Sacked For Speaking Out.

         States across the globe keep moving to the right, it is their natural direction and the only way they can keep control of the people. It takes many shapes from intrusive surveillance, to an avalanche of propaganda. They will always come down hard on any group that organises to protect and/or further the interests of the ordinary people. Here in the UK we are seeing some of the most draconian anti-union laws being forced down our throats, after being given the fake stamp of legitimacy by the corrupt cabal sitting in the Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption. Of course employers will always take advantage of the states anti-people structure, as in the case of, (often repeated across the globe) the sacked union rep, Sergey Mastepan.

An appeal from Labour Start:

   Union reps are there to speak out in defense of union members. That seems obvious to us.  But not to every employer.
        For example, a company called Transiidikeskus AS has decided to sack Sergey Mastepan, a shop steward for the Estonian Seamen's Independent Union (ESIU), because he spoke out on a picket line and to media about conditions in the company.
        Sergey needs our help today to get his job back.  And to establish the principle that unions are there to defend working people. Please take a moment to sign up to support the International Transport Workers Federation appeal here on LabourStart:
http://www.labourstart.org/go/sergey
       And please share this message with your family, friends and fellow union members.
       And one more thing: the International Union of Foodworkers campaign focussing on PepsiCo's squeezing of human rights in India, needs our support.  They're just 380 messages short of 10,000 -- can you help?  Please go here:
http://www.iuf.org/cgi-bin/campaigns/show_campaign.cgi?c=952
Solidarity forever!

Eric Lee

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

   

Rent Strike Exhibition, Glasgow.

        Small correction regarding the coming Spirit of Revolt exhibition on The Rent Strike, 100 years on, being held in the Mitchell Library main foyer. The exhibition will start on November 2nd. as stated, but will close Saturday 28th. November, not the 29th. as previously stated, as the Mitchell Library is closed on Sundays. Sorry for the misinformation. Hope to see you all there with your comments and chat.

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

Free Hetherington Club Occupation.

 

       For those who were involved in or remember the Free Hetherington Club occupation, at Glasgow University, which started on February 1st 2011. Spirit of Revolt have now put all the posters from the occupation on line. You can find them at http://spiritofrevolt.info/free-hetherington-collection/

and then scroll down to the bottom of the page, 9. Placards and banners.

 

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

It Also Got Dark Inside---

        A call for solidarity on behalf of anarchist prisoner Tasos Theofilou asking for funds for his legal fees through the purchase of sound track. Enjoy the track and if you you can, download for what you want to pay. 

From Contra Info:

       Tasos is currently in prison, after being sentenced on the basis of forged and nonexistent evidence. He was convicted just because he’s an anarchist. He was convicted because he didn’t lose his smile even when the court of first instance announced his sentence.

        “I have committed the offence that encompasses all offences. In the class war, I chose to side with those who have been treated unjustly.” (Tasos Theofilou, February 2014)

        “I am an anarchist communist. I cherish life as much as I love freedom. Let’s fight to tear down the prisons that bury thousands of living persons inside them. Let’s fight for the vision of social liberation. Let’s fight for the liberation of our class from the power of the Capital.” (Tasos Theofilou, September 2012)

       Electric Litany covered the Apostolos Kaldaras song “Night has fallen with no moon (Nychtose choris feggari)” with its original lyrics (before the 1947 censorship) as a gesture of solidarity with anarchist communist Tasos Theofilou, imprisoned in Greece.

         This release (recorded in London during September 2015) has the sole purpose of raising funds to support the case of Tasos Theofilou. You can purchase the track by donating an amount of your choosing through PayPal. Contact email: londanfund15 (at) gmail.com

       All proceeds will go to cover the legal costs of the case, which will be tried at the appellate level. 

via ASF LDN – Anarchists in Solidarity (original description in Greek):

“Night has fallen with no moon, it also got dark inside Yedi,*
and yet, one palikari is unable to fall asleep.
      Who knows what he’s waiting for from evening till morning
at the narrow window that illuminates the cell…
     The door opens, the door closes, but it’s double-locked with key.
What has he done, why was the fellow thrown into prison?”
      * in reference to the notorious Yedi Kule prison in Thessaloniki, Greece (The banner viewed at minute 2:46 reads: “We are all guilty”)
        With those who put up strong resistance for all of us;
with those we will always stand in solidarity.

