A-Infos (en) UK, November issue of London Calling - the Class War bulletin

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Bushwhacked...
Taking stock of large protests seems to be a theme this year! The Mayday
protests, DSEi and now the opposition to Bush's visit all have some things
in common, and the lessons learnt from them should be learnt.
One strand running through all three protests is that there has been little
attempt to learn from what happened. Mayday did have a post mortem, and the
Mayday 2004 Collective will look to incorporate those lessons into next
year's protest. DSEi and the anti-Bush demos haven't received such criticism
from a range of participants. We feel that post-action analyses are
essential should we wish our actions to improve in imagination and quality,
as well as effectiveness. Many people re-invent the wheel when there's no
need to; and often simple precautions are forgotten.

To take one example: the Resist Bush demonstration, advertised as a non-violent
direct action tea party at Buckingham Palace. This met at Victoria. Standing
about for around thirty minutes, the FIT teams were able to photograph
everyone there from the top of a tour bus. A line of police was allowed to
encircle the crowd, and few people took the opportunity to move outside it.
Result? When people made to move off, only about twenty people were outside
a hastily erected pen. The people inside seemed to have made scant effort to
avoid this all too predictable trap. Though there were attempts to break
out, the demonstrators (about 150-200) had not evaded the snare by slowly
moving out. One would hope that this won't happen to the same people again:
but once is too often to be penned in.

It was amusing, on the afternoon and evening of 19 November, to see people penned
in just outside Buckingham Palace! An own-goal for the cops, one feels, as GWB and
Liz Windsor were serenaded from St James Park with the cacophony only hatred can
compose!

On the StWC march on 20 November, it was interesting to contrast the supine
attitude the SWP and their foul lickspittles desired and affected and the
hatred and outrage felt by many on the demonstration for Bush. The StWC
wished for a peaceful and entirely ineffective march - which, to be fair, in
the main it was. There were though elements on the march who felt a forward
policy was the best idea. Congratulations to the anarchists (and assorted
mates) who made the FIT team run off abashed at Aldwych! And praise is also
due to those far-sighted anarchists who strolled up Piccadilly and other
West End avenues, taking thousands of demonstrators away from the foul
Trot-fest that were the speeches.

It's important to recognise that the state visit was disrupted and many of the
traditional events cancelled for fear of anarchist demonstrations against
Bush and the loathsome Windsors. It wasn't the fear of the SWP and their
sickly running dogs which worried the likes of Bush and "Sir" John Stevens,
but the prospect of anarchist groups in London stirring up trouble. This
fear was almost realised in the evening when people did wander off in large
groups intent on having a laugh. This - perhaps - is about the only thing
a-to-b marches are good for: gathering large numbers of like-minded people
in one spot.

As we leave 2003, it's worth bearing a few things in mind. Whilst this
year's events haven't been the incendiary experiences people may have hoped
for, we will enter 2004 in a better state than perhaps we could have hoped.
The first steps in preparing for the G8 are laid; people are beginning to
digest the lessons from our current mode of action and looking ahead to
develop new ways of doing things. The future's looking if not sunny, then
quite bright!

Reviews
Brendan Anderson "Joe Cahill: A Life in the IRA" £8.99
Liam Clarke, Kathryn Johnston "Martin McGuinness: From Guns to Government"
£7.99 Although both these biographies are very interesting, much of even
greater fascination has been left out. Brendan Anderson says so explicitly
in his biography of the IRA veteran, Joe Cahill, but Clarke and Johnston are
more reticent. Joe Cahill, an IRA man since the 1930s, played a central role
in the emergence of the Provisional IRA and the later emergence of Sinn
Fein. From being found guilty of (and nearly executed for) killing a copper
in 1942 through the days of the Border Campaign in the '50s and early '60s
to the heady days of the 1970s - where every year was "the year of victory"
- Joe Cahill's seen it all. His influence as a military man helped swing
Sinn Fein into deciding to accept seats in Leinster House in the 1980s and
he was instrumental in persuading the IRA to accept the peace process.
Anderson tells much of the story in Cahill's own words, yet at the end I
felt dissatisfied. It was as though I only saw a small portion of the story,
missing much of great significance. In "Martin McGuinness: From Guns
to Government" one finds the same thing. Interesting hints are dropped in
both books, but never fully explored.
With McGuinness, Clarke and Johnston allege that he'd trusted touts long
after others had warned him about them. It would be fascinating to hear more
about the informers in the Provisionals, yet whenever it looks like
something revealing's about to come out, we're steered onto another subject.
Martin McGuinness is portrayed as credulous, cowardly, contemptible and
cunning. Yet he's been at the top of the republican movement for the best
part of thirty years! I do not see how one may be involved with the IRA in
responsible roles for so long without having something special about one.
The writing in both books is uneven. One's left with the feeling that you
can get to the top of the IRA having hardly touched a gun! I feel that there
are many more books to be written about McGuinness and Cahill, both of whom
have operated mainly in the shadows. Perhaps in years to come, more rounded
and revealing books can be
written about both men: these are, I feel, more for the aficionado than the
general reader seeking insight.

