www.freedompress.org.uk 24 MARCH 2007 IDE ►► Special summer preview issue: We interview organisers for Earth First!, the Schnews Alternative Media Gathering, i07 and more. PREPARE YOURSELF cavity around the country is centres will help at least some of these ft;shaping up to be some of the to survive long-term. n rLmost organised seen in the UK for many years. Alongside longstanding Media protests such as the DSEI arms fair With a slew of new regional news- and the GS (to be held this year in sheets, websites and even video Germany) which will have seen months inidatives, anarchist media has of preparation by the time they come progressed markedly recently, around, there is social centre network recovering strongly from the dead ing, media training, new organising in zone it had found itself in the run-up education and in community politics ro 2000 with high-traffic websites such and a number o f events such as the as Libcom and Indymedia, and Projectile Film Festival and Anarchist improving standards and distribution Bookfair. volumes for the printed media as a In this special issue we are looking whole. Schnews are proposing the first into some of these evenrs and initiatives major media gathering for years to be to find our more about what we can held in May at the Cowley Club in expect, wnar the motivations of the Brighton. Full details are on page 3. organisers are and what ir is expected Both the London Anarchist Bookfair to achieve. and the Projectile film festival continue ro be centre points for anarchists to Social Centres gather; and Projectile (see below) have die Social centre network has led to a outstanding work coming up. rise in co-operation using online Anarchist . "f methods between different centres, improving with new writing .emerg^n^ with some exciting ideas such as including the monumental Anarchist tonring speakers and meetings across FAQ due later this yean 0 0 the network being mooted. Although the Marc^estookpiad^i the network is sail in its early stages, Events there is more communication happening Although this issue is not focusing on poll between the various centres, old and the major spectaculars of 2007, there peai|efirtdemonstrations' and riot&preadinTTiesyaitonikrai^end new, around the country. area number of camps and ||^ertsv,k^ge^^ moves to try and curb student radicalism in Individual centres, such as-rhe confrontations planned or ongoing this j^k^s^b^tb^b^rnment. Basements in Manchester and Liverpool, year, including against nuclear arms ate among a new wave of both squatted and war machines at Faslane 365 and and reated/owned premises providing Disarm DSEI in September; against Earth First! in July, against the G8 in Participation in class-struggle issues union, struggles, NHS protest support support for anarchist activities, and it climate destruction at this year’s Germany in June and a wide range of also seems to be rising, including across the country and increasingly is hoped support from established climate camp, planned for August, other targets. solidarity work in Manchester with !■*- p a g e 6, column 4 PROJECTILE: THE INTERVIEW DUBLIN BOOKFAIR
reedom caught up with a m em ber The cabaret night is definitely a group of individuals, we represent a ■■■he 3rd March saw the second Rossport; and the Justice for Terence pi the collective organising bigger deal this time around-actual fair spread of different takes on I Dublin anarchist bookfair; held Wheelock campaign. Terence F Projectile, the annual anarchist bands, more spoken word and poetry, anarchism as a political philosophy. I at the Teachers’ Club. It was Wheelock died in 2005 after being film festival in Newcastle. and probably some weird art stuff When we put the first Projectile organised by the Workers Solidarity taken into police custody. His family going on as well. Maybe the only together three years ago, it was an Movement and featured all the groups have understandably asked questions Freedom: You've done two previous common factor is getting Dave effort to have a second ‘national’ event represented in Ireland as well as . about how this happened, but have festivals, how do you think this taw Douglass to do & rum, but he doesn’t that, like the London Bookfair; would several from Britain. been attacked by the Gardai for their will compare: need that much encouraging really. bring a (or of people together - but There were stalls from anarchist pains. Projectile member: We had tried to outside of London. There are other groups and bookshop projects, such as The event started with a talk on have iess overlap between winy; and What would you recommend as bookiairs about, so the idea of a the WSM, Just Books and Barracka ‘What sort of Ireland we want', and talks this yea^ but we ended up with potential highlights? cultural event with him at its core Books of Cork, Organise, the there were also historical talks on so many items to fit in that we weren’t The new documentary Sacco a n d ma de sense , Revolutionary Anarcho-Feminisc Syndicalism in Ireland and William as successful with that plan as we had Vanzeui is really excellent, por kicks, Group, Revolt Video and Anarchist Thompson and a presentation of hopedl There are fewer ‘historical’ The Anarchists should keep you The Star and Shadow will he hosting, Prisoner Support, Also present were their work by Organise. The longest Sm s this yean 1 suppose that’s one laughing in between fight sequences, can you tell us a hit about that? Class Wan the AF and Libcom.org discussion was between the WSM, difference, although ir wasn’t it’s ridiculous hut 1 really liked it. The Star and Shadow Cinema is hands from Britain, Perhaps most interesting the Irish Socialist Network and intentional. We’re all really looking forward to down one of the coolest community was a stall of Polish anarchists in eirigi (a community-oriented split seeing There Is hlo Authority But cultural projects even It’s an all- Ireland, and had material in Polish from Sinn Fein) about what sort of Yourself too, as it’s the one him we volunteer cinema that began with the both on anarchism and the rights of Ireland they would like to see. In a havener previewed. four collectives rhar programmed the workers in Ireland. break from the bookfair tradition in Side Cinema, an older alternative That anarchism has enjoyed a England that these two groups also What sort o f background do the venue in: Newcastle, healthy growth there was attested to had stalls. organisers have and how has that What the Star and Shadow folks by the variety and importance of the From discussions with them, the informed putting'Projectile together? have done is rent about half of a large stalls and meetings led by campaign organisers seemed happy with the Vol 63 Jr’s fair to say the one thing wc all warehouse owned by the City of groups* These included Latin numbers, and atmosphere of the event No 06 share is an interest .in him, anarchism, Newcastle and turn it into a great American Solidarity; the campaign and are likely to repeat it next yean and good nights out at the pub ^. a* a ta*- page 6, column 6 against Shell building a gas pipeline at Martin H. 2 Fro 0itT_S' 4 iri"M'ci/&Y20G71 Home and away
