Hypocrisy And Crocodile Tears.

        Our babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media, is all a flutter, shouting “outrage”, “despicable” “savagery turned loose”, and filling papers and TV time with the alleged murder of journalist,  Jamal Khashoggi. Yes, if true, this is a despicable act, though not the worst act carried out by any state, and should be condemned. However, the coverage, to me seems out of all proportion when compared to the vicious, brutal, savage acts carried out by states across the globe. Where is the “outrage”, “despicable” “savagery turned loose” regarding the unbelievable brutality that is happening in Yemen? Where are the reams of paper, the hours of TV coverage on what is turning out to be the worst humanitarian crisis since the second world war. A country being reduced to conditions beyond belief, famine, cholera, daily mounting deaths, maimed and displaced millions. Men, women, elderly and children being encapsulated in unbelievable brutality on a daily basis. All this with the blessing of the imperialist West, it couldn’t happen without the arms from the UK and the US. We pile in the latest weapons of mass destruction into the hands of a medieval, autocratic, dictatorial, brutal regime and turn our eyes away from how they are used. Because it is good for business, large profits can be made from fostering this type of savagery.

        Nor is there much coverage of the Philippine psychopath Duterte’s war on drugs, being floated under the euphemism of “Philippine Drug War” known also as “Operation Double Barrel”. Nothing more than a vicious operation to silence dissent and intimidate the population, giving a free hand to the state minders to beat, terrorise, and kill at will.
       On these matters our babbling brook of bullshit, the mainstream media barely raise an eyebrow, these items of savagery don’t fit their propaganda script. 

On the Philippines, this from Freedom News: 

 

 

  World, Oct 18th
        As most of you probably heard, Philippines’ president Rodrigo Duterte, who assumed office in July 2016, had launched the “Philippine Drug War” known also as “Operation Double Barrel”. The disgraceful campaign aims at “the neutralization of illegal drug personalities nationwide”.
      The policy gave a green light to cops to routinely execute drug suspects and then plant guns and drugs on them. What’s more, there is evidence that the police is using hospitals to hide their killings. Duterte also urged the citizens of Philippines to lynch suspected drug addicts and criminals.
     In Summer 2018, four Food Not Bombs volunteers have been killed, and one has been framed for drug possession and is in jail awaiting trial. The families and friends of the victims believe that both the murders and the arrest are the result of Duterte’s war on drugs.

The four murdered activists are:

Chris Jose Eleazar (aka Mokiam)
Food Not Bombs Bukidnon/Davao volunteer
Born: Nov.17, 1990 Killed: Sept. 15, 2018

Jan Ray Patindol (aka Pating)
Food Not Bombs Davao volunteer
Born: January 2, 1989 Killed: Sep.15,2018

Jessie Villanueva De Guzman
Food Not Bombs Baliwag Volunteer
Born: June 2,1990 Killed: July 6, 2018

Patrick Paul Pile
Food Not Bombs Baliwag Volunteer
Born: December 10, 1988 Killed: July 23,2018
      Chris Jose Eleazar and Jan Ray Patindol were tortured and killed during a police raid on the home of a Food Not Bombs volunteer on in September 2018. Their bodies were covered with cigarette burns and bruises. The police claim that they “fought back”, however, the victims’ friends said the two did not resist and that the wounds on their bodies indicated that the two young men were tortured.
      Jessie Villanueva De Guzman and Patrick Paul Pile were murdered in separate incidents in July 2018. They were very active members of Food Not Bombs Baliwag. Both made their living as night-time tricycle drivers.
      Jessie was killed by the police in Baliwag, Bulacan. A week after his murder, Patrick took a passenger on his tricycle. At the end of the agreed route, a group of police were waiting. Patrick was killed by one gun shot to his back. He is one of many tricycle riders killed in similar way.
      In all four cases, the police claimed that the victims were killed during “legitimate operations” and that they resisted arrest and “fought back.
       In August 2018 in the municipality of Bantayan, Cebu, a Food Not Bombs volunteer Marco was arrested and is awaiting trial after apparently being framed for drug possession. Marco is a long standing activist: he initiated the Food Not Bombs project in Bantayan.
       He is enduring hellish conditions in prison. Despite of the political situation in the country, his supporters would like to do anything it takes for Marco to get a fair trial in what they know first hand is a corrupt state.
      In a crowdfunder website created to help Marco fight his charges, Food not Bombs organiser Chris writes: “A kind person called Marco (Cram) who I met on a quiet island called Bantayan to the north of Cebu was arrested in early August for allegedly using and selling drugs. During this arrest a packet was planted on him. He is innocent of the charges. It seems that he was set-up and if left unaided will become just another jail statistic.”
      Human rights organisations estimate that up to date, Operation Double Barrel lead to the death of more than 12 thousand people. In the first year, the victims included 54 children. Lawyers who defended drug suspects have also been targeted.
      The Amnesty International report from January 2017 details “how the police have systematically targeted mostly poor and defenceless people across the country while planting ‘evidence’, recruiting paid killers, stealing from the people they kill and fabricating official incident reports.” In the report, AI expressed deep concern “that the deliberate, widespread and systematic killings of alleged drug offenders, which appear to be planned and organized by the authorities, may constitute crimes against humanity under international law.”

