REEDOM 8 0 p H A N A R C H I S T NEWS AND VIEWS
www.freodompress.org.uk 5 MARCH 2005 Mega union merger Cultural cold war Rudolf Rocker reissued INSIDE ►► “"f2nmu,,el page 3 page 5 page 7 REVEALED: US NUKES ON UK SOIL
report from America has for the And Closure (BRAC) review,” first time confirmed the presence The B61 bombs are ’free-fall’ weapons, A of nuclear weapons at RAF and must be carried by aircraft to their Lakenheath - with an explosive potential target. They have an explosive potential of 18,000 Hiroshima bombs. of 18,7 megatons. The Hiroshima US-based group the Natural Resources bomb was one kiloton. Defence Council (NRDC), using Freedom Before the report, it was believed that of information laws, claim to have found Lakenheath had moved half of them in a document signed by Clinton in 2000 1996-7. The 2000 directive however acknowledging the existence of 101 bombs. suggests this never happened. Potentially, Hans Kristensen, author of the report, they could be used in several areas at the said: “That document authorised the moment, Hans said: “They can potentially Pentagon to deploy 480 nuclear weapons be used against targets in Russia, Iran in Europe. And NATO says the number or Syria, I would remark that even if one has not been reduced since then.” believes the weapons serve a legitimate For the past decade, Lakenheath have purpose, the presence of such a large refused to confirm accusations that their number on NATO’s northern flank base holds nuclear materials. highlights the extent to which NATO As part of a European summation has failed to adjust its nuclear strategy documenting bombs across Europe, the sufficiently to the real world. ” ..group discovered that Lakenheath has Lakenheath-based activist group Theatre 33 'Vaults’ storing nuclear weaponry, of War demonstrate at the base and with a top capacity of 132. The report campaign against its nuclear contents. strongly recommends the bombs be They said: “We found out in October withdrawn. Hans told Freedom: “They from the NRDC. They are the only place could be dismantled and moved very in Britain with the facilities to store them. quickly, in a day once the preparations The B61 nukes are illegal under inter were in place. They should. Lakenheath’s national law. People should be fully aware resources should be focused on the type of what’s going on. There could be an of missions that matter today - non accident at any time and we wouldn’t nuclear operations. Moreover, there are know about it for 20-25 years - they had rumours the rwo F-15E squadrons may two accidents in the ’50s and ’60s.” be withdrawn from Lakenheath as a Lakenheath refused to confirm the result of (he ongoing Base Realignment report's accuracy. McLIBEL LEGAL VICTORY SQUAT VICTORY fter six months of occupation by with the Collective that they preferred n 15th February the European on the trial, which was dubbed “the to freedom of expression. They also said local residents and anarchists, the to see the building used by a social Court of Human Rights (ECHR) worn corporate PR disaster in history." that the award of £40,000 damages to A nursery at 1 Bournbrook Road in project rather than left boarded up. in Strasbourg declared that the Hie mainstream media have widely McDonald’s was disproportionate. The Selly Oak, Birmingham, is to be brought The Birmingham-based RITE Project, notorious and long running McLibd case reported that the McLibel Two (Helen court also recognised that there was a back into social use. The Nursery Social which works with young people excluded was in breach of the right to a fair trial Steel and Dave Morris) had ‘lost’ the “strong public interest in enabling Centre Collective squatted the building from the education system, are set to and right to freedom of expression, case. In fact, they succeeded in proving campaign groups and individuals outside from August 2004 and resisted several move in in the near future. The The McLibel case began m 1990 when (he truth of many of the criticisms made the mainstream to contribute to the public eviction attempts, but last week voluntarily Collective question why the previous the McDonald’s Corporation issued libel in (he leaflet, including 'exploitation of debate by disseminating information and vacated the premises, following a deal RITE site needs to be vacated and sold writs to prevent distribution of WhitV children', ‘low pay, ’cruelty to animals’ ideas on matters of general public interest with the council to turn over the building off to the private sector by the council g Wrong With McDonald’s? leaflets and ’deceptive advertising' - feat made such as health and the environment." to a youth project. in the first place. They feel it is a waste produced by London Greenpeace (an even more significant in the light of the Although they won the case in Europe, Kidda, from the Collective and West of taxpayers' money to evict the RITE anarchist environmental group pre-dan ECHR recognition (hat the trial was Helen and Dave consider that the victory Midlands Anarchists, said: “We’ve project from their building and relocate Greenpeace UK). Hie leaflet criticised unfair. However, becauie of the nature for freedom of speech was really wori proved that the council in Birmingham them elsewhere at great expense. McDonald’s (along with other multi of UK libel laws, where defendants only by a campaign of mass defiance, which can be taken on and beaten - direct Birmingham City Council ignored a nationals) for promoting unhealthy food, have to fail on one point to be liable, die showed that oppressive laws can be action in the community works." formal business proposal from the exploiting workers children and animals McLibel Two were ordered to pay rendered unworkable if people fight them. The former council-run community Social Centre Collective to continue and causing environmental damage. The damages of £40,000 to McDonald’s, yet Thank* to the work of the McLibel day nursery had been boarded up and their social project for a ‘peppercorn’ McLibel trial lasted for 314 days between no legal sanctions were ordered against Support Campaign and grass roots left empty for over two years. It was re rent in the building. The RITE Project is 1994 and the verdict in 1997 - the kmgest McDonald’s for the damning findings campaigners, anti McDonald's leaflets opened by the Collective, which includes scheduled to use the building until 2006, trial of any kind in English legal history. against the company. The McLibel Two were being distributed in millions all homeless people and children, and it when it is due to be demolished - pending McDonald’s spent an estimated £10m refused to pay, and muead launched legal around the world In dozens of has since facilitated workshops, cultural a public enquiry - as part of the proceedings against (be UK government languages. The website about the case events and meetings of community interest controversial Bristol Road expansion. arguing that the marathon trial and UK and campaign at wwwjncspotlight.org for local people as well as much-needed The Collective note that social use of ISSN 0016 -0504 libel laws breached the European has been accessed over a hundred short-terni housing for its homeless the building would not be on the agenda Convention on Human Rights. million times. residents upstairs, if they had not taken direct action, high The European Court ruled there had U included a large green space called lighting the misuse of public buildings been an unacceptable inequality of arms In the next Issue Of Freedom, we Interview ‘the secret garden’, originally inrended by local authorities. with McDonald’s during the trial, and Helen ftnifDave about their remarkable battle, as a community project. At the Vol 66 that the lack of procedural fairness and and how McDonald's end the legal system Bournbrook neighbourhood forum in For more info see www.stuffit.org/nursery or equality gave rise to a breach of the right were beaten. October; local residents consensually agreed www.wmanarchlsts.org 9 No 5 2 Freedom 5th March 2005 Home and away
FREEDOM Volume 66 Number 5 News from the inside Anarchism Freedom for prisoners Last year thirteen women took their own Two new prison pamphlets Campaign Against Prison Slavery. For As many of you may know, Freedom lives in prisons in England and Wales, For speakers of French and/or Spanish more info contact [email protected] Anarchists work towards a society of provides free subscriptions to anyone in three of them in New Hall, where two new pamphlets have recently been The Spanish pamphlet, Enemigo Del mutual aid and voluntary co-operation. prison. If you have friends or family in Victoria Robinson died. Victoria’s death produced focussing on repression and Estado, has been put together by A1 We reject government, and all forms of prison, or regularly write to a prisoner, came only two days after the inquest resistance in British prisons, the prison Margen, and is a translation of a talk exploitation and domination. if they are interested we will be happy into the suicide of another woman industrial complex and the panopticon given by Mark Barnsley in Valencia in Freedom Press is an independent to send them a free sample issue or sub. prisoner, Helena Price, in New Hall. society, prison slavery, and other issues. April 2004. For more information anarchist publisher founded in 1886. If you are a prisoner yourself we can The French publication is produced contact [email protected] Besides this newspaper, which comes provide subs to any of your fellow New American eco-prisoner by the group La Breche, and entitled II out every two weeks, we produce books inmates if they wish. Please also feel Ryan Lewis has been remanded in custody Faut Porter des Masques de Ski! The Crap arrest of the week on all aspects of anarchist theory and free to write to us with any news about charged with arson attacks for which central text is the transcript of a talk Thirteen-year old Amy Hodges was practice - see our website for a full list. your imprisonment, developments in responsibility was claimed by the Earth given in Lille in May 2004 by Mark having a snowball fight with her mates In our building in East London we run your case or anything else! Liberation Front. Letters of support can Barnsley, and besides La