrest of photographers Raul Capin and Adolfo Lugan.

ann arky's home.

Defending The Right To Freedom Of Speech.

      Most people know, or should know the poverty and deprivation that has been callously forced onto the ordinary families of Greece. Of course the people of Greece, like people anywhere else, when they are brutally assaulted, fight back. The state, of course, is aware of this and meets this fight back, with an array of methods. First and foremost is propaganda, mislead, confuse, and scapegoat sections of society, divide and rule. When this doesn't do the job then it is the bare-knuckle approach with violent repression, Greece is well down this path. Daily brutality against any organised protest, a free hand to right-wing fascist groups who are there to put fear on the streets. Also the state will deal harshly with any attempt by the people to communicate outside the state blessed institutions, the babbling brook of bullshit, the media is to be your only organ of information. Hence the Greek state has done its damnedest to close down Indymedia Athens and the people organised free radio broadcasts. The free flow of information by the people must be stifled, only the state message is to be heard.

       On April 25th. in Athens there was a massive demonstration against this attempted stifling of the voice of the people. Thousands took to the streets to defend Indymedia Athens and the voice of the people's radio.

     From Contra Info some of the slogans being chanted by the mass demonstration.

‘From Athens to Mexico, create thousands of indymedia sites so that repressors get wiser’

‘Indymedia is a voice from the streets; not one step back in the face of repression’

‘Pirate radios and self-organized spaces inside faculties; the academic asylum belongs to fighters’

‘This is how you do it right: take down the Greek flag and raise a protest banner’ (reference to the 24/4 action at Propylaea)

‘Cybersecurity is not feasible; proletarians/trolletarians have no IP’

‘10, 100, 1000 indymedia sites against a world filled with rotten media’

ann arky's home.

BLASPHEME AND WAIT FOR "HIS" ANSWER, NOT HIS MINIONS.

        Like the man said, the blasphemy laws just go to prove that their god is indeed a weak god and can be sorely damaged and offended by a mere mortal uttering words. He seems to be unable to defend himself and needs the help of a few mere mortals to do his work for him.

This from Left Hemispheres:

       On this International Blasphemy Day I hope you all will go forth and rise above being offensive for no reason. The goal is to reinforce the message that freedom of speech is a human right. Call it an extension of “free will” (if there is such a thing). We will not be bullied into silence. We cannot be subjugated with imaginary hell fire. Remember the difference between mocking the idea and mocking the person who holds the idea. And try to remind the believers that if their god were real he could probably take a fucking joke.

Read the full article HERE:

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.

PEACEFUL PROTEST IS OK, -- ISN'T IT??

     
      Media clamp down, co-ordinated nation wide move against peaceful protest, police brutality? Surely not in the West? It must be some foreign banana republic with a despot dictator!! This is the free democratic West where we value freedom of speech and expression, after all we export such values to repressed people across the globe, don't we??

      You can take it that there is more of this to come, as the so called "crisis" takes a tighter grip of our lives. The corporate financial mafia are determined to cover any losses by taking all public spending and transferring it to their coffers. The might call it deficit reduction, but it still amounts to taking tax payers money and putting into the bank accounts of the big boys who control the financial mafia.

     You can debate how the "crisis" came about, who was responsible, until you're blue in the face, when the simple answer is that the system is inherently flawed as far as the ordinary people are concerned, but works well if you happen to be one of the billionaire parasites with their hands on the roulette wheel. It is a gambling club, but you and I are not in the club, we just provide the wealth that they gamble over.

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   "EXTREMISTS" AND UNIVERSITIES. 

       Recently the Cameron/Clegg millionaire cabal have been shouting there mouths off about universities not doing enough to crack down on extremists. To most people in this country, this is interpreted as meaning violent Muslim extremists, but however that is not how it will unfold. It will encompass all “extremists” as defined by that narrow band of pro-establishment public school thugs. If you advocate radical change to society away from the profit motive and towards a sustainable, needs based society, you no doubt will come under the heading of “extremist”. We should be very vigilant when we hear those in power talking about clamping down on “extremists”. Who draws the line between acceptable view and “extremist”, how narrow should acceptable be defined?

ACCEPTABLE AND UNACCEPTABLE EXTREMISTS???

 

       The other point that is very important, is that if universities are suppose to be at the cutting edge of research in all fields, how do you do that if you exclude those views that don't fit the mainstream acceptable views of the establishment. In forbidding “extremist” views, you neuter any debate and confine it sterile ground and the future is barren. Of course for a number of years universities have been moving away from that position of, the centres of cutting edge debate and research and moving towards being factories that turn out units needed for “the economy” (big business).

