A Very Public Sociologist: A Revolutionary Idea: "Following the angry protests on the streets outside of Parliament tonight and the pathetic capitulation of LibDem MPs who either abstained o..."
Thursday 9 December 2010
A Very Public Sociologist: A Revolutionary Idea
An excellent point, and well made. The anti-cuts movement need to unite together.
A Very Public Sociologist: A Revolutionary Idea: "Following the angry protests on the streets outside of Parliament tonight and the pathetic capitulation of LibDem MPs who either abstained o..."
A Very Public Sociologist: A Revolutionary Idea: "Following the angry protests on the streets outside of Parliament tonight and the pathetic capitulation of LibDem MPs who either abstained o..."
They came first...
They came first for the Public Sector Workers,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Public Sector Worker
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Students,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Student.
Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Public Sector Worker
Then they came for the trade unionists,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Students,
and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Student.
Then they came for me
and by that time no one was left to speak up.
So please, please, don't be like me...
Monday 22 November 2010
Student protest: Tories are the real vandals
Sorry for the repost guys, but I feel I have to post this:
Clearly, a very left-wing perspective, but a good piece of background on what's happening, and what may arise on November 24th:
The student march and occupation of the Tories’ Millbank Tower has forced people to take sides over whether they back radical protest. Sadie Robinson takes on the arguments.
Clearly, a very left-wing perspective, but a good piece of background on what's happening, and what may arise on November 24th:
The student march and occupation of the Tories’ Millbank Tower has forced people to take sides over whether they back radical protest. Sadie Robinson takes on the arguments.
Arguments are still raging over what happened as students’ seething rage at Tory plans to treble university fees and slash education budgets burst onto the streets of London last week.
Last Wednesday saw more than 50,000 students and workers from universities and colleges across Britain marching in the biggest and angriest protest yet against the Tories.The demonstration was young, confident and furious. Activists blocked roads, hurled eggs at the Treasury and held an angry protest outside the business department.
Then thousands laid siege to Millbank Tower, which houses the Tory headquarters. Some occupied the building and around 50 got onto the roof—to deafening cheers from the protesters below.
The day sent a clear and defiant message to the government—we won’t stand for your attacks and we will fight.
The day sent a clear and defiant message to the government—we won’t stand for your attacks and we will fight.
The Tories and the right wing media—and disgracefully some Labour MPs—denounced students for breaking a few windows at Millbank.
The president of the students’ own NUS, Aaron Porter, rushed onto the news to “absolutely condemn” the “violence”. And UCU lecturers’ union general secretary Sally Hunt said it was “the actions of a mindless and totally unrepresentative minority”.
But as one student rightly put it, “I’m not really bothered about a few broken windows. I’m more concerned about the broken lives that will result if the Tories increase tuition fees.”
Socialist Worker thinks Millbank was fantastic. Far from involving just a handful of left wingers, it attracted thousands of university, college and school students who were determined to give the Tories hell.
Organised socialists played a key role. First through the doors of Millbank Tower were members of the Socialist Workers Party and students from the London School of Economics.
Hundreds went with them while thousands more banged on the windows and doors outside, trying to join them. Students successfully fought police to let a second surge through the doors.
“I’m not one of those black-mask anarchists,” said Tom, one of those protesting at Millbank. “I just think this is right. We voted for people who promised to change things for the better, and they broke all their promises.
“We needed to make ourselves heard.”
Courtyard
The police were overwhelmed. Groups of riot police tried to get through the crowd to join the handful of police at the doors of Millbank—only to be forced back by students.
“This protest is great,” added Catia, a college student. “A load of police just came in and then ran off!
“I’m here because I have to pay £22 a week to travel to college and I get Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA). If they scrap EMA I won’t be able to go any more.”
Duygu, a student at Westmister Kingsway College, pointed to parliament and said, “Those people in there haven’t got a clue what it’s like for us. Have they ever spoken to someone who’s on EMA? I doubt it.”
The first group left the Millbank foyer to re-join the mass protest outside and more students occupied it later. But for most of the time, most protesters remained outside, filling the courtyard and spilling out onto the street.
Students marching past joined them and the crowd swelled. There was a carnival mood as students lit bonfires, burnt placards, sang, chanted and let off flares.
Students marching past joined them and the crowd swelled. There was a carnival mood as students lit bonfires, burnt placards, sang, chanted and let off flares.
The media could make no sense of the militancy of the action. They are used to telling us that students are apathetic.
They are wrong.
