Rolling In The Cess Pit by Les May

IN an article on the NV blog a couple of weeks ago I referred to something I wrote at the end of June 2020. I commented that having read some of the abusive posts directed at Priyamvada Gopal, who had posted a ‘tweet’ which said “I’ll say it again. White Lives Don’t Matter. As white lives”, I thought you would meet nicer turds in a slurry pit.

A long article by Brendan O’Neill on the Spiked Online website graphically describes the vile abuse directed at author J. K. Rowling. From the context it appears that it came via her Twitter account, which of course means the brave authors could remain anonymous.

My own experience of anonymous communications is somewhat limited. I had one letter from an unknown ‘Christian’ in 1970 after I wrote to the local paper saying that I did not think that the Muslim children at the school I worked at should be made to attend what was in effect a Christian oriented morning assembly. I had another in 2010 after I had the temerity to point out in the same paper that Canada Geese were in a nearby park because their staple diet was grass which they got from the lawns and not the bread which they got to the visitors. Short of blocking my letter box there was nothing I could do to prevent them being delivered.

One of O’Neill’s concerns is the almost complete absence of people willing to publicly defend J. K. Rowling. He also took a few well aimed potshots at ‘Cancel Culture’ and ‘Identity Politics’. But it seemed to me that he was somewhat missing the point. If Rowling was distressed at what was being said about her on Twitter, the remedy was in her own hands, literally. All she had to do was switch off her smartphone or if that was too radical, delete the ‘app’.

Rowling, the footballers, Priyamvada Gopal and Sajid Javid are all in their own way ‘commodities’ where image matters. Keeping their names before the public is how they can both relish their present fame and make sure there they are putting something in the metaphorical bank for the future. Rowling may yet write another book; the footballers may think of taking a leaf out of the book of Lionel Messi and launch a premium fashion brand; judging by the Twitter post which led to the abuse Gopal evidently likes to be seen as ‘controversial’, and Sajid Javid is a politician who wants to be seen as ‘just like us’. He has learned the hard way that that there’s always someone who will make a grab the moral high ground if you dare use a word they don’t like.

It’s no use waiting for the government to solve the problems raised by social media by banning so called ‘hate speech’. If you find it unpleasant just stop it being delivered to your smartphone, because it will only hurt you if you let it and no one is forcing you to read it. This isn’t a ‘freedom of speech’ matter. None of the individuals I have used as examples would have the slightest difficulty in getting their voices heard in the UK media, something that cannot be said of the people who resort to vulgar abuse. I doubt the NV editors would turn down a piece on ‘transphilia’ by Ms Rowling.

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Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité? by Les May

THERE’s a line in the James Stewart film ‘The Dynamite Man from Glory Jail’ which always comes to mind whenever I hear that the leader of some religion based political party or other is making demands; ‘God uses some people and some people use God’. If you think we have problems in the UK with a few mediaeval minded God botherers outside a school, spare a thought for Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Imran Khan.

Supporters of the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) party, variously described as ‘hardline’ and ‘far right’, blocked major transport routes demanding the release of their leader Saad Rizvi who had been arrested on Monday after he gave the government an ultimatum to send the French ambassador home or face protests culminating in a march on the capital on 20 April. One protester and a police officer who was beaten by angry crowds have died.

Islamist groups in Pakistan have been enraged by France's Emmanuel Macron defending his country’s freedom of speech laws after the killing of a teacher who had shown images of the Prophet Muhammad to his class.

Khan’s problem is that last November he appears to have tried to buy off demonstrators who had organised anti-France protests demanding a boycott of French goods and the severing of diplomatic ties.

At least that is how the protesters see things, though at the time a senior government official is reported to have told AFP news agency on condition of anonymity that the "government has no intention of cutting diplomatic ties with any country" and that the situation had been 'handled accordingly' to ensure the protesters left peacefully. If true this suggests that Khan’s government may have told a ‘porky pie’ to get themselves out of a hole and now it has come back to bite them.

