Have just returned from watching ‘We’re Not Going Back’ by Red Ladder Theatre Company at Theatre Mwldan Cardigan. A very impressive, inspiring hard hitting musical comedy about the 1984/85 miners’ strike.
Initially at first was not quite sure how a musical could be made out of this turbulent peice of history but it worked really well.
It’s February 1984, and as the rumour mill stirs with developments of impending pit closures, the coal miners’ unions anxiously prepare for the imminent war against the government. Forced into unemployment, miners and their families take up the fight and become part of a battle that will change the course of history.
The miners' strike brought devastating hardship and conflict not just to the men but to families and entire communities. The wives, suddenly thrown to the forefront, had their own struggles and this is their story, The performance looked sympatheticaly at the the strike through the eyes of three sisters, aided by a woman musician in a village in the heart of the South Yorkshire mining district.
The three sisters are older sister, Olive, staid, restrained, pious, maternal; eighteen-year-old Izzy, black-clad college dropout, Morrissey-mad and miserable, and the bubbly, fun-loving Mary.
Their family squabbles and fallouts are the background to a story of defiance, resilience and determination as they are drawn into the struggle for their community’s survival as the banner with the slogan ‘Coal notDole’ is prominently displayed constantly reminding the audience what is at the heart of the matter. Instead of focusing on the conflict between miners, police, judiciary and government, the musical centres on the way the struggle completely changes the sisters’ lives.
We share the conversations and arguments of the women, their establishment of Carston WomenAgainst Pit Closures and their fight to hold their relationships and communities together, becoming active, tireless organisers and leaders. In the process, the sisters learn the value of empowerment, determination and adventure as they discover their own capabilities.
As the strike progresses, the prayerful, demure Olive becomes emboldened chief agitator for "WomenAgainst Pit Closures", 'delivering' her church's collection to the cause while struggling to cling to her faith. Izzy's ostracised boyfriend, Dean, is forced to rethink his career with the police force if he hopes to keep her, while Mary, forced now to work, starts to feel her feet and climb the ladder to a whole new world.
While there's no stinting on graphic detail and tragedy, there wass no wallowing in self-pity wither. Brave, light-hearted optimism shines through direst adversity, bringing hilarity and belly laughs from start to finish .
A powerful moving piece of work that succeded in vividly taking me back 40 years to this time of struggle that was one of the defining moments that fuelled my own political direction at this time.
A word about the title. The men, of course, did go back , but it is the women who vowed, “We’re not going back” – and such is still the case, with Women Against Pit Closures still active.
2024 happens to be the fortieth anniversary of the 1984/85 miners’ strike, a dispute that still resonates today, and the performance also fittingly reminded us all, that the working class is under more attack than ten years ago when the play was originally written. with increasing ferocity, and like then we must continue to stand in solidarity, and despite setbacks remain strong.
I Strongly recommend this piece of theatre, that tackles the resilience of working communities, the make-and-mend fabric of family, and the power of sticking two fingers up to a government hell-bent on destruction and all done with humour, wonderful acting ,wonderful songs whilst being wonderfully written, by ex-Chumbawamba guitarist, Boff Whalley, so if you get a chance go and see it,
World Mental Health Day is observed on October 10 each year, and is dedicated to raising awareness about mental health issues and promoting mental well-being globally. Established by the World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH) in 1992, this observance has gained significance over the years, with increasing participation from countries and organizations aiming to combat the stigma associated with mental health, and advocate for better mental health services.but also emphasizes the collective responsibility to create a more inclusive society where mental well-being is valued..
Mental health is a basic human right and is important for personal, community, and socio-economic development. Seeking help is a positive step that enhances health, well-being and happiness. Mental health is essental for our overall well- being as it effects how we feel and act.
The first World Mental Health Day took place on the 10th of October 1992 at the initiative of Richard Hunter, the Deputy Secretary-General of the World Federation for Mental Health. WFMH is an international organisation founded in 1948 to improve and promote good mental health and to encourage better treatment throughout the world.
World Mental Health Dayserves as a vital platform for various organizations and communities to engage in discussions about mental health challenges, encouraging individuals to seek help when needed. By highlighting the significance of mental health, World Mental Health Day fosters a supportive environment, ensuring that mental health is prioritized alongside physical health, and advocating for universal access to mental health care.
