Wednesday 8 October 2014
7 facts about Workfare.
" There is little evidence that workfare increases the likelihood of finding work.... workfare is least effective in getting people into jobs in weak labour markets where unemployment is high." This week their is a week of action against it, workfare profits the rich by providing free labour, whilst hurting the poor by taking away welfare rights if people refuse to work. The government is misleadingly calling it now 'Help to work' but it is business as usual, it is draconian, exploitative, unjust and wrong, many charities are now refusing to have anything to do with it because :-.
1. There is no evidence that workfare schemes lead to employment.
2. You're five times more likely to be sanctioned than get a job on a government work programme.
3. Workfare is undermining voluntary and charitable values.
4.Forced Labour is illegal.
5. Workfare is not just for the long-term unemployed.
6.Courts have repeatedly ruled against workfare schemes.
7. Workfare is heading for collapse but we need to push for it.
Facts reblogged from here, where you will find more information.:-
http://realfare.wordpress.com/2014/10/07/7-facts-you-need-to-know-about-workfare/
Tuesday 7 October 2014
Empty promises and broken 'pledges' lead folk to one conclusion:-
and its too late for Cable and Clegg to start sounding off now, they have backed the Tories throughout, we all know now what their party stands for, everything the Tories have done has been done with liberal democrat support. Milliband as for him apparently shifting his party to the left, come on, same as Blair,who created a version of the social democrats mark 2, under the guise of New Labour, where is their pulse, where is their opposition, their anger, their fiery direction.As for the Tories, unreformed unapologetic Thatcherites and UKIP more of the same. I feel political scepticism is more than justified, most people I encounter feel alienated from the lot of them, and do not understand the need to rush out to vote for them. Its not that people are disengaged with politics as a whole, I think people just feel let down by the so called democratic systems and norms that does nothing for them in return.Regarding most careesrist politicians as fraudsters and liars, a self serving elite, who carry on wining and dining, fostering division, with empty gestures, carving and making scapegoats out of sections of the community, as austerity grippens, is it any wonder that people increasingly feel abandoned, and left with not much hope, pessimistic and more than a little dissillusioned. Many people feel nauseated with the lot of them and simply cannot be bothereed with their message.
To change this country for the better, me thinks, the only hope for us, is to start thinking outside of the box, but people are still demonstrating, occupying, resisting with direct action, it is not a question of people simply apathetic, people are wide awake, change is happening NOW. Anger,does not reflect disengagement, and as we see, people are able to express their political dissatisfactions in so many different ways in our modern world. But the status quo carries on regardless, carries on not listening, as no confidence in their empty hollow words continues to grow.
But out of their fading embers, hopefully a fairer, system can be built, personally for me one that proactively is used to combat oppression, exploitation and repression, surely another world is not impossible.
Monday 6 October 2014
How the ISIS theatre of murder was born - Heathcote Williams
David Cameron says he is 'standing firm and will not be cowed" by ISIS brutality. Poet Heathcotte Williams responds.
Montage and narration by Alex Cox.
Sunday 5 October 2014
Overgrow the system... Give thanks to the Mother
Tuira Kayapo is an indigeneous Elder Mama warrior who showed the world what happens when Women take charge of their power. She walked into the 1989 Altamira Gathering in Brazil against the destruction of Dams in the Zingu, in her war paint, naked and carrying a large machete. She then walked up to the President of Brazil's Light holding Company Petrobras and running the blade of her machette three times over his cheeks, proclaimed his act on her people and on the entire Amazon as an act of war. She then stated in Kayopa :-
" You are a liar - We do not need electricity. Electricity is not going to give us our food. We need our rivers to flow freely, our future depends on it. We need our jungles for hunting and gathering. We do not need your dam."
Everyone stood in absolute awe at her audacity, especially the President of Petrobras who looked quite afraid .. yet what I see in her is a true example of WHAT Mamas are capable of in their full Power...