You can support Marco’s campaign here.

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

Spirit of Revolt's Conscientious Objectors Event and More.

        As always, Spirit of Revolt have been a bunch of busy beavers, in the coming month they have two events coming up. The first is their now popular and regular, Show and Tell, in conjunction with The Mitchell Library. This on is on conscientious objectors from WW1 and WW2. So far the interest has been exceptional, so if interested do come early. the details are:

The Mitchell Library, 5th. floor. in the Blythswood Room.

Monday 5th. November, 12:00-2:00pm. FREE EVENT.

       It will take the form of an open discussion which will be opened by SoR member Eric Chester.  On display will be some material on conscientious objectors, select from the SoR archive by Paula, our archivist. As the world still faces continuous wars and the threat of more flaring up in other parts of the world, the thoughts behind conscientious objectors is well worth bring to the forefront of our minds. This one is a must.

     Though we at SoR believe we do a valuable job in creating a wonderful resource of the history of the ordinary people of Glasgow/Clydeside area, and making it easily accessible to the general pubic, we are an independent volunteer group with no affiliation to political parties nor trade unions. That means we need to raise that filthy stuff, money, for all manner of day to day cost of what we do.

        So the other event is a fund raiser where our friends, Thi Wurd will have a slot.The event is built round an event that took place during the miners strike, put together by a group, Artists in Solidarity and was called Writers for Miners. It was held in The Third Eye Centre, now the CCA, in Sauchiehall Street. a group of well know writers, musicians and poets came together  to raise funds for the striking miners. The audio files of the event turned up and with the consent of those performers, we have produced a CD. The event will be the launch of this CD and some of those original performers will performing at this event, with an input from Thi Wurd.

      The CD, which has 21 tracks, comes with a booklet with a description of what Artists in Solidarity was all about, and other interesting information, written by James Kelman, who will also be at this event.

The details of this event are:

Mono, Kings Court, (off King Street, near Trongate.)

Wednesday, 28th November, from 6:00pm

     This will I'm sure, be a wonderful night of great entertainment, an opportunity to hear some great and well known performers do what they do best. More info on this event will be issued from time to time as we approach nearer the time.
       For more info on either of these events you can get in touch via our Contact Page, or  info@spiritofrevolt.info 

On top of these events, the group have managed to put up on their "Read on line" facility an other interesting list of pamphlets/serials/booklets. You can read you way through this interesting and informative list of works from the links below.  

The Charlie Baird Collection

T SOR-6-7-49 The Commune. Vol. II, no. 13. 1929.

T SOR-6-7-55 Poll Tax Handbook.1989.

T SOR-6-7-56  Trades Councils. Joe McDonald. 1930.

T SOR-6-7-57 The Rights of Labour according to John Ruskin. 

T SOR-6-7-58  A Public Nuisance: Tales of adventure & a spirit of revolt, Glasgow Anarchists 1974 to 1986. Jim McFarlane. 

T SOR-6-7-59 The Working Class Against Fascism. G. Dimitrov 1935.

T SOR-6-7-62  Two Pages from Roman History. Daniel De Leon. Socialist Labour Party

T SOR-6-7-66 As We Don’t See It. Solidarity London.  

T SOR-6-7-67  Rent Strike! The Clydebank Rent Struggles of the 1920s. Sean Damer 1982.

T SOR-6-7-77  Feminism As Anarchism. Lynne Farrow. Black Bear Pamphlet No. 2.  

The KM Collection.

T SOR-4-1-18 Echanges: Bulletin of the Network ‘Echanges et Mouvement’. Nos.48&52 1986/1996

Keep coming back, we add to the list regularly, so there will always be something new and interesting to browse.

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

They Are International Mankind Fuckers, The IMF.

       On the previous piece I posted "A Truth From The IMF!!!" I feel the title may have confused some people as to my thoughts on this powerful member of the financial Mafia, though referencing them as IMF (International Mankind Fuckers), should have made that clear. So just to clarify my position even further, on this pro-corporate beast of power and wealth, here are a couple of photos that express my true opinion on this powerful member of the cabal that is intent on enslaving millions and destroying the planet, all in the name of benefits to the wealthy few. Photos and article lifted from 325:

          We are a group consisting of autonomous individuals who carried out some poster bombing and vandalism actions against Bank of Indonesia, ATMs, police posts, the Digulist roundabout, the West Kalimantan governor’s office and several other highly visible locations in Pontianak City. We carried out these actions as a response to the meeting between Global Capitalist organizations the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund that is being held in Bali from October 8-14, 2018.

