Prince Harry and Megan Markle to Step Back From Royal Duties.

Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, have announced that they’re stepping down as senior royals. They plan to divide their time between the UK and North America, and will “work to become financially independent.” which has  raised questions about how it would work since British taxpayers now fund their security, among many other expenses.
The  announcement  came amid persistent rumors that Prince Harry and Meghan had tensions with his brother, Prince William, and his wife, Kate, which have been eagerly dissected by the tabloid press in London.

In October, during a trip to South Africa, the Sussexes opened up to the TV interviewer Tom Bradby. The duchess said she was struggling with being a royal and a new mother. Prince Harry kindled rumors of a rift by saying that he and Prince William were on “different paths at the moment.”

It comes also on the back of Prince Andrews recent debacles, after a calamitous interview with the BBC reignited questions about his relationship with the disgraced financier, Jeffrey Epstein that saw him  him being forced to keep out of the limelight  and  Prince Phillip, who because of age and health issues, also ditched Royal duties. Also begs the question where Prince Edward or Princess Anne have gone,  preferring the low key life , while  getting their full  benefits from the civil list with the help of the taxpayer.
 In her annual television Christmas address, the queen made an oblique allusion to all the troubles. “The path, of course, is not always smooth,” she said, “and may at times this year have felt quite bumpy.”
With the future of the monarchy uncertain, Buckingham Palace appears disappointed with Harry and Meghan. An official statement noted “these are complicated issues that will take time to work through”. Reading between the lines, it’s likely the decision - reportedly made without consulting the Queen or Prince Charles - hurt.

Many Republicans are currently welcoming the decision. Nonetheless, it will not effect in any way, constitutionally. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex will continue with their charitable works and remain patron of numerous societies and bodies. However their charitable work does not generate income, and they still have a pretty extravagant lifestyle.
 Royal watchers described Wednesday’s announcement as “unprecedented,” though not altogether surprising, given the obvious rising tensions within the family, and has been on the cards or lipping ages. Some saw the couple’s decision not to spend Christmas with the queen and other members of the family at her royal residence, Sandringham, as a kind of road test for separating themselves from the family.Both have said they have been affected by the pressure of the position, particularly on the birth of their son, Archie, after which they have experienced intrusion into their private lives.
Prince Harry will always be a member of,  the royal family, whether he likes it or not. He's got a right to a life with a young family  but he was born into that royal position, and he grew up with all the trimmings of the royal family. He has partaken in the privileges of that position throughout his life until now. To date, his wife has  also enjoyed the lifestyle of royalty she married into. I wonder iF she will resume her acting career, or together they might  now claim Universal Credit.
The  latests news is certainly  a blow for the Royal family as an institution and a brand. An increasing number of people  see the  monarchy itself, as a hereditary public office that goes against every democratic principle, and because we can’t hold the Queen and her family to account at the ballot box, there’s nothing to stop them abusing their privilege, misusing their influence or simply wasting our money.For me personally  the monarchy is a broken institution, that cannot be fixed, that is not fit for purpose in the modern age that needs to be abolished as soon as possible, and when that day happens will not have to waste my time  writing about .them.Who can really blame Harry and Megan wanting to leave a toxic, racist, elitist post Brexit society ruled by a cold, toxic, elitist, disfunctional  Royal Family. and at end of the day where they want to live is not the most important issue facing the country, because  at the moment. Tory MP's have this week voted down bids to help EU. citizens, child refugees and workers rights, but the mainstream media  is ignoring this.

