www.freedompress.org.uk 18 NOVEMBER 2006
Nanotechnology A new unionocracy The IWW interview Dead Prez review IN S ID E ►► page 3 page 4 page 5 page 8 OAXACA IS BURNING he past two weeks have seen a unions, NGOs and political parties. dramatic escalation in the social The APPO has claimed absolute struggle in Oaxaca as the Mexican jurisdiction over the city, but this is a Tstate seeks to reassert its authority over little disingenuous: in fact, everywhere a city that, since regional police were a more spontaneous direct democracy forced from the city in June, has been has flourished, most clearly in the largely autonomous from state control. streets where APPO’s pacifistic On the pretext of the murder of five exhortations have had little impact on communards (including New York people’s actual tactics. Indymedia video journalist Brad Wills) The early days of November saw a by pro-government paramilitaries on series of skirmishes take place as police 29th October, on the 30th a huge force sought to clear barricades in the areas of thousands of armed federal police of the city around the Zocalo. The smashed through the network of most significant such battle was at City barricades that had been established University, on 2nd November. The around the city centre and made their university is of some significant way to the city’s central square, Zocalo, importance to the movement, housing where they established themselves. The the last communised radio station operation cost the lives of at least two University Radio as well as the Oaxacans. headquarters of APPO, displaced from This latest escalation comes at the their Zocalo encampment by the police end of a long unfolding of social manoeuvre on 30th October. smse^e-in Oaxaca. Beginning with a “ As the-police operation Began in the teacher’s strike in May, police early morning, a call-out on University provocation lead on 14th June to the Radio drew thousands from the cops being forced out of the city by the surrounding area to defend the teachers and others in solidarity with barricades securing the road in front of them. Over the next months, university the university. Six hours of highly This community centre in Dalston, London, has now been evicted - see page 2. and public buildings were occupied, disciplined and intense fighting marked and public life reorganised on a the battle, as the students and workers collective and immediate basis as state fought the police backwards and A protest march on the 5 th way: they were told to ‘avoid manoeuvres before. The police have power collapsed. forwards with home-made rocket November drew ‘hundreds of confrontations’. On the 7th November reaffirmed their intention to assert The most visible example of this was launchers, molotov cocktails and thousands’ according to an NYC a series of bombs exploded in various ‘social order’ and crush the movement. the foundation towards the end of June rubble, while in the rear were teams of Indymedia report; when the march government offices; they were claimed The people of Oaxaca have won many of the APPO (the popular Assembly of street medics and ammunition factories. approached the Zocalo (heavily by various leftist groups but disowned great victories these past months the People of Oaxaca) a federal After six hours of fighting the police reinforced by the state for the day) by the APPO. despite their leaders - the time is organisation composed of were forced to withdraw, having made several hundred broke off towards it; On the 11th November the APPO coming that they will have to win them representatives from regions and barely any headway and suffered they were met by a row of APPO held a meeting to elect a ‘permanent against them. neighbourhoods of the city, as well as significant casualties. stewards, arm in arm, blocking the leadership’; we have seen these INEQUALITY IN THE UK NHS CRISIS (AGAIN)
ritain’s top bosses are enjoying an Brendan Barber general secretary of any way? They aren’t the ones who espite axing 20,000 jobs, cutting having no coherent plan to solve the unprecedented pay bonanza under the TUC called the escalating pay gap produce the wealth.” services (particularly public health crisis in the NHS. As F reedom has B Labour. The earnings of FTSE “not just socially divisive but When the minimum wage was D programmes), shutting wards and reported, private sector companies company chief executives are currently economically divisive” noting that the increased over the summer - by the slashing staff training budgets, the NHS continue to make massive profits out of worth a staggering 98 times more than super rich are pushing up house prices princely sum of 30p an hour - the CBI is still heading for a £100 million over the NHS. Unison general secretary the wages of a typical worker Put another and distorting wage rise figures. winged that “many companies will spend this year. Hospitals and community David Prentis at a rally of health way, for every pound a worker gets their The bosses’ union, the CBI, struggle to absorb the increase”. Funny centres are snuggling to balance the books workers last month warned that private boss gets nearly a hundred according to attempted to justify the fat cat earnings that they can afford to pay six figure following last year’s £1 billion overspend. sector companies are taking over the the research commissioned by the TUC. arguing pathetically that companies had packages for those at the top but not a Dr Beverly Malone, General Secretary NHS. The gap is two and a half times larger to offer ‘competitive packages’. The living wage for those at the bottom! of the Royal College of Nursing, said: Up and down the country people are than it was five years ago when chief CBI did not, however, seek to describe 2005 figures from the Office for “These figures confirm our worst fears. protesting against cuts and closures. executives earned 39 times as much as how it was that chief executives are National Statistics show that 1% of the They are clear proof that we need a Keep Our NHS Public report 25 full time employees. worth almost a hundred times what UK population owns 23% of UK long-term plan to tackle the deficits crisis separate campaigns. At last month’s Last year the total earnings of chief their workers are. wealth while the richest 10% own more as a matter of urgency. If not, services Anarchist Bookfair, libertarian health executives rose by a staggering 40% While, as Freedom reported last than half. The wealthiest 50% own will continue to be hit, jobs will workers, including Sol Fed and IWW fuelled by excessive bonuses and other month, the government and Bank of 94% of wealth. Statistics show that the continue to be lost and patients will members, met to discuss their response so-called ‘incentives’. Their basic pay England have been calling for workers wealthy have got wealthier over the last continue to pay the price.” to the growing crisis including taking rose two to three more than workers’. to exercise wage restraint nothing is ten years (Social Trends 35, Office for The number of hospitals reporting action against private companies and said about the bloated earnings of the National Statistics (2005), Table 5.25) deficits has increased - from 120 last developing links between health ISSN 0016-0504 very rich. Remember, that is declared wealth. year to 175 this - despite the workers. “It has never been more As one anarchist told F reedom “the The Office for National Statistics does government sending in so-called important for radical health workers to minimum wage is just £5.35 an hour. not know the correct figures on wealth ‘recovery units’, in reality hit squads, come together” an anarchist health Most workers will be luck to get a 4% as much of it is in investments. The many private sector consultants. worker said. “The unions aren’t really rise this year and if they do rising gains of ‘economic growth1 are not Redundancies will cost the NHS £70 interested in challenging Labour. They mortgage payments will eat that up. 'trickling down’, unsurprisingly given million this year. have done nothing to stop job losses.” The bosses though are rewarding them large disparities of power such wealth The government has been accused of For more information on the health workers I selves 40% increases. What do they do brings. plunging the NHS into chaos and of network contact: [email protected] Freedom 18th November 2006 2 Home and away