Breche’s when one of the snowballs she threw Britain’s biggest anarchist bookshop be sent to: Ryan Lewis, X-4101338 introduction, there are articles on broke the rear window of a car. and host the Autonomy Club meeting CAPS conference 5E225B, Sacramento County Main Jail, repression in British prisons and the Unfortunately for Amy the car belonged room and the Freedom Hacklab open- The next Campaign Against Prison 651 *1’ Street, Sacramento, CA 95814, to an off-duty part-time copper who access IT space. Slavery conference is to be held in the USA. arrested her! At the police station, Amy Our aim is to explain anarchism north of England on 12th March, starting was finger-printed, her DNA taken, and more widely and to show that people at 1pm. While the conference is not ‘open’ Prison uprising in Argentina she was held in a cell for four hours. can work together and use direct action for security reasons, we encourage all An uprising at the heavily overcrowded She was then told that if she did not to practically improve our lives and groups and individuals involved in the Cordoba prison in Argentina, over living accept a verbal caution, which will stay build a better world. campaign to make every effort to attend. conditions and visitation rights, left five on her record for five years, she’d be Freedom’s editors wish to present a For info email [email protected] prisoners, two guards, and a cop dead. charged with criminal damage. “My broad range of anarchist thought, and Prisoners took control of the prison for daughter now has a criminal record for as such the views expressed in the Death of Victoria Robinson in New more than 24 hours, and staged a rooftop throwing a snowball,” said Amy’s paper are those of the individual Hall Prison protest, after taking 24 guards hostage, mum, Theresa. “Amy had to sit in the contributors and not necessarily those On 2nd February, 26 year old Victoria along with the governor. Whether or man’s car and frankly he could have of the editorial collective. Robinson became the first woman to not the authorities made concessions to been anybody.” kill herself in a British prison this year. end the siege has not been made public. compiled by Mar1( Barnsley Angel Alley We arc currently looking into folding Freedom ourselves. We currently pay £2,400 per year to have it commercially folded, but buying a folding machine LISTINGS and doing it ourselves would pay for Bristol international day of direct action. See A network o f resistance against the G8 84b Whitechapel High Street, London itself over the course of a couple of Every Sunday the Kebele Kafe from www.dsei.org www.dissent.org.uk E l 7Q X years, not to mention saving several 6.30pm, 14 Robertson Road, Easton. 26th March The Tenth Annual San Earth First! www.freedompress.org.uk days on the paper production process. For info call 0117 9399469 Francisco Bay Area Bookfair, from Ecological direct action network Kebele If we manage to raise the cash, and find 10am to 6pm at Golden Gate Park, www.earthfirst.org.uk 14 Robertson Road, Easton, Bristol ■ people to help out this should go ahead, London Ninth Avenue and Lincoln Way Industrial Workers of the World BS5 6JY and we will keep you ail informed. 12th March Video premiere of Refusing 10th April Valencia Anarchist Bookfair Revolutionary DIY union www.kebele.org One of our upstairs storage rooms is to Kill, from 2-5pm at Maiden Lane For info see www.valenciallibertaria.org PO Box 74, Brighton, BN1 4ZQ Lancaster Resource Centre (LaRC) presently being cleared so that the Community Centre, 156 St Paul’s 6th July Global day of action at the www.iww.org.uk The Basement, 78a Penny Street, Advisory Service for Squatters can move Crescent, NW15. Contact 020 7209 opening day of the G8 Summit. See Solidarity Federation Lancaster in, and we look forward to shortly being 4751 or 0780 378 9699 or see www.agp.org or www.dissent.org.uk Anarcho-syndicalist organisation www.eco-action.org/lancaster ‘roomies' with them. For more info on www.refusingtokill.net PO Box 469, Preston PR1 8FX London Action Resource Centre whar they do see www.scjuatter.org.uk 18th March Refusing to Kill showing at Nationwide groups www.solfed.org. uk (LARC) 7pm at Crossroads Women’s Centre, Anarchist Federation See also www.enrager.net/britain 62 Fieldgate Street, London El 230a Kentish Town Road, NWS Network o f anarchist-communists www.londonlarc.org Donations Box 2, 84b Whitechapel High Street, Social Centres The Rampart One-off donations Cor January and Newcastle London E l 7QX Autonomous Centre of Edinburgh 7a Rampart Street, London El February 2005: 6th March a day of film, theatre, music www.afed.org.uk (ACE) SUMAC Centre GH, £10; MJ, £20; JG, #$f M l*£2$; and speakers to celebrate 100 years of A ntifa 17 West Montgomery Place, Edinburgh 245 Gladstone Street, Nottingham JK, £70; JL, £4; JH, £5; TA, £10; JG, die IWW and 20 years since the end of Militant anti-fascist organisation www.autonomous.org.uk NG7 6HX £10. the miners’ strike. For info contact Box 36, 84b Whitechapel High Street, The Basement www.veggies.org.uk/rainbow/ 01302 841 365 or see www.iww.org.uk London E l 7QX 24 Lever Street, Manchester (contact lin l2 Club Total one-off donations from August or www.num.org.uk www.antifa.org.uk [email protected] or 0161 237 21-23 Albion Street, Bradford, West 2004* £1,170 Class War Federation 1832) Yorkshire, BD1 2LY Total annual standing order donations j international Class struggle anarchist group The Cowley Club www.linl2.com from August 2004 w £749 18rb to 20th March Zagreb Anarchist PO Box 467, London E8 3QX 12 London Road, Brighton BN1 4JA 56a Infoshop Bookfair. See www. ask 'Aagreb.org www.classwaruk.org www.cowleyclub.org.uk 56 Crampton Street, London SE17 Contact details* 21fci March I>e«/oy die arms trade, Dissent Freedom www. sa fety cat ,org/56a Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London £1 7Q X 6CIWC A 6U 00IN 6 I I WAS an 1 'hot o f f tw PIUS'S f Buv woofts!' Tel/fax: 020 7247 9249 W W rtDTD in A RADICAL ------Z l' W OKIUV 5 0 , I p f c n m i q s' www,freedompress*org«uk I SHAM o r : I m f r i Enquiries; info<&freedompress
In Brief Anti-gel action One big union? A check-in clerk at Stansted is fighting a suspension he was given for allegedly having too much gel in his hair. The measure, taken after John Graham had Is the T&G, GMB and Amicus merger talk positive, or already sported a punk hairdo for two years, prompted workmates to come in die next day wearing Mohicans as a just staving off their demise? Joe Jacobs Jnr reports protest. A union shop-steward, John has never received any reprimands before now and his union, G M B, have fter many months of rumours, the number of unionised workplaces with complained to employer Swtssport. first step towards a possible merger shop stewards in them has fallen from Swissport UK, based at Heathrow, went A between die biggest trades unions 16% to 10% . In many cases the unions into administration in November 2004 in the private sector was taken at the are gaining new members from each and laid off thousands of jobs shortly after beginning of February. other rather than from non-unionised a negotiated 2 .5 % pay rise, a measure The Transport & General Workers workers. Whilst all three unions retain which GMB bitterly criticised at the time Union and Amicus announced that they membership in the public sector they as the media found out before employees. were in talks to create to create a new are dwarfed by Unison, and the PCS, union, with the hope it would be the Civil Servants union; Homelessness in mining towns approved by members by the end of the In the long-term, the leadership hope Many old mining towns have seen an year. Although the GMB are not formally that even more unions join in (UCATT explosion of property speculation which involved at the moment, they are being and the NUM are both plausibfe has seen locals priced out of the market. ‘kept informed’ of developments, with a candidates), ending up with one union There has been a rise in the number of view to joining in due course. for the private sector and one for the homeless applications, with over half of None of the unions are in any public sector. One former General the top 20 rises being recorded in the immediate difficulties over membership Secretary has even talked of turning the ex-miner communities. The largest rise or finances (the GMB’s have been entire TUC into ‘one big union’. took place in Strathdyde region, on the precarious in the recent past, but this Although there are clearly many outskirts of Glasgow up 70% from has been largely solved through disposal benefits to all workers being a member £60,988 to £103,928. of assets) but long-term decline leaves of the same union, and it is agreed that The Glasgow area is one of the poorest them unconfident of reversing that inter-union rivalries have a poor effect in Scotland, with between 4 .5 and 6.6% situation except by merger - as all three upon wider recruitment of members, the of people claiming benefits. General Secretaries have explicitly said. danger of such a union being even more “We don’t need to organise - that has removed from the membership, and even New South London group failed. Hie way to grow our'union is more bureaucratic are also obvious. with Labour we’ve seen from the RMT, will go to organising, and that his A new anarchist initiative is starting up through mergers” (Amicus leader Derek TwootbeLfactorscpmeJnto.playas FBUj o t CWU, (though the .GMBhas proposed new 120 Organisers will go. in South London. A meeting on 8th March Simpson). to why the merger has been announced dramatically cut its donation to the party, ahead, but many are not convinced that will hopefully see the formation of a new “Our unions have failed our member now. All three unions have ‘left’ leader and the T& G have made the bold step even with a union office in every town, branch of die Solidarity Federation ship, so need to join together to become ships - once called the ‘awkward squad’. of insisting its delegates to party bodies the officers and leadership will not be {SolFed), adding to the established North bigger” (Tony Woodley, TGWU). They haven’t seemed so awkward since vote in accordance with union policy!); even more removed from the membership. East London branch. “Unless we turn membership decline the ‘Warwick Agreement1 last yea^ when The leadership wants to head off any One proposal had it that the new At a test meeting this month, members around, we will never regain our passed they agreed a peace with New Labour in such move by retaining some influence union’s conference would only have one decided to convenethe group as a SolFed strength. This has not happened, so we exchange for some small improvements within the party of government. The delegate for every 7,000 members. looaL The meetingidentified several broad need to pool our remaining strength” in labour laws. As a merger is seen as union would have a significant percentage One big union controlled by its areasthe group could concentrate on. (Kevin Curran, GMB). inevitable in the long-term, the leadership of the votes at Labour conference, but members (or even just more controlled One attendee said: “Issuesidentified were None of them note that unions Win wants it now, when the terms would be that means little as regards Labour by its members) would be a great step die crackdown on incapacity benefit and members when they are actually slighdy more favourable to the Party policy in government. forward, but as it stands, the proposals die sell-off o f social housing under the fighting. All three have dodged fights to membership than they would be under Despite urging from Curran, the GMB offer no such thing. There is no guise of the “Decent Homes Standard’.