Hooray! Same Sex marriages legalised in England and Wales: BUT

Gay rights campaigners  and advocates up and down the country have been celebrating as marriage laws have finally changed. It is being seen as a nationally symbolic day.But marriage for many remains an economic institution, based around social structures, legal systems, workplaces, welfare  and families. Marriage at the end of the day is the legal and religious sanctioning of interpersonal relationships, so is foremost about equality.
The diversity of humanity's love should be embraced and celebrated . Personally relationships should be built on love alone not based  on church or state authority, I personally regret the state validitating an earlier relationship, but all institutions are better, I guess when they are made equal. So any law that achieves a form of balance is one that I can support.
Hope it stops the hate that is still inflicted though, on people, from all walks of life. After all Trangender people are still dismissed, become targets for violence  on the ground of their gender identity and expression. Gay people are also still subject to harrasment and bullying to wildly disproportionate degrees. Intolerance can run deep.... based on stigmas of fear, see also how the mentally ill are marginalised, people from different ethnic backgrounds etc etc.
So though I welcome todays news I still strive  for a world based on equality, a more radical blueprint against the institutions of patriarchy, for all to share. Marriage should exist as a social ritual for those interested, but not as an arrangement with any currency beyond any other social arrangement, and in the end no sense of coersion or social obligation to enter into it at all.
Down with all walls, paths of liberation for all.

Tom Robinson Band - (Sing if you're)  Glad to be Gay

BEGONE FOUL ATOS!

Atos Healthcare the foul company  responsible for carrying out 'fit for work' tests on disability benefit claimants is quitting its contract. Ministers have made it clear that Atos will not receive any  compensation from the taxpayer and had made a 'substantial' financial settlement to the Department for Work and Pensions in order to terminate its £500 million contract early. I say good riddance to bad rubbish.
There game is up, a company that has made money  from the misery of the disabled and the vulnerable. Profit before people was their mantra, conductors of humiliations process.Unfit for purpose and criminally incompetent.
Atos have become a lightning rod for widespread public and political rage and fury.
Atos  is a disgrace, of the 600,000 people who have appealed against decisions made by the government to support the Atos  decision to cut  their benefits, 60% were successful.
Many of this number - have been terminally ill, leading to tragic deaths, as a result of people  being stripped of benefis and found fit for work.
Atos are villains, but there partners in crime is this coalition government and its cruel austerity policies designed to pay for the  banks' crisis.
Time for us to keep up the pressure on this government, they are the real culprits- they must be made to admit that they got it wrong and be held for account, and make sure  that private comanies are taken out of  the benefit system in there entirety. Will the replacement for Atos, be the same shit as before.Possibly.
One thing is certain, the countless victims of Atos and the Con-dem's policies are in need of an apology.

 

 

Tony Benn - Last Will and Testament

Tony Benn.

A man of truth and integrity. Never to be forgotten.

Sleep in peace, freedom and Power.

R.I.P

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/david-cameron-please-put-a-stone-in-parliament-square-in-london

" I would be very pleased when I die if somebody put on a stone: Tony Benn. He encouraged us. I think encouragement is the most important thing you can  do when you are alive. I have encouraged people a lot in my life. Encouragement is a collective relationship which is very fruitful. "

To:

David Cameron, Prime Minister

We would like for you to honour Tony Benn's wish and let all the people who he encouraged and respected him have somewhere to reflect and remember him and his legacy.
Yours
Sincerely,

(your name)

The Citizen's Arrest of War Criminal Tony Blair - Heathcote Williams

BLIAR - is now apparently worth £75,000,000. Was it worth it ? All these deaths in Iran and Afghanistan, does all this money salvage his conscience. Or is he simply a war criminal with too much blood on his hands. Who best served  the two flames in the human heart: the flame of anger against injustice, and the flame of hope you can build a better world. Tony Benn or Tony Bliar?
After the death  of Tony Benn, at the age of 88,the world seems a little darker.

Here's aother
fine poem from Heathcotte Williams.

The Citizen's Arrest  of War Criminal Tony Blair = Heatchcotte Williams.

It's  time for Tony to face charges,
It's time for a citizen's Arrest
There's an empty sock in the Hague
Dying to have him as a guest.

There's  a million bosies buried in Iraq
Whose ghosts cry out in despair,
'There were no mass weapons of mass destruction
So wgere's  @The People versus Tony Blair?'

There were no weapons about to hit London
Wiyhin the space of three quarters of an hour,
Tony was lying to Parliament and ghis country-
For Iraq never toppefd the twin towers.

He and Campbell were comnned by the neo cons
They were impressed by American power
into lettting themselves be drawn into war crimes
With Iraq bwing bombed for hour after hour.

A million were bombed  to smithereens
killed by shells tipped with uranium-
Causing borth defects to pregnant women
Lasting from generation to generation.

As a lawyer you're aware that aggressive warfare
Under the Nuremburg protocals,
Constitutes the ultimate crimde in international law
Your avoiding justice makes people emotional.

