Thursday, 19 May 2011

TURKEY TRYING TO CRUSH ALL TRADE UNIONS.

      
      States always try to stifle any working class organisation, whether it be trade unions or community organisations that seek some sort of autonomy. If it doesn't feel too threatened then the attacks are quiet, subtle and covert, but if it feels the threat is rising, then it can become very brutal, overt and bring into use all the bruteforce of all the state apparatus. At the moment Turkey is trying to smash all working class organisation in an attempt to create a subservient workforce suitable for its corporate friends in the EU. We cannot stand by and watch the state try to crush those struggling to improve their conditions. We are all in this struggle together to survive in an exploitive corporate capitalist greed machine which is backed up by the state.
       This following message is from IUF, International Union of Food Workers,   hopefully those reading it will take the action requested.  
    
       "The Turkish government has filed criminal charges against 111 union leaders, members and supporters, which carry prison terms of up to 5 years in connection with a 2010 demonstration in Ankara. The list of those indicted by the Ankara Public Prosecutor include TEKGIDA-IS President Mustafa Turkel along with 4 other national officers and twelve branch presidents, the current and former heads of the national centre DISK, two former leaders of the public sector confederation KESK and other prominent union and social activists."


      Click HERE, to learn more and send an urgent protest message to the Turkish government.
      An injury to one is an injury to all. Are you free if your brothers and sisters are in chains?


ANOTHER ILLEGAL WAR, HOW MANY DOES THE WEST WANT??

     
       SIGN online petition at  iacenter.org/africa/libyawarpowersact to send messages to House and Senate Foreign Relations Committees, congressional leaders, the Obama administration, the U.N. Secretary-General, Security Council, General Assembly President and member states, and the national and international media. On May 19 the war against Libya reached its 60-day mark. On that date this criminal war will be in explicit violation of the War Powers Act.

      The War Powers Act is a U.S. law that grew out of the struggle against the war in Vietnam. It requires a president involved in a military conflict lasting longer than 60 days to come before Congress for authorization to continue the war. Knowing that this war is immoral, illegal and based on lies, the Obama administration has refused to address the reasons behind initiating yet another war after years of death and destruction in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq.

     In the past 61 days of a war that was promoted as a "humanitarian intervention" to enforce a "no-fly zone," the U.S. and NATO have conducted more than 2,500 bombing missions. A May 13 NATO bombing killed 11 Islamic religious leaders and injured 47 other members of a highly publicized, unarmed religious peace delegation of 150 Imams and other Islamic leaders. The NATO command has acknowledged the attack occurred.

      This was a deliberate, targeted massacre by U.S./NATO aircraft. The religious leaders were gathered to attempt a meeting of peace and reconciliation with the NATO-supported opposition. The attack occurred in the city of Brega, which is 500 miles east of Tripoli and close to the area under opposition control. Since time immemorial, in every country and culture, peace delegations, religious delegations and unarmed envoys traveling under white flags have been accorded respect and safe passage, especially in war zones.

      U.S./NATO Command, with reconnaissance predator drones that are able to read a license on a car, knew exactly what this large, highly respected Islamic peace delegation was, where the delegates were staying and what their announced purpose was. This latest NATO airstrike is a most grievous war crime. It is an unprecedented new level of international lawlessness and it reveals a dangerous escalation of the war on Muslim people. It comes on top of the ongoing criminal assassination attempts on Col. Gadhafi that have already killed his son and three of his grandchildren.

       NATO bombs have hit numerous civilian targets including the Libyan Down's Syndrome Society, a school that provided speech therapy, handicrafts and sports sessions for disabled children. NATO Planning Staff claim that "All NATO targets are military targets," And the New York Times reports that Gen. Sir David Richards, Britain's top military commander, is propsing that NATO target Libyan "infrastructure," including electrical power grids and fuel dumps, in government held areas. Such targeting would be an attack on the civilian population that would constitute a war crime according to the Geneva Conventions.
       We believe the people of Libya, North Africa, the Middle East, the U.S. and the world deserve a debate on the need to immediately end this war. With the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression having a continued impact on the peoples of the U.S. and the world, we must stand up and demand the end to the bombings and other destabilization efforts against Libya, and all other forms of hostility against this African country.
      We need money for jobs, housing, food, health care, and quality education -- not for war and destruction.  Tell Congress, the White House and the corporate media that the illegal and criminal war on Libya must end now.