Another fine mess A new report brought out by Hazards magazine has highlighted the ineffectual nature of levying fines on large corpora tions for malpractice, particularly relating Around the world to workplace injury. To date, no executive of any major CHINA; A protest staged by thousands state to close its borders to foreigners (2003-2004) the poverty line for a family They’ve been meeting daily in the UK-based company has ever gone to of rural workers in central China ended coming to join the solidarity struggle. of five was 400,000 toomans, while the Jevangee Gardens Park, Nairobi. On prison for workplace safety offences. in violent clashes early this month, Bom out of the ’80s squatter move tens of thousands of adjunct teachers 10th March, police declared their forum Although several firms have received reports say. Several people were injured ment, Ungdomshuset was a rallying were getting by on a monthly salary of an ‘unlawful assembly’, arresting 56 seven-figure fines, such a BP - approx as up to 20,000 people clashed with point for disaffected punk youth in 35.000 to 45,000 toomans for teaching participants and injured five. VsTooth o f their profit margin for last 1,000 police in Hunan province on Denmark and achieved a level of inter in the schools. Now, after the passage According ro Koigi wa Wamwere, a year - this has not led to significant Friday, a local official told Reuters national fame through its massive gig of two years, inflation has harnessed member of Parliament in Kenya who is changes in policy in most cases. news agency. space, a regular stop-off for bands on society and the poverty line is no less in solidarity with the people’s parliament, One example cited by H azards was The Boxun Chinese news website, European tours. It also played host to than 600,000 toomans per month. In the government of Kenya has the the Baker Panel Report, which traced said the clash was sparked by rising a vegan kitchen, t-shirt printing, cinema, the meantime, across the country, for intention of permanently closing down systemic safety problems all the way public transport costs. Rural regions infoshop and was a place to meet and example, an elementary school teacher people’s parliament owing to its allegiance back to the London-based global of China have seen mounting unrest in organise. To many who passed through with high levels of experience, and on ro the Chama cha mwananchi, (poor board and chief exec Lord Brown. recent years. its doors, it assumed a central role in the brink of retirement, makes an people’s parry), a newly registered party. Brown was personally blamed for the Thousands of protests were held last their lives, and lived up to its name average monthly salary of 240,000 to dangerous conditions his workforce year amid growing discontent over the with the vast bulk of its scene made up 340.000 per month, and over 100,000 USA: Activists in the US believe that laboured undei; yet no pressure could widening gap between rich and poor of people under 25. adjunct teachers receive only 140,000 FcdUp! co-founder, Kevin ‘Rashid’ be brought on him directly. and corruption among officials at local Solidarity marches have taken place to 160,000 toomans, and these adjuncts Johnson’s life may be in danger. In the level and above. across Europe, including a 3,000-strong are not eligible for health insurance, and past week, he has allegedly been Terminator view The latest reported unrest came as march in Berlin (pictured left). most social security benefits, and do not maced, thrown into a wall, death The next generation of military communi the Chinese legislature, the National get paid for the three months of summer. threats made on his life and he has cations has said "Asia La Vista, Baby* People’s Congress, held its annual IRAN: About 10,000 teachers gathered repeatedly been denied meals. co earth after it was launched from session in Beijing. in protest in front of the Parliament on KENYA: Grassroots social movement Information received suggests he is no french Guiana on 10th March. At least nine police cars were burnt Saturday 3rd March. The teachers Bunge La Mwananchi (The People’s longer allowed to receive mail, make The system, apocalyptically named during the clashes, the Boxun report said. demand the enactment of a Pay Parity Parliament) have been organising in phone calls or have visitors. This Skynet, is the latest successor to the bill, and a resolution to the problem of slum communities and over bread-and- leaves him in total isolation. Rashid UK's original 1969 scheme and has DENMARK: The eviction of the four offering waivers for military service to butter issues for 15 years. has been filing grievances against been done using the UKVvery own storey Ungdomshuset (literally, Youth teachers bom after 1354 (1975-1976) It is a non-heirarchical movement abusive guards for years, and also an self-created monster; PFI companies. House) in Copenhagen sparked three who have completed their teaching organising for alternatives to the current outspoken member of the Black Communications services will be days of rioting andjforced the Danish obligations. situation in Kenya. It is part of the Liberation Movement. dehvered by the owner and operator; Like nurses, laborers and most hard consriurional reform process in Kenya A new young correctional officer by Paradigm, pan of Asmnm Services, with working peoples of society, the financial and has tun campaigns on land, water the name o f C. Dutton, is the guard the system, including the satellites, situation of teachers has become so dire and employment rights as well as the reported to have been responsible for Aiagravi and built by Agrium Satellites. that they, like many other groups, have price of fuel, sugar and Unga (maize much o f che abuse and death threats. toidMo.fflke;.on>second.and third jobs ,, flour) following massive price hikes three It is asked chat supporters call the ^K u35raefces2fls!Bahc^ While alm ost every campaigning, social, being able ro provide for their families. ‘official’ members (many more partici Gene Johnson’s office, the head of the union and NGO group has condemned According to Mr. Hossein Raghfar, a pants and supporters) and convenes in Virginia Department of Corrections to the I7p rise in minimum wages imposed consultant ro the Minister of Welfare Nairobi, Kisumu, Mombassa, Eldoret demand: by the government rhi< year; one brave and Social Security, in the year 1383 and Kibwezi. Ww page 6, column 5 union leadership has stood out from the crowd. Lisdaw says a proposed 17p rise in the .National Minimum Wage will be a key factor in driving up the living standards o f Britain's three million retail staff. Prison news The union, which has faced strong criticism io r its tie-ins with Tesco, said Deerbolt kicks off • Tomasz Wilkoszcwski, ZK, Otzechowa rights activists were jailed for their personal view in a collection of stories the 17 p rue would "help boost staff Ar the end of February young prisoners 5s 98-200 Sieradz, Poland. part in a non-violent campaign against which promise to, in turn; move, shock, at Deerbolt Youth Offenders Insrirute Hunrindon Life Science*. Mark Taylor, entertain and enlighten. For more info 1 off twice in die same week. In the John Bowden pamphlet Suzanne Taylor; and Trish Portwinc see fromdusktildawn.org.uk Amri&G first uprising an estimated 40 prisoners The latest pamphlet produced by Leeds were accused of entering the offices of In tnc ballot to approve the creation of I completely destroyed a wing at the jaiL ABC is Tear Down The Walls! by John companies with link* to FILS and Sad news about Thomas Tripp {be as yet ur.nsaruvt Lew iiow-n the It took prison riot squads eight hours Bowden. Apart from two years spent demanding chat chose companies sever From his supporters: "On Friday 2nd TicG gave the go-ahead by 86.4% for to put down the mutiny, and a number on the run after a spectacular escape, their ties. March, Thomas Tripp committed merger and Amicus members voted o f screws wetc injured, including one John has been in jail since 1980, and They were also accused of organising suicide at his home in Springfield, 76.1 “a ior merger. Born unions achieved i left with a fractured skull. The Home spent most of his childhood in various ' loud demonstrations against the Oregon. Some o f you will remember a 27% tu rn o u t, 1 Office has mace no mention of injuries forms of state institutions prior to companies, and of caking photos of that Thomas was associated with a The merger o f the two will ] caused to prisoners. A few days later, that. He has been at the forefront of the people who worked for them. group of rebel prisoners in Oregon who create a two rtulnoo-strong naerabetsmp. J Doabok lyftrd off again, with prisoners 1 the British prison struggle for most of They were sentenced to four years, came to be known a* the 'Children of The merger has been subjected u> I taking over one o f the remaining wings j hi$ time behind bars, and is able to 2 V; years, and 15 months respectively. che River' curing his five years in prison. sustained erte *c.