steve colborn
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Strength of feeling still there, 30 years later; A POLICE band has withdrawn from a theatre show about the decline of the coal industry after its involvement stirred up ill-feeling among the region’s mining community.Durham Constabulary brass band had been lined up to play a major role in Brassed Off, at Darlington Civic Theatre, next month.It has pulled out amid fears objectors could set up picket lines outside the theatre.Many members of the region’s mining community felt the involvement of a police band, albeit one made up of civilians, was insensitive in the context of the force’s role in the 1984 miners’ strikes.That has left producers with just over three weeks to find a replacement so the show can go on.Their task has been complicated by the fact that brass bands from across the North will take part in a demanding competition in Darlington the week before Brassed Off is due to open.Producer Jenny King said a brass band is integral to the show, which is based on the 1996 film telling the story of a band in a fictional Yorkshire mining town where the pit is facing closure.Durham Miners' Association, which objected to the police band’s involvement, is helping to find a replacement.A post on the Facebook Durham Mining Communities, which has more than 2,000 followers, said the use of a police band was ‘inappropriate and insulting’.Durham Miners’ Association said it was pleased the police band had pulled out, while stressing its support for the production.A spokesman said: “We don’t want to embarrass [the production company] any more – we would like to help as much as possible to make [the production] a success.“We will be encouraging people to go along and see it.”The band said it was disappointed that a ‘small but vociferous’ number of people campaigned against its involvement.Honorary secretary Neil Ibinson said: “Members were delighted to get the invitation and were looking forward to the production.“However, due to the strength of feeling, we feel the only option is to withdraw.”Mr Ibinson, 55, who plays solo euphonium in the band, said the band has a number of young members and he did not wish to expose them to potential protests.He added: “There are no police officers in the band, we are all civilians.“Many of us are from mining backgrounds and several, including myself, also used to play in colliery bands.“We hope the producers are able to find a replacement band.”Some of the band’s fee for performing in Brassed Off would have gone to local charities, Mr Ibinson said.Assuming another band can be found, the show will run from March 18 to 22.
It's a pity that the meeting on the Miners Strike circa 84/85 is'nt available. It was a meeting held in Islington, if i remember right, addressed by myself, Janie Persy Smith and Clifford Slapper. It was also my first public meeting outside the NE. Has anyone a tape of the meeting? The meeting covered all of the illegal actions taken by the state and the way in which the state apparatus was deployed against workers, on a national level!
I think Robbo, you are getting the horse mixed up with the cart, or first principles misconstrued as something else. Plainly and simply put, when a majority of workers are "class-conscious" and use their common interests for their own good, it will not matter what pertains at "that time", the dotp or whatever else anyone wants to call it, will be a moot point. A new way of running society will be established. Intellectual bollocks, moreover, intellectuals, can go hang. When we become a class that understands "ourselves" and our interests, the State, Capitalism, and all the detritus that surrounds it can, quite literally, go "fuck itself".Speed the day!
For the "dictatorship of the proletariat", simply substitute the "will of the majority", or more simple still, "democracy". In essence, that is all that is meant by the DOTP. The confusion, as far as I am concerned, is caused by people giving overmuch emphasis on the term, "dictatorship". If one understands the prerequisites needed, before Socialism can be brought about, this term becomes an irrelevance, as understanding would explain.
A book I read during my degree. As with "most" works of political philosophy, Leviathan has to be read, taking into account, the particular historical context, evinced at the time.Although one can read these works now, take them outside of their "time" and they are less relevant. The one outstanding instance, (and the reason I placed most, in inverted commas earlier) is the work of Marx. That he is as relevant today is, to my mind, incontestable!Doing the course, "The History of European Political Thought", also gave me the sense, of the evolution of not only thinking, but of the society it took place within.When we eventually reach a Socialist world, it would be nice to think, that some future thinker on political philosophy, would produce a summation of this history and extricate the threads that bind them.
Indeed it will, Jonathan! Workers can piss and moan as much as they want, but what is without doubt, Capitalists will get their way sooner, or later.The only way for workers voices, to carry weight, is to advocate and work for, Socialisam. If you don't, you can always keep pissing against the wind. If this is your fancy, enjoy the smell and taste of urine! Stevie C.
