Milkers.

 

             It is strange that so many ordinary people put the lives in the hands of those who have nothing in common with the ordinary people. They run to the ballot box every election and put a cross on a paper against a name that in all probability lives in a different world. An MPs' salary is £84,144, plus very generous expenses, cheap subsidised meals in the Westminster Houses of Hypocrisy and Corruption. Should they fiddle their way in to the cabinet and become a Minister, then they get an extra £70,000 added to their salary, plus extra expenses, they also have a very nice pension scheme. It is difficult to find out how many of our public servant MPs are millionaires, but in 2013 it was approaching 20, I have no doubt what so ever, since then, that that number has grown considerably. Despite them all living the life of Riley at our expense, they still try to milk it a bit more. At the last count 316 MPs claimed their utility bills on their expenses, yes, you and I are paying their utility bills as well as their salary and expense. It is recorded that some claimed over £3,000 on expenses for their utility bills. Are these to sort of people that will be thinking of your welfare, are these to sort of people you believe will work hard to improve your life conditions. Personally I believe that they don't give a shit about you, they have business friends  to take care of in the hope a lucrative position should they lose the seat at the next election, plus a few fat pay offs. As I keep saying they are shafting us all and laughing at us at the same time. We have to wise up and get rid of this parasite class that are steeped in wealth, privileges and power. The widespread strikes taking place in the UK are one step in getting rid of this lot of over privileged parasites, but we need more organising to take control in our communities and workplaces and we must throw our weight behind the strikers, support them on the picket lines, as they are at the forefront of this struggle for a better life for all.

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info

Shirkers!

 

        For our “Read of the Month”  February 2023, Spirit of Revolt brings you a magazine from May 1992, Armchair No.2, Shirkers of the World Unite. It is from our KM collection, T SOR 3-56-61. Well worth a wee read, articles and cartoons aimed at the duplicity of the capitalist system. While on the site why not have a browse through our multitude of  papers, magazines, pamphlets, letters, photos, poetry, banners and other memorabilia,  all part of Glasgow Clydeside, and further afield, anarchist and libertarian socialist history and the struggles of the ordinary people for that better world for all. Probably the largest anarchist archive in Scotland.

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Keelie 38.

 

          No.38 of the Glasgow Keelie is now available,and it's free, again packed with events happening and happened, views on this corrupt system and its injustices. Contacts to  get involved in this struggle for a better life for all. Now more than ever we need our views and demands to be loud and clear, on the street, in the community and workplaces. Now more than ever we need to show solidarity with all striking workers, their fight is our fight, a fight for a better world for all. The Keelie will be at demos, protests, on picket lines, on the street, in cafes and pubs pouring out a wealth of information, ideas, and direct criticism of the insane system we are shackled under, grab your free copy. Make contact through Glasgow Keelie, and read on line.

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info  

Stuff!!

         Capitalism demands that we have a consumer society, buy, buy and buy. Any old crap, the latest fashion, an update as they convince you that what you have is out of date, obsolete. A big and better car, move to  bigger house and then fill it with more crap. Consumerism is the life blood of the capitalist parasite class. We eventually find we have loads of stuff, and a lot of it we never use. As long as we buy, we are feeding the capitalist system that enslaves us, helping it to survive and grow. Let's pull the plug on consumerism and see to everybody's needs through mutual aid. On this subject as usual a few words of wisdom from my friend and comrade at Not Buying Anything.

Imagine a life with fewer possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for clutter or excess
In a simple living plan
Imagine all the people
Enjoying just what they need.


- my little ditty, with apologies to John Lennon

         Imagining what we should do with our possessions is a question we all need to come to terms with, preferably before death so we don't leave finding the answers to others.
         Stuff, I have found, is annoyingly persistent. Once acquired, it is difficult to get rid of.
         In recent years even second hand stores have become very selective about what kind of stuff they are willing to take. That's right - you may find you have trouble giving away your unwanted stuff.
         And what is stuff that no one wants? Generally we call that "garbage", and you may have to pay a fee to landfill it. We pay to acquire stuff, pay again to maintain and store it, and finally pay one final time when we want to part with it.
         I have concluded that the thing to do with stuff, unless it is doing important work in your life, is get rid of it as soon as possible, and eliminate the draw on precious life energy. That is why one of my summer projects was filling my big black backpack and biking unwanted possessions out of the house to wherever will take them.
        Returnable beverage containers went to the eco-centre. There I learned that the 125 flattened 1 litre juice tetra boxes in my pack would get shipped all the way to Asia for processing. That seems dumb.
       This led Linda and I to question whether we need fruit juice in tetra packs, or if we need juice in our diet at all. Now we have eliminated it from our pantry, to be replaced by actual fruit.
         Unwanted clothes were also stuffed into The Big Black Pack of Liberation to be whisked away right our of our closet and our lives. Those I biked down to a drop box in the grocery store parking lot. The clothes collected there are resold to benefit a local charity.
         Next I cycled 3 coats to a neighbour that volunteered to make sure they were distributed to people that could use them. I also cleaned out our home and garage and came up with 5 bags of recyclables. Those went to the curb and were picked up on the appropriate day.
        A lot of people can't get stuff into their houses fast enough. They even move to bigger houses to have more room for more stuff. I can't get rid of it fast enough, and it always feels awesome to be rid of it.
        It is a work in progress, and we continue to unload the dead weight that holds us back. There always seems to be more, as if it spontaneously appears and hides until you notice it. This is living better with less in action, and it feels like the right thing to do. The quantity of our possessions are only beneficial to a point, beyond which they are only annoying anchors that hold us back.
       I am always imagining fewer possessions. It is easy if you try.

 

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info

Leaflets?

            Visited Paisley yesterday, Saturday January 28th. To give a wee bit of support to the "Support the Strikers" Demo. Though not a vast number, it was good to see such diverse groups out to give their support to the strikers. A good array of flags and banners. After a few impassioned speeches, the demo moved on and marched through the main street in Paisley to Gilmour Street Station and ended there with a few more very impassioned speeches.
           Who are the strikers? they are not some alien group from some other place. They are your neighbours, they live up the street from you, you meet them in the pub, supermarket, on the bus and you stand next to them at the football matches. Your kids play with their kids, they are us. This is not a struggle between a group of workers and their employer, this is a struggle for a decent life for us all. For generations we have struggled and sweated to try to have a decent life for our families, and we have seen the rich get richer while we continue to get poorer. We have seen the social fabric of our society being shredded to appease the financial markets, we have seen the rich get bigger yachts, bigger mansions and more luxurious private jets. While we on the other hand struggle to heat our homes, struggle to put food on the table. So it is with enthusiasm that we greet the strikes and we must support them with determined solidarity, join them on the picket line in the streets, shouting loud and clear, Enough is Enough

Some photos from Paisley.

 

          If I have one criticism of the event it was what to me was missed opportunities. We must always realise that the aim of these demos is not to speak to the converted, but to reach out the those not yet involved, the passers-by. Where the demo gather at first, there were leaflets and papers being handed out to those passers-by. However when they marched off down the main street they seem to forget that they were walking with lots of people moving up and down the street on both sides, all potential supporters, if we can hand them a leaflet or some literature. There should have been individuals on the edge of the march pushing leaflets and papers into the hands of those casual passers-by. The same criticism can be said when the passed the open air market, people gathered there, the march should have stopped and made sure as many as possible had a leaflet of some sort, then continued their march to the station. If we don't reach that great silent majority, we are going nowhere. Leaflets and papers are our broadcasting system.

Visit ann arky's home at https://spiritofrevolt.info