       If your accepted ideas can't hold up in open debate, and to defend them you ban all those who disagree with those ideas, then I believe you are an “extremist”. Then we already know that the Cameron/Clegg millionaire cabal and their cohorts are indeed, right wing “extremists”.

 

 

 

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WORKERS KNOW YOUR HISTORY - WILLIE MCDOUGAL, GLASGOW.

Glasgow has many who have dedicated their lives to the working class cause and Willie McDougal stands tall among Glasgow's many working class fighters for justice and a fair society.

WILLIAM C. McDOUGAL 1894-1981.

EARLY YEARS.

        Born on the 22nd. of January 1891 in the district of Partick in Glasgow, William C. McDougal spent nearly seventy years actively promoting Libertarian non-sectarian Socialism. He joined the Glasgow Anarchists around the age of nineteen. Willie served as secretary to the Glasgow Anarchist Group and held Sunday meetings at the foot of Buchanan Street. At this time anarchists groups were growing in number in and around Glasgow.

PRISON.

       Prior to the first world war anarchist groups received relatively little interference from the police. The war changed all that, with meetings being disrupted by police and patriotic groups. At one such meeting in Botanic Gardens, Willie was speaking and referred to the King as a parasite. A crowd rushed the platform and threatened to throw him into the nearby River Kelvin. In 1916 Willie was arrested for refusing the call-up, he was beaten by the local police and handed over to the Military. He refused military orders, was put on trial and sentenced to two years imprisonment. He was sent to Wormwood Scrubs Prison, then on to Denton Camp, eventually ending up in Dartmoor. While at Dartmoor he was involved in prison disputes and tried to organise a strike. He then decided to slip out of the camp by means of the camp bicycle, cycling part of the way he eventually reached Glasgow where he resumed his anti-war and anarchist propaganda. This activity also included holding classes on economics in the rooms of the Herald League and speaking at open-air meetings.

RUSSIAN REVOLUTION.

       After the war the Russian Revolution considerably increased political activity on the streets of Glasgow. Most anarchists were enthusiastic about the Revolution, some of Willie’s meetings indicate this with titles like, “Lenin’s Anarchy”, “Revolution of Necessity”, and “Dictatorship, democracy and Government”. It was not long before Willie and the Anarchists lost faith in “Lenin’s Anarchy”, by 1920 it had turned to hostility.

At this time the Glasgow Anarchist Group became the Glasgow Communist Group, in 1921 it changed to the Ant-parliamentary Communist Federation, this group was kept alive right through the 1930s by Willie McDougal, Guy Aldred, Jenny Patrick and other anarchists. Guy Aldred left in 1933, Willie kept it going until 1941.

GLASGOW GREEN FIGHT.

       Willie was also involved in the fight for freedom of speech and assembly on the Glasgow Green. This struggle came to a head in 1931 by the arrest and imprisonment of the Tramp Preachers. The major players in this struggle to repeal the bye-law forbidding public speaking on the Green were Guy Aldred, Willie McDougal, Harry McShane, and John McGovern. Willie was among those arrested and tried for speaking on the Green without a permit, many other activists played a part in this important Glasgow struggle. The bye-law was repealed in 1932 thanks to the excellent case put by Guy Aldred.

SPANISH CIVIL WAR.

        1936 to 1939, the years of the Spanish Civil War, saw a remarkable rise in the activity of Glasgow Anarchists. During this period Willie’s public speaking activities were to peak, the events in Spain also drove Willie to print, publish and edit a number of papers. The first to appear was “Advance”, 1936, then came “The Fighting Call”, 1936-37, “The Barcelona Bulletin” 1937, followed, next came the “Workers Free Press”, 1937-38, and then, “Solidarity”, 1938-40. Apart from trying to give an anarchist view point on the Spanish Civil War, these papers were trying to provide an open forum for anarchist and other voices of the left.

WORKERS OPEN FORUM.

       During the 2nd. world war Willie McDougal with Dugald Mackay formed the Workers Revolutionary League to follow on from the Anti-parliamentary Communist Federation. Later on with others he formed the Workers Open Forum, this was again an attempt to provide a platform for all the views from the left and try to create unity. The “Form” rented rooms at 50 Renfrew Street and continued until the late 1950s. The end of the Workers Open Forum marked the end of an era, an end to regular working class political meetings in dingy little halls dotted about the city.

PROPAGANDIST TO THE END.

      After this period Willie McDougal continued his struggle to spread anarchist views by publishing papers. In 1970s there was the “Industrial Republic”, and the year up to his death, “Sense”. Along with these he produced many pamphlets, among them, “Marxism Made Easy”, “An Open Letter to Mr Callaghan”, and “Anthology of Revolt”.

