The past few weeks have seen a noticeable increase in police surveillance of left-wing activism in Glasgow, with blatant attempts to close down meetings, seize newspapers and shut down street activity.
On Monday evening, an initial meeting was held by the Scottish Anti-Fascist Alliance to kick-start organising the opposition to the Scottish Defence League’s proposed march in Glasgow on 18 September. The meeting was well attended and made several concrete steps in organising a protest for the day. However, upon arriving at the venue – one of the main lecture buildings at Glasgow University – activists were confronted by at least four police officers. Many were uneasy about the police presence and until it became clear that police would not be inside the meeting itself, a large group remained outside the building. Meanwhile, however, two officers had ventured upstairs to the room, booked through a sympathetic student society, and started to question those already there about their motives, remaining in the room for around 10 minutes. Others were prevented from going to the room, with allegations made on the night that police had informed several people that the meeting was ‘cancelled’. A complaint has already been submitted to Chief Constable Stephen House regarding the police behaviour on the night, from a local MSP who was in attendance at the meeting.
This all sets a dangerous precedent. Last year, it was through a number of well attended meetings at Glasgow Uni that the mass opposition to the SDL was initiated. This strategy then set the blueprint for opposing the SDL when they emerged elsewhere in Scotland. All these meetings were able to go ahead with no interference from the authorities; it seems, however, that times have changed and the police are now keen to keep closer tabs on independent anti-fascist activity in Glasgow. It also poses the question of how the police will act on 18 September itself, especially when we consider their actions in Kilmarnock in going out of their way to facilitate an effectively illegal demonstration by the SDL.
Monday cannot be seen in isolation, however. It comes at the same time as disturbing developments on the southside of the city, where police are stepping up attacks on the rights of left-wing groups to sell newspapers and hold street activity. Over recent weeks, members of Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! have now on several occasions had dozens of copies of their newspaper seized by police, who claim to be enforcing legislation to regulate street trading. This neglects the fact that the Civic Government Scotland Act is clear that newspapers are an exception to this rule, and do not require a license to sell . FRFI members report that to get around this, police are arguing that their newspaper is in fact… not a newspaper, despite it being registered at the Post Office as exactly that! As a result, three FRFI members have now been arrested and charged with breaking this law.
This is all happening in Govanhill, an incredibly diverse area of the city with several generations of immigrants living in the vicinity, including most recently an influx of eastern European migrants, many of Roma descent. Local residents report that there is a growing sense of underlying tension in the area, with accusations and rumour flying around of “Roma crime” with reports of bin-raking for identity theft, cars being vandalised and so on. Clearly this ignores the reality of the social problems in the area, and points to the classic tactics of divide and rule in a period of huge capitalist crisis. On top of the police attacks, loyalists in the area are becoming more active, with at least one attack by far-right thugs on a stall on Victoria Road.
Whatever one thinks of FRFI’s politics, it’s deeply worrying that a left-wing group doing consistent work in a working class area with its own set of social problems are coming in for sustained attack from so-called ‘community police officers’. It’s something that we’re likely to see more of over the next few years, as the state attempts to clamp down on any attempts to build working class resistance to their austerity package of swathing cuts and job losses. They’re targeting one group on the southside now, but any of us could be next, and we’ll need maximum solidarity from all progressive and left-wing forces to face off these blatant attacks on the democratic right to hold activity on our streets.
UPDATE (13-08-10) : in the past couple of days a new campaign has been launched, the Govanhill Defence Campaign, to oppose political policing in the area and present a united front against harassment and intimidation from the authorities. There’s more info and a launch statement on the campaign blog here: http://govanhilldefencecampaign.blogspot.com/
Global outrage at Israel's brutal attack on the Gaza aid flotilla
When Israel announced that they were holding their own inquiry into their massacre of aid activists on the Gaza Flotilla, which happened at the end of May, it wasn’t a massive surprise when their ‘impartial panel’ proved to be a total sham. As we reported at the time, Israel predictably hand-picked a panel mostly consisting of retired Israeli generals, some Canadian military hack with a dodgy human rights record, and David Trimble, Ulster Unionist politician and renowned bigot and sectarian knobhead.
