ALTHOUGH it is a matter of real sadness that the Freedom Newspaper is to cease publication in its hard copy format and go on line neverless one can reasonably argue that the editorial collective was the author of its own misfortune. Indeed the collective admit its continued failure to come out on time was a significant factor in its collapse.
I take exception to the attempt to attribute the termination of the paper to the legacy of the past. In many ways the old newpaper was an exceptionally vibrant and interesting paper with contributors such as Colin Ward, Arthur Moyse. Philip Sansom, Jack Robinson and Vernon Richards. Indeed for many years it could claim to be a 'flagship' paper for anarchism with a substantial degree of credibility.
The Collective aver 'We have not managed to shake the legacy of the past' and Freedom has changed 'from a political group with a particular point of view to a resource for anarchism'. This statement is rather disingenuous in view of its refusal to publish 'Statement to the movement' re my ejection from the Manchester Anarchist Bookfair on the grounds of anti-semitism and further censorship by blocking Paul Salvesons' lively review of Northern Voices.
In conclusion the editorial collective should face up to its own responsibility for the end of the Freedom newspaper after 128 years and not attempt to pass the buck to others by inferences about 'the sins of the fathers'.
Sunday 30 March 2014
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24 comments:
Perhaps you could buy yourself a dictionary Brian. that way, you can understand what the word 'editor' means, and perhaps have a look at 'censorship'.... Just because an editor decides not to publish a submission does not mean you have been censored. Anyone with a scintilla of understanding would know why you 'statement to the movement' was not published... The same statement that you didn't advise the many signatories re the 'other side of the story' (unsurprisingly)... Why would an anarchist newspaper publish something written by a Labour Party hack? exactly! They wouldn't.... Grow up and get over yourself, Brian... You have not been censored by any definition of the word, and you are free and able to publish you nastiness on your blog and in your grubby little pamphlet. Has it ever crossed your mind why you are held in such contempt by so many people?
Stuart Christie - "The few people I know who were around at the time have little - if any - regard for Byan Bamford or his opinions. Ask anyone who knew him in the 1960s! He was an arsehole then, and he's an even more despicable arsehole now!"
With the greatest possible respect, perhaps Anonymous should buy himself or herself a pair of glasses: I didn't write this post! Someone called Barry did!
My mistake, Hadn't realised it was written by the toadying Barry... See Brian, admitting I was wrong was as easy as that, You should try it sometime! Regardless of who wrote the post (you or Barry)the content still stands. ps - you have probably failed to spot the irony in whining on about censorship, whilst declining to post my other comment on here. The hypocrisy of you and your snivelling acolytes, knows no bounds... I choose to remain anonymous because of your unpleasant habit of posting the names of activists on here...
The position of Northern Voices with regard to the refusal of Freedom to publish the review by the northern historian Paul Salveson; was that we ought not to put it into the public domain. We disagreed with their reasons for refusing to publish the review, but decided not to go public about it because Paul had specifically said that he did not want to become embroiled in an anarchist dispute. I believe that he said he had enough of that kind of thing to contend with inside the Labour Party.
Unfortunately, Barry acting in his capacity as an autonomous author included reference to that incident in his posting. Because we believe in the freedom of authors to express themselves on these matters, we have not interfered with the text of Barry's argument.
I can assure Anonymous that I am no ones toady least of all Brians. There have been several disagreements within the Northern Voices collective but they always been resolved in a friendly and respectful manner without resource to personal abuse which Anonymous evidently has a predilection for. The above comment from the editor reinforces that point. In conclusion my critique of Freedom was entirely my own work and was posted without consulting anyone.
Barry or whoever.... shame you didn't respond to anything I raised in my initial reply. Not surprised though...perhaps you were busy campaigning for the Green party again, and didn't have time to reply. I should have added that - I was actually at the bookfair in 2012 & was stood only yards from the incident in question. I wasn't particularly happy with what I saw & did actually raise the issue with one of the organisers. However, what you don't tell people when you are putting your version of events across is that, you, Brian and a few other people spent the morning distributing literature outside the venue likely to cause offence to people inside. when that sorry sight ended, you Barry, came into the venue itself & started arguments with every man and his dog, and to be perfectly honest, behaved like a complete prick for well over an hour. So whilst the circumstances of your removal didn't and so not sit 100% comfortably with me, you need to reflect on your own behaviour. As the door closed on you virtually everyone (100+) in the venue cheered & clapped. Most of those people didn't know you or know of the circumstances leading up to the argument (me being one of them).... so for so many people without an axe to grind, cheering your removal, perhaps you could reflect on why they reacted in that manner.... Good luck with your career in the Green Party, by the way...!
Northern Voices is well blessed in the nimble-mindedness of its enemies. Barry may have supported the Greens, but didn't Charlotte, the current editor of Freedom, also stand as a Green in London in 2010?
Er..I don't know Charlotte from Freedom Press, or if she stood for the Green Party... Cant say I care either - as I was talking to the brothers Grim, about their statement, the bookfair, and their behaviour... but predictably no response yet, other than another NAN lickspittle butting in to try and derail my qustions...
Mr Anonymous this posting is all about Freedom Press. Did you not notice? Or have you not bought your glasses yet?