Edwin Starr - War

Originally written under the Motown label, War was an anti-Vietnam War protest song, written by Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong which was recorded by Whitfield and the Temptations in 1969.
War was one of the first Motown songs to make a political statement. The label had always been focused on making hit songs, but around this time Motown artists started releasing songs with social commentary, many of which were written by Whitfield.
 Motown had no intention of releasing it as a single, but many in the protest movement, especially college students, made it clear that the song would be a big hit if it was. Motown head Berry Gordy had other plans for The Temptations and didn't want them associated with such a controversial song, so he had Motown soul singer Edwin Starr record it and his version was released as a single in 1970, Starr didn't have as big a fan base to offend.
 Starr’s powerful vocal delivery brought a real sense of anger and frustration to the recording and
War became one of the most successful protest songs of the 20th century, holding the number one chart position for three weeks. In the wake of this success Starr used his growing profile to criticise American foreign policy in general and the Vietnam War in particular. Whitfield’s lyrics speak of the dishonest futility of war, calling it “the enemy of all mankind” and a “friend only to the undertaker.
 ‘War’ deservedly won the Grammy Award for Best Male R&B Vocal Performance, and went on to  on to emphasise the power of its message to future generations.
A song that will never stop being powerful and relevant  especially since Donald Trump decided to start off the year with an unnecessary war with Iran. May this primal anti-war song long continue to move our hearts.

 Lyrics:

War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
War, huh, yeah
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing
Say it again, why'all

War, huh, good god
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing, listen to me

Oh, war, I despise
'Cause it means destruction of innocent lives

War means tears to thousands of mothers eyes
When their sons go to fight
And lose their lives

I said, war, huh good god, why'all
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing say it again

War, whoa, lord
What is it good for
Absolutely nothing, listen to me

it ain't nothing but a heart-breaker
(War) friend only to the undertaker

Oh, war has shattered many young man's dreams

Made him disabled bitter and mean 

Life is much to short and precious to spend fighting wars these days 

War can't give life it can only take it away, ooh

War, huh, good God y'all 

What is it good for? 

Absolutely nothing, say it again 

War, whoa, Lord What is it good for?

Absolutely nothing, listen to me

War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker 

War, friend only to the undertaker

Peace love and understanding

tell me Is there no place for them today 

They say we must fight to keep our freedom

But Lord knows there's got to be a better way

War, huh, good God y'all 

What is it good for?

You tell 'em, say it,say it, say it, say it

War, good Lord, huh 

What is it good for?
Stand up and shout it, nothing 

War, it ain't nothin' but a heartbreaker

We're all gonna die.

We all will go  eventually, our time will come. It is sadly inevitable, travelling  through on an evolutionary timeline,it's universal, an equalizer, one of the few absolute inevitabilities about the experience of being human, utterly unavoidable. It's always a bit of a shock, tinged with heartbreak and tragedy, especially when it's someone we actually know..
The late great Charles Bukowski once said " We're all going to die, all of us, what a circus! That alone should make us love each another,  but it doesn't . We are terrorized and flattened by trivialities, we are eaten up by nothing."
So, we shouldn't waste our time, while we are still here, we should  make the most of it, while we have the chance, and it is still rife, We will all experience emotions of empathy and sorrow, unless your a sociopath that is, so best to embrace the beauty of the world, Try to end the suffering of the world, so at least when we have gone, we might contribute a little to a brighter future.
I have thought and pondered about death a lot, it is I guess equally both a blessing and a curse, can inspire both fear and gratitude, at this moment in time I'm so glad that I'm awake and hopefully see tomorrow's sunrise.
Some believe in higher powers or  the gift of reincarnation. Some dream of immortality. But at the end of the day life is a terminal condition. The bad news is Death, The bad news is you are going to die. I'm going to die. We are all going to die from something. Whether it be cancer, a heart attack, a stroke, the flu, diabetes, alzhheimer's disease, war,  poverty,  hunger, by your own design or simply by accident.
So in  the meantime I hope all can find some kind of peace in this extraordinary thing we call life. It's so easy to become  blinded and complacent  as we travel  through lifes precarious walkways. Reject comfort zones ,keep on pushing boundaries and try and keep following the  precious paths of mutual aid, laden with solidarity and love.

No War With Iran

Not soon after another year had just started on Thursday,President Donald Trump ordered the Joint Special Operations Command of the U.S. to assasinate a leading member of the Iranian state  and military Qassem Soleimani and another militia commander inside Iraq with a targeted drone missile strike at the Baghdad Airport.
Trump, in a signal he can do whatever he wants in the world, posted a U.S. flag in a tweet.