We have ALL become tired of this mess the world is in... It is time to reclaim our truth. Don't play with our good hearts and intentions. I am grateful for women like Chief Kayapo, who was bold enough to say no to colonialist exploitation. Bravely demanding respect, to allow her and her people to live as they want and choose, expressing the feelings of her entire nation.
Friday 3 October 2014
Fly Kites not Drones : Poppit Sands, nr St Dogmaels, Cardigan, West Wales.
lethal forces rather than look for diplomatic or political situations.
Join me tomorrow, kites not drones at Poppit Sands near St Dogmaels, Cardigan, West Wales, in a symbolic, 'Stop the drones' demonstration supported by Drone Network Cymru/Wales and CND Cymru/Wales. We need to build a world where children can play and fly their kites safely, instead of spending their lives in fear.
Please take a look at the following link:-
Child victims of drone warfare.
-http://childvictimsofwar.org.uk/get-informed/drone-warfare/
Thursday 2 October 2014
Moazzam Begg - Wronged Man is free again
Moazzam Begg a native born British citizen, family man of Pakistani descent, spent three years incarcenated in the most notorious detention centre created, Guantanamo Bay without being charged with any crime.
Arrested in Pakistan in 2002 he was transferred to Bangram Air Force Base in Afghanistan, where he suffered torture and witnessed U.S interrogators beat an innocents taxi driver to death, he would spend the next three years in very tortuous uncomfortable conditions.
Throughout this time, Begg , now 45 was repeatedly, deprived of legal rights, but after public outcry was returned to Britain in 2005. Despite the indignation and suffering he encountered, he did not lose his humility or dignity.
He went on to become a prominent human rights activist, writing books, advocating on behalf of other prisoners of conscience, whilst campaigning against the so called war on terror, and working with survivors of abuse and mistreatment across the globe.
But constantly he was harassed and intimidated, marked out because he was probably seen as one of Britains most prominent muslims. Well known to muslims and non-muslims alike as a representative of justice, truth and human rights in the face of oppression , and injustice.
Last December at Heathrow his passport was confiscated, and told it was not in the public interest to retain it, then later he was arrested for having allegedly travelled to Syria to assist Syrian rebels in terrorist activities, but had not visited this land since December 2012 and this was to assist in humanitarian relief and support.It seems that he may have become a victim of the government again, because of his continuing outspoken criticism of the British governments conduct during the War on terror. The arrest of one of the Wests most prominent Muslim critics certainly raised alarms with many. Using dubious charges against dissidents has been a hallmark post 9/11. Though these tactics are routinely condemned, they still continue to be implemented, showing us the crude corrosive measures our governments use, which ultimately undermine the foundations of western freedoms.
After 4 months in Belmarsh, Londons Central Criminal Court acquitted him yesterday of all charges, prosecutors saying " there is no longer a realistic prospect of conviction in this case.'"
"The more this continues, the more it's going to alienate people." Begg said about his case. Campaigners are now concerned that the governments new hardened line as spelled out at their recent party conference will result in greater harassment and victimisation.
So it comes that an innocent man, has been freed for the second time in his life. Lets hope his voice can now be used again to speak out against injustice and to contribute to our understanding of each other , and that the world knows now what was always crystal clear -that this is an innocent man.
I am overjoyed by his release but outraged by the imprisonment itself.
Gareth Peirce Beggs solicitor said : "Moazzam Begg is a good and brave man. He is a rare individual who will talk to everyone and listen to everyone, even to those he profoundly disagrees. He has spent the near decade since he was released from the the torture of Bagram and Guantanamo in attempting to wake the world up to injustice and to comprhehend its causes and effects. His intelligent voice of reason and intelligence is desperately needed now. We are relieved he is free again."
Long may it be so.
Here is a link to CagePrisoners the human rights group founded by Moazzam Begg
http://www.cageuk.org/
Wednesday 1 October 2014
Cassetteboy - Cameron's Conference Rap
Applause please for Cassette Boy , with another fantastic satirical mashup.
Cassette Boy has made him speak the truth for once. Seriously though Dave thanks for legalising parody videos.
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