Stop the War's http://stopwar.org.uk John Rees interviewed on the BBC Jeremy Vine show on why he gives unequivocal support to Julan Assange in his fight against extadiction to Sweden and from their possibly to the United States.
Many of us can remember too, when The Conservative Party gave uneguivocal support to the fascist dictator General Pinochet when he came to stay in our country.
The differences perhaps is that one has exposed human rights abuses, whilst one perpetuated them.
As feared Pussy Riot have been found guilty, in what was not a fair trial but a political witchhunt. The draconian, reactionary beasts of authority have convicted them of 'hooliganism'. In my opinion the only thing that should have been found guilty was the Russian Court System. The 3 individuals from Pussy Riot could now face up to 7 years in prison, but they seem to be holding their heads up and showing no fear.
Protests will now continue as planned across the world. Already a couple of thousand were outside the Moscow Courthouse chanting ' Freedom to Political Prisoners '. The sentence will be handed down later today, the real verdict being, is that it exposes how sick Putins regime is.pussy riots only real crime was one of thinking for themselves, and not bowing down to the slavery of patriarchy and conformity.
The message below is one I endorse, because Putin is so arrogant, he refuses to listen, to the millions across the world who share the same sentiment, that is his folly, he will be now remembered as a man, that cannot take a joke, and will be forever mocked ' Sweet Vladimir Putin is afraid of girls dancing in a church.' 'Virgin Mary , Mother of God, Put Putin away. Put Putin away. Put Putin away.
Postscript
15.27
have just found out they have all been individually sentenced to 2 years imprisonment.
The Pussy Riot has only just begun. Fuck you Putin.
Following Tuesdays post, and on the day that members of Pussy Riot await theiir fate, when at 3 0'clock this afternoon, they will finally get their verdict and sentence, thought I'd qickly post this. Their is all probability that they will not recieve a not-guilty verdict, so the eyes of the world will be on how long the jail sentences will be. The expectations are that they will get between one and three years.
They have been fortunate I guess because they have managed to garner much sympathetic international media attention, unlike many other prisoners of conscious across the globe. They have also attracted the support of many celebrities and international organisations like amnesty, and many groups and individuals across the world, for a little noticed You Tube video of a political prank back in February, and have certainly succeeded in capturing our hearts and imagination too.
Pussy Riot video of performance, that has garnished so much attention
The eyes of the world will now be watching what happens, does Putin and his allies want to be seen as confirming themselves as draconian reactionaries. Personally I hope not, and that they will not be treated to harshly and that they will soon be free.
In an act of solidarity I am reprinting Yekaterina Samutsevich, one of the defendents closing statement at the Pussy Riot Trial.
Yekaterina Samutsevich's closing statement in the criminal case against the feminist punk group Pussy Riot.
During the closing statement, the defendant is expected tp repent or express regret for her deeds, or to enumerate attenuating circumstances. In my case, as is the case of my colleagues in the group, this is completely unnecessary. Instead, I want to express my views about the causes of what happened with us.
The factthat Christ the Savir Cathedral had become a significant symbol in the political strategy of our powers that be was already clear to many thinking people when Vladimir Putin's former (KGB) colleague Kirill Gunyaev took over as head of the Russian Orthodox Chrch. After this happened, Christ the SaviourCathedral began to be used as a flashy setting for the politics of the security services, which are the main source of power (in Russia).
Why did Putin feel the need to explain the Orthodox religion and its aesthetics? After all, he could have emplyed his own, far more secular tools of power - for example, national corporations, or his menacing police system, or his own obedient judiciary system. It may be that the tough, failed policies of Putin's government, the incident with the submarine Kursk, the bombings of civilians in broad daylight, and other unpleasant moments in his political career forced fim to ponder the fact that it was high time to resign, otherwise the citizens of Russia would help him do this. Apparently, it was then that he felt the need for more convincing, transcendenal guarantees of his long tenure at the helm. It was here that the need arose to make use of the aesthetics of the Orthodox religion, historically associated with the heyday of Imperial Russia, where power came not from earthly manifestations such as democratic elections and civil society, but from God himself.