To add iinsult to injurt you've profited, Tony.
And you swn about in a private jet,
It's made you popular among the corrupt,
You're part of the International Set.

But the International Criminal Court
is keeping  you're seat in the dockwarm,
And anyone carrying out a successful arrest
Promises to go down a storm.


LINK:-

http://stopwar.org.uk/



Tony Blair - Richard Hamilton

Who Controls the Drones in my Sky?

The above  gives details  of what promises to be an interesting and exciting event at the Small World Theatre here  in Cardigan, West Wales, starting at 7.00 pm next Saturday.
The evening's performance and debate should proff an interesting follow up to all ho attended a meeting on the subject back last December  in the Theatr Mwladan, and  will tie people in  to later activity in the year such as the 'Drape the Drones' event in September.
This is an issue that has long polarised my local community. Over the years people protesting outside Parc Aberporth against the testing of drones here.
Drones, unmanned surveillance and weapons equipped aerial devices) are being tested in Ceredigion. Small World Theatre posed the question ' Who Controls the sky?'
The event above will be an opportunity for the community to creatively disxcuss this controversial subject and share different views.
It is known that Watchkeeper that has been tested here in West Wales since 2012, using the Israeli  built Hermes 450,  a drone that is expected to now  take a sgnificant role in any future military campaigns. Having clocked uo pver 500 hours of flying time above us in West Wales. It is also significant to report, that they have also been field tested in attacks on Gaza, that have left many Palestinians dead?  Though not necessarily illegal they have  used in breach of what is considered international law.

More details here:-

National Theatre Wales

nice banner that was displayed by Bristol Palestine Solidarity Campaign at their own 'Fly Kites not Drones event in Bristol at the weekend, that sums up my view on the subject quite well.

http://nationaltheatrewales.org/who-controls-drones-my-sky-0

Lee Scratch Perry says no to Fracking.

Why does it fall to normal  people to provide  the burden of proof that fracking is safe, when for example, all the major British nature agencies have done studies and are against it and we see only an endless flood  of horror stories from every part of the world where this is happening? The word 'regulation' is utterly meaningless to the British public, especially  when big business is involved.
It  is the energy companies who should be  falling over themselves to demonstrate how safe fracking is. They aren't though, and they try to marginalise anyone who rails against it. Public  consultation  is being  bypassed and drilling , and drilling exploration plans being approved via the backdoor.
Fracking isn't a long term solution to our energy problems but it will leave  us with long term EXTREME environmental problems and the energy companies can't prove otherwise.
If anyone can save the world from destroying  itself, it will be the creative minds, the thinkers, the artists and the avant-garde trailblazer that will ultimately bring down the matrix of untruth and set mankind on a lesser destructive and more spiritual path.

Renewal

Happy Spring Equinox
a time of  balance and reassessment.

Early this morning,
the birds sang ,in the garden,
as buds blossomed from the earth,

Still believing in magic,
I rose from my bed of dreams,
followed strands bursting with something
                                                          fresh,                                      
as the wind blew drops of rain,
onto firm roots,the seeds of time,
old anthems and memories were
                                 also renewed.

In these moments of reflection,
and translucent waves,
gave me a chance,
to hold on and breathe.

Steams of pressure,
still choose the direction,
that we may flow,and grow
each in search of different pulses,
another world perhaps?

So Follow threads,
things that change,
as cycles turn, and shift
keep on talking, keep on sharing,
follow reason, that shelters and protects.                                   

BDS Cultural actions that only take a couple of minutes to do

With thanks to activist Tal Shapiro

There's a lot to do but each step takes a minute, so please spare about 10 minutes of your time and add your voice to these wonderful initiatves.

1. Send an email to NBC to cease and desist  rebranding of Israel's illegal excavations in occupied Jerusalem

http://goo.gl/MWVXVd

( Click select this recipient at the bottom and fill out the form)

2. Tell Neil Young to respect Palestinian rights by signing these petitions

http://bit.ly/1bUrdYd,

http://goo.gl/t85dT9

and LIKING the Neil Young, Tell me  Why you Would Play for Apartheid Israel page

https://www.facebook.com/Neil.Young.WhyPlay.Apartheid.Israel


3. Sign  the PACBI petition  to The Rolling Stones

http://goo.gl/DVXD6j

4. Sign the  petition to expel Israel from FIFA World Cup and UEFA EUROPE

http://goo.gl/z5qka8

5.  Tell Justin Timberlake to cancel his concert in apartheid Israel

http://chn.ge/1hDE3hN

6. Tell Justin Bieber that a second gig in Israel is unacceptable

http://chn.ge/1erKCR1

7. Tell Lady Gaga that a third gig in apartheid is appaling

http://chn.ge/1aC22Pw

8. Tell the PIXIES: Hey Pixies, Apartheid Israel is a Debaser of Palestinian  Rights
by liking this page

http://goo.gl/6XZcnN

9. Tell DJ Afrojack that playing for the beneficiaries of apartheid IS a political act

http://goo.gl/R3sqZ2

and sign the petition

http://goo.gl/GgB8WE


10. Tell The Prodigy to Stand up to Israel's Apartheid by LIKING the page

http://goo.gl/mSMCep

you can  also let them  know your thoughts directly on the comment section of their official facebook concert annoncement