       These spontaneous actions we carried out express our uncompromising rejection of a normal life full of daily submission. These actions are a manifestation of our hatred, anxiety and and anger against a system that requires us to accept a society where we have no control over our own lives. Their meeting is a clear sign that Global Capitalism has improved it’s position in controlling daily life with various disgusting economic schemes and investments.

             For us there are two options: taking action or remaining silent – and we will never choose the second option. Passively watching or reading the news about the IMF-WBG meeting, that is not an option for us. If we take a deeper look, we can see that all aspects in this world relate to economics, and yes, they are the people who are behind all of this bullshit.

           Here is a sentence that is appropriate for all those groups and individuals who condemn our actions as immoral and irrational acts: There is no system or morality that can hold us back when we reach the peak of our anger.

         And another thing you should know: you are all under their control. You just don’t realize that the concept of good / bad morality that you follow is what allows them to achieve their goals. You are all their obedient tools.
We are what you call Utopianists. We are Anarchists!

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A Truth From The IMF!!!!

        It is not very often that I agree, if ever, with a statement issued by the IMF (International Mankind Fuckers). However, the statement issued recently that, “Britain's public finances are worse than Gambia, Uganda and Kenya, because of privatisation” does hold up under examination. It puts UK public finances at the bottom of the world’s economies. It also states that the tendency of governments to focus on debt “misses large swaths of government activity and can fall victim to illusory fiscal practices”. We ordinary folk in the UK are fully aware of the fact that the UK government, for ideological reasons, and much to the detriment of the well being the ordinary folk, has pushed full throttle one of the most drastic privatisations of any economy since the early 1980s.
      Over the previous three years the Conservative government has forced privatisation to run rampant, by coercing local governments and local authorities to flog off public assets, usually at knock down prices, to pay for the day to day running costs. This is pushed out under the lie that all this suffering of the ordinary people is necessary to bring down the national deficit.
      The IMF also states that selling off public assets may not in any way improve the public finances. It also states: “For instance, privatisations increase revenue and lower deficits but also reduce the government’s asset holdings,” and “Similarly, cutting back maintenance expenditure reduces the deficit and lowers debt, but also reduces the value of infrastructure assets, which could cost more in the long term.”
      Of course every Joe Soap knows this, and we also know that it is all done following an ideology to enrich the corporate parasites' wealth and power. The repeated mantra, that to survive it is necessary to bring down the deficit, is pushed in an attempt to get the public to see their suffering as necessary.
      Another statement this time by the GMB union, that makes this purloining of the public purse more glaringly obvious, the example they give is that, privatised water companies, over the last five years, paid £6.5 billion in dividends and interest to its shareholders. That could have been £6.5 billion into the public purse, and the asset still in public hands for future generations.
      Yes, the IMF has pointed out the illusion that privatisation helps the country as a whole, but don’t expect it any time soon to come to the logical conclusion, that therefore, we would all be better of if we took all the UK assets into public ownership. That’s a statement that the members of the IMF would choke on. Ah, if only they would make that statement, then choke and die.

 

 

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

 

Show and Tell; Conscientious Objectors.

 

       Spirit of Revolt in conjunction with The Mitchell Library will be holding another of its Show and Tell outreach events, on Monday, November 5th. 12:00-2:00pm. in the Blythswood room on the 5th. floor of the Mitchell. These events by Spirit of Revolt are to encourage an interest in our local history, and help to bring what the Spirit of Revolt Archive holds, to the wider public, so far they have proved to be very popular, so do come early.

       This particular Show and Tell is on the subject of Conscientious Objectors, the details below:

      Conscientious objectors stood up for their beliefs and refused to be conscripted into wars they considered to be the outcome of pointless imperialist rivalries. We will be discussing the experiences of COs during World War I and World War II, while examining the repressive
measures taken by the government to silence them.
       The session will be lead by Eric Chester and we will look at some of the documents from conscientious objectors found in the Spirit of Revolt archives including those of Allan Burnett, Glasgow born CO in WWII.
      The event takes place on Monday 5th. November, 12:00-2:00pm. in the Blythswood Room on the 5th Floor of the Mitchell Library

Feel free to bring your lunch.
Excerpt leaflet:

ANOTHER GLASGOW COMRADE GAOLED
      Our young comrade Allan Burnett, who is just eighteen years of age, appeared in Glasgow Sheriff court, in answer to a charge of not submitting himself to medical examination. On being asked if he had anything to say before sentence was passed, Burnett said, "By allmeans," and proceeded as follows:
     'To-day I stand here as an Anarchist in the conscious realisation of the worth of my individuality, I stand as one devoid of care or fear of gods, kings or masters-"

Sheriff: "What, no fear of God?"