Coronet Five not guilty The Crown Court case against five people arrested after last year’s Anarchist Book- fair concluded yesterday with the last of Around the world the defendants being found not guilty. One defendant was acquitted after testimony from his arressting officer And this week's reason America is "We are trying to keep truck treatment patriotic and sentimental value, it is not revealed that he had been arrested by in Iraq is ... alive, but there is hardly anybody at a national symbol. mistake. Two other defendants had their Karl Rove, the Republican’s major work,” he said. “Throughput is almost A judgement is due later this week. charges dropped down from Affray to election strategist, added yet another frozen.” Arguments will then begin over whether Section 4 of the Public Order Act* The reason to explain why American is in A proposal involving more flexible the case marks a precedent - or whether jury returned not guilty verdicts on the Iraq. Apparently, the US needs to work times is said to have been agreed it’s just a flash in the pan. four remaining defendants. occupy that country in order to ensure with labour unions. During the trial, the sense of the police that terrorists would not be in control USA: Amidst the Democratic mid-term decision to close the pub was called into of its oil wells. Why this would be so SUDAN: Violence in Darfur continues election victories on 8th November; an question, as too were the circumstances bad is not explained, given that with a Nowegian international independent won the Senate race in of the first arrest, which it appeared according to the Republicans ‘terrorists’ humanitarian organisation withdrawing Vermont. What is significant is that he was illegal. had been controlling them under on November 10 due to government is a self-proclaimed socialist and so the The defendants’ experiences together Saddam and have been in control of obstruction. A spokesperson for the first socialist senator in US history. The show how easy it can be for police Iran’s oil wells since 1979. organisation said: “We have been protests were shut down and raided by previous best result in a Senate race by officers to arbitrarily arrest innocent There is another major irony here. suspended by the government for the Iraqi security forces. a socialist was in 1930 when Emil people and subject them to a stressful During the run-up to the war; Bush and last two months for no clear reason. Seidel won 6% of the vote. ordeal lasting a full year. Blair were strenuously denying that the We have tried to get into dialogue with PERU: Protesters from the Achuar Bemie Sanders (pictured below) is an invasion had anything to do>with oil. the authorities to-discuss whether we Indian communities have won an unapologetic sociaUst and proud of it DaistonLane Now, apparently, that is why they are can come back, but they- do not seem agreement for an Argentine oil drilling and has won eight consecutive elections Nearly nine months of struggle for the there. That US corporations have some interested.” The move is estimated to firm to stop dumping toxic waste into to the US House of Representatives Everything 4 Everyone community centre very profitable contracts to process said affect 300,000 internally displaced the rainforest. The Native Federation of after being elected mayor of Burlington on Dalston Lane was brought to an oil is, of course, beside the point. persons in the region. The violence in the Corrientes River halted Pluspetrol in 1981. However; do not get your hopes impasse by dozens of police in a pre the area has spread across the border- to Norte’s oil production, demanding a up too much as his vision of socialism dawn eviction of the squatted theatre THE NETHERLANDS: A wildcat strike Chad where 220 villagers y/pre killed clean-up of the dangerous waste is, well, simply reformed capitalism. on Thursday 3rd November. Conceived at one of Europe’s bigge$t commercial last week arid villages burned down just produced by 30 years of drilling. According to Sanders, “Twenty years as a long term project, the collective have shipping companies has brought miles from relief camps. A thousand ' The group signed an agreement on ago when people here thought about plans for its continuation at a new HQ stevedoring to a stop for the second day people are reported, to have now fled* Monday with Pluspetrol and the socialism they were thinking about the in the Dalston area in the immediate in protest over working hours by dockers their homes. The UN has called for the Peruvian government, promising to end Soviet Union, about Albania. Now they future. It was always the capitalist system in the Netherlands. Chinese, who have oil interests in the all dumping of oil waste into the rain think about Scandinavia. In Vermonr more than the planning permission they Containers at the European Container country,' to put pressure on the Sudanese forest by 2008. A spokesperson for the people understand I’m talking about were trying to change. Terminals (ECT) —usually up to 70,000 government to stop the killing. group has said “This is an important democratic socialism.” [email protected] per week — nearly came to a standstill achievement for the indigenous people, because of the lack of workers, said the IRAQ: Saddam Hussein waS gqnyicted for the Achuaij because it is the first Educationfeacologica! footprint company’s director Jan Wfcsterhoutv in an Iraqi^oiirt of CTimesagainst time the population protested like this, Clea rl y,en vironmental policyis yetro for~T5~days, against the grave reach the SO AS university directorate. trial has been criticised by lawyers;; and contamination. ” In the university’s newly updated ‘mission human rights organisations a's; being . sta tement’, there is nor .a single phrase farcical ^t times and beset by problems ITALY: A toilet which flushes to the relating to the environment. The such1 as the murder; of lawyers and sound of Italy’s national anthem has University of London’s mission statement intimidation of witnesses. Saddam has been impounded by police. It was on - the co-ordinating body of 20 independ been sentenced to hang for the deaths display at the Bolzano Museum of ent London Colleges — too, has not a of about 150 Shias following an Modem Art. and was the work of two single mention of environ mental policy. assassination attempt against him in local artists. ‘People and Planet*, a student action 1982 in the town of Dujail The judgment Prosecutors say the Fratelli d’ltalia group, are lobbying university managers Sparked protest by Sunni groups and anthem is a national emblem which for change. The UK Higher Education predictions of violence. Pro-Saddam should be protected. sector emits three million tonnes of demonstrations were Suppressed by the Defence barristers for the museum C02 into the atmosphere every yeai^ army. Television stations Showing the argue that while the anthem has and is responsible for over one million journeys daily. Charles Clarke stated in 2003 that “Schools, colleges and universities comprise more than S% of all buildings in the UK and it is therefore vital that their resources are managed Prison news efficiently and in an environmentally responsible way.” Three years later, this message has yet to reach the directorates Chris Tierney Benefit gig for Mumia Abu Jamal Aachenerstr. 47v ,$$$S9 Rheinbach, ABC at the Anarchist Bookfair of London’s leading universities - it’s A former prisoner who is dying from a Qn Sunday 19th November there will Germany, This year’s Anarchist Bookfair saw the high time we woke them up. brain tumour has been recalled to jail be a benefit for Mumia Abu Jamal, who best attended ABC meeting in living for swearing at staff at a care home. has now spent 2# years on death row. Gagged memory! A number of ex-prisoners Plane Stupid! Christopher Tierney is paralysed down The event will include film, discussion, The latest issue of the South Wales spoke at the meeting, including several On the 6th November activists acting one side of his body, losing his sight, spoken word, live music and DJs, and Anarchist newsletter Gagged is now who had travelled from Spain. under the banner of Plane Stupid took and is displaying behaviour which starts at 7pm at the Grovesnor pub, available to download as a PDF file at It is to be hoped that the contacts part in a day of action againsr short doctors say he cannot control. Sidney Road, Stockwell, London. http://Usts.riseup.net/www/cLread/gagged established at the meeting can be built haul flights to coincide with the start of After having served 18 years in /gagged 14.pdf As well as other news, upon to produce more solidarity for the the UN Climate talks in Nairobi. The prison for the murder of his wife in ABC benefit this issue contains articles about the increasing number of people from our Easy Group HQ in London was block 1986, Mr Tierney was diagnosed with a A benefit for Leeds ABC is being held Anarchist Black Cross; a report on the movement (and those outside it) locked aded by activists using chains and D-locks. second brain tumour in 2004, and was in Hull on Saturday 25th November at death of Usa Woodhall, who recently behind bars. London Rising Tide invaded Civil released the following yean Despite brain the Affo-Caribbean Centre on Park Street. died in Eastwood Park prison; and lots Many thanks to Brighton ABC for Aviation Authority offices brandishing surgery and chemotherapy, bis condition It starts at 6.30pm> and the night will more prison and repression news, organising the meeting. Their website a giant cheque for £9.2 billion the has continued to deteriorate and he is include top techno from Andy Mailey, including a ‘Copwatch’ section. can be found at brighconabc.org.uk amount taxpayers subsidise the airline described as behaving erratically and is punk and hip-hop spun by Saoirse, and industry annually. A group in Manchester subject to mood swings. ’80s sounds played by Applcmax (£5/ Leeds ABC on MySpace Crap arrest of the week... for dropped a banner over a busy high Ella Pybus, a trustee of she charity £3.50 on the door). As always the Being too clueless to set up their own dre ssin g up a t Halloween! street and leadened local travel agents. Brain Tumour UK warned that Mr proceeds of the benefit will be used for website, Leeds Anarchist Black Cross One Halloween reveller got nicked in In Leeds Bradford airport, protestors Tierney is likely to die in prison; *Ir is the direct support