World Mental Health Day did not have a specific theme until 1994. In this year, the first theme (suggested by the then Secretary-General Eugene Brody), was "Improving the Quality of Mental Health Servicesthroughout the World" Each subsequent year has had a different theme, with past themes including "Living with Schizophrenia", Dignity in Mental Health, "Mental Health and Human Rights" and "Psychological First Aid".
This year’s official theme, “It is Time to Prioritize Mental Health in the Workplace" emphasizes the importance of creating supportive and healthy work environments to address the rising mental health challenges faced by employees globally. With rising demands on employees, the pressures of stressful and sometimes toxic workplaces continue to escalate.Gone are the days when work and mental health existed in separate bubbles. With burnout, anxiety, and job-related stress all on the rise, they’re intertwined more than ever before. From dealing with chronic stress to depressive episodes, it’s clear that avoiding conversations about mental health at work is no longer optional. This year’s theme serves as a call to action to stop treating mental health as an afterthought, and embed it into the very fabric of workplace culture.
Workplace stress has hit an all-time high in recent years. Whether it’s grappling with post-pandemic adjustment, rising economic pressures, or the relentless pace of modern work, employees everywhere are feeling the weight. Mental health can no longer be confined to personal lives — it affects job performance, creativity, engagement, and overall life satisfaction., making this focus more critical than ever. There is also pressing need to eliminate the stigma associated with mental health issues for a more inclusive society.
Almost 60% of the world’s population is in employment, according to the World Health Organization.(WHO) Of this percentage, 15% of working-age adults believed to have a mental disorder. This, understandably, directly impacts the workplace, as an estimated 12 billion working days are lost each year to mental health issues, such as depression and anxiety
Furthermore according to (WHO), approximately 1 in 4 individuals will face a mental health challenge at some point in their lives, underscoring the widespread impact of this issue. In India alone, around 60 to 70 million people suffer from common mental disorders, exacerbated by a lack of adequate care. The economic cost of neglecting mental health in the workplace is staggering, with depression and anxiety estimated to result in a global productivity loss of around $1 trillion annually.
World Mental Health Day serves as a crucial platform to raise awareness about mental health issues and to organize efforts for improving care worldwide. Common events include educational seminars, mental health screenings, and campaigns aimed at reducing stress and encouraging open discussions about mental health.
Mind charity state "We’re in the middle of a mental health crisis" (2024) as the stigma surrounding mental health is still a significant issue as some 2 million people are on the waiting list for mental health services.
One of the most difficult things about living with a mental illness can be the judgement of others. In fact, nearly a third of all UK adults (30%) would not be comfortable sharing a diagnosis of severe mental illness with a friend. And all too often people experience stigma and discrimination in the work place.
3 in 10 UK adults would reconsider working alongside them if they had a diagnosis of severe mental illness 3 in 5 UK adults wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing a diagnosis of severe mental illness with colleagues and just over half of people (53%) wouldn’t feel comfortable sharing with a manager.
One in four people experience a mental health issue in the UK every year and over 527,000 people in England have a diagnosis of a severe mental illness like schizophrenia or bipolar disorder.
I think raising awareness about conditions and treatments is crucial, but so is re-addressing the way we think about mental illness as not just an individual's problem but as something we must consider and address collectively in the way our society functions.
We feel such huge pressures to feel we fit in somewhere, but actually it is so much more important to accept yourself whether you feel you fit in or not, after all you are the only person who will ever get to define who you are.
Among the most menacing barriers to the social progress we need around mental health are the profound levels of guilt, shame and stigma that surround these issues. Mental illness scares us and shames us. Those who suffer are often, like me, ashamed to speak of it. Those who are lucky enough to be free of mental illness are terrified of it. When it comes to mental illness, we still don't quite get how it all works.
Our treatments, while sometimes effective, often are not. And the symptoms, involving a fundamental breakdown of our perceived reality, are existentially terrifying. There is something almost random about physical illness, in how it comes upon us , a physical illness can strike anyone – and that is almost comforting. But mental illness seems to fall into that same category, the fact it too could strike any of us, without warning should be equally recognised..
