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news report
 Wednesday May 08, 2002 21:23 by Pauli Stoneybatter D7
 The dangers of getting into bed with the mainstream media. This piece is a positive response to all the negative pieces about "hijacking" etc, and why this sort of thing is just playing into the hands of the establishment. In Ireland we need to learn from the example of our friends around the world and get over our petty differences. It also goes into why Indymedia is so important in this situation, and the dangers of getting into bed with the mainstream media, and finally why we need to unite, not fight amongst ourselves. When, a few weeks ago, I heard the news of Indymedia starting an Irish website I was delighted. However having read some of the threads about Monday's RTS event I have been somewhat disillusioned. The whole idea of having Indymedia is to counter the agenda driven established media. It is evident, from some of the pieces about Monday’s event, that there is a lot of ignorance about the workings of the mainstream media. There are dangers in getting into bed with the likes of RTE and the Irish Independent. Anyway hopefully when the dust settles on this current affair and people see what the mainstream media has done to it(the constant use of the phrase "anti-globalisation" and the description of Indymedia as "production company" on 5-7 Live-just two examples so far) some of this ignorance may be enlightened. The main point I want to make is about the "slagging match" which has developed on this site and in the mainstream media. Every person engaged in this ridiculous, negative and ultimately damaging discussion should take a step back and have a think about what they are saying. This site is a free forum for everybody but that does not mean writing any old "off the cuff" rant. It should be about INTELLIGENT and INFORMED debate. It is not intended as a forum for tabloid style negativity. Please think before you write, that’s what you have a brain for. The reclaim the streets, anti-capitalist, environmental, socialist, anarchist, social-justice, internationalist, whatever your calling, are all groups which at their core, have the same, or similar goals. This, as George Monbiot has pointed out on numerous occasions, should be called, (if people are so desperate for a label) "the Movement". The important thing about this movement is that it is about Direct Action, which is something all these groups have in common. "Whenever it appears to have assumed an identity outsiders believe they can grasp, it morphs into something else. It is driven by a new, responsive politics, informed not by ideology but by need"-Monbiot. Whether you agree with the SWP or not, it does not justify the type of mindless abusive sentiments that are being aired on this site or elsewhere. It just divides the movement, which is exactly what the mainstream wants. Divided and unorganised, we are useless. This is the biggest and most serious problem we face for the future. The movement in Ireland seems determined to destroy itself. Nobody, not the RTS, not the SWP, not any of these groups can be effective without working together. You may not like the SWP, their paper sellers, or their tactics, but to even suggest that they should be prevented from doing what they do, or in the words of one contributor to this site "just FUCK OFF", is just the sort of intolerant facist nonsense we are RESISTING. We’re all in this together. We must look to our friends all over the world, who are gathering together at events like Monday’s RTS, in cities all over this planet. They are a diverse collective of different organisations all with a goal of International Social Justice, whether it being reclaiming public spaces, or arguing for debt relief in the third world. They dance, and march side by side, regardless of political ideology differences. They are "The Movement", and we in Ireland have to STOP our petty squabbling and Come Together, for the benefit of all our aims. Some groups may have conflicting ideas, some may try to hijack events, whatever. But only by coming together, and engaging in intelligent and consensual debate, can this challenge be met, not by adolescent name calling, and verbal abuse. We must GROW UP!. It doesn’t matter who organised the protest for Thursday night, it is irrelevant, who requires permission from who, etc., is utter rubbish. RTS are a non-hierarchical collective and this would be a total contraction. You can see how desperate the mainstream media are to label the movement, to pigeon-hole it. This is a systematic thing for them, they need to know who is responsible, who are the individuals, what are the organisations called. We must resist this, we must continue to use the internet, word of mouth, postering etc. We must not allow ourselves to be in a position where we need to ask for permission every time we want to have a gathering. This is central to every thing we stand for. When the mainstream media wolves come along we must not be fooled by their wooly jackets. We have our own Indymedia now. To paraphrase RTS, when they come calling for names the reply must be a UNITED "WE". |
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Comments (9 of 9)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9If anyone gave a fuck anymore....