Burnett: "None whatever. I refuse to be pitchforked or led into slaughter, like so much human manure, or to be duped into the lunatic butchery of my comrades and fellow workers of other geographical spheres who are like-wise enslaved in a system of organised misery imposed upon them by their respective ruling classes. My enemy is therefore government of-"

Sheriff: "I suppose God will also be your enemy?"

Burnett: "I will mention my enemy. My enemy is government of any shape or form since it functions solely as an instrument of the ruling-classes' oppression. This then is my attitude, and my contribution to workers' international solidarity, In conclusion, in all sobriety I say only this — to hell with governments."
     With his going we shall miss for the time being an active comrade, and with Frank Leech going inside soon too, and Eddie Shaw's case coming up this month, the movement will be needing all the support it can get in Glasgow. Who will come forward to take their places?

WAR COMMENTARY

https://spiritofrevolt.info/essays-and-reflections/img002/

https://www.facebook.com/Spirit-of-Revolt-archive-1884525175113848/?tn-str=k*F

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

At Home, Watch What You Say!!

       Is your computer listening to you? It is quite a thought, locked away in the privacy of your home, and your every word is being noted!

This from Act For Freedom Now:

        Recently, as I was reading the report on the hearings of the trial that we are facing following the Turin investigation “Scripta Manent”, staged by prosecutor Roberto Sparagna, I noticed an explanation regarding the keylogger (or Agent Elena, as the miserable Naples ROS called it).
      A text that appears in some sites says that a keylogger was allegedly used to intercept off-line comments during RadioAzione live recordings. That would be nice, but unfortunately the reality is different.
      The keylogger was a proper bug, sent to my PC via internet through a virus, and it was capable of intercepting everything around my computer. It was sufficient for the computer to be connected to the internet and the miserable ones were able to hear all audio nearby (no video because the webcam has always been blocked out).
      So, because I have my PC in my bedroom they listened not only to radio off-line comments but even more… everything in fact!
     Moreover it was used to create screenshot sequences of my desktop while I was writing texts or translating those of other comrades, which were subsequently published in the RadioAzione website. All this for six years in a row, in spite of the fact that I formatted my PC on a number of occasions.
      I really wanted to make this clarification because the way it was described in the text in the trial report it could be misunderstood. We could all have a keylogger in our PC (even if it costs them 120 euros per day… unless they inflated the invoices contained in the investigation papers) and so it’s better to know how it works.
      Therefore my advice to those who think they could have one of those installed in their computer is to switch it off when they are not using it, and avoid talking in the area where it is connected.
      Erroneously I had linked an external mic to a mixer, as I thought that if it was on “Mute” it wouldn’t intercept the audio, but it was pointless. Through keylogger they activate the mic inside the computer.
      Remember to disconnect the internet before you write a text or translate one.

Somma Gioacchino (RadioAzione)

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Colourful Police In Brutal Attack.

 

       Protestors always come up with imaginative ways in getting their point across, in a wonderful array of colourful variations. Of course the police can only respond in one predictable manner, brutal violence. No matter where the police meet protestors, from Nepal to New York, Kazakhstan to Catalonia, the pattern is the same brute force, the shape of modern democrcy.

This from Roar Magazine, thanks Loam for the link:

     Pro-independence protestors and antifa activists clashed with Catalan police at a rally to oppose a manifestation organized by JUSTAPOL (Spanish National Police and Guardia Civil Union) in support of the operation against last year’s referendum on Catalonian independence.

And more on how democracy works in Europe:

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

Solidarity With Anarchist Prisoners.

        The state will always try to lock out of sight and out of circulation, all those who oppose its ever tightening grip on our lives. As usual anarchists at are at the forefront of that struggle to create a society free from the grip of the state and its corporate masters, so are well represented among those who end up lock away in the states cages of repression. Like all prisoners, they need our support and solidarity.

This from A-Radio Berlin:

       Each year the end of August (23-30.8.) is the time for the International Week of Solidarity with Anarchist Prisoners. And to make sure that you know what this week is about and why it is needed we made an interview with a comrade who is part of the group that organized this years' Week of Solidarity.
       This audio has been published originally as part of the International Anarchist Radio Network's "Bad News" show #15 (September 2018), which you can find here: https://www.a-radio-network.org/bad-news-angry-voices-from-around-the-world/bad-news-episodes/episode-15-09-2018/.

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

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

Religion, The Dangerous Accepted Insanity.