But more than simple fear, mental illness brings out a judgmental streak that would be unthinkably grotesque when applied to physical illness. Imagine telling someone with a broken leg to "snap out ofit."
Imagine that a death by cancer was accompanied by the same smug headshaking that so often greets death by suicide. Mental illness is so qualitatively different that we feel it permissible to be judgmental. We might even go so far as to blame the sufferer. Because of the stigma involved it often leaves us much sicker. Capitalist society also teaches us that we are each personally responsible for our own success.A system of blame that somehow makes the emotional and psychological difficulties we encounter seem to be our own fault.
This belief is such a firm part of ruling class ideology that millions of people who would never openly articulate this idea, nonetheless accept it in subtle and overt ways.People are often ashamed that they need medication, seeing this as revealing some constitutional weakness.People feel guilty about needing therapy, thinking that they should be able to solve their problems on their own.
Millions of people fail to seek any treatment, because mental health care is seen as something that only the most dramatically unstable person would turn to. An ill-informed and damaging attitude among some people exists around mental health that can make it difficult for some to seek help. It is estimated that only about a quarter of people with a mental health problem in the UK receive ongoing treatment, leaving the majority of people grappling with mental health issues on their own, seeking help or information, and dependent on the informal support of family, friends or colleagues. We need to break the silence around mental health.These are issues that all of us should have some basic exposure to.The proportion of the population that will experience an episode of acute emotional distress is extremely high.Those of us who have never been depressed probably know and love several people who have.It should be no more shameful to say that one is suffering from mental illness , than to announce that one is asthmatic or has breast cancer.Talking about these issues is part of the solution.
Breaking the silence can be liberating. Mental health care should be part of what we demand when we think about solutions to the economic crisis, we should keep fighting for the best mental health care to be the natural right of all designed to meet human needs. Until then, engaging in the struggle toward such a society can be a source of hope.That is a world surely worth fighting for.
It’s up to all of us to end the harmful cycle of stigma. Let’s end the judgement. Let’s Rethink Mental Illness.
As people commemorate October 7 lets not forget what preceded it a century of colonial and imperial violence: The beginning of this “war” actually began on November 29, 1947, with the passing of the UN resolution that led to the creation of the Israeli settler colonial state. For the next seventy-six years, with the backing of Western governments the state of Israel would lead a war of conquest, ethnically cleansing and massacring hundreds of thousands of Palestinians, displacing and maiming millions, and establishing an apartheid state.
The Nakba of 76 years that forced Palestinians from their homes and razed entire villages; the home demolitions that saw illegal settlements rise atop Palestinian land; the arrest, torture, and rape of prisoners; the assaults on Gaza in 2008, 2012, 2014, 2018, 2021, that have destroyed its infrastructure, martyred thousands, and maimed many more; the massacres in Deir Yassin, Sabra, Shatila; the martyrdom of national liberation leaders and assassinations of journalists.
October 7th, 2023, was the tragic yet inevitable outcome of decades of systemic oppression, violence, and injustice endured by the Palestinian people under Israeli occupation. For generations, Palestinians have faced relentless humiliation, abuse, and dehumanization.
Their lands had been taken, their homes destroyed, and their communities displaced. The world has witnessed the ongoing apartheid, where Palestinians are denied basic human rights, subjected to violence, and treated as second-class citizens in their own land. The persistent cruelty, murder, collective punishment, and daily acts of aggression which created a reality where desperation and anger grew unchecked. The failure to address their suffering, coupled with the indifference of the international community, made such an eruption of violence almost unavoidable.
It's been a year since the attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian armed resistance groups in southern Israel in which some 1,200 people were killed and around 250 abducted. It also marks one year since the start of an ongoing devastating Israeli onslaught that has killed more than 41,500 people and forcibly displaced over 90% of the population in the occupied Gaza Strip, and now Lebanon and the West Bank with missiles and bombs provided by the UK and US. Hundreds of thousands are dead including thousands of children. We can't even count how many. When will the world stop it?
How should October 7 be remembered? We must grieve for every life lost on that day, over the last 12 months, and the last 76 years. Remember that all human life is precious. For all victims; Muslim, Jewish, Christian. Palestinian and Israeli, we must bear witness. Shalom salaam to all.