But you’d maybe expect that, for all its faults, the United Nations, an international body which is kind of meant to be as impartial as they come, would manage slightly better on this front. Somehow, however, and quite incredibly, the UN have managed to top all of Israel’s shameless whitewashing – they’ve only gone and picked Alvaro fucking Uribe as the vice-chair of their ‘independent’ panel of inquiry into the attacks. Uribe is the outgoing President of Colombia, famous for his friendly, diplomatic and impartial bouts of killing trade unionist, funding right-wing guerillas and being best pals with some of the world’s most notorious drugs barons, at least when he’s not too busy stoking up war with his neighbours and receiving billions in aid from the United States, that is!
Israel has been in the news the past couple of days for practically provoking a war with Lebanon following military excursions which skirted the Lebanese border, leaving five dead – including a civilian journalist – when things spilled over into gunfire a few days ago. As it happens, Colombia has also been in the news for much the similar (without any killing… yet), constantly accusing neighbouring Venezuela, and the left-wing government of Hugo Chavez, of harbouring left-wing guerillas who form one side in the relatively low-intensity civil war that’s been going on in the country for decades. Although there’s absolutely no evidence that this is the case – all Uribe has been able to offer is a couple of dodgy photos from a few years ago that were probably taken in Ecuador anyway (which Colombia illegally invaded in 2008 on the same justification). Chavez has quite understandably been getting a bit unnerved at these persistent threats emanating from Colombia, given that it’s no secret that the US government would quite like to bump him off and a proxy war through Colombia is probably their best bet for doing so now, after their countless failures to depose Chavez domestically and halt the ongoing revolution .
Uribe and Bush share a joke about how many commies they killed last week
Uribe’s regime in Colombia have consistently failed to investigate reports of systematic torture, human rights abuses and extra-judicial murder in the country. Invariably, these have been against the left-wing opposition – including the now infamous cases of Coca Cola bottling plant workers who faced execution by paramilitary death squads because they’d tried to fight for better wages and conditions, or even just been a member of a trade union. It’s crazy that the UN thinks a man who has well documented links to fascist paramilitaries, cocaine trafficking and mass abuses of human rights in his own country is possibly capable of impartially investigating a massacre of civilians abroad.
And for the inquiry to be announced in the same week that the UN Secretary General was summoned by the Venezuelan government over serious concerns about a Colombian attack is just taking the piss, and whether intentional or otherwise, sends a clear endorsement to Colombia’s US-sponsored imperialist warmongering. An MEP from the United Left party in Spain, Willy Meyer, has already slammed the decision as like “like leaving a fox to guard the chickens”, adding that Uribe presides over a country with “the largest mass grave in Latin America”.
Gettin handouts can be so frustratin Get in line son there’s five million waitin’ The Proclaimers, Cap in Hand
Dole queue under the Tories.
As a central part of actualising Dave Cameron’s glorious vision of The Big Society, the Con-Dem coalition has promised to sweep away the “cycle of dependency” that afflicts Britain’s “pockets of worklessness”. Announcing his new welfare strategy last week, Iain Duncan Smith decried the fact that a majority of benefit claimants have been claiming for nine of the past ten years, that in many areas some families have not worked in three generations and that 1 in 6 children in the UK are growing up in a household in which no one is working.
And you know what? Sitting in the midst of the largest of these “pockets of worklessness” – a barren tundra called Scotland – I agree with him. It is an absolute disgrace that across our land there are families in which three generations have never worked. It is disgusting not just because of the economic waste, but because of the inevitable social problems that arise from mass unemployment; a community in which there are ‘spongers’ will soon spawn an according number of ‘alchies’ and ‘junkies’. All of this amounts to a tragedy for our nation. But it is a tragedy that the Tories, for all their talk, have absolutely no intention of ending.
This may seem a curious assertion to make given that the Tories have only been in power for a few months. However, the following article will go on to show why the Tories were responsible for creating the very ‘underclass’ that they decry. Furthermore, I will also show how this group of hypocrites ideologically depend on the existence of long-term unemployment and that they are the least likely group of people to get the unemployed back into work. In short, this article will show why the Tories knowingly create the very ‘spongers’ that they spend so much time demonising. Read the rest of this entry »
Can you be cooler than these previous campers? Yes, you probably can be!