*m Ttom daa struggle | and holding u until the following day. j describe his experiences articulately Please send letters of support to: He regularly contributed writings to anarchist groups who beheve the mr*gr* I and powerfully. • Mark Tayloi; TT6636, HMP Bclnutsh, anarchist and prisoner support publica will a a only to continue hid mg system*: : ABC offices raioed m Copemagen Tear Down The Walls! includes two Western Way, Thamcsmcad, London, tions. He was released from prison in problems in the TUC nnay* system in early Match, Copenhagen Anarchist f teas by John, the first bring uun> ! SK28 0UB late 2003 and became friends with which (S soring massive and low ] Black Gru*» were busy helping to I biographical, and the second a fierce « Suzanne Taylor, TM7154, HMP many people in Eugene's radical levels of militancy across the board. I organise support for the hundreds of I condemnation of the prison system Cookham Wood, Rochester; Kent, community* Thomas had a difficult I people arrested resisting the j from an abolitionist point of view. The M U 3LU tunc adjusting to hie on the outside Trident arrests I Ungdomshuset ewefron, and in (he I pamphlet also tea cures an introduction • Teresa Portwinc, TM71S.1, HMP with all of the barriers and obstacles Several people were arrested after block j subsequent police raids, when (heir I by anarchist cx-pr nonet Mark Barnsley; Cookham Wood, Rochester, Kent, that exist for ex-cons, especially those ading the roads around Parliament I own offices were raided. Everyone J who served time with John in several ME) 3LU. suffering from posc-traumanc stress Square on Wednesday 14th in I present was arrested and rakes away, J prisons and {y n T t fg f 1 "’>I>V Tear Down and living with no real resources. protest over the government* plans to | preventing them from uttering legal T h e W a lk ! can be obtained directly From D usk Til Dawn Thomas was an intelligent, fun and renew Britain's nuclear capability. I and prisoner support. More info ar j from Leeds ABC, PO Bos 57, Leeds, fro m D esk ’(U Dawn is the title of the sweet person who will be missed by all Nine people chained themselves I www. Wackyross dfc j LS8 4WF. It costs E l.50 plus SQp (UK) long-awaited book by former ALP who knew him." together blocking the roads around j pottage. As with everything produced prisoner Keith Mann, and is primarily Parliament Square just hours before 1 Ponsn antifascist aemaa parole j by Leeds ABC, alt proceeds from the KctthV personal perspective on the ABC updates MPs arc to decide on the replacement j Tomas* Wilkoszcwski, a Polish | sale of this pamphlet will go towards direct action wing of the Animal Leeds ABC now send out a regular c- of the Trident nuclear missile system. | a&cuascist, serving 15 years fo r killing | the direct support of anarchist and Liberation Movement. The book takes bullctin containing news of the inter One of cheprotesters,.Meli Harrison, I a nazi skinhead during a street fight, pcLts* struggle prisoners. If you require you on tour with the ALF as activists national prison struggle, updates on said “we were told that there would I has been denied parole again. Tcmick J mote ir>U*rm^n.>n you can CfflJtl teed* carry out raids, and allows the reader political prisoners, and information be a full and open debate bur this ha* I has now spent 11 year* in jjptg Hi* j ABC at leedsabctiPnscup.oct to gain a better understanding ot the about forthcoming events. To receive not happened. Even some people who j lawyers arc preparing an appeal atofthst thinking and motivation of some of it, email Lccd*ABC<0riscup.nct and arccujxendytn favour of Trident are J this latest derision, bubtp the meantime New animal ngnts prisoners the people who work within ALF cells ask to be put on their mailing list, SRife' page 6, column 5 1 Tomck is very much in need of support. I On 6th March three British animal or atone. Keith lays before you his comptlod by Mark Barnsley Freedom 24th March 2007 News The great media hoedown A major new alternative media gathering has been called by Schnews, Rob Ray interviews the organisers
j olio wing a recent resurgence of news-sheets and alternative media ____ I sources over the last few years, one of the most successful activist news- sheets of the last few years, Brighton- based Schnews, are calling a media gathering this May. Titled ‘M for Media Malarkey - the Schnews media gathering 2007% the three-day get together will see training and the chance to network and get involved for print, video, radio and online media, with screenings and introductory stalls. Freedom caught up with ‘Jo Makepeace’ (the Schnews pseudonym) for an interview on their concept for the proposed conference. “We decided that there hasn't been one for a long rime and there are a lot of people who we aren’t quite in touch enough with who are doing alternative media in Britain, such as yourselves. “We wanted to get a lor o f people together and the next job was to decide whet we wanted to do once we
weeks. A couple of people have latched on to the idea that a lot of people axe coming from an activist background and they don’t know a lot May, have not been confirmed yet, Jo we’re looking; at-a number of .. of it. P, who does Schmovies is going other thing, using the web as an about methods of research and other told Freedom about the preliminary workshops; one cbtua be trom Tony- :~ to be doing the video. W hat we’re things which journalists do. planning that is going on. Gosley, he does research stuff in talking about with improving people’s “The focus at the end of the day is “Basically we think some of the ‘On Friday it’s mostly an evening Bristol and there’s a couple of other skills this all applies to video people. about promoting political activity research is a bit poor and people do and we're treating that as a screening journalists floating about who wilhbe It’s hard to say whether these themes and direct action campaigns. It’s newsletters and so on, which is good, and putting up stalls for the print able to give different angles on will transfer straight over to video not about the media in itself, the but some of them suffer from pasting publications, a lot of people will be research methods. people. media is a tool for that.” in fiidymedia. If you’re doing a drifting into Brighton late and a lot “Then maybe on the Sunday we “We were going to bring in radio regional newsletter you need to be able will be staying at the Cowley Club so might he able to do something more but there’s not so much of it about, The alternative media gathering runs from to say what’s going on where you are there will be some socialising and then practical on how to put together and there’s a handful of pirate stations, 11th to 13th May at the Cowley Chib, 12 ra th er than just running another on the Saturday and the Sunday we’ll distribute publications, and as with there’s print video and web, obviously London Road, Brighton. article about Iraq.” be getting a set of workshops going. reporting, a lot of activists aren’t trained the regional Indymedia crews, Libcom Although the full details of the “There’s different things competing in design so there’s that as well. and a number of others who are Email [email protected] or call 01273 event, which runs from 1 Ids to 13th at the moment but at the moment “So that’s focused on the print side basically web publications - that’s the 685 913 tor more information. Mobilising educators Earth First!