We must escalate and invent new ways of disrupting the war machines intent on destroying all life. As Israel creates new thresholds of violence, we must imagine new horizons keep calling for a immediate ceasefire, the unconditional release of civilian hostages held by Hamas and other armed groups as well as all Palestinians unlawfully detained by Israel and an end to Israel’s apartheid, and occupation, freedom for Palestinians and continue the pursuit of peace and justice.
Narcissistic personality disorder - symptoms include excessive disregard for others' feelings, an inability to handle any criticism, and a sense of entitlement and will project themselves as the kindest, most generous people and everyone and anyone who disagrees with will usually be called manipulative, narcissistic themselves and any other term that projects their own behavior.
At the same time they have a diminished or non existent capacity to feel the pain of others. This often leaves them baffled as to why you’re upset or angry by their behaviour. Delusions of grandeur and persecuted victimhood are nearly impossible to dislodge as they form the core of narcissistic identity. When shared on a large scale, they fuel virulent socio-political movements that lead to destruction. Some may engage in activism or social movements, leading to them being perceived as selfless and empathetic. They may be more motivated by praise and validation, rather than by a genuine interest in helping others.
Anyone who has ever had to deal with a real life narcissist or sociopath, whether a boss, friend, family member, or romantic partner will recognizes the above traits well.
Israel is pathological in its lies, gaslighting, victim blaming, lack of empathy, etc. Settler colonialism is collective narcissism. Israel is torn between needing to be loved and adored by all, special victim status at the forefront; and being the global north’s lions of the Middle East, forcing western civilisation on the rampaging barbaric hordes of primitive tribes. They want to occupy, ethnic cleanse and genocide without a single push back. That is entitlement and narcissism of the worst calibre. The dichotomy is unsustainable.
Israelis suffer from collective narcissism and a shared psychosis which is visible to everyone but them. Narcissism develops blindness in the person, and the person does not see their own mistakes. According to them, it is them against the world.
I grew up thinking narcissists were just insufferably vain people, nothing to be concerned about. But people with Narcissistic personality disorder are dangerous psychopaths who will destroy your life and soul and what is really worrying and disturbing our very own Government is also a narcissistic psychopath! Power in the hands of a narcissist together with media power, social media, is a vicious cocktail. You've been warned.
Dear World, I'd just like to point out that most UK people think Sir Keir Starmer is a monumental bellend, a weak corporate suck-up, a souless, toxic cowardly genocide supporter, and doesn't tell the truth unless it's dragged out of him. In other words, he's a liar who doesn't even remotely represent our nation on any level .
Hiking University Tuition Fees by 13.5% when he has previously repeatedly pledged to scrap them entirely is a total betrayal of young people. Whilst not provide money for things such as the Winter Fuel Allowance and lifting the two-child welfare cap.
One of the most prolific liars in politics, Keir Starmer has no principles, morales or backbone. He is a shapeshifter, saying whatever is convenient at the time to make him look ‘good’. I knew it was going to be a rough four years but he’s exceeded expectations so far. To hear him calling for Israel to commit to a ceasefire while selling it weapons was like a bartender suggesting you quit drinking as they poured out another double whiskey.
Starmer, a former human rights lawyer, then on Monday, reaffirmed he "stands with" and "fullysupports" Israel and warned he is "deeply concerned" that the Middle East "is on the brink"
Last month, the UN formally declared Israel an apartheid state and it is currently before the ICJ charged with genocide. This fraud is a foreign agent or a brazen hypocrite who stands with Israel, genocide, apartheid. ethnic cleansing and inanticide and shames us on a daily basis.
Israel has confirmed several airforce bases were hit by Iran while civilian damage was "only minor" and caused by shrapnel from interception missiles. But Keir Starmer said: "The Iranian regime has launched over 200 ballistic missiles at civilian targets in Israel."A brazen grave lie.
I have heard Starmer completely condemn Iran's attack on Israel, I listened to him refer to children being killed, which I'm terribly sad about, all lives are precious, especially beautiful innocent children, .but I've never heard Starmer shed a concern for the 20 thousand plus children killed, blown to pieces or buried alive under rubble in Gaza.
Two thousand Lebanese have been killed in the last few weeks. These people do not matter in the slightest to the British government or Starmer. Indeed, they are enabling and subsidising this bloodshed. I am not sure who Sir Keir Starmer thinks he’s speaking for but I absolutely do not stand with Israel, nor any other genocidal state that is hell bent on causing World War 3.
