alanjjohnstone
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
I was going to place this on the Corbyn thread but thought it better for this one. People who read my messages here, know i am no friend of the BBC and would not mourn its disappearance even if a few party members might regret its passing for various reasons.https://www.rt.com/uk/328284-bbc-doughty-resignation-corbyn/
Quote:The post, written by BBC producer Andrew Alexander, is alleged to have said: “Just before 9am we learned from Laura Kuenssberg, who comes on the program every Wednesday ahead of PMQs, that she was speaking to one junior shadow minister who was considering resigning.I wonder, mused our presenter Andrew Neil, if they would consider doing it live on the show?” The proposition was then put to Kuenssberg, who though it a “great idea.” “Within the hour we heard that Laura had sealed the deal,” Alexander wrote, adding, “we knew his resignation just before PMQs would be a dramatic moment with big political impact.”Although not limited to the BBC, I think this statistic reflects the overall BBC coverage. The Media Reform Coalition published figures suggesting Corbyn has been “systematically undermined” by the media. Analyzing almost 500 articles from across the media written in the first week of Corbyn’s leadership, the Coalition’s finding appears to indicate a widespread assault on the veteran socialist. Out of 494 pieces 296 were negative and only 65, or 13 percent, were positive.
ICH is a good source, once you sifted through some of the more outlandish articles. RT like AlJazeera is always suspect but it does highlight different aspect of the news
The SWP on RISEhttp://socialistworker.org/2016/01/06/the-view-from-a-rise-in-scotland
Quote:We need to work collaboratively with them inside RISE, keeping alive a Marxist analysis for a new generation on the Scottish left who are quite new to politics.Theoretical discussion during the Yes campaign was at quite a low level, partly because everyone was so concentrated on the practical question of independence and the national question. Environmentalism and issues like LGTBI have had quite a lot of discussion since then, but fundamental questions of the state, power and class formation and so on haven't been discussed as much. There are a strategic set of questions that the left has to make available to people.Partly this involves communicating the history of our movement. Those of us who have been in revolutionary organizations assume that everyone knows about the Russian Revolution and other revolutionary risings. In the past, even the reformists we debated knew something about these issues: it was part of a shared culture. That's no longer true.All those distinctions which we inherited from the Comintern–"reformist," "centrist," "revolutionary," "ultra-left"–fewer people think of themselves in these ways, and achieving any sort of clarity about strategy can only be done on the basis of prolonged discussion and joint activity. One function of revolutionaries is therefore still to be "the memory of the class" as well as to introduce people to the Marxist method and tradition.Vin, you're one of those who have been debating and arguing with LBird for well over a year now, so if you don't know what you been opposing in all that time, then it makes all your contributions rather silly, doesn't it?I made my position clear from practically day one and have repeated it often …i have not a clue about this philosophical dispute..materialism, idealist-materialism…most of the book references that's been given over the months on the various threads are by authors i have not a scooby who they are, much less read and understood. And i'm so sure what is at stake is really that important to me…If being a socialist/communist means i have to comprehend and understand what you and LBird, YMS, Robbo, TWC and others have been going on about, then i'm no socialist…Cast me out into the wilderness…There are only just certain ideas i firmly and steadfastedly hold by…1. Capitalism can no longer be administered or reformed in the interest of the working class or of society. 2. Capitalism is incapable of eliminating poverty, wars, crises, etc. 3. Socialism can solve the social problems confronting society today, since the material conditions are ripe for socialism, save the lack of a socialist majority. I think we would come to a common agreement on those. However, being a socialist does not necessarily require an academic's grasp of the finer points of Marxian economics or philosophy. The acid test of socialist convictions hinges on knowing socialism as the solution to the social problems and the irreconcilable contradictions of capitalism. These are the characteristics of a socialist as i see it and will add that there is also a coupling of the head and the heart as well as theory coupled with action. I sympathise with Robbo sometimes when he seeks to emphasise our human frailities and stress our moral courage and strengths. Our Party is made up of socialists who share a unity of agreement on the above simple generalisations. Thinking is not and never has been a violation of socialist discipline so as far as i know. LBird is fully entitled to challenge what he believes to be flaws in our case and offer what he considers improvements but remember – on many other matters he is wholeheartedly by our side, and i think that fact is often forgotten. But others are free to counter his ideas as they see fit. I'm all for comradely criticism and who am i to silence the discussion just because i don't understand it.
Quote:He is a troll and the main function of a troll is to elicit an emotional response.I wouldn't be that ungenerous or uncharitable, Vin. LBird has a viewpoint that he considers valid and is intent upon spreading his opinion….as we all do…Our forum welcomes debate and we have been very welcoming and tolerant to his posts although members who have more insight into Marian philosophy than myself have been equally as dimissive in accepting his claims….(and the moderator resorting to sanctioning Lbird for the more than occasional rule-break.) At times, he has been accusatory, too, alleging that the WSM reflects Leninism…although i get the impression that he would not classify us as really being Leninists if push came to shove. I'm sure he would depart if he genuinely believed that. Anyway, what harm is there in engaging in lively discussion and exchanging arguments. …It is not like the working class are agog and waiting in bated breath for the next instalment…neither we nor LBird has any audience on this thread…Its like one of those philosophical pub sketches so well portrayed by Dudley Moore and Peter Cook, Griff Ryhs Jones and Mel Smith, Ronnie Barker and Ronnie Corbitt…talking heads ….