of anarchist and class have joined the hordes of sell-outs sucking the States for dressing up as Osama Bin put up stickers with facts about flying cruel and inhuman for a man who has struggle prisoners. at the corporate nipple and joined Laden and holding a coy gun, reported and climate change. served his sentence to be returned to MySpace! The Leeds ABC page can be SchNews. This was way too scary for prison to face a lonely and degrading Jose Delgado transferred found at www.myspace.com/leedsabc cops who charged him with ‘Criminal Sh ell Hell death because of behaviour caused by a Aachen prisoner Jose Delgado, who has and it contains details of the two Threatening’. It turns out that the The Old Street Shell petrol garage in condition he cannot control, one that been on a hunger protest for some time pamphlets produced by Leeds ABC this arrested man was Tom Connolly, the London was closed down twice on the cannot be created and that will end his now, has been transferred to Rhcinbach yeax; a list of prisoners, some useful lawyer who revealed President Bush’s evening of Friday lOchNovcmber by Life prematurely.” prison, where his conditions arc even links, and currently you get to listen to drunk driving arrest in 2000, and he protestors highlighting Shell's repression Chris Tierney is being held at HMP worse than before. Jose's new address is Sham 69'$ ‘Borstal Breakout* while said he intends to plead not guilty. ^ page 6, column 5 I Norwich. Jose Fernandez Delgado, JVA Rheinbach, you're viewing it! compiled by Mark Barnsley Freedom 18th November 2006 3 News
Lenin would be proud! lain Mackay finds that New Labour’s recently published White Paper on local government has an Orwellian twist
he new Local Government White their communities, but without the Paper has recently been published. need for a referendum.” TAs to be expected, there is much The White Paper complains that only talk of ‘democracy’ while undermining 12 local authorities “have introduced it. The key concept is ‘leadership’ and the strongest leadership model, an local democracy “needs strong, visible elected mayor”. Even worse, “only a leadership”. Rest easy, though, for New relatively small number give the leader Labour has the answer: “All executive authority to act alone”. So having powers of local authorities will failed to get the people to voluntarily therefore be vested in the leader of the pick a ‘strong’ leader rather than council.” Local democracy is best collective organisation, New Labour protected when a single leader is given gives local councils the choice of which talli power, obviously. kind of leadership model to impose on Sadly, “the framework local the general public (in their own authorities [currently] operate can be a interests, of course). In other words, barrier to the kind of leadership that local councils have a choice in which prosperous communities require” as way to abolish themselves. council leaders “have short mandates - Rest assured, though, as the non normally only one year - limiting their executive councillors (i.e. those without ability to take tough decisions. ” Yes, any power) will be ‘democratic accountability to the electorate does champions’. At least the many local stop strong leaders doing what they councillors who currendy “feel that like! And in a nice Orwellian twist, they have no defined role in the council these proposals are packaged in terms process” can feel better knowing that of producing “more accountable local they will have no role in the future as leadership”. the “stronger; clearer executive leadership” -- fteiing, N rw Labour, the W hite -Paper will-be-making the “tough decisions^jg does provide local authorities with And these ‘tough decisions’ apply quite ‘choice’. There “will be three choices of widely, as “each model” will have “all leadership model: a directly elected executive powers ... vested in the mayor, a directly elected executive of mayor or leader who will have councillors, or a leader elected by responsibility for deciding how these his/her fellow-councillors with a clear powers should be discharged - either by four year mandate.” Even better, the him or herself or delegated to members council “will be able to move to the of cabinet individually or collectively.” City Hall, offices of the Mayor of London model of a directly elected mayor by Like their directly elected counterparts, resolution of the council and in the indirecdy elected ‘leader’ will have a of local elections.” Thus reducing the them from decision making by fostering Labour’s creeping fascism another consultation with local people.” But do four-year term in which to wield that number of elections to one simply “stronger and more visible leadership” source is more likely. Suffice to say, it is not fear, that does not mean ordinary power as they see fit. picking a ‘strong’ leadership every four onto them for four years at a time. nice to know that all that reading of people actually having a say as After all, “engagement with the years will increase democracy. Obvious, While it may be easy to see this Lenin when they were student radicals authorities can “adopt the mayoral electoral process is hampered by the really, that the best way to “empower paean to the Fiihrerprinzip (leader has proved so useful to the New model, following consultation with confusion caused by the sheer number citizens and communities” is to exclude I principle) as another example of New Labourites now they are in office. Homage to Catatonica Nano-battle fields
hen was the last time the mass of October broke on several thousand Students (UCLSAS). Having quickly t the nano-military conference on products are already on the market, but British students organised to students patiently waiting for a well gained notoriety for printing a leaflet 30th October 2006, delegates were there are no regulatory frameworks effect social change? In 1926 policed (and in this post-SOCPA London, severely critical of NUS president Gemma A “keeping pace with the military designed specifically to deal with nano duringW the general strike ... driving the self-policed) jaunt past the great (empty Tumelty and distributing it to, amongst application of nano and microtechnology technology anywhere in the world. trains, as scabs. because weekend) halls of government. others, her mother they marched behind research and development” for the UK’s Workers, consumers, non-human animals So it came as no surprise to see how, Which only begs the question, since the banner ‘The University is a Factory: “vital ... technological edge ... to be and nature are being exposed to nano when university provosts and the exacdy none of the students would be Strike; Occupy'. Kudos to them for maintained in national defence”. Amongst particles that have not been tested. government threatened plans to raise effected by a raise in top-up fees, why getting the semi-colon in. But with the other applications, the military are Engineered nanoparticles are now found the top-up fee cap from its present did such a famously late rising group of possibility of students, lecturers and staff currently working on nano-sized capsules in hundreds of consumer products £3,000to £5,000when the scheme people find themselves on coaches to uniting to wage their common struggle containing chemical/biological weapons including cosmetics, sunscreens, fabrics, comes under review in 2008, the NUS London from as far away as Scotland? against the managers of the university designed to break open and release their paints, furniture varnishes and even some said, well, that does it. Students have Was it simply for a jaunt in out fair city? looming on the horizon and the know contents under specific conditions and food products. Despite emerging evidence been pushed around too long, they've Or was it in protest of a much more ledge that the struggle must come out ‘Uniform and Armour for Future Battle of the serious risks of nanotoxicity, the seen education become just another immediate issue, the student condition from under the smothering blanket of a Fields’. Groups like Corporate Watch government is not listening to calls for commodity on the market, watched as such? Like the usual marches there weak and bureaucratic NUS a new front and the Etc Group are investigating the a halt to the commercial release of intelligent friends being betrayed over were the NUS bureaucrats, the obscure against capitalism may be opening. risks of various military and non products containing engineered nano- and over by a bureaucratic system that Trotskyoid sects, even our favourite boys military applications of nanotechnologies, particles. Another aspect of the conference prizes the sycophant over the scholar, and girls in (mostly) black, but there as well as the risks workers are put was to discuss the “increasing commercial drudgery over creativity, attendance as was also the visible presence of students under when exposed to nanoparticles in aspect of nano and micro systems out much as performance and now how who identified the threat of higher fees a industrial development. lining current market trends and many more years of their lives will be and a more exclusive university as part media backtab $9 billion per year is being invested addressing issues such as patenting wasted to pay for the privilege of being of a greater threat to the very conditions Technology for eootal change, in nanotechnology by the world’s most MNT technologies”. socialised into the middle class? That’s of students, the same threat that is the Independent media, free software powerful governments and richest We gave out leaflets, held a banner and open access IT not on. We, said the NUS, will organise rule of every capitalist business in the corporations (including IBM, DuPont, and talked to passers-by and delegates. a march. From the University of London world: increase productivity, attack Open every day Syngenta, Exxon, Pfizer, L’Oreal and Our aim was to draw attention to the from 12 noon to tpm Senate House to Trafalgar Square, by the conditions. at Freedom Kraft). For corporations, nanotechnology implications of nanotechnology, both most roundabout route possible. That Making themselves most visible 84b Whitechapel High Street opens up a whole new world of possible on the front line and in your dinner. will show them. amongst rhese latter were a group applications and product opportunities Join the email list a t https://listsjiseup.net/ yyww.hacklab.org.uk Sure enough the day on Sunday 23rd calling themselves Students Against across all sectors of the economy. These www/info/nanotechnology 4 Freedom 18th November 2006 News