In this country we hear a great deal about so called ‘Islamophobia’. A phobia is essentially an irrational fear of something, so Islamophobia is characterised by a wholly irrational fear of Islam. But when we look at what is happening in Pakistan and the consequences of the demands being made by those outside a school in Batley, should we not ask ourselves if in some cases these fears really are wholly irrational?

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Trump And Freedom Of Speech by Les May

A REGULAR THEME of what I have written for Northern Voices is the threat to freedom of speech posed by those who try to prevent people whose views they disagree with from presenting them to others. When this happens in universities and colleges it is commonly called ‘no platforming’. It’s a staple tactic of those who engage in the politics of identity.

It is the antithesis of how George Orwell defined liberty when he said ‘It is the right to tell people what they do not want to hear’. So is the decision by Twitter to refuse to allow Donald Trump to post on the social media platform an attack on liberty?

The Twitter decision does not prevent Trump saying whatever he likes. Twitter is under no obligation to provide space on it’s servers for the outpourings of Trump, myself or anyone else. If he wants to use some form of social media to enlighten his followers with his wisdom, he is entirely at liberty to set up his own version of Twitter.

Veteran Trump watchers will recognise the irony of his complaint. There are many instances at his press conferences of his refusing to answer questions he does not like and denigrating accredited journalists.

*****************************************************************

Labour’s betrayal of women,

 children and homosexuals.

What do you do if you abhor Tory politics but there’s nobody else to vote for?

Bea Jaspert

Feb 16 · 6 min read

Illustration by Ailin Rojas Bondarczuk

WHAT do you do if you are appalled by the imposition of austerity on the poorest and most vulnerable alongside tax breaks, perks and freebies for the rich, inherited wealth and big business? If you are sickened by the scapegoating of immigrants, the demonisation of foreigners, the denigration of the poor, the criminalisation of black people, the cronyism, the profit motive as god over all other considerations etc — but the only opposition party with any hope of ever beating the Tories at the polls has signed up to a misogynistic, homophobic cult?

That is the Hobson’s choice facing women, and those who support child safeguarding, women’s sex-based rights, and the sex-based rights of homosexual people.

It is also the choice facing anyone who believes in freedom of speech and freedom of expression as fundamental democratic rights.

Labour Campaign for Trans Rights last week issued a contentious series of pledges — contentious for a number of reasons:
1. They define “transphobia” as dissent with ‘gender identity ideology’.
2. They slander Womans Place UK — a grassroots group campaigning for female sex-based rights, and LGB Alliance — who campaign for homosexual/bisexual rights, as “transphobic hate groups”.
3. They call for the expulsion from the Labour Party of all dissenters.

READ MORE:   https://medium.com/@BeaJaspert/labours-betrayal-of-women-children-and-homosexuals-90c724c1c0d0?fbclid=IwAR0XL_LVfRUKt3AH_ly1RAjeCr9iWZkKB2gFAm6OCutRo5VwvO-vJc1cyNc

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First meeting of the Northern Anarchist Alliance

ACTIVISTS FROM SOUTH SHEILDS and Sunderland in the North East to Llandudno in North Wales, across to Cumbria in the North West down to Sheffield in Yorkshire and Macclesfield in the Peak District, Telford in Shropshire, as well as Manchester and Salford came together on Saturday the 14th, December to give support for the founding of a new Northern Alliance of Anarchists at the Town Hall Tavern in Manchester.  The original initiative had been rooted in the approach of new group New Offensive, with backing from elements of the old Northern Anarchist Network [NAN]*, but has since been boosted by the support of women associated with the Manchester Feminist Network and the 'MAKE MORE NOISE' network, which made a remarkable debut leafleting at the Manchester Anarchist Bookfair at the Manchester People's History Museum on the previous Saturday (7th, Dec.).