"Iran never won a war, but never lost a negotiation!" Trump first tweeted Friday morning, although it was not immediately clear what the president meant by the statement.

In follow-up tweets later in the morning, Trump said Soleimani was responsible for numerous deaths, including of thousands of Americans, and that he "was both hated and feared within the country."

"General Qassem Soleimani has killed or badly wounded thousands of Americans over an extended period of time, and was plotting to kill many more ... but got caught! He was directly and indirectly responsible for the death of millions of people, including the recent large number .... of PROTESTERS killed in Iran itself," Trump tweeted.

"While Iran will never be able to properly admit it, Soleimani was both hated and feared within the country. They are not nearly as saddened as the leaders will let the outside world believe. He should have been taken out many years ago!"

Trump later followed up with another tweet saying that the Iraqi people "don’t want to be dominated & controlled by Iran" and noting the vast amount of money the U.S. has spent on the country.

"Over the last 15 years, Iran has gained more ... and more control over Iraq, and the people of Iraq are not happy with that. It will never end well!"
The US tried to justify its actions as necessary to protect US personnel , but in reality, this act blatantly violated international law. The US dos not have the authority to murder a General of a country they are not at war with. .Iran has declared that it will retaliate after a three day period of mourning,
Iran's Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani, commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' Quds Forcea figure was considered  by many be the second-most powerful person in the Iranian government behind supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and recent polling showed that Soleimani was the most popular Iranian public figure, with 8 in 10 Iranians having favorable views of him, according to a public opinion study published by the Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland in October.

Since this incident Democratic leaders in Congress have  criticized Trump's decision. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said late Thursday night that the bombing was carried out without "authorization for use of military force" or consultation with Congress and called on the administration to immediately brief lawmakers on the next steps under consideration.

Jamal Abdi, president of the National Iranian American Council (NIAC), also issued a grave warning. "The last thing the world needs is yet another disastrous American military adventure in the Middle East," said Abdi in a statement. "The assassination of IRGC Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani is a profoundly reckless move that will be viewed as an act of war in Tehran."
"Iran is a nation of 80 million innocent people," added Abdi, "most of whom do not want war and oppose the actions of their own government. Similarly, Iraq is a nation of 38 million who deserve peace after lives filled with war. And the American people have seen enough of wars in the Middle East that have no end, only new beginnings. Yet many thousands of innocents in each country will be the victims of a conflict that will be difficult to confine within any one nation's borders."
The Stop the War Coalition  is asking all its members and supporters to step up up organsing now against  the threat of war on Iran
In a statement by Lindsey German it says :- The assassination of Iranian general Qassem Soleimani is an act of war by Donald Trump. The act was carried out in Baghdad, violating all agreements with the Iraqi government. Both Iran and Iraq will retaliate. Trump has been heading for war since tearing up the nuclear deal with Iran and if he succeeds will create a bigger war than we have seen in the Middle East. It will draw in major players across the region including Israel, Saudi Arabia and possibly Russia.
This is the bloody result of two decades of war started by the US after 9/11. Those of us who said war in Iraq would lead to endless conflict and misery were absolutely right to do so. And those who justified those wars are now looking on while the situation escalates.
We must do everything we can to oppose war with Iran - and attacks on Iraq if it demands the withdrawal of US troops.
And just a thought for the new year. US troops are still in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Libyan civil war continues with NATO member Turkey about to intervene there. We have to end these interventions now and demand that our government does not join in Trump’s conflicts. http://www.stopwar.org.uk/index.php/news-comment/3550-qassem-soleimani-assasination-is-an-act-of-war
The anti-war movement now needs to respond strongly and quickly, in London an anti-war protest  has been called  outside Downing Street at 2-3pm tomorrow (Saturday) under the heading No War With Iran.There are also calls to organise protests wherever you are. Trumps' strike on Iran  now jeapardises his vow  to stop 'endless wars' and with his deliberate provocation now seems likely to increase tensions that has a grave risk of  instigating a unnecessary war with Iran that would be a tragic disaster for the United States and for the world that could have catastrophic consequences.
President Trump's latest actions are just the latest unilateral actions by his administration  following him pulling out of the historic and successful Iran nuclear deal in May 2018, embarked on a 'maximum pressure' campaign that sent thousands more U.S troops to the Middle East; and imposed crippling economic  sanctions on Iran which has seen relations between the countries deteriorate ever since.
Furthermore Iran shares a border with a number of countries, that the US considers allies and has a military presence in, including Turkey, Iraq  and Afghanistan. None of these countries are especially stable at the moment, as they all continue to deal with ongoing conflicts and their consequences, including millions of displaced people.
Iran is allied with Russia and China, and its unclear how these  major powers might react if conflict breaks out. Key US allies Israel and Saudi Arabia , which are adversaries of Iran and just a stone's throw away from it are also likely to get sucked into a US-Iran war.
A war with Iran  would fail to achieve any of its aims, but would launch an entire region headlong into deadly conflict, putting the world in grave danger and unleash untold civilian suffering unless we  and our political leaders have the strength to stop it , and their is no greater urgency than
now.Trump's unhinged foreign policy has needlessly  endangered the lives of many. We should not bee led into another illegal war, er must give peace a chance and prevent anymore bloodshed.