Brendan Anderson "Joe Cahill: A Life in the IRA" ***
Liam Clarke, Kathryn Johnston "Martin McGuinness: From Guns to Government"
***


Sheldon Rampton & John Stauber "Weapons of Mass Deception: The Uses of
Propaganda in Bush's War on Iraq" £6.99
Don't be put off by the cartoon cover! I thought about getting this book for
several months before plucking up the courage to chance it. Once I started
reading it, I found it compelling and intensely readable.
In shocking detail, the authors show how much the Bush regime lied to get
its way for war. Any residual belief in anything that the Bush regime - or
its London lickspittles - have said about the war will disappear by the time
you've finished the book. And this is only about the propaganda in the
run-up to, and during, the "major combat operations"! Imagine what they're
up to now! *****

Muna Hamzeh & Todd May (Eds.) "Operation Defensive Shield: Witnesses to
Israeli War Crimes"
£10.99 This book continues two of Pluto Press's traditions. It is a deeply
interesting book, and it is far more expensive than it should be. Pluto
Press are one of the best independent publishers about today, bringing out
books on US foreign policy in Bosnia, Afghanistan, Iraq, about terrorism...
and in this case a book that should raise huge concerns about the nature of
Israel's policies in the Occupied Territories. I doubt anyone reading this
supports the Zionist state. But many of those who don't often lack knowledge
of the true depravity of Israel's
effectively genocidal policy toward the Palestinians. In the words of a
score or more ordinary Palestinians you hear the truth about what the
Israelis are doing to the Palestinians while they think no one's looking. By
no means
a cheery book: but a necessary one. ****


Despicable Diane Does Not Deny Hypocrisy
Diane Abbott has hardly been a success as the Labour MP for Stoke Newington
and Hackney North. Despite 16 years of Diane's "efforts" the constituency
remains a bizarre mixture of grinding poverty and wealthy middle class
idiots. House prices spiral, to an extent that few people who have lived
their all their lives can afford to buy a property there. The local council
is one of the worst in Britain, its education and social services a by-word
for failure. Despite some of the highest policing levels in Britain,
anti-social crime is common throughout the borough.

Abbott likes to pose as being on the left of the Labour party, as someone
who opposes Blair's war-mongering. Britain's first black woman MP, she is
always quick with a quote on racism in society, but is careful to maintain
close relations with the biggest racists of the lot -the Metropolitan
police. When Irishman Harry Stanley was shot dead by armed police near
Victoria Park, the cops contacted Diane Abbott before Harry's family, or
even Brian Sedgmore, the MP for the area where Mr Stanley was killed. When
Blair and Harriet Harman sent their children to selective schools, Abbott
condemned them. She wanted to see them educate their children at their local
school, and to fight to raise standards there. She even argued this was
essential for a progressive, egalitarian
society.

It was no surprise to seasoned Abbott watchers that a couple of years later,
Abbott opted to send her son to a private school where the fees are some ten
thousand pounds per annum. As most people have slightly longer memories than
Diane, she has been roundly condemned for her hypocrisy both locally and
nationally. Her only defence is a whining bleat that she has put her son
before her principles.
As previously when she is in a corner, Abbott also plays the race card,
arguing that many black mothers in her constituency will know the dilemma
she has gone through. This of course is a simple lie - she knows full well
virtually no black families (or most others for that matter) can afford such
a sum, each year, for their children's education. How then does she know
anything of what they
go through?