* defend their members’ interests since a right-wing led merger. executive hasn’t been keen so far and principled reason for opposition to a Contact details and affiliations have not their election (e.g. Woodley at Rover and Also, it’s seen as the creation of a demand further information around merger - unlike with the formation of yet been decided, but organising is taking Jaguar), and see any future only as major bloc within the Labour Party — questions of lay democracy, organising PCS or the AEEU none of the unions place partially on encagec net’s forums. managers. one that (they argue) will return it to its culture, and relations with the Labour involved are ‘management unions’, nor The position of the unions has roots, but which in reality, will act as Party. These are questions which activists are they ‘radical’ unions being forced to Warms the heart weakened^ T& G membership has declined the major backer of Gordon Brown in the T& G and Amicus are raising as adopt to right-wing policies and structures. But any merger must be on The energy group Centrica, which owns by 7 0 ,0 0 0 , whilst the workforce has once Blair resigns. There aren’t the well, Tony Woodley has promised that British Gas, announced an increase in die increased by a million people. The large scale moves to completely break at least 10% of the new union’s budget our terms. profits of l a domestic energy business of some 83% . The company admitted that the “required customer tariff Plutonium is lost increases" which raised gas UUs by 19% Hunt ban defiance washout since January 20 0 4 were among die main In a statement, the UK Atomic Energy but I’m not so sanguine as that. Bear in reasons for a rise in profit margins. Nearly H he government'* ban on hunting the delight of the wary *ab group. A Suffolk tab said: “We had a really good Authority (UKAEA) has admitted mind that Size we II B is the flagship of a million customers went to n* competiiorp canie into force on 19th February, | that 29.6kg of plutonium is missing nuclear power, and they store fuel rods after the domestic price rise, only totee and all wa* quiet on the Eastern day, there was lots of support out." I T on site for some thirty years while they The story was similar for the E w t and from Sella field - ’unaccounted for’. The their new suppliers; also raise their prices. front. Freedom asked around East Anglia Suffolk, but in East Essex, the situation group stressed that this is simply an think of what to with them. You have Thank Thatcher the gas industry is nor to free what the general atmosphere was became more volatile for a travelling accounting issue - along with the loss to store this stuff for 240,000 years and one of those evil nationalised industries like after the paraal siicctm of a campaign London sab group, who were (topped by of 16.4kg of depleted uranium. no-one knows where to put it. They’re who charge their unfortunate customers that has been heavily supported by anarchist activists to recent year*. a group of around 40 hunt supporters, It said: “The material unaccounted owned by the same people.” high prices and pass the risk and burden Hunt Saboteur* (safe*) is Norfolk, and had to be protected by police. for 2003/4 were all within international In 2003 the British Nuclear Group of the wholesale gas price on to customers! Suffolk and fianrx turned out in above Across the country, the Countryside standards of expected measurement said the plant had lost 19kg. There Alliance claimed91 kills from 240 accuracies." have been several other scares in the If it% good enough for them... average number* to, in die word* of one tab, ‘flounce around for a bit’, and hunts, although it acknowledged that According to Charles Barnett, of the area in recent months. Size well faced James Dyson, the inventor of the **“' were greeted by colourful, large but most of these were through shootings Shut Down Siaewell Campaign, this fines for the unauthorised dumping of named vacuum cleaner, justified sacking subdued hunt* across die region. rather than pack kills. isn’t the first time such discrepancies material* off the Suffolk coasts, and a hi* 800-strong UK workforce and 'fug, m Norfolk said: * Special branch On average, the number of fog kills per have occurred: “They weigh the fuel recent malfunction shut down the entire replacing them with cheaper labour in were out on the day. We’ll see what hum per day is 1.1, according to govern- rods as they go in, robotically because plant for several months late last year Malaysia because “wage level* doubled happen* In a couple of week*’ time meat statistics, making the total average they’re so highly radioactive, and then amid a cloud of steam, costing the over here andI k “would have gone out because 1 think the police were there 2 64 for a national day of that sue. weigh them again when they come out. company millions in repairs. of business.” In 2003, Dyson and hi* wife today to (how they were taking it Despite this extremely weak fulfilment There is often a discrepancy. It’s normally British Energy, the company behind paid themselves £ l7 m in dividend*. He seriously, a* a keeping order thing." of pyro-hunt threats of civil disobedience, kept secret because of corporate law Sellafield and Sizewell, have recendy ha* declined to say what level of payout Across the region hunt* came out on it was generally agreed by bath sides that but someone got hold of the precise been in emergency talks with American they could be in line for this time, but the individual farms but packed up after the day was not the end of the affair and figures because of the Freedom of investors to try and save the financial doubling of profits in 2 0 0 4 to £102m future of the company, leading to fear* just a few hours. the beginning of the new season later this Information Act. It has happened before •uggejts ^ ^ d be well over In Suffolk they stayed on one farm and year will be a truer test of the ban’s but never as much as 30kg. Irt technically that comers may be cut in safety jHBtlHb.Now that his own wages have Site ■-»* h'n hanMilfa within die marginal error of accountancy procedures. 4 Freedom 5th March 2005 News
A licence to cheat Walmart use child labour and that's okay, says America’s Labour department. Jack Ray reports
S retailer Walmart is entitled to be entitled to ten more days before a fifteen days notice before Labour further inspection can enforce U Department investigations in a punishment. sweetheart deal struck with the Bush Gus Whitcomb, spokesman for administration. The agreement, which Walmart, defended the agreement. He also permits the multinational giant ten said: “We’re confident the inspector days to correct any violation, was struck general will conclude the agreement is as part of a January settlement over 85 fair and reasonable.” He claimed the breaches of US Child labour laws mosdy company was being victimised, “what concerning minors operating hazardous is truly unfortunate is that the attention equipment. focused on the agreement has now Teenage workers in stores in Arkansas, moved from being about compliance ... Connecticut and New Hampshire are to being a new forum for people who alleged to have used industrial cardboard simply don’t like us.” balers, and chainsaws to trim Christmas The 25 day honeymoon period is trees. It is equipment that the United thought to be unique in US labour Food and Commercial Workers Union relations. John Fraser, a top official in associate with a potential for “maiming, the Department of Labour for both amputation and death” The arrangement Bush Sr and Clinton, commented that with the Department of Labour will “It appears to put Wal-Mart in a end the investigation into Walmart’s privileged position that to my knowledge malpractice, which occurred over a no other employer has. ” Senator four-year period from 1998 to 2002. Christopher Dodd (Democrat, In exchange Walmart will accept a Connecticut) observed “the police $135,540 fine without admitting wouldn’t phone a thief to give him time responsibility for any wrongdoing. The to leave a crime scene.” fine equates to 15 seconds of Walmart Walmart have recently been involved sales during 1994 and can be deducted in further labour relations controversy from the company’s tax bill as a business across the border in Canada. Their expense. The new agreement will store in Jonquiere (Quebec) became the effectively grant immunity to the retail first North American Walmart to be giant, with employee complaints on a unionised when a ballot was upheld by range of issues - child labour restrictions, the Labour relations Board in wages and hours violations - only being September last year. Walmart investigated after the Department of announced its intention to shut the Labour tells the store of the complaint store earlier this month, with the gone to arbitration and was set to be which roughly half leave each year. On $284.8bn, up on $255bn the year and management has been given fifteen company citing ‘business reasons* for implemented in the Spring. average its employees earn $8 an hour before. The company was the 11th days to correct it. In the event that the 6th May closure. The branch’s first Walmart employs more than a (around £4.20). Profits for the year biggest donor to the Republican Party store is still not compliant it will then collective bargaining agreement had million workers in the United States, of ending 28th January 2004 ran to from 1999 to 2004. In Brief Fighting eco-terrorism