We’ve been counting down the days to Camp Secret Squirrel for months now, and we’re now eventually onto the final stretch. The coach has been booked, the beverages are sorted, the workshops and the food have been finalised, and now we’re just waiting for youse all to show up. Cause if you don’t, you’re probably crazier than Glenn Beck on crystal meth. Fact.
If you’re planning to come, you’ve hopefully by now confirmed your attendance by speaking to one of the organisers or by sending an email to scottishsocialistyouth@gmail.com. We’ll be in touch in the next day or two to make sure you know all the details, but for now here’s a summary of most of the important stuff you need to know if yer coming..
HOW MUCH IS IT? The camp this year costs £10 unwaged, and £15 if you’re in a job. Not only does this include all the camp activities and workshops, but also coach travel to the site and back from Glasgow, and all your meals as well! You can pay on Friday when we get the coach.
HOW DO WE GET THERE? Most of us are getting a coach from Glasgow this Friday evening. The bus leaves at 6pm from North Hanover street, just next to Queen Street station and George Square.We’ll be meeting there at 5.30pm – don’t be late! If you live more locally, we should be able to meet you in Castle Douglas and get you to the site.
SO WHAT FOOD DO WE GET? We’ve worked out an amazing vegan-friendly menu for both Saturday and Sunday, which includes three meals on both days. There’ll be some snacks available on Friday night, but feel free to bring some food for then if you want.
WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING? You’ll need somewhere to sleep, so a tent and sleeping bag would be pretty great. Remember this is Scotland we’re dealing with, so do be prepared for all weathers (not that it’s actually gonna rain, obv.). You’ll also need some money! Please bring change if you can – coins will be more useful than everyone turning up with twenty pound notes. Cheeers.
Please also remember to bring some basic cutlery, a bowl, a plate and a cup – and if it’s plastic or metal, then even better!
We’re going to a site in rural Galloway – it’s going to be very dark, so remember a torch… one with batteries in it.
CSS 2010
WHAT FACILITIES ARE THERE ON SITE? The camp has two wooden cabins and an area covered with a large canvass, giving plenty of room for workshops, dancin’ and stuff. There’s also a compost toilet and a tap with running water. Wood-fired ovens and stoves as well, which we’ll be doing all the cooking on. Yipee!
CAN AH BRING MA CHOONS? Aye, bring it in a digital format – mp3 player, compact disc or memory stick are all acceptable mediums. Jack says: ‘If you leave DJing to me, you get DJing by me’.
ANYTHING ELSE? Watch the Wickerman (1973). It will help you understand lots of jokes which will undoubtedly be made over the weekend.
See yiz at camp – gonna be SO GOOD.
ps. If you haven’t confirmed your place yet but you would like to come, you’re still very welcome! Send us an email at scottishsocialistyouth@gmail.com and we’ll get back to you!
The Royal Society for the Arts has been recording talks given by important public intellectuals and adding animation to make them a bit more accessible. Three of the talks so far have been by leading Marxists, and they’re really worth a watch.
If you’re friends with a lefty person on Facebook, there’s a good chance you’ve seen the first of these two videos, it was doing the rounds a couple of weeks ago, but it’s worth putting up for those that haven’t seen it. David Harvey is Professor of Anthropology at the City University of New York, and one of the world’s leading figures in geography and the social sciences. He’s also a Marxist, and his work has done a lot to put Marxism back on the academic map. Here’s his take on the current global economic crisis:
Barbara Ehrenreich is one of the leading feminist and socialist authors in the US. She regularly writes important pieces of journalism, and is the author of 22 books. Her latest one is about how positive thinking has undermined society, especially in the US, and the sinister side to the self-help industry that encourages you to have “a good attitude.”