That is a great shame Vin and will inevitably lead to a slowing down, of even nominally normal, branch activities in the NE. I had hoped, that with a willingness being shown, by members and ex members, to resume activity in this area, we could move on! Apparently, it would seem, this opinion was unrealistically optimistic.! There still appears to be a certain level of suspicion, scepticism and mistrust amongst and between members, which is unfortunate, inferences of collusion and underhanded methods, notwithstanding.What appeared, on the surface, to be a straightforward task of getting the NE Br up and running again, is being turned into a convoluted mess and I wish I knew why?Vin Marattys decision to defer his application, merely symptomatic of this. Steve Colborn.
By the way, I myself and Vin, have been active throughout. Vin with his vids, me with my letters to the press, and "communing" on various letter pages, posting sites.What have other members been doing? as much, less, just the same? Lets not go there! I, and Vin, are as committed as anyone, we have been, we are, we will be, end of!Adam, get in touch, or I'll ring you tomorrow, when I get back from hospital.Steven Colborn.
Brian, I do not know why this insistence on "commitment" is so important to you? An hour, minutes, 2 hours, it will take as long as it takes Brian, as a member of a branch, you know this! Are you asking branches already in situ, to write and agree to, a program of meetings and activity? and N.E. is not even officially, up and running!It does not matter about the breadth of knowledge, understanding, preceeding commitment to activity, within the hoped for Branch, it will still take as long as it will take, proscription aside.Let it take, as long as it will take, comrade! No one here, is being disingenuous, we are actually as committed as your good self.As my eldest son would no doubt say at this juncture; "chill Winston, chill". Stevie, Chilled, Colborn.
Whilst it is, indeed, good news that the N.E. Br is attempting to reform, I cannot see anyone being cynical enough to suggest, or imply, that this is being done, "purely to get" Vin "back in the party". Moreover, I do not think any, "Statement of Intent", is necessary or needful, nor is a written program of planned activity for the months ahead necessary. Let is walk before we can run.It should be remembered, that even when the branch was "inactive", Socialists continued to be seen in the N.E. letters pages and contested elections, even if the final time, it was as a non-member, but a non-member who was, nonetheless, still remembered as a Socialist in the area he contested.As for the item at conference, calling for the EC to officially close the branch, whether in the future or not, I would hope that with the intention to attempt to restart the br, this would be defered, until the outcome is seen!YFSSteven Colborn.
Hopefully Brian, the advent of the reformation of N.E. Branch, is not far away. Myself and Eileen, as I have told Bill are prepared to get involved and as I have also told Bill, we wish to place in any mailout to N.E.Br members, interested in a new N.E. Br, that we propose and second Comrade Vin Marattys readmission into The Socialist Party. We believe he would be an invaluable asset in making the N.E. a vibrant affair, once again. We have had some impressive members over the years, Bobby Gleg, John Bissett, Pat and Vin, Stevie Davison, the list goes on. Hopefully we will get back to that!So let's crack on!!!! Yours For Socialism,Stevie Colborn
Sadly, you should have not have resigned in the first place. And if charges had been brought against you so what? A sincere apology at the special meeting would have sufficed and you would have made your point and still be a member.An apology for what Brian? Vin did naff all comrade! Should he apologise for that, "naff all". As Vin Maratty has already stated, he was asked to reconsider his Form F. Hardly would have happened, if the heinous nature, of his supposed "crime", had been a "fact".Let us cut to the chase here comrades, Vin is a Socialist, always was, always will be. He has shown, that the mytho-historical nature, of the legend that has grown up over "certain" accusations, is just that, myth. Let this man do what he has been doing for 36 years, put the case for Socialism, as a member of The Socialist Party and doing it very well!The ineluctable,Stevie C.
As you have shown Vin, with your Video production, you have much talent to offer. To ignore this and for whatever disparate reason, disallow your contribution to be, as a member of the Party, would now appear churlish in the extreme.With the hope that fraternity, reason, and comradeship prevails, I remain to you all, a comrade in arms! Stevie C.
There is no logical reason why the membership application of Vin Maratty should now be turned down. Everything has calmed down, the sense of disassociation of member against member has, to me, evaporated. It would in my humble estimation, be a wasted resource if Vin were not now, readmitted to the party environs, to use his abilities to the "best" advantage, of the movement for a new, more rational and humane world! Let the lad contribute now, to a party he first started supporting in 1978, and to a branch he was officially a founder member of and a fiucking good and committed member of, to boot.YFS, a better world, Stevie C.