^ H itts June looks likely to see a libertarians, just because w e recognise One SolFed member in their member of this year’s Earth First possibly due to all the hype surround resurgence in organising lo t the that none o f us are particularly Education Workers’ Network (EWN) Organising collective explains ing the Camp For Climate Action at powerful and so if we club together said: “The EWN discussed this at its Mega Watt Valley in Yorkshire. ___A| what will be happening with the T___ I education sector, with an anarchist we can make a bigger difference and recent conference, and will participate Attendees of last year's gathering networking meeting involving three have a bigger presence. The IWW is and help with the organising. We see big green anarchist gathering: maintain that it was still a worthwhile federations and individuals from idle biggest of the groups that are the wider grouping as a useful July will see environmental activists around die country. involved, but that doesn’t make us discussion forum, hut are not in from all over the UK, and possibly One activist from Norwich The education meeting held at last able to go it entirely alone. I see the favour of yet another anarchist further afield, coming together in commented “It was one of the most year’s anarchist bookfair was one of network as a good place from which education organisation emerging from Norfolk for the fifth Earth First! positive experiences I’ve ever had. 1 the most successful of the day, with a we can mobilise for demos or pickets, it, not least because it would contain Summer Gathering. met so many wonderful people, alt surprisinglylarge response and an get some anarchuh agitprop out, and such a diversity of views within it as to Earth First! in the UK is a loose-knit, with very diverse backgrounds, but intention mooted (o sot up a full just generally keep each other make it unworkable.* network engaging in “Direct action for everyone had a common goal and was national meeting on the subject far informed with what we’re up to A member of the AF said: “Our aim people and planet*. The Earth First! committed to halting the destruction this March. and help each other out. There's no is to improve communications between Summer Gathering is an opportunity of our planet" Although the March gathering was reason for us to fight o v er minute education workers, to improve to skill-share, network and enjoy Over the four-day period, there will not organised in time, it looks likely to theoretical details when we've gut so solidarity and co-operation. We are camping together with Like-minded be workshops covering a huge range happen in June, with Anarcho- much more to fight against outside of not trying to set up a new individuals. of topics including non-violent dimer syndicalists SolFed, Syndicalist union our ghetto. organisation. We'd tike people to be The gathering will take place from action, plumbing and electrics, first the IWW and the Anarchist Federation “Hopefully we can build for it better able to work on common issues, it Wednesday 18th to Sunday 22nd July: aid, using two-way radios, self coming together nationally for the first this time, with wider advertisement seems ridiculous that we don’t co The exact location is kept secret until defence, and navigation skills. time over one issue. and dearer goats. 1 think it’s nice to operate already. Our network is fairly a couple of weeks before the gathering, Freedom spoke to members of have a gathering of like-minded folks embryonic still. Mostly occasional in order to protect the land owner Anyone wishing to run a workshop should Soiled end the IWW over what they in the same Industry, but I'd personally communications between each other. from harassment by the authorities email martinshaw64tiriseup.net expected from the event, ‘Tony’, from like to see it produce some good We will be discussing how it's going at until the last possible moment. the rWW, said: For more information call 07962 406940 or result* that we can all go away and the AF conference in April. It it nor Last year's gathering, which took *1 think the IWW is keen to work 01865 770833. play with at our own workplaces.” intended as a rival for others.” place in Glaneirw in Wales, was with other group* and unattached left- smaller than previous gatherings, This April will see an attempt to bring together the international syndicalist community in one place - France - for i07
he i07 in April will see a major all revolutionary syndicalists and gathering in Paris aimed at anarcho-syndicalists will be welcome. bringing together syndicalists from The event is being hosted by CNT- Iaround the world for a major conference. Vignoles, in a move which has already Tackling issues such as outsourcing, cost courted controversy internationally as of living, the co-operative movement, the organisation has been effectively womens struggle, anti-fascism and outlawed by major anarcho-syndicalist section meetings in a wide range of international the IWA after an acri industries, the gathering will take place monious ideological split. over four days and invitations have Its presence as the organising group been extended in several different has led to substantial criticism from languages. IWA member sections, though German The conference, which has several section the FAU - already on a final times slipped past deadline after it was wanting over its close links to ‘enemies’ originally planned at i02 in Essen, will of the IWA - looks set to send a bring together both participants at the substantial delegation and it’s thought previous conference, and promises that a large number of people from other countries will also go. in their individual PR&PR06RAMME capacities; Friday 27th April Reception of delegations. The main bone^of,contention is,-on Saturday 28th April M orning: Union meetings (the cost of living, wages, de-localisations, ; ^itich'i|ijghQles,j alohg^th;offier ■ expelled ) wAsecnonsTnav^tafeenm^ wisfch. The situatisnra^Vfeateworse.acc'oram'gTO coiom Bian'aswtsts, oy agentpravoca,le.Uf group*, institutions/rsvoiutionary syndicalism , union recent years. The conflict is going to who were .allegedly made up o f military pe.rs.oa.ne.1 and metropolitan po!lee>Wgaring civj Man clothefefnip repression, the BJ, -etc. A fte rn o o n : Sector he tackled head-on at i0Z,with talks on cotnment^o^dlombia Indynriedia, translated fosr Freedom,sn activist said: “If there^as/an atm oS^ meetings: Building, education, postal revolutionary syndicalism, anarcho- .s,uppbjt whiclfgSfoe nat illlld f Bogota demonstrated to Bush and Uribiithe pre§ahisfe?6 f tfi<|||thah service, healthcare, cleaning, culture, press, syndicalism and institutions, and presidential caraya'ttgand J •': transport steel industry, agricultural ■workers.: representativity, law, syndicalist freedom etc. Evening; Concert and antisyndicalist repression taking Stmda]rdZ9th April M o rn in g : Meetings by place on the first full day of the theme; Women's struggles, anti-fascism, conference* and the capacity.of this .system have-: ;.-:; syndicalists and revolutionary syndicalists together? Our ultimate goal, and our social 'ecologr.housing. migrations, ams- Lengthy talks have also been bought never -been so, strong as they are today and all those for a workers controlled hope, should be to start rebuilding imperiafism, e tc . A fte rn o o n : Summary of the- in on the privatisation of the public Closing profitable factories where world to meet at an international level? links and uniting workers of different various meetings. £ven/ng;'B4g intemational sector across Europe, a topic which is workers have acceptable working “In such a conference, what’s happen countries, to reappropriate the means meeting. particularly relevant for the UK as the conditions only to open the same ing Inhere and how) can only be an of information, struggle and action by Monday 30th April A fte rn o o n : Showing of NHS and education have come under factory somewhere else with lower wages introduction.to debate with concrete organising international solidarity!"y; militant movies, tour of Paris sustained attack from the government. and worse working conditions only to examples from the practice and struggle Tuesdayl i t May2007 A fternoon: International In a press release, Vignoles said: rise benefits for stock holders is unfortu from each of us, The i07 conference will take place in Paris on May Day-demonstration,Even in g Concert. . “Globalisation is nothing new to nately not surprising these days, - “The immediate goal should beicwhat Saturday 28th, Sunday 29th, Monday 30th capitalism. But mobility; aggressivityS”^ “What is the point for anarcho-C’ are we concretelyicapable of.doing April and Tuesday 1st May 2007. rises Law of the gun
