DOCSLIB.ORG

Table of Contents

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Table of Contents Roll Models: People Who Live Successfully Following Spinal Cord Injury And How They Do It Richard Holicky Edited by Barry Corbet Supported by Grant #496 from the PVA Education Foundation. © Copyright 2004 Richard Holicky TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgments Preface Glossary of Terms Demographics 1 Early Thoughts First Things First Ryan Odens Audrey Begay AM Hochhalter Steven Ferguson Wardell Kyles Robert Statam Patricia Rivas Ben Anderson 2 The First Years Peer Support Joel Irizarry Jason Regier Felipe Antonio Matthew Seals Ryan McLean Joel Lorentz George Taborsky Jason Graber Pat McGowan Michael Slaughter 3 Changes, Obstacles, Solutions Optimism 101 Gretchen Ryan Juan Garibay Eric Gibson Kevin Wolitzky Greg Adcock Keith Davis Angel Watson Amit Jha Joe Jeremias Karen Hwang Curtis Lovejoy 4 Finding What Works The School of Luck Richard Famiglietti Jamie Peterson Cathy Green Susan Douglas Glenford Hibbert Kevin Williams James Lilly Aric Fine Charlotte Heppner Vincent Dureau Mark Bussinger James Turner 5 Salvations, Turning Points and More Donald Collier Dan Wilkins Phillip Mann Dennis Bossman Brian Johnston Bobbie Humphreys Marina Conner Paul Herman Ann Herman Don Dawkins Fred Fay Wally Dutcher 6 SCI and Meaning 7 Summary Appendices Government benefits Model Systems Spinal Cord Injury Rehabilitation Centers Veterans Administration Spinal Cord Injury and Disorder Centers Resources PREFACE Spinal cord injury happens to people of all kinds. It doesn’t just happen to people with proven abilities who know they have what it takes to keep their heads above water. It happens to kids from slums, high-school dropouts, people with no visible family support. It happens to anybody. Some do well. Some don’t. What, if anything, do people who do well with spinal cord injury have in common? There are many who thrive without big liability settlements, vibrant health or long-term disability insurance, without an advanced degree, a good job to return to or an outstanding IQ. And what does doing well mean? Evidently, it doesn’t always mean working, bringing home a paycheck and having the usual toys. It doesn’t always mean the American dream of wife, kids and a house in the suburbs. Sometimes it means the simple pleasures of being content with life, having a measure of self-esteem and looking forward to each new day. There are countless people with spinal cord injury who live happy, ordinary lives but don’t fit rehabilitation’s traditional definition of—full-time employment, few major medical complications and fewer hospitalizations. There are also countless survivors who have thrown in the towel, who spend their days watching television and waiting to get a pressure sore. What’s the difference between these two groups of people? Is it a knack for reinvention? Is it attitude? A set of beliefs? Good habits or relentless ambition? Are those who do well just too young and naïve to know they’re not supposed to be able to live in the world and like it? What enables people to be happy? What do they have in common? I met Tom when I was in rehab. He was a C6 quad and had used a chair for more than a dozen years. Though he needed help each day, he drove, ran a business, owned his own home and ran around with more than his share of women. He laughed a lot and I never heard him complain. As I got to know him I began to suspect that regaining a life might be possible. If he could do it, I thought, maybe I could. Tom was kind enough to come around and visit from time to time and even took me out to lunch and dinner, my first real ventures into public places. He showed me that people wouldn’t shy away and that I might still have things to offer. Tom was my mentor, and that was my good fortune. He told me how to deal with government programs and insurance companies and get the benefits they owed me. He told me where to find the best deals on medical equipment and was quick with tips for finding attendant care and accessible housing. He knew the law and how to use it. He was my guide in this strange new land. Most important, he showed me that my life could be about more than just my wheelchair. He gave me hope that it could still give me satisfaction and purpose. By showing me his life and how he lived it, he gave me a vision of what my life might be. This book contains a group of Toms—young and old, male