        Willie McDougal continued his propagandist activities right up to his death. The last issue of “Sense” being at the printers at the time of his death. He always tried to put his ideas in the simplest form possible. Willie never lost faith in the belief that the struggle to end the insanity of capitalism could and would develop towards Socialism. William C. McDougal together with other Socialist activists kept alive the Anti-parliamentary Libertarian Socialism that demands real change in society not the tinkering reforms of Party Politics within the framework of Capitalism. His life was an advancement of that cause, his death a loss to the fight for human liberty.

MORE OF GLASGOW'S WORKING CLASS HISTORY HERE.

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WIKILEAKS FOREVER.

For the latest on this go HERE.
This has to be kept alive, the outcome of this will play a large part in determining the shape of our future society. Will government be that of an open society or will it be a closed club for the chosen few from the rich and powerful, as I think it is at the moment. We are governed by consent we should withdraw that consent if those that we elect decide to govern in secret and persecute those who try to open that secret club up to public scrutiny. Your own freedom may well depend on the outcome of this affair.

ann arky's home.

FREE ROSALBA TORO.

      Across the goble ordinary people are imprisoned, tortured and sometinmes killed and their crime, -trying to improve the living conditions of their people while living and working under a repressive regime. We must always stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who find themselves in this type of situation. The following is an appeal from Labour Start on just one such case. Please show your support HERE.

Colombia: Free jailed trade unionist Rosalba Gaviria Toro

       On 9th March 2009 Rosalba Gaviria Toro, a member of FENSUAGRO, the Colombian Agricultural Workers' Trade Union was detained and accused of 'rebellion'. She has been imprisoned since then in Villa Cristina jail in the city of Armenia, without being convicted of any crime. Rosalba has been an active trade unionist and human rights activist for many years, however, the Colombian authorities have described her as a 'terrorist' - jeopardizing her right to a fair judicial process. There is no legitimate evidence against Rosalba and it would seem that, like so many other political prisoners in Colombia, she has been jailed to silence her and prevent her from carrying out her legitimate work in defense of trade union and human rights.

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FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION - UNLESS YOUR AN ATHEIST??

        

      The following short article highlights what is a direct attack on the freedom of expression. Are we not to be allowed to criticise religion and show what we consider to be the foolishness of some of its beliefs? To poke fun at something can highlight the foolishness of a particular opinion, if it can't stand up to that ridicule then so be it. How often have the views of the left be held up to ridicule by all the mainstream media, can we have ASBO's pasted on to the TV and certain newspapers? Anarchist have for years been ridiculed by most politicians, can we take them to court and have them sentenced to 6 months?

       Somehow to hold an irrational set of opinions seems to give you the protection of the courts but to hold a set of views that can be backed up by rational debate and historic evidence leaves you open to ridicule. Why should religion be beyond criticism, it is just another set of views held by a group of people, albeit, an irrational set of views. What a strange society we have created, why should any view, religious or otherwise have special privileges and protection from public opinion?

       Can anyone explain to me why Mr. Harry Taylor should not be allowed to carry and distribute his opinion of a set of irrational beliefs, beliefs based on the writings of a couple of members of Middle Eastern nomadic tribes from a long time ago?

      Atheist given ASBO for leaflets mocking Jesus By Jerome Taylor, Religious Affairs Correspondent Saturday, 24 April Independent.

      An atheist who left leaflets mocking Jesus Christ, Islam and the Pope in an airport's prayer room has been given an ASBO. Harry Taylor, 59, from Higher Broughton, Salford, left the anti-religious posters in prayer rooms at Liverpool John Lennon Airport in November and December 2008. But he was found guilty by a jury and given a suspended six-month sentence yesterday, as well as an ASBO forbidding him from carrying anti-religious leaflets in public.

      One of the posters Taylor left at the airport depicted a smiling crucified Christ next to an advert for a brand of "no nails" glue. In another, a cartoon depicted two Muslims holding a placard demanding equality with the caption: "Not for women or gays, obviously." A third poster showed Islamic suicide bombers at the gates of paradise being told: "Stop, stop, we've run out of virgins".

       Terry Sanderson, president of the National Secular Society, has been left angry over the conviction. "The six month sentence may have been suspended, but it is still totally out of proportion for what Mr Taylor did. The professional 'offence takers' in religious communities will now feel that they have a strong weapon to use against anyone who is critical or disapproving of them. It is, in effect, a blasphemy law that covers all religions and is much more powerful than the one which was abolished two years ago."      

 

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THE PROPAGANDISTS.

THE PROPAGANDISTS.

When the hordes run with their flaming torches,

When they light the torch of freedom

Burning all injustices

Scorching all hypocrisies

Making a bonfire of poverty

Throwing dogma, patriotism and religion on the flames,

I’ll be there, among them with my box of matches.

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THE FOG OF LIES.