How did he succeed in doing this? After all, we still have a secular state, and shouldn't any intersection of the religious and political spheres be dealt with severely by our vigilant and critically minded society? Here, apparently, tha authorities took advantage of a certain deficit of Orthodox aesthetics in Soviet times, when the Orthodox religion had the aura of a lost history, of something crushed and damaged by the Soviet totalitarian regime, and was thus an opposition culture. The authorities decided to appropriate this historical effect of loss and present ther new political project to restoore Russia's lost spiritual valus, a project which has little to do with a genuine concern for the preservation of Russian Orthodoxy's history and culture.
It was also fairly logical that the Russian Orthodox Church, which has long had a mystical connection with power, emerged as this project's principal executor in the media. Moreover it was also agreed that the Russian Orthodox Church, unlike the Soviet era, when the church opposed, above all, the crudeness of the authorities towards history itself, should also confront all baleful manifestations of contemporary mass culture, with its concept of diversity and tolerance.
Implementing this thourougly interesting political project has required considerable quantities of professional lighting and video wquipment, air time on national TV channels for hours-long live broadcasts, and numerous background shoots for morally and ethically edifying news stories, where in fact the Patriarch's well constructed speeches would be pronounced, helping the faithful make the right political choice during the election campaign, a difficult time for Putin. Moreover, all shooting has to take place continuously; the necessary images must sink into the memory and be constantly updated, to create the impression of something natural, constant and compulsary.
Our suddem musical appearance in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior with the song "other of God, Drive Putin Out" violated the integrity of this media image, generated and maintained by the authorities for so long, and revealed its falsity. In our performance we dared, without the Patriarch's blessing, to combine the visual image of Orthodox culture and protest culture, suggesting to smart people that Orthodox culture belongs only to the Russian Orthodox church, the Patriarch and Putin, that it might also take the side of civic rebellion and protest in Russia.
Perhaps such an unpleasant large-scale effect from our media intrusion into the cathedral was a surprise to the authorities themselves. First they tried to present our performance as the prank of heartless militant aethiests. But they made the blunder, since by this time we were already known as an ant-Putin feminist punk band that carried out their media raids on the country's major political symbols.
In the end, considering all the irreversible political and symbolic losses caused by our innocent creativity, the authoritis decided to protect the public from us and our nonconformist thinking. Thus ended our complicated punk adventure in the Cathedral of Christ the Savior.
I now have mixed feelings about this trial. On the one hand, we now expect a guilty verdict. Compared to the judicial machine, we are nobodies, and we have lost. On the other hand, we have won. Now the whole world sees the criminal case against us has been fabricated. The system cannot conceal the repressive nature of this trial. Once again, Russia looks different in the eyes of the world from the way Purin tries to present it at daily international meetings. All the steps toward a state governed by the rule of law that he promised have obviously not been made. And his statement that the court in our case will be objective and make a fair decision is another deception of the entire country and the international community. That is all, Thank you.
Jamie Bevan, a Welsh language campaigner from Merthyr Tydfil, has been sentenced to 35 days behind bars for failing to pay £1,021 in damages after breaking into a Conservative Party Office in protest over S4C spending cuts. He was originally jailed last August to 7 days imprisonment for breaking into the office of Conservative MP Jonathan Evans and painting a slogan on a wall calling for a genuine television service for the Welsh speaking communitiies and citizens of Wales. According to Wales Online http://walesonline.co.uk/news/2012/08/13/welsh-langiage-activist-jailed-over-refusal-to-pay-english-only-fine-91466-31614597 he said he had complained to the Court Service three times but still recieved an English-only order after breaking into Tory MP Jonathan Evans office in North Cardiff in March last year.
He told Merthyr magistrates he had no " intention" of paying the fine despite having the means to do so and that it was a "privelege" to accept his punishment.
Rapturous applause from fellow campaigners swiftly turned to heckles as Bevan was jailed.
Presiding magistrate Owen Jenkins said he had no choice but to send Bevan to Jail and was then confronted by screams of injustice from the public gallery.
In a dramatic finish, Bevan, who had previously jailed for seven days for breaking a curfew, raised a fist high above him as he was escorted away.