Stop the bombs! End the war!

SIGN online petition at   iacenter.org/africa/libyawarpowersact


Wednesday, 18 May 2011

LAND OF THE FREE!!!! MY ARSE.

      
     As the West lead by America claims the moral high ground and goes about the world lecturing other nations about their human rights abuses and bombing freedom and democracy into others, who is there to point the finger at the West's record on human rights? What seems to go unnoticed by all and sundry is America's  appalling record on the incarceration of its own people. Where is the world's condemnation of the staggering number of Americans locked up behind bars, in what is a commercial incarceration industry. American crime rate has fallen quite dramatically over the years but the number of Americans imprisoned has shot up. America leads the world in locking up its own people, it has the largest proportion of its own people behind bars than any other country in the world. A strange record for a country that has the arrogance to lecture the world and threaten the world with sanctions and war if they don't improve their human rights record.

      Of course the fact that in America the prison system is mainly a corporate commercial concern and under the rules of capitalism, prison companies have to grow and make money for their shareholders may have something to do with the numbers. More prisons, more prisoners, more money for the shareholders, AH, the beauty of capitalism, money from the misery of of our brothers and sisters, increase share price by removing people's freedom. This of course needs some sort of co-operation between the judicial system and the corporate prison system. Once again the state system flourishes under the illusion of democracy.

     For a more detailed look at the figures concerning the prison population in America click HERE.

Tuesday, 17 May 2011

THE ILLUSION OF DEFICIT REDUCTION!!!


        What you have to realise about the deficit reduction brigade, those millionaires that spout that deep cuts are necessary to reduce the deficit, is that the deficit reduction is not their real aim. The aim of the exercise is to accelerate a vast privatisation program. In there eyes, public assets could be earning their millionaire friends in the corporate world, billions of £s. Practically ever country in the world, China probably being the exception, runs its affairs with a deficit. The entire stinking capitalist system relies on debt to function, or should that be dysfunction, as that seems to be the only way the system runs. The system continually needs debt and fresh capital to fuel their greed driven dream of eternal growth. So the Banking sector has come up with this wonderful illusion, get rid of your deficit and everything in your garden will be rosy, we will all find ourselves in the promised land of milk and honey. Decimate your living standards now and for the foreseeable future and all will be well, and of course the banking sector will not lose any money inspite of all its greed driven dodgy gambling mistakes.

      Of course to get rid of your deficit, you have to sell off all your assets. So, the millionaire public school thugs under the guise of “your government”, lead by the Cameron/Clegg spivs, will hand all our public assets over to the corporate world in the biggest privatisation operation ever undertaken. Everything must go, libraries, museums, public parks, schools, canals, health and welfare, education, all social services, all to be handed over to the private sector to feed the greed of the corporate world. What you will be left with is a corporate society where everything is available, but at a price, good health care, good education, well stocked libraries and fascinating museums, but all at a price. Those who don't have the price, will you can just do without, we will have a society that gives the rich their every wish and the poor a selection of charities. A society designed especially for the corporate world to make loads of money and nothing else.

       Forget the cuts, fight to change society away from profit and greed and towards people's needs. We don't need to carry an army of pampered parasites on our backs, sucking us dry like a plague of leeches.

CRACK CAPITALISM - JOHN HOLLOWAY.


John Holloway

Thursday 19th May 2011  18:00-20:30

The Free Hetherington
13 University Gardens
GlasgowUniversity
G12 8QH       (NearByres Road/ Hillhead Underground Station)



      The author of Crack Capitalism (2010), and Change the World Without Taking Power (2002) will be visiting the free Hetherington on its 109th day in occupation. As usual, there will be free tea and coffee served at visitor’s own instigation, and an evening meal.


      “Crack Capitalism, argues that radical change can only come about through the creation, expansion and multiplication of ‘cracks’ in the capitalist system. These cracks are ordinary moments or spaces of rebellion in which we assert a different type of doing.”

