Bread And Roses Strike,1912.

Still on International Women's Day

From Wikipedia:

         "Bread and Roses" is a political slogan as well as the name of an associated poem and song. It originated from a speech given by Rose Schneiderman; a line in that speech ("The worker must have bread, but she must have roses, too."^[1]:32) inspired the title of the poem Bread and Roses by James Oppenheim. The poem was first published in The American Magazine in December 1911, with the attribution line "'Bread for all, and Roses, too'—a slogan of the women in the West."^[2] The poem has been translated into other languages and has been set to music by at least three composers.
       It is commonly associated with the successful textile strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts during January–March 1912, now often known as the "Bread and Roses strike".
        The slogan pairing bread and roses, appealing for both fair wages and dignified conditions, found resonance as transcending "the sometimes tedious struggles for marginal economic advances" in the "light of labor struggles as based on striving for dignity and respect", as Robert J. S. Ross wrote in 2013.^[3]

As we come marching, marching, in the beauty of the day,
A million darkened kitchens, a thousand mill-lofts gray
Are touched with all the radiance that a sudden sun discloses,
For the people hear us singing, "Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses."

As we come marching, marching, we battle, too, for men--
For they are women's children and we mother them again.
Our lives shall not be sweated from birth until life closes--
Hearts starve as well as bodies: Give us Bread, but give us Roses!

As we come marching, marching, unnumbered women dead
Go crying through our singing their ancient song of Bread;
Small art and love and beauty their drudging spirits knew--
Yes, bread we fight for--but we fight for Roses, too.

As we come marching, marching, we bring the Greater Days--
The rising of the women means the rising of the race--
No more the drudge and idler--ten that toil where one reposes--
But sharing of life's glories: Bread and Roses, Bread and Roses!

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International Women's Day.

           I wrote this for the blog away back in 2011, there have been changes, but sadly, there is still a long way to go, to have that desired equality across our society.

 

          March 8 is celebrated across the world as International Women's Day (IWD), a day when we can come together to honour women world wide. In 1910, the Second International held the first international women's conference in Copenhagen and an 'International Women's Day' was established. It was suggested by the German Socialist Clara Zetkin, although no date was specified. The first IWD was observed on March 19, 1911 in Germany.
        It is a day when we can pay homage to all those women who selflessly fought to improve the conditions of not just women, but all humankind. Women who struggled to improve working conditions, for justice, for peace, for unity of all ordinary people.
         Every country, every city, has its role of honour of such women, perhaps not publicly displayed but it will be there, in folklore, in song, in theatre and poem. Glasgow can be proud of its list of women who fought injustice where they saw it, some struggled away in obscurity, some in the limelight of publicity, all played their part in improving our lives. Today more than ever we need our women heroes, we need the unity of all men and women to combat the savage onslaught against our living standards. Today more than ever people have to stand up and join hands in solidarity with all people's across the globe.

          Here are just a few of Glasgow's women from our recent past that are worthy of being honoured today. 

 Mary Barbour,   Ethel MacDonald,    Helen Crawfurd,    Agnes Dollan,    Jenny Patrick,  Rita Milton, who would you add to this list, there are hundreds from which to choose. Where are our modern Mary Barbour's, where is today's Ethel MacDonald? Can you name them? 

          "It is not by changing ministers - such guilty men! - or issuing declarations that fascism will be conquered. The problem is more complex than that. We do not intend to add our voice to those who delude the workers that their 'leaders' will get them out of the mess. The problems need a complete transformation in the present attitude of the working class."  Marie Louise Berneri From; War Commentary, December 1940.

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Joining Acts To Words.

          Today we live in a world of multifaceted wars, there is the global war of the oppressors against the oppressed, then there are those wars between oppressors. These latter wars are the most bloody and destructive, as states destroy cities, towns and villages, killing millions, and washing the land in rivers of blood. All this destruction, blood and fury, in an attempt to be the dominant oppressor on the planet.
          The war of the oppressor against the oppressed is all encompassing, it affects the entire world's population of ordinary people. It is an ongoing daily war, to extract as much bounty from the people as is humanly possible. More and more the oppressed are organising and fighting back against this brutal exploitation, and the oppressors are feeling the pain. In an attempt to keep control of this rising hatred of the oppressor, we are seeing our societies becoming more militarised. Here in the supposedly democratic and free opulent West, we feel increase legislation, the tightening of security, the increase in surveillance, the presence of guns at airports and elsewhere. All this is to to create a garrison in defence of the corporate world's domination over our lives. It is not there to protect the people, it is there to protect commerce and property.
          This massive increase in militarisation is delivered with an instruction label that tries to make it easily digestible and acceptable to the public at large, attempting to make it appear as a good government's duty of care. However, even the most subservient mind is beginning to feel the noose tighten around their world. This tightening will continue as long as we tolerate the present economic system. We can start by refusing to fight in the wars between oppressors, and join the army of those who fight the oppressors.