Starmer continues to kowtow to the State terrorism of Zionist Israel and never condemns it. Justifies mass murder and devastation of innocent Arab civilians by Israel but treats Israeli lives as though they matter more.
Starmer is a very wealthy man who has a net worth of approximately £7.7 million who has accepted hundreds of thousands in corporate donations and freebies than all Labour leaders since 1997 and was more than happy to take £20k so his son could study privately while condemning millions of pensioners to living in the freezing cold.
All of the donations were within parliament’s rules but Starmer has faced accusations of hypocrisy since the furore comes as he is asking ordinary Britons to tighten their belts. Following a backlash, he announced an overhaul of hospitality rules for government ministers to try to ensure better transparency around what is accepted, and in a damage limitation exercise Starmer has since repaid thousands of pounds in freebies in an attempt to restore trust in politics.
I don't forget that Starmer has offered no support to working class people striking for better pay, while finding time to condemn every single protest that takes place in Britain. and having a career history of defending corrupt policemen and persecuting the poor. For all the reasons stated I certainly don’t trust or stand with this rancid narcissistic,war mongering, serial pledge breaking, shitweasel, who will end up the most hated PM ever, with the clowns in his cabinet not far behind.
Sad news to hear that the legendary Outlaw country musician and Hollywood actor Kris Kristoffersson has passed. He died at home in Maui Hawaii at the weekend on Saturday, September 28, 2024, He was 88. The singer was reportedly surrounded by family at the time of his passing.
Kristofferson was born in Brownsville, Texas in June of 1936. Kristofferson attended Pomona College and later earned a Rhodes scholarship to attend Oxford University. The child of a military man, he chose to enlist in the U. S. Army as a helicopter pilot upon the completion of his studies. His military career was a promising one, and yet he left the service in pursuit of becoming a Nashville songwriter. Like many young artists, he struggled to find his footing in a brutal industry, but his star rose to fame in the 1960’s and 1970’s with hits like Me and Bobby McGee, Help Me Make it Through the Night, and Sunday Morning Coming Down. His poetic lyrics made an impact on artists of all walks of life, as he became a staple in the country music industry alongside names like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and of course his dear friend Willie Nelson.
The raw nature of his songwriting and his approach to speaking to the brutal nature of life and love brought a kind of vulnerability to the country music industry that wasn’t present previously. The body of his musical work, alongside that of his fellow outlaw country music artists, has made a lasting impact on the landscape of country music that continues to shape the genre.
In the 1970’s he began to pursue a film and television career, starring in Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid,Convoy, and A Star Is Born for which he won a Golden Globe award in 1976.He also appeared in BringMe the Head of Alfredo Garcia, Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, the Blade trilogy, and the video game Fallout: New Vegas. His acting career and his ability to move between the music and movie industries gave his artistic legacy a new kind of depth, and gave the person of Kris Kristofferson a new kind of authority on a national and international level. He wielded that authority well, and was a devoted activist for human rights and Native American causes, often drawing on his experience in the military to keep naysayers “in check” if they chose to attempt to discourage his work speaking up for causes he believes in.
A critic of U.S. foreign policy, he opposed wars in Latin America and the Middle East and was also a staunch defender of Palestinian rights and a vocal opponent of Zionist Apartheid Israel. He defended family farmers;.
Both publicly and privately he was a man of principle, largely avoiding scandal and always taking seriously his role as a mentor to up and coming musicians.Kris was one of the few big stars that stood up for Sinead O'Connor when she brought up the truth about the Catholic Church back in the early 90s When O’Connor appeared on stage at a Bob Dylan tribute concert in New York, she was met with a storm of boos from the crowd. Kristofferson, standing beside her, offered comfort and defiance in equal measure, telling O’Connor, “Don’t let thebastards get you down.” His solidarity was emblematic of his deep commitment to standing by those fighting for justice, no matter how unpopular their cause at the time, and that forever makes him a real one,
Kris was inducted into several halls of fame, including the Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. His last album, The Cedar Creek Sessions, was released in 2016.it earned him a nomination for Best Americana Album at the 2017 Grammy Awards.