The newest in the RSAnimate series is a talk by Slavoj Zizek, a senior researcher at the Institute of Sociology at Ljubljana Uni, Slovenia. He’s one of the world’s most important philosophers and critical theorists. His talk is about how modern capitalism turns people’s worries about the impact of consumerism in the world into a way of making money. Paying a higher price for organic or fair trade food might make you feel good, but in fact it upholds the idea that we can solve the ecological and social crises facing the world through our existing society, which is pish.
The animations are a great idea, and there’s more from other people here (although I didn’t agree with absolutely everything in it, I thought the one by Jeremy Rifkin was also great.)
Obviously the talks are ultimately aimed at an academic audience, but I think there still pretty accessible and make a lot of interesting points. Any language or concepts that you don’t quite get or aren’t familiar with yet, make a note of it and then ask in the comments. Collectively we can educate ourselves.
Following the relative success of their wee day out to Kilmarnock -- where the shameful actions of Strathclyde Police ensured that their ‘march’ could go ahead -- the SDL are intending to have another go at parading through Glasgow next month, on Saturday 18th September.
As you might recall, when the SDL last tried to march in the city, the first far-right demo in Scotland for decades, they were met by thousands of anti-fascists who opposed them directly on the streets and ensured that the police soon bussed them out of the city centre. It was a resounding victory, and a repeat of this situation when they tried to hold a demo in Edinburgh in February was enough for many to see the organisation as finished. Not so -- they came back for a jaunt to Killie, had a nice day, and since then have been intent on making their trip to the big city as much of a success.
Responding to an official complaint from the Scottish Anti-Fascist Alliance, the police have sought to defend their actions in Kilmarnock on the grounds that they cannot discriminate against ‘legal protest’ and that their heavy-handed treatment of anti-fascists was both ‘justified and proportionate’ in keeping order on the day.
This all sets a worrying precedent for September 18th. The SDL have learnt from their previous mistakes, and now know that by meeting inside pubs, they’ll invariably just end up getting kettled within by the police, and in turn, hundreds of anti-fascists. On the other hand, meeting on the street offers them both police protection, and guarantees that they’ll get some kind of street protest/shouting match. So this time, the SDL have applied for a demo which will, they claim, gather in Blytheswood Square towards the west of the city and march to George Square, where they intend to lay a wreathe at the cenotaph. It will be doubly ironic if the SDL are allowed to assemble at their desired location, given that Blytheswood Square is now off limits to everyone else.
What Kilmarnock demonstrated though was that the state cannot be relied on at any level to stop the threat of organised fascism. Ultimately, the police will attempt to keep public order -- and if this means allowing the SDL/EDL/NF to march, then so be it. It’s a game of numbers, one which worked to our advantage in Glasgow and Edinburgh, less so in Kilmarnock and countless EDL demos down south. Mobilising against fascism doesn’t have to be difficult -- in fact it’s been one of the best, most gratifying and worthwhile things that SSY has been involved with over the past 12 months. In Glasgow and Edinburgh hundreds, even thousands, of ordinary people have been angry enough to take to the streets in direct action against fascism.
Which makes it all the more bizarre that there’s a growing school of thought which says that the EDL “shouldn’t be opposed”, because this is “playing into their hands” and “harming community relations”. It doesn’t come as any great surprise to hear that this is being spearheaded by the ‘anti-fascist’ magazine Searchlight, and their establishment-backed front organisation Hope Not Hate. The entire strategy of Searchlight and HNH rests on making appeals to the state to ‘ban’ nasty people -- bans which then all too easily backfire against the left. Their major success in this so far was Luton last year, where they managed to get ALL political gatherings banned for several months in a bid to stop one EDL march -- great job guys!
Bradford is a special case in many respects, given the race riots which happened there in 2001. But simply calling for the EDL to be banned does not get around this -- the main catalyst for the disorder in 2001 was a march by the National Front. A march that, as it happens, was banned by the authorities from taking place. But this ban didn’t stop some of the Nazis showing up anyway -- and similarly, a ban on the EDL’s march isn’t going to stop a large amount of their support showing up either. They’ve been building up this demo for months, constistently referring to it as ‘the Big One’ and one that ‘one wont be for families’. It doesn’t take long to figure out what they want: a ruck with the local Asian youth (with one third of Bradford’s population being Muslim).