The police remained restrained for much of the day—possibly because they were so outnumbered—but at times they charged the crowd with batons.
One officer repeatedly hit a woman protester on the arm with his shield—causing a furious surge forward. There was a great sense of unity and fearlessness. People chanted, “No justice, no peace—fuck the police,” and jeered the cops with, “This is what democracy looks like.”
For all the politicians’ and media attacks on students, many ordinary people applauded them. Even on the right wing Daily Mail’s online opinion poll, more than 40 percent backed the protests.
Everyone facing Tory cuts will have seen the protest and cheered—because finally they saw people fighting back.
A millionaire government is driving through the biggest assault on the working class since the 1930s.
But just six months in, fires have burned outside the Tory HQ and it has been filled with smashed glass and rubble.
Anyone who says ordinary people in Britain are different to those in Greece, France or anywhere else has been proved wrong.
Anyone who says we have to wait months before we can pull off a decent protest, because the anger isn’t there, is also wrong.
“Everyone has to do this—not just students,” said Richard, a student from Greenwich. “The cuts affect everyone.”
One student outside Millbank held up a placard reading, “We are your future.” Let’s hope that’s right.
The following should be read alongside this article:
© Socialist Worker (unless otherwise stated). You may republish if you include an active link to the original.
More University Occupations!
Occupations have taken place today at SOAS (100 students) and Manchester Metropolitan (150) Universities today, followed closely by the UWE (50). I first noticed this though Lenin's Tomb's twitter page (original articles posted below, from SW).
They are protesting variously against the cuts in education, job losses and some are asking the university's vice chancellor both to speak out against the cuts and to initiate a statement for other vice chancellors to sign.
Any one who is against these cut - to all public services in the UK - ought to support these occupations, and indeed join the students on Day X, Wednesday 24th November, the day of mass walkouts, protests and potential occupations in towns and cities around the country.
They are protesting variously against the cuts in education, job losses and some are asking the university's vice chancellor both to speak out against the cuts and to initiate a statement for other vice chancellors to sign.
Any one who is against these cut - to all public services in the UK - ought to support these occupations, and indeed join the students on Day X, Wednesday 24th November, the day of mass walkouts, protests and potential occupations in towns and cities around the country.
Thursday 11 November 2010
Man Uni Occupation Against Cuts: Manchester University Students Occupy against the ...
Man Uni Occupation Against Cuts: Manchester University Students Occupy against the ...: "Statement from students in occupation at Manchester University: “Students at Manchester University have peacefully occupied the John Owe..."
They have my support. We can't keep being lied to, and we all as citizens and taxpayers, have a right to know who and on whom our money is being spent.
They have my support. We can't keep being lied to, and we all as citizens and taxpayers, have a right to know who and on whom our money is being spent.
Wednesday 10 November 2010
Student Protests in London
At a time when other nations are funding Higher Education, the UK government proposes that students studying in England and Wales. At a time when the rest of Europe is putting more money into HE, we in the UK are withdrawing funding , cutting university spending by 40%, and thereby turning education into a privilege, rather than a right.
When tuition fees were announced and introduced in 1997, there was very little issue it seemed, and certainly nothing like the anger that we have seen today. Just a disparate coordinated protest, small, but across several cities. However, that, it seems, effectively had the argument in favour of fees won, such that now we're simply negotiating on the price, rather than arguing for or against the principle of fees at all. This is a problem - we need to get the argument back on track if this battle can be won.
Of course, this is a fight not just for students, or over Universities, but part of the wider battle against the 'austerity measures' in general. This need to be seen in the context of the wider cuts, falling disproportionately on the have-nots, and allowing the haves to keep their money, doge their taxes and use their surplus to pay for the best hospital treatment, schooling for their kids and, of course, university education for the their kids. The rich kids get the best opportunities, and become the next generation of rich adults, whilst the poor get stuck in poor dead-end jobs, unable to get themselves out of poverty - the gap widens.
I was on the protests in both my local University city and in London when the top-up fees (then up to £3,000 per year) were first proposed in 2005. I made the same argument then that the focus needs to change to argue against all fee-charging. This was largely ignored, and the consequence of this is clear for all to see now - £9,000 a year, or at least £27,000 of debt for each and every graduate entering their first job at 21 years of age. That is fo course if there are any job available for them.
