Let Us Alone.

 

      May Day has passed with lots of different ways of celebrating our day, from virtual get-togethers to May Day strikes, I must say I prefer the latter. Though the day has passed I hope the spirit and idea behind it will live on and grow rapidly. One thing that hasn't gone away is covid19, it still stays with us, and will be with us for some time to come as it shapes the way we live.

    So to get away from that continuing presence I thought I would just stick in a couple of verses of poetry. These are from Charles Mackay, Scottish poet one I don't particularly like, too patriotic and too much reliance on God to sort things out. However, even people like that can produce the odd words of wisdom. These might be a wee bit tame, but they do point in a direction not too happy with the powers that be. These are the last three verses for his poem "Let Us Alone":

Let Us Alone.

Though dwellers in a little isle,
We bear no hate to other lands,
And think that Peace on earth might smile
If we and others join'd our hands.
In Reason's spite why should we fight?
We'll war no more-we're wiser grown.
Quibblers and stirrers up of hate,
Let us alone-let us alone.

White man or black, to us alike;
Foemen of no men we will live,
We will not lift our hands to strike.
Or evil for advantage give.
Our hands are free to earn their fee,
Our tongues to let the truth be known;
So despots, knaves, and foes of right,
Let us alone-let us alone.

Great are our destinies: our task,
Long since begun, shall never end
While suffering has a boon to ask,
Or truth needs spokesmen to defend;
While vice or crime pollute the time,
While nations bleed, or patriots groan.
Rulers be wise! and meddling fools,
Let us alone-let us alone. 

And, The Little Moles:

 

The Little Moles

When grasping tyranny offends,
Or angry bigots frown;
When rulers plot, for selfish ends,
To keep the nations down;
When statesmen form unholy league
To drive the world to war;
When knaves in palaces intrigue
For ribbons or a star
We raise our heads, survey their deeds,
And cheerily reply,
Grub, little moles, grub under ground,
There's sunshine in the sky.

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

This or--?

Another thoughtful piece from Not Buying Anything:

      Humanity has some serious decisions to make right now. We should have made them 50 years ago, but we did not. Now we must, because our survival depends on it.
     Will we decide on preserving the Earth, our only life support system, or will we choose something else?

What it comes down to is,
      "You can have *this* or you can have a liveable planet. You can't have both".
With *this* being things like:

- unlimited travel
- personal motor vehicles (fossil fuel or electric)
- billionaires
- industrial food production
- unfettered human reproduction
- ruthless competition
- war/hate
- convenience
- monumental waste
- a disposable society

         I don't think it inaccurate to say that we can have a liveable Earth, or we can have those other things. As much as we have been deluding ourselves, we can't have both.
      American biologist E.O. Wilson said that "nature holds the key to our aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual satisfaction."
       That is because nature is everything. In the end, nature represents our survival.
     What do all those other things represent?
     Which would you vote for?
     *This*, or a liveable planet?

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

The Keelie.

       Another way you could celebrate May Day would be to download your copy of the FREE Glasgow Keelie, Issue No.7 is now available to download as a PDF. So why not grab you copy of this rebellious, cheeky, up-to-the-minute wee Glasgow paper. We used to circulate it around Glasgow's pubs, cafes etc, but Covid19 put a temporary stop to that, but punters, have no fear, we will be back doing our rounds so watch out for us. 

Get Your FREE PDF copy HERE:

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

On The Green.

      More celebrating May Day, a photo from our May Day "Picnic on the Green" 2019, organised by the May Day Organising Committee, each year we have organised this event it has got bigger, this year was to be better and bigger but Covid19 screwed that up somewhat. 

     We have tended to organise other events around the May Day event, history walks, very popular, film show, march and rally, discussion group, etc. Let's hope that next year we will be back with a bigger and better celebration, celebrating the forced changes we have made to the way this society is run since the pandemic. 

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

May Day.