 

       For practically all of my adult life, I have had an extremely strong hatred of all religions. Even at school, I couldn't swallow all the bizarre stories from that much revered book, "The Bible". It all appeared to me to be some sort of outlandish fiction, a group of tales of bizarre fantasy. Though at school I didn't realise the damage that religion had done over the centuries and was continuing to do, to the minds and bodies of countless millions. 

       From time to time I revisit some of the things I have written, to see if I have changed my mind on that particular matter. In some I have, but the bitter hatred of religion remains, if anything, recent history has strengthened that hatred.

 

 

     The following was a response in 2013, to a comment I received from an article I had previously written of the subject of religion. It is still my unwavering opinion. 

Hi,    Loathe to go over the same old ground John but I find this kind of post at best very unhelpful and at worst extremely hurtful. I don't deny that for many people religion is a very bad experience but for many it is a positive thing. I'm not expecting you to agree. I just find it difficult to ignore this kind of post when it goes so much against my own experiences x

My response is as follows: 

Hi,

     nobody can deny the personal experience that you get from religion and nobody can deny you your opinion, likewise me. My opinion is based on historical evidence that stretches back through the centuries and across the planet. Through the ages religion has a track record of persecuting those who dare to be different, even today religion is fighting a rearguard battle against gays, lesbians, birth control, and abortion, we have the “morality police” in Iran arresting and beating those whose dress code and behaviour doesn't fit their norm, and in that land of the free America, some family planning clinics have to have armed guards to protect their clients from violence and abuse from the faithful.

     As you run your finger across a map of the world lingering at points of extreme violence, you invariably find there is a religious split and no religion is exempt from the bloodshed. Even those nice, respect for all life, Buddhists, at this moment in time are marauding through Burma killing Muslims and burning their property. Not so long ago in the Balkans, the Catholic Croatians brutally “cleansed” their new country of Muslims and the Orthodox Christians did likewise in Serbia and so it goes on. All of them quite prepared to kill in the name of their peace loving god.

     Let's not forget what the Jews are doing today, to the Muslim Arabs in Gaza and the West Bank.

      The scandals of physical and sexual abuse of children in the care of the Catholic Church, is not an new phenomenon it has been part and parcel of that institution for as far back as you wish to go. According to Sarah Ruden in her book, Paul Among the People: in the first chapter of Paul's Letter to the Romans, the Apostle severely criticized pedophiles as well as homosexuals for their unnatural, cruel, and rebellious acts against God and humanity. The date and name slip my mind at the moment but I believe it was in the 17 century the Pope of that day called for all those priests who sexually abuse young children, to be driven from the Church. In 1871, in Australia, a young nun, Mary Mackillop, witnessed a pedophile priest molesting a boy. When she reported it to the Catholic hierarchy, they threw her out of the convent and excommunicated her.

     All the good deeds that are done on this planet can be done by ordinary people without the need of all powerful Gods, who invariably cause divisions. Hierarchy and tradition stifle freedom of thought and action. Over the years I have written quite a few articles on on religion, all of them critical, and at the age of 79 I have in no way changed my opinion, I still see religion as one of the main causes of division and violence on this planet. Yes there are other institutions that have savaged humanity, that in no way mitigates the damage done by religion, it merely lumps them together.

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

Couriers United.

       The gig economy, due to its individual workers situation, is very difficult to organise, so they suffer at the hands of their bosses, with lousy conditions and poor pay. However, as usual workers can show imagination and solidarity in overcoming these difficulties by coming together. The couriers have come together and organised themselves via the IWW and are now in a position to challenge some of the injustices that plague their employment conditions. Though they are organised and taking a stand, they still need the support and solidarity of everybody that suffers under the yoke of this unjust capitalist system. Show your support by getting involved.

 

 

From an IWW Couriers Network member:

        As you’ve probably heard, this Thursday, 4th October, gig economy food couriers in the IWW Couriers Network will be striking across the UK (in over 7 different cities) for £5.00 an hour per delivery. We’ve chosen to strike on the 4th because it’s the same day that workers in the food industry are striking across the UK, in McDonalds, Wetherspoons and TGIFridays. Couriers in the Glasgow network have officially voted to join the strike.  

       I’m reliably informed by a fellow IWW member that this is the first nationwide strike action called by the UK IWW, ever, so this action is BIG.

         As this is so historic, and we’re a fighting union, we’re pleading with branch members to get involved with this strike as much as they possibly can. If you’ve never come to an IWW event before, this strike is going to be the perfect time to make your debut. We need a turnout at pre-strike organising sessions and on the strike itself like we’ve never seen before to make this a success! Here’s how you can get involved: 

        1. Come to the pre-strike leafleting session on Wednesday 3rd October,  meeting outside McDonalds Argyle Street/Jamaica Street crossroads, 5:15pm.