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

Scott Crow On Circled A Radio.

       The latest broadcast from Circled A Radio, an interview with anarchist Scott Crow. who will be a speaker at the London Anarchist Bookfair starting this weekend.

       Scott Crow is an international speaker, author and story teller who is proudly from a working class background. He has engaged his varied life as a coop business co-owner, political organizer, educator and strategist, activist, film maker, dad and musician. For over two decades he has focused on diverse socio-political issues and the explorations of creating and exercising counter-power to capitalism, Power and unsustainable civilization.

Listen HERE:

 

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

1% - Superfluous To Requirements.

       The world has reached a very bizarre situation. Through human effort and ingenuity we have built up an enormous mountain of wealth, however, we have allowed 1% of the world's population to purloin 50% of that wealth. At the same time we have allowed the conditions of the other 99% to become ever more bleak. Surely any sane person must see this as unjust, unacceptable and unsustainable. Living within this mountain of wealth the world has 2.2 billion children, of which approximately 1 billion live in poverty, almost 50%. Here in the UK we have roughly 3.7 million children living in poverty, 28% of all children. To put it into context, imagine a school class room with 30 pupils, 9 of those children will be living in poverty. There is another anomaly in this capitalist system, London, one of the richest cities in the world, has the highest rates of child poverty in the UK. Opulence and deprivation live cheek by jowl in this crazy insane system of capitalist exploitation and greed. 

       Looking at the trend of greater wealth moving into ever few hands, we have to ask ourselves, will the 1% stop at owning 50% of the world's wealth, will they as a group, say, "Well we have enough now, let's reverse the trend", or will they continue their journey of grasping at ever more of that wealth, where does it stop? When do we say enough is enough, how many more children will have to sink into deprivation and poverty, before we call a halt to this plundering of the world's wealth by the greedy few?
 

      We can't rely on that 1% to reverse this trend, to abandon their desire for ever larger yachts, ever more lavish personal jets, that just will not happen. We have to decide that this system of injustice, inequality, exploitation and greed, has to be destroyed, by us. We have to start with co-operation across our communities and workplaces, at taking control of our lives and shaping things to our needs. We the ordinary people, produce everything in this world, we distribute everything in this world, the change has to be that we decide what we produce, and how it should be distributed. We don't need some over paid CEO, nor a bunch of greedy shareholders, nor the leeches of the financial Mafia, to tell us how to shape our society, to tell us who gets and who goes without. We know, that the 1% is superfluous to requirements.

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

 

Industrial Diseases.

       I wrote this some time ago, but think it is still relevant today, especially when we have short term working, zero hours contracts and part-time, where employees don't get the opportunity to fully get to know the environment in which they will be forced to earn their bread. The dangers are not always just to the individual employee, but also to the community where that industry is based, fracking, for example. The employees and the communities are those impacted most by these industrial hazards, and therefore, logically, should be the group that controls there development or otherwise.

       We have come through the start of the industrial age and moved on to the hi-tec age, but every move into every industry comes with its on particular problems. Practically every industry is linked to an industrial disease. We have silicosis, lung disease prevalent among stone masons, potters grinders etc.. Then there is pneumoconiosis, mainly among coal miners, caused by breathing in fine coal dust and carbon dust. Arc-welders are at risk of manganism, manganese poisoning brought on by exposure to the toxic effects of the fumes from welding rods melting as the are used. Painters are at risk from neurological deficits from solvent‐exposure, which include impaired colour vision, cognitive defects, tremor and loss of vibration sensation. There are many more links with occupation and disease, but we are seldom told of these dangers when you apply for the job. Health and safety regulations go some way to protect workers from these dangers but usually these measures are re-active and only come after years of suffering and campaigning.
        As a young man starting my trade in the Clydeside shipyards in the 1950’s, I was ignorant of the dangers of asbestos, and as it was widely used, all of us were exposed to the horror of death from mesothelioma, an asbestos induced incurable cancer. It was not that the dangers of this substance wasn’t known, medical papers had been written about the danger from asbestos exposure as far back as the 30’s, but it continued to be used up to and including the 60’s. The employers didn’t abandon asbestos willingly, it took campaigning and legislation to finally attempt to get rid of this killer substance. That is the pattern in most of industries, its dangers are only restricted by campaigning and legislation. The profit motive drives industry, not the well being of the employee. Most industries can be made safe, but it usually requires investment in safety equipment and training and that costs money which in turn cuts into the profit. So safety in industries will always come lower down the ladder, and as times get harder, corners are cut in safety to prevent cuts in profit. The economic system we have at present does not lend itself to the welfare and well being of the workers, only when the workers control all the industries will their well being be at the fore front of production.