It’s particularly shameful that the local trade union council has come out against any planned counter-demo, alongside “most political parties, faith groups and community groups”, according to Hope Not Hate. In effect, all they’re doing is alienating those that will come out to oppose the EDL -- abandoning any local youth who come out to defend their community from attack by the thugs of the EDL. The local labour movement should be at the forefront of direct action to stop the EDL, not cowering at the back cause they’re scared they might get hit. A broad, united anti-fascist demo would send a clear message to the EDL, and people watching from all over the UK, that Bradford stands against them. Sitting at home and abandoning the local Asian youth to defend their city is exactly what will lead the media to portray the whole thing as a ‘race riot’. And that’s what we all want to avoid.
Why is the Lockerbie bomber still alive? This week Senator Robert Menendez, Chair of the Congressional Inquiry into why someone (or indeed everyone) isn’t dead yet announced plans to send a team of yankee investigators to Scotland. This we can understand as it clear that protocol has been breached on this matter. When someone in Scotland commits a crime like say theft or in the case of the accused, Bertybasset al-Megrahi being spotted buying a jumper (or another one the same colour) which was found on a plane, they are tried by a group of vote hungry senators in the run up to mid-term elections. The only hope of clemency for those found guilty comes in the form of a Christmas pardon from our Lord and Saviour, Obama H. Christ.
Kenny McAskill chose to bypass the time honoured tradition of doing exactly what America wanted and instead exercised a strange form of indigenous justice. Under this crazed system us savage Scots occasionally demonstrate that we have different values to those who seek to destroy us…or America…or is that the same thing?
Anyways understandably pissed off Menendez is sending a crack team to Scotland to investigate what’s wrong with this crazy country and what we can learn from our American brethren. SSY meets the men who hope to save us.
Leading the group will be Frank “Freaky Sheik” McDeak (Dem.) Frank will investigate the disgraceful link between oil and political power in Scotland. “This all came as a shock for me, I had to cut short my Saudi holiday…I was watching 50 virgins spray oil out their whatnots while I threw dollars at them…and now I hear these Scotch have been cutting deals in exchange for oil…America would never cut deals with those who tried to blow us up in exchange for oil and money. The Sheik just wouldn’t have it.”
Perry: If you can't hang 'em - Shoot 'em!
Controversial Texas Governor Rick Perry (Rep.) is to investigate the woefully inhumane Scottish Justice system. “Sure I’ve killed a few people….well a few hundred…and I’ve fired all those in the justice system who questioned my decision to execute a man who according to all my closest advisors and scientists was asleep at the time he is supposed to have murdered his kids…but these Scotch! I tell you…letting someone go who allegedly bought a jumper, a strand of which was allegedly found on a plane that Iran Libya blew up…monsters I say…the lotta them!”
The final senator will be Hawky Pearson (Rep) well known international peace activist. He is concerned by what he sees as a continuation of a trend. “We should have seen the warning signs in Darien. For centuries Scots have been dragging their junior partners in the US around on a series of imperial adventures. They dragged us into their conflict with Libya then just like we sent our young men to die for Scottish oil companies in Iraq and Afghanistan. I say no more American blood should be spilled for Scottish interests!”
We also understand that the Senators are to be accompanied by other progressive Americans concerned that Scotland is slipping into an authoritarian nightmare.
Pat “McGroin” Robertson, gay rights activist, is looking into allegations that crazy, Christian homophobes are funded the very same SNP government who freed the terrorist plotter. “We believe some rightwing bus bandit may have influenced the Scottish regime with his insane ranting about the gays. I’ve never been to Scotland but as I’ve always said there are definitely lots of homos there. We can’t allow these people to influence the government.”
SSY preparing for the American Heroes
The group will be rounded off by asylum campaigner and renowned anti-racist Pat Buchanan. He is expected to directly challenge the racism of the Scottish regime by visiting the controversial “Border Wall” constructed all the way along the border to prevent the flow of poor southerners crossing the border to Scotland to access free personal care for the elderly and lower tuition fees. “I intend to deliver a message to the racists in Scotland. I will invoke the spirit of Reagan and say ‘Mr Hadrien! Tear down this wall!’”