Her inference that Hackney's schools are run by racists is something she is
happy to discreetly suggest, but does not back up with any evidence. Nor
will she - although she knows full well that Hackney's schools have failed
working class families for a generation, she is perfectly happy take the
votes of the teachers, administrators and governors who actually run these
schools. She just does not want her little darling to be educated there.
Diane Abbott does not deny she can be seen as a hypocrite. That such a
person has the confidence of Hackney Labour party tells us all
we need to know about Labour in 2003.


Anarchist Bookfair
Thanks to all the members and supporters who made the Class War stall at the
2003 Bookfair such a great success. You know who you are! Congratulation
also to the organisers for what was - from where we are standing - a good
day. It's the other 364 days of the year we worry about!
The eagle eyed amongst you will have noticed that the showing of the video
"Incitement to Riot" did not happen. This was due to a mix-up over the rooms
available on the day, even though we had paid for one!


Class War 1983-2003
Thanks to Glasgow CW and Clydeside Press for a rather natty little card that
has been produced to commemorate 20 years of Class War! London Calling
subscribers should have received there's with this mailing, extra copies can
be ordered from us for a SAE.

Enrager
Class War welcomes the introduction of www.enrager.net This website aims to
fill a real void in the UK anarchist movement.
Serving as a moderated newswire and also providing discussion forums, we
encourage all our members and supporters to get involved, contribute and
have your say.

Class War 2004 Calendar
If you liked our 2000 and 2002 calendars, you should love the 2004 one! As
2004 marks the twentieth anniversary of the miners strike, we have designed
the calendar to commemorate the great strike of 1984-5, with action photos
donated by pickets who were there. The calendar cost just £7.00, and we
promise it comes without any pictures of Arthur Scargill!

Class War Get Togethers
The next Class War conference has been scheduled for Saturday 7th February
at a grim Northern location.
There will also be a meeting for members and supporters in London, the south
east and east Anglia on Saturday 17th January.

Merchandise Updates
Get your Xmas goodies from us!

Miscellaneous
Class War Cigarette Lighters - Burn the Rich! £1.00.
Patches - CW logo £0.50

Notes from the Borderland, Issue 5. The winter 2003-4 issue, articles on the
new head of MI5 and her royal connections, the BBC's
"True Spies" programme, plus an important article on the BNP. Most
significant of all is startling new evidence about the 1999
London nail bombings. Essential reading for all anti-fascists. £3.50

Videos
Hardcore Riot Porno Volume 1 - Warning this video may cause offence to
liberals!. Featuring the ring of free trade, footage from the protests
against the EU summit in Thessaloniki, the video of Carlo Guiliani by
Conflict, plus two romantic duets by George Bush and Tony Blair. All
proceeds to those still imprisoned in Thessaloniki. £7.00

Class War T shirts (all £7.00)
Class War Against Authority - XL or Medium only.
Class War grey colourless shirt.
Girls stretch tops - all with CW logo.
Purple tops in small, medium and large
Sky Blue tops in medium only

General Shirts (all £7.00)
Carjack the Rich - Black shirt with picture of a car jacking
Bin Laden - God is my co-pilot
George W Bush - The price of petrol is murder
All XL only!

Please order from the London CW address - cheques/POs to "London Class War"
only.

Diary Dates
2003
Saturday December 6th - 11am - 5pm Manchester Radical Bookfair at Bridge 5
Mill, 22A Beswick Street, Ancoats, Manchester.
Look out for the Class War stall. More details from
www.radicalbookfair.org.uk
Sunday 7th December 7pm - London Class War meeting.
Friday 19th December 7pm - London Class War Xmas party. More details from
London CW
Thursday December 25th - 3pm - Please avoid all TV sets at this time.
Tuesday December 30th - Deadline for submissions for Class War issue 86 and
the Class War Internal Bulletin.

2004
Sunday January 4th 7pm - London Class War meeting.
From: Harry Roberts <classwaruk-A-hotmail.com>


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