When the Time-Bomb Goes Off

The bike just sits there,

dust covering its lovely sheen,

puffing up the Fintry Hills

well, it’s no longer my scene.

Y’see, as a Clydeside apprentice

I proudly learnt the tradesman’s skill,

little did I know then

the price, asbestos lungs that kill.

Now I just sit here through the painful day

gasping each mouthful of air, wondering

how can I make the bastards pay.

They new it was a killer

a time-bomb in our lungs

but, because it was so quick and cheap

they firmly held their tongues.

So what, if it cost the workman’s life,

there’s always a couple of new workers

in the care of the worker’s wife.

Please try to understand my anger

as I and others bear their cost,

a slow death from asbestos lungs,

a vibrant life lost.

Anguish for family and friends,

all in the name of profit;

now that really does offend.

Our anger without direction

is a blind archer behind the bow,

we have to use our anger

to smash the status-quo.

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

The House Of The Dead.

       No matter what label they stick on it, prison is torture, call it reforming, rehabilitation, restraining, it matters not, it is still torture of the human spirit. In such unnatural conditions, the human spirit becomes deformed, relationships often descend to a lower level, a more brutal level, and survival takes on a different shape under the ever present shadow of violence. 

Tasos Theofilou is an anarchist, imprisoned by the Greek state in 2013 and who subsequently went on hunger strike.

Extract from the recent publication of Tasos Theofilou book:
32 Steps or reports from the house of the dead:

Introduction note:

Prison is not only incarceration, pan optic surveillance, sensory
deprivation and the always present violence from above or from bellow.
Prison is not only the constant addiction to the sound of a heavy door
locking and unlocking. It is not only the endless rock of the yard. It
not only the use of smack to oppress any intention of revolting against
the brutality. It is not only the extreme poverty of the lumpen
proletariat, as well as the ostentatious wealth of illegal capitalism,
which exist to remind that class stratification is not absent even from
the basements of society.

Prison is also an entire civilization which emerges from the depths of
the soul of the damned. It is the dark matter of crime that is
transmuted into life: “And among the dead walls life develops and wild
weeds grow drenched in sorrow and intensity and injustice and waiting.
But they emerge, they grow out of cement. People try to remain alive,
and some succeed. An entire civilization is developed, a brutal
reflection and condensation of society, brutal without pretexts.
However, an entire civilization in the fringes of society and under the
most sharp corner of the heel of authority”.

Tasos Theofilou describes sides of this small universe, the underground
culture of the prisoners, which might begin from the improvised
practical art and reaches the humorous, self-sarcasm and imaginative
word moulding. He himself experiences not only the brutality of
incarceration, but also the arbitrariness of an entire
journalist-police-judicial complex which used even his pulp short
stories as “unshakeable” proof of guilt for bank expropriation. He found
himself in the surreal position of being an anarchist-communist and
being accused as a member of a nihilist organization, the conspiracy
cells of fire. His own political identity was considered an unshakeable
presumption of guilt…

The literary and political stylus of Tasos Theofilou does not only
observe the life in prison, it does not only describe the Kafkaesque
universe of oppression, but dissects the contemporary dystopia of the
state of emergency. The literary and political stylus of Tasos Theofilou
fulfills a higher political duty, beyond the analysis and interpretation
of modern brutality. The resistance of human dignity until the
definitive end of this brutality.

Tasos Theofilou texts can also found on the blog Postscripts of a
Fabrication (astop.espivblogs.net). The books Paranoir and Goodbye
Batman are also published (in greek), by Asymmetric Threat publications.

From:halastor.blogspot.gr

Translated by BoubourAs /Act for freedom now!

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

The Scottish Winter Doesn't Kill, Poverty Does.