 

 

       Western societies and states are moving inexorably toward conditions resembling barbarism; structural changes are reversing decades of social welfare and subjecting labor, natural resources and the wealth of nations to raw exploitation, pillage and plunder, driving living standards downward and provoking unprecedented levels of discontent.

Read the full article HERE: 

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We Have Loads Of Money!!!

        We keep getting told that austerity is the only way, and our Bullingdon boy millionaire, product of the Oxbridge sausage factory, Osborne, informs us that we face even more severe cuts next year. But we can find the money to bomb Syria and Iraq, and then there is Hinkley Point. the planned nuclear power station. If this goes ahead it will be the most expensive power station in the world, estimated cost at £25 billion plus. This of course does not take into consideration the astronomical costs of decommissioning at the end of its life. The only people that are enthusiastic about nuclear power are the big corporations as they see shovels full of tax payers money coming their way. We are still trying to clean up Dounray, costing billions. There always seems to be plenty money for all manner of things except health, education and social services. 

Artist's impression of how Hinkley Point nuclear power station could look. 

Photograph: EDF Energy/PA

This from greenpeace:

George Osborne could be about to make a huge mistake.
         He's preparing to spend billions on a new nuclear plant at Hinkley in Somerset. If it goes ahead, Hinkley is set to be the most expensive object on Earth [1] – sucking up huge amounts of money that could be spent on renewable energy instead.
        But right now we’ve got a chance to stop him. The finance director of EDF -- the energy firm that plans to build the reactor -- just resigned amid concerns that Hinkley could plunge the company into a financial black hole.
         It’s going to be pretty embarrassing for George Osborne if he ploughs on when Hinkley’s cost could bankrupt the company building it. So let's seize this moment to turn up the pressure on the chancellor. Let's tell him now’s the time to scrap Hinkley -- and spend consumers’ cash on renewable energy instead.
Sign the petition:
https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-hinkley
         If George Osborne pushes ahead, Hinkley will be the first nuclear plant built in the UK in two decades. But the chancellor's plans are going nowhere fast. The reactor design is so complicated that no one's sure if it will even work. One nuclear expert went so far as to call it "unconstructable" [2]. And three other power stations -- in France, Finland and China -- that are trying to use the same type of reactor are suffering from huge delays too.
        The cost of the project is staggering. Best guesses say Hinkley could pass £24 billion -- easily making it the most expensive power station in world history.
          Personally I'm shocked that George 'Austerity' Osborne can keep on backing Hinkley, even as the cost keeps going up and up. Can you help tell him that thousands of us think that backing renewable energy is a better use of our cash? Sign the petition here:
https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-hinkley
         While Hinkley nuclear plant has spent almost a decade in limbo, renewable power projects have been far quicker to build. The London Array -- the world's biggest offshore wind farm -- took less than three years to construct. And even if building Hinkley was to begin tomorrow, by the time it's up and running the cost of renewable energy will have dropped even further.
        Though George Osborne might tell us we need Hinkley to keep the lights on, we know this is far from the truth. Recent research showed that as soon as 2030, the UK could be powered almost entirely by renewables [3]. The UK is one of the windiest places in Europe, we’ve got huge untapped potential in solar power, and we're surrounded by sea too. If you agree that natural sources of energy like these should top government investment, not more risky and expensive nuclear power, please sign the petition now:
https://secure.greenpeace.org.uk/stop-hinkley

Thanks for being involved,
Richard Casson
Greenpeace UK
NOTES
1. http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/2014/12/why-is-britain-building-the-most-expensive-object-ever/
2. http://energydesk.greenpeace.org/2014/11/20/comment-trouble-hinkleys-reactor-design/
3. http://www.greenpeace.org.uk/blog/climate/replace-coal-power-without-trashing-planet-20151124

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Union Official, A Dangerous Occupation!!!

        Most of us take it for granted that we can join a union and even be an official without fearing for our life. It is as it should be, but it is not like that in certain parts of this insane world. To actively participate in union affairs for the betterment of your fellow worker, can at times, be very dangerous, this should not be tolerated. The state will always protect its corporate bosses and their profits, at the expense of the workers, even to the point of death.