Kris officially retired from performing and recording in 2021, making only occasional guest appearances on stage, including a performance with Johhny Cash's daughter Rosanne at Nelson's 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles in 2023.
Kris Kristoffersson lived a life marked by artistic brilliance, personal courage, and a relentless commitment to human rights.
"Human rights is something that wasn't hard to be inspired to write about because there have been so many violations of those rights' - Kris Kristoffersson
His passing marks the end of an era, but his legacy lives on, He once said that when he died, he wanted Leonard Cohen’s like a bird on a wire’s lyrics on his tombstone. How appropriate for both he and Leonard Cohen truly lived like two magnificent birds on this wild wire. RIP. The world was a better place because of this man. He is survived by his wife Lisa, eight children, and seven grandkids.
"They're killing babies in the name of freedom, We've been down that sorry road before..."
As thousands are murdered across the Middle East by Israel using weapons supplied by his own country, Kris' lyrics and words are as relevant as ever.
Israel has been massacring Palestinians every day for nearly a year now. They’ve just expanded the killing field to Lebanon with the continued support of Western politicians, who could literally sanction Israel and Netanyahu. They could stop funding them, supporting them, providing them with weapons. They could easily enforce an arms embargo. They could easily threaten them with a NATO intervention. They have all these options but are not using them.
Almost a year after the start of its war in Gaza, Israel has turned its focus on Lebanon, significantly ratcheting up its campaign against its archenemy Hezbollah. Among many in Lebanon, there is fear that Israel’s military operations in Lebanon would follow the same Gaza playbook: Evacuation orders, mass displacement and overwhelming airstrikes. Israel says its strikes target Hezbollah weapons sites and militants.
There are key differences between Gaza and Lebanon and how Israel has so far conducted its operations, which it says aim to push back Hezbollah from the border so that tens of thousands of Israelis displaced by Hezbollah’s rocket attacks can return to their homes. Although it has said it is preparing for a possible ground operation, Israel has so far not sent troops into Lebanon.
Still, there are fears that Israel’s actions in Gaza, including the use of overwhelming and what rights groups and the United Nations have described as disproportionate force, would be repeated in Lebanon. Top Israeli officials have threatened to repeat the destruction of Gaza in Lebanon if the Hezbollah fire continues. Since Monday Israel has been carpet-bombing densely populated neighbourhoods of Beirut and greater Lebanon with weaponry partly manufactured in Britain.
A new bomb dropped, a new tragedy, every 5 minutes.· Israel is currently bombing Lebanon with 1 million people now displaced, targeting power plants and seaports in Yemen critical for delivering essential aid, while continuing genocide in Gaza where 2 million people are displaced with nowhere to go. Even before this Lebanon has been constantly bombarded by Israel for 11 months.
It has been by far the deadliest barrage since the monthlong 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war, when an estimated 1,000 people in Lebanon were killed and has shocked a nation used to war. . Israel's killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah along with many innocent civilians is a dangerous escalation pouring fuel on the flames of the Middle East. Lest we foret under Nasrallah's leadership, Hezbollah helped to defeat ISIS and Al-Qaeda, protected Christians, and fought against Israeli colonialism and military occupation.
What kind of world allows such atrocities to unfold again and again? It it is simply unconscionable that the UK government refuses to suspend arms sales to Israel. if israel was bombing lebanon to get rid of hezballah why is it still killing civilians 24 hours after Hassan Nasralla he died?
Videos I've seen coming out of Tel Aviv show Israelis dancing at celebration parties.Israel is now also attacking Yemen. So the Israeli regime is bombing Gaza, Lebanon, and Yemen at the same time while still playing the victim card. We must stop normalising this insanity.
My heart shatters for people daily terror , having to flee their homes at a moment's notice only to be displaced into the streets and left unsure from where the next strikes will rain.
Never forget: Zionism is a fascist white supremacist settler colonial ideology and none of us are safe until it is dismantled. For the love of anything that is good, we must stand up! We must renounce slaughter. renounce genocide, renounce child murder. I am not only pro-ceasefire, I am pro-the world waking the fuck up and shutting Israel down. Enough is fucking enough. I stand with Palestine, I stand with Lebanon , I stand with Yemen , I stand with humanity.
