Torture 2.

 

                                              Image courtesy of The Parliament.

          State prisons are not what they are sometimes labelled, correction centres, rehabilitation centres, reform centres, they are in fact death centres. When incarcerated in one of the state's and sometimes private run prisons, (run for profit) something has to die. The state's hope is that it is your desire for freedom and you can be released into the community a subservient digit in their plans. However if that spirit doesn't die then you will  go through the various processes to make it happen, even if the end result is your death. Solitary confinement, sensory deprivation, broken sleep, and a multitude of other inhumane endeavours to break you desire for freedom. Some prisoners take the dangerous road of hunger strikes rather than meekly submit to the state's  demands that they abandon their desire for freedom. We owe them our unstinting solidarity and support, their struggle for freedom and justice is our struggle. 

Image courtesy of BBC.

The following article from Act For Freedom Now.

 

Financial support for the surgical expenses of an anarchist comrade.

Dear comrades
         The Solidarity Fund for imprisoned, persecuted revolutionaries (Tameio), has been trying to obtain, since being established in 2010, a regular and consistent political, moral and material support to the political prisoners and imprisoned fighters. Alongside, it has also actively aided with legal expenses and bails of persecuted comrades and it supported prison struggles. Solidarity, as a crucial political act, is extended to include comrades who need our active support.
       With respect to this, we would like to inform you about the firefund that has been created by a group of comrades from Athens for the financial support of an anarchist comrade who faces substantial medical expenses, needing to promptly have a costly surgery.

https://www.firefund.net/medical23

In solidarity,
Solidarity Fund (Tameio)
Italy - General news ,sabotage, actions and Solidarity with anarchists arrested and all those under investigation, Revolutionary Prisoners News, Solidarity Events, e.t.c.
Greece: Announcement of the hunger strike of Anarchists and Fighting Prisoners in Solidarity with Alfredo Cospito
16 February 2023

        16th of February, Hunger Strike of Anarchists and Fighting Prisoners in Solidarity with Alfredo Cospito
        The 41-bis prison regime is the completion of the prison structure into a masqueraded death sentence. The execution, in this case, does not end in one moment, like with a gunshot, the tightening of the noose, the application of electrical current or the injection of poison into the body, rather it lasts a lifetime in a state of social coma, in a state of non-world. And so, spread through time. Out of this world, the death sentence has evaded history, just like the state pursues oblivion for all the prisoners of the social war who are buried alive in the state of 41-bis. The 41-bis regime has already murdered one fighter, Diana Blefari Melazzi.
       The 41-bis regime and the law about “massacre” are the legacy of the european counter-revolution from the time of Piazza Fontana (Strage di piazza Fontana). This civil war never ended. The states, and particularly the Italian one, carry on the counter-revolution so that the flame may never flare up again. All the systems follow, step by step, the examples first introduced as special warfare, e.g. the white cells of West Germany, the F-type prisons in Turkey and the FIES prisons in Spain to the Type-C prisons in Greece or the new high security prison system A.A.; the still active Hitler-inspired law about indefinite extension of one’s sentence on “preventative” grounds, by which comrade Thomas Meyer Falk is being held for another 10 years (25 in total) in Freiburg prison in Germany, to the different methods of extorting declarations of repentance, and from Asinara to Imrali.
        Anarchist Alfredo Cospito is fighting for the flame to flare up again. Let’s reassert the fight of the comrade. It is our duty to defend in deed the battle that Alfredo Cospito is fighting. A struggle for and against time itself. This particular hunger strike does not concern only the comrades in the italian territory, but it is internationalist, and so the star of internationalist solidarity must shine on the side of Alfredo Cospito and all those who are fighting from within a special prison regime. From Greece to every point in the planet – for all those fighting for freedom.
       Because defeat is not captivity, but losing one’s faith in the possibility of wining. So, we are collectively going on a hunger strike, according to each one’s capacity, so that we may stand by the side of anarchist revolutionary Alfredo Cospito, but also, against the death regime of 41-bis. At the same time the struggle against the new prison code in Greek prisons is continuing.