          We’ll be leafleting key restaurants and telling workers about the strike. No experience, skill or materials needed at all! See the ‘Talking Points’ section at the bottom of this email for advice about what we’ll be saying and some info about working for UberEats/ the context of the strike.

        2. Come to the strike itself! There will be two demos, 12pm and 6pm in George Square

         This is the most important one. We need as many members at these two demos as possible. After assembling in the square, we’ll be picketing key restaurants. Bring your bikes if you want to be involved in a flying picket!

        3. Share the word on social media

         On the run up to, and on the day itself, we need you to be posting on all your social media channels about the strike, using the hashtag #FFS410 [FFS410 stands for Fast Food Strike 4th October, if you were wondering!]

       Thanks for your support, FWs! If you have any questions, feel free to email me! See you on Wednesday/on the picket line!

Solidarity,

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

Underdogs Vs. Upperdogs.

 

         How the months go by, here we are in October, a new month and another opportunity to dip into the rich resource of the Spirit of Revolt Archive. For our “Read of the Month” for October we have chosen a 1951 publication from our Charlie Baird Collection, T SOR 6-7-18,  by Jim Peck, illustrated by Mat Hauten. It is done in cartoon style and simply gives a graphic portrayal of the capitalists system, it is called Underdogs Vs. Upperdogs.

learn with a smile on your face, enjoy and come back for more.

Read on line    Underdogs Vs. Upperdogs.

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

Time To Stop The Real Criminals, The Real Perpetrators Of Violence.

 

      A moving letter from a Hambach Forest protector, it may be personal, but they speak for all of us who see the injustice, the stupid suicidal actions, the greed driven desires, of this insane economical system that is plundering the Earth's resources at an ever increasing unsustainable rate. It rightly asks, "Who are the criminals?" "Who is inflicting the violence?". Though to those with eyes, the answers are obvious, it is the bastard twins, the corporate conglomerates, and their powerful henchmen the various states. While we, the ordinary, the many, seek a future for our kids and grandkids, the state/corporate juggernaut crashes on, its only aim, power and wealth for the few, as it destroys all our futures.

Visit  https://hambachforest.org/ for more information.

 

From Contra Info,  source: abcrhineland.blackblogs.org

     You lock us up and punish us, because we think and act independently, and decide ourselves, what is right and what isn’t. This is what makes us human: Ethics, autonomy, independence, empathy, thoughts about justice for the future, our unity of body, soul, and spirit.

       With all of these abilities come a very special responsibility, and you want that I throw this responsibility to the site, and act ruthlessly and egoistic? You want that I close my eyes and ears? An empty case, a robot, that only follows orders? This I can’t do.

      How can you demand, that I deny my humanity, or subordinate myself to the profit-motive of a single company, or power-hungry politicians? How can you demand, that I should act as if tomorrow didn’t matter, even though everything in our system is based on a future?

       Otherwise, what is insurance, wills, or pensions? We are humans, and we know what “future” is.

        So how can you demand of me, to take part in the destruction of the livelihoods of ourselves and our children, to destroy my own future?

       I haven’t always known this, but we need the forest so much. In regions far from the coast, no forest means too little rain. Without rain no agriculture, without agriculture there is too little food. And we can’t eat or drink lignite-coal. You don’t want this to be true, for you it is only trees. You will first understand this, once it is too late.

       You are telling me, that what I am doing is good, but that it is the wrong methods. That they are too extreme. Hmm. How extreme is this eviction then? As I was driven away from the forest, I could see the long line of police-cars, machines, eviction-tanks, etc. again. And I knew that it was just a fraction of these, that were inside the forest.

I almost had to laugh, that’s how ridiculous it was. Because I knew that we are winning, no matter how it ends.

      For you have nothing to fight for. You call us extreme, because we are different, because we are consistent, because we defend what we believe in. Because we can’t stop, otherwise we would betray ourselves. We were sitting in the lock-on, could barely move. Could barely turn. We could only look at each other, share words of courage and consolation. You came from all sides, slashed the roof over our heads, cut down the walls behind us. You have torn our lives apart. And then you accuse us of violence?

      Sometimes in the mornings I said thanks to Kontiki. For a wonderful restful night, for waking up in the right place, for the great feeling of safety and satisfaction, that it has given me. I never knew: am I speaking with the tree-house or with the tree? It was a creature. A creature that carried something we built, a creature with which we lived together, dreamed together. We were so anxious for the trees, when it wasn’t raining. We thought, at some point they will just fall to the ground, powerless. They were turning yellow, but they are so strong. They had to go through so much. It is an injustice to pump out ground-water, it is such a huge injustice!

       You were laughing, as we were screaming in panic, that you were bringing the life of our friend on the Skypod in danger. We were screaming and screaming, and you cut the rope. Only the friction held it up. Who is committing the crimes?