pontaneous actions continue to in a country in which such wildcat Ali, a worker at Mahalla factory saysys t was. announced quietly in the read the names of known Americans erupt throughout Egypt. Illegal strikes are expressly prohibited and “When the ruling party has a: bad middle of March that, in addition to and Iraqis killed since the war began Sstrike actions and factory occupa official brutality is endemic. As Gamal dream, they wake up and blame the I the 21,5,00 soldiers Bush ordered tes- on 19th March 2003. tions have spread in just a few months Fid o f rhe Egyptian Organisation for Muslim Brothers” but according to Iraq in January, over 8*0.00: more are - Meanwhile a federal appeals court from a base in the textiSfindustry to Human Rights told the San Francisco him fhe real reason is that “conditions to be sent there and to Afghanistan at has ruled that a lawsuit centering on workers in cement factories, shipyards, Chronicle, “It's very unusual. There’s have reached a dismal level. It’s bad an extra cost of $3.2 billion (£l.7bn). the CIA’s secret prisons and use of poultry farms, railways, public services been nothing like this in at least five for workers all over Egypt.” Bush has also recently announced torture cannot be allowed to proceed and hospitals, years. It's not just the number of Pressure for strike action had been plans to build the United States’ first. • because it would ‘expose government A wave of strikes began on 1st strikes, it’s the number of people building for months. In December, a new nuclear weapon in nearly twenty state secrets’, Khaled el Masri, a February at the premises of the Misr involved,” watershed strike at Mahalla - the . years. The National Nuclear Security German citizen, sued the CIA after Shehin Al-Kom Spinning and Weaving According to Raguii Assaad, an largest public sector factory in Egypt - Administration has selected the being kidnapped in Macedonia and Company in the Nile delta region. Egyptian labour expert, “Control over drew 27,000 workers away from work. Lawrence Livermore National flown to Afghanistan, where he was 4,2.00 textile workers struck illegally the unions has always been thought of The government scrambled to reach a Laboratory to design a new nuclear held for five months in a secret prison both to claim seven months’ worth of as a national security issue ... it’s settlement on unpaid bonuses and warhead to replace older designs as and drugged, beaten and interrogated. unpaid bonuses and in reaction to the about making sure the state has workers’ rights but recently workers part of the country’s 4,000 strong Anthony Romero of the American impending privatisation o f the factory, control over an active, organised, there have been reported to be nuclear stockpile. . Civil Liberties Union commented “die which was sold off to Indian investors movement that can make trouble,” considering further action. According - Peace protests continue around the state secrets doctrine has become a well underneath its actual value. Two This tight control has recently begun to union leaders, managers at Mahalla United States. shield that covers even the most weeks later, 11,000 workers struck for to weaken. retaliated against the wildcat strike by In Washington state two dozen blatant abuses of power’X;- their bonus payments at the Kafr Al- Company executives have blamed beginning the eviction of troublesome activists were arrested in the middle of 7 Similarly, the administration is Dawwar Spinning and Weaving the rising militancy on subversion and employees or their parents. March at the port of Tacoma as they leaning on another appeals court to Company, demanding better healthcare, 'terrorists’ while the Muslim Brotherhood The system of state-run unions is attempted to stop the army from dismiss a lawsuit-which accuses labour elections and the removal o f the has been blamed for infiltrating being challenged; Spurred on by rising shipping Stryker armoured vehicles to telecom company AT&T of illegally corrupt company leadership. workers’ ranks. But in the context of prices, increasing privatisations and an Iraq. helping the National Security Agency By 21.st February, th&strike* had steadily rising food prices and stagnant authoritarian government, Egyptian In New York the ‘Granny Peace .to spy on internet usage - again using spread to include more than 35,000 wages, there is no mystery about the worker* are organising in a way that Brigade’ staged a six-day protest in th e‘state secret’ excuse. workers, an extraordinary development source o f the discontent. As Khalid thev have never done before. Times Square at the same time. Thev low’s Further Freedom 24th March 2007 5
Freedom talks to ‘Bob’, a longstanding member of the Anarchist Federation, about UK’s main anarchist-communist group
he Anarchist Federation What changes have you seen over the What do you think the relevance of is growing in membership years you have been a member? anarcho-communism is today? and involved in a range Well, we’ve grown quite a lot since There is still a need for an anarchist of campaigns including then. I think we’ve doubled in size. communist organisation. Too often the Defy ID. Its magazine And of course we’ve joined up with anarchist scene js incredibly elitist. Organise! has recently 1FA (the International of Anarchist There are loads of friendship reached its twentieth Federations]. Not so many of the new groups doing things that exclude anniversary issue. members are old crumblies like me, the participation of working either - there’s a healthy number of class people. They have no Freedom: Why did you join AF? young anarchists joining us. structures that allow people Bob: I joined die AF back in 1999. When I joined we weren’t really a to join them, no internal Before that Fd been a member of a federation. There was just a London democracy that places council communist group called group and a load of individuals everyone on an equal Subversion. We’d been going for about around the country. Now we have footing. No point of twelve years, based mostly in the groups in Manchester, Liverpool, contact for people new Manchester area. We’d come together Nottingham, Surrey and we’ve got the to anarchism. And after the Wildcat group dissolved itself makings of groups in a few other ultimately no staying in 1987. One of our main tenets then towns too. We’ve just taken the power had been the need to be anti-sectarian decision to start rotating the editorship Anarchist communism a n d work with other like-minded o f Resistance around the country. offers a set of perspectives communists. Manchester have produced four issues, in struggle that maximise As time went by we found that the Nottingham are doing the current one the chances of success — ancUso direct democracy, mandated was the ACF (AF was previously the collective decision to invoF^^urSelv^s^ fdcl^M^^thc%ight Anarchist Communist Federation). We in the anti-ID cards ^cmpaigh^^^lP I^S'a^^mbhe^ndJs'qfon'nt’saj shared views on trades unions, members are heavily involved with strategy that builds confidence, parliament, national liberation and so Defy ED, for example. We also rather than inhibits in And because on. We held a number o f joint day collectively decided that working our strategy is based on real schools together and organised a together on solidarity with Rossport experience of real workers in struggle, couple of summer camps too. I’d was a priority. it brings with it a respect for the actually wanted us all to join the ACF One major change has been that a people most directly involved in the communist The activist scene anyway, bur as some o f the Subversion number of AFers have joined the struggle. The people at the Rossport propaganda group, doesn’t fit this bill. It depends too group held to a more Marxist line that 1WW. However, we haven’t really Solidarity Camp have found this. A so are they. If you read their pamphlet much on friendship networks, which didn’t happen [most of Subversion’s worked this out yet and haven’t sorted number of those heavily involved in The Economics of Freedom, what you are notoriously hard to break into. If ^material is still online, it’s now on the out how it relates to our attitudes to the camp are anarchist communists see is an attempt to work out what an people agree with us, then they should AF Manchester website; af-norrh.oig]. trades unions, for example. This is (one’s AF, the others are WSM). They anarchist communist society would join us. If they agree with Solfed they After the collapse o f Subversion, I something we’ll have to deal with have impact with the local community look like. There’s little in it I disagree should join them. It’s that simple. It’s a got on the phone to ACF comrades in soon- because they operate in an inclusive with. I suppose the biggest problem is question of understanding the need to London and said I’d like to join. In the joining IFA has meant that we've way, they don’t go round saying, that we see the need for a specifically work effectively in a sustainable way, end three o f us from Subversion focussed our international work iWe’re the activist experts die rest of anarchist communist grouping. I believe not just to feel good about spectacular joined, though one has since left. If mostly through that organisation. I you watch us in action.! that the attempt to create an anarchist ‘actions we’d joined up earlier, the result would think we’ve recently realised that this union will lead