and female, quad and para, employed and not—and they can help you just as my Tom did me. These Toms were injured in many different ways, are of different races, live in different parts of the country. Most are quite happy with their lives, proud of how they’ve lived them and moving forward into the future rather than the past. I spoke to each at length, first by phone, then in person, and asked them the questions I remember having myself when I was injured plus some more that have come up since. I wanted to know the specific things they did, believed or learned that had helped them do well. I wanted to see if there was anything vaguely resembling a Seven Successful Habits of Highly Successful Wheelers. Some of the questions I asked varied only slightly—biggest fear versus biggest obstacle, most difficult things to deal with versus biggest losses of SCI. Small changes often brought out a large change in responses. None of these Toms are in perfect harmony with their disabilities. Some are still figuring things out, still getting used to their wheels and finding their way. Others have made their mark and are now concerned with what aging has in store for them. I intentionally avoided “superstars” and people who had unusual advantages. Instead I looked for ordinary people living ordinary lives, people who had successfully wrestled their demons and won their victories on their own merits. I wanted to hear how they had traversed the immense distance between where they started after injury and where they are now. I didn’t want to hear it from healthcare professionals. I wanted to get it from the horse’s mouth. This isn’t a random sample of people with spinal cord injuries. I chose people doing well. Unlike the majority of spinal cord injury survivors, many here work and many have been to college. Still, few are people of privilege and many come from humble roots. What separates most of them from many survivors is their commitment to growth and happiness. They looked at their lives after injury and made a choice to live them well. In telling their stories, I’ve tried to show what their lives are like today. Almost everyone spoke of despair and hopelessness early on; few anticipated what life could with a spinal cord injury could offer. Yet they persevered and prospered. Through them, I’ve tried to present a picture of the possible. A Glossary of Terms AB, ABs: Ablebodied people, a.k.a. nondisabled people. We were all there once. ADA: The Americans with Disabilities Act, landmark civil rights legislation passed in 1990 guaranteeing people with disabilities full and equal access to society and protection from discrimination on the basis of disability. Cath, Cathing: Catheterize, catheterizing CIL or ILC: Center for Independent Living or Independent Living Center. These are organizations that promote and enable living independently in the community. They dispense information and assist clients in accessing services and assistance programs within their communities. They’re usually government- funded but mostly run by people with disabilities. They provide their services free of charge. Chair: In this book, synonymous with wheelchair. Crip or Gimp: In-group terms used with affection by some people with disabilities, but unwelcome when used by nondisabled people. ICU: Intensive care unit. Medicaid: Federal/state medical insurance program for impoverished and disabled people. This is the insurer of last resort, and covers in-home personal care in some states, durable medical equipment in most, and prescription drugs in all. Eligibility is subject to strict earnings limits. Medicare: Federal healthcare program for the elderly and disabled. Most people with SCI who qualify receive SSDI. Medicare’s coverage is less generous than Medicaid’s and, starting in 2005, offers only bare- bones drug coverage. NSCIA: National Spinal Cord Injury Association, a nationwide SCI information and support center with chapters in many states. A good early information source. See resources for other groups that can help. PASS Plan: Plan for Achieving Self Sufficiency, a little-used Social Security program that allows recipients of SSI to work and have earnings over the limits. It sets aside excess earnings for work-related expenses, such as future educational expenses or work-related expenses like computers and vehicle modifications. PCA: Personal care assistance. PVA: Paralyzed Veterans of America SCI: Spinal cord injury. SSI: Supplemental Security Income, the Social Security Administration’s welfare program for people with low incomes. Recipients must meet strict income and asset restrictions in order to qualify, and monthly payments are very low. For many, the primary benefit of SSI is Medicaid eligibility. SSDI: Social Security Disability Insurance, Social Security’s long-term disability insurance for people who worked for some time before becoming disabled. Benefits are determined by pre-injury wage levels. This program is not based on income and has no asset limits. One key feature of SSDI is eligibility for Medicare. Section 8 Housing: Relatively inexpensive government-subsidized housing for low-income people. Only a small portion is accessible.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Teaching About Africa South of the Sahara; a Guide and Resource Packet for Ninth Grade Social Studies
    DOCUMENT RESUME ED 042 667 SO 000 190 AUTHOR Coburn, Barbara; And Others TITLE Teaching About Africa South of the Sahara; A Guide and Resource Packet for Ninth Grade Social Studies. INSTITUTION State Univ. of New York, Albany. SPONS AGENCY New York State Education Dept., Albany. Bureau of Secondary Curriculum Development. PUB DATE 70 NOTE 285p. EDRS PRICE EDRS Price MF-$1.25 HC-$14.35 DESCRIPTORS African Culture, *African History, Case Studies, Concept Teaching, *Grade 9, *Inductive Methods, Inquiry Training, Instructional Materials, Multimedia Instruction, *Resource Materials, Secondary Grades, Social Change, Social Studies Units, *Teaching Guides, Urbanization ABSTRACT This guide provides a sampling of reference materials which are pertinent for two ninth grade units: Africa South of the Sahara: Land and People, and Africa South of the Sahara: Historic Trends. The effect of urbanization upon traditional tribalistic cultures is the focus. A case study is used to encourage an inductive approach to the learning process. It is based upon the first hand accounts of Jomo Kenyatta and Mugo Gatheru as they grew up within the traditions of their ethnic group --the Kikuyu of Kenya. Materials using the "mystery story" approach are included for an analysis of the iron age culture at Zimbabwe. The case study package purposely does not go into detail on such steps as the identification of theme and the determination of procedures to encourage individualization. The latter part of the guide is arranged as a reference section by subtopic or understanding including questions suggesting the direction of inquiry, and pertinent reading selections, diagrams, maps and drawings. Finally, an annotated bibliography lists materials that are currently in print or available through regional libraries.
    [Show full text]
  • Race and Membership in American History: the Eugenics Movement
    Race and Membership in American History: The Eugenics Movement Facing History and Ourselves National Foundation, Inc. Brookline, Massachusetts Eugenicstextfinal.qxp 11/6/2006 10:05 AM Page 2 For permission to reproduce the following photographs, posters, and charts in this book, grateful acknowledgement is made to the following: Cover: “Mixed Types of Uncivilized Peoples” from Truman State University. (Image #1028 from Cold Spring Harbor Eugenics Archive, http://www.eugenics archive.org/eugenics/). Fitter Family Contest winners, Kansas State Fair, from American Philosophical Society (image #94 at http://www.amphilsoc.org/ library/guides/eugenics.htm). Ellis Island image from the Library of Congress. Petrus Camper’s illustration of “facial angles” from The Works of the Late Professor Camper by Thomas Cogan, M.D., London: Dilly, 1794. Inside: p. 45: The Works of the Late Professor Camper by Thomas Cogan, M.D., London: Dilly, 1794. 51: “Observations on the Size of the Brain in Various Races and Families of Man” by Samuel Morton. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences, vol. 4, 1849. 74: The American Philosophical Society. 77: Heredity in Relation to Eugenics, Charles Davenport. New York: Henry Holt &Co., 1911. 99: Special Collections and Preservation Division, Chicago Public Library. 116: The Missouri Historical Society. 119: The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit, 1882; John Singer Sargent, American (1856-1925). Oil on canvas; 87 3/8 x 87 5/8 in. (221.9 x 222.6 cm.). Gift of Mary Louisa Boit, Julia Overing Boit, Jane Hubbard Boit, and Florence D. Boit in memory of their father, Edward Darley Boit, 19.124.