An appeal from Labour Start:

     Last month, the president of Gambia responded to trade union protests against customs tax increases and fuel prices by banning union activities. Three union leaders were arrested.
        One of them, Sheriff Diba of the Gambian National Transport Control Association, died in prison. This followed reports of brutal treatment at the hands of the National Intelligence Agency.
          At the request of the International Transport Workers Federation, we have launched an online campaign demanding justice for Sheriff and an end to repression.

Please support it by clicking here:

http://www.labourstart.org/go/gambia

Please share this message with your friends, family, and fellow trade union members.

Thank you!



Eric Lee

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Cold, But Magic.

         As I have said before, I'm a fair weather cyclist, when the weather is cold and/or damp, it plays havoc with my wee bronchial tubes. However, on Sunday the sun was shining, and the cabin fever was driving we daft, I had to make a dash for freedom. So I took my trusty steed, the dream machine, and headed out. Gee, it was cold, then it clouded over and the temperature seem to take a distinctive dip. Thankfully I didn't suffer too badly and really enjoyed my escape. It wasn't much of a run, but the pedals were spinning and the wheels were whirring and their magic filled the air. Come on summer, all us old fogey's are anxiously waiting.

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War Is The Poor Killing The Poor, Ordered By The Rich.

        As collapsing capitalism blunders on with its “endless wars” policy, in an attempt to revive its failing, brutal system of profitable exploitation, more and more people are seeing wars for what they are. Gone are the illusions of defending democracy, fighting terrorism, and the host of other phoney propaganda spouted by the various states, it is now accepted that wars are capitalisms way of defending and expanding the various imperialist powers' assets. States are the opposing corporate world's hit men. 

       We are seeing more and more people taking a stand against this slaughter of the innocent, this stand has many strands. Here in Scotland, The Scottish Peace Network, a coalition of peace and anti-militarist organisations, is attempting to give a public face to this growing anti-war movement. They are organising a open gathering at the Donald Dewar statue at the top of Buchanan Street Glasgow, on Wednesday, March 16th at 6:30pm. The main theme will be. “stop the bombing of Syria and Iraq” and oppose militarism. Everybody is welcome, please come along, even for a short period, to show your anger and disgust at this continual destruction and waste of human life. Bring banners, placards and leaflets if you can, but please bring yourself. The idea is to make this a monthly event, to continually raise awareness of our country's militarist stance, with your help this will happen. 

       Another aspect of the state's love and need of war, is its attempt to send its military representatives into our schools, especially the schools in the more deprived areas. With their glossy pictures and fancy uniforms and talk of free travel, adventure and training, they hope to mesmerise the young susceptible kids, kids whose potential is already being stunted by their environment, into believing this is a career choice. There are no photos of the maimed and dead soldiers, there are no facts about the young lives destroyed by the trauma of war, no mention about the suicides of ex-soldiers, no discussion about the ex-soldiers who end up in prison and/or homeless.
     This is an insidious and callous recruiting exercise by the state, of our poorest and most vulnerable young people, to fill the ever increasing gap in the needs of their imperialist war machine. We have to put an end to this sweeping up of our young to be sacrificed on the altar of capitalist's wars. 

Challenging Military Visits to Schools in Scotland.
March,15th. At 6:00pm
STUC in Glasgow Scotland.
       This public meeting at Glasgow's Scotland Trade Union Congress (STUC) from 7-9pm on Tuesday 15 March is to raise awareness about a petition to scrutinise Armed Forces visits to schools in Scotland.

        Another strand of this world wide disgust at the the endless war policies of the world's powers is A World Beyond War who are organising a global campaign against the destructive waste of the world's military spending.
        World Beyond War encourages everyone to take part in the Global Day of Action on Military Spending (actually multiple days: April 5 - 18, and in the United States April 16-18 in particular).
       Resources for planning a World Beyond War event are here, including a Prezi and a Powerpoint that make it easy.
        Upcoming events all over the world are here. To tell us about more events we should be listing contact Sandra Osei at Soseitwumasi@gmail.com. For help planning your event, contact Bob Fantina at wbwcanada@gmail.com.
        And here's something to celebrate:
Japan PM suspends work on U.S. base on Okinawa.

Sign the Declaration of Peace.

Join us on Facebook and Twitter.    

       Ordinary people don't want to kill ordinary people, which is the basic essence of war. So why tolerate it, why take part in it? War is the poor killing the poor, ordered by the rich. There are a myriad of avenues to suit everybody to take a stand against this insanity. A world without war is possible. 

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What Is An Anarchist?

         What is an anarchist? I suppose there are probably as many answers to that question as there are anarchists. No bad thing, when you consider that the individual is at the heart of anarchism. However, there is common ground among most anarchists, but explaining that to someone who is not an anarchist can be difficult.