     May Day, a day when the ordinary people should be on the green, in the park, on the streets, celebrating their solidarity, struggles, victories and meeting up with old friends, making new friends, and building on that solidarity between the ordinary people of this world for future battles to create that better world for all. A time to recall those past champions of working class struggles and discussing how we can take their dream forward.

      Of course the pandemic has put a hold on those celebrations in the open air, but we can still let our voices be heard through what ever method that is available to us, we are the creators, the builders, in this world, we can use our imagination to keep those May Day ideas and that solidarity and community spirit alive. There will be virtual groupings, individual renderings, but whatever, join in, or do your own thing to remember why we celebrate  May Day, our day, a day to show we are all one people and one day we will take this world and shape it for benefit of all our people. 

A May Day greeting from Kate Sharpley Library:

Welcome! First off, some listening:     The Final Straw Radio Podcast have put up a long conversation with Barry Pateman in which they ‘talk about anarchist history, community, repression, defeat, insularity, popular front with authoritarian Marxists, class analysis and how to beat back capitalism.’       If you’ve heard Barry talk before, you’ll know he’s not one to dish out easy answers. This is no exception, and he demands that we respect the lives of past anarchists, and never reduce them to ‘pawns to support our arguments now.’ (38 min. mark) There’s a fair bit on how important (and how challenging) it is to record the lives of the unknown militants. These are the ones who made up the movement: without writing anything, sometimes never reading any of the ‘essential anarchist texts’. There’s plenty, too, on the need (and challenge of how) to talk to non-anarchists. Interesting stuff, and well put together.      You can listen at https://thefinalstrawradio.noblogs.org/post/2020/04/26/barrypateman2020/

Happy Mayday!

      You can get the full text of our "Mayday and Anarchism" pamphlet here https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/59zwk6
(Just find the 'view PDF' button at the end)
      We've put up a report about Alexandria's mayday in 1921: "May Day in the Land of the Pharaohs" https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/sqvcj3
      "The 1918 flu pandemic in the CNT media" by Miguel G is here https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/k6dm37
      and finally, for some true unknown militants, we have a translation of Imanol's article on "Women's participation in the Allied escape lines" https://www.katesharpleylibrary.net/18948f. That's Ana María Martínez Sagi – anarchist, poet, sports star, journalist, lesbian and member of the resistance in France – at the top of the email.

Take care of yourselves, from all at the KSL

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

Whose Script?

     At the moment we are in the midst of a world moving event, opportunity, for who, or disaster, for who. The aftermath of this world moving event could be much worse than the event itself. Fortunately the script has not yet been written. how we fare will depend on who writes the narrative. It is up to us the vast majority of the population to take charge of that pen and write our script the way we wish to shape our story.

     All pulling together should remain as it is during this event, doing it to help each other, it should not be used to help pull the system back to what it was, the opposite must be our aim, to bury the past normal and build our own.

The following is an extract from:

The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good Intentions:

      Resistance; To those who say that now is not the time for “civil unrest,” that division is unhelpful, that we must keep going... we say: now is the time for it all. Mutual aid and solidarity can be no more than acts of charity if they are not combined with resistance in this current context. Carefully, whilst being safe and thinking of others... rebel, resist, and plan. Find the gaps, use the skills and networks you have. Keep yourself sane and your rebellious heart burning, because when the virus eases, the police state will continue, and food parcels and lending books are not going to dismantle it. Stay sharp.COVID-19 is in many ways a global gift to all leaders and politicians seeking to ramp up social control. After the virus eases, we will see unprecedented changes on a global scale as legislation that was rushed through hangs over us like a spectre and people obediently go about their business, terrified of Covid-20. We hope that we will never be too scared to resist. Corona shows us that the system is fucked. Will you kick it while it’s down

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

Map and Pack.

      Two of my recent posts got quite a bit of attention, one was our offer of a free anarchist pack, containing several Radical Glasgow History Project, leaflets, copy of the reborn Glasgow Keelie, a piece on May Day, a leaflet on Spirit of Revolt Archive and more. The other post that got quite a lot of interest was my Radical Glasgow interactive map. 

     We have still got a few of our free packs left so here is a repeat of both these posts.