Bethan Williams, chairwoman for Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg - the Welsh Language Society - then shouted " The system is oppressive- this court is oppressive" before being dragged from the court room.
" Over the last year and a half I have followed completely constitutional means in complaining about the patchy and fragmented Welsh language service from the courts and justice system. I have recieved apology after apology with assurances that the systems are being put in place to make sure that these so-called mistakes don't happen again. But the monoliigual letters continue, the phone service with a Welsh language option which leads nowhere, and the sneering and disrespect from the courts staff, the police and the security staff.
According to your language scheme, there is no right for a Welsh person to get a hearing in front of a Welsh language court. It says that you will try to get a hearing in front of a Welsh language court. It says that tou will try to provide a Welsh Language court, but if tou can't do that you will provide a translator.
Welsh speakers are under an enormous disadvantage when recieving a court hearing through the medium of a translator as a translator cannot enable the individual to communicate directly with the judge or magistrate. Actually, many lawyers advise their clients not to choose a Welsh language court case because they recognise that disadvantage. It's a disgraceful situation in the Wales of today.
Your language schemes also set out an employment strategy based on the area's language profile. So employing Welsh language speakers to enable to provide a Welsh language service depends on the percentage of local speakers and the whim of the court manager. How can you justify the fact that a Welsh person from Merthyr gets a deficient service while someone else in another part of the country recieves a better service? Welsh people in every part of Wales have a moral right to use Welsh to its fullest extent.
I have no intention of conforming. I have no intention of paying a single penny of the fine although I can do so easily finacially. Do as you please with me. I accept any result gladly."
Let us also remember that before the General election, the Torys had promised that S4C would be safe in their hands, but is now facing a cut of 40%. What Mr Bevan was originally doin, was making a stand too against the Tory's savage austerity cuts.No one got hurt, he was carrying on a long tradition of non-violent protest. He has become an inspiration to many people here in Wales.
You could send a message of support and solidarity in the post to
Some artistic support of Maria Alelchina, Nadezhda, Nadeezhda Tokonnikova and Yekaterina Samutsevich,from Russian punk protest group Pussy Riot, by seminal artist Jamie Reid. Who have been imprisoned in Russia since March, charged with "hooliganism on the grounds of religious hatred." The bands crime? They performed a protest song, "Virgin Mary Reddeem Us of Putin," in front of the altar at Christ the Savior Cathedral in Moscow on Feb 21. It was one in a string of guerilla concerts, including one in Red Square, the band has staged since its formation a little more than a year ago. They have used music and performance art to express their anger at Vladimir Putin, his return to power and the rising signs of an increasingly repressive regime.
It is our moral right to draw, play, shout, jump up and down, and speak freely and share with the world moral injustices.
Tolokonnikova, wearing T shirt with the famous slogan of the Spanish Civil War " No Pasaran" (They shall not Pass) emblazoned across it, arriving at recent court appearance.
On Wednesday 29th August, as part of the Atos Gameshttp://www.dpac.uk.net/2012/07/our-atos-games/, Disabled People Against Cuts will deliver a coffin full of your messages to the Atos headquarters in central London. Why? Because over 1,000 people have died after being found 'fit for work' by Atos. Marking the fourth anniversary, the coffin will be delivered as a memorial. A minutes silence will also be held on the day.
More here http://www.dpac.uk.net/2012/08/dear-atos-send-us-your-messages-for-atos/
This will all be happening at the same time as the Paralymics will be commencing, which David Cameron will use as a propoganda tool... cheering it on, while robbing many other disabled people of their benefits, in a festivity that is actually sponsored by, of all people Atos.
Personally speaking, the fear that Atos has inflicted on my friends and associates on a daily basis has been terryfying. I know of people who are simply trying to survive, I like to refer to them as survivors instead of victims. But some of these people who have been steadily making progress with their lives, are then set back because of Atos's sheer lack of compassion and empathy, no caring feeling is expressed by their daily actions. Simply doin the governments rotten work. Ordinary people are being made to suffer, because of Atos's thirst for profit, and people are dying. The actual assesments bear no resemblance to real life. And it is the most vulnerable members of our society,that are singled out and targeted, this I feel is unjust.