Of course I noticed... I started the thread!.. Seems that neither the brothers grim, nor yourself, have any intention of answering the points raised. Shouldn't be surprised, as you are all one and the same person - bit sad really. Not sure why its repeatedly pointed out that I am 'anonymous', its not like 'Wonkie willie' is a real name.
Does 'Anonymous' not think it odd for the organisers of an anarchist Bookfair in 2012 to accuse a non-practicising Jew of being an 'anti-Semite'? Especially one with ancestors who died in the Nazi gas chambers? Whatever we think of this, the management of the venue took a dim view of it; regarding the whole incident as 'negative' publicity. That is why initially a decision was made not to allow another event of this kind. Then, after the intervention of a bookdealer in the Rochdale area thankfully this decision was overturned. Northern Voices, which has a good relationship with the venue management, welcomed this outcome as we want more forums for the freedom and exchange of ideas. That is why after discussions with people involved, Northern Voices did its best to help at last year's Book Fair, in 2013.
Think it odd?.... If that it what was said then its unacceptable, but unfortunately you seem to have an approach similar to that of a 5 year old in a playground dispute. whenever you are confronted about your behaviour, you never acknowledge problems you have caused, your response is always, 'but what about what they have done, what about what they have said'?... Yes Barry's ejection wasn't nice, but he wasn't asked to leave just because he was present, he was asked to leave because he had behaved like an arsehole for over an hour.... I believe you had cream squirted in your face at the London bookfair, and had been banned from the Manchester bookfair... Why was that? Was it because people don't like you, or was it because you had written a horrible obituary? Wake up Brian!! Everything that has happened to yourself & Barry has been caused (in large part) by your own bhehaviours...... PS I am given to understand that Barry was also accused of being a 'dullard'... Am I to take it that this allegation is now accepted & no longer in dispute?
Anonymous writes:
'Everything that has happened to yourself & Barry has been caused (in large part) by your own behaviours...... '
That is what the Hitler, and the German Nazis in the 1930s always said about the Jews! What happened them was their own fault or so it was said!
What a ridiculous comparison .... Did you write a horrible obituary? Yes you did! Yet you expect people to remain silent and do nothing?
Anonymous says: 'Did you write a horrible obituary?'
Anyone who wants to understand what Anonymous is getting at, ought to read the independent report posted and entitled 'Salad (cream) Days' at www.fiveleavespublications.blogspot.com/2012/10/salad-cream-days.html
Brian - just publish the bloody obit on the web so everyone can see for themselves & make their mind up. Why are you consciously withholding it from everyone?
At last Anonymous is condemned out of his own mouth! If, as is claimed, it is a 'horrible obituary', why then does Anonymous insist on seeking wider circulation for it? After all, if it is the same obit. as I'm thinking of it was printed over two years ago & the person died in 2011.
Steady on Brian! there are two people posting anonymously on here. I am the original anonymous poster. The last comment - asking to publish the obituary, is not me...
I hope there is another poster, and it isn't you or that lickspittle, Barry, being mischevious?
This only goes to show the absudity of the anonymous thread! With this level of debate in the 'anarchist movement', it is hardly surprising that the Freedom newspaper failed.
There is no debate Brian... whenever I raise a point, you derail or dodge.
Anonymous asks many odd questions on this thread, which may be debated such as ‘Was it because people don't like you, or was it because you had written a horrible obituary?’
Well there you go!
But there have been many obituaries published in NV and none have brought forth such an extraordinary response as the one relating to the late Bob Miller. The question is why? Was it because many people see themselves reflected in it as well as Bob? No-one has specifically challenged it on factually grounds. What should be considered here is the suggestion that the obituary in this case was a methodological device like turning over a stone and examining the insects underneath to see what they did when exposed to the daylight. That was a method recommended by Harold Garfinkel in his ‘Studies in Ethnomethodology’ (1967) he called it breaching procedures or ‘disruption practices’. What did this method discover in this particularly case? Well it showed us that anarchists or people who describe themselves as such in AF do not behave particularly differently from right-wing organisations when they feel offended. They seek to gag and shut down publications, they steal trade union literature and commemorative publications such as the James Keogh booklet published by Tameside Trade Union Council, they falsely accuse an authentic Jew of being ‘anti-Semitic’. For that reason three trade union branches have condemned the actions which you seem to support. Need I go on?
"three trade union branches have condemned the actions which you seem to support"... Of course they did Brian, because just as with everyone else who signed 'the statement' you only gave them your version of events, and worded it in a certain way...
"Anonymous asks many odd questions on this thread".... shame you don't bother answering any of them then...
" the actions which you seem to support" you probably should read the thread again, and refresh your memory, because I do not.
How come it took you so long to reply? Is it because I am not worth bothering with, or have you been busy with Barry the Toady, out campaigning for the Green Party?
Anonymous asks: 'How come it took you so long to reply? Is it because I am not worth bothering with?'
The short answer is 'Yes!' The longer answer is that 'Anonymous' hasn't grasped that he or she is not addressing the topic of this post which is about 'The demise of Freedom Newspaper', and has never even attempted to tackle the subject. Indeed, this thread has always been a bit daft by addressing itself to the wrong author in the very first comment. However, perhaps 'Anonymous' has served a purpose by demonstrating that this kind of faceless 'anarchism' is three sheets to the wind!
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