He even lies about books! Other protests included marches and co-terrorism is alive and well in the intimidating critics of Bush’s proposed Waxman of California described the We all know that Bush is a liar, but this rallys ouside US embassies, street United States: environmentalists ‘Clear Skies’ (= more highly polluted) threat by the Republicans as “a blatant takes the biscuit. Children’s writer and parades and Critical Mass bike rides. E generally agree that the Bush pseudo-initiative. Earlier in the month attempt at intimidation and bullying so illustrator Eric Carle is famous for The administration has done more in its first two national organisations (the State that experts will be afraid to speak out Very Hungry Caterpillar. A Democrat, The cost of war four years to damage the world’s eco and Territorial Air Pollution Program about a bill that rolls back air pollution he has an unexpected fan in Bush, who The war in Iraq has cost the US over system in the interests of corporate greed Administrators and the Association of protections for all Americans.” nominated that very book as his favourite $156 billion (and counting). This is the than any other government throughout Local Air Pollution Control Officials) But the US state eco-terrorists seem at story when he was a child - even though same price for ensuring that every child the country’s history has managed in a had criticised Clear Skies. It is their job times to be healthily outnumbered for George W. was 24 when the book first in the world was basic immunisations comparable period of time. to watch such measures - they represent determination and drive by activists and came out. The man cannot even tell the for 52 years. One of the more effective environmental state and local agencies which monitor pressure groups. These fall into three truth about what books he claims to organisations, the Natural Resources air pollution. In keeping with Bush’s broad categories. Firstly there are those have read. Incredible. Bush Unplanned Defence Council, lists one form or zero tolerance policy, senator James which appeal to the very wreckers who President George Bush likes to have what another of government or corporate Inhofe directed the two organisations to are responsible for the damage - the Kyoto treaty becomes law are called ‘town hall* style meetings to attack on the world roughly every turn over their financial and tax records petitioners and lobbyists like the Audubon The Kyoto treaty, which limits the amount meet with average people. They were hundred hours since 2001. for the past six years as well as provide and Wilderness Society. Although such of pollutants countries can emit, is now quickly dubbed ‘Stepford meetings* as From profligacy with energy to a list of members. groups have few illusions about the in effect. The treaty, widely derided for they were by invite only and attendees accelerated climate change; habitat When challenged, the Republicans extent and nature of the damage, their its its weak policies and its failure to had to pledge support for the Republican destruction to greater pollution; from claimed that it was necessary to know methods are reformist; they raise include the USA, Australia, China or party. Anyone deemed not enthusiastic wider, inequitable, consumption of finite whether the groups are ‘secretly* being awareness nicely but rely on the state India, affects 141 countries around the enough were barred. resources to faster extermination of subsidised by any outside interests such working against itself. world. It aims to cut greehouse gases by When he visited Europe, Bush wanted endangered species; and from a dirtier as environmentalists or foundations. The Then there are those whose protests are 5.2% below 1990 levels by 2008-12. to do the same. He had declared that a atmosphere to greater proliferation of senator must have got the idea of ‘outside well-directed and carefully-organised On the same day as the treaty was ‘town hall* style meeting was to be the nuclear weapons and waste, the Bush interests* from the millions of dollars like Greenpeace and WorldWatch. They signed on 17th February, Greenpeace cornerstone of the brief trip to Germany brigades are relentlessly terrorising life on from industry devoted to lobbying for work alongside the state and have hopes activists broke into London’s petroleum in an attempt to get in touch with the our planet. And they’re proud of it. environmentally-destructive measures somehow of transforming it. oiJ exchange and halted some of the German people to convince them of his In mid February the chair of a senate without being either fully disclosed or Most significantly, there are those who international trade for several hours. policies. environmental committee was accused of acknowledged. Congressperson Henry ^ page 6, column 4 Freedom 5th March 2005 6 Feature The cultural cold war Last century's silent battle over control of the arts continues under New Labour in contemporary Britain, writes Nathaniel Catchpole
tate and corporate funding CIA estimated the NCL as a reliably of the Arts is well known as anti-Communist force which in action a way of supporting culture would be, if not pro-Western and pro- which reinforces the status American, at any rate not anti-Western of the political and corporate and anti-American.”2 elite. In the US and UK, In order for all this to remain covert, opera, symphony orchestras, CIA money had to be funnelled through the ballet, museums, art galleries and the private cultural foundations - notably infrastructure that supports them, all get that of Nelson Rockefeller who was for significant funding from both sources. many years the president of the Museum . Usually targeted towards an upper or of Modern Art in New York (MoMA). upper-middle class audience and serving Money was deposited into the accounts both their taste and social interests. of a number of real and front foundations, What is less known is the systematic and eventually into institutions like state subsidy of corporate sponsorship MoMA to fund specific projects and and philanthropy, which has been going exhibitions. One of the main focuses of on in some form or another since the the Congress for Cultural Freedom was 1950s. Direct state subsidy is quite easy Abstract Impressionism (described as “free to trace and quantify, but in the US, and enterprise art” by Nelson Rockefeller), to a lesser (though increasing) extent in which it supported with exhibitions and the UK, the State has supported many purchases for a number of years: “We forms of cultural activity either covertly recognised that this-was-the kind of art via intelligence services, or indirectly via that didn’t have anything to do with or corporate) pays a tax rate of 40%, Industries Development Agencies, the of the working class - local residents the tax system. This has made public socialist realism, and made socialist £1 donated to a charity will give them a State is now targeting areas (East London, (quite rightly) point to the money being art institutions dependent on corporate realism look even more stylised and tax break of 40p, with only 60p of the Brixton, Yorkshire/Humber region for spent on ‘creative industries’ development, sponsorship for their existence, and allows more rigid and confined than it was. donation coming out of pocket; the state example) to actively support this process. which isn’t being spent on repairs to companies to get a significant kick-back Moscow in those days was very vicious therefore contributes an additional two- The agencies use money from regeneration council accommodation, building cheap from the state for what is already a very in its denunciation of any kind of non- • thirds over and above their out of pocket budgets to provide business advice, general-use housing, or infrastructure, targeted and cost-effective form of conformity to its own very rigid patterns. donation. Due to the graduated tax system accommodation, marketing, and other often ignoring the fact that many artists advertising. So one could quite adequately and in both countries which has been in services to people involved in ‘creative are also on low-incomes with low-paid In 1950, the CIA set up an organisation accurately reason that anything they place to a greater or lesser extent over industries’ *- already a loaded term for casual day jobs in order to pay these called the Congress for Cultural Freedom, criticised that much and that heavy the past 20-30 years, those on lower cultural activity of any kind, placing it higher private rents. This becomes a which existed until 1967 as the main body handedly was worth support one way incomes get considerably less subsidy for firmly within enterprise culture and smokescreen for the true nature of of their cultural wing. Run by Michael or the other.”3 their donations to arts organisations and commodity exchange. gentrification, which will eventually Josselson, at its peak the Congress had The Congress for Cultural Freedom charities in general. Corporate donations Rent and property value, at least in push out both artists and local residents “offices in thirty-five countries, employed i was therefore characterised by two main are similarly tax deductible.5 areas of East London, has overtaken in favour of luxury residential and dozens of personnel, published over twenty approaches: channelling state money The common liberal or anti-corporate the capacity of artists and even those in retail developments. prestige magazines, held art exhibitions, through private sponsorship in order to reaction to this sort of activity is that