Representative Unionocracy
Rob Ray looks into the giant union merger which is touting itself as the solution to globalisation
wo of the largest international former General Secretary of the ICFTU union confederations in the and new General Secretary of the Tworld have merged to create a ITUC. “Stronger, we will exert more new body to “tackle the challenge of influence on companies, governments globablisation’. and the international financial and The International Confederation of trade institutions. The founding of the Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) and the ITUC is an integral part of the process World Confederation of Labour (WCL) of uniting the power of trade dissolved on 31st October amidst a unionism ,” he added. flurry of preparation for the founding Criticism has been levelled at the new congress of the new International Trade union’s brand of internationalism Union Confederation (ITUC). however; which focuses strongly on The new union laid out its principles lobbying and legislative pressure to from the 1st to 3rd November, declaring: achieve labour law improvements “The Confederation commits itself to rather than actively intervening to help promote and to act for the protection win union struggles. of democracy everywhere, so that the A member of anarcho-syndicalist conditions for the full exercise of all group SolFed said: “These so-called human rights, universal, indivisible and internationals - the British TUC being inalienable, may be enjoyed by all. It one of the largest members of the new shall defend everywhere collective rights ITUC incidentally - have little in and individual liberties, including common with real internationalist freedom' of thought, expression and principle. assembly.” “The ICFTU as was celebrated its It also expressed “unwavering centenary a few years ago, and even support for the principles and role of their self-written histories sound like a the United Nations, and for its unique litany of liberal, ineffectual protest legitimacy and authority to stand as an politics designed as much to undermine effective guarantee of peace, security the militant unions and badmouth and development, commanding the communists as to help with workers’ respect and adherence of all in the rights. Yet every year; unionists via their international community.” subs help pay for this monolithic waste Explicitly, it encourages closer of time to continue. relations with ‘civil society’ and “They shouldn’t be merging, they has ever heard of are merging. Great The unions and bosses will still try to the WCL, which was also one of the political groupings, though it warns should be dissolving and depriving for the fat cats. A fantastic opportunity shaft us at every opportunity. The class foremost Christian unions, and had that these shouldn’t impinge on the bureaucrats the opportunity to spend [for them] to fly round the world, struggle will still go on.” been formed in 1920. independence of member unions. our money asking the state to be nicer gathering information, dining on The new union will represent 166 The first move of the new union has “The creation of the ITUC will solidify to us.” expense accounts, sucking up to the million workers across 156 countries, been to ratify the creation of a ‘Council the trade union movement’s capacity at One member of the Anarchist bosses and the states. with the H'F'CU’s traditional Western of Global Unions’, whose main function the national and international levels”, Federation, contacted by Freedom, said: “How does it affect us? My guess is and South American base being added will be to recruit more people and declared Guy Ryder (pictured), the “So two organisations nobody at work that it’ll make no difference whatsoever. to the more African-centric unionism of promote internal cooperation. Showing some initiative Peter Fryer 1926-2006
he US ‘midterms’ (the elections to which voters are informed than the and open space measures. South Dakotans he writer Peter Fryer was best a demonstration. It was a turning-point. decide which of the two wings of personality-led charade of ‘races’ for opted for a tobacco tax and Arizona, known for his bookH u n g a ria n An apology that “we have absolutely T the capitalist elite controls the Congress. Nevada and Ohio for some level of TT ragedy which covered the Soviet no experience of electing people” at a centralised legislature) have come and And can give cause for hope: South smoke-free zoning. California and Oregon invasion and repression of Hungarian workers council meeting was the last gone. Of course there’s been no real Dakota voters rejected a ballot measure rejected moves to oblige doctors to notify uprising in 1956. straw - so much for ‘peoples democracy’. change. Robert Gates who replaces that would have banned nearly all parents of minors seeking reproductive He joined the Young Communist His reports, describing the popular Rumsfeld as ‘Defence’ Secretary is a abortions there; voters in Missouri rights information or an abortion. League in 1943 and the Communist uprising of students and workers being war criminal deeply implicated in the approved stem cell research. Five states Meanwhile a referendum of a more Party in 1945. brutally suppressed by the Stalinist 1980s Iran-Contra scandal, for (Arizona, Colorado, Missouri, Montana, conventional kind seems likely in He became a reporter for the Yorkshire regime, were suppressed - causing him example. Although these elections are Nevada and Ohio) approved minimum Massachusetts. In three dozen House of P ost after leaving school in 1943. He to leave the paper. not of any real interest to anarchists, wage increases. The success in the Representatives Districts a non-binding left in 1947 after refusing to cancel his He published Hungarian Tragedy for over a century election time in the Missouri initiative, for instance, increases pro-peace question insisting that Bush membership of the Communist Party shortly after his return to England. The United States has also afforded a regular the state’s minimum wage to $6.50 and the Congress end the war against and joined the Daily Worker, becom ing book caused a split in the Communist opportunity for local, sometimes populist (£3.40) an hour and indexes the wage to Iraq immediately and withdraw the their parliamentary correspondent. Part and large numbers of people to proposals, to be voted on in what would the cost of living. This ought to make American presence made it to the ballot. In 1948 he was sent to Hungary to leave. Fryer moved on to edit T h e be referenda in Europe. sure that inflation doesn’t diminish its Then was supported three to two. cover the show trial of Laszlo Rajk, Newsletter, a publication of the On 7th November there were 205 value. About 150,000 Missouri workers Although likely to have little impact on falsely accused of being Titoist spy. trotskyist group The Club. He spent the ‘ballot initiatives’, as they are called, on and their families will benefit from this. the government, it is an indication of the Rajk was executed in 1948 and Fryer next quarter of a century writing such issues as abortion, animal rights, Arizona, Michigan and Georgia voted strength of opinion. Barbara Chalfonte, felt guilty at his what he saw as his widely; on Portugal, censorship, black child care, education, immigration, the for new or revived measures that protect who co-ordinated the referendum effort ‘acquiesence’ in this. British experience, and music. In the environment, same sex marriage, animals in one way or another. in Western Massachusetts, commented, He was sent back to Hungary in 1956 late 1980s Fryer to returned to political affirmative action, work place reform Washington passed renewable energy “This is just one day in a larger, bigger to cover the ‘counter-revolutionary’ dialogue, writing a column for the and minimum wages. Their conduct and measures (although California - a much picture of a grass-roots effort. Here’s a uprising against the Soviet Government. w eekly Workers’ Press. outcomes are sometimes a more accurate greater polluter-Stace - voted them down) direct measure of the way people feel Held up at a border town on the road He is survived by Norma Meacock, his indication both of lobby groups’ abilities and voters in Michigan, New Jersey and about the war in Iraq,” from Vienna to Budapest, Fryer saw his partner, and their son, two daughters to muster resources and the degree to New Mexico endorsed water conservation Louis Further first dead bodies - 80 neonfe — S Freedom 18th November 2006 Feature