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Crack-Capitalism-John-Holloway/dp/0745330088

The full text of Change the World Without Taking Power (2002) is available online here (free): http://libcom.org/library/change-world-without-taking-power-john-holloway

    John’s talk and the subsequent discussions will focus on ‘The Force of Negativity and the Rage Against the Rule of Money’. (see below)

The Force of Negativity and the Rage Against the Rule of Money
    “We can only try to emancipate ourselves, to move outwards, negatively, critically, from where we are. It is not because we are maladjusted that we criticize, it is not because we want to be difficult. It is just that the negative situation in which we exist leaves us no option: to live, to think, is to negate in whatever way we can the negativeness of our existence” (Holloway, 2002, p.5)

ann arky's home.

Monday, 16 May 2011

DOMINIQUE SRAUSS-KAHN, "CAVIARE SOCIALIST"!!!

       
       What does the Dominique Strauss-Kahn, now former president of the IMF, affair say about the socialists in France? Here is a man who has the reputation of being a bit of a lecherous creep, a skirt chaser, and philanderer, this translates as disrespect for women in any true socialist's language. He is the head of one of the world's largest corporate capitalist organisations, a man who can spend £2,000 a night on hotel bills and has been called a “caviare socialist”. A man who wanders the world forcing countries to decimate the living standards of the ordinary people of those countries, just to make sure that the bond markets, i.e. the banks, don't lose any money on their dodgy gambles. A man that has seen the people of various countries shafted by his rigorous regulations to make sure the bankers don't lose, and the corporate world gains, and yet, the socialists of France see him as their saviour, the man to lead them to victory, the next socialist president of France. Did they honestly believe that this man wanted to join a socialist world, let alone a socialist France? Did they believe that he was going to change to a reputable, decent human being with full respect for all the people, including those women he allegedly pursued for his own selfish gratification and those people in the countries his organisation shafted, raped and plundered? That he would suddenly champion the cause of the people against the corporate banking world? Isn't it time that the “socialists” started being part of the people, seeking their answers among the ordinary people and moving in the direction the ordinary people want to move. Or do they just want power, power at any cost and to strut around the political stage showing off their rich and famous new “caviare socialist” president?

WHAT IS HAPPENING WITH THE ZAPATISTAS IN MEXICO?


'What is happening with the Zapatistas in Mexico?"
Speaker from 'Rebeldía Revista' Mexico

Talk by Javier Elorriaga, Editor of the 'Other Campaign' magazine, followed by questions and discussion.

Monday 23rd May
1pm-3pm
The Free Hetherington
The Glasgow University Occupation
13 University Gardens.       Just off University Avenue,    Glasgow University Campus.


         Javier is a journalist, video maker, historian, political analyst and a member of the editorial team of the influential magazine Rebeldia, which acts a voice for the Other Campaign and the Zapatistas throughout Mexico. He was a founder and co-ordinator of the Zapatista Front for National Liberation. He will speak about what's happening in Mexico today, especially what's happening with the Zapatistas.
      
       From their latest massive march through the town of San Cristobal to oppose militarisation and repression in Mexico, to the development of autonomy in the mountains and jungle of Chiapas, Javier will give a first-hand report of the movement which has inspired the anti capitalist movement world-wide. Don't miss this rare opportunity - these are Javier's only dates in Britain on his European tour.

A merchandise stall will be at both events selling Zapatista t-shirts, coffee and crafts. The money raised goes to health clinics run by the Zapatistas in the Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico.

Organised by Edinburgh and Glasgow Chiapas Solidarity Groups
http://www.edinchiapas.org.uk%20http//glasgowchiapassolidaritygroup.wordpress.com/

Sunday, 15 May 2011

THE GREAT ILLUSIONIST!!