Woody Guthrie's New Year Resolutions

For many, now is a time to pause and reflect about the events of the past year and start planning for the upcoming year, personally I never make New Year Resolutions. after all most of them  are pretty much the same…we simply want to get better/be our best.
I am  however, a great admirer of the legendary singer-songwriter Woody Guthrie  born in Oklahoma in 1912, who has claim to be the first singer-songwriter in the modern sense of writing to express his own personality and perspective.
Guthrie’s social conscience was born during the 1930s, when “Okies” from the arid dust bowl states trailed west to the supposed Eden of California. It was America’s internal migrant crisis, with despised and dispossessed families living haplessly in squalid camps, and Guthrie eagerly took up their cause.
On January 1, 1943, Woody drafted a delightful list of  " 33 New Year's Rulin's" he carried a notebook with him everywhere and he would write down everything that he found interesting.

The folk singers list is  a great mix of aspirations that range from  goals like"work more and better" and "wear clean clothes-look good" to the more philosophical in "keep hoping machine running" "dream good" and "wake up and fight." A feeling of joyful playfulness is evident throughout the list, though his goal to "help win war-beat fascism" is a stark sign of the times - at the end of 1941, the U S was dragged  into World War 11 by the Japanese attacks on Pearl Harbor on Dec 7. 

The list is a fascinating piece of social and cultural  history. that really gives an insight into what drove this  brilliant prolific singer and activist as he mixes the personal with the political, poetic in composition, passionate in composition.They are often shared and re-shared on the internet every year, perhaps because they capture Guthrie's hopeful and optimistic ideals.They still  resonate with the times we live today and can also serve as an inspiration at any time of the year when  pondering about what to do with our lives. 

 Take a look at the list here, then see the handwritten document below, complete with Guthrie's original sketches.

1. Work more and better

2. Work by a schedule

3. Wash teeth if any

4. Shave

5. Take bath

6. Eat good — fruit — vegetables — milk

7. Drink very scant if any

8. Write a song a day

9. Wear clean clothes — look good

10. Shine shoes

11. Change socks

12. Change bed cloths often

13. Read lots good books

14. Listen to radio a lot

15. Learn people better

16. Keep rancho clean

17. Dont get lonesome

18. Stay glad

19. Keep hoping machine running

20. Dream good

21. Bank all extra money

22. Save dough

23. Have company but dont waste time

24. Send Mary and kids money

25. Play and sing good

26. Dance better

27. Help win war — beat fascism

28. Love mama

29. Love papa

30. Love Pete

31. Love everybody

32. Make up your mind

33. Wake up and fight

.

