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.

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

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. 

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

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.

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

"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.

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

 

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 

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

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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ORG relies on paying supporters to run campaigns like this. Please join us to support ORG's work.

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

   

"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.

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

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

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

Anti-Racist, Anti-Fascist Protests.

        The weekend of 19/20 March will be an anti-racist and anti-fascist double header, but before then this Wednesday 2 March we have Rally against Racism. Rally against Racism on Wednesday 2nd March There is a great line up of speakers at including Aamer Anwar (Human Rights lawyer), MSP’s Sandra White and Neil Findlay. University of Edinburgh, Teviot Lecture Theatre, Teviot Place, EH8 9AG
https://www.facebook.com/events/527741454064747/

          A coach has been booked to travel from Edinburgh to the demonstration in Glasgow on March 19th. Tickets will be available to buy at the meeting or you can email uafscotland@gmail.com
Saturday 19 March, Glasgow, Refugees Welcome, No To Islamophobia, anti-Semitism and scapegoating immigrants Be in Glasgow for part of the European-wide anti-racism demonstrations.
Coaches from Edinburgh departing Waterloo Place, 9.30 am. Book your place email uafscotland@gmail.com
https://www.facebook.com/events/1718485681706641/

         Sunday 20 March, Edinburgh- Refugees Welcome- Deport the Nazis. The Nazis of the Scottish Defence League plan to demonstrate in Edinburgh. The SDL were last seen in Dover beside National Front banners and Seig Heiling Nazis. Despite this the Police appear to be allowing them to march through Edinburgh. Join the counter protest. 12.45 Noon Assemble at The Mound, Princes Street. 1.15 Move off to confront Nazi SDL at City Chambers.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1717372298500120/

          If you can help out then join us on leap year Monday 29 February for a UAF Edinburgh meeting:
Monday 29 February, 7pm at NASUWT Offices 35 Young Street North Lane,
Edinburgh EH2 4JD.

          If you can’t make this meeting but want leaflets then please get in touch. “Prevent = Racist and Islamophobic” meeting
30 April 5-7 pm, Augustine United Church, George IV Bridge, Edinburgh.
https://www.facebook.com/events/1674489076164375/

Facebook: EdinburghUAF
Email: uafedinburgh@riseup.net
Twitter: @UAFScot
Twitter: @SUTRScotland
Tumblr: Edinburgh UAF

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

Let's Really Clean The Country.

         What a load of insulting crap we are being hit with, suicides are increasing because of poverty and deprivation, homelessness is increasing, benefit sanctions devastate families and individuals, workfare humiliates people by forcing them into slave labour for greedy businesses, zero hour contracts, add stress to individuals and families, as they don't know how much money they'll get at the end of the month. Our social services are being shredded, and that millionaire product of the Oxbridge sausage factory, Osborne, tells us we will be faced with more severe cuts in the coming year. All this heaped on the lives of the ordinary people and what campaign do our millionaire lords and masters launch? CLEAN FOR THE QUEEN!!!! Our right royal leader of parasites, Lizzie, is reaching her 90th birthday, and to mark this occasion, which I'm sure will benefit us all, her band of loyal millionaire parasites want us to rush out and sweep our pavements, wash down the lamp-posts and clean the street signs. Get out there with your rubber gloves and gather the dog shit and plastic crap, spend your ample leisure hours, I'm sure you have plenty, zero hours and part-time work, etc. to gather all that motley mess of consumer life style crap, so that Britain will look like a new pin when that magic hour arrives on Lizzie's 90th birthday.  Then perhaps we can pay-off all those workers that do that sort of work for a living.

He doesn't even clean his own house.

         I have no doubt there will be some lame brain idiots that will fall in line with this insulting phoney publicity gesture, perhaps hoping to get their picture in the papers or on the tele, or perhaps even to get on the "honours list". 