   Some comrades and my self in conjunction with Spirit of Revolt have put together a handy pack for those interested in anarchism/libertarian socialism. This is a real education, it contains events from Glasgow's radical past, including a short explanation of May Day and what it stands for, issues of the reborn Glasgow Keelie free newspaper, lots of links to further information and much more info. These packs are a wealth of interesting information and free to those interested, but confined to UK only, and will be posted out post free, but they are limited in number.
     If you are interested, please drop your details in an email to annarky at annarky(at)radicalglasgow(dot)me(dot)uk and we will get your pack to you as soon as possible. Also information on Class War Facebook page.

 The Interactive Radical Map:

      As there was quite a fair bit of interests on my recent post on Glasgow's radical history pack, I thought I would put up this little piece of my work on Glasgow's radical history. Hoping that it might help feed your appetite in that subject matter. Enjoy.

      Just click on the link below and learn and enjoy. 

 

https://radicalglasgow.me.uk/?page_id=33

 

      To further enhance your knowledge of Glasgow's radical history you could visit my Strugglepedia, where I have amassed an array of radical characters and events that helped shape our city of Glasgow. Again, click, learn and enjoy.

http://strugglepedia.co.uk/index.php?title=Main_Page

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

Peddle Happy.

       Everywhere I turn it is covid19, coronavirus, pandemic, so it is good to escape now and again, my favourite escape is the bike. I have managed out a few times recently, and it always feels great to be on the road again, doing my thing in my own peculiar way. The last couple of times it has been a short buzz round the Lowmoss area. The wee video might bore most of you, but it brings a glow of pleasure to my heart. If you look carefully you can just about make out "yours truly" peddling his way along the main drag from Kirkintilloch to Bishopbriggs. I finished my wee run of pleasure at the Cadder cemetery, I do believe that a lot of people finish their run their, my grandfather for one.

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

Anarchist Guide.

       There are lots of thoughts, ideas and desires, in the thinking of the coronavirus and the next stage, how to survive this crisis, where do we go from here, what shape do we want the new normal to look like. So some sound advice and fresh ideas are always welcome and as anarchists we should be leading the way in those ideas and actions, pointing to that new normal.

    The following is a short extract from an excellent article from Crimethinc 

Surviving the Virus: An Anarchist Guide
Capitalism in Crisis—Rising Totalitarianism—Strategies of Resistance

     The pandemic is not going to pass in the next few weeks. Even if strict confinement measures succeed in cutting the number of infections down to what it was a month ago, the virus could resume spreading exponentially again as soon as the measures are suspended. The current situation is likely to continue for months—sudden curfews, inconsistent quarantines, increasingly desperate conditions—though it will almost certainly shift form at some point when the tensions within it boil over. To prepare for that moment, let’s protect ourselves and each other from the threat posed by the virus, think through the questions about risk and safety that the pandemic poses, and confront the disastrous consequences of a social order that was never designed to preserve our well-being in the first place.
This text offers medical advice for dealing with the virus; this one addresses the importance of mutual aid. You can find a list of mutual aid initiatives in the US here and in Germany here. Learn more about rent strike initiatives here and here. You can print out a zine version of this text here. For an introduction to anarchism, try this.

Continue reading HERE:
And a message from Thessaloniki: 

 Thessaloniki: Against the authority virus

Here is a translated excerpt :
       Interventions with sprays and pamphlets outside: Agios Dimitrios hospital, the Euromedica clinic on Lambraki str, Bioiatriki on Olympiados str, a medical equipment store on Egnatia street and various pharmacies.

« A cage went in search of a bird »

      So where are we at? We, who compromised by changing at least a little of our lifestyle. Because we got scared, because we found excuses, because maybe we found comfort in this inactivity, because this, that. However the time has come. The time when the numbness goes away and anger overflows. And it is up to us to find paths within this and every other unprecedented condition. So as to break the monotonous sound of the tv news bulletins, the sound of the sirens of the cop vehicles, replacing them with those of running to exhaustion, noises of racing feet, our breaths, our lives.
     The day that is arising is ominous. So, it’s time to discover our capabilities and act, holding our anarchist consciousness as a compass.
    Beyond blind obedience, the State infrastructure, the mechanisms of domination, the permit papers. Carving our own paths, away from the suggestions of the State and the technocratic system.
      Time to remember that the fires that weren’t lit are our fault and that always when silence falls, we must become the flashbang that breaks it.