    
      A lot of public anger regarding the decimation of the social fabric of our society, is hurtled at the Cameron/Clegg millionaire public school thugs, and rightly so. However we should remember that though they may be pushing for the privatisation of every thing that their pals can make money from, we have to realise that they have an army of back-room boys, (advisers) who come up with the ideas on the how and wherefore. Sometimes these millionaires' flunkies speak the truth, but we are not supposed to hear. Take the NHS, while Cameron, in public, goes on about protecting the NHS and only wanting to improve the service that it provides, one of his back-room adviser poodles, a certain Mr. Mark Britnell is telling a conference of executives from the private sector, that future NHS reforms would “show no mercy” to the NHS and these same reforms would offer a “big opportunity” to the for profit sector. He also stated,  the NHS could be improved by charging patients and will be transformed into a "state insurance provider, not a state deliverer" of care.
         There you have it, the Cameron cabal's true plans for the NHS, improve it by charging people and turning it into a nice little money earner for their millionaire friends in the corporate world. So while his adviser is spouting the truth to his corporate friends, Cameron is putting on a smiling and compassionate theatre act for our benefit. He is the great illusionist, but unlike a theatre act, he is extremely dangerous. Will he now come out and agree with his poodle Mr. Mark Britnell, or will he dismiss him? With this information now public, will he now scrap the plans for the privatisation of the NHS or will he carry on spouting one message for our ears and another truthful message for his pals in the corporate world. There is no doubt that Cameron will soon take his place among those other great actors like Tony Blair and Sir Laurence Olivier. Though only the latter had any integrity.

Thursday, 12 May 2011

TWO CLASSES, TWO SETS OF RULES.


       Imagine you are in a well paid job and you fiddle the expenses to the tune of a five figure sum and are caught out. There is an enquiry and it finds that you were, “guilty of a series of serious breaches of the rules, over a considerable time.” What do you think your employer would do? Fire you? Hand the info to the police? Well either or both probably, that is unless your an MP.

      It seems that Libdem MP, David Laws, former Chief Secretary to The Treasury did that wee fiddle to the tune of £50,000 or there abouts, and was found out. There was the usual investigation by the Commons standards watchdog, who eventually came out with the statement that Mr Laws had been, “Guilty of a series of serious breaches of the rules, over a considerable time.” The sack? The cops? Well no, you see he is an MP and the rules are different for them, it is suggested that he be suspended from the House of Commons for 7 days, WOW, that'll make him think twice about any future fiddles.

      Why do we put up with such crap, at a time when the public school thugs sitting the Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption are slashing at the very fabric of the social structure of our society? When we the public, who pay for their every whim, are seeing our standard of living being decimated, this little cabal of millionaires keep a rule book that sees them as very special people, immune to the normal rule of fairness and justice.
It's oor money they're fiddlin', thow them oot.

        It's our money, we pay them, if they fiddle, at least throw them out, even if the do decide to pay it back after they're caught. A fiddle, is a fiddle, is a fiddle, and the perpetrator is a fiddler.
What you lookin' at? I'm an MP!!

       Of course you and I know that we will not stop the old boys network that exists in the system of party political politics. It is the system that stinks, not just the players. We have to scrap this illusion of democracy and put the power in the hands of the people. A non hierarchical grass-roots system freed from the profit motive and the stranglehold of the corporate world. A system free from privileged parasites and based on needs, mutual aid and co-operation. We can do things by ourselves, why bother with arrogant, self-centred, power hungry parasites that claim to be doing it all for our good, BULLSHIT.

Wednesday, 11 May 2011

TEAPOT COLLECTIVE INTRODUCTION TO ANARCHY PAGE 10.


       Here we go with the next exciting page from The Teapot Collective Introduction to Anarchy. Enjoy page 10, page 9 can be found  HERE.
       Women were conditioned and beaten into the roles of dedicated mothers, housewives and general carers. We were (and still are) there to make everyone happy but not to demand anything in return. Feminists broke out of this, challenging the way women are brought up, sexually used, denied our own thoughts and judgements. And they fought for this, bring about many changes we take for granted today. Feminist also created their own structures to deal with life and to practise mutual aid. One example was "consciousness raising groups", where women came together without leaders to talk about their lives, support each other and organise.

      One large anarchist current today consists of those influenced by ecology which seeks to understand the living earth as a whole, including us. This is one of the most critical periods in the history of life on earth - by the end of next year another 10%  of the world's species will be extinct. Industrialisation is a tool created by elites to shackle humanity and control nature,---
ann arky's home.

WORKERS KNOW YOUR HISTORY - THE LEVELLERS 1649.