IWW: union for all workers
The union’s relationship with the anarchist movement and the relevance of the organisation today is explored
he Industrial Workers of class by the capitalist system, and I the World (IWW) in Britain reckon the IWW is the only group with is growing. F reedom talked a read plan for dealing with the to three of its members inequalities that capitalism creates and about why they joined maintains. It seems to me that the other die union, its relationship organisations of the working class, both with the anarchist movement formal and informal, are just playing and die relevance of die organisation into the hands of the capitalist class, so today.T . joining the IWW was the only option I felt I had. Joining for any other reason Freedom: Why did you joinIV/W? is not what the IWW is about, but I Barbara: I am in an unusual have stopped being surprised by ‘lefties’ employment situation. I am employed thinking we fit their schemes. by elected representatives [members of Sometimes people just cannot see the Scottish Parliament] who are also how to act in their own best economic my comrades in the party o f w hich Pm interest. a member and activist. However there was no obvious trade union to be a Freedom: The IW W is not an anarchist member of. The vast majority of us organisation but you work with the were employed at die same rime, anarchist federations and have a shordy after the last Scottish Parliament number ofmembers who are anarchists. elections and were encouraged to join W hat is the union’s relationship with slot. U f a)* ' ^iOitaUhsm-aiidrlheranarihis comrade. H ow ever 1 w as unhappy vurpem em g; abourdns as my w ork does n ot involve Graham: Anyone -is. welcome to join the any journalism, and to be a member of IWW so long as they work for a living the NUJ you have to state what and seek to build a new-society in percentage of your work is journalism. which those who do die work get the When I asked the full time organiser foil product of their labour Of course who came to recruit us, he was we have a common root with patronising and sexist - using phrases anarchism in that we date our inception about me like “just a secretary”. I from pre-bolshevik thought and forms challenged him, but he only made it of organisation, when the likes of worse with more inappropriate William Morris and Hvndeman, libertarian structures and approaches. I board to move the lorry along. The membership? It seems an odd question, comments. There was no way I could Kropotkin and Sam Kitts could, to am really pleased that we are working means of getting the message across has and almost sounds like a complaint. join the NUJ. I looked around and some extent, work together and that with AF and Sol Fed to develop the changed, and the boss class is slicker Why shouldn’t members of the IWW decided that I would join the IWW. I may be the reason why some anarchists Education Workers Network and with now than it was a hundred years ago carry our good democratic ideas into liked the idea that it’s a union for all find common ground in the IWW and Sol Fed to link up radical health and controls all the means not only of any other organisation that their own workers, no matter what kind of work join us. But the IWW maintains an workers. Working together while production but of manipulation too, to circumstances lead them to join, you do. I also like the idea of one big elected structure of officials and respecting our differences can only a greater extent as time has passed, but political or social? I would be glad if union. Quite a few of my colleagues delegates, and responsibility to the strengthen us all. At the end of the dav|| that’s no reason to give up, to become there are members of the IWW in any also joined the IWW as dual carders membership and the class is an we are all fighting for the same thing - leninist, or to tip organisation out the political parties, religious and social and we now have a job branch in the important part of being a member die end of wage labour and window. I went to a lecture by the late groups, spreading the anti-capitalist parliament. What we reject though, is the sort of exploitation. Sam D olgoff som e years ago, an ideas of the IWW. Richard: Pm with Sam Dolgoff in that I political manipulation that leadership anarchist and a member of the IWW, Back in the late 1960s I was at a think it is vital workers organise groups require, so there are distinct Freedom: The IW W celebrated its and he was asked by a member of the packed meeting of working class together at work to defend their pros and cons that anarchists should zooth anniversary last year — what is audience why, considering all the libertarians in the ground floor hall at interests. Reformists unions are part o f think about before they join. We are a the union’s relevance to workers today? struggles he had been involved in Freedom Press, when at the end of a the problem. N ot only do they sell their self-policed and self-disciplined Barbara: I think that workers today without succeeding in overthrowing the diatribe Ron Marsden rephrased the members out, they also seem to spend organisation. need the IWW more than ever - the capitalist system, he persisted in famous Joe Hill quote into “Don't more time squabbling amongst Barbara: I’m not really in a position to ‘official’ unions are mostly just doing banging his head against that wall. His m oan — organise”. We won't get there themselves than fighting for workers. I answer this as I’m not an anarchist! As the bidding of the government, unable reply was something along the lines any other way, and I reckon the IWW support the notion of One Big Union, a member of the Scottish Socialist Party and/or unwilling to do anything radical. that he understood that as long as we is still the best step forward. which IWW stands foe I work in the I'm always aware that the IWW does They act as mediators between workers keep going, the boss has to fight us to Barbara: Until the IWW has grown in NHS where there are over 20 unions not affiliate to political parties and I and bosses, rather than standing up for beat us, every single day. We on the size, I think it's right that we have the representing everyone from porters to totally respect this. However I the workers. Many unions are other hand only have to win once, dual-card approach where members can doctors. sometimes feel like other members paralysed by layer after layer of because we have a different definition also be members of ‘mainstream’ Graham: There are plenty of people on don’t think of anarchist organisations beaurocracy, with little or no real of what it means to win. That has stuck unions such as T&G. For day to day the left* who have a false idea about as political organisations, and there’s an democracy for its members. Therefore, with me - we only have to win once. practicalities, such as representation in the IWW because they don’t understand assumption that anarchist literature, although the IWW is small at the Until then, the fight is the same. grievances etc, workers should make the difference between economics and leaflets etc is ok to hand out at IWW moment, it’s growing steadily as use of the structures of these unions.f politics. They come to a ‘left’ position meetings/events, but socialist workers realise they must stick together Freedom: The IW W allows its members Also, while the majority of workers are as a political decision and then make publications must be kept for the pub, and fight for their own demands. That to also belong to reformist unions likein these unions and not the IWW at the the mistake of thinking that, because and then I feel like I have to continually in my opinion is what unions were T&G — why is that ? moment, I think it makes sense that the IWW is against the boss system, it explain myself! I believe that the IWW originally for; and the massive Graham: Members of the IWW can join IWW members also participate in their is a left" organisation, when in fact it’s is for all workers, regardless of businesses that they are now with their any coffin club they choose; why would trade union, rather than separate an economic organisation that intends membership of political groups/parties, own credit cards and loans, etc., have we as an organisation want to exercise themselves from their colleagues. They so use the economic power of the etc. - within reason of course, I doubt grown so far from what they were the authority over ourselves that tells can also spread the word about the IWW within the other unions and help working dass to replace the dominant we’ve got any tory party members! meant to be that they’re members what else they can or can not the IWW to grow! economic power of capitalism. Richard: As an anarchist one of the unrecognisable. do? Would you consider it any Everything flow s from that. I joined the dungs that attracted me to IWW, even Graham: The union’s relevance remains differently if we were to exercise The IWW can be contacted a t P0 Box 1158. IWW because I work for a living, and though I knew it wasn’t an anarchist the same until the job is done. Our authority over the religious or secular; Newcastle Upon Tyne. NE99 4XL or tww.org.uit a® robbed as a member o f the working union, was its non-hierarchical problem is, as even to get enough on sexual or drinking preferences of die 6 Freedom 18 Commentary