LET’S FIGHT WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH AGAINST THE AUTHORITY VIRUS

“DISEASE” IS BLIND OBEDIENCE

Anarchist Assembly Against the State Machine

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

Death Sentence.

        In this pandemic battle most governments boast of their varying degrees of success in the midst of abject failure. However practically none of them are doing anything to relieve the conditions of prisoners, locked up in over crowded, unhygienic conditions, with poor to non-existent health care, despite the fact that they are all aware that the virus is inside most of these hell-holes and the conditions are ideal for it to spread. Imagine what it must be like to be confined to this obvious danger and being unable to do anything to protect yourself.

    Naturally across the world those unfortunate enough to be enmeshed in these institutions of state repression are doing the only thing open to them, rioting in protest at this callous and barbaric treatment. Prisoners have families, they are human beings, but in this type of society all that is denied. 

    This action by prisoners to draw attention to their avoidable situation is happening across the world, this report from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

      The following from The Plague And The Fire:  

      In the prison of Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires, an uprising broke out after a prison guard was infected with coronavirus. The protest spread to various pavilions and inmates took control of at least two floors of the building, demanding transfers and health checks for fear of mass contagion. The prisoners then climbed onto the roof of the section from which they unrolled various banners “We don’t want to die in prison” “Genocide Judges. Silence is not my language.” They then started throwing stones and various objects. Mattresses were set on fire. Eleven guards were apparently injured.

      Two days ago, another violent uprising took place in Florencio Varela prison, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. To cause it, the fake audio message from a fake doctor reporting the presence of the coronavirus in the prison.

 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-argentina-prison/we-refuse-to-die-in-jail-argentine-inmates-set-fire-to-prison-in-coronavirus-protest-idUSKCN226310

 https://www.theguardian.com/society/2020/apr/21/richard-garside-uk-lagging-behind-europe-coronavirus-prisons

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

Radical Map.

     As there was quite a fair bit of interests on my recent post on Glasgow's radical history pack, I thought I would put up this little piece my work on Glasgow's radical history. Hoping that it might help feed your appetite in that subject matter. Enjoy.

Just click on the link and learn and enjoy.

http://radicalglasgow.me.uk/?page_id=33

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

Organise.

 

        Like the article says, "these are dark days", also very confusing, because none of us have lived through such a situation before in our life time. Also, information can be conflicting, loaded in this direction or that direction. Forces with wealth in mind pushing for "get the economy growing again" and those with concern for people's lives, "human life and wellbeing is paramount". It would be easy to cover your ears and just ride this one out, but for sure that would lead you back to the callous failed and exploitative system that brought us to this situation.  Now more than ever we have to focus on what we had, its poverty, its greed driven market economy, its perpetual struggle for a half decent life for most of us, while the few piled up unimaginable wealth and its accompanying power and privileges. That can't be on our desire for normality, we have a golden opportunity as we come together to help each other, through this nightmare, to make that the foundation of our new normal. We are learning day by day that we can organise to see to our needs, simply by co-operation and mutual aid. We should not let that desire to be part of a caring community that doesn't seek profit, just the well being of each other to disappear, and give in to the forces of the market economy. We have felt the burden of that model for centuries and the weight never lifted off our shoulders, and still the few wallowed in opulence cradled in pomp and power. That can never be our normal again. 