        In Scotland this year, September and October have been great months, with mild dry weather. This has been a blessing to all those on low incomes and/or, hard to heat and badly insulated homes. However, the coming Scottish winter is still capable of inflicting suffering, misery and death on a large slice of our population. The National Records of Scotland's latest figures state that between December 2014 and March 2015, there were 22,011 deaths, up from 18,675 for the same period the previous year, a 15 year high. Apart from the misery and deaths, these figures display, this poverty induced epidemic puts a tremendous strain on the NHS, adding what is a preventable influx of serious conditions. We pay through our taxes for the avoidable poverty and misery, brought about by this failing system of capitalism.  

        What we should be quite clear about is that it is not the Scottish winter that kills, it is poverty and poor housing, this spike in deaths can be laid squarely at the feet of cold homes. Across the northern hemisphere there are winter climates much more severe than ours here in Scotland, but they don't all have this spike in deaths. Low energy costs, better insulated homes and decent incomes, would see an end to this cull of our poor, elderly and vulnerable people. In a very rich country, in the twenty first century, we are well capable of supplying those remedies. We don't, simply because we live in a system called capitalism, where the “markets”, controlled by the financial Mafia, shape society for profit. Any civilised society would have at its base compassion, and would automatically see to the needs of all our people. When do we make that shift to compassion, and bury the the cancer of profit in some deep pit, ending the winter cull on our most vulnerable and disadvantaged people?

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

 

Cops - What Are They Good For?

      An excellent question, “What are the police for”, “what good do the really do?” get to know the facts and you'll get a better idea of their real purpose. The police are the street minders of the state, any “crimes” solved by them are peripheral to their main purpose, a by product, or a means of information gathering. We are sold the illusion that they are there to protect us the people, from “bad” people in our midst. However, when ever the people come together in numbers to protest against an injustice in our society, where do we find the police? They are always there ready to provoke, intimidate, and often beat up those protesting against that injustice, Remember the miners strike, the poll tax, that's when you see the real face of the police.

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

The Right To Peacefully Protest.

      It would appear that the UK state is doing its damnedest to match Spain's gagging laws. Two recent cases show how the powers that be can take the law and twist and mould it to suit their own particular slant on things. One is the case of Daniel Gardonyi, law abiding activist, who faces deportation.

     He was arrested during the recent Sweets Way protest but not charged with any offence. He then received a letter from the Home Office threatening to remove him from the UK as part of Operation Nexus, a joint police and Home Office operation designed to arrest and deport criminals from other parts of the EU living in the UK.
    Lawyers say they believe it is the first time Operation Nexus has been used to target a law-abiding political protester rather than a foreign national offender.
   Gardonyi’s solicitor, Daniel Furner, said parts of the letter to Gardonyi threatening to deport him appeared to be unlawful. “It appears that our client has been specifically and systematically targeted as a result of his peaceful, political activities in the UK.”

The other is the case of Lisa McKenzie:

       Perhaps we have now reached the stage where we should take the opportunity to use the coming visit of the Chinese President Xi Jinping and approach him, asking if he will raise the matter of human rights with Mr Cameron when they meet.

          These two matters should not be taken lightly, precedents in law seldom, if ever, work in our favour, they soon become the norm. The right to protest peacefully is one we should never give up, however it is one the state would love to remove. Both of these cases should have all of us protesting loudly and in mass in solidarity with these two victims of state repression. 

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

 

A Kernal Of Greed.

     It could be our future, if we don't act now.

The Last Supper.

The crazy ape strode across this planet

slaughtering with every stride,

covering its surface with rotting flesh

until maggots multiplied in countless millions

devouring everything, living, dead, dying,

the last leaf, the lamb, the lion.

The spirit of man

wept in  dark caverns on the highest mountains.

Nothing left to consume, maggots rotted.

Their stench reached the nostrils of the Gods

who gazed with loathing

at what the crazy ape had created

from a kernel of greed in his guts.

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

Anarchism Across Europe.

    Another episode from A-Radio-Berlin as part of their journey across Europe.