anarchists continually appealed, had however, about Roca's contribution is | apologists for religion, Still less, as Paul little to do with promoting human values that although he makes some rather Chambers implies, should they become or cross-cultural understanding, Gemie derogatory remarks about anarchism a ‘cheerleader’ for the faith. Supporting FREEDOM E f h*son suggests; it only expressed a narrow, j and the Enlightenment (following the individual Muslims in their struggles Volume 6 7 Number 2 2 Some years ago in the pages of Freedom , nationalistic, blinkered form of French academic fashion!), in fact - contradicting t docs not imply that we should adopt a long before the religion of Islam became particularism. It thus had more to do himself - he pleads that we must defend religious roctaphysic. nor that we should a political issue, I wrote a short note on with identity politics that the radical the values of the Enlightenment: liberty, kow-tow. like the Socialist Workers Anarchism the ‘Anarchists of Islam’. I mentioned the universalism of the Enlightenment. equality and fraternity. Equally important, Party, to radical Muslim clerics. We Anarchists work towards a society of fact that although politics and religion Many of the contributors toA narchist | while emphasising the importance of should repudiate both God (religion) mutual aid and voluntary co-operation. are intrinsically connected in Islam, there S tu d ies emphasise that Islam is not a upholding cultural diversity - as does L. and Mammon (capitalism). We reject government, and all forms of is a tradition of ‘rebel Islam’, and that monolithic system, and like all religions I Susan Brown - Roca also stresses that Bhan Mortis exploitation and domination. one particular sect, the Kharijites, were takes many different forms. Thus, as j cultural relativism if taken to extremes. Freedom Press is an independent essentially anarchists believing that both Paul Chambers and Beltran Roca I can degenerate into a dangerous, | Republicans: anarchist publisher founded in 1886. “Power belongs only to God". There is stress, religion in certain historical reactionary force. Indeed, in spite of all Besides this newspaper, which comes also a saying of the prophet which contexts, and this applies equally to the rhetoric about ‘difference’ and cultural | evil and stupid out every two weeks, we produce books suggests that die nearer one is to govern Islam, can be interpreted as a progressive I 'identity', and the continual denigration Republican scumbag Senator Rick on all aspects of anarchist theory and ment the further you are from God. Yet force. This is hardly news. Anthropologists of the Enlightenment and universal Santorum has obviously not been paying practice — see our website for a full list. in a recent issue of Freedom ‘Class War’ and Marxists have been stressing this for values, one has to acknowledge that attention to either US foreign policy or In our building in East London w e run stridently proclaimed that it is ‘proud’ to ! generations, emphasising that religion I identity politics and the emphasis on Lord o f the Rings. He actually argued Britain's biggest anarchist bookshop be described as Islamophobic — expressing may be an oppressive force upholding j ‘difference’ has its dark side. This is that America has avoided a second and host the Autonomy Club meeting its opposition not only to Islam but to systems of power, as well as being a manifested in fascism, racism nationalism terrorist attack since 9/11 because the room and the Freedom Hacklab open- all forms of religious expression. The catalyst for revolt (see my book, R eligion ethnic violence and, of course, religious ‘Eye of Mordor’ has been drawn to access IT space. term lslamophobia, it is worth noting, was and Anthropology, 2006) fundamentalism. It has always troubled Iraq insread. Our aim is to explain anarchism first used by Islamic fundamentalists in Harold Barclay, who has conducted me to see anarchists joining the ranks Apparently, Tolkien’s fantasy novel is more widely and to show that people Iran to describe Muslim women who anthropological research in Egypt, while of De Maistrc, Hitler and Mussolini in one of his favourite books and used the can work together and use direct action refused to wear the veil. There are then acknowledging that Islam has traditionally denouncing the radical values of the analogy to put the increasingly unpopular to practically improve our lives and many forms of Islam, as there are many been associated with authoritarian Enlightenment tradition. I war in Iraq into terms any school child build a better world. kinds o f anarchism. structures, notes in his response that the What is troubling then about the could easily understand. “As the hobbits Freedom 's editors wish to present a Anarchism as a political tradition has religion itself is highly decentralised, and current issue of Anarchist Studies is are going up Mount Doom, the Eye of broad range o f anarchist thought, and always held an ambivalent relationship regrets the tendency of some anarchists that although it makes great play on Mordor is being drawn somewhere else," as such the views expressed in the towards religion, mainly because to view all things Muslim as intrinsically the positive role of ‘diversity’ and the Santorum said, describing the tool the paper are those of the individual anarchists have long recognised — long evil. Support for the state regulation of progressive aspects of religion, specifically I evil Lord Sauron used in search of the contributors and not necessarily those before Paul Chambers - that religious dress by some French anarchists, Barclay Islam it completely underplays the | magical ring that would consolidate his of the editorial collective. ideas and practices may not only bolster writes, is clearly contrary to anarchist reactionary and oppressive nature of power over Middle-earth (changing state power and sustain systems of theory and practice. But Barclay firmly religion. Yet in the 21st century religion I Earth to East would produce a better exploitation (as well as being institutions denies that he is an ‘apologist for Islam’. is only rarely linked with radical politics; Tolkien analogy). Angel Alley of oppression in themselves, witness the But in emphasising the ‘polyvalence’ of it is mainly linked with bigotry, “It’s being drawn to Iraq and it's not Another edition ofF reed o m lovingly Catholic Church) but also in certain religion, and the fact that Islam contains, j intolerance, and support for oppressive being drawn to the US," Santorum crafted and on its, wav to readers w odd- contexts may serve as religions of revolt. as he puts it, “A multiplicity o f Kberatory regimes and reactionary and authoritarian continued. “You know what? I want to wide..Big up to all writers.wrho managed Anarchists have therefore long embraced elements," Beltran Roca almost ends up politics. For example, in Sri Lanka keep it on Iraq. I don’t want the Eye to
- t o approximate the copy deadline! - - — ■ the-dissenting traditions within -denying the reactionary aspects of Buddhism has become closely identified come back here to the United States." Despite a number of new contributors Christianity, and have paid homage to radical Islam. Even though, throughout with the state and with Sinhalese So, US foreign policy is based on we are still on the lookout for possible the likes o f Gerrard Wbnstanlev, William its history, Islam has always formed a nationalism leading scholars like Tambiah allowing Iraqis to be killed in their (or returning) Freedom journalists %i-.; Blake. Mention may be made of Leo symbiotic relationship with the state. to write about the ‘betrayal’ of Buddhism hundreds of thousands so that Americans contact details are below. Tolstoy, Nicolas Berdvaev Aurobindo Religion, Roca informs us, is not the for like anarchism Buddhism has always can feel safe? Does that mean 655,000 .. ,We,are planning do some more strategic Bose ( described in my Ecology and ‘opium of the people’. expressed universal human values. Iraqis are worth less than 2,973 thinking about the direction of the paper A narchism), Dorothy Day and Mohandas Yet again, throughout history religion, Bush’s regime in the United States, the ( Westerners? Unsurprisingly, Santorum over die next couple o f weeks and GandhL including Islam, has been largely an most powerful state in the world, is failed to note that the reason why ‘the consequently readers’ feedback on the It is in this context that a recent issue oppressive institution, supporting state bolstered and kept in power by a bigoted Eye’ is ‘on Iraq’ because 140,000 paper would be appreciated: What do o fAnarchist Studies (14/1) is of particular power and all forms of authority and and powerful fundamentalist Christian American troops invaded it and are we do well? What should we do more interest, for it brings to the fore die exploitation. There never was a tyrant lobby. This lobby is anti-feminism anti | currently occupying it. This means that of? What sucks? Any and all comments, divergent attitudes that anarchists have who did not appeal to religion in some homosexuals, anti-ecology and anti- ‘the Eye' need not