Initially the Northern Anarchist Alliance had been conceived by a few veterans of militant struggle who found themselves in general agreement about the slide of left wing politics in this country into an intellectual and moral ghetto.  Now there is a coming together of distinct forces with roots in libertarian politics, and the trade unions, as well as from a number of social causes concerned about issues of freedom of speech and expression, feminism, and climate issues.  People who are determined to found their politics in the spirit of common decency, openness to debate, and keen to build a culture of ideas based on rigorous empirical analysis rather vulgar dogma.

Discussion at this first Northern Anarchist Alliance event focused on the experiences of the participants in past struggles like the campaigns against asbestos; Olgreave; the Miner's Strikes; Blacklisting in the British building trade; the peace movement; feminism; gender politics; extinction rebellion; bookfairs.  

Practical matters were discussed; such as establishing a  Bank Account and a P.O. Box for better communication.  It was considered vital that we should be in a position to bulk purchase and review literature. 

Consideration was given as to how we should approach bookfairs in future.   It was thought that we ought to question the policy of future bookfair organisers to their ideas on open presentation; free expression; feminism; and openness to debate and controversial ideas.  What about a stall for free expression, or una 'Lucha de contrarios' in the spirit of classical anarchism?  Or a 'DOWN WITH CENSORSHIP CAMPAIGN' drawing on Orwell and Chomsky?

Again the trans-gender row flared up.  We were urged to read the booklet 'Shit, Wigs & Steroids' reviewed on this Blog as 'Bookfairs & Bullshit'.  It details the problems northern anarchists and others have had in recent years at bookfairs,

The event had been publicised as featuring three speakers two, Dave Douglass and Brian Bamford, being formerly associated with the Anarchist newspaper Freedom; in Bamford's case as an editor and with Douglass, until recently as a director on Friends of Freedom Press. Yet, although questions were raised about divisions in Liverpool at the News from Nowhere Bookshop about the distribution of critical literature such as the 'Shit, Wigs & Steroids' booklet, there was little mention of Freedom Press at this event.

We had a working lunch in the Tavern and the food was well received and the ale was very good, as was the service.  Some debate was had about the nature of the Newcastle Bookfair, but it was not thought that it was being based on the spirit of classical anarchism.

The Manchester Bookfair at the Manchester People's History Museum [7/12/2019], had been considered a vast improvement on many of the  bookfairs in the city in recent years: see the N.V. reviews.  This may have been owing to the influence of PM Press which may well have acted as a go-between guarantor to reassure the People's History Museum management that there would be no 'hanky panky' owing to previous history of discrimination by the old local stand-by organising group.   However, it would be very wrong for people associated with the NAN to now pull the ladder up simply because they have gained entry to this event.  The NAN which in the past has been banned ought to show solidarity with other persecuted groups because they above all having criticised others for playing Pontius Pilate in the past, should now stick-up for others.

It was agreed that the next gathering of the NORTHERN ALLIANCE would be in the Springtime of 2020.

 Again the Trans-gender row flared up again.

We were recommended to read “Shit Wigs and Steroids: Book Fairs and Bullshit”. It details the problems northern anarchists and our supporters have had at book fairs. Also it covers the Trans-gender row, both complex subjects but written in a very concise style. Send for your free copy to <brandonacab@hotmail.com>. 

*  http://northernvoicesmag.blogspot.com/p/northern-anarchist-network.html

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North West TUC Snubs Peterloo Rally over Chris Williamson MP!

Rally in Albert Square - Photo: Mark Rowe/FB

LAST SUNDAY more than 1000 people came to Albert Square, Manchester, to support the 'March for Democracy' which was organised to mark the 200 years since the Peterloo massacre on 16th August 1819.  Many of the people who came to support the event had marched from surrounding towns such as Wigan and Bolton.   The proposals of the March for Democracy, included the Chartists demand for annual parliaments and the abolition of the House of Lords.   