     We are making you afraid, because we don’t fit inside your schemes, because what we are fighting for isn’t power or money, but the love of life itself, the wild urge for freedom, and the rage towards those who want to take all of this away. If I give you my identity,

     I will be get out of here. So probably a lot of you will say, it is my own fault that I am sitting here. But my identity isn’t something written on a piece of paper. My identity is that which makes me human, my essence, my soul, all that I have learned in this forest, all that the people there have showed me. All of that, which I would lose, if I told you who I am. To reduce myself to these few words. I will not use the unjust privilege of a German passport. I will stay in solidarity with those, who because of repression cannot give their identity. I am a human and I fight for the preservation of this earth. Everything else is irrelevant.

Winter

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

Forest Protectors Call For Solidarity.

        As the struggle intensifies, the Hambach Forest protectors are calling for a massive show of solidarity on September 30th. This is just one part of the struggle for that better and sustainable world that we all desire. The forest destroyers are at work across the globe, they are international conglomerates backed up by state power. Only by the combined power of the ordinary people can they be defeated. Their desire is for increased profit, power and control for the few, and to hell with the many and the planet. Our solidarity is the winning weapon we possess.  

 

Originally published by Ende Gelaende. 

         Dear climate activists, forest protectors, environmental, anti-coal, anti-nuclear, anti-racists groups and local Ende Gelände groups!
           For Sunday 30.9.2018 Ende Gelände is calling for a big, decentralised day of action under the slogan „Hambi stays! Coal phase out now!“ We do not want a coal phase-out by 2038 nor 2030, rather we want to get out of coal immediately. We need to get out of this globally devastating dirty energy that has no future.
        RWE, the utility responsible for lignite mining in the area, and the provincial government of North Rhine Westphalia are harming the climate and the future for short term profit – this is resulting in the destruction of the ancient forest Hambacher Forst and the ruthless eviction of the tree houses.
         For the decentralised day of action on the 30.09. we are calling on people in many different cities in Germany and Europe to march for an immediate coal phase out and for the protection of the Hambacher Forst!
       On the same day there will be a traditional forest walk – a weekly demonstration which is slowly but surely turning into a massive demonstration against the eviction and the upcoming cutting season. For updates about the forest walk in Hambacher forest on September 30, see the Facebook event page: https://www.facebook.com/events/744218195930655/, For the coming months, there is also a permanent climate camp nearby in Manheim (not Mannheim) where you can pitch your tent if you want to come earlier or stay later.
         Most importantly: organise marches and creative solidarity actions in your cities!
          Be loud, be visible and say „Hambi stays! Coal phase out now!“
        If you create a Facebook event or Tweets, please share your stories and pictures and let our press and social media gang know, so we can help spread word: presse@ende-gelaende.org (PGP-Key), socialmedia@ende-gelaende.org

 

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Friday Night Is Slinky Kinky Night.

         You can always rely on Glasgow to come up with great entertainment, in all shapes and sizes, for all tastes and inclinations. There is now a regular feature popping up in Glasgow which is fun and music, it's Glasgow's own Slinky Kinky.

       This week sees the 5th Slinky Kinky event, and each one goes from strength to strength. So if you're into their kind of music, or you would like to give it a try, for the fun and company, pop along this Friday evening to Mohair, 73-77 Trongate Glasgow, G1 5HB
Pay them a visit on Facebook:
 https://www.facebook.com/Slinky-Kinky-953820534784905/

Details:
Friday, September 28th.
8pm till late,
Mohair, 
73-77 Trongate, 
Glasgow, G1 5BH.

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

Spread "Thi Wurd".

      Calling all you poets, writers, wordsmiths, and lovers of such, there is a great night coming up soon. It is the launch of the 3rd issue of the magazine "Thi Wurd", Spirit of Revolt is delighted to be able to have a stall at this event. Do come along and support all those involved in creating this great event in our city centre.

        This message from one of the organisers:

Hi Everybody,
        Just a message to let you know that thi wurd issue 3 is being launched at The Old Hairdressers, Renfield Lane, G2 5AR, 6.30pm till late, on October 3rd, 2018, entry £2. The magazine is 125 pages long and features a lengthy interview with James Kelman as well as the opening chapter of Kelman's forthcoming novel. It also features a new story by Janice Galloway as well as other fiction, essays and illustrations. On the night of the launch James Kelman will be reading from his work, and there should be time for a live interview with him. In addition, several other writers will be reading. There will be music played and a bar. Everyone is welcome. Please alert friends, writers, readers, Kelman fans, etc. This will be a unique literary event and the more people we can get the word to (or thi wurd) the better.
      Help with promotion would be greatly appreciated, so if anyone can spread the details of the night on Facebook, Twitter, Blogs, websites, etc, it'd be a great help.
       I'm not personally on social media but I've decided to ask someone to reactivate thi wurd twitter (after it was barely employed and has been dormant for quite a while). Further details of the evening will appear in tweets in the lead-up to the event, so please follow us if you can and please retweet @thiwurd.
      Hopefully see you there. It should be an excellent night.