Anarchist and Fighting Prisoners

Giannis Michailidis
(1 day hunger strike)

Dimitris Chatzivasileiadis
(3 day hunger strike)

Thanos Chatziaggelou
(1 day hunger strike)

Iasonas Rodopoulos
(1 day hunger strike)

Kostas Dimalexis
(3 day hunger strike)

Lambros Vougiouklakis
(1 day hunger strike)

Panagiotis Vougiouklakis
(1 day hunger strike)

Stathis Nikolouzos
(1 day hunger strike)

Stergios Kalaitzidis
(1 day hunger strike)
 

Fotis Daskalas
(1 day hunger strike)

 

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torture.

 

Image courtesy of Freedom Press.

         The Italian state rumbles on with its callous mechanisms, functioning with a complete disregard to the life of a human being in their care. They sift through their judicial papers setting dates that in their twisted minds they know that the individual in all probability will not make it. Alfredo Cospito has been on hunger strike for 119 days while held in the most draconian and dehumanising conditions in the Italian penal system. Callous disregard for a human being in your care is not only criminal, but is callous judicial torture. Sadly all the public have not yet learned that all states are inhuman, dictatorial and unbending in their desire for complete control over the population, they can only survive if they manage to get a subservient population. One person's life is of no consequence to them if they feel it will strengthen they grip on the population. We must prove them wrong on this occasion and make them understand the one person's life is sacred to us as human beings, and they will pay a price should one human die in their care because of their callous indifference.

                                               Image courtesy of Ceasefire.

  The following report from Act For Freedom Now.

 Update about the health condition of Alfredo Cospito on the 119th day of hunger strike February 15, 2023)

         In recent weeks, a mass-media campaign of slander and denigration has been underway against anarchist comrade Alfredo Cospito. Various newspapers have given much prominence to the fact that in the last few days the comrade had started taking supplements again and that he had eaten two yogurts [in the past months, the comrade had at times taken extremely mild supplements, which he had stopped taking for some time, only to try to resume them in the last few days along with the yogurts so as to try to remain lucid in view of the hearing on February 24th in the cassation court, for which the prosecutor general has filed a request to overturn the 41 bis measure].
         Today’s news [February 15th] is that Alfredo’s body, now after too many days of hunger strike, has rejected both these two yogurts and the supplements, contrary to mass-media reports: what he is currently taking is only sugar, salt and potassium. This is dramatic news both with regard to the comrade’s possibility of making it to February 24th alive (the day on which the hearing for the appeal against the order of the surveillance court of Rome that confirmed detention under 41 bis will be held at the cassation court), and with regard to his ability to resume feeding himself following a possible revocation of the 41 bis order.
        [Received via e-mail & published at https://lanemesi.noblogs.org/post/2023/02/15/update-about-the-health-condition-of-alfredo-cospito-on-the-119th-day-of-hunger-strike-italy-february-15-2023

 

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My Rant.

 

          My wee rant on anarchism for those not to sure about what it is. I don't claim it is an essay on anarchists philosophy or a text book for the future, just my ideas on what anarchism can bring to our society.

         Anarchism is a political philosophy that advocates society without a centralized state or government, individuals have the freedom to govern themselves through voluntary cooperation and mutual aid. Though anarchism is often falsely associated with chaos and disorder, there are however, considerable benefits in organizing society on the principles of anarchism.
        What anarchism offers is an increase in individual freedom, choice and equality, with the absence of a central authority that can concentrate power and wealth in the hands of a few individuals, resources are more equally distributed with access to basic needs, such as food, housing, and healthcare are widely available to all. An anarchist society would see to the needs of all its people. It also promotes innovation and creativity, individuals are free to experiment and explore new ideas and solutions to problems, leading to a more dynamic and flexible society.
         Anarchism would create, develop and fosters stronger communities and relationships between individuals, on their own terms without the interference of the state, you are free to form relationships based on trust, mutual aid, and cooperation, which can lead to a greater sense of community and social cohesion. It offers considerable benefits across the full spectrum of society, increased freedom and autonomy for individuals, greater equality, promotion of innovation and creativity, and stronger communities. Anarchism offers an alternative perspective on how society can be organized and the benefits that come from empowering individuals and communities. We can put our trust in each other, rather than some group in the marble halls of power.