         We could clean up our country, we could start with clearing out that filthy cesspool, that edifice to British imperialism, The Westminster House of Hypocrisy and Corruption. Then we could go on to clean out all those corporate boardrooms that perpetuate this system of greed that feeds the parasites. Finally, we could clean out that massive, publicly funded oversized residence  called Buckingham Palace, and take Lizzie and her parasitical family of benefit scroungers and re-house them in some more suitable accommodation, and end this symbol of privilege for the chosen few. Though I do agree that re-housing that family may prove difficult as most people in the schemes would object to such a large bunch of useless benefit scroungers being housed in their area.  

This dangerous arsehole, likewise, doesn't even clean his own house.

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

 

May Day on The Green!!

        Tired of the ritual Glasgow May Day, a boring walk through the city and then sit in a cinema listening to "our leaders", spout how they will save the world. Well, a group of is are trying to bring May Day back to the Green and make it what it was meant to be, a family day, a fun day, a day of celebration. Sunday May 1st. we are organising a family get-together/picnic in the Green, with a little bit of the history of May Day. It is early days yet but there will face painting, music, singing and performance poetry, among other events, so bring what you expect to find. As I said, it is early days yet, but hopefully it should kick off around 1:30pm. on May 1st. So if you like, you should still be able to have your march around the city and come back to the Green to meet up with friends and comrades and have a friendly afternoon. May Day belongs to the people, and belongs on the Green, let's bring it back.

       More information will come out as the arrangements develop. Please throw your own ideas into the pot, and watch this space, we'll keep you informed.

Burrell Collection Photo. 

          May Day demonstration in Victoria Road, c 1930s. This parade is probably heading to the Queen's Park, where politicians and trade unionists would give speeches. The Independent Labour Party (ILP) are marching alongside the nearest tram.

       May Day was declared an international working class holiday by the International Working Men's Association (First International) in Paris in 1889. 1 May is the traditional date for May Day, but up until 1918 May Day rallies in Glasgow were held at the weekend. The 1918 rally was the first to be held on a weekday and the Glasgow Herald estimated that 70,000 people attended in spite of having to take a day off work.

          May Day Glasgow Green 1913, ahh, wouldn't it be lovely to see such numbers again?

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

You Will Be Cared For.

      Imagine being born into a society where the first words you here are,”Welcome, we are here for you, you will be cared for.” As you grow, eager loving hands offer you knowledge and experience, helping you to go the road you wish to walk. The border-less world is your village, its inhabitants your family, your needs are never a point of stress, your potential is an open gate. Imagine the burst of creativity that would wash over such a world, how rich each individual's life would become.
 

 

        Such a world is possible, we have the resources in abundance, we have the desire within each of our hearts, why are we still mired in poverty, violence and unnecessary deaths? Simply, it is the way we see the world, we have been conditioned to accept the economic system under which we labour, as the only way of life. The illusion has been woven that capitalism is the natural and only way to live. Yet it is nothing more than a man made system that favours the few. It is not a system written in tablets of stone, immovable and immutable.
 

Image from Not Buying Anything.

        The alternative is there, apart from living experiences from the past and present, books in abundance paint its picture, leaflets, pamphlets, poster, shout its story, all that is required is that we are brave enough to come to the decision, that capitalism has done enough damage to the world and its inhabitants, and must be destroyed. Of course the alternative that I speak of is anarchism. The choice is ours, continue with the present reign of poverty, deprivation, endless wars and the destruction of the planet, all to feed an small army of parasites, or set free that other world that weeps, trapped in all our hearts.

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

 

Anarchist Black Dragon.

      The Anarchist Black Dragon pamphlet was founded by anarchist prisoner Carl Harp, and the Anarchist Black Dragon Collective in Washington State prison. Most people accept that Carl was wrongly convicted of the Seattle sniper crime and then brutally tortured and murder in prison in 1981. The pamphlet is dedicated to all those suffering in the dungeons of North America and all those revolutionaries who have lost their lives in prison anywhere in the world
       Spirit of Revolt has three copies of this pamphlet in their Bratach Dubh Collection, issues No. 8, 9, 10, and we have just made them available to read on line at: http://spiritofrevolt.info/bratach-dubh-collection-2/  just click on and scroll down to 1-23. Other copies can be read at: https://anarchistblackdragon.noblogs.org/

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