Quote:As Berne stated, negative strokes are better than no strokes at all!Or as i often be known to say – "Different strokes for different folks"
Not directly a carbon-copy of our own defence if we were ever accused of being anti-religion but something no doubt that could be cited .
Quote:the judge hearing the case, said it was “not the task of the criminal law to censor offensive utterances”. He added: “The courts need to be very careful not to criticise speech which, however contemptible, is no more than offensive… Accordingly, I find Pastor McConnell not guilty of both charges.”Quote:An Islamic academic spoke in support of McConnell Muhammad al-Hussaini, a senior research fellow in Islamic studies at the Westminster Institute, said: “Against the flaming backdrop of torched Christian churches, bloody executions and massacres of faith minorities in the Middle East and elsewhere, it is … a matter of utmost concern that, in this country, we discharge our common duty steadfastly to defend the freedom of citizens to discuss, debate and critique religious ideas and beliefs – restricting only speech which incites to physical violence against others. Moreover, in a free and democratic society we enter into severe peril when we start to confuse what we perhaps ought or ought not to say, with what in law we are allowed to, or not allowed to say.”Quote:The National Secular Society said the verdict was a “welcome reassertion of the fundamental right to freedom of expression”. Campaigns manager Stephen Evans said the society strongly disagreed with the tone and content of McConnell’s comments but added: “At a time when freedom of speech is being curtailed and put at risk in any number of ways, this is a much needed statement from the judge that free speech will be defended and that Islam is not off-limits.”A related article and a timely one from Vermont anarchists. Or are they more Murray Bookchinists?http://dissidentvoice.org/2016/01/neither-washington-nor-stowe/
It may well be the anarchist in me, LBird…Because even with a proletarian democratic vote on the "truth" of science, i still rebel and dissent…
Quote:“The Liberty of man consists solely in this: that he obeys natural laws because he has himself recognised them as such, and not because they have been externally imposed upon him by any extrinsic will whatsoever, divine or human, collective or individual…If I bow before the authority of the specialists and avow my readiness to follow, to a certain extent and as long as may seem to me necessary, their indications and even their directions, it is because their authority is imposed on me by no one, neither by men nor by God….I bow before the authority of special men because it is imposed on me by my own reason. I am conscious of my own inability to grasp, in all its detail, and positive development, any very large portion of human knowledge. The greatest intelligence would not be equal to a comprehension of the whole. …Therefore there is no fixed and constant authority, but a continual exchange of mutual, temporary, and, above all, voluntary authority and subordination…This same reason forbids me, then, to recognise a fixed, constant and universal authority, because there is no universal man, no man capable of grasping in all that wealth of detail, without which the application of science to life is impossible, all the sciences, all the branches of social life. And if such universality could ever be realised in a single man, and if he wished to take advantage thereof to impose his authority upon us, it would be necessary to drive this man out of society, because his authority would inevitably reduce all the others to slavery and imbecility. I do not think that society ought to maltreat men of genius as it has done hitherto: but neither do I think it should indulge them too far, still less accord them any privileges or exclusive rights whatsoever; and that for three reasons: first, because it would often mistake a charlatan for a man of genius; second, because, through such a system of privileges, it might transform into a charlatan even a real man of genius, demoralise him, and degrade him; and, finally, because it would establish a master over itself. ”https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/bakunin/works/various/authrty.htm
Of course, we also have Her Majesty, the Queen's 90th birthday in April…perhaps we could do a right royal republican edition of the Standard for the occasion
And i was just thinking, when was the last time anti-fracking protesters in the United States turned up with AK-47s and an assortment of other assault rifles…i can't properly recall…
Not so sure your comparison is on the right lines. Protest and occupations for a myriad of objectives including environmental issues and have an extremely long history worldwide.But this act is unique, not because of the use of weapons, but because at the centre of the dispute is the issue of government. Whether federal authority is legitimate under the constitution and if it is not, then it is fit and proper to challenge it by force of arms, according to the right-wing libertarian militia members. They are domestic terrorist network using guns to threaten and intimidate, certainly not "patriots"protecting the constitution or they would be standing alongside the protesters when police murder a black youth, particularly in "open-carry" states.It can be seen as an act of rebellion and sedition (albeit, the militia will claim it is self-defence against State tyranny) I don't think militia movement can be viewed as an organised crime conspiracy as some see ISIS. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Militia_organizations_in_the_United_States I see this as a continuing pattern where some acts of terror are purposefully not labelled as such for political reasons and others are. Do you think if BlackLivesMatter activists acted in such a way, the police would not be present in force with SWAT teams and National Guard. I certainly see a racial element in the kid-glove treatment.
I once went to Stockholm..Ryanair…wasn't that pricey and managed to get a budget hotel in the centre of city. Norwegian Air is getting plaudits right, now. Delegates or observers though? Carrying our message (which would be?) or bringing back a report for discussion and possible future action?But as a compromise many symposiums permit the submission of papers that are circulated. We could be more pro-active and involved in that side of it. I know we have the academic and professional skill and talent of some members to tap into…(yes, Gnome, i know what you are about to comment but for these events we have plenty of time in advance to prepare for them…and it is not beyond certain members to take their own leisurely time in producing appropriate material to submit)
The issue on the EU is not about no borders (we see how that can easily be suspended) Nor about movement of labour (we also see how national states can impose restrictions on access to entitlements) It is not about a step towards the end of nations (we witness that with Fortess Europe regards migration)The EU is about being living in a larger prison cell, making the jail that holds us a bit bigger.