bother looking to questions, threats, etc., can be sent to towards Islam. The issue is focused form to justify his position. Roca also Darwin. Bush, like Blair, claims to have America to target Americans (over 2,780 the address below. F reedom la s been around a seminal paper written by its has the quaint idea, that until Foucault a hot line toGod. Likewise, in India a dead so far). Obviously, US troops figure through a fair few changes over the editor, Sharif Gemie, entitled T h e T rial came upon the scene, anarchists militant and violent form of religious as highly in Santorum’s world view as years - where do w e go next? Watch op Fatima: Anarchists, Muslims, and the recognised only coercive power. This ideology, Hindutva, has been in the Iraqis - both are cannon fodder to get this space! M onde Libertaire^z0oy-g.ooWjm represents a complete misunderstanding resurgence, a form of Hindu nationalism his sorry, corrupt arse re-elected. Issues with lateness are being addressed He notes that among anarchists, a of the anarchist tradition, as I tried to intrinsically linked to a nuclear state HVI but the mailing team are still understaffed particularly militant strand of anti- show in my book On Kropotkin, which and the advocacy of free-market and underpaid (!):- willing volunteers cleriCalism developed in France, directed has a long discussion' of Foucault capitalism And, finally, of course, in will be highly appreciated. In terms o f ■ against the influence of-the Catholic (Kropotkin; The Politics o f Community, Islamic states like Saudi Arabia and News in brief remuneration w e can offer good company, Church on schooling, and its frequent 2004). It is also worth pointing out that Iran, whatever their doctrinal differences, UUU page 2 good conversation and copious quantities support for right-wing causes. What when Foucault described power as a fundamentalist form of Islam is of local people in country M ayo, Ireland, of tea! * troubled Gemie-waS-that in a context in ‘productive’ he was not referring to currently practiced. and linking it to the 11th anniversary of . So, thanks to everyone who’s helped which die hegemony of the American something benign and creative, but to Now widespread, especially in Africa, the murder of the Ogoni9 in Nigeria, out on this one - 1 got nothing else to empire was being justified through the forms of power exercised by the modem and supported by these states, a radical where Shell is proven to have been say Btill next rime... use of anti-Islamic slogans, and the far- state and industrial capitalism - biopower form of Islam is now afoot, one that involved in the killing o f Ken Saro-Wrwa. right were exploiting anti-Muslim surveillance, discipline, govemmentalitv, envisages an Islamic state (a theocracy) There were also protests at Shell’s sentiments, it was despairing to see pastoral power This is the reason why, and the implementation of Sharia law. sponsorship of Wildlife Photographer Contact details anarchists expressing support for state long before Foucault, anarchists were Such a law sanctions by divine edict the of the Year exhibition at the Natural Freedom Press; 84b Whitechapel High repression. The universalism of the critiquing the ‘productive’ modality of murder of apostates (Muslims who reject History Museum. ^Street, London E l 3©3C;'- Enhghtenraentyto Which the French power called religion. What is important, their faith), the stoning or flogging of Tel/fax: 020^ 2^ 04^ ? adulterous women, the persecution of www.freedompress.org.uk homosexuals and any writers or artists E nquiries: [email protected] who dares to criticise Islam. Muslim Quiz answers Copy/Letters: [email protected] clerics are free to denounce secularism 1. Escapologist Harry Houdini. In The Subscriptions: [email protected] but woe betide anyone criticising Islam. Secriet life o f Houdini, authors William B o o ksh o p [email protected] : : We are in fact seeing throughout the Kalush and Larry Sloman claim he FreedomiPress-Distribution: world an unholy alliance (if I may be worked for William Melville at Scotland [email protected] allowed such an egression), between Yard and monitored Russian anarchists' yJSmdisaid'^smlAih religion and both capitalism and activities in Britain and the US. * fin d out authoritarian politics. These are the 2 . Ricardo Flores Magon. A selection of his by Martin Howard and illustrated by Paul Petard. Next issue ‘sombre trinity’ of which Flores Magon work is published as Dreams o f Freedom The next issue will be dated 2nd Some say that it should not be the highest priority of a revolutionary' wrote — state, capital and religion. r ^ AKPwss. s,' movement to ask itself obscure questions, but it’s good fun and if it December-2006 and the last day to get Anarchism has always championed 3. It was started in 1914 by Mary Patterson, encourages an enquiring mind to find out more, than all the better. copy to us for that issue will be Thursday both universalism, the importance of Zefie Emerson and Sylvia Pankhurst. So agitate, educate and organise, all in this very handy question , 23rd November Send articles to ns by and anseer format! human values, and cultural diversity:. Add Pankhurst continued publishing it until email toCopy@6eedong«eSsx»rgi.uk, or in defending Muslim women- against 1924. Get your copy now for £5 (post free) by mall order from Freedom Press? by post addressed to The Editors, state repression, and expressing solidarity 4. The Women's Dreadnought, reflecting 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E l 7QX (cheque/PO made out to Freedom, 84b Whitechapel High, Street, with the oppressed, anarchists should Pankhurst s origins in the Suffragette London E l not go to the other extreme and become movement. Freedom 18th November 2006 I
A slew of new Dead Prez releases deepen and diversify revolutionary | US hip-hop, reports Tom Jennings two-year hiatus following preaches gang unity in the wider the landmark RBG: struggle, whereas ‘Til We Get There’: Revolutionary But Gangsta captures the overall thrust of anger (reviewed in Freedom, 15th combined with hopefulness: May 2004) ends with [M l] “That’s what’s called solidarity several projects from far- / When we struggle it’s therapy after left hip-hop duo Dead Prez. chaos we get clarity / My enemy’s Despite RBG’s success, and endorsementenemy is my man, remember? / 1 ain’t Afrom rap mogul Jay-Z, Sony dropped tryin’ to be endin’ up in this man’s them after swallowing Loud Records. dilemma / We only here for a minute - Independent moves now yield M l’s it’s what you make it, So live it / See, Fm debut, two mixtapes with the Oudawz, a ryder and I’m gonna be remembered / and Stic.man’s The Art o f Emcee-ing For those of y ou not bom, to those of how-to book-*-CD and his forthcoming you not here / 1 wish you the best and album. Their trajectory reinforces the that’s real.” cross-pollination of post-Panther rebellion [K’naan] “This ain’t ya average, when with street-level music and class-based they portray us they say ‘all savages’ / 'reality’ rap. So M l has produced for ’Cause we have it, blast it, won’t stash other artists (including Mississippi’s it / ’Cause we fight to the death and David Banner), established publishing manage / To makes songs of struggle and company “War of Art’ (punning on Sun- to habits / And damn it, if I don’t get Tzu), toured with Wu-Tang Clan’s even / It’s chant down Babylon season / Ghostface, and signed with jazz guitarist/ Die for New Orleans to Cleveland / ’Til producer Fabrizio Sotri forConfidential. we even, we not believin’,” *. The resulting melange of R&B melodies and hooks (satisfyingly rendered by the Zero Sum Game legendary Cassandra “Wilson and With M l positioning himself as a remotely newcomer Rave) mixes current NY, radio-friendly quasi-mainstream rappee WesrCoast, and dirty South club hip- Stic.man and California’s Oudawz . hop beats in a succesful lyrical-musical explore inner-city Black youth career synthesis thanks to guest MCs like options, in two mixtapes:Soldier z i, veteran G-Funkrraptivist-Pam— Call’, ATCQ’s Q-Tip on the sexual tropes and metiapb ors'to powerful-. .though they don’t call also steps up alongside an astonshing I s politics tip (“Love You Can’t Borrow’)," effect, for the struggle, that’s how you earn it fatw^j/'Tt?s: chemical war unleashed on array of old- and new-school, hardcore and rising star Somalian refugee K’naan more fully accomplished in dissecting your stripes.” the Black and the poor / And who and consaous, artists on H ard T ruth (soulful lead single ‘Til We Get There’) the deadly fascination with the drugs ' Thertiti^ ' .benefits:? The-police, judges. Soldiers', Yol ;l and, somewhat bizarrely, —as well as M l’s own m other (fresh game. The subject has intimate resonance out the cold-hearted reality: ;/:The-privatc-owned' prison industry with produced and wrote the lyrics for Public from 12 years inside for drugs offences) with all concerned - several of the [Young Noble] “It ain’t too many federal budgets / All them products in the Enemy’s misfiring Rebirth O f A Nation on the thoughtfully downbeat ‘Land, Oudawz are former dealers, including dope dealers, retifringy It aM’tiidb many commissary-/ Tell me who profitss^irs; (check guerillafunk.com). So, suburban Bread & Housing’. These strategies Young Noble whose mother and brother old .obvious / And itfs^oing too good for white middle-class subcultures may be dovetail with -thematic subterfuge, thinly-ft were both addicts. Also, mvolyed
