Letters: Were we censored?

Dear Editors.

Following the article “Hate and its Causes” (Socialist Standard, March 1988) I noted the comment: “The views in this article are not necessarily those held by Calvert s Press”.

My first reaction was “So what!! They’re printing the paper, not editing it!” Quite often a printer disagrees with what a paper says. Then, I asked myself: “Why the comment anyway? Are your printers trying to censor the Socialist Standard?”

My second reaction was: “It is very sad, after all this time printing the paper, that they do not agree, particularly as the article is such a clear condemnation of capitalism in Ulster, the “men of violence” and the local politicians who, if anything, tend to make a bad situation worse”.

It is also a pity that the printers do not agree with a socialist analysis, since for much of its existence, the Socialist Standard was set up and printed by people sympathetic to socialism — Jacomb, Taylor and even, to some extent. Brocks.

     Yours,

Dear Comrades

In the February Standard Janet Carter asks why we attack insecure, immature males for sexual harassment at work, instead of “passive, compliant females who are far greater in number”. By the same token, perhaps we should attack defenceless pensioners for getting themselves beaten up by active, young muggers. Sexual harassment is a problem facing many women workers as a direct result of their economic position; if it’s the boss touching them up they can’t afford to say no. The trade union movement has shown signs of taking this issue much more seriously, and it is entirely appropriate that the Socialist Party should.

To say that the destructive behaviour of individuals should be left to Ben Elton is to miss the point that it is in such behaviour that they reveal their acceptance of existing social relations. If we ignore all the different problems of different working groups, they will continue to ignore us.

     Yours for socialism.