In the US Mr al-Megrahi, convicted on, quite literally, a shred of evidence would have been taken out and shot thus saving the need for all these pesky investigations and all this pish chat about “the truth” “justice” and “closure.” The SSY is ecstatic that these Americans want to visit our depraved nation and show us the light.
We shall greet them on the tarmac waving our Saltires and asking…Why isn’t Scotland more like America?
Sam Stobbart, ex girlfriend of murderer Raoul Moat has shared her story about the abuse she suffered at his hands. In The News of The World’s interview with her, she talks about when he slapped her every other day, when he raped her, stamped on her stomach, punched her in the spine and gave her daughter a black eye by hurling a stool at her.
Sam’s report on the rape was: “He didn’t ASK me for sex, he just pushed me on to the sofa and pulled my clothes off, all my clothes.”
“Moat thought sex was his right.”
Sadly, this is the case with a million more relationships. Sam was a prisoner to Moat, she describes his power from body-building and steroid taking: “He could lift me up with one hand. I’m barely eight stone.”
Personally, I don’t think there is enough thoughts and attention paid to this horror that a woman had to live through. Sam got together with Moat when she was merely sixteen. Sam was essentially vulnerable and impressionable, of which Moat took full advantage. After the usual honey-moon period of bliss, Sam talks about how the slightest thing would set him off. She talks about how Moat beat over 30 men up in pubs because they looked at Sam. He would call her his “trophy girlfriend” and say that “no one should look at her”.
If you think this is a healthy relationship, you should seek help now, because you obviously have ’sick bastard syndrome’. The remedy for this is a rope around the neck or 50 painkillers and a bottle of vodka.
No amount of Photoshop>Blur>Overlay will make this man look like anything more than an ugly bastard.
On the other hand, you’re probably shocked and disgusted at this kind of treatment of a woman. Then it will shock you even more to visit R.I.P Raoul Moat on Facebook. Some of the newer comments, in light of Sam’s story are here for you to see.
Darren Dazaster Trapps: “…and as for Stobbard, saying she was raped.. how else was she gonna get a shag?? bloody smack rat.”
To this, someone replies:
Harry Harry Harri: “Stobbard makes wild claims that she was raped – wishful thinking on her part! She made no claim of this ever before, no allegations to police, no allegations to medical professionals or other law enforcement or statutory public body. These allegations of rape are not only fake but slander on a dead man’s name. Moat is not around to defend himself after being unlawfully killed by police. He was never questioned, cautioned, charged, arrested or convicted over any rape allegations. Stobbard changes her story to suit any chavvy murdoch newspaper. She is a liar and cheat – blood is on her hands not only for her boyfriend who was shot but also the policeman who was blinded. RIP MOAT”
Like… Where to start, you know? First of all, LEARN HER FUCKING NAME. It’s Stobbart, not Stobbard. Then, “wishful thinking” – Yes, because every woman wishes for rape. That’s exactly how it works you complete arsehole. Also, she never made the claim to the police because her roid-monkey tormentor would have battered her to death. And yes, she released her story now after he’s dead because he shot her for dumping him. What might have happened if she told the police he’d raped her. Put two and two together – if that’s possible for you. Then he’s off slagging Murdoch papers… jesus fuck. I’m soooo sure you read totally upper-class newspapers, with all your correct grammar and well-read vibes I get from you – NOT.
The comments on the article on line are even worse.
Marian writes: “Dear Miss Stobbart
Enough, there are real victims to this story.
PC Rathband – blinded
Your Ex, no the one after Raoul Moat, the one he shot remember? The one you replaced Raoul with.
His Family. His Children, Moat’s other children that you know of, and then you. You are the only one making money out of this, isn’t that a bit sad.”
Yes, being raped and battered isn’t worthy of being a victim. In fact, I’d say Sam Stobbart was probably grateful for the beatings and rape. She’s cheerily talking about it on video right there. Tears of happiness, eh? NOT.
Then ‘lisa babe’ writes: “Tall story.
I feel sorry for the next person who has the displeasure of dating her. I had to stop reading-I could not read any more of her nonsense. Not that I am in any way a Moat fan. Please don’t encourage more stories and pay her, I simply won’t be reading.