The following from It's Going Down:

 From SubMedia,

         These are dark days. As the COVID-19 crisis turns our world upside-down, the social isolation and atomization of capitalism has given way to full-blown social distancing. At a time when we most need to come together, we’re told that human contact can kill us. Alarm bells are flashing everywhere as the dead pile up, the economy burns, and more and more people’s mental health deteriorates. This is the most severe and far-reaching global crisis that most of us who are alive today have ever experienced. Its a terrifying, alienated, and stressful time. It’s also no time to give up. No time to turn on Netflix, bury our heads in the sand, and wait for things to pass. Certainly not for anarchists, or anyone who calls themselves a revolutionary.
       These are dark days. As the COVID-19 crisis turns our world upside-down, the social isolation and atomization of capitalism has given way to full-blown social distancing. At a time when we most need to come together, we’re told that human contact can kill us. Alarm bells are flashing everywhere as the dead pile up, the economy burns, and more and more people’s mental health deteriorates. This is the most severe and far-reaching global crisis that most of us who are alive today have ever experienced. Its a terrifying, alienated, and stressful time. It’s also no time to give up. No time to turn on Netflix, bury our heads in the sand, and wait for things to pass. Certainly not for anarchists, or anyone who calls themselves a revolutionary.

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

Information Pack.

      Some comrades and my self in conjunction with Spirit of Revolt have put together a handy pack for those interested in anarchism/libertarian socialism. This is a real education, it contains events from Glasgow's radical past, including a short explanation of May Day and what it stands for, issues of the reborn Glasgow Keelie free newspaper, lots of links to further information and much more info. These packs are a wealth of interesting information and free to those interested, but confined to UK only, and will be posted out post free, but they are limited in number.
     If you are interested, please drop your details in an email to annarky at annarky(at)radicalglasgow(dot)me(dot)uk and we will get your pack to you as soon as possible. Also information on Class War Facebook page.

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

Death By Ineptitude.

      By now we have become accustomed to the state treating prisoners and migrants alike, as non-citizens, people with no rights, sub-human beings. During this pandemic, prisons and detention centres are becoming hot beds for infection, but the state sweeps that all under the carpet and shows a complete disregard for the human suffering involved. Even before this coronavirus event, both prisons and detention centres were places of over crowding, poor hygiene, poor nutrition and almost non existent health care. With the onslaught of the pandemic conditions have become even more degraded, with little to nothing being done to protect the prisoners and migrants from infection, and at the same time trying to keep it all out of the public eye. 

     From the start of this pandemic most governments through ineptitude, vested interests, seeing the economy more important that human life, have bungled their approach to the problem. All this aggravated by austerity, stripping the health services and social care systems to a skeleton of what is required. They can't completely ignore the general public so there is appeasement in small doses, but prisoners and migrants can be ignored because they are locked away out of the public view. We can't allow this to continue, these political ballerinas must be held to account. The deaths are away above what should have been, and what could have been, if the powers that be had followed expert scientific advice and prepare for such an event, if they had put the welfare of the people above that of the "economy", that sacred altar of the financial Mafia, on which humanity is sacrificed, if they had thought more of the ordinary people rather than their buddies, the shareholders. But all that is wishful thinking, they are parasites and need to be cleaned out.

The following from Act For Freedom Now: 

Bologna, Italy – Greetings at the Dozza prison

       In the morning of 16th April, in response to a call made by prisoners’ families in Rome and those in solidarity who supported them in publicly going outside Rebibbia prison walls again, a dozen comrades gathered
       The voices from inside thanked us for being there and told us about the desperate conditions. They said that many prisoners are sick and that they had not been given face masks yet. After all, we already knew that Roberto Ragazzi, the chief responsible for prison health in the Bologna’s AUSL [a local health agency], in an internal memo dated 24th February had given instructions to all health workers not to use masks when seeing prisoners in the Dozza or visiting the prison infirmary and clinic, for fear of creating anxiety and tensions inside the structure. From inside we were also told that the prisoners had not been to the exercise yard for weeks and that they couldn’t have video phone calls in place of visits, but only one ten minute call a week, which they had to pay for.
       After about 15 minutes the group of comrades was confronted with a disproportionate deployment of Digos, screws, police cars and antiriot cops, who stopped everyone and dealt out fines for breaching the [anti-virus] decree (the comrades were wearing gloves and masks, the cops were decisively less mindful of “preventive care” and didn’t even keep the 1-metre safety distance). The cops’ intervention took place at a spot where the comrades could be seen from the cells and so the prisoners’ solidarity made itself heard with shouts and insults against the cops, reversing the roles we are used to seeing.
WE WON’T TIRE OF REPEATING IT AGAIN TODAY: THE ONLY SAFETY IS FREEDOM.