the new media industries to afford The only way that artists and musicians owned a news and features service, prevent any artists involved noticing the tax-loopholes should be closed up and accommodation easily. Many redevelop can gain control of their activity without organised high-profile international CIA’s involvement, and funding the money spent directly by the state to ments, including those with ‘live/work’ reliance on the State or corporate conferences, and rewarded musicians ‘progressive’ art, loosely aligned with make it accountable. All that would do planning permission (often a thinly sponsorship, is to develop self-managing and artists with prizes and public the non-communist left (NCL). Both to would be to restore the bureaucratic disguised excuse for massive luxury studio structures to work towards a society performances.”1 It was originally set up show how culturally progressive the West elite to a central position of resource apartments instead of either affordable which will not leave their livelihood with the primary purpose of funding was, and to try to increase the status of control for cultural activity instead of housing or viable work space) are dependent on the State, Capital, or cultural activity in Western Europe, one artists aligned with the NCL over those the corporate one. In fact, the same aimed at City workers in the financial patronage by the rich. This involves of its earliest major activities being the who supported the Soviets. It also people with the same interests; many sector, with corresponding prices. This recognising that their interests lie with Masterpieces of the Twentieth Century artificially inflated the power and prestige politicians, ex-politicians and high-level leads to a polarisation where local the wider working class, and building festival in Paris, 1952. This month long of ‘private’ cultural institutions such as civil servants serve on the boards of residents can clearly see the priorities of solidarity between themselves and their festival included the Boston Symphony MoMA and the Guggenheim foundation, charities and non-profit Arts organisations developers, and begin to mobilise communities in order to further their Orchestra, the Vienna Philharmonic, the supplying them with ample support in the same way they are often also against it - the State is therefore having interests outside bureaucratic and West Berlin RIAS Orchestra, and works towards their already considerable company directors. Quangos and other to artificially inject artists into these sponsorship mechanisms. It is in all our and appearances by as many composers resources. government agencies are by no means areas in order to give some kind pf interests to work towards a society where as possible who’s works had been banned . The Congress was shut down quite accountable, and an attack on corporate cultural authenticity and public service we are not required to take low-paid or denounced by, or had physically fled, quickly in 1967, after revelations came sponsorship can very easily end up veneer to the development process. work or rely on benefits and patronage Nazi Germany and the USSR. out about agents in its employ and its supporting them as an alternative. Projects include housing Arts projects in order to meet basic needs, and where The Congress for Cultural Freedom source of funding, mainly concerning Creative Industries Development in derelict spaces for short periods to all individuals are able to reach their wasn’t set up to directly promote US the flagship Encounter magazine. Ironically Agencies, are one of the most recent prevent them being used for squatting full potential through the liberation of foreign policy. Its purpose was to build its major opponent following the ways that the State and Capital are co before redevelopment, and generally work and cultural activity from Capital up the reputation of artists in the West revelations was the then president, opting art towards their interests. People trying to reduce the negative effects of and commodity production. who’s work could in some way be viewed Lyndon Baines Johnson - “[I] won’t have have been well aware for some time gentrification for cultural workers in as supportive or at least uncritical of anything more to do with [the CIA that artists are often the first to move into order to prevent them being pushed out Footnotes American foreign policy and free trade, intellectuals]. They all just follow the deprived areas and start the process of along with the wider working class (the 1. Introduction to Who Paid the Piper? The and to show Western Europe as somewhere Communist line - liberals, intellectuals, gentrification - opening small galleries same can be said for key worker housing). CIA and the Cultural Cold W ar by Frances where the arts were both supported and Communists. They’re all the same.”4 or craft shops, giving deprived areas a Although this kind of activity temporarily Stonor Saunders, Granta 1999/2000. allowed to flourish uninhibited by the However^ since then, individual and veneer of cultural and artistic activity, ameliorates the difficulty of finding 2. James Burnham, Notes on the CIA ruling elite. Due to its secrecy, it managed corporate philanthropy and sponsorship and taking over and renovating disused appropriate space for a small number shambles, National Review, 21st March, to fund artistic activity which would never have still been receiving significant state industrial spaces for workshops and of approved artists, and those artists are 1967, cited ibid. have received US State Department subsidy through the process of tax studios. Usually this is an organic process rarely in a position not to take advantage 3. Donald Jameson (CIA), interview, 1994, funding - the abstract impressionists, expenditure. Most large arts organisations, as many artists are simply unable'to of them, it doesn’t deal with the issues cited ibid. serialist composers, and many other no matter how elitist, are registered afford to live or work anywhere else and of private land ownership that cause 4. Quoted ibid., page 401. 'progressive’ artists loosely aligned to charities, and donations to them are tax- are attracted by cheap rents and empty those problems in the first place. It also 5. Page 59, Privatising Culture, Chin Tao the Non-Communist Left (NCL). “The deductible. In short, if a donor (private space. With the advent of Creative serves as a means to divide the interests Wu, Verso 2002/2003. 6 Freedom 5th March 2005 Editorial Commentary
ampaigning in the general though, is a commitment to rebuilding justice’. Working in Bayview Hunters election has effectively Criminal dissentthe working class militancy it is Eco-terrorism Point, San Francisco, for example, a started. Tony Blair has been On 23rd February 2005 the Home designed to prevent. page 4 neighbourhood with a typically high on Channel 5. Ministers Secretary Charles Clarke finally John Shute have recognised that this can’t be done rates of asthma and cancer, Greenaction have been cold calling published his proposed Prevention of and have seen the efficacy of usually has targeted air polluters and built voters. Brace yourself for Terrorism bill, to replace the detention nonviolent direct action and ‘civil significant community support. A new three months of yawn without trial powers deemed illegal by Good riddance disobedience*. These vociferous and campaign in Arizona and Mexico is inducing tedium as the political parties the House of Lords. The new proposals Early spring light casts long shadows frankly brave groups are as active as ever also exposing the waste industry’s go through their five yearly ritual of relate to the control orders, to be across the fields of the Mendips and They aim to build community support, ‘incinerators in disguise’: harmful C sheep baa peacefully in the knowledge to go directly to the sources of distress incineration-like technologies such as pretending that they actually care what introduced against anyone - British or we think. Elections expose the way foreign national - suspected of that packs of excited dogs will not be and destruction - and they do make a gasification, pyrolysis, plasma arc and politicians try to manipulate what ‘terrorist activity’. The control orders disturbing them today. The Mendip tangible difference. Many - like the catalytic cracking for treatment of happens to make them look as good as will allow the Home Secretary to Hunt is otherwise engaged, parading Ruckus Society, whose strap is ‘actions hazardous, solid, medical waste and possible. impose conditions on any individual, through the centre of Wells, assuming speak louder than words* - also offer tyres are sited inappropriately. Take three stories from last week, including ban on internet or mobile with all the arrogance of the local elite training and manuals for others motivated Greenaction has also achieved recent one involving public spending, one the phone use, restrictions on movement that such a display will bring a sob to to draw attention to the destruction of victories in Hanford in the San Joaquin council tax and one the NHS. and travel, restrictions on associations the throats of onlookers at the thought the only environment we have. Valley, California, bringing plans by When appointed Chancellor; Gordon with named individuals, curfews and that this noble and ancient pastime is Amongst the more prominent direct Plastic Energy LLC for a plastics Brown set his so-called ‘golden rules’. tagging. to end, ostensibly. Local hunt hooligans action groups are Earth First!, The Earth catalytic cracking plant to a halt; in One of these says that the government It is one of the ironies of the ongoing have been out spray-painting the country Liberation Front and Greenaction. Each Alameda, San Leandro and Oakland - should only borrow to invest. Falling ‘war on terror* that those who claim to roads with rather pathetic ‘Hunt On’ of these operates internationally now also in California - grassroots activity tax revenues mean that the government be the armed advocates of democracy slogans and last ditch posters exhorting and each does sterling work, with some recently forced the Alameda Public faces a shortfall in public finances and appear able to pursue democracy only the faithful to ‘Fight Prejudice’ adorn overlap, in its fields. They also have Utilities Board to stop considering a the prospect of having to raise taxes to through its suspension. Thus, ‘freedom’ the odd hedge and tree. active prisoner support programmes. garbage gasification plant which would keep to Brown’s golden rule. Increased is honoured only in the breach - and Recently the anti-hunt Blairite clone have emitted dioxin and toxic metals taxes of course are not good for votes, those who champion ‘Western MP ‘Desperate’ Dan Norris was Earth Firstl into the air. Working with tribal so buried away in a press release from democracy’ institute detention without confronted by a pack of out of control Earth First! is in some ways a ‘reformed* members in the Gila River Alliance for the Office of National Statistics last trial at Guantanamo Bay and Belmarsh, Beaufort Hunt supporters one of whom anarcho-environmentalist group with a a Clean Environment in Arizona, week was an announcement that the and rfegimes of torture at Guantanamo claimed Badminton villagers’ lives had solid following and high reputation. For Greenaction also won a victory late last way public finances are calculated is to and Abu Graib. been ‘ruined’ by the ban. “How dare the most part this comes from a thorough year when Romic, a hazardous waste be changed. Money spent on roads will By a now typical sleight of hand New this man come to our village?” she understanding of the interdependency company operating on the reservation no longer count as revenue and Labour has used the furore over barked, adding that the violence shown of all life and the need to organise well, without proper permits and an therefore the shortfall in public detention without trial - which applied “was definitely not from a drunken publicise success and attract lasting and appalling track record of violations, expenditure will remain within limits! to non-UK nationals only - to change minority.” A touch of honesty in the committed support. They have a very announced they had stopped handling Like magic the need to raise taxes detention to house arrest, and extend it debate for a change. The moral arguments well-produced, varied and informative the most toxic solvents. disappears. As the Financial Times put to all UK residents, British or foreign were lost by them years ago and justifica journal (www.earthfirstjoumal.org/efj/). Activists in the US are not really in it the timing of the statistical change by nationals. The liberal left meanwhile tions for the barbarous practice have Recent work has included blockading the forefront of ecological direct action the supposedly independent ONS was hail this as a ‘victory’, and seek only altered like the west wind. attempts to desecrate Siskiyou Wild when considered against work in other “supremely convenient”. that the powers be invoked by the Captain Ian Farquhar, joint master of Rivers; affording physical protection to parts of the world, but in an Freedom has reported that public judiciary rather than the Hone the Beaufort Hunt, intoned that he could seals in La Jolla, California; collaboration increasingly repressive state with sector workers are facing attempts by Secretary, as if the chauffeur-driven understand why people were angry. “I with Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty polluting, consumption-oriented and the state to slash the value of their products of Oxbridge are likeLy to be don’t condone violence,.and I don’t 9 (SHAC) and exposure of an destructive industries doing ever greater pensions. Last week the Liberal more sympathetic to the cause of condone what has happened.” Violence Environmental Protection Agency’s (the damage, their strength of purpose is to Democrats leaked a memo from the ‘terror’ than the government. against wildlife excepted of course. government-funded EPA) project to pay be admired and supported. Office of the Deputy Prime Minister. All of this suggests a government Roger Scruton, the right-wing low income families in northern Florida Louis Further The memo stated that the government intent upon the criminalisation of any obfuscator, held a ‘mouse hunt’ around with $970, a video camera and a T-shirt wanted to see cuts in 800,000 council and all effective resistance to its his property in ‘defiance* of the law. A for participating in the ongoing Sources worker pensions to “stave off council agenda,with ‘terrorism’ the excuse BBC camera crew dutifully turned up CHEERS (Children’s Environmental Earth First!: www.earthfirst.org/ tax rises.” Better apparently to screw rather than the cause, and ‘terror’ to film this momentous challenge to Exposure Study) experiment to have ELF: www.earthliberationfront.com/ workers than risk the wrath of voters. redefined as any resistance to the aims authority. their homes regularly treated with toxic Greenaction: www.greenaction.org/index.shtml MPs by the way have the best pension and means of capital which strays A quarter of hunts operate in the chemicals to observe the effects. The NRDC: www.nrdc.org/bushrecord/ scheme in Europe. beyond the limits of purely passive South West and there has been concern American Chemistry Council (whose The Ruckus Society: www.ruckus.org/ The government has made much of protest. To respond to this by seeking within the higher ranks of the local members include Monsanto, Dow and its attempts to reduce NHS waiting to barter with the state the terms of its plods that it might not be possible to Exxon) donated $2m to the EPA to lists, unfortunately the lists have not criminalisation of protest is to abandon police the new legislation, which the conduct the study. been coming down as quickly as they all claims to militancy. None of this misnamed Labour Party has deliberately Well-known for ‘monkeywrenching’ FREEDOM would like — potentially embarrassing should surprise us - after all, the same delayed for eight years. Police chiefs (tree-sits, blockades and public non in the run up to an election. So what is liberal left hailed the proposed repeal of have had ‘good links’ with the equally violent direct action), EarthFirst! acts as ANARCHIST BOOKSHOP the double jeopardy rule as an anti misnamed Countryside Alliance, not to the government going to do? Spend a resource for others who want to disable 84b Whitechapel High Street about £1 billion so that long suffering racist victory! It should, though, make mention that the adulterer of Highgrove or remove inanimate but strategic targets. NHS patients have access to private us question what our response ought to (their terminology, used against us London E l 7QX sector diagnostic tests and the private be instead. when it suits them), his mistress and his Earth Liberation Front sector can make nice profits. If you are The UK state has moved to embrace asinine sister are keen on the shredding The Earth Liberation Front is also tel/fax 020 7247 9249 going to fall ill make sure you do it a doctrine of ‘permanent emergency’ - of animal flesh and regularly turn out organised non-hierarchically and with a during an election campaign - you are the suspension of the ordinary rule of to bounce their large arses around the distributed structure that uses direct OPENING HOURS bound to get better care. law on the pretext of civil emergency. countryside. Royalty involved could action to sabotage corporations and Monday to Saturday The electorate are not fooled by these The obvious lesson to draw from this bring considerable embarrassment to plod government agencies which profit from stunts. Trust in politicians is at an all is that we should no more fetishise the and co. in the event of a confrontation the systematic destruction of the from 12 noon to 6pm rime low. Turnout in May’s election is rule of law than do the likes of Clarke behind a hedge. Not necessarily due to natural environment. Since first likely to be the lowest ever. Quite an and Blair. Our problem, then, is simple. jodhpurs being down as he and Camilla becoming active in the US in 1997, it You can also use our mall order service achievement given that the turnout last The state, and the class it serves, act as have a quickie. has been suggested that the ELF has time was lower than at any time since if we are in a state of civil war and No, some of the ranking plods are been associated with over $45 million or order books online via our website. grant themselves emergency powers to 1918 when many voters were busy themselves involved in hunting. You of expenses to profiteers and polluters. www.freedompress.org.uk getting themselves killed on the Western deal with the threat. The left, though, don’t get to be a member of an elite The most recent activities which may be Front. It is very likely that more people behaves as if nothing has changed. Our and not be asked to social functions at the work of the ELF are firebombs east will not vote than vote for the winning best response should be to seek to bring which contacts are made and backs of Sacramento, California, for which party. People don’t vote because they about the real civil war j§ the real state scratched. That’s the point of an elite, arrests have been made. In earlier cases Quiz answers are lazy or ignorant. They don’t vote of exception - that capital has armed wherever it operates. So the notion was it has later turned out that those 1. From each according to his abilities, to because they know it makes little itself to oppose. In so doing, we should put forward of acting in a ‘sensitive’ arrested were not responsible for the each according to his needs. difference. The election is an not allow ourselves to respond to the manner concerning the law, i.e. the actions of which they were accused. 2. The plight of women working in sweatshops opportunity for anarchists - we have a threat of criminalisation by retreating likelihood of anyone being banged up The FBI is thought to regard the ELF as making tiny pieces of wood look like ready audience! to conspiracist sects. Part of the process for breaking it seems remote. ‘Specialist the US’ number one direct action seeds for adulterated raspberry-free of criminalisation is the criminalisation wildlife crime officers* (ratcatchers?) organisation. raspberry jam. of ideas. Instead of retreating from will be on hand to investigate complaints 3. Luigi Calabresi, the Milan copper who public life, revolutionaries should seek and no doubt that will take as long as Greenaction was interrogating Giuseppe Pinelli when enrager.net new outlets for our ideas and seek to it now takes them to investigate a Greenaction is already working in he ‘fell’ from a window to his death. build stronger roots within working burglary, if they can be arsed: the result California, Arizona, and Nevada despite Calabresi was killed by M arxists in 1972. class communities. It is our isolation will be forwarded to that bastion of being relatively new. Its mission is to Liberazione, a left wing paper, has that is our weakness, and that we working class justice, the Crown ‘mobilise community power to win suggested Pinelli should be similarly should seek to overcome. The only Prosecution Service. Don’t hold your victories that change government and honoured. an&writorltarian resource & conanunfty effective response to the threat the breath. corporate policies and practices to protect 4. Top scientist Ronald Reagan. And this I. Hodge health and to promote environmental was before he went senile) Prevention of Terrorism Bill represents, Freedom 5th March 2005 7 REVIEW Rudolf Rocker’s book The London Years is a good read, but not essential reading, comments Martin of the CAG