Lots of people with different overlapping ideas and agendas can work together. The reason people find they can't work with SWP or their front organisations is that SWP use other campaigns to build their own organisation. That is the basis of their organisational strategy and the purpose of all their activity. It's their political operating mechanism.
So if you're not willing to be used then you stay away from them and ask them to stay away from you.
If it came to it I would work with more or less any other political group in Ireland from Unionist to Republican to Anarchist to Traditional Catholic to Trendy Liberal to even FF to the degree that we share a common goal (e.g. all the above are opposed to Sellafield) if I felt I could trust them for the duration of the cooperation. I would not cooperate with SWP even over Sellafield because I know the campaign would be used by them to build the SWP not to shut Sellafield.
Without trust there is no hope for cooperation and SWP are untrustworthy.
This is a typical bollox pulled by Trots when they get called on their actions, theory, practices. Oh “United We Stand”, well supposing this is a viable or indeed attractive prospect, who is inhibiting such a thing the S.W.P. with their crass display of monopolise resistance “yeah we organised the RTS come to our protest” or the people who commit the grievous error of criticising them for this.
Have the guts to defend your actions, theory and practise rather than hiding behind this “United we Stand” ‘oh that’s sectarianism’ smokescreen.
“intelligent and consensual debate” – we are waiing for it, defend your actions, theory and practise, and while we are at it Socialist Alternative out in U.C.D. are still waiting for the “intelligent and consensual debate” in response to their posts on the lack of democracy within the S.W.P. etc.. (well they might not be waiting but I am).
Then to come out with this crap about the “mainstream media” again it is Jo Carolan (S.W.P./G.R./A.N.L./Whatever front your having this week) who is popping up on our T.V. screens in his new capacity as R.T.S. organiser.
“The reclaim the streets, anti-capitalist, environmental, socialist, anarchist, social-justice, internationalist, whatever your calling, are all groups which at their core, have the same, or similar goals.”
But they don’t R.T.S. for example is a non-hierarchical leaderless group whose goal is to have street parties with a vague ecological agenda.
Whereas the S.W.P. are a very hierarchal organisation whose goal is the acquisition of state power via pointless marching, placard waving and petitions to overthrow capitalism now.
Likewise many of the environmental groups have a similar libertarian/direct action/direct democracy way of doing things which is the exact opposite of the theory and practise and goals of the Leninist parties (you may remember Lenin a mass murdering dictator).
The Anarchists are even further removed from having the same or similar goals as the S.W.P., one the one hand the establishment of the power of the vanguard party, in state control with state control over the economy – a totalitarian society as established in the “Soviet” Union over millions of corpses, on the other hand direct democracy in the workplace and the community (assemblies or electronic referendum to make decisions, mandated delegates, who can be removed at any time, to carry decisions) – grassroots control with the abolition of the state, wage labour, and minority control over the economy – all institutions which are part of the fake conception of socialism held by the Leninist groups.
The Anarchists also favour non-hierarchal organisation in the here and now – again the pole opposite in complete contradiction with the Leninist parties.
These different goals result in a different practise.
To Leninism as the goal is establishing the power of the vanguard party, all is subordinate to the party, consequently fake front groups such as the Anti-Nazi League or Globalise Resistance are established to draw new recruits – make the party stronger, there is incessant bandwagon jumping, and opportunistic stunts such as we saw recently in connection with the claiming of Monday’s street party on behalf of G.R./S.W.P. .
Likewise as the goals are authoritarian so are the means – we have already seen explored here at Indymedia Ireland just how authoritarian the internal life of the S.W.P. is.
“The important thing about this movement is that it is about Direct Action, which is something all these groups have in common.”
But they don’t. For example R.T.S. – Direct Action (actually reclaiming the street) – this is fine with anarchos cause it is about empowering, but because Leninists do not want to empower people but rather the party they are more interested in what will get recruits. If Leninists would sign the petition against the car culture!
Another example the Anti-Nazi League (aka S.W.P.) waving lolly pops, Anti-Fascist Action – putting the boot in.