Condolences to Chris and family and thinking of the Police officer and his. God bless you’s.”
‘lisa babe’ I don’t think she’ll be ready to date anyone for a while, considerng that her boyfriend was just shot and killed by a psycho. No need to worry – OH WAIT it was nothing to do with you anyway!
I could go on, but to be frank, I can’t try to process any more of these horrible, evil two-cents worth pieces any more. There’s at least one comment I agree with:
John “I hope she gets aload of money even if it’s just to annoy some of you jelous lot on here. She was frightened of him and given the fact he shot her, dont you think she had ever reason to be scared? Now she just wants to give her side of the story so that people can see why she did what she did.
Also, you lot have no idea what is going on behind the scences so stop speculating about things you dont have a clue about. I cannot believe some of you are even suggesting that she doesn’t give a damn about her new boyfriends death or whats happened.”
Yes, John. I agree. I hope she does get compensation for living her live as a slave to a vicious murderer and beast. People saying she’s just cashing in are quite clearly jealous at the prospect of a woman getting money. So fuck? Money is money and people want it. Get over it. Sam is only a face in the sea of the faceless 1 in 4 women who suffer rape and the millions more who are slaves and punch bags in their own homes.
My closing message to these people is that the Internet is a forum for people to say whatever the fuck they like, but it’s not big or impressive. All you’re showing is that you’re condoning violence and sex crimes towards women. Learn to be a human being, and learn to fucking spell while you’re at it.
How women end up stuck in abusive relationships. Click to View.
And my closing message to those reading this is that we need to take violence and hate crimes against women in hand. This is not about equal pay and women getting the vote, this is about a war against women. The statistics show that a majority of women are in unhappy relationships due to oppression. Violent men compensate for their own shortcomings (Low self esteem, bad days, poverty, anger problems, inferiority complexes etc) by picking on those they see as being on a lower social rung – Women. They beat, rape and abuse the people who trust and love them, leaving mental and physical scarring. This is a torture device to vent the anger of men who can’t change or deal with not getting their own way.
This method of taking power has been around since forever. Men are instilled with the idea that if you can’t get what you want, you simply take it, or make someone else pay for your trouble. Those men are happy to have a punchbag and a sex doll to rape all their anger into, but what the public need to understand is that she’s screaming and crying out for help – those cries fall on the deaf ears of a patriarchal society, as shown by the reactions to Sam Stobbart’s horrific account.
Monday morning's headlines after SSY's legalise cannabis march
Every human society since we first evolved has experimented with drugs, pyschoactive substances, and altered states of consciousness.
Many leading psychologists and anthropologists believe that this is a normal part of human life, and experimenting with substances like cannabis or magic mushrooms has actually played a role in the evolution of modern, intelligent humans.
But in the last 200 years human society has changed dramatically. With the arrival of capitalism came the rise of modern states, with their borders, armies and police forces. As the technology to control their own people developed, states have had an ever increasing urge to monitor and discipline their populations.
One of the ways they have done this is implement a worldwide system of prohibition of drugs. While the two biggest drug killers, alcohol and tobacco, remain legal billion pound industries, relatively harmless drugs like cannabis and ecstasy remain the target of expensive police operations, and users are turned into criminals who can face imprisonment for doing nothing but experimenting with their own bodies.
The drugs laws we have in Britain and throughout the developed world have never borne any relation to real medical or scientific information, but instead have been shaped by the prejudices and scapegoats created by elites to divide and control the people. One of the main ways they have done this is to use racism, associating certain substances with foreigners or ethnic minorities.
Now, in the 21st century, many countries around the world are finally beginning to wake up to the fact that prohibition has been a costly disaster that has caused untold misery across the planet. The time has at last come to begin treating drugs as a health and social issue, not a criminal one, and base our drugs policies on real scientific evidence, not prejudice and racism.
The Royal Society for the Arts has been recording talks given by important public intellectuals and adding animation to make them a bit more accessible. Three of the talks so far have been by leading Marxists, and they’re really worth a watch.
Following the relative success of their wee day out to 
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