Photo by John Hartfield.

     

      If it was just the sex, scandal and celebrity worship it would be bad enough but the mainstream media is much worse than just a keyhole view of the self-centred celebrity parasites and their fawning poodles. It has a much more sinister purpose, it is a necessary tool of the state/corporate/imperialism military machine and is used with a relentless brutal ruthlessness.

      Mainstream media, like harmful bacteria, is everywhere, it is accepted in its present form as if it were the guardian of society. It probably is, the guardian of this corrupt and vicious system we call capitalism. It does this by concealing and safe-guarding the shady and self-serving connections between the media, politics, government, big business, in particular, the military-industrial complex and religious organisations.

     To do this the planet and most of its inhabitants, you and me, are ruthlessly lied to, manipulated and exploited, sometimes tortured and killed, for the enrichment and gratification of a few power freaks and parasites. The mainstream media spouts patriotism, dividing the world’s working class, perpetuates such schemes as the states phony "War on terror", glorifies the present slaughter in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere as some sort of Western sacrifice for the benefit of others and works up fervour against the next sacrificial lamb, in the present case, Iran.

     The mainstream media will claim to inform and investigate when in fact all it does is pump out money making distraction or disinformation at best and at worst, cynical war-mongering propaganda. It will lie and distort with impunity, overlook, deny or " forget" its own dangerous filth but will not hesitate to crucify one of its enemies for the slightest slip-up.

     To be informed we need to ignore the mainstream media and create our own media, a working class information system that is not tied to the profit greed machine, not wedded to the corrupt state apparatus. This is easier than ever with desktop publishing and the internet, through these channels we can produce local news handouts as well as keeping ourselves informed on international affairs. We can create links across all borders with our working class brothers and sisters in any part of the world, we can create unity within our class and lay the foundations for a just and peaceful world based on sustainability and mutual aid. Let’s communicate, organise, take back our world and let the revolution flourish.

 

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CONSENT???

     Has the state any legitimacy? Apathy, acquiescence, consent, ah, that is the question and how do we differenciate.

"… consent is always compromised by force; the mere existence of effective force dedicated to some end constitutes coercion toward that end, whatever you may think or want. If I consent to abide by the law when that law is enforced by a huge body of men with guns and clubs, it is never clear, to say the least, whether my consent is genuine or not. … It will always be prudent for me, under such circumstances, to simulate consent, and there are no clear signs by which a simulation could be distinguished from a genuine consent in such a case. That I am enthusiastic in my acquiescence to your overwhelming capacity for violence—that I pledge my allegiance according to formula, sing patriotic songs and so on—does not entail that I am not merely acquiescing. … [T]he mere existence of an overwhelming force by which the laws will be enforced compromises conceptually the possibility of voluntarily acceding to them. Or put it this way: the power of government, constituted by hypothesis under contract, by which it preserves the liberties and properties of its citizens, is itself conceptually incompatible with the very possibility of their consent." (Pages 50-51)

Crispin Sartwell. Against the State, Page 50/51.
 
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THE FREEDOM TO INDOCTRINATE.

       

       Recently the UK government passed legislation setting out compulsory sex education in all schools. Of course there was the usual belly-rumbling and garbled noises from the Christian fundamentalists claiming that it was an attack on their freedom to indoctrinate the minds of young kids. As usual the government caved in and an amendment was added allowing faith schools to teach sex education in a manner that reflected their religious views. What a cop-out, how do you teach sex education reflecting the view that you shouldn’t be taught it in the first place?

       I can visualise a sex education lesson in a faith school where the teacher holds up a condom between their finger and thumb stating, this is a condom, some people say it can prevent pregnancy, but if you ever use one you will burn in hell for all eternity. That should be very helpful to the kids. Now kids, you know that artist fellow down the road who does a lot of charity work, well he is gay and therfore evil, so don't look at or buy any of his art work.

        Why sex education? Why not allow the faith schools to teach all subjects to reflect their religious views, history, biology, etc. A history lesson could go something like, Henry viii founded the church of England because he was possessed by the devil and filled with evil spirits. The world today is mainly free from witches, because we burnt most of them in years gone by. Biology, the main elements that play a part in the human condition are genetics, environment and the snake from the garden of Eden. There is no end to this crap if you allow the faith schools to teach subjects to reflect their religious views.

        Why doesn’t religion get out of education and confine itself to funny places where men wear long dresses and speak to some imaginary guy in the sky. Where mumbo-jumbo and the adoration of symbolism, crosses, blood of Christ and other weirdo things is seen as OK. Let it be an adult choice if they wish do these things, stop indoctrinating our kids in this divisive, destructive, illusionary world built on the ramblings of some big noises in an ancient, nomadic Middle Eastern tribe.

 

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