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

Nancy's Petticoat.

       For those interested in the history and struggles of the ordinary people, I'm still shying away from the coronavirus thingy, I thought I would post these two images I received from a friend in Manchester, thanks Ron. I have transcribed them for easier reading.

Owd Nancy’s Petticoat.
      My earliest remembrances of taking part in Radicalism are the invitations I used to receive to be at ‘owd Nancy Clayton’s in Charlestown, on 16th of August to denounce the Peterloo massacre and drink in solemn silence ‘to the immortal memory of Henry Hunt’
     This old Nancy and her husband were both at Peterloo, and, I believe, both were wounded, at all events, the woman was.
     She wore on that memorable day a black petticoat, which she afterwards transformed into a black flag which on the 16th of August used to be hung out and a green cap of liberty attached there to.
      In the year 1838 a new cap of liberty was made, and hung out with the black flag on the anniversary of the Peterloo massacre.
      These terrible and terrifying emblems of sedition alarmed the then powers that existed and our then chief constable -no lover of democracy- was ordered by a magistrate to march a host of special constables and all the civil power he could command and to forcibly seize and take possession of these vile emblems of Anarchy and base Revolution. Off they marched . . . but the women of that part of the borough heard of the contemplated raid that was likely to befall their cherished emblems. And the women drew them in and hid them.
      Up this gallant and brave band of men went to the front door of poor old Nancy Clayton, and placed themselves in daring military array while the chief constable with a subordinate marched upstairs, and amongst the women there he found my old friend “Riah Witty, who told the writer what follows.
      Imperiously and haughty, as became the chief of so noble a band and in so righteous a cause, he demanded the Black Flag and the cap of Liberty.
     My old friend ‘Riah said,
     “What has thou to do wi’ cap o’ liberty? Thou never supported liberty, not aught ‘ut belongs thee?”
       However, the chamber was searched and the poor black flag was found under the bed and taken prisoner .. the house was searched from top to bottom for the cap of liberty, but neither the genius of the chief nor his subordinate could find the missing emblems of Revolution. Off this gallant band of men marched with poor old Nancy’s petticoat – the black flag never more to grace a radical banquet of potatoe pies and home brewed ale …
      The Saturday after this grand demonstration ‘Riah Witty met the chief constable, and she exclaimed, “Now, thou didna find that cap o’ liberty, did tha?” “No”, he said, “I didna ‘Riah, where was it?” She said “I knew thou couldna find it; it were where thou duratna go for it”…

       From the recollections of William Aitken, weaver and life-long radical. Published in the Ashton Reporter, 30th. January, 1869. 

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

Not Waving.

     Each post, every news broadcast, most communications, we can't escape from it, Covid19, important, of course, but we can suffer from information saturation, subject overload. So I stray now and again into the world of, music, poetry, chess, all passions of mine. I also enjoy Frank Skinner, so was delighted to find we shared a love, poetry, and he does a podcast. So to take your gaze away from Covid19 for a wee while, here is Franks podcast on works from two poets, Stevie Smith, a new poet to me, so thanks Frank, and William Carlos Williams, enjoy.

Not Waving but Drowning

By Stevie Smith

 

Nobody heard him, the dead man,   

But still he lay moaning:

I was much further out than you thought   

And not waving but drowning.

Poor chap, he always loved larking

And now he’s dead

It must have been too cold for him his heart gave way,   

They said.

Oh, no no no, it was too cold always   

(Still the dead one lay moaning)   

I was much too far out all my life   

And not waving but drowning.

 Photo and poem courtesy of Poetry Foundation.

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