Wednesday, 9 October 2024

Under October's Desolate Skies

 

Even the stars seem downcast 
As they observe, the Hell, 
We're experiencing here 
On planet Earth,
Under dark shadows
The wild winds blow,
Batter bruise and tear
Slice through fragile pleas,
Stom clouds intensify
fill shattered lands with mire,
While the weight of the world 
Pushes weary hearts apart,
Fractured echoes lingering
Seeping deeply into cracks, 
Where light can't find
Blurring all pleading cries,
Between thought and time
The waters of life no longer clear,
Western democracy spawning hypocrisy
Warmongers supporting crminality,
Evil powers of psychopathy
Spreading death and insanity,
Keep rainng bombs of destruction
On lands of Gaza and Lebanon. 
We fumble for illumination
That keeps slipping out of reach,
Weeping stars bathe the darkness
Blooming with wickedness, 
Blinkered by the past 
Sired by the present,
Among autumnal blues
Terrifying genocidal season,
Humanity desperately searching
Reaching for clearer reason,
Peacefulness hidden in thickets
To heal the deepest of wounds,
Carry us safely from troubling hues
Enabling each burden to gently fall,
Portals of love's pure passionate fire
Helping us flee the margins of brokeness.

Monday, 7 October 2024

How should October 7 be remembered?

 

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.

Sunday, 6 October 2024

Narcissistic personality disorder

 

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.

Thursday, 3 October 2024

I don't stand with or trust Sir Keir Starmer


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 "fully supports" 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. 

Tuesday, 1 October 2024

Rest in Peace Kris Kristoffersson Outlaw country musician, Hollywood actor and Human Rights Advocate (22/6/36 - 30/9/24)

 

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 Bring Me 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 the bastards 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.


Sunday, 29 September 2024

I stand with Palestine, I stand with Lebanon, I stand with humanity .


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. 

Respiratory

 


Max Ernst  Le silence à travers les âges, 1968

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.

Thursday, 26 September 2024

Remembering Pierre De Geyter, Belgian socialist and composer of L'Internationale (8 October 1848 – 26 September 1932)


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 Lyre des 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.


Monday, 23 September 2024

A pro-Palestine protester disrupts a speech by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool

 

A pro-Palestine protester disrupted a speech by UK Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool on Monday, criticising the party for not ending arms sales to Israel as it wages a devastating war on Gaza and shouts  “We are still selling arms to Israel .I thought we were voting for change, Rachel [Reeves]." whilst highlighting her connection to three organizations in the UK that fund the Israeli army, before being  grabbed  by  the neck, agressively manhandled and dragged out of the conference hall by Labour Party aides for  his fundamental right to protest the Labour Governments complicity in Israel's genocide of Palestinians..  
A reminder, Reeves  previously received £75,000 from Israel lobbyist Victor Blank  and  the  UK government is still exporting parts for F-35 jets that are bombing Palestinians in Gaza. 
  "This is a changed Labour Party. A Labour Party that represents working people, not a party of protest"   Reeves smugly replied. Rachel - The Government should represent all people not just those who fit into Labour’s narrow definition of ‘Working People’.
The indifference with which she dismisses someone voicing genuine concern with our country's complicity in genocide is frightening, she  said this to an an applauding hall full of  morally bankrupt people,who  actually  gave her  a standing ovation,and  jeered the protestor,anindication of this party’s dark rightward lurch under Keir  Starmer who  seem more than happy to support the genocide of working class Palestinians. When the mask slips this shows their true character and I think we can all agree these are not very nice people !
Campaign group Climate Resistance claimed responsibility for the protest.  Sam Simons, a spokesman for the group said: “Labour promised us change – instead we’re getting more of the same. The same pandering to the fossil fuel industry; the same arms licences that are fuelling a genocide in Gaza, and the same austerity that sees the poorest hit hardest.   “It’s time for Labour to start putting the needs of people before the interests of profit. That means immediately stopping arms licences to Israel, blocking new oil and gas, and standing up for the communities already being devastated by the climate crisis.”  Former Labour Party  leader Jeremy  Corbyn said, " The brave protestor at Labour conference demanding an end to all arms sales to Israel reminds me of the party member who was dragged out of conference in 2005 for protesting the war in Iraq.  Who was on the right side of history?"
 "After 13 years people are crying out for change. " Reeves said last year. She and her party hypocritically talking about change but it's clear to me that all we are getting is the same old same shit! it's disgusting that this government continues to send arms licences to Israel as it carries out a genocide and displays  no space for free speech, compassion or international law. The Labour Party is no longer a party of protest, now the party of genocide, now the party of food banks, now the party of poverty, now the party of big business, now the party of gifts and lobbyists.
Horrific violence continues to cause unimaginable death and destruction in Gaza but the UK Government is still allowing most  arms sales to Israel despite a partial suspension It must immediately stop all arms sales, to end the UK’s complicity in this humanitarian catastrophe. Demand action,  please sign the following petition:

 Pro-Palestine protester dragged out after disrupting Labour Party conference


Friday, 20 September 2024

What the herd hates most


What the herd hates most is the one who thinks differently; it is not so much the opinion itself, but the audacity of wanting to think for themselves, something that they do not know how to do. You weren't born on this rock hurtling through space just to smile politely and please people. Fight the system. 
Wander the wild and photograph nothing. Become something that the world cannot eat. Boycoit consensus reality. The same reality where Israel is not committing genocide in Gaza?  The same reality Israel is not running an apartheid state discriminating against non-white jews and muslims?  The same reality where Israel is not starving millions of Palestinians? The  same  reality that  is filled with lies and propaganda! Don't be sheeple people, but try and be kind.
The world twists dark shadows into light, calling evil good and good evil. Remember though there are still reasons to be cheerful, don't let the bastards grind you down. Take care of your emotional health. Social  media as well as the world can be a stressful place, try and keep smiling. Between the oceans  and the stars  follow your dreams  release thoughts of peace and love.
With every heartbeat write verses of soul  incantation. that they  don't want to  be written,  keep foraging through the  twists and turns of existence. Ride the winds moonlit breath and  be free,