to the emergence of have been a much stronger hasn’t been wholly for the good. It has AF and Sol Fed along ivitk 1WW have an anarchist leadership within it. Can you tell us some o f the issues that organisation which would have had a allowed us to let our contacts with the begun to work more closely together, Freedom published a pamphlet on AF While it is true that existing species Are you short of a) cash, b) We evolve what are too specialised, biological evolution contributors? On either account, ask. Projectile continues, and will continue. For us Richard Segar page 1 FREEDOM we need small cinema with a cafe thar can host mammals if we humans oust capitalism Volume 68 Number 06 Reading something mentioned by in time before it wipes us our Ed’s note: Thanks Richard your letter shows and some extra spaces. There Engels in his ‘The part played by labour completely. If we do, we can all look raised a smile. We are genuinely sorry are hipster artist types involved, in the transition from ape to man*, I forward to a spectacular future, and about the problems we’ve been having neighbourhood characters who have Anarchism couldn’t help but feel that the fantastical in hundreds of thousands of years with getting the mail out on time, just wandered in, serious cinephiles, Anarchists work cowards a society of worlds of Restif De La Bretonne* and hence shouldn’t it be feasible that sadly having just lost one of our most and of course us. Amazingly we are mutual aid and voluntary co-operation. other eighteenth century Utopians are those other species who share out dedicated collective members (see all still getting along. We reject government, and all forms not so far fetched. lives so inrimately would develop the Angel Alley column) we are now on of exploitation and domination. Beings evolve capabilities they need biological capacity to converse with the skids a bit for getting anyone to Call The Star ana Shadow on 0X91 261 Freedom Press is an independent to live in their particular environments. us in our speech? This would follow actually organise it, let alone do it. 0066 for more information or go to anarchist publisher, founded in 1886. Engels explains how humans evolved logically from the fact that we evolve I'm personally based far out of the www.projectile.org.uk Besides this newspaper; which cornea their capacity for spoken languages as in accordance with requirements. We city so can't get down to do the Accomodation can be provided if requested. out every two weeks, we produce books a result of living and working in evolve what w e need. mailout on the weekdays, which as on all aspects of anarchist theory and mutually dependent communities. In such a case, different species would our little collective is now down to practice — see our website for a full list. As the human hand evolved through long have come to regard each ocher five or six people - at best - for the UK news In our building in East London w e run attempting to do things (labour to as people, in the same way that the entire enterprise and two for mailout tat- page 2 Britain’s biggest anarchist bookshop produce and realise what humans human ‘races’ (so-called) now do so; who won’t do it by themselves (fairly nor happy about the way the debate and host the Autonomy Club meeting desired with regard to food, clothing and the exploitative human practices so, I think) is wreaking havoc, not has been conducted. This is an issue room and the Freedom Hackkb open! apd shelter), their speech evolved also of today, such as factory farming and least on any attempt to get this stuff of international importance and will . £t£cegsjnr spac&*|^ in response to the need to communicate vivisection, would be regarded with into shops - who won’t take us if we not just affect us but leaves the spectre :^0ur aim is to explain anarchism 8 die lack of I being felt as a defect - the same horror that we now regard aren’t on deadline. of nuclear holocaust over generations more widely and to show that people ideas among people living together in human exploitation and the murder Just quickly on the suggestions. to com e.” ^can wodc together and use direct societies o f co-operation. and consumption of other humans. Fortnightly is just about manageable Elsewhere four people were arrested action to practically improve our lives Litde by little the larynx and vocal “The more you look at animal eyes, for a newspaper I think as long as outside the Faslane base in Scotland and build a'betrer world. capacities of early humans were thus the more you begin to perceive them we’re running enough unique content, where the nuclear submarines are kept Er^dojd^^^ditors wish to present a modified over hundreds of thousands not as animal eyes but as the eyes of and moving into the magazine market and another five where arrested after broad range of anarchist thought, and o f years ^to produce what we today other people. So we call animals puts us in competition with groups dropping a banner from the Scottish as such the views expressed in the paper recognise as; human speech. ‘people’.” - Oren Lyons, chief of the such as R esistan ce , Direct Action, etc. Parliament at Holyrood. are"th^^|pf the individual contributors Engels writes:wComparison with Onondaga nation (quoted in Joan We could do this, but would we want These actions come during an and notjaep^arily those of the [other] animals proves that this Dunayer; Animal Equality). to, especially as various members of upsurge of anti-nuclear protests with edirorial^pllcctiye. r .; explanation of the origin of language the collective are looking into helping nearly 580 people arrested since last ;^.;is:the only correct one. The litde ^Nicholas Edme ‘Restive de la Breconne* relaunch B lack Flag as the magazine October; including 30 from the that even the most highly-developed (1734-1806) wrote La Decouverte auscrale, equivalent to F reedom? As a matter of eastern region, in a year long blockade Angel Alley communicate with in which the human meets beings who are pride for the anarchist movement, too, of rhe Faslane base and regular actions Freedom,Fm-sr^ryoU’t^^^^^^^ each other does not require articulate r % melange of more than one species. I think it’s important that Freedom keep a t the Atomic Weapons Establishment now, is having more than the usual speech. , AKW running as a newspaper. at Aldermaston. run of problems with its mailout. Your point on pictures is fair ®ewugr^rmT^-^e^onL^5^nYO'n'e’” have iosr one of the collecdveM m ost speak or understand human speech. It for pics, which are mostly lifted from International news stalwart members to the world of work. 0 quire different when it has been our own archives, Indymedia where tajp page 2 IrisBeen three .years since febeCapte tamed by man. The dog and the’ agony necessary (the pictures there are non • that continued harassment of Kevin involved, and for many mohths his horse, byiasSooation with man, have I write to thank yqu all for stirring copyright unless otherwise stated and Johnson be stopped; contribution has kept the bopkshop developed' such a good ear for times and valiant efforts for anarchy are rarely by-lined with real names) or • that C/O Dutton not be allowed alive, .gotten the m ailoutd^^F'uilt up arctc^af speech, thar they easily learn andcdwffisft anywhere else we can beg/borrow from. near Kevin ‘Rashid’ Johnson the backtab and generaUy n ^ ^ the |^:cinaderistan;d .any language within Although I qualify as an ‘old lag’ of I agree wholeheartedly on a who, what, #185492; whole operation viable. Though itis^ their^0^%f;concept. the UK anarchist movement, I actually when, where, why approach though • that Kevin ‘Rashid’ Johnson be impossible to do anything but wish him have acquired the still think you are more or less right. and will endeavour to incorporate it allowed to receive mail and his the- very bestalong with E n& cfeforfeelings such hsiaffection • So, congratulations on getting out the where possible (I’ll even try and throw visiting privileges reinstated; grantude for his w hich were past iwo editions (13th and 27th Jan in ‘who* it’s of as a bonus on occasion!) • that he receive food regularly. goin gro make M e ^ r y hard.v p rev i^ ly foreign tp‘ them. Anyone §§®7),'which came today (29th Jan) On spacing and leading, that’s a matter Mailing addresses: wiic^fes fed much with such in the same envelope. What for the designer rather than myself I • Tracy S. Ray, Warden o f ROSP, PO of organisers, workers and mailout .*> feifefes-^ to escape .. organisation and economy, the think. Box 970 Pound, VA 24279 fo lk ro ^ fe^ n ^ ^ fe that in many casesthe envelqpe/^is oyeh franked ‘Mount Arid in answer to your final question • Tim Kaine, Governor of VA State the editorial collective seems stable for inability fespeak a Pleasant*.; Even the stuffing team aj always b)/Of course! Capital- 3rd Floor Richmond, VA the moment, distribution is dying on ^.mifpi^natefeyIS:-': would notfey^l^that. Rob Ray 1 i^ ^ p ^ a a d - Thfer^u fe^ !^ fem Janu^jcy ; f e g f e ^ ; s g fee:, _ . ■.pprker - it had dear If ypu live in Londom ^ i^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ # *;Qld Donald Rooum’s obit of Richard Prepare yourself feed^urBelp^ wheri^bi^k r- Boston,?