Atos because of the way they carry out their procedures, have been responsible for causing added misery, stress and anxiety to peoples daily lives. Some people I know who have been on incapacity Benefit, when making a new claim for one of the new benefits it has replaced, have not even had an assessment by an actual real person, their claim form simply processed by a computer in a dehumanising way... their G.Ps opinions tossed aside.
Atos assesments are simply not fit for purpose. we need a fair sytem that protects the sick and disabled that offers them dignity.
Their are a number of petitions on line addressing these issues, two of which you can find links to below
I couldn't resist mentioning William Blake today, today marks the anniversary of the death of this great poet and visionary. Today also marks my beloved dad's 80th birthday celebrations, apart from a tumble down the stairs recently he's doing fine. Both still continue to inspire me. I guess it was my dad, that taught me to question everything.... I don't think he thought I'd take it quite so literally though. I think he would have preferred if I had not spent so much time living on the margins.
But because of a healthy defiance of some of his thoughts too, long ago became attracted to other outsiders and outsiders who did not follow the straightened path, who's tokes of breath inhaled from unity's breath, whilst embracing the dislocations of the world's hypocricy, whilst retaining a thirst for dream. Who longed for social justice, another world.
I guess too I discovered a love of poetry too, as an act of defiance, my dad see has never really shared this enthusiam. Nevetheless it is because of him, I found a sort of identity, an anchorage, and for that I am always grateful.
Moving on, a poet who owes much debt to William Blake, is Mr Bob Kaufman, one of the hidden masters of the beats, who's words too continue to ignite my passions.
Born of a German Jewish father and a Native American Martinique Black Roman Catholic mother in New Orleans, April 18, 1925, Kaufman grew up speaking Cajun as well as English. His maternal grandmother, who'd come to America on a slave ship fom Africa, used to take him on long early morning walks. These early experiences and influences constantly appear in his work informing it with a deep personal empathy with minor cultures as well as with a wider rang of voice that is evident in most American poetry. He spent his life committed to a visionary echoe, never doing anything halfway, committed to wild abandon. His work owes a debt to Blake to , his words still provoking, so today happy birthday dad, hello William Blake...... here's to deepness and the delights of raw vision. Raging against conformity.
Believe, Believe
Believe in this, Young apple seeds,
In blue skies, radiating young breast,
Not in blue-suited insects
Infesting society's garments.
Believe in the swinging sounds of jazz,
Tearing the night into intricate shreds,
Putting it back together again,
In cool logical patterns,
Not in the sick controllers,
Who created only the Bomb.
Let the voices of dead poets
Ring louder in your ears
Than the screechings mouthed
In mildewed editorials.
Listen to the music of centuries,
Rising above the mushroom time.
William Blake - Angel of Revelation
See The Ancient Rain: Poems 1956 - 1978 - Bob Kaufman New Directions Press 1981
Former Skint Video ( remember them, back in the day I thought they were absolutely fantastic, like a Left Wing Barren Knights, only personally speaking much better) member Gerry Mulligan on the Olympic Legacy. Remember Skint Video, I thought they were hilarious, still do in fact, tried looking for a tape of them I used to have, sadly lost, thank goodness to youtube. Saw them playing at many a benefit back in the day, supporting the likes of Billy Bragg, Redskins, and er Red Wedge.... Then I grew up , well for a little bit, thought I'd post a few favourites. Still find them hilarious.
Skint Video - about Thatcher Health Service Cuts
still somewhat topical
Skint Video - Billy Bragg, tribudy, half tribute, half parody
Skint Video- Bono pay your taxes, glastonbury 2011
This film, produced by the Union of Agricultural Work Committees in Palestine, explores the role of the olive in Palestinian farmers lives, and in the Palestinian economy, and the struggles of farmers to remain on their land and continue to harvest their olives in the face of the construction of the Apartheid wall, military occupation, settlement building, and land confiscation at the hands of yhe Israeli occupation, includes numerous interviews with Palestinian farmers.