As our planet weeps, mornings laden with mourning. and we feel our hearts struggle, adverse condtions releasing overflowing tears, as we bathe in seas of melancholy, it's important to let each emotion flow, let our cries ring out, through the storms we can rise again, even the darkness that resides can be filled with light, that will never hide our love, our kindness, our beautiful depth, to allow us to find silver linings, enable us to cling on to fragile bubbles of hope, carrying us through maddening days, allowing peace and calms echo, life filled with more palpable reason, forces of tenacious and diligent effort that overcome depths of despair.
Pierre De Geyter, Belgian socialist and composer was born on October 8, 1848 on Kanunnik Street in this poor corner of Ghent, Flanders, Belgiam. De Geyter's early life was marked by hardship and struggle. His parents, who hailed from French Flanders, moved to Ghent in search of work in the textile factories. At the tender age of seven,in 1855 the family returned to France, settling in Lille, where De Geyter would spend most of his life.
Around the age of ten, after the family had relocated to France, he started working in the textile mills of Lille. In order to develop his skills, Degeyter attended a night school for workers. He showed early indications of musical talent and from the age of 17, he and his brother Adolphe used to entertain the workers with his own melodies and lyrics and those of others.
When the Franco-Prussian War broke out (1870), Degeyter was enlisted in the French army. Following the collapse of the front, he tried to get through to France, where the Paris Commune had recently been established (18 March 1871). He was, however, arrested by Duke Magenta’s soldier just outside the city and brought to Northern France and later released. How he managed to escape with his life,
In the following years, Pierre Degeyter worked in the model workshop of the iron foundry Compagnie Fives-Lille in Lille. In those years, the city, marked as it was by a high level of political activity, was a hotbed of workers’ associations of political, informative and entertaining nature.
Among the numerous associations formed during this period, was the workers’ choral society La Lyredes Travailleurs (‘The Workers’ Lyre’). Pierre Degeyter, who was known for his musical skills, was chosen choirmaster. It was, in fact, a political post of considerable importance, when we consider the significance of political songs at this time.
Being a choirmaster, Degeyter was constantly in search of lyrics he could set to music and rehearse with his choir. Gustave Delory, one of the leaders of the French socialist labor party, took an interest in the choir. In 1928, Degeyter told a journalist about what subsequently turned out to be everything but an ordinary evening in the choral society: “One Saturday evening in the summer of 1888, Delory appeared in the The Workers Lyre. As we parted after the rehearsal, Delory approached me and said: “I have a collection of poems by the late Eugene Pottier. Have a look at it, you might find something that works. We do not have a revolution song and you have the skills to write one.” As soon as I returned home, I took the little book out of my pocket, I happened to open up to the page where a poem titled Internationale started.” The book was Eugene Pottier’s Chants Révolutionnaire, published in 1887. Pottier was one of the pioneers of the Paris Commune, the revolutionary socialist government in 1871. Pierre was tasked with setting the poem The Internationale, written that same year, to create a melody that would resonate with the working class.
On a fateful Sunday morning, De Geyter sat at his harmonium and poured his heart into creating the iconic melody. He then asked his brother, Adolphe, to play it on the bugle, making minor adjustments before finalizing the composition. The Revolutionary anthem The Internationale was born.
Excerpt from the score of the hymn “The Communist Internationale”
De Geyter's The Internationale was first sung in July 1888 in a cafe at the Lille trade union's annual fête in July 1888 and sold in pamphlet form to bolster the Socialist party coffers of Lille. The song which became one of the most iconic anthems of the Socialist movement, encapsulated themes of revolution and unity among the working class took Lille and the rest of France by storm, and the rest of the world ten years later, leaving a significant mark on global political and cultural landscapes.
The penning of the music, however, was to be the beginning of a long ordeal for him. Although only named as 'Degeyter' (no space) on the pamphlets, to avoid repression by employers and the authorities on the grounds of insurgency, Pierre was identified as the composer and lost his job. He encountered financial difficulties and moved to the Parisian suburb of Saint-Denis in 1901, where he worked as a lamplighter for the township..