£nd ^sparklingreview .of fcta P3&e w m m Contact us at the address below if you i ^ ^ a p ^e^^i^tm n:- certain limits eVeh by Tom Jennings. organised work in the education ANARCHIST BOOKS or someone you knc^g^n^^lUn^^r^ this inability disappears.” Then fp^'cap it all was Donald's? * - i Whitechapel High St If the shop is closed (the^^^dUUger Engels also dismisses the usual Wildcat, this fortnight on religions In community activism, the Haringey London El 7QX of this) you can email or leave a note indifference to parrot-talk: all interlocked with more good stuff. Sbhdarity. Group continue to take the B K ^^^^giobj^iifet the parrot Keep up theeitffeient work?.^fe-Can |fe d in promoting locally^cargetced tel/fax 020 7247 9249 i;^^^ot'Und&stand what irsays.Br is be sent -for further issues;' stock sof work, and community groups in OPENING HOURS true that;fe^^he sheer pleasure of ink and paper* £te. London, Glasgow, and Edinburgh B t o g d a y t o Satu raa3 Contact detail^ iaikibg and associa ting with human Brickbatsi-ProofreadiUg: In |3th among others are looking to expand Freedom Press., ^ b Whitechapel High beings, the parrot will chatter for hours January issue, Iceland is conrinued on their networks and links (to subscribe fr o m Klgnoon t o f e i S Street, London EX at a stretch, continually repeating its page 1 surelypagefeArmed go to CommunityAccionList- nlng hours are subject to cl Tel/fax: 020 7247 9249 whofe^pdgfefey, But within the madhouse4s-published fpx^Q.OO^ v •• [email protected] ). check we’re www.freedompress.org.uk A?neepcs itieati alsolearnitp Sprely not? .Even faeect&m would not In the UK aU-federation conferences vfreedompress.orj donipjE^^g^uk ■ -pagfergtaiid what it isispying. Jeafej;. «■■• ^gp-that far. . in education look setfe bring closer CopylLetters: [email protected] pprrot sw^arwords in such as it JBreedom is fortnightly, why does it Co-operation to the organised anarchist Subscriptions: [email protected] . & cs; m idea of their meaning y>vi<^s£;:' lp'pk like a newspapeEfeIssue J7th groups (ac$ page | | ' \yhije inter Quiz answers B ookshop: [email protected] itanti^QJi^ di^yerchiftcir Januai^iiasadeadline of 18th nationally, i07 in France will attempt to 1. Toys - chey had no draught animals to Tbr&dxzm Fx£^yDistribut3<>m . knows how to use its. wear words as January. So, make ir t^s^inch page bring together class^struggle anarchists .pull wheeled vehicles, so the only use [email protected] correcdy-.as.aBerhn^sternionger.’’ size (16 pages!). from around the world in an atmosphere chey bad for wheels was, in toys- ' i^&.won’t herego intp the mulnplidty Pictures: (I have said:rhis before)cM^ cfsoJidarity rhifekpril. US The three principles were nationalism, of methods of communication between Run them smaller and have the good democracy and peopleV welfare. The animals in the "wild’ -r languages grace to say Where, When, What and Key dates: end-goal of them was “communism and The next issue will be dated; 7th April unknown or -litde understood as yet Why. Even more pointedly, you could i07:27th April to 1st May anarchism”, apparendy, according to the 2007 and the last day to get copy to us by humans^and which axe in many^i • also say Who took it, How much Schnews Media Meeting: 11th to 13th May eclectic Sun. for that issue will be Thursday 29th ^sgsanyrhing but simple or limited Freedom paid for it and Who got the Projectile film festival: 18th tp 2.0th May 3 . Canadian band Godspeed You! Black March. Send artiqles^to us hyremail to (i.e. elephants). Let us instead imagine money. (You don’t have to do this for Shut down G8:6th to 8th June Emperor; who took their name from a copy<^reedompresswOrgiuk^ofhy post thos££pe$pe§ referred to by Engels, ... all of these, just what are-seen fit. Earth FirstI: 18th to 22nd July film by Mitsuo Yanagimachi. addressed jto: The which we have tamed, and -whose: - You still have too much white space Climate camp: 14th to 2l$t Adgu§t 4. Peru - it’s produced by (he Grupo &4b Whitechapel H igh yS ^ ^ d ^ n d p n - conscious lives are intricately bound - per issue and the typematter is too Disarm DSEb 11th to 14th September Qhispikay Llaqta from Lima, and means up our own on a daily basis.. widely spaced> Less leading please. London Anarchist Bookfain October die people's freedom. Freedom 24th March 2007 7 Tom Jennings welcomes renewed interest in eighteenth century Tyneside radical Thomas Spence l ewcastle in the late time of the 1789 French revolution I eighteenth century was a was busy agitating, educating and hotbed of radical political organising - though again too extreme associations (e.g. for groups such as the London Corresponding Society. Travestying conservative Edmund Burke’s characterisation of ordinary people as | Constitutional Club, “the swinish multitude”, Spence called N Independent Club) and his regular broadsheet Pigs Meat. dissenting church sects. It He also minted hundreds of coins was also a thriving centre for printing and tokens bearing cartoons, attacks (French revolutionary Jean-Paul Marat on politicians of the day and general visited regularly and launched The radical mottoes. This propaganda Chains o f Slavery there) and grassroots method combined with bill-posting education. One notable beneficiary of and wall-slogan blitzes proved much and contributor to this climate of more difficult for the authorities to ferment and potential was Thomas quell than his stream of books and Spence (1750-1814), an indefatigable pamphlets, which included The End o f enemy of exploitation and oppression Oppression, the proto-feminist The who expounded lower-class insurrection Rights of Infants, and several works and seizure of the land. about fictional utopias ‘Spensonia’ The newly-formed Thomas Spence and ‘Crusonia’ - sequelising Defoe’s Trust’s The Hive o f Liberty introduces popular Robinson Crusoe in his life and work; with the latter revolutionary directions. scarcely in print over two centuries but Paranoia about the English masses now largely reproduced on their emulating their French counterparts website. The pamphlet includes yielded many Acts of Parliament various perspectives on the man, his suppressing freedom of speech from ideas and their significance - including the 1990s onwards, when Spence his virtual disappearance from history endured severe beatings from and patronising appropriation by government agents and periods of authoritarian Marxism — together with extracts from his writing and the on charges of seditious libel and high responses of others over the years. treason for distributing his own and i— ~s— -Paine’s work. self-education started with his Glassite When at large he ran a bookshop .(dissident Presbyterian) parents, (‘The Hive of Liberty’ in Holborn) and impoverished Scottish immigrant stalls selling printed matter along with netmakers. Characteristically ahead of the drink ‘saloup’. Affinity groups and his time, he published an educational their missionary work disseminated tract with a new phonetic alphabet to Spence’s Plan organised via ‘free and encourage literacy among the poor easy’ pub gatherings to avoid while working as a teacher on the surveillance, with lectures, debates, Quayside. Active in local debating songs and poetry. After his death in for feudal ideologies of ‘divine rights’ struggle haunts us still. spaces collectively created amidst clubs, he gave a talk (later called ‘The penury in 1815, supporters expanded with naive redemptive faith in Purportedly bringing The Hive of worldly misery remain indispensable - Real Rights of Man’ or ‘Spence’s their grassroots activity despite rationalist enlightenment. Liberty ‘up to date’, Newcastle artist but only given the humility and Plan’) to the Newcastle Philosophical relentless suppression - a law even Nevertheless the pragmatic George French concludes that: “the empathy to resist jaded delusions of Society after the colonial war in being deemed necessary in 1817 to emphases on local, bottom-up control, Spencean project has failed ... we can intellectual grandeur. As he put it: America started in 1775, having been explicitly prohibit “societies or clubs federalism and direct democracy no longer rely on solidarity, “Can tyrants hinder people from the first to use the term ‘the rights of calling themselves Spencean or resonated loudly among the rabble but association or community action ... singing at their work, or in their man’ (in a 1782 tribute to Jack the Spencean Philanthropists”. appalled the contemporary great and The only oppositional space left to families? Sing and meet and meet and Blaster, an ex-miner cave-squatting at good and later leftist intellectual exist is in our own heads and ... sing and your chains will drop off like Marsden Rocks, South Shields). Pearls before swine aristocrats alike - who were naturally personal action”. burnt thread.” He later distributed Thomas Paine’s Of course Spence (and most early also contemptuous of his trust in the Oh, really? Presumably intended to www.tomjennings.