So, it's easy to see why a large minority of students decided to convert their anger to violence on the streets on London today. Civil disobedience has always been a treasured pillar of freedom of expression, and one which I myself have utilised, occupying a university department overnight and a council building for approximately two hours, as well as stopping traffic in the name of anti-fees and anti-war demonstrations. IDirect action and civil disobedience in Paris in May 1968 (see books on the left) almost led to the toppling of Charles de Gaulle's government and could have completely changed the world - there is of course a reason why many on the Left still talk about and debate it. I have to say therefore that I wholeheartedly support the actions of the students today.
There are though, two other main issues that have come out of today, both in the way that this has been reported in the media. On the whole, the news that I have seen (primarily reports on BBC News 24, Sky News Channel and the Guardian Website, but all have used terms like relating to the "hijack", of the demonstration or the "violence" that has marred the occasion. As this video will show, the invasion of Tory HQ at Millbank Tower was hardly violent - more a few people walking in chanting slogans.
Of course, this is a fight not just for students, or over Universities, but part of the wider battle against the 'austerity measures' in general. This need to be seen in the context of the wider cuts, falling disproportionately on the have-nots, and allowing the haves to keep their money, doge their taxes and use their surplus to pay for the best hospital treatment, schooling for their kids and, of course, university education for the their kids. The rich kids get the best opportunities, and become the next generation of rich adults, whilst the poor get stuck in poor dead-end jobs, unable to get themselves out of poverty - the gap widens.
I was on the protests in both my local University city and in London when the top-up fees (then up to £3,000 per year) were first proposed in 2005. I made the same argument then that the focus needs to change to argue against all fee-charging. This was largely ignored, and the consequence of this is clear for all to see now - £9,000 a year, or at least £27,000 of debt for each and every graduate entering their first job at 21 years of age. That is fo course if there are any job available for them.
So, it's easy to see why a large minority of students decided to convert their anger to violence on the streets on London today. Civil disobedience has always been a treasured pillar of freedom of expression, and one which I myself have utilised, occupying a university department overnight and a council building for approximately two hours, as well as stopping traffic in the name of anti-fees and anti-war demonstrations. IDirect action and civil disobedience in Paris in May 1968 (see books on the left) almost led to the toppling of Charles de Gaulle's government and could have completely changed the world - there is of course a reason why many on the Left still talk about and debate it. I have to say therefore that I wholeheartedly support the actions of the students today.
There are though, two other main issues that have come out of today, both in the way that this has been reported in the media. On the whole, the news that I have seen (primarily reports on BBC News 24, Sky News Channel and the Guardian Website, but all have used terms like relating to the "hijack", of the demonstration or the "violence" that has marred the occasion. As this video will show, the invasion of Tory HQ at Millbank Tower was hardly violent - more a few people walking in chanting slogans.
As for hijacking, well I believe that as I have done, these are simply people who have made the links to the wider anti-LibCon agenda.
The other issue, to my mind, is of the police reaction. BBC News reporters have been seen asking representative of the Met whether they were properly prepared. "Surely", they are saying "You ought to have known that they march was passing Conservative HQ, and station additional officers here?" Well, the fact is, this is in LONDON. Practically every building is a major building and potential target! Their route (reproduced here in Google maps) goes down Whitehall, passing the Cabinet Office, Downing Street, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Treasury, and ending at the Tate, in addition to a whole host of other important state and civic buildings. Stationing officers at every building is surely not feasible, and I feel that given the circumstances, the police did really quite well. better handle it the way they have done, then have another potential Ian Tomlinson on their hands.
Monday 1 November 2010
The Government and our sexual rights
OK, so no posts for a while, but as I currently seem to have no followers, I'm not so sure that this is an issue!
Anyway, I've started playing the very good game Nation States. based on Max Berry's book Jennifer Government the idea is that you start a nation, and between 5 and 14 times a week (depending on user preferences) you get an issue, with two, three or more fanatical opinions. Which opinion you follow will cause a new law to that effect to be enacted in your country.
Some of the issues raised are really quite interesting, and have led to some good debates amongst myself and my friends, so I thought I'd share some of these here and see what people think.
This is an issue I got today, and is about sexual rights, and the rights - or otherwise - of governments to interfere in these issues rights.
The Issue
I have never believe in age-of consent laws. Who can decide at what age a person can emotionally (and legally) consent to sex? of those who waiting until the age of consent before having sex for the first time, for how many do you think the law was the main issue? How many people, indeed, had sex under the age of consent in their country? The law do not act as a deterrent, nor are they enforced, so what is their point?