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Killers.

          I post this article in full as I think it is important reading and gives a look at how this insane cruel capitalist system works, whether it is war or big business, it ceaselessly kills people for profit, usually the poorest in our society.

Article from Struggle La Lucha

Toxic chemical cloud from train wreck.

         What’s the connection between the earthquake in Syria and Turkey with the train wreck in East Palestine, Ohio?
         More than 41,000 people, including thousands of children, have been killed by the Feb. 6 earthquake. No one has died so far in the Feb. 3 train wreck or from the dangerous chemicals that were released because of it.
          Earthquakes are terrible natural events caused by the shifting and collision of plates inside the earth. Reinforced buildings designed to withstand shocks can greatly reduce fatalities. Real estate sharks seeking more profits aren’t interested in constructing safer buildings. Thousands of people were killed because of contractors trying to cut costs
          There was nothing natural about the wreck of the Norfolk Southern freight train that derailed. The 150-car train was 9,300 feet long and weighed 18,000 tons.
Railroad tycoons like long trains, which are part of their Precision Scheduled Railroading model. PSR has helped destroy 62,000 railroad jobs since 2015 while increasing average train length by 25%. It’s simple logic that the longer a train is, the more likely there will be an equipment defect. Excluding the locomotives, a 150-car freight train has 600 axles. An overheated roller bearing on a wheel axle apparently failed, causing 38 cars to derail with catastrophic results. Another 12 cars were damaged. Twenty cars carried hazardous materials. Residents of East Palestine were told to temporarily evacuate and drink bottled water.
          A huge mushroom cloud rose above the town. Dead fish have been found in streams within 7.5 miles of the catastrophe. Toxic residue was found in the Ohio River. While Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine was holding a news conference on the train wreck, his state troopers arrested Evan Lambert, a Black TV reporter for News Nation. Lambert’s resisting arrest and trespassing charges were later dismissed.
         Five tank cars were deliberately exploded on Feb. 6. “We basically nuked a town with chemicals so we could get a railroad open,” said Sil Caggiano, a hazardous materials specialist.
         Cancer time bomb
         Among the dangerous cancer-causing chemicals that continue to be released into the air, soil and water are vinyl chloride gas, butyl acrylate, ethylhexyl acrylate and ethylene glycol monobutyl ethers. Also released was phosgene gas that was used in World War I to kill and blind soldiers. Railroad workers cleared the important transportation artery by Feb. 4. That’s what Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw and the outfit’s big stockholders care about: keep the trains rolling and the profits coming in. Among the 10 biggest Norfolk Southern stockholders, holding a total of more than 24 million shares, are JP Morgan Investment Advisors, BlackRock and Wells Fargo. Shaw made $4.5 million last year but doesn’t want to give any sick days to railroad workers. Shaw’s lobbyists got Trump to throw out a safety rule adopted under the Obama administration. It mandated a new electronic braking system for trains carrying hazardous goods like the train that derailed.
        Big-hearted Norfolk Southern, which hauled in $4.8 billion in profit last year, is offering $1,000 “inconvenience checks” to East Palestine residents. Warren, Ohio, Attorney David Engler is advising clients not to take the chump change since it could be used as an excuse by NS management to deny further compensation.
       Economic sanctions and deindustrialization
        In the Turkey-Syria quake, construction shortcuts helped kill children and their parents. So did the U.S. capitalist government. The Pentagon has been at war with the elected Syrian government since 2011. U.S. forces seized Syrian oil and wheat fields U.S. sanctions, some of which have been lifted, prevented aid from going to Syria. U.S. sanctions against socialist Cuba haven’t stopped Cuban doctors and other healthcare workers from helping Syrians. One of the biggest U.S. Air Force bases is in Incirlik, Turkey, near the earthquake zone. Nuclear weapons continue to be stored there.
           East Palestine, Ohio, almost touches the Pennsylvania border. Western Pennsylvania and Northeastern Ohio were once one of the biggest concentrations of steel mills and heavy industry in the world. Hundreds of thousands of union jobs were destroyed in a region that includes Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Deliberate deindustrialization is also an economic sanction.
          East Palestine is named after the country of Palestine. David Ben Gurion was the first prime minister of the apartheid regime that occupies Palestine. He said of the Palestinians driven out during the Nakba or catastrophe that “the old will die and the young will forget.” Palestinians have never forgotten their homeland and are continuing to fight for their freedom against a racist colonial government.
         If East Palestine becomes a cancer cluster 10 or 20 years from now, railroad owners also hope that “the old will die and the young will forget.” Many of those possible cancer victims will be youthful.
         The U.S. government has shoveled over $140 billion into Israel while it has lavished money on railroads for 160 years. General Custer had it coming, and he died for the Northern Pacific Railway that was invading Lakota Sioux land. The Northern Pacific is now part of billionaire Warren Buffet’s BNSF railway. From Palestine to East Palestine, it’s poor and working people who suffer from capitalist disasters. 