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk book of that title, stressing its flaws agrarian socialists) could not tackle potential integrity of the common provoke debate, such defeatist concerning the private ownership of questions of industrial development people. The sensitivity to issues of sophistry would certainly have Spence The Hive o f Liberty: The Life and Work of land - the abolition of which he and capital accumulation in complex colonial encroachment, land use and spinning in his grave. Whereas the Thomas Spence, edited by Keith Armstrong, asserted was fundamental. Regrettably, societies. Static universal principles ecology, and the social positions of refusal of elitism, twisting of popular with introduction by Joan Beal, Is available for the Newcastle freethinkers were ignoring historical process in the women and children similarly culture, and enthusiasm for grass-roots £5 (plus £1.50 p&p) from the Thomas intransigent in supporting bourgeois oppositional politics of the time resonates across the centuries; while intercourse and the irrepressible anti- Spence Trust, 93 Woodburn Square, Whitley property rights; Spence even being usually derived from millenarian the perennially unhelpful unhinging of hierarchical power of dialogue, Lodge, Whitley Bay, Tyne & Wear, NE26 3JD; cudgelled by his friend, engraver religious traditions, overcompensating righteous idealism from concrete humour, and shared enjoyment in see also thomas-spence-society.co.uk Thomas Bewick, over the issue. Unable to make headway up north, Spence moved to London and by the MUSIC P a ra n o ia takes UK Hip Hop to new savvied in their prime. And that’s not the only Unlike his peers inside and outside Braintax heights of achievement in identity and similarity as Brains takes Panorama of Hip Hop, Brains has managed to (Lowlife) production. beyond his own genre into the pantheon harness the spirit of former giants Blessed with a Northern sneer not of UK street genius alongside Gang of while presenting a genuinely brand Braintax is back and not afore time. unlike his brother Skinnyman and with Four ‘Entertainment and The Great new groove. With Rawdog s beats the While Hip Hop in general has the best beats to come out of London Leap forward’ Don’t be Afraid of best since Bristol was on fire, Brain’s wallowed in the exploitative gutter for since Nellie Hooper’s time, Panorama Change... has had to rise to the challenge and in long and weary years, this head has is a blast of sense and taste and skill. As Banksy adds Disneyland to the so doing has produced an album that dwarfs all around with its creativity been planning a counter attack of Syrianna Style and The Grip Part 2 Israeli Apartheid Wall, the Guggenheim devastating form. Not only does he (A day in the life of a suicide bomber) Museum and The Tate as his chosen and conscious. If you were ever going to spend spit in the face of corporate Hip Hop cover the war and the plight of the canvas, there is a real sense that left some hard earned shekels on a CD and its seemingly endless line of scab Palestinians with the same nous employed field art is back and that in some cases then now is the time to do it. and scumbag promoted but he also by Jerry Dammers and Elvis Costello it’s never looked or sounded as good. selection. Selection by the old method A Sideways Look of using the eleven-plus delivered some I’m fortunate rhat it’ll be a few years schools which were overwhelmingly before 1 need to worry about my kids middle class, as the exam was always going to secondary school. A friend, skewed ro middle class values. The who’s eldest reached 10 a couple of current method has been selection by years ago, asked why he couldn’t just high property prices. It seems that it go to the local secondary school. will be replaced with selection by When he looked at it, it became clear ‘catchment areas’ - I suppose there is a that there wasn’t a local secondary slight advance for working class kids to school, instead there were schools run get into getter schools that they might by the religious and schools run by even be fairly local to. But what’s the businessmen, that focused on sport or betting that the catchment areas match language or art or something that kids the districts being gentrified, while the from disadvantaged backgrounds are out of town estates remain with the meant to be good at. worse schools?; My daughter has already lost several S vartfro sk class-mates to the older sibling effect, where parents move to avoid the poor choices at secondary for their older brothers (there is better local provision Bookworm for girls at schools deemed good). Some friends of mine did this recently, moving notes* to Bromley, where there is still academic I have a soft spot for old-school English selection and an intense war among the radicalism. Say what you like about middle classes to get their kids into the their conclusions, but Tom Paine and ‘right" schools. When they moved, the his contemporaries were enraged by local school wanted to see the deeds of the right things, and they knew how to their house before they’d admit the communicate to a mass, working class kids. Apparently, some parents are so audience. Witness the multiple, cheap, competitive they will rent a house near and often pirated editions of their works a popular school to make sure their in pamphlet form. Like Paine, William Imagine if... Listings kids get in. Godwin found inspiration in the French A1 Gore posed heroically in front of his 24th March Northern Anarchist stages, dance rooms, urban cabaret The issue of who gets into what school Revolution. Unlike Paine, he is best Apple Mac and waved to the adoring Network meeting at the Hare and and visuals (money raised tor anti-war has been rumbling on for many years, known as a novelist - not least for Caleb crowds. Dressed in combat fatigues and Hounds Public House, Shudehill, and anti-capitalist action) for more but recent government guidance has W illiams which has a claim to the title wearing a bandana, the ageing statesman Manchester from Ham to 5pm. An info see rrs.gn.apc.org/diary.htm brought it to a head. While the govern of first fully-fledged crime novel. looked every inch a revolutionary American anarchist visiting the UK 31st March and 1st April Zagreb ment says that proximity, having a sibling Godwin’s distinctive brand of ‘philo leader. will be speaking, along with Dave Anarchist Bookfair (Anarhisricki sajam or religion are all acceptable reasons sophical anarchism’ lives on mostly in Gore was calling the charge once Douglass and Graham Moss. knjiga or ASK), for a stall/accommoda- for selecting pupils, it has also pushed the poetry of Shelley, who found him again. Fresh from his stunning victory 25th March What is the Importance of rion in Zagreb email [email protected] , lotteries by band as a way of evening an inspiration throughout most of his over global warming in what he was Hegel Today? by Joseph Tendler. 11am for info see ask-zagreb.org out the intake and giving poorer kids a short life. Peter Marshall’s ably edited now referring to as the great Inconvenient at South Place Ethical Society(SPES), 5th and 6rh April Expose Exxon Day, chance to get in to the successful school. and introduced book of The Anarchist Truth campaign, where he had told the Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London, 24 hours of protest at Exxon (Esso) Brighton and Hove recently became the Writings o f William Godwin (Freedom masses to buy their way out of climate for more see ethicalsoc.oig.uk/events.htm headquarters, details of events to be first authority tp'.adopt a policy of Press, £4.50 - a bargain!) is an excellent change, he was now raking on the 26th March ID-Day national day of announced, for more info see lottery ror its: popular ^dhools. piacefo start exploring the ideas of might of the established media, which action against ID cards and the campaigncc.org/stopexxon.html There„\vill besptoe interesting out the man himself. Where Tom Paine’s had for so long held a powerful database state, to coincide with the 28th April to 1st May i07 conference comes from Brighton’s; decision, not approach is more polemical, explicitly hegemony over truth and justice. opening of the passport centres where in Paris, d e t a ils at cnt-f.org. least that-some people will have spent : starring from the questions of the day, Speaking to reporters of the great people will have to go to b e . 11th to 13th May SchNEWS Alternative a lot of money buying houses next to j^Sjxlwm is more radical, in die sense push by his liberal guerrilla forces^ he interviewed, fingerprinted and iris- Media Conference, a coming together ] i"seel’tK>rh“rne^^ -oS^n^fromfirirprincipTes'rOT^ "oF^n'dependenr TTfc' SUBSCRIPTION FORM STANDING ORDER FORM SUBSCRIPTION RATES - Send to Freedom Press, 84b Whitechapel High Sfrest, London E l 7 Q X Please return |e Freedom, 84b Whitechapel High Street, London E l 7QX inland E urope o u tsid e o u tside E urope E urope (surface) (akm aiO Q Pte^&start a NEW subscription to Freedom for ....^Jgs^V 1. 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