Anyway, I've started playing the very good game Nation States. based on Max Berry's book Jennifer Government the idea is that you start a nation, and between 5 and 14 times a week (depending on user preferences) you get an issue, with two, three or more fanatical opinions. Which opinion you follow will cause a new law to that effect to be enacted in your country.
Some of the issues raised are really quite interesting, and have led to some good debates amongst myself and my friends, so I thought I'd share some of these here and see what people think.
This is an issue I got today, and is about sexual rights, and the rights - or otherwise - of governments to interfere in these issues rights.
The Issue
- The highly moral and religious pressure group 'Cuckolds And Cuckqueans Anonymous' has lobbied for the criminalisation of adultery.
- "Whatever happened to the sanctity of marriage?" asks Tobias Jones while wearing a T-shirt bearing the slogan 'Marriage is for life, not just for anniversaries'. "Whatever happened to lifelong companionship? Whatever happened to simple faithfulness because of love?! Adultery seems to be more of a hobby than anything these days! The government must impose the utmost punishments on those who commit this sin. A good old-fashioned stoning should sort it!"
- "I don't agree with adultery either," says Randy Li, a passer-by. "But, uh... stoning? You don't think that's a little extreme? If we find someone guilty of fornication we can just lock them up in jail. That way no-one gets killed and the sinners get justice. It's more expensive to the tax payers than a stoning of course, but I reckon it's worth it."
- "With the greatest of respect, this is none of your business!" yells Buffy Barry who is rumoured to have had more than a thousand lovers and even more children. "The government has no right to go about trying to dictate the laws of love and romance! Marriages break down, people move on - is it really the government's place to make people stay put? You must recognise the fact that the law has no place within the bedroom!"
I have never believe in age-of consent laws. Who can decide at what age a person can emotionally (and legally) consent to sex? of those who waiting until the age of consent before having sex for the first time, for how many do you think the law was the main issue? How many people, indeed, had sex under the age of consent in their country? The law do not act as a deterrent, nor are they enforced, so what is their point?
Monday 18 January 2010
Sheffield want our buses back
Sheffield wants our buses back
AROUND 70 marchers braved the cold to join last Saturday's demonstration in Sheffield called by We Want Our Buses Back (WWOBB) to protest against First's 8% hike in bus fares. Earlier in the week, we had presented a petition to Sheffield's Lib-Dem Council demanding action to regulate fares and services.
Four years ago the then Labour council said it would take four years to introduce Quality Contracts (a form of regulation like in London). Now the Lib-Dem transport cabinet member says it might take another four years!
We can't wait that long. First intend to axe around 20% of routes in April. In four more years there won't be any bus service left! Reinforced with new campaigners from the demo, WWOBB will step up its campaign for re-regulation and taking the bus industry back into public ownership and control.
originally published by Alistair Tice in "The Socialist"
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AROUND 70 marchers braved the cold to join last Saturday's demonstration in Sheffield called by We Want Our Buses Back (WWOBB) to protest against First's 8% hike in bus fares. Earlier in the week, we had presented a petition to Sheffield's Lib-Dem Council demanding action to regulate fares and services.
Four years ago the then Labour council said it would take four years to introduce Quality Contracts (a form of regulation like in London). Now the Lib-Dem transport cabinet member says it might take another four years!
We can't wait that long. First intend to axe around 20% of routes in April. In four more years there won't be any bus service left! Reinforced with new campaigners from the demo, WWOBB will step up its campaign for re-regulation and taking the bus industry back into public ownership and control.
originally published by Alistair Tice in "The Socialist"
“Power concedes nothing without a demand; it never has and it never will.”
The latest battle-line drawn between the National Front and the British National Party has been drawn, with the BNP pointing out that the NF has used a quote (above) from (shock horror) prominent black activist Frederick Douglass.
The story, reported on indymedia just today, follows hot on the heels of reports last week suggesting that the NF may stand cadidates in areas of West Yorkshire such as Leeds and Bradford, as well as Birmingham, Swindon and Norfolk. This could split the far-right vote, and with reports that the EDL may also field candidates, and UKIP's rise this could do more harm than good for radical right politics in the UK.
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The story, reported on indymedia just today, follows hot on the heels of reports last week suggesting that the NF may stand cadidates in areas of West Yorkshire such as Leeds and Bradford, as well as Birmingham, Swindon and Norfolk. This could split the far-right vote, and with reports that the EDL may also field candidates, and UKIP's rise this could do more harm than good for radical right politics in the UK.
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