    [Show full text]
  • The Impact of Social Media on Students' Lives
    The impact of social media on students’ lives Case: LAB University of Applied Sciences LAB University of Applied Sciences Bachelor of Business Administration, Business Information Technology Spring 2021 My Hanh Nguyen Abstract Author(s) Publication type Completion year Nguyen, My Hanh Thesis, UAS 2021 Number of pages 34 Title of the thesis The impact of social media on students’ lives Case: LAB University of Applied Sciences Degree Business Information Technology Abstract Social media platforms are a ubiquitous part of modern society and the typical student spends many hours each day interacting with them. The purpose and research question of this thesis was to study and analyse the impact of social media on the lives and aca- demic performance of students and to give recommendations on how to avoid the possi- ble negative effects and how to amplify the positives A specific focus was on the foreign students at LAB University of Applied Sciences which functioned as the case company. The study was performed using the qualitative method and utilizing a combination of pri- mary and secondary sources. The main primary source was a series of interviews con- ducted with these aforementioned foreign students. This data was then analysed by the- matic analysis and the results of it were compared with the literary sources. The results showed that social media has both positive and negative effects on the aca- demic performance. It allows for easy communication and can be a great source of infor- mation, but it can also lead to psychological issues such as addiction and falling victim to cyberbullying.
    [Show full text]
  • Classics Foodie Favorites Seasonal Sandwiches Farm Favorites
    Foodie Favorites Soulful Salads (COMES WITH VEGAN WHOLE WHEAT TORTILLA) “NOT SO FRIED” CHICKEN 9.65 KALE CAESAR 9.95 shaved, roasted free range chicken breast rolled in Mendo’s krispies with herb aioli, mustard pickle slaw, black kale, butter lettuce & romaine, crispy wheatberries, parmesan, red onions, grape tomatoes, avocado tomatoes, pickled red onions on toasted ciabatta with a side of our chipotle BBQ or mustard pickle remoulade with lemon parmesan vinaigrette ( + shaved, roasted free range chicken breast $2 ) ERUVIAN TEAK ANDWICH STEAK P S S 10.95 BL SAVE DRAKE FARM’S SALAD 10.95 T R/GF spicy aji amarillo marinated steak with Oaxacan cheese, herb aioli, red onions, tomatoes, shredded romaine on shaved, roasted free range chicken breast, Herbes de Provence marinated Drake Family Farm’s goat cheese, T B R/GF panini-pressed torta bun ( + avocado $1 ) M pink lady beets, green apples, dried cranberries, honey roasted almonds, red onions, Scarborough Farm’s B y N l u E b K greens, butter lettuce & romaine with citrus vinaigrette a e T C I U KUROBUTA PORK BELLY BANH MI 10.45 R H B P K C our Chef’s playful take on the popular Vietnamese sandwich with braised, caramelized Kurobuta pork belly, l E MAMA CHEN’S CHINESE CHICKEN SALAD 10.95 e Y a I housemade pickled daikon & carrots, cilantro, cucumbers, jalapenos, chili aioli on panini-pressed ciabatta LATE SUMMER/ N shaved, roasted free range chicken breast, napa cabbage & lacinato kale slaw, butter lettuce & romaine, h PLUS t T your choice of e EARLY FALL H scallions, cilantro, toasted slivered
    [Show full text]
  • View Spring Catalogue
    Adaptive Clothing & Footwear Spring/Summer 2021 Simplified Dressing For Empowered Living Shop our men’s and women’s wear at silverts.com Caregiver Trusted Smart buys approved by our community experts pg 42 Stress-Free Styles E asy o and easy o f footwear pg 26 Getting Started Discover our adaptive kits made for every need pg 74 1 2 Carefree Comfort We’re always thinking about how to bring more joy to your day. That begins with exploring fresh ideas and one of them is our new catalog. It’s debuting a look that’s bright, stylish and easy on the eyes. On these pages, you’ll see all our new styles, fabrics and details that make getting dressed that much easier. We’re also sharing must-haves from our new Caregiver Trusted program. On page 42, discover the tried and true products that our community of caregivers relies on because they promise function, dignity and grace. Want some good advice? On page 74, you’ll find our needs-based kits, which have been thoughtfully curated by industry professionals. We’ve taken the guessing out of what you need to get started with any adaptive wear lifestyle. And remember, this catalog is just a snapshot of all our innovations and styles. Visit Silverts.com to see our entire collection. After a challenging year, our team is in awe of your resilience and we’re inspired to embrace these warmer days with the fresh sense of hope and spirit of togetherness that you share with us every day. Thank you for making Silverts a part of your life.