Children Of Men dodges (he security forces around an litter the rubbish-filled streets. So far, so, dystopian novel had none to start with sHentific progress—the mythical ‘Human directed b y Alfonso Cuardn exceedingly grubby and battered but tantalising. - the magnificent set design and Project’ run by “the best brains in the recognisable London, in which death Awoken from drunken disillusionment cinematography here representing a world” on the good ship ‘Tomorrow’. This latest blockbuster from Mexican squads, random bombings and cages full by reminders of personal tragedies past, journeyman director doing the stylistic Cuaron twists James’s high-church, high- film-maker Cuaron paints an ominous of foreigners on their way to incarceration Clive Owen’s cynical civil servant Theo best of a bad job in terms of depth. Tory spiritual self-flagellation, echoing picture of the near future, with a global then flip-flops around the Home Counties John Wyndham or J.G. Ballard’s bleakly virus having left humanity infertile. trying to save the world’s only pregnant Slouching towards Bexhillem bilious postwar UK sci-fi critiques of Bulldog Britain somehow soldiers on, woman, fetching up in Bexhill-on-Sea So, opposition to the fascist state from bourgeois anomie. The redemptive demonising tidal waves o f illegal rendered as a monstrous concentration/ the urban guerilla ‘Fishes’ (i.e. the symbol convergence of rationalist wishful- immigrants escaping societal meltdown refugee camp. Their flight is captured in used by clandestine early Christians) thinking with pseudo-religious ethical everywhere else, its increasingly superb action sequences with bravura signposts the messianic underbelly of superiority, promising salvation from totalitarian government trumping the handheld single-takes, modulated with moral politics. This rainbow coalition of the jackboot, is instead its shoehorn - public s despair at impending extinction sentimental moments of stillness amidst former anti-war; civil rights and green with the blind liberal management of w«h internal terror and short-term the bloodbath as the unexpected sight activists is riven with ‘broad front’ capitalism actively fostering disaster: ‘homeland security’ repression while and sound o f infancy resurrects human contradictions - only demanding human Theo’s death delivering (Black refugee) benevolently distributing ‘Quietus’ sdf- caring among military, rebels and rights for refugees;, yet launching armed madonna and (female) child to safety then merely finesses die conclusion that euthanasia kits for those who don’t i bystanders alike. However; the narrative insurrection! Utterly lacking the socio middle-class heroism (physical or succumb to ‘day of judgement’ is far less daring than its filming. Whereas political underpinnings to wring interesting philosophical) - like this film - can fundbmentalism. A s the upper classes V For Vendetta scuppered every ounce speculation from its pandemic/police suggest no solutions- numbly barricade themselves in to brazen o f political nous in its literary source,, state scenario, Children- OfMenS- naff www.bmJenoings.pwpJjlueyonder.co.BK r*'»t armageddou, a rae-rag resistance ■, .crime writer P*D* James’^Similarly . nativity parable-crumbles into faith in while I think the British state is unlikely A Sideways Look to go down this road, there are For once, I’m going to give Jack Straw vociferous tabloid campaigns by the the benefit of the doubt on his recent usual (racist) suspects. speech on the niqab, the face veil worn "Whatever I think about the choices, by some Muslim women. I don’t think free or otherwise, that Muslim women he was trying to stir up anything more make, it is clear that women shouldn’t than a debate and wasn’t intending to be attacked for it. inflame anti-Muslim prejudice, though Svartfrosk he should have realised that this would be a likely outcome. If you read what he wrote, all he did was to ask some Muslim women to remove the veil when he saw them in his constituency surgery, leaving it up to them whether they complied. It is also at some risk to Taken from Freedom of 13th November 2003, his position as there is a large Muslim entitled Mission accomplished? population in his constituency and Let’s recap. It has been proven offending them would make him conclusively that Saddam not only did vulnerable, possibly even to someone not have Weapons of Mass Destruction, advocating the veil in the nameof he did not have WMD programmes. It socialism. has been proven conclusively that he The niqab covers all of the face had no links with 9/11 or al-Qaeda. So except the eyes and is not mandated by much for the initial lies and excuses for the Koran. It is not common at all in the war. What of the last one, the one many Islamic countries. In the tacked on when the public simply immediate aftermath of Straw’s "fdfhsed to believe the others: the' & & |[ comments, many Muslim women were called ‘moral’ case for war. heard in the media saying how •Given its. hypocrisy, it was easy to' > liberating they found it to be dressed so' dismiss. The long practice of US-UK modesdy, or that it was something -support far dictators like Saddam between them and their god and had •suggested that it was nonsense and Imagine if... Listings nothing to do with anyone eke. subsequent events have proven this to : Tony was having trouble with the ID 17th to 19th November Introduction to assemble at 12 noon at Carterton, FJoweveq it’s more than just'd be the case. Now the rdal hiimafe'^^^^ database^No matter.how hard he tried, renewable energy weekend in Wales, Oxfordshire, see stopwatorg.uk or difference of opinion with those women of the war-are becoming known. he.corildnteget the frXorrriXririn he was three-day long courses at the Centre of email [email protected] from an Islamic background who feel According toThe -Lancet, the respected after' •’ Continuing Education, University of • or tel 07764563855 constricted by the dress codes and the British medical journal, the invasion “Darling? ” He called across the Wales, Aberystwyth, in Mid-Wales, see 19th December Preston SolFed public peer pressure makes it a wider issue. forces (mainly the US air force) killed at study, “Have you been messing about greendragonenergy.co.uk/courses.htm meeting, ‘Why Santa is a bastard’, from The pressure on women to conform is. -least 100,000 Iraqi civilians (most with the national ID database again?.* for more info, or an on-line enrolment 7.30pm at DISC, 103 Church Street, always greater where conformity is reportedly killed being women and His wife shrugged. “If you don’t form at abetac.uk/addysg/geninfo/enrol visible. children). This is significantly higher want me looking into Gordon’s / 18th November End Occupation of see solfed.org.uk/ I think some of this is reflected in the than previous- estimates,, based om - fshoppmg’hapitg^oii shouldn’t leave; - Iraq, a meeting at Friends Meeting 10th March The Sixth International case of Aishah Azmi, the teaching media reports, of up to l6,O.G0-Litfle ■■ House, Euston, London from 11am to @ltemative Bookfair in Gent at De assistant who took an industrial wonder the US forces announced thatrit - 'Toriyjriied?hotto -smile.Tt- hadheeri?. fi|pm, contact ; Oentrale, Kraankindersstraat 2, Gent, tribunal against the school she worked would not bother counringthfe nufajprsl s^^Novam jbeffBrh^omSqiiieftipu'bfic- Belgium, from 10am-8pm - apart from atafrer shewaaasked notto wcaldhe it killed meeting, ‘Why does the scum always 1 - he' a programme niqab when teaching. It became an j^ S p’where does that leave the ‘moral’ f e ^ ofthe topifelfrom-^^OPm atDISG m issue after children complained that case for the w^i^Given'that 1Q3 Church Street, Preston, for info showings and performances, for info- they couldn’t hear hen However, she alleged that Saddam’s^pgiffie: killed : For just the tiny cost of £500 a head, call Q7707256|>8'2 SUBSCRIPTION FORM STANDING ORDER FORM SUBSCRIPTION RATES Se«d to Freedom Press, S4b Whitechapel H ig h Street, London £1 7QX Please return to Freedom, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London El 7QX inland Europe outside outside Etaope Europe (surface) (airmail) Q Please start a NEW subscription to Freedom to To the manager (your bank) Freedom (24 Issues) half price for 12 Issues Bank name...... Q Please RENEW my subscription to Freedom tor...... issues ' Claimants J&QCf l E i l p p w j H g f l 1 Bank address ...... Regular 20.00 29.00 y29:00 41.00 i | I enclose a donation Institutions 28.00 36.00 36.00 4&00 60.00 60.00 ' 72.00 r ) yd like to pay by Standi ng Order and have completed trie farm (see right) Supporter 48.00 i..,..™.. each month/quener/year (delete as approoriate) starting on (date) ,...... v...... P Get in much with us for details of bundle rases. . 1 enclose £ ...... payment (cheques payable to Freedom Press please) Note that we nave a new •supporter' sub rate. Name(s) of account iioideris) ...... Tjgi can also use the Standing Order form to ensure Name_ ____ r— —a.;.------^— ~f~------,—TO.... ■ Account number ...... — ______Sort that your .subscriROon .always gets paid on time, or if you want to make a regular donation toFreedom. Address ...... — ...... -----...... Signature ...... At prices'are in i sterling. For bank use only | You can now subscribe online at Please pay this sum to Freedom Press, account number 8294BS05. sort :co