Among the key speakers who addressed the rally, was Chris Williamson MP, the Member of Parliament for Derby North, who was suspended by the Labour Party, readmitted, and then suspended again, following complaints from the Board of Deputies of British Jews who called his readmission to the Labour Party 'an utter disgrace'.  In June, Amanda Bowman, the Board of Deputies Vice President, said:     
'This is an utter disgrace. Despite years of baiting the Jewish community - calling antisemitism allegations 'proxy wars and bullshit', actively supporting people suspended and expelled from the party for antisemitism, attacking the Board of Deputies on the day of the Pittsburgh attack, and saying the Labour has been 'too apologetic' over antisemitism, Chris Williamson has reportedly been readmitted to the Labour Party. This is yet more damning evidence for the EHRC's inquiry into antisemitism in the Labour Party.' 

There are many people who feel quite sympathetic towards Chris Williamson. They believe that he, along with others, are the victims of a witch-hunt and that the charges of anti-Semitism are both spurious and aimed at supporters of Jeremy Corbyn. They argue that the term 'anti-Semitism has been 'weaponised' and is being used as a device to undermine political opponents and those who oppose Israel's policies towards the Palestinians. Likewise, they argue that merely expressing an opinion, however unpalatable one finds it, doesn't necessarily amount to anti-Semitism.


It wasn't altogether certain that Chris Williamson would be invited to address the rally on Sunday. Just over a week ago, Williamson was forced to address a crowd of supporters in Regency Square, Brighton, after an orchestrated and thuggish campaign led to bookings being cancelled at venues because staff claimed that they had received threatening and intimidating phone calls. Similar tactics have been deployed in other areas to stop Williamson having a platform.


Among those who wanted to stop Williamson speaking in Manchester on Sunday, was Steve Hall, the Chair of the Greater Manchester County Association of TUC's (GMATUC's).  Last Wednesday, Hall told a meeting at the Friends Meeting House in Manchester, that though he didn't believe Williamson was an anti-Semite, his presence at the rally would be a distraction as the attention would be focused on him and not on the rally and the reasons for it. A majority at the meeting disagreed and Williamson was invited.


Two days later, Jay McKenna, Acting Regional Secretary of the North West TUC, wrote to the Secretary of GMATUC's Stefan Cholewka, informing him that the NW TUC would not be supporting the event because of the presence of Chris Williamson.  Although he didn't say why Williamson was objectionable, he wrote:


'the late addition of Chris Williamson to the speaking line up has raised concerns. It brings unnecessary attention and is diversionary from the event that we have agreed to support as a TUC...  Given that there is no planned change to the line up, I am letting you know that the TUC North West will not be accepting our speaking lot and will be unable to support the event moving forward. We believe that the changes would have the potential to bring the TUC and others into disrepute... The event was an opportunity to commemorate an important anniversary in our movements history. This has unfortunately overshadowed that and risks damaging relationships between many in the region.'


Unlike the Chair of the GMATUC's who appears to have toed the official line of the NW TUC regarding Chris Williamson, Stefan Cholewka, the Secretary of GMATUC's told McKenna:
'
The fact that you cannot spell out clearly and articulately the reasons or give any explanation for your objection to Chris Williamson MP speaking, speaks volumes. The fact that you cannot even reference Chris Williamson in your letter as a Labour Member of Parliament is a disgrace.  You also seem to think that you can override the democratic decision of the lead body across Greater Manchester that has been building this event over the last 18 months. Today is the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre and all you can do is send an email about a socialist MP speaking at a rally to remember the dead and murdered working-class victims by the state.  Your place in history is assured as the writer of the most irrelevant letter of 2014.'


The Peterloo march and rally that took place on Sunday to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the Peterloo Massacre in August 1812, was billed as the 'March for Democracy'.  Yet if democracy means anything, then it means the right to freedom of speech and freedom of expression which is understood to be fundamental in any  democracy.  The attempt to 'No Platform' Chris Williamson, to deny him a platform to speak at the Peterloo rally, is the sort of filthy censorship that is becoming all too commonplace  in today's Britain.