     
       May 17 marks the 362 annversary of what has become know as Levellers Day. The Levellers were a radical political movement from the period of the English civil war, who believed in  democracy, religious freedom and civil rights. At first the Levellers saw Cromwell as some sort of liberator but soon found themselves on his wrong side and saw him as a dictator and fought on the side of parliament against Cromwell. Just as they were determined to fight against Cromwell, he was just as determined to crush them. In 1649 over 300 Levellers were captured by Cromwell's troops and lock up in Burford Church. On May 17 of that year 3 Levelers were taken out to the church yard and executed as the ring leaders.
    
      State power is still at it, from across the world we hear of ordinary people being imprisoned and/or executed for their beliefs and sometimes killed while on the street seeking those freedoms. From the Levellers and before up to today, the struggle still goes on, the desire to be free and to see others enjoy that same freedom has cost the ordinary people dear, but they are never intimdated for long. I have no doubt as the various states feel threatened by that desire for freedom, more people will suffer at the hands of the state, but I have also no doubt the the voice of the people for freedom will only get louder and will eventually triumph. 
ann arky's home.

Tuesday, 10 May 2011

PICKETS CAN BE FUN.

        The above is what we think of the Con/Dem's policy on disability benefit. It is cruel, unjust, damaging to the mental heath of those targeted and is nothing more than an exercise in squeezing the vulnerable to save money, and at the same time generating money for these large companies at tax payers expense.

Picket and Picnic at Atos
Thursday12th May 5pm-6pm

Ca'D'Oro Building,
45 Gordon Street,
Glasgow, G1 3PE


Bring food to share.
Part of the National Week of Action Against Atos
 http://benefitclaimantsfightback.wordpress.com/
http://thecrutchcollective.blogspot.com/
thecrutchcollective@gmail.com
http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Crutch-Collective/132893236781931?sk=wall

Sunday, 8 May 2011

SHINING EXAMPLE OF WESTERN HYPOCRISY.


        So Osama Bin Laden is dead, after 10 years of war, several trillion dollars and the destruction of a country, and already they are talking about “Bin Laden” model 2. I suppose it is a matter of the king is dead, long live the king. The headlines in The Sunday Times, May 8, US launches drone airstrike on 'new Bin Laden' in Yemen. So how many will there be, at 10 years a time this could be the 100 years war and at the same time bankrupt the world. How far down the chain of command will they go, perhaps some guy in some quiet corner of the world looking at an Islamic move could be targeted and then maybe his pal down the road, just in case.
       Ten years and several trillion dollars to get rid of some guy the CIA trained, armed and funded to go out and fight the Russians. It seems like a very bad deal. Their little exercise in Afghanistan has left the country a far more dangerous place than ever it has been, plus they killed thousands of Afghan civilians in the process. This is how you bring democracy to the world, Western style.

      The manner in which he was executed is being applauded by all and sundry in the West, yet when the the Israeli's assassinated Hamas co-founder, Abdel Aziz al-Rantissi in Gaza our former British foreign secretary, Jack Straw stated, “The British government has made it repeatedly clear that so-called 'targeted assassinations' of this kind are unlawful, unjustified and unproductive.” Come on Jack, let's hear it for Osama Bin Laden, and what's your view on the attempted assassination of Colonel Gaddafi?
      Think of a world where any country can send a band of armed killers into any other country and execute anybody they feel has harmed their country. This is the ideology of the Western power mongers, the so called leaders of the “free world”, but woe betide anyone outside their little club how tries it in their country. When you're the big bully you don't need to bother with the rules, hypocrisy, the main ingredient in Western democracy.
ann arky's home.

CAPITALISM, THE UNSUSTAINABLE SYSTEM.

      
        As our very own public school thugs of the Cameron/Clegg club go about trying to privatise everything in sight, perhaps we should cast our minds back to when Argintinian President Menem got a free hand to do just that. It created a few problems and perhaps the British people should be looking at how to handle the situation that might transpire.




Saturday, 7 May 2011

It’s My Party….an you’re no gettin’ in!


A true account of how the Labour Party lost the election in Scotland.
It’s My Party….an you’re no gettin’ in!