    [Show full text]
  • The Influence of Anonymity on Participation in Online Communities
    Thèse de doctorat de l’UTT Malte PASKUDA The Influence of Anonymity on Participation in Online Communities Spécialité : Ingénierie Sociotechnique des Connaissances, des Réseaux et du Développement Durable 2016TROY0033 Année 2016 THESE pour l’obtention du grade de DOCTEUR de l’UNIVERSITE DE TECHNOLOGIE DE TROYES Spécialité : INGENIERIE SOCIOTECHNIQUE DES CONNAISSANCES, DES RESEAUX ET DU DEVELOPPEMENT DURABLE présentée et soutenue par Malte PASKUDA le 24 octobre 2016 The Influence of Anonymity on Participation in Online Communities JURY M. M. BAKER DIRECTEUR DE RECHERCHE CNRS Président (Rapporteur) Mme N. GAUDUCHEAU MAITRE DE CONFERENCES Examinateur Mme M. LEWKOWICZ PROFESSEUR DES UNIVERSITES Directeur de thèse M. M. PRILLA PROFESSOR Rapporteur M. M. ROHDE DOKTOR Examinateur Acknowledgements Myriam Lewkowicz Michael Baker Michael Prilla Nadia Gauducheau Markus Rohde Michel Marcoccia Valentin Berthou Matthieu Tixier Hassan Atifi Ines Di Loreto Karine Lan Lorraine Tosi Aurlien Bruel Khuloud Abou Amsha Josslyn Beltran Madrigal Les membres de lquipe Tech-CICO et les membres du projet TOPIC trouvent ici mes remerciements les plus sincres. Abstract This work presents my PhD thesis about the influence of anonymity on par- ticipation in online environments. The starting point of this research was the observation of the design process of an online platform for informal caregivers. I realized that there is no knowledge about the practical effects that an anony- mous identity system would have. This thesis contains the subsequent literature review, which has been synthesized into a model that shows which participation factors might be influenced by anonymity. Three studies on existing online en- vironments have been conducted: One on Youtube, where there was a change in the comment system forbidding anonymous comments; one on Quora, where users can choose to answer questions anonymously; and one on Hacker News, where users choose how many identity factors they want to present and which name they use.
    [Show full text]
  • How Caretakers of Paraplegics Deal with the Overload of Activities on A
    www.ssoar.info How caretakers of paraplegics deal with the overload of activities on a daily basis Machado, Wiliam César Alves; Alvarez, Adriana Bispo; Teixeira, Maria Luiza de Oliveira; Branco, Elen Martins da Silva Castelo; Figueiredo, Nébia Maria Almeida de Veröffentlichungsversion / Published Version Zeitschriftenartikel / journal article Empfohlene Zitierung / Suggested Citation: Machado, W. C. A., Alvarez, A. B., Teixeira, M. L. d. O., Branco, E. M. d. S. C., & Figueiredo, N. M. A. d. (2015). How caretakers of paraplegics deal with the overload of activities on a daily basis. Revista de Pesquisa: Cuidado é Fundamental Online, 7(1), 1796-1807. https://doi.org/10.9789/2175-5361.2015.v7i1.1796-1807 Nutzungsbedingungen: Terms of use: Dieser Text wird unter einer CC BY-NC Lizenz (Namensnennung- This document is made available under a CC BY-NC Licence Nicht-kommerziell) zur Verfügung gestellt. Nähere Auskünfte zu (Attribution-NonCommercial). For more Information see: den CC-Lizenzen finden Sie hier: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/deed.de Diese Version ist zitierbar unter / This version is citable under: https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:0168-ssoar-54307-9 ISSN 2175-5361 DOI: 10.9789/2175-5361.2015.v7i1.1796-1807 Machado WCA, Alvarez AB, Teixeira MLO et al. How caretakers of… RESEARCH Como cuidadores de paraplégicos lidam com sobrecarga de atividades no dia a dia How caretakers of paraplegics deal with the overload of activities on a daily basis Como cuidadores de parapléjicos manejan la sobrecarga de cuidados en sus actividades diárias Wiliam César Alves Machado 1 , Adriana Bispo Alvarez 2 , Maria Luiza de Oliveira Teixeira 3 , Elen Martins da Silva Castelo Branco 4 , Nébia Maria Almeida de Figueiredo 5 ABSTRACT Objective: To investigate how domiciliary caregivers of people with spinal cord injuries deal with the overload of caring on a daily basis.