Helen Steel, the activist who with Dave Morris, took on the Corporate giant McDonald's in the now famous McLibel trial, was recently chucked off a mass trespass on the moors because she was told that others felt 'unsafe' to be close to someone with her views. Ms Steel has been attacked because she has expressed the view that to be of the female sex is a question of 'basic biology' and that to self-identify as a woman is not the same as being born a woman. Most people would find this common sense and yet, the academic and feminist Germaine Greer, has been 'No-Platformed' by university students for expressing similar views.


Similarly, people who criticise Israel as a 'racist endeavour' and an apartheid state or speak out against the murder of unarmed Palestinian demonstrators, are now accused of anti-Semitism.  In the summer of 2018, the Board of Deputies supported the massacre of over 200 unarmed demonstrators in Gaza and the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has stated that Israel is not a country of all its citizens but a nation-state of the Jewish nation.


It is well documented that the state of Israel as a foreign power does meddle in British politics. Two years ago, Al Jazeera's programme 'The Lobby', revealed how an agent operating out of the Israeli Embassy in London, had discussed how to bring down Sir Alan Duncan, the then Deputy Foreign Secretary, because he had supported Palestinian statehood and had compared Israeli attitudes towards the Palestinians as akin to apartheid in South Africa. Alan Duncan is not the only politician the Zionist want to bring down, Jeremy Corbyn is also on the list and Chris Williamson.


If one does believe in democracy then you must believe in the right of free speech.  What we are seeing today in Britain with bans, proscriptions, and politically correct censorship mainly by the life-style left, and social liberals, is a form of creeping and subtle totalitarianism that must be resisted.  To submit, would be like allowing the inmates to take over the mental asylum.  The Labouring classes who attended the rally in St Peter's Field, Manchester in August 1819, would have recognised this only too well, unlike some of today's trade unionists.

***********

Dear

Stefan and Step

hen

I am writing to you regarding the Peterloo March & Rally taking place in Manchester this

Sunday.

When our annual

conference passed the GMATUC motion in March, calling for support

for th

e event, ourselves and our regional council were looking forward to working

together to have an inclusive and important commemorative event. That has been

evident in the support, finan

cial and physical, from ourselves and affiliates.

However, the late add

ition of Chris Williamson to the speaking line up has raised

concerns. It brings unnecessary attention and is diversionary from the event that we

have agreed to support as a TUC.

I’v

e contacted you a number omes this week, to express these concerns

nd seek a

change. I’ve said that if the speaking line up remains as it is, then we would have to

consider our support. I understand that affiliate unions in the region have done simila

r.

Given that there is no planned change to the line

-

up, I am letting y

ou know that the TUC

North West will not be accepting our speaking slot and will be unable to support the

event moving forward. We believe that th
e changes would have the potential to

bring

the TUC and others into disrepute.

Dear

Stefan and Step

hen

I am writing to you regarding the Peterloo March & Rally taking place in Manchester this

Sunday.

When our annual

conference passed the GMATUC motion in March, calling for support

for th

e event, ourselves and our regional council were looking forward to working

together to have an inclusive and important commemorative event. That has been

evident in the support, finan

cial and physical, from ourselves and affiliates.

However, the late add

ition of Chris Williamson to the speaking line up has raised

concerns. It brings unnecessary attention and is diversionary from the event that we

have agreed to support as a TUC.

I’v

e contacted you a numbesss

nd seek a

change. I’ve said that if the speaking line up remains as it is, then we would have to

consider our support. I understand that affiliate unions in the region have done simila

r.

Given that there is no planned change to the line

-

up, I am letting y

ou know that the TUC

North West will not be accepting our speaking slot and will be unable to support the

event moving forward. We believe that t
he Ichanges would have the potential to

bring

the TUC and others into disrepute.