       There is a small text by Émile Armand (pseudonym of Ernest-Lucien Juin Armand); 26 March 1872 – 19 February 1963, called Mini-Manual of Individualist Anarchism, though I don't agree with its entirety, what anarchist would agree with the entirety of another anarchist's work, There is a particular paragraph which quite explicitly lays out what is an anarchist.

       The anarchist has for enemy the State and all its institutions which tend to maintain or to perpetuate its stranglehold on the individual. There is no possibility of conciliation between the anarchist and any form whatever of society resting on authority, whether it emanates from an autocrat, from an aristocracy, or from a democracy. No common ground between the anarchist and any environment regulated by the decisions of a majority or the wishes of an elite. The anarchist combats for the same reason the teaching furnished by the State and that dispensed by the Church. He is the adversary of monopolies and of privileges, whether they are of the intellectual, moral or economic order. In a word, he is the irreconcilable antagonist of every regime, of every social system, of every state of things that implies the domination of man or the environment over the individual and the exploitation of the individual by another or by the group.

      The work of the anarchist is above all a work of critique. The anarchist goes, sowing revolt against that which oppresses, obstructs, opposes itself to the free expansion of the individual being. He agrees first to rid brains of preconceived ideas, to put at liberty temperaments enchained by fear, to give rise to mindsets free from popular opinion and social conventions; it is thus that the anarchist will push all comers to make route with him to rebel practically against the determinism of the social environment, to affirm themselves individually, to sculpt his internal statue, to render themselves, as much as possible, independent of the moral, intellectual and economic environment. He will urge the ignorant to instruct himself, the nonchalant to react, the feeble to become strong, the bent to straighten. He will push the poorly endowed and less apt to pull from themselves all the resources possible and not to rely on others.

         Taking that as our starting point, I think it makes clear to non anarchists the direction we wish to go.

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"We Live In A Democracy", "We Live In A democracy".

       Once again we see British democracy at work. Very important issues are debated in The Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption, a vote is taken, then the government, our representatives in power, makes its decision on that matter, based on the outcome of that vote. Well that's the theory, the fairy tale that is handed out to the public. The reality is that decisions are driven by dogma, aided and abetted by lobbyists from the financial and corporate worlds, and decided behind closed doors. 

       What could be more important than nuclear weapons, this is a subject with massive destructive consequences not just for us here in the UK, but across the world. Surely this must be debated, well it is to be debated. The various factions are lining up to spout their mantras, but to what purpose? On this matter of universal importance the debate will take place, but the decision has already been taken. It appears that while the opposition is preparing their argument on the immorality of such weapons and the astronomical cost, our democratic government has already set the ball rolling with the renewal of the Trident nuclear weapons system, with a spend figure of an extra £640 million.
      It appears that Michael Fallon, will take the opportunity of the Scottish Conservative Party conference in Edinburgh today, to announce that the trident renewal program is already under way and on the back of this, the government is pouring in an extra £640 million to the arms industry's coffers. Of course the debate as to whether to renew the trident system or not, will still go ahead, after all that's how democracy works. 

       Don't for one minute think that the £640 million is any way near the cost of this government phallus symbol, the real cost of this imperialist thug's toy is hundreds of hospitals, and schools, thousands of teachers and nurses, improvements to social services and lots more. It is in effect in excess of £167 billion. All that being gifted to the arms industry, by their Bullingdon Club friend, our millionaire chancellor of the exchequer, while he is threatening more severe cuts to social services in the coming year.
        Now repeat after me, “We live in a democracy”, “We live in a democracy”. Just keep saying it, and if you're foolish enough, you may well come to believe it.

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Our History, Spirit of Revolt.

         Spirit of Revolt Archive is an extensive collection of Glasgow/Clydeside non-party political struggles of ordinary people. We have rare one of documents from away back, to papers, books, magazines, leaflets and banners, etc. right up to date, plus international papers and memorabilia. As volunteers we work hard at making this material available and easily accessible to the general public by digitalising as much as possible, as quickly as possible and putting it up on our website. The range of subject matter is as varied as the people in the area we try to cover, and we consider it a very important party of the history of the ordinary people. 

           One of the latest additions to the digitalised collection is two issues of The Wolverine, a London based publication whose headline is gay voices of hostility, you can read them HERE:
           All this work is done by volunteers who give hours of their time to managing the collection and sitting scanning this material and putting it on line. Sadly time and effort is not always enough, in this capitalist world we do need money, there are always on-going needs from stationery to equipment to web hosting, but our biggest outlay is having to pay for an archivist to catalogue the collection to international standard. I'm sure there are lots of you out there with a few quid extra in your pockets and who think what we do is really worth while and are worth supporting. We are very grateful for any donation, £2, £5, or what ever, either as a one of donation or as a standing order. Thanking you in anticipation of your generosity.