In the Turkey-Syria quake, construction shortcuts helped kill thousands.

          The writer is a retired Amtrak worker.

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Rip-off.

           The giant energy company Equinor has just announced record profits of £62 billion, this on the back of grabbing a much larger share of the natural gas market after Europe cut its gas supplies from Russia. So while we freeze the energy companies fatten their shareholders bank accounts. Though in the case of Equinor, it's ranked as the 169th-largest public company in the world and is a Norwegian state owned company, so lots of loot rolls into the Norwegian state coffers. Unlike the UK where our lords and masters made sure that all the profit from the North Sea gas and oil goes straight to their buddies in the capitalist gang. Like all large companies, Equinor wants to be bigger and is in the process of trying develop the Rosebank field in the North Sea, if approved this one field could produce more climate pollution than the combined annual emissions of the world’s 28 lowest-income countries. This polluting development must be stopped at all costs. We can all do our bit to end this economic insanity, by continuous mass protests at the doors of all the large rip-off companies and supporting ever strike, showing solidarity with all those who struggle for that better life for us all.

         When you add Shell's profits of £32 billion and BP's profit of £7 billion to Equinor's £62 billion, that's a lot of loot plunder from the public as we struggle to meet our energy bills The only conclusion we can arrive at is that we are being ripped-off and laughed at by the billionaire parasite class, as they stuff their bank accounts with money earned on the backs of of our poverty. There is an alternative way to organise our society that frees it from the profit motive and sees to the needs of all our people, Did I say anarchism, well looking at the total disregard in this society for the well being of ordinary people, why not.

 

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Barrett.

 

    
             How have anarchists fared in Glasgow since 1910? Have we grown, shrunk or remained that same little band of dedicated individuals. The reason I ask is after reading a George Barrett essay written while he was in Glasgow in 1910. In the essay he posts the question, "What is the matter with Glasgow anarchists?"
           The following is an extract from that essay, taken from the book published by Freedom Press, The essays of George Barrett, "Our Masters are Helpless." Though written in the early 1900's, George Barrett's words are always worth a read.

      "What is the matter with Glasgow anarchists?
Since May Day a little band, a very little band of us have been holding meetings with more or less regularity, averaging at least more than one a week. We have occasionally received words of encouragement from some local comrades; nay, more, we have even received promises to fix up meetings in outlying districts; but herein ends the "assistance" offered us. The regular sales of Freedom in Glasgow indicates that there are many sympathisers here. But to live a life of sympathy is not to live, it is only to wistfully watch other people live. The meaning of life is in the anarchist movement. Let us live. - - - -"

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Class War.