Cheers Alan

So, Details to remember:
      Thi Wurd.
      6:30pm, Wednesday, October 3rd.,
      The Old Hairdressers,
      Renfield Lane,
      Glasgow, G2 5AR. 

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A Sunday Walk In The Forest--Accompanied By 4,000 Cops.

 

     More on the Hambach forest protectors, the struggle continues with thousands of supporters turning up for a Sunday walk in the forest. The walk went ahead despite a police ban, and more barricades were built. 

This from Enough Is Enough:

      Hambacher Forest, September 23: On Saturday the cops banned the weekly Sunday forest walk and announced that they only allowed a stationary gathering. Thousands went into the forest in an act of mass cicil disobedience. The cops lost control for hours.
       When we ( a team of 2 persons today, I was one of them) arrived the cops had installed a checkpoint at the opposite of the permanent vigil (video in Tweet below). More and more people arrived and it was pretty clear to us the cops would not be able to check all people. The road was to small and the open fields at both sides of the road were too difficult to control. On Saturday cops damaged one of our camera’s at a checkpoint, so we were even less enthusiatic about checkpoints as we normally are. But often it’s not that difficult to pass on alternative routes without being checked.
          The stationary gathering was scheduled to start at 11:30, but more and more people crossed the fields to avoid being checked and to get into the forest (Image below. Image by @infozentrale).

      We were among the first ones that arrived in Hambacher forest and at that moment the army of 4000 cops were still controlling the forest. They checked us 2 times in the forest but didn’t stop us.
       We didn’t visit the memorial for Steffen in Beechtown until Sunday and we felt that we had to go there first. At the memorial is was very quiet. Some tears, sorrow-stricken faces. Personally I had a mixture of feelings.. Still shocked, grieve and rage. Speechless…
      We left Beechtown and went to Cosytown. Some of the tree houses were evicted in the past weeks, but not all. Soon people started to build barricades to protect one of the two tree houses that was not evicted until now. More and more people came and more and more barricades were build. A few police vans arrived, but retreated again after a few minutes. To much determined people.
       Many many people were building barricades everywhere around us. After the cops retreated, more and more barricades were build on the road between Beechtown and Cosytown. NRW state minister of interior, Herbert Reul, told German media several times that the eviction stop is temporarily, exploiting Steffen’s death by saying that he is even more convinced that the tree houses have to be evicted “because they are to dangerous”. Last night RWE’s (Reul) puppet even told WDR media that the eviction has nothing to do with uprooting Hamacher forest.
     We decided to go to Lorien. During our walk to Lorien we saw small groups of riot cops standing around. It looked pretty planless what the cops were doing. Around the small treehouse village people were digging trenches and improving barricades.
      We walked through the forest again, saw new tree houses and barricades on two sides of police vans. That explained why the cops acted planless for hours: Many of them were trapped between barricades.
      As an armored vehicle came into the forest, people climbed on the armored vehicle and were dancing on it. The armored vehicle retreated again. We passed the cops that were trapped between the barricades, a female cop complained to her colleagues: “They can’t let us stand in the rain for hours and hours, we will all get sick.” When we passed the last barricade we noticed that even the police vans that were not trapped had problems with the rain. The forest road had turned into mud and we saw 4 cops that had to push their van.
      At T-Town the cops started to remove barricades (Video in Tweet below). But they stopped and headed to Beechtown/Cosytown, where the cops had lost control for hours. The cops were desperate and even started to confiscate canvas to protect people from the rain. The pouring rain didn’t stop and in the afternoon the wind was getting stronger. Hard conditions for everybody.
      We went back to the road between Beechtown and Cosytown. Soon the cops started to reinforce and attacked people with pepper spray. The cops also came to the memorial for Steffen at Beechtown. In full riot gear. No respect.
      More and more cops arrived, they had to walk though the forest, because their vans were still trapped between barricades. After we left the area two groups were kettled at Cosytown and cops started to remove barricades.
     We walked through the forest and saw new barricades everywhere. People didn’t only defy the ban against the forest walk, there was spontaneous mass civil disobedience in Hambacher forest. We saw people building barricades, who probably did nothing like that before in their life. We saw cops loosing control for hours that didn’t know how to respond for a long time.
       The fight against uprooting the Hambacher forest is far from over. The determination of so many people was impressive and when Reul gives a green light to continue with the evictions, he will only make people even more angry.
Hambi will stay!    Written by riot turtle

More photos, tweets and videos HERE:

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