He also became embroiled in painful legal proceedings with his younger brother Adolphe , who apparently subscribed to the “redistribution of wealth” idea in ways not intended, falsely claiming copyright in 1901 and won a subsequent lawsuit brought by Pierre. Only after Adolphe hanged himself in 1916 was the decision reversed based on the remorseful brother’s suicide note, but this didn’t happen until 1922.
In the meantime, The Internationale had become the national anthem of the Soviet Union. In 1927, leaders of the Soviet Union discovered that the real author of The Internationale, was still alive. Pierre was invited to Moscow for the 10th anniversary celebrations of the October Revolution as an honoured guest and was in the stands with the German sculptor Käthe Kollwitz at his side. It is said that tears rolled down his cheeks while his anthem was played. Joseph Stalin awarded him a Soviet Union state pension.
As this was Pierre's only income, apart from modest fees collected on music for the other Pottier poems (particularly L'Insurgé and En avant la Classe Ouvrière) and on popular tunes he had also composed, and although the left-wing town administration of Saint-Denis granted him a free apartment, Pierre Degeyter spent the last years of his life in precarity.
After his death at Saint-Denis in 1932, more than fifty thousand people attended his funeral. In popular culture After his death, even in France, his name mainly came up during copyright litigation cases. French courts ruled his compositions, including The Internationale, copyrighted until October 2017.] There is a Pierre Degeyter street in Ghent and there are Pierre Degeyter squares both in Lille (in Fives, the suburb where he used to live) and in Saint-Denis. Lille also named a procession giant after him. In Sofia (Bulgaria) there is a street Пиер Дегейтър. A bronze monument to Pierre Degeyter has adorned the Ghent MIAT (Museum of Industry, Labour and Textiles) since 1998. A documentary film on Pierre Degeyter and the story of The Internationale was produced in 1978.[1] In 1927, the 79-year-old Pierre was invited to attend the 10th anniversary of the October Revolution at the Red Square in Moscow, in the grandstand for the honoured guests. It is said that tears rolled down his cheeks while his anthem was played. Pierre De Geyter died on 26 September 1932 in Saint-Denis..He was buried at the cemetery in Seine-Saint-Denis followed to his grave by 50,000 people and the tune of The Internationale. The funeral was held by the leader of the French communist party, Marcel Cachin.
Here is an excerpt from Cachin’s speech: “A final salute to the faithful comrade Pierre Degeyter. The old man with the innocent and animated eyes of an artist, whom we, until recently, could meet in the street, belonged to the dynasty of the great people’s bards […]. And one of his compositions reached heights that no other artist can aspire to reach. When a collection of Eugène Pottier’s poems came into his possession, he chose this particular poem not only because it seemed the best suited to set to music, but because it was charged with the same revolutionary potency and rebellious class consciousness as was Eugène Pottier himself and this still, silent flame. In the history of humanity, this song, born of the meeting between these equally genius and modest workers, is beyond comparison in scope and depth. No other music, no other song has ever reached this level of beauty and significance. This man who, in a single inspiring day, has bestowed upon us such mighty weapon and bulwark of unity deserves a heartfelt thanks from the entire international working class. Pierre Degeyter, faithfull revolutionary, loyal worker without errors and vices, you who modestly got embroiled in unnoticeable cities, almost unknown, you whom faith also granted the taste of human suffering and bitter wrath, rest in peace. Your name will not be forgotten. Your immortal song has carried it to the four corners of the world.”
De Geyter's legacy extends beyond his music. He was an ardent supporter of education and workers' rights, actively participating in local socialist movements and advocating for the rights of the working class. His life's work was a testament to the power of art and activism, inspiring generations to come.
There is a Pierre Degeyter street in Ghent and there are Pierre Degeyter squares both in Lille (in Fives, the suburb where he used to live) and in Saint-Denis. Lille also named a procession giant after him. In Sofia (Bulgaria) there is a street Пиер Дегейтър. A documentary film on Pierre Degeyter and the story of The Internationale was produced in 1978.
In recognition of his contributions to music and his impact on social movements, a bronze monument honoring Pierre De Geyter was erected in 1998 at the Ghent Museum of Industrial Art and Textiles. This honor reflects his longstanding influence and the enduring value of his work.
Here's a rousing rendition of one the greatest songs in the world by the late Scottish singer Alistair Hulett and Jimmy Gregory.
.jpg)
.jpg)
.png)