Details:

 

 Unity Trust Bank plc.

 Account name: Spirit of Revolt

 Account number: 20290793

 Sort code: 60-83-01

You can contact us at info(at)spiritofrevolt(dot)info 

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The Snoopers Charter.

 

      Our "democratic" state is ever looking at ways of keeping tabs on everything you do, surveillance is control, control is power. We quietly walk into their cage if we are not ever vigilant. This latest bill which the government is trying to slip through, while the mainstream media, that babbling brook of bullshit, focuses on the EU, is another piece of legislation which allows them to poke their beady eyes further into our lives. 

This from Open Rights Group:

    The Home Office published the Investigatory Powers Bill today. And it's bad news. Despite three committees of MPs and peers making a total of 123 recommendations for changes to the Bill less than three weeks ago, the Government has ploughed on. On first reading, it appears that the revised Bill has made minor revisions, not the full redraft that is needed.
Email your MP now and tell them your concerns around the Bill:
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaigns/investigatory-powers-bill-email-your-mp
      By bringing the Bill to Parliament now, at a time when the EU referendum is overwhelmingly the biggest topic in Westminster, there's a strong likelihood that MPs will not have enough time to scrutinise the Bill. The Bill still includes hugely invasive powers on bulk collection of our Internet use and hacking. It also fails to deliver a rigorous system for judges to authorise surveillance warrants.
         This is the right time to email your MP! Until now, the Bill was in draft form and was being scrutinised by specialist committees. MPs were waiting to see what those committees said and how the Government would respond. Now that the Bill is published, you can make sure it's at the top of your MP's in-tray. Email your MP now!
https://www.openrightsgroup.org/campaigns/investigatory-powers-bill-email-your-mp
        We've been talking to the media all day and talking on TV news explaining the concerns with the Bill to more people. Keep an eye out for us! We will be analysing the detail of the revised Bill over the coming days and weeks so we'll be in touch again soon with the latest news. With the Labour frontbench increasingly sceptical [1] and Tory backbenchers raising serious concerns [2], this is by no means decided. With your help, we can persuade our MPs to stand up for our rights.
Thanks for taking action.
Best wishes, Ed

[1] The Government has not justified this significant extension of powers - Andy Burnham
http://press.labour.org.uk/post/140282730114/the-government-has-not-justified-this-significant

[2] Snoopers’ charter faces Tory revolt (£)
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/news/uk/article4701680.ece

Ed Johnson-Williams
Campaigner
Open Rights Group

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"Well Said" Govan.

As usual, interesting info from Bob at City Strolls:

          An opportunity to see the "Well Said" showcase of films. From the "Govan All Stars" to the "Common Good" Get animated!
          “Well Said!” project will be presenting a free screening of 6 short films made in, by and about the Govan community:

“The Wee Bauchle” by Trish Caird
“The Caretaker” feat. Andy McIntosh
“The Common Good” by Bob Hamilton
“Galgael” by Susannah Tullis & John Bennett
“With a Song in Your Heart” feat. Govan Allsorts
“Don’t Hate, Animate” Hate Crime Awareness Animation

When: Wednesday 2nd March 2016, 7pm-9pm
Where: The Pearce Institute, 840-860 Govan Rd, Glasgow G51 3UU

          The “Well Said!” project is open to anyone from Govan who would like have their voice heard about what matters to THEM!
Whether it’s a group you are involved in, a community issue or an interest you have …we can support you to produce your own film about it, and have fun at the same time.  Absolutely no experience necessary.
         So get in touch if you have an idea for our next project, to start in March 2016.

http://plantation.org.uk/well-said-showcase-event/

          Information on "Radical Imagination Power Event" for next year will be on display. So switch that telly off PI Wed.

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May Day on The Green.

 

      Further to our desire to end the monotony of the May Day shuffle through town, culminating in boring speeches by the ballerinas of the political scene, we are holding a second meeting to flesh out our ideas. The May Day on The Green has created quite a widespread interest, so we are asking all you who wish to see this idea become a reality, please come along to the next meeting and throw your ideas into the hat. The shape it takes will depend on what we all want, and how much we want it, it is up to us. Nothing will happen unless we make it happen.

May Day 2008, Buchanan Street, Glasgow.

Details of the next meeting:
PLACE: Electron Club room at the CCA 350, Sauchiehall Street, Glasgow
DATE: Sunday, 13 March 2016
START TIME: 14:00:00

PLANNED DURATION: 3 hours

END TIME: 17:00:00

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