    [Show full text]
  • FALL/WINTER 2016 Planning Ahead a Personal Story of a Legacy by Toby L
    THE SEMI-ANNUAL PUBLICATION OF LUPUS LA FALL/WINTER 2016 Planning Ahead A Personal Story of a Legacy By Toby L. Berkow, Executive Director I am always thinking of the future. The future of me, my family and loved ones and of course, the future of Lupus LA. Our lupus community often reads a lot of what I write for Lupus LA, but this article is different – it’s personal. A few months ago my mother passed away. It was pretty sudden We all want and although she had been quite ill for some time, we were unprepared. I wasn’t aware of all of her wishes and I was left guessing as I put her estate in a cure for lupus. order. Some things she had shared with me, but there was an awful lot she hadn’t. The truth is, my mom didn’t plan ahead. Clinical trials are critical in the search of finding new We all live and eventually die. It is important for us to think about what kind of legacy we want to leave upon our passing – even if we are and safer options for completely healthy and plan to live a very long time. Have you thought treating, preventing and about how you want your memory, life’s work, and ideals to live on past you? curing lupus. Your It is important to have these conversations with your loved ones and to participation in clinical choose the continuation of your path. research is the way to make this a reality. Going back to my mom’s story, she was very To learn more about involved with one charity in particular – not clinical trials and to see if as a donor, but as a client.
    [Show full text]
  • 1:03-Cv-03578 Document #: 199 Filed: 09/08/06 Page 1 of 136 Pageid
    Case: 1:03-cv-03578 Document #: 199 Filed: 09/08/06 Page 1 of 136 PageID #:<pageID> IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS EASTERN DIVISION FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION, ) ) Plaintiff, ) Case No. 03 C 3578 ) v. ) Magistrate Judge Morton Denlow ) QT, INC., Q-RAY COMPANY, ) BIO-METAL, INC., QUE TE PARK, ) a.k.a. ANDREW Q. PARK, and ) JUNG JOO PARK, ) ) Defendants. ) MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER “The pain just went away.” “Within seconds the pain was gone.” “You don’t have to live with pain.” The Q-Ray® Ionized Bracelet® (“Q-Ray bracelet”) achieved tremendous commercial success through a series of 30-minute infomercials. The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) brings this action claiming Defendants marketed the Q-Ray bracelet in a deceptive and misleading manner by representing that the bracelet provides immediate, significant or complete pain relief and scientific tests prove their pain-relief claims. Defendants deny their advertising was false or misleading. They contend adequate substantiation exists for the advertising claims made in connection with the promotion and sale of the Q-Ray bracelet. Case: 1:03-cv-03578 Document #: 199 Filed: 09/08/06 Page 2 of 136 PageID #:<pageID> The Court conducted a seven-day bench trial between June 6 and July 11, 2006. The Court has carefully considered the testimony of the witnesses who testified in person and by deposition, the Joint Stipulations of Fact for Trial, the exhibits introduced into evidence, the written submissions of the parties, and the oral arguments of counsel. The counsel on both sides presented the case in a highly professional manner.
