Demonstration against NHS privatisation a success after Labour pull out 11:00 am / 27 January 2012 by Phil Dickens, at Truth, Reason & Liberty
Around 50 people joined a demonstration outside the Royal Liverpool Hospital against the privatisation of the NHS. Members of Solidarity Federation, the Anarchist Federation, Women Against The Cuts and the Socialist Workers' Party were all present, along with a number of unaffiliated individuals who supported the cause. Despite the wind and rain, it was a lively gathering which drew in a fair amount of support from the public and service users.
A demonstration had originally been called by the Liverpool branch of the Labour Party. From the start it was a very sectarian, party political affair - with Andy Burnham MP as a speaker and the tagline "the NHS is only safe in the hands of The Labour Party - join us." However, rather than "join Liverpool Labour Group Councillors & Members of Parliament," members of Liverpool Solidarity Federation decided to mobilise a turnout for the demonstration which was both against NHS privatisation and against the Labour Party.
This led to Labour desperately scrambling to bus people in from Manchester, fearing they would be outnumbered. This clearly didn't work and they soon instead announced that the demo was cancelled, citing "public safety" concerns. As a consequence, the UNISON branch in the hospital - of which Labour Councillor Jake Morrison is a member - also pulled out. Keep Our NHS Public and the Liverpool Socialist Singers soon followed suit, though there was disagreement about this in the latter group.
Liverpool Solfed members responded by urging people to still attend the demonstration:
This doesn't mean that those of us who are both anti-cuts and anti-Labour will be staying at home, though. If it did, it would only show us as standing for the same narrow, sectional interests as the Labour Party when that is not the case. The ruling class is determined to roll back all of the gains made by workers in the last century, and we stand opposed to that whichever party holds the seat of power.
At the beginning, there were about fifteen people at the demonstration. This escalated quickly enough to fifty, from a variety of organisations, rallying against the privatisation of the NHS. None of those present were surprised - or bothered - by the absence of the Labour Party and its parliamentary stooges.
Solfed members handed out 800 copies of this leaflet, making the point that only direct action - not voting - can stop the NHS reforms. It was very well received, with a number of people stopping to talk about how bad the proposed changes were and thanking us for making a stand against them. Some people made comparisons to the 1930s, before the NHS came to be, whilst others talked about the system in the US - where having an operation to save your life could genuinely see you bankrupted.
The only moment of contention came when a senior manager from within the hospital said that we couldn't demonstrate on hospital premises. The Labour Party had sought the Chief Executive's permission, and now that they had pulled out that permission was removed. He was placated, however, by a banner being moved from one railing to another and soon left.
After two hours, and with weather conditions starting to worsen substantially, the demonstration wrapped up. In all, it was a quite succesful event - with all of our leaflets handed out and lots of public support for the cause. It's not going to save the NHS, of course, though with luck it may get people thinking about the best way to do this. But it does hammer home the message that if we want to fight back we need to do it ourselves, not wait for leadership from the likes of the Labour Party who are only in it for their own gain.
PRIVILEGED PARASITES AND CARING CAPITALISM. 5:00 am / 27 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
It seemshe's at it again, our shiny faced, multi-millionaire Prime MinisterCameron, is talking about the need for a caring, compassionatecapitalism, his verbal diarrhoea also includes such crap like moralmarkets. I wonder if he will start with his friends in the bankingworld, after all he comes from a long line of bankers, his father wasa stockbroker, so he has influence there. We are all aware of how caring and compassionate areour bankers and stockbrokers. This man can stand in front of camerasand spout about caring capitalism and moral markets, being aware thathis ancestors made their fortunes from naked, raw, brutal capitalism,ripping-off the ordinary people. When was the era of caringcapitalism, when have we lived with moral markets, that he keepsreferring to? While doing his damnedest to pass himself of as anordinary guy, this smooth over privileged public school product, sitson a fortune that stretches back to his parasite ancestor KingWilliam IV. It is said that this ordinary guy left university and walked into a Toryjob after a mystery caller from Buckingham Palace recommended him.His background is littered with Sirs, Baronets, Earls, andViscountesses, and his fortune has grown because of the harshexploitative capitalism that he supports through his policies asPrime Minister. You can rest assured that any caring, compassion ormorality he pushes for, will be to the benefit of his rich privilegedparasitical friends, not for the benefit of the likes of you and I.
"And my ancestors will call for caring capitalism."
This "cry from the heart" for that illusion, caring capitalism, isa true reflection of his hypocrisy and cynicism. He can't possiblebelieve in caring capitalism, he lives in luxury off the back of, andis up to his armpits in, the most brutal and exploitative economicsystem ever devised by man. It also shows how he believes that thegeneral public are a bunch of fools and will swallow this shit of thecaring capitalism. This guy is awash in privilege and luxury becauseof injustice and exploitation, and he will do everything in his powerto make sure that it stays that way.
Categories: Anarchism
THE HIGH OFFICE OF PRESIDENT!!! 3:02 am / 27 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
I for one can never get my head round why such idiots with such bizarre beliefs get massive support when running for the US presedency. The media in the West lampoon Islamic fundamentalists for what they describe as crazy and dangerous views, yet report with some reverence the views of such crackpots like the bunch that is running for the Republican nomination for the US Presidency.
Take just two, this from WHY EVOLUTION IS TRUE.