You can learn more about Woody Guthrie’s life and music at woodyguthrie.org.

And here are links to two previous posts in relation to Woody.

 https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2017/07/happy-birthday-woody-guthrie-147-1912.html

https://teifidancer-teifidancer.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-continung-relevance-of-woody.html 

It's a very worrying time for all at the moment, but nevertheless  I wish everyone the happiest year they can have, especially if you’re vulnerable, poor, oppressed and afraid or hopeless of what lies ahead

And while not  a Resolution maker myself I will try to follow a few of Woody's Read Lots of Good Books, Stay Glad,  Dream Good. Dance Better, Love Everybody, Keep Hoping Machine Running,Wake Up and Fight, while Beat fascism should be something we all should try to pursue every day of the year.,

Jewels In Time

The air is awash with ghosts
as another year turns dead
beyond the darkness of the world
time to lay it all to rest
let light call, beyond the fear and dread
poetry and song, dreams  that give peace of mind
as time rumbles on with uncertainty
the treasure of friendship will forever be kind
in our gardens flowers will flourish
memories not forsaken, delivering strength
beyond the politicians emptiness, that break us down
lets your ears and heart be immersed with music
that kisses the soul, and enlivens the tonque
remembering smiles that lifted us, be guided by love
we will continue to rise up, patch up the hurt
our words still ever so clear, solid under every morn
a beautiful resistance that keeps on calling
the taste of truth  will fill our bellies
as we ponder which paths to pursue
travelling on the haunted waves
let the wealth of our combined afflictions
soak up like a sponge, the living waters
generating channels that nurture sustenance
with earnest mischief in this game of chance
dancing undeterred with fervent belief.


( Blwyddyn Newydd Da / Happy New Year
Heddwch/Peace.)

Is It Time To Scrap the Dishonourable Honours System?