udolph Rocker’s The workers and the conservatism of managed to gain improvements in London Years, originally organised Judaism the Jewish radicals conditions, such as increased food published in 1956, is an managed to secure a number of allowances and greater access to extract from his biography victories in this period, most notably families. In 1918, just months before focusing on his time in the abolition of the Sweating system of the end of the war Rocker was able to England between 1895 and labour in 1909. be moved from the internment camp to 1918. This new edition, Aside from chronicling the events of live with his family in neutral Holland. published by AK Press and Fivethe Leaves, socialist movement in that era, It is here that The London Years ends. features an introduction by Bill Ward Rocker also here and there takes time One problem I had with this book is andR is dedicated to Rocker’s son Fermin out of the narrative to profile leading that, however much of a great theorist who died while it was in printing. anarchist theorists with whom he came or public speaker Rocker may have Rocker is by many considered to be one into contact during his time in London. been, he was by no means a great of the most important figures of the So for example there are few pages on storyteller. That didn’t bother me too anarchist movement, most famous for Kropotkin, a few pages on Malatesta, a much for the chapters on Rocker’s' his involvement in Jewish labour few on Emma Goldman and so on. As involvement in workers’ struggles and struggles and his main works well as being a basic introduction to the radical journalism where a simple Nationalism and Culture and Anarcho- life, times and theories of these figures, factual account of events does the job, Syndicalism: Theory and Practice. the book also recount Rocker’s but some of the more personal, Originally from Germany, Rocker personal experiences with them, many autobiographical sections fall totally was forced to flee the country of his of whom were his close friends as well flat. For example, an entire chapter birth for his involvement in left wing as his comrades. devoted to Rocker and his wife Milly’s organisations, passing through several Perhaps the most interesting part of aborted attempt to emigrate to the US European countries to eventually settle the book is the section which deals with is so devoid of emotion and narrative in the UK like many radicals of that Rocker’s incarceration during the First skill it’s simply boring to read. For this era, and it is here where The London World War, which takes up the best reason The London Years works much Years begins. Often living in conditions part of the final third of the book. In better as a document of a particular of near poverty, constantly busy, the first year of the war Rocker was time and place in anarchist history than usually writing from dawn til dusk each sent to a prison-style detention camp, it does as an autobiographical work. day, Rocker dedicated himself to the as were most German expatriates living The London Years is by no means an workers struggles in turn-of-the-century in the country. During this internment essential anarchist book, if there even is London. Despite not being of Jewish Rocker’s skills as an organiser and such a thing. However it is an often origin himself, he became something of speechmaker became invaluable. At interesting, sometimes funny, always a spokesperson for the burgeoning first holding secret talks among his informative piece of work. It would Jewish Socialist movement, almost by fellow prisoners on the basics of radical work as an introductory book for accident becoming editor of Der politics, he soon gained the respect of someone new to class struggle politics Arbeiter Fraint (The Workers’ Friend), his fellow prisoners and even the British as it contains many examples of how the country’s leading Yiddish-language officers in charge of the camp. Over his we can organise in communities and theoretical journal. A great four year imprisonment Rocker workplaces, as well as pointing the communicator and political theorist, educated and helped unify the internees reader towards the work of other class Rudolf Rocker Rocker soon became something of a and, through demonstrations of the struggle anarchist writers. On the other respected community figure for the force of this unity as well as skillful hand it could also be key text for organisations of London in the late be a good read for anyone with an London Jewish population. Despite negotiations with the camp anyone wishing to study in depth the nineteenth and early twentieth interest in revolutionary working class facing anti-Semitism from white commanders by Rocker himself, they workers struggles and anarchist centuries. Whichever the case it should politics. ONLINE AND OFFLINE
Help Build the Ruins of amusing, while Eileen - a new commission liberal whingeing about today’s “flaws Prole.info but the fact that anyone can contribute Democracy - clads a shed’s exterior with concretised in democracy” - guaranteeing the artist http://www.prole.info ensures that it will grow as more people Bob and Roberta Smith fragments of a North of Ireland biography safe passage into globetrotting art stardom Prole is a brand spanking new site with discover it. The site is based on wiki Baltic, Gateshead, until April 2005 beset by communal cleavage, false ethnicity and lecturing at fashionable Goldsmiths. a slick and simple design. The site’s aim technology, a system which allows This exhibition surrounds a copse of and “the stupidity of prejudice”. No more profound than public opinion is to bring to the reader a selected anyone browsing the site to edit and birch trees adorned in sketchpad pages Unfortunately, history is reduced surveys sampling the momentary whims collection of subversive and anti-capitalist contribute pages. This is becoming with jumbled banners, plaques and throughout to mere accumulations of of passive publics, the “participation” writings on theory and history. The site increasingly popular on the internet. furniture. ‘Degraded’ materials, found individual attitudes and attributes. The of viewers amounts to a few hastily- is divided up into simple categories using The implications of a project like this objects and amateurish typefaces refuse satirical offensiveness and Little England scribbled cartoons and slogans chosen neat artwork, making it easy on the eye. are great from an anarchist viewpoint - conventions of beauty or the sublime, eccentricity therefore resolve the by gallery staff (using criteria of political The articles are all hosted on site and allowing the people who use an area to and the personal identity of Patrick Brill fascination with fame and leadership correctness) — but if punters attempt to presented in easy to read formats. Although craft its image, rather than relying on is effaced by the multiple-gendered open- (in both politics and art) into timid remove any they are frog-marched out. some people have.criticised Prole.info profit-making companies or individuals. ended fictional Smiths - an identity Brill will then cannibalise the archive of for being a bit simplistic, it makes a great introduction to a host of ideas. As it supporters are encouraged to inhabit like used and unused contributions for future The Bureau of Public Secrets projects - mirroring his recuperation of grows, this could become a really useful a “cultural virus” spreading worldwide. http://www.bopsecrets.org/ Various conceptual art strategies mobilise utopian Dada, Lettrism and Fluxus resource for both the seasoned theorist The BoPS is probably the best Situationist desires. Touted as ‘oppositional’ - even and the confused newcomer alike. D IY aesthetics into creative expression resource on the web. The online “anarchic” - this whole sordid deception as part of everyday life rather than the counterpart of the Bureau’s Situationist is lent populist gloss with mantras like OpenGuides preserve of elites and geniuses, and publishing project, it contains hundreds Make Your Own Damn Art (book http: / /openguides.org / viewers add their sketches and sayings of articles, books, pamphlets and accompanying the exhibition) and to the artist’s own texts. The latter - The OpenGuides network is a collection images relating to Situationist ideas and “Create Your Own Reality”. Ultimately, cast in cement or painted on plywood of community-maintained open publishing history. These are translated, collected Bob and Roberta Smith practise neither sites to which anyone can contribute. The lining walls and sofas - combine the and sometimes written by Ken Knabb. - instead inoculating a largely Much of the content is original work absurd and irrational with bile towards sites are each based around a different contemptuous contemporary art scene New Labour^ the media, celebrities and town or city and allow people to add by the situationists, but the site also against the “catalyst for change” that art heroes. Alongside, a video replays a information on all aspects of life in their contains work by other theorists in eight radical artists hope their germs will towns - from shopping to eating, drinking languages. While the site design may Performance event staged in the mutate into. and travel in the city. These prove a leave a little to be desired, its simplicity Parliament of B rem en, Germany, with www.tomjennlngs.