  A little message lifted from Act For Freedom Now.

 Destroy Borders. Destroy Slavery!

Xenophobia, hierarchy, and racism
cannot be fought with fratricidal wars
sworn on bibles or patriotic flags

In breaking the silence and
indifference of the civilised we want to
widen the space for revolt, increase the
possibilities for direct attack on the
pillars of this world.

The objectives can be seen everywhere
the concentration camps,
the airline companies that deport
‘aliens’, the ‘waiting zones’, the slave
traders, the lines of communications,
etc. etc.

Only through direct solidarity
will we be able to refuel the social
tempest of class war, sabotage and
relentless attack where the divisions
into nationals and foreigners, legal
immigrants and aliens dissolves in
joyous collision against the enemy
that oppresses us all.

Vagabond hearts, enemies of all
borders, the world-wide of insurgents

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Wars.

          The following poem was taken from Direct Action summer 1999, author unknown. It refers to different war, in another time, but war is war, no matter the time or the nation, it is the innocent that suffer, and the perpetrators, though they never pull a trigger nor shed any of their blood, are the ones who gain. When will we ever learn.

Image courtesy of Institute of Policy Studies.

All In The Name Of democracy.

From the height of 60,000 feet
you can't see the bombs hit the street
can't see the terror in their eyes
as death rains down from the skies
can't hear the shrieks and groans
as we burn their flesh and mangle bones
Milosoviv and his cronies safe below
deep in shelters where our bombs can't go.
We punish the people on the ground
Leaving devastation all around
you feel the excitement and the thrill
when "our" government says "go out and kill".
But when alone, I think " how insane
the Serbian people are not to blame
it's the politicians again - as before
and they never fight the bloody wars.
One day maybe we'll get it right
when workers of all nations refuse to fight
when all races, brothers and sisters can be
joined in human solidarity.

 

                                           Image courtesy of Stimson.org

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Beauty.

 

            The inexhaustible variations of nature's beautiful artistry in sunsets, Springburn, Glasgow, Saturday 4th February, 2023. Perhaps, just for a moment, it will take your mind off the shit that we ordinary people are expected to swallow, under the present insane economic system.

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Milkers.

 

             It is strange that so many ordinary people put the lives in the hands of those who have nothing in common with the ordinary people. They run to the ballot box every election and put a cross on a paper against a name that in all probability lives in a different world. An MPs' salary is £84,144, plus very generous expenses, cheap subsidised meals in the Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption. Should they fiddle their way in to the cabinet and become a Minister, then they get an extra £70,000 added to their salary, plus extra expenses, they also have a very nice pension scheme. It is difficult to find out how many of our public servant MPs are millionaires, but in 2013 it was approaching 20, I have no doubt what so ever, since then, that that number has grown considerably. Despite them all living the life of Riley at our expense, they still try to milk it a bit more. At the last count 316 MPs claimed their utility bills on their expenses, yes, you and I are paying their utility bills as well as their salary and expense. It is recorded that some claimed over £3,000 on expenses for their utility bills. Are these to sort of people that will be thinking of your welfare, are these to sort of people you believe will work hard to improve your life conditions. Personally I believe that they don't give a shit about you, they have business friends  to take care of in the hope a lucrative position should they lose the seat at the next election, plus a few fat pay offs. As I keep saying they are shafting us all and laughing at us at the same time. We have to wise up and get rid of this parasite class that are steeped in wealth, privileges and power. The widespread strikes taking place in the UK are one step in getting rid of this lot of over privileged parasites, but we need more organising to take control in our communities and workplaces and we must throw our weight behind the strikers, support them on the picket lines, as they are at the forefront of this struggle for a better life for all.

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Shirkers!