Rick Santorum, Republican candidate for President, said this about education in a speech in Florida:
“It’s no wonder President Obama wants every kid to go to college,” said the former Pennsylvania senator. “The indoctrination that occurs in American universities is one of the keys to the left holding and maintaining power in America. And it is indoctrination. If it was the other way around, the ACLU would be out there making sure that there wasn’t one penny of government dollars going to colleges and universities, right? . . . If they taught Judeo-Christian principles in those colleges and universities, they would be stripped of every dollar. If they teach radical secular ideology, they get all the government support that they can possibly give them. Because you know 62 percent of children who enter college with a faith conviction leave without it.”
Yeah, the ACLU has such awesome power over government spending on schools.
Santorum’s solution? Stop supporting higher education:
“I’ll bet you there are people in this room who give money to colleges and universities who are undermining the very principles of our country every single day by indoctrinating kids with left-wing ideology. And you continue to give to these colleges and universities. Let me have a suggestion: Stop it.”
Can Republicans get any more stupid?
But giving the ex-Senator a run for his money is
Ralph Shortey, a state senator from Oklahoma, who thinks that food companies are putting aborted fetuses in food, and has introduced a bill in the state legislature to prohibit the use of fetuses or fetal cells in food. Of course nobody is doing this or intends to.___.
One would imagine that the people of any country who look to someone to represent them would pick somebody they consider holds similar views to themselves and is in some way as reasonable and rational, or even more so, then themselves. So is this what we are seeing in America? Or are these just the rightwing nutcases that the rightwing nutcase media want to push in the hope of stifling any alternative view from surfacing? When you hear the views of this bunch I would imagine that most reasonable Americans will realise the truth of that statement, "Why Vote, it changes nothing".
Categories: Anarchism
30 YEARS OF CONTINUOUS PROTEST. 4:01 pm / 26 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
You may not like camp anymore, or agree with camp but you have to respect 30 years, lets make this the biggest yet people!!
Faslane Peace Camp 30 Days of Action at Faslane Faslane Peace Camp are announcing 30 days of non-violent direct action against the Faslane Naval Base to mark the 30th birthday of the Peace Camp. Over the last year, a small group of us have been endeavouring to make Peace Camp a healthy and happy place to facilitate direct action against Trident. We are ready for action! The birthday celebrations will commence on Saturday 9th of June 2012 and continue until the 9th of July. This week the First Minister of Scotland Alex Salmond announced that an independent Scotland would be a nuclear free Scotland. Whilst these are welcome words, the response is that the MOD are reportedly looking into new venues south of the border in the fear that Scotland will win independence. We need to give a clear and unmitigated message that simply moving them is not enough. We are in a unique position to make this potential removal from Scotland mean an ipso facto end to nuclear weapons in the UK but our message needs to be full volume. We are inviting local, national and international groups to take responsibility for a day of anti-nuclear activities, this can be a march to the base, a demo at the gates, a blockade, a mass trespass, a die-in... get creative! If you are a small group or an individual and want to team up with others, we can help choreograph partnerships. We can also facilitate workshops on peaceful direct action at Faslane so no activist experience is necessary. There will be lots to be done day to day and plenty of roles to fulfil during the 30 Days campaign and the time leading up to it so enthusiastic helpers (and donations) will be welcomed with open arms! Communal meals will be provided and there will be plenty of sleeping and camping spaces. For more information, legal stuff and for details of our safer spaces, residency and alcohol agreements please contact Faslane30@riseup.net or write to us at:
30Days, Faslane Peace Camp, Shandon, Helensburgh, G84 8NN.
Categories: Anarchism
GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK. 3:47 pm / 26 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK LAUNCHLEAFLET AND POSTER DISTIRBUTION STALLSATURDAY 28TH JANAUARY12 NOON – 1PM NEXT TO THE CO-OP SUPERMARKET285 GREAT WESTERN ROADWOODLANDSGLASGOW G4 9HRDEPOSIT STOLEN? WAGES STOLEN? JOIN GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORKCOLLECTIVE…
Categories: Anarchism
Uncut 154 Mar 2010 – Joy Division Pt 1 3:28 pm / 26 January 2012 by Highlander, at Cactus Mouth Informer
BIG BROTHER, HE’S STILL AROUND. 3:23 pm / 26 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
Like I keep saying, in this type of society big brother never goes away, it can be the state, it can be the fascist corporate Mafia, or both. Until we get rid of both, we will always have to fight big bro…
Categories: Anarchism
GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK LAUNCH Sat. 28th Jan 12 noon 11:55 am / 26 January 2012 by glasgowchiapassolidaritygroup, at glasgowanarchists.wordpress.com
GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK LAUNCH LEAFLET AND POSTER DISTIRBUTION STALL SATURDAY 28TH JANAUARY 12 NOON – 1PM NEXT TO THE CO-OP SUPERMARKET 285 GREAT WESTERN ROAD WOODLANDS GLASGOW G4 9HR DEPOSIT STOLEN? WAGES STOLEN? JOIN GLASGOW SOLIDARITY NETWORK COLLECTIVE DIRECT ACTION … Continue reading 
WAR IS BUSINESS, PROFITS OUTWEIGH DEATHS!!! 11:21 am / 26 January 2012 by ann arky, at annarky's blog.
Here we go again, theWestern “defenders of democracy” are rattling their big sabres.This time it is at Iran. It is rather bizarre the the sabre rattlersare always those with the biggest sabres. The three m…
Categories: Anarchism