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk valuable resource for local inhabitants definitely does it a favour and is well actresses improvising histrionic debate The quotes are taken from the exhibition and tourists alike. The project is pretty worth a visit (even if its just to brush among Jesus Christ, Mozart, Jacques blurb and catalogue. new and doesn’t cover that many towns, up on your May 1968 graffiti slogans). ^ati, Churchill, etc. All of this is mildly action to fight management plans to cut Strikewatch sixty jobs. Management have ignored • Around four hundred T&G members collective agreements with the union working for Michelin’s eyre plant in Stoke and have tried to push the job losses have voted to take industrial action short through as quickly as possible. Half the of strike following rejection of a 3% pay redundancies will be compulsory. “The offer. Workers will stop doing overtime AUT will not tolerate members being and withdraw cooperation with manage treated in this disgraceful way” the ment. There will also be a work to rule. union said. The union’s convenor at the plant Rob Taylor said “there is anger at the factory. • There are still those in the trade union There is frustration at the offer.” movement who claim that unions should work with management in partnership • The dispute at Glasgow airport over and that militancy is a thing of the past. fire cover, previously reported in Freedom, The transport union, the RMT, is one continues. T8cG members have now of Britain’s most militant unions. Last been on strike for a month in response month its membership passed 70,000. to British Airport Authority’s (BAA) Growth has come from the union withdrawal of fire services at Glasgow. standing up to management rather than Three hundred and eighty T&G fire getting into bed with them and fighting fighters at seven other BAA airports are for their members’ rights. The RM T is now putting pressure on the company to balloting its €00 members at Caledonian resolve the dispute. A T&G spokesman MacBrayne after the maritime company said “The dispute at Glasgow has opened failed to give assurances over redundancies up other issues and BAA is having to and pay after it announced it planned consider how they manage fire fighter to tender one of its routes. The union services across the UK.” has given the company notice that it will ballot for strike action. • Over 200 museum staff PCS and Prospect members in London, York and for someone paid huge amounts of bluntly it’s cheaper. It’s not just the Bradford went on one day strike in a A Sideways Lookmoney for their opinions. obvious things like building services dispute over pay and funding. The It used to be one of the most barbed Comrades in Haringey are involved and cash offices - it has a knock-on action closed London’s Science Museum put-downs to suggest that someone had in fighting their council’s plans to effect on the vehicle fleet, IT, accounts as workers refused to cross picket lines had their hair cut by the council. I transfer everything. They thought they and purchasing. No wonder everything and disrupted the railway museum in From Freedom of 8th March 1947 on the don’t know of any municipal barbers in had a good campaign, even if the costs more when it’s privatised. York and photography museum in demonstrations by American anti-militarists Britain but it’s not too much of a direction was a bit too much centred So, who cut your hair, the PFI? Bradford. Museums are facing a funding against conscription: stretch to think their only customers around winning over left-wing Svartfrosk crisis. The government has failed to “American anti-militarists are using a might be bald. However, council councillors and union hacks. However, increase resources to make good the new form of demonstration against housing, for years a pariah service it turned out that the councillors were shortfall which followed the ending of conscription. They are holding meetings derided by those who had to live in it in favour of the ALMO, they just admission charges. Union members are at which people are requested to destroy and those who could look down on it, hadn’t told their Respect groupies, who also angry over a below inflation pay their draft cards or other military papers. now finds itself with plenty of promptly announced the campaign was offer. “The government urgendy need As such destruction is an act of illegality, defenders. over. I have a tad more faith in the to plug the funding gap,” said PCS and as it involves the destroyer in the In part this is because tenants up and abilities of working class people to general secretary Mark Serwotka, “to possibility of imprisonment for ‘draft down the country refuse to buy into the manage without left-wing councillors, media hacklab ensure decent pay levels.” dodging’, it constitutes quite a serious warped bean-counters’ logic that says with or without illusions, so I hope step in defiance of the state. money can only be invested in their they do a bit better. • University lecturers have joined the At the first meeting, held in New York, homes if they are privatised by one of South of the rivei; Lewisham council, Technology for social change, 4 ranks of public sector workers the authorities took such a serious view three routes. Of the three, stock fresh from demolishing schools where independent media, free software campaigning against pension cuts. The of the campaign that thirty police agents transfer is often the council’s favoured they are needed, then planning to AUT are considering balloting for were present among three hundred people. one, the others being the subsidies to demolish swimming pools for new and open access IT industrial action in March against the At this meeting - which was addressed big business of the Private Finance schools, where they aren’t, are sneaking government’s attempts to slash the by, among others, Dwight Macdonald Initiative or the back-door stock transfer through their plans. Their legal advice Open every day value of pensions. AUT members who the editor of Politics - more than sixty of an Arms Length Management 1 is that a ballot is only needed for stock from 12 noon to 6pm belong to the Teacher’s Pension Scheme men came forward and destroyed their Organisation (ALMO). transfer. Tenant reps have their own face, along with civil servants, health, draft cards. Huge amounts of money are poured budget to spend, which they do, mainly at Freedom council workers and others a rise in Another demonstration was held into selling these schemes, as it has on taxis to and from meetings, and 84b Whitechapel High Street their retirement age from 60 to 65 and outside the White House in Washington, been customary for there to be a ballot seem to have ‘taken on board’ the a cut in benefits. The GMB has and there have also been public before any go ahead. And it’s not just council’s arguments in favour of PFIs. calculated that if the government push burnings of credentials in Philadelphia, money directly spent on consultants Their reluctance to hold a ballot is www.hacklab.org.uk their changes through workers in Chicago and Los Angeles. So far about and tame tenants reps. When they fail, understandable, given that last time councils could be between £200,000 to four hundred men have taken part.” Labour have been vindictive, such as they lost overwhelmingly in areas they £400,000 worse off. Nearly a million when they tried to prosecute a Defend picked to be pro-transfer^ and with a members of Unison, PCS, Amicus and Council Housing activist in Camden for lack-lustre split campaign dominated by The quiz other public service unions are set to putting a poster on a bus shelter about the usual suspects (and I don’t mean 1. A version of which phrase is attributed strike on 23rd March, bringing local the campaign. Of course, Camden Kevin Spacey). to French writer Morelly in 1755, and government services to a standstill. £59,000 council hadn’t given their opponents Saint-Simon in 1841 and Marx in Two things get forgotten, which is Unfortunately health service unions are Profit per employee made by the Royal any space to put their arguments. The one reason council housing should be 1849, while also regularly used by not organising action in the NHS even Bank of Scotland in 2004 (pre-tax government are determined to get rid of of interest to us all. First, there are the anarchists? though their members face the same earnings were £6.9 billion, a 14% council housing, but don’t want to say obligations a council has to the 2. What inspired Sylvia Pankhurst to changes to their pensions. Last month increase). that (it’s a bit of a vote-loser in most homeless. If there’s a rise in the number help open a jam factory? thousands of public sector workers’ working class areas). The other week of home-less people, the council will 3. Which murdering fascist has Italy joined the TUC’s day of action in Blairite journalist Polly Toynbee used have some flexibility in using its own recently commemmorated with a protest against pension cuts. Rallies and her Guardian column to attack Defend properties — the alternative isvbed and postage stamp? marches were held across the country. £23,300 Council Housing’s campaign on an breakfast, which costs thousands per 4. Who claimed in 1980 that coal-fired The average salary at the Royal Bank estate she had stayed on briefly as part person per week. Second, running a power stations released more radio • AUT members at Brunei university, of Scotland, even including the profit- of some research. It’s all about fear, she housing department as part of council activity than nuclear ones? Uxbridge, have voted to take industrial share element. said, which of course is very easy to say services offers economies of scale - put Answers on page 6
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