    [Show full text]
  • Reviving Usenet
    Reviving Usenet Required Magic advanced technology ● What is Usenet ● The Rise and Fall of Usenet Agenda ● Back from the Dead? ● Questions to be Answered ● Stories from Usenet What is Usenet? About Me ● Training Engineer at SUSE ● Board Member for B8MB ● Volunteer for Tor Project ● All around nerd What is Usenet? Usenet is a worldwide distributed discussion network. It is the original long-form messaging system that predates the Internet as we know it. How does it work? Users read and send articles (messages) on a News server. That server exchanges articles with other News servers in the network. The collection of servers is known as the Usenet. Benefits of Usenet ● Decentralized ● Owned by no one ● Simplicity ● Resilient ● Anonymous ● Resistant to censorship Organization Usenet is organized into Newsgroups. Each group is generally a topic for discussion for that group. Newsgroups are organized into hierarchies. ● alt.bitcoins is in the alt.* hierarchy ● sci.crypt is in the sci.* hiearchy The Usenet Big-8 comp.* news.* sci.* talk.* misc.* rec.* soc.* humanities.* The Big-8 Management Board ● Creates well-named, well-used newsgroups in the Big-8 Usenet hierarchies ● Makes necessary adjustments to existing groups ● Removes groups that are not well-used ● Assists and encourages the support of a canonical Big-8 newsgroup list by Usenet sites The Rise and Fall of Usenet A Little History... In 1980… There was no Internet The was only the ARPANET and few had access It was commonly accepted at the time that to join the ARPANET took political connections
    [Show full text]
  • The “Red London” Group
    The “Red London” group A factual briefing for the labour movement Workers’ Liberty www.workersliberty.org February 2019 Red London in their own words RInedt Lroonddonu isc at Fiaocen book page which deploys unevidenced smears rather than political argument against people they politically oppose. Its administrators are anonymous. Red London also builds support for contemporary Stalinist state formations (e.g. North Korea, China) and praises “High Stalinism” (the USSR in the 1930s and 40s). The page appears to be strongly aligned to the Communist Party of Britain and its paper the Morning Star (many posts share and defend Morning Star articles). They are also Labour supporters and members. Red London’s favoured “hate targets” are Trotskyists, anarchists and “Radical Liberals”. “RadLibs” are people who are tagged with caricatured identity politics and support for “political correctness”. This hostile positioning involves no useful criticism; rather it is a way to promote an anti-liberal (small “l”) and “masculine” politics. Akin to trolling, their attacks come out as piss-taking banter and/or “working-class” identity politics including a more disturbing “hard man” imagery, and gratuitous viciousness. We are politically concerned by the growing audience for the idea that murderous totalitarian Stalinist regimes, both historically and in the contemporary world, are somehow authentically socialist. However, as unpleasant as that is, most of that kind of material can be politically critiqued. In contrast, since 2016 Red London have made a specific attack on Workers’ Liberty which is straightforward defamation, accusing us of vile and criminal activity. Through the medium of meme-making and “jokes” and often by direct accusation, Workers’ Liberty has been accused of condoning or even actively promoting paedophilia or child abuse.
    [Show full text]
  • Saturday, July 10, 2021 ‘By Our People, for Our People’
    TE NUPEPA O TE TAIRAWHITI SATURDAY-SUNDAY, JULY 10-11, 2021 HOME-DELIVERED $1.90, RETAIL $2.70 INSIDE TODAY LOCAL HOMES PAGE 4 NEW BY LOCAL PBL PEOPLE PAGE 3 LEADING BY PAGE 2 EXAMPLE UP SHE Hammer GOES drops on by Murray Robertson $1.97m for POLICE explosives experts were called in on Thursday to destroy a collection of ageing gelignite on a farm property on the Te Wera Road north of Matawai. The 30-year-old explosive material, about 25 kilograms of it, had been stored in a shed on the property. Police said the gelignite was packaged up, removed from the shed and taken to an undisclosed location on the farm. farm ‘gift’ It was blown up in a controlled detonation on Thursday afternoon. Fire and Emergency NZ provided their command vehicle for communications during the operation. Picture supplied Auction room erupts in applause as sale sealed by Murray Robertson estate of a very generous man.” He and fellow agent Matt Martin THE “gift of a lifetime” exceeded listed the property. expectations yesterday when the The vendor’s identity, and that of farm property estate at Waerenga-a- the buyers remain confidential. Hika being sold for charity realised As part of the charitable $1.970 million. transaction the agents for the The owner of the Brown Road sale, Ray White Realty, will donate property, who died earlier this year, the company share of the sale bequeathed the proceeds of the sale commission to Ronald McDonald to the Starship Foundation and the House. That will be a sum of more Eastland Rescue Helicopter Trust.
    [Show full text]