      A week ago householders in parts of Govanhill received a letter from the Labour leader Iain Gray inviting residents-and their families to a meeting on Mon. 2nd May at the Victoria Halls in Coplaw St. A number of local residents decided to take up this kind invitation.
       The letter instructed those who wished to attend to ‘phone and register,-which we did.
When we arrived for the meeting, there were a couple of Labour Party workers at the doors checking people’s names against a list as they arrived. The list was almost superfluous as most of those attending were well heeled, well scrubbed Labour Party hacks who arrived in cars , the majority of which I’m convinced didn’t even come from the local area,- and if anyone in the Labour Party claims otherwise,- prove it- you’ve got the list! 
      In the vestibule a zealous wee Party worker with a checklist was alarmed when she heard that my son and I had the same forename and surname. She seemed to regard this as some sort of underhand trick. She was also worried about our family and friends who were with us, and started asking a string of questions.
As none of the Party faithful had been interrogated in this manner at the door, my son reminded her that we had all registered for the meeting as required and as our names were on her list why were we being quizzed? This really freaked her out and we were instructed to wait where we were and she went and fetched a couple of colleagues.
     After another round of questions she asked us to leave. I replied that we had been invited and accepted the invitation and so would rather stay. After a brief confab with her pals she told us in a slightly smug and superior manner that our invitations were now withdrawn. Well, as you can imagine we were beside ourselves with anxiety and trepidation!
      She had played her trump card and what a winner! She had pulled the red Labour carpet from under our feet! We had come particularly to hear her esteemed leader and legendary runner, the Lion Rampant himself, - Fearless Ian Gray.
      We wanted to hear more from the man who had walked (or ran) the killing fields of Cambodia etc. We wanted to sit at his feet in admiration, to bask in his glory and feel the comforting warmth of his courage around us like a woolly red blanket, to listen with awe and childlike wonder to further tales of derring- do. We had come so close to realising our dreams only to have our hopes dashed by this naughty (but nice) wee lassie telling us to leave!
     Wounded by this cruel rejection, in an act of wilful disobedience we gave her the only reply we could, - we said “Naw!” This really brought out the Democrat in her, and her pretty little face turned scary and spiteful. “Well in that case we will call the Police”. She said this with such an air of confidence and authority, that for a moment we were afraid she had her own personal rapid response unit in her commodious- yet stylish handbag.
      We knew of course that the Labour Party - as the party of law and order, were very quick to call on the strong arm of the Law to suppress anyone who doesn’t agree with them, - they are famous for it! But to threaten constituents a few days before an election seems a bit silly. After all surely the idea is to win the voting public over, not jail them!  We told the wee lassie and her pals that we were staying for the meeting but we might ‘phone a couple of news desks to see if we couldn’t get a some journalists down to Coplaw Street to witness Labour Party hospitality and canvassing techniques in action.
     A few minutes later the pals reappeared minus the wee lassie. They told us we could stay as long as we promised not to cause trouble! (Like threatening people with arrest perhaps?). We assured them we had come only to ask a few questions, a daily, non alarming occurrence in many democratic societies. They still looked a bit uncomfortable. It was clear that the idea of democracy scared them, they were not used to this kind of reckless freedom in the Labour Party, but while they were struggling with this new and difficult concept, they allowed their guard to slip a little bit and offered us belated tea and biscuits.
      Despite still smarting from the recent threat of jail we showed our ability to forgive and forget and even dispensed some light hearted humour in exchange for their refreshment and non chocolate super saver biscuits.
       We were allowed to sit at the back of the small hall. All the front seats had been taken by the Party faithful and a very few local residents who had managed to avoid the nets. The crowd were gossiping amongst themselves for a few minutes then suddenly the chattering died down and we became aware of a powerful entity in the room. Our hearts leapt, could this be the great man: his Gray Eminence? But no, it was a lesser entity,- still a powerful being nevertheless, as you could tell by his well scrubbed New Labour cheeks which shone with health and vitality,- but not Gray the grayhound.
      Despite this the worshippers gave him a well rehearsed welcome. This was Stephen Curran, Labour’s candidate in the forthcoming election. He was a jovial mixture of affability and insincerity. The flock liked him and baaad in approval. He acknowledged their subservience by waving the palms of his hands to his audience to reassure them they were empty. Like any good games show host he knew how to work the crowd addressing most of them personally. He kept them waiting just long enough; then at the right moment gave them what they were there for. The low reverential murmur grew in volume until it sounded like a busy beehive, then suddenly without warning, like a young god appearing on a sunbeam (the hall lights were unnecessarily bright) the Gray man appeared before us.