http://goo.gl/3w3UAY

11. Get the Byron Writers Festival to honour BDS

http://goo.gl/YsFYAY

12. Tell Natacha Atlas that 'dialogue' can't be done at the barrel of a gun

http://goo.gl/zeKFDM

13. Tell Beyonce to cancel her apartheid gig

http://goo.gl/j9O9Kz

14. SHARE THIS NOTE

AND THANKS

HEDDWCH PEACE

Women of the Working Class ( animated short film to mark the 30th anniversary 0f 1984/85 Miner's Strike)

An animated short film made by young women  from the youth panel at Experience Barnsley Museum to mark the 30th anniversary  of the 1984/85 Miners Strike. The young people re-wrote verses of the song ' Women of the Working Class' that the Women Against Pit Closures used as their anthem on the picket lines. They then recorded their version with some of the original women.

The animated film is part of an exhibition Coal Not Dole:Women Against Pit Closures, held at Experience Barnsley Museum in Barnsley Toen Hall from 3 March to 1 June 2014.

More information here:-

http://experience-barnsley.com/

As many mining families faced increasing hardship, the Women from traditional working class backgrounds, found new roles to take on, finding themselves at the heart of the struggle. They set up Soup kitchens in pit village communities, raising money,organisng demonstrations, speaking at rallies, standing shoulder to shoulder with the miners, as well as raising and supporing their families becomming committed political ctivists  in their own right. Proudly providing backbones of solidarity, many   joined the picket lines, risking arrest or injury as miners clashed with Thatcher's boys in blue.
Thatcher had naively thought  that the women  would get the men back to work,  but in fact it had the opposite effect, it galvanised them with a strong will and determination, turned them into a mighty force.  
For all the great hardships that were suffered many positive resulted in the outcome of the strike. It provided new opportuities for them to flourish.
For many the impact of  the strike on their lives would change their worlds forever. Finding inner confidences that would carry them with strength.
These  are the unsong heroines of the bitter 1984/85 battle to save Britains pits from closure. We should not forget them.

Click on picture below to enlarge

 

I'd Rather Be Dancing (Rachel Corrie's Song). By Jim Page

Today I remember Rachel Corrie, as I do every year, with the Jim Page song ' I'd rather be dancing' based on  letters she wrote  home before the Israeli army crushed her to death on Gaza on 15/3/03. She was a 23 year old American Peace activist  who was killed  by an American built Caterpillar bulldozer, when she was protecting the home of Samir Nasrali's a Palestinian doctors' home from  being demolished, for many people  she is considered to be a hero and martyr. She had the courage to resist.
To this day the Gaza strip is still besieged. Violations of international law continue, as the Israeli government continues to disregard human rights.

http://rachelcorriefoundation.org

Lyrics:-

You know I was always the one
I could never stand idly by
and watch while the bullets  beat up the waeker ones
I had  to do something to try
and I never gave up on people
that we could  be better somehow
morality's compass, you gave it to me
I still follow it now.

Wel. I couldn't stop thinking about it
I couldn't get it out of my mind
the pictures, the stories, the plight of the people
in occupied Palestine
how my government makes me complicit
with the political aid  that they send
so I packed up my bags and I headed to Rafa
to work with the ISM *

and I'd rather be dancing, dancing and falling in love
but if I can just watch from a distance  then what am I made of

mama these people are so goot to me
they treat me like one  of their own
they feed me and see to my needs
and let me sleep in their home
papa their lives are so hard
the gun shots night
the road blocks, the strip searches, the humiliations
papa it just isn't right

I feel my privilege around me
It's there in my American face
I could wave my passport around like a flag
and I would be safe in this place
for these child soldiers of Israel
they look like the boys back home
and if it wasn't for American money
they'd have to leave these people alone


and I'd rather be dancing dancing to Pat Benator
but somebody has to do something about it and here we are

the tractors are coming today
they're like tanks with bulldozer blades
the name on the side says Caterpillar
that means they're American made
well I am American  too
and I'll  be where everybody can see
so if they want  to run over these houses today
they're gonna have to run over me

it's dangerous taking a stand
but its dangerous running away
sometimes you have to face  up to the danger
there is just no other way
for there are such beautiful  dreams
I have seen the eyes of a child
and I can make a difference
then I think my life is worthwhile

and I'd rather be dancing, but instead i'm saying goodbye
but we'll meet again when its over, don't cry

and I'd rather be dancing, and surely we'd all rather be
and one day we'll dance in a world that's peaceful and free.

* International Solidarity Movement

http://palsolidarity.org/