      As part of a journey through Eastern Europe a member of the Anarchist Radio Berlin (aradio.blogsport.de) had the opportunity of talking to a comrade of Syrena. Syrena is a squat in the inner city of Warsaw and has its origins in the tenants movement. In this interview we talk about the huge amount of activities like anti-racist work, social work and anarchist activities that are getting started out of Syrena. Further we talk about the connection to the Przychodnia Squat which is located directly behind Syrena as well as about the comrade's personal opinion of the controversial selling of the Od:zysk Squat in Poznan, which is quite an current issue in the Polish movement.

Listen HERE:

Please send feedback and questions to: aradio-berlin/at/riseup(.)net

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

Giving Myself A Workout.

     Headed out on the bike today, but it is getting too cold for my bronchial tubes. One of the many labels from the medical dictionary that have been pinned on me is CRAD, (chronic restrictive airways disease), the result being that as the temperature goes down so does the efficiency of my lungs. Hence the fair weather cyclist, I usually put the bike away when the clock is moved back. So this might be the last run of the season.

       Today as I started to cycle, I found it rather hard and couldn't get any pace at all, not that I have much of pace now-a-days, but it was a bit worrying. However I just gritted my teeth, swore under my breath, and continued to grind the peddles. As I was cycling past Kirkintilloch, a car drew along side and the passenger said, that something had fallen of the bike. I immediately stopped, and the car stopped in front of me. The woman driver got out and come up to me and informed me again that something had fallen from the bike, just back along the road a bit. At that I noticed that my wee bag at the back was open and empty, I thanked her and went to get what had dropped, but she said she would get it, and made off like a gazelle, and retrieved one inside tube. At that I noticed that my other tube, (I carry two just in case) it was wrapped round my back brake and jammed between the brake blocks and the wheel rim. So in fact I had been cycling more or less with the back brake on, it must have been the first to drop off just as I started the run, but got tangled round the brake, I definitely don't recommend this a a cycling method, perhaps good if you really want a workout and to ruin an inside tube. The rest of the run was much easier, with a little bit more pace. 

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

Beloved Tarmac And Concrete Place!!!

     Over the years Glasgow's green spaces have been disappearing under a creeping concrete tide. To those who live in, and visit the city, this is a tragedy, an ever diminishing quality of life in the city. It is ironic of course, as the name "Glasgow" is suppose to translate as "Beloved Green Place". Perhaps we should change the name to the Gaelic for "Concrete Forest", whatever that happens to be.

      For many years now, the people to the west of the city, Kelvin ward, have been making excellent use of what is known as North Kelvin Meadow. It  has become an wonderful asset to the community especially the children. It is an area of trees and green, open to all in the heart of a built up area, but for the usual reasons, the City Council would like to spread it with a veneer of concrete and build expensive houses and flats on what is an asset to the health and well being of all those who use the space. Another green place would disappear from the "Beloved Green Place".

         Supporters of The North Kelvin Meadow are appealing for support this coming Tuesday, and hopefully from then on, to keep the Meadow, and  helping to preserve what green is left of our, "Beloved Green Place"

       We found out today that the planning authority is recommending that both our plan 'to keep the meadow and wood wild and for the community' and the New City Vision plan 'to build 90 residences' be granted, subject to meeting certain conditions.
      We hope that the planning committee accept the planning officers recommendation to accept our plan next Tuesday, and that they grant us a site visit and hearing before any decision is made on the New City Vision plan. We will be making placards for next Tuesday's George Square gathering asking that the planning committee make a site visit and grant us a hearing. Please come and join us next Tuesday, 20th October.
      We're asking people to dress in green for the gathering, we'll meet outside the City Chambers at 10:45. For local people there will be a bus leaving the meadow and wood at 10:15am and taking people to George Square and back again after the committee meeting (which starts at 11am).

     Because we will not have an opportunity to speak at the hearing on Tuesday we're asking people to make placards requesting a site visit and a hearing and to show the level of support and engagement for the land and what happens on it.
       North Kelvin Meadow and The Children's Wood has become an essential part of the community, helping to meet 21st century educational and community needs like tackling low levels of child-well-being, the achievement gap, food poverty, mental and physical health problems and much more. If we take away the meadow and wood then the impact will be enormous on the wider community. We have plans to do more for the community and build on what we have achieved already and we could do so much more with support from the administration of Glasgow City Council.
Please spread the word about Tuesday and join us in George Square!
Many thanks!

Visit ann arky's home a\t www.radicalglasgow.me.uk