      The faithful could hardly believe it! The Gray man had descended into their very midst! They could almost touch him! Some of the worst affected actually dared to touch him! - And were instantly cured of all doubts and the ability to think! The applause and adoration of his followers, the true believers, had assumed orgiastic proportions, and many of them had inadvertently cum in their pants!
      As newcomers we had expected to fall under the Gray mans spell, - his charisma and dynamism are legendary- but this spectacle, this nauseating, sycophantic grovelling display by his worshipers, which would be extremely distasteful to any right minded self respecting person - even us, helped to pull us back from the brink just in time.
       Immediately the scales fell away from our eyes. We realised we could not possibly vote for, or support the Gray man‘s policies or any of his representatives on earth. We saw that his supporters had obviously been hypnotised, possibly even drugged by unseen hands. This was no way to treat voters or change society.
When the followers had stopped twitching and started breathing normally again the meeting began. The Gray man and his familiar uttered spells in the guise of meaningless speeches and sedated the true believers who applauded obediently at the right bits. Even the non believers like us were not immune from the soporific effect of the Gray man and his disciples’ evil magic and a few times almost lost the will to live. 
        Despite this we managed to get in a few questions between us. One of our number managed to question the Gray mans Party’s murderous and illegal activities in pursuit of oil, but the Gray man blamed it on his previous boss, who although he agreed killed lots of people, did it with the best of intentions.
        A few other questions we fielded regarding criminals inside Parliament, and the incredible disappearing man Steven Purcell ex Glasgow Cooncil, were clumsily kicked into the sidelines by New Labour’s New Stephen. Further difficult questions which we demanded answers to were blatantly ignored, despite the word transparency being used repeatedly throughout the stage show by Gray and his acolyte.
      At the end of the meeting we were berated by some of the Party hacks and told off for our bad manners!
Obviously the whole jamboree was never intended to be a public meeting although Scottish Labour will try to make out that it was in any forthcoming propaganda material. The event was a tightly controlled, back slapping, morale boosting get together for the opportunistic adherents of New Labour who can pretend they are doing it all for us.
     The reason that people attending the event were vetted was to ensure that the Party faithful would be in the majority and therefore would definitely outnumber any non Labour elements. This is necessary because the Labour Party cannot subject their leader Iain Gray to any demonstration of genuine public dissent in case he does a runner! Remember he legged it from a posse of pensioners and mothers during a recent badly managed P.R. event in Central Station.
     Well, Man in Gray, - as the saying goes, you can run but you can’t hide. You might try to hide behind your shiny New Labour opportunist gang, but the general public can see through you as they see through the gaping holes in your phoney policies. At one time the Labour Party did represent working class interests, but not anymore. Now New Labour represents themselves and their business pals.
      New Labour doesn’t care about individuals or communities or people’s needs and desires. They have lost all contact with that. They see Councils as businesses and themselves as managers. They are managers who run businesses. Of course they make sure they get a bosses salary with the golden handshake at the end of it; New Labour are the New Bosses.
     The unfeeling, uncaring supporters of New Labour have been complicit in an illegal war responsible for the deaths of countless innocent men, women and children. Not only Iraqis and Afghans but British and Allied personnel, - some of them no more than children themselves. I would ask New Labour Party members these questions: Have you no pity? Have you no compassion? Can you even understand the meaning of empathy?
     Is it so hard to realise that these children could be your children? Can you imagine your own child or grandchild screaming in agony and being powerless to help them? Don’t just think about it, or imagine it, feel it.
      Almost every Labour Party member you speak to denies supporting the war in Iraq. In that case-how did it happen?
     If it happened without your consent,-the murder of innocent people for Christ’s sake, - why the hell are you still in the Labour Party?
     If you care for others and have any shred of decency and dignity, - why are you still in the Labour Party?
If you call yourself a socialist – why are you still in the Labour Party?
      Leave the rats to go down with the sinking ship you don’t need to go down with them.
Tony Milliband
ann arky's home.