It's become increasingly clear to many that the honours system is anachronistic and filled with irrelevant cronyism that is constantly stained with controversy. Stretching right back to Norman times, honours were historically bestowed for wartime bravery or to monied aristocrats. In 1917 George V invented the Order of the British Empire to honour everyday citizens, particularly those in non-combative roles during World War One, honours for celebrities followed.
The British government’s website declares “the honours system recognises people who have made achievements in public life and have committed themselves to serving and helping Britain”. Those fit to receive a knighthood, MBE or OBE should also “have made life better for other people or be outstanding at what they do” https://www.gov.uk/honours
 Now, Queen's Honours are dished out twice a year - to approximately 3,000 people in total,  names from the world of showbiz, sport and politics have recently been announced  Though there are some worthy recipients,  more and more people  are becoming  disillusioned  with the current system as it is seen as  being used as a political pay off, and the list of those who have been awarded honours only to be exposed as being unworthy of anyones admiration keeps getting longer.
It is really hard  as hell to see how the  following qualified or see what they had done to deserve an award. Child abusers like Jimmy Saville and Liberal  politician Cyril Smith were both given  knighthoods by the Queen on the advice of the Uk Prime Minister, alongside rogue businessmen like Fred Goodwin and Philip Green, who went on to destroy their companies through their greed. The likes of cricketer  Geoffrey Boycott too  who was convicted of domestic abuse of his partner and now it's been announced that former leader of the Conservatives, architect of controversial Universal Credit  system and of  death and misery Iain Duncan Smith MP  is going to be given one too by Boris Johnson.  It was his reforms  and total incompetence at the DWP  that saw thousands of vulnerable and disabled people die, and cruelly suffer. The announcement has sparked a furious backlash, with a petition, entitled 'Iain Duncan Smith should not receive a Knighthood'   already having been signed by 150,000 people, in it he is labelled  as "responsible for some of the cruellest most extreme welfare reforms this country has ever seen"' https://www.change.org/p/uk-government-and-parliament-we-object-to-iain-duncan-smith-receiving-a-knighthood
Opposition parties said it "beggared belief" that someone whose policies had caused so much distress should be honorued in this way. Labour's Lisa Nandy said it was a "disgraceful decision by Boris Johnson to reward a legacy of cruelty and failure",
Writing on Twitter, she added, "This regime deliberately removed the safety net. It stripped people of their dignity. There is no honour in that."
The Labour MSP Neil Findlay has submitted a motion to the Scottish Parliament calling for the honours system to be scrapped. His motion described the honours systemas "completely discredited" and Duncan Smiths knighthood "an award for services to the Tory party and nothing else."
Many critics see the whole honours system, including appointments to the bloated unelected House of Lords, as an affront to democracy. In his six years as Prime Minister David Cameron stuffed unelected cronies into the House of Lords at a faster rate than any Prime Minister in history. He thoroughly deserved his ‘Dodgy Dave’ nickname. He stuffed so many establishment insiders into the unelected upper house that the House of Lords is now the second biggest legislative chamber on earth, second only to the Chinese parliament. The fact a Chamber of 800 failed politicians, retired Bishops and Archbishops, assorted do-gooders from the professions and 92 Hereditary Peers, who are there because of birth right, have the ability to delay and amend laws is just unacceptable and  makes a mockery of ‘British democracy’.
There are thousands of incredible ordinary people who go through life caring for others,,that we should be grateful to, our healthcare professionals, our educators and those involved in voluntary organisations  who enrich our society, and many other deserving recipients who have done good work in their communities, who never appear on the radar of the political administrators who prepare honours lists, and .subsequently go without any kind of official reward. Thus the honours list is too narrow and  fails to recognize the achievements of many while rewarding a select few.
A number of well-known individuals have refused an honour for a variety of reasons, whether political, personal, or because they did not feel it was appropriate. For example Ken Loach the film director, is one of a very honourable group of individuals who have turned down a discreditable British bauble. He told the Radio Times in March 2001:
“It’s all the things I think are despicable: patronage, deferring to the monarchy and the name of the British Empire, which is a monument of exploitation and conquest.
“I turned down the OBE because it’s not a club you want to join when you look at the villains who’ve got it” http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/1217962.stm. and Benjamin Zephaniah, the celebrated black British poet, was similarly strident in 2003 when he referred to why he turned down a British Honour offered by war criminal PM Tony Blair:
“Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought. I get angry when I hear the word ’empire’; it reminds me of slavery, it reminds me of thousands of years of brutality, it reminds me of how my foremothers were raped and my forefathers brutalised.”
“My obsession is about the future and the political rights of all people. Benjamin Zephaniah OBE – no way Mr Blair, no way Mrs Queen. I am profoundly anti-Empire” https://web.archive.org/web/20100616162002/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/benjamin-zephaniah-declines-an-obe-in-protest-against-colonialism-737107.html.
Personally the distasteful honours system  is a shame on our country. greatly discredited, problematic,and  not fit for purpose, yet what is extraordinary, is the British public’s  continuing acceptance of it all, as 2019  draws to a close and 2020  approaches is it not time for us to consider that this outdated and ultimately archaic and devalued relic of our country’s colonial past,  be scrapped,  or at the very  least we could get rid of the life peerages and knighthoods, because they smack of elitism. and replace the current system  with a people's panel recognising and honouring only conspicuous public service and sacrifice and those that are  truly deserving. Remember to daily honour too all that you consider worthy, our mothers, the peacemakers and advocates of positive change, that truly make a difference to our lives.

Poem For My Mother, Sheila Rendle nee Todd- Jones ,8/2/33- 26/12/19)

Let me introduce you
to a beautiful presence
my dear mother Sheila
daughter of a violin playing miner
born in Ton Pentre, Cwm Rhondda,
who taught me to read and write
the joys of books and poetry
prompting me to question everything
listened  when things went awry
delivered often with glad assurance
asked for nothing in return
fierce, proud, defiant but gentle
wrapped  now strongly in hearts
that can never be taken or stolen
she opened windows, points of consciousness
allowed us to accept life's frustrations
gave us reasons to try and always dispense care
delivered the most important lesson of all
love that  keeps on  releasing
the weight and depths
that cannot be scaled
I bless her for all she gave
it has served me so well
my allegiance is forever
this my simple way of homage
in endless sky and eternal seas
when the wind blows wild
in  days and nights of silence
may she forever rest in peace.