The S.W.P.’s major contribution to the “anti-capitalist movement” was the protest at the Brighton Labour Party Conference, did it attempt to shut down the conference?, (i.e. direct action) no it was about lobbying the so-called Labour Movement.
The Poll Tax – did the S.W.P. support mass non-payment of Tax, no they lobbied the T.U.C. .
Etc…Etc…Etc….
The S.W.P. never mentioned the words ‘Direct Action’ until it became passably fashionable and thus offering the potential of …. yes here we are again …. new recruits.
“Vote Labour” what the S.W.P. in England have been saying for years (here they used to say “Vote Sinn Fein” – long time ago) has nothing to do with direct action.
Marching in circles around Dublin is not direct action, signing a fucking petition is not direct action.
The S.W.P. promote ineffectual crap, which is totally disempowering – lobbying en masse, and are utterly cynical opportunists, the problem is thy suck a lot of well meaning individuals in, burn them out until they flee alienated from ANY form of ‘politics’.
We Libertarian/Direct Action/Direct Democracy folk need to organise more, and set our own agenda (of which Monday’s R.T.S. was a brilliant example) so as to defuse these ‘socialist’ cretins ability to recruit and alienate recruit and alienate and so as we can start to build a decent movement in this country which stands for FREEDOM not an imitation of the U.S.S.R. .
“It should be about INTELLIGENT and INFORMED debate”
C’mon then respond to the points raised and defend the actions, theory and practise of the S.W.P..
"This is a systematic thing for them (the media), they need to know who is responsible, who are the individuals, what are the organisations called. We must resist this"
And is falsly claiming that ye organised an event doing just that?
I'd describe the original post as mindless if it were not so manipulative. There is no movement. There can be no unity who seek to replace the dimwits who hold power with theological communists.
Much of dublin has lived with the arbitrary violence of the Gardai forever, their everyday relationship with working class dublin is one of conflict. People from these districts are also being fucked hardest by the economy. Where do the imprisoned in Mountjoy come from?
Nicky Kelly, Hunger strikes 81, Moore St. during the Binmen's strike, Regan's visit to Dublin, the Tallaght Three, I could go on. Hear about CPAD, ICON, Summerhill '97? Donegal? Harcourt St. Hotel? Derek Fairbrother? Ever met the special branch? Welcome to reality. All this stuff about long haired hippies is absolutely irrelevant.
Lots of people in this town hate the Gardai.
Lots of areas of this town have long been abandoned by the Gardai.
When those who want change, but talk only about the third world, find words for this dublin.... then we'll have a movement, and a battle on Dame St. And answers can be found for their batons.
You do not get it, do you?
We want revolution and direct action, we want to reclaim our streets and change the world.
We do not want bullies, manipulations,
lies, cheap party propaganda, dirty tricks.
It is not "we", there is no infighting because we're not on the same side. For us you're the same as FF and FG. Oh yes you say you want the same things as we want, but look at how your party behave...
w-e-a-r-e-s-i-c-k-o-f-y-o-u.
Go and write for Socialist Worker (if your leaders let you)
Your cheek defies belief!
Going into bed with the media!?!?
Ask Joe "I organized Monday's event" Carolan!!!
Desperate for names!?!? As Globalise "impose our logo" Resistance!!!
Tabloid style!?!?!? Now go and read Socialist Worker then you tell me about tabloid style...
The writer of this piece is Paul Kinsella, Paul regularly tells people to shut up stop splitting, quit your sectarian whinging and get in line, grab a SWP Placard and march in line like a good little drone.
Paul shut the hell up, GR had no right trying to hijack this event, SWP are going to go for this naked profittering to gain a few votes next week. Oh wait Paul YOU're not in the SWP you're in the other party with a simliar name.
Paul people are intitled to think differently act differently they should march into line with the SWP puppets for the sake of "unity".
Ignore this he's a brainwashed fool, muttering mantras like a party hack......
An phoblach abu...
WEll said
Waiting for your response Paul/S.W.P. .