 

        For our “Read of the Month”  February 2023, Spirit of Revolt brings you a magazine from May 1992, Armchair No.2, Shirkers of the World Unite. It is from our KM collection, T SOR 3-56-61. Well worth a wee read, articles and cartoons aimed at the duplicity of the capitalist system. While on the site why not have a browse through our multitude of  papers, magazines, pamphlets, letters, photos, poetry, banners and other memorabilia,  all part of Glasgow Clydeside, and further afield, anarchist and libertarian socialist history and the struggles of the ordinary people for that better world for all. Probably the largest anarchist archive in Scotland.

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Keelie 38.

 

          No.38 of the Glasgow Keelie is now available,and it's free, again packed with events happening and happened, views on this corrupt system and its injustices. Contacts to  get involved in this struggle for a better life for all. Now more than ever we need our views and demands to be loud and clear, on the street, in the community and workplaces. Now more than ever we need to show solidarity with all striking workers, their fight is our fight, a fight for a better world for all. The Keelie will be at demos, protests, on picket lines, on the street, in cafes and pubs pouring out a wealth of information, ideas, and direct criticism of the insane system we are shackled under, grab your free copy. Make contact through Glasgow Keelie, and read on line.

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Stuff!!

         Capitalism demands that we have a consumer society, buy, buy and buy. Any old crap, the latest fashion, an update as they convince you that what you have is out of date, obsolete. A big and better car, move to  bigger house and then fill it with more crap. Consumerism is the life blood of the capitalist parasite class. We eventually find we have loads of stuff, and a lot of it we never use. As long as we buy, we are feeding the capitalist system that enslaves us, helping it to survive and grow. Let's pull the plug on consumerism and see to everybody's needs through mutual aid. On this subject as usual a few words of wisdom from my friend and comrade at Not Buying Anything.

Imagine a life with fewer possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for clutter or excess
In a simple living plan
Imagine all the people
Enjoying just what they need.


- my little ditty, with apologies to John Lennon

         Imagining what we should do with our possessions is a question we all need to come to terms with, preferably before death so we don't leave finding the answers to others.
         Stuff, I have found, is annoyingly persistent. Once acquired, it is difficult to get rid of.
         In recent years even second hand stores have become very selective about what kind of stuff they are willing to take. That's right - you may find you have trouble giving away your unwanted stuff.
         And what is stuff that no one wants? Generally we call that "garbage", and you may have to pay a fee to landfill it. We pay to acquire stuff, pay again to maintain and store it, and finally pay one final time when we want to part with it.
         I have concluded that the thing to do with stuff, unless it is doing important work in your life, is get rid of it as soon as possible, and eliminate the draw on precious life energy. That is why one of my summer projects was filling my big black backpack and biking unwanted possessions out of the house to wherever will take them.
        Returnable beverage containers went to the eco-centre. There I learned that the 125 flattened 1 litre juice tetra boxes in my pack would get shipped all the way to Asia for processing. That seems dumb.
       This led Linda and I to question whether we need fruit juice in tetra packs, or if we need juice in our diet at all. Now we have eliminated it from our pantry, to be replaced by actual fruit.
         Unwanted clothes were also stuffed into The Big Black Pack of Liberation to be whisked away right our of our closet and our lives. Those I biked down to a drop box in the grocery store parking lot. The clothes collected there are resold to benefit a local charity.
         Next I cycled 3 coats to a neighbour that volunteered to make sure they were distributed to people that could use them. I also cleaned out our home and garage and came up with 5 bags of recyclables. Those went to the curb and were picked up on the appropriate day.
        A lot of people can't get stuff into their houses fast enough. They even move to bigger houses to have more room for more stuff. I can't get rid of it fast enough, and it always feels awesome to be rid of it.
        It is a work in progress, and we continue to unload the dead weight that holds us back. There always seems to be more, as if it spontaneously appears and hides until you notice it. This is living better with less in action, and it feels like the right thing to do. The quantity of our possessions are only beneficial to a point, beyond which they are only annoying anchors that hold us back.
       I am always imagining fewer possessions. It is easy if you try.

 

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