Tis The Season Again

                                Peter Kropotkin 

It's come round again, the time of year when I usually feel like some kind of traitor, because I don't enter into the spirit of things. It's not that I'm a total misery guts, I like it if it snows, but that's about it,I just don't get this time of the year. There are the usual suspects, the seasonal fakery, the waste of paper, the misery that explodes , and the annual artificial need to guzzle and consume vast amounts, whilst people commodify and profiteer from our faked jollity. Santa the manufactured symbol that resides right next to the sick heart of capitalism and consumerism, christmas at the foodbank the new order of the day. Tolerating neighbours stupid light displays and crappy Christmas carols. Reflecting on life and loss in general. The list goes on and bloody on.
We sing about peace and good will, while people caught up in war zones, and  countries are fractured by division. Our natural  impulse is to give, share and support others, feelings of solidarity and mutual aid,  these qualities find their form in the midwinter festival that in this part of the world, is now known as Christmas.Today, as the tentacles of the capitalist market reach into every part of our lives, those feelings are commodified, as we are encouraged to pay for the convenience of expressing our feelings for our fellow beings through gift giving. We fret about our purchases, are they good enough? Will the person like them?
But, as well as this, people across the world think of those who have less and donate food, clothes, toys and money.It is worth remembering that these acts of solidarity are part of our nature, that the impulse towards mutual aid is not just a once in a year anomoly, that it was a deciding factor in our evolution and is something we need to nurture, that   Peter Kropotkin wrote in Mutual Aid, is a factor of evolution. that we need in order to survive. 
 Blessed Saturnalia, roast chestnuts underneath the pagan tree, ..... oh dear oh me.... But children love it I suppose , this shindig of excess.  Their  sun will rise anyway, rudolph will leave eat all the carrots and someone will have bamdoozled the sherry.
I suppose it is is a time when many do genuinely take  some time out  to celebrate their faith, fair enough , but the original meaning seems to have got lost a long time ago now. I also reflect at this time of the year, will think of dear friends, lovers, poets gone too soon, but won't get to deep, need to retain strength, Time also to consider those less well off, those who may  be alone at this time of year, those who may not even have a place to call home, others who have lost friends, family and loved ones, those too  who have become lost to a society that simply does not care. Remember the many organisations and services providing  comfort to those that need it most, people facing homelessness and benefit disruption over the festive season. For some, this time of the year is a time of immense difficulty, fear and uncertainty, people left in isolation, feeling alone, left cold, hungry and without support, in a downward spiral. People who feel they do not belong, who are discredited and denied their status as human beings.
Whatever you do, try  take it easy out there, and  hope  you have a good time, follow your dreams, your currents, each according to your need.  Stay positive and stay human.and I wish you a happy peaceful  new year. Hard times are approaching, we ain't seen nothing yet. Conservative compassion knows no boundaries. We don't have to take what our leaders want to deliver, we can still make a difference. as foodbanks continue to grow, the Tories should confront the poverty they helped create. For now if its your kind of thing merry Christmas, nadolig llawen,  hanukkah, solstice, Yuletide, Saturnalia, Kwanzaa, Festivus, or anything else you  care to celebrate.Reach out to those that need  help, to those too weak to look after or defend themselves. not just for the holidays, but the days and years ahead, Think I've said enough. Laters...... heddwch/peace

Santa Claus says Free  Palestine

David Roviks - Christmas Song

Banksy's Scar of Bethlehem

The  British street artist  Banksy has bought a sombre Christmas spirit to a hotel he founded in the West Bank  town of Bethlehem , with a nativity scene evoking the Palestinian- Israeli conflict.
It  marks the Bristol-based artist's first foray into the public spotlight having released a mural in the Jewellery Quarter, Birmingham, a fortnight ago highlighting homelessness.
Dubbed the “Scar of Bethlehem,”' the artwork features a traditional nativity scene,  a miniature Jesus, Mary and Joseph under a rendition of Israel's concrete West Bank barrier punctured by bullet holes, the largest of which resembles a star over the manger. Three large wrapped presents sit at the forefront of the scene, while the words 'peace' and 'love' are graffiti tagged in English and French on the concrete,
The work is installed at Banksy’s Walled-Off Hotel,  which he opened in March 2017,where all rooms overlook a concrete section of the barrier built by Israel to cut off the occupied West Bank from Israeli territory,offering "the worst view in the world."and is filled with original Banksy artwork. The hotel also contains a small museum on the history of the separation barrier.

Hotel manager Wissam Salsaa called the work a "nativity scene," saying that "Banksy has his own contribution to Christmas.""It is a great way to bring up the story of Bethlehem, the Christmas story, in a different way -- to make people think more" of how Palestinians live in Bethlehem, Salsaa says. “Banksy is trying to remind the world that people of Bethlehem, where Christmas was started, are not celebrating Christmas like the rest of the world,” he said.

 "Christmas is known for the Star of Bethlehem, that led people to the birthplace of Jesus," said hotel manager Wisam Salsa. "You see there is a scar, there is a hole on the wall that marks the wall and the life in Bethlehem how it is today."
.Israel began building the separation barrier , in parts concrete, with other stretches consisting of fencing,in 2002 during the Palestinian uprising, or intifada. Built mostly inside the West Bank, Israel says it is necessary to prevent attacks, but Palestinians label it an apartheid wall,  a symbol of their ongoing oppression, separating them from Jerusalem. The Palestinians consider the barrier illegal and call it an Israeli land grab, noting that it has engulfed large chunks of the West Bank onto the Israeli “side.”  Aside from dominating the landscape, the barrier separates Bethlehem from much of the land owned by its people, and, crucially, it also severs it from Jerusalem. The structure, has been ruled illegal by the UN's International Court of Justice.'

Traditional Bethlehem Christmas festivities will take place this week at the church built on the spot where Christians believe Jesus was born. That  is being continually squeezed by Israeli encroachment and by the imposition of the winding separation barrier through its land. As the separation barrier expands, Bethlehem’s territory shrinks and shrinks. Its continued ability to exist as a viable town reduces every year. The impact of the occupation daily bringing its heavy burden.The Church of the Nativity is famously located in Bethlehem, but pigrims vising the birthplace of Jesus will also witness one of the striking ybols of Israeli occupation - the Apartheid Wall  Peoples journeys blocked by checkpoints and thirty foot high  slabs of concrete. Nothing calm, nothing bright.
A longtime critic of the occupation, the manger scene and hotel  are far from Banksy’s only West Bank imprint. as has also created a number of works in Bethlehem and on the separation barrier itself.
In 2007, he painted a number of artworks in Bethlehem, including a young girl frisking an Israeli soldier pinned up against a wall.
In 2005, he sprayed nine stenciled images at different locations along the eight-meter-high (27-foot) separation barrier.
They included a ladder on the wall, a little girl carried away by balloons and a window opening onto a peaceful mountain landscape. Banksy also is believed to have sneaked into the Gaza Strip to draw four murals there.
One was painted on a remaining piece of a building destroyed during the 2014 war between Israel and Gaza’s ruling Hamas militant group and featured the Greek goddess Niobe cowering against the rubble of a destroyed house.
Palestinian graffiti artists, too, have made the separation wall a place of political and artistic expression.
Like elsewhere in the world, Banksy’s works in the occupied territory have become tourist attractions, in part due to him often ghosting in to create his works in the dead of night.
“Banksy is trying to be a voice for those that cannot speak,” Salsa said. "He “is creating a new model of resistance through art.”
For now I hope you have a peaceful holiday and a happy new year.



 Banksy art on Israel's highly controversial West Bank barrier in Abu Dis in 2005.