Jerry and the Wobblies

Apart from trying to get to grips with my History MA course I have involved myself in support of the CWU Postal Workers Strike, until it was pulled/sold out (take your pick). Loads going on locally and Nationally, Local Respect member and Trade Unionist Jerry Hicks is running for Unite General Secretary; http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=4911

I was particularly impressed with the work put in by the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World) in support of the posties and went to their meeting on Friday. Traditional trade unions are particularly hamstrung by their own bureaucratic structures as well as Anti Union laws brought in by Thatcher and hardly touched by New Labour.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Industrial_Workers_of_the_World

Documentary Screening: Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela (Thursday 29th October/Bristol)

Inside the Revolution: A Journey into the Heart of Venezuela

(Director Pablo Navarrete, 65mins, Alborada Films, 2009)

February 2009 marked 10 years since Hugo Chavez took office, following a landslide election victory, and launched his revolution to bring radical change to Venezuela. While wildly popular with many in the country, Chavez's policies and his strongly-worded criticisms of the U.S. government have also made him powerful enemies, both at home and abroad, especially in the media.

Filmed in Caracas in November 2008, on the eve of the 10th anniversary of Chavez's controversial presidency, this feature-length documentary takes a journey into the heart of Venezuela's revolution to listen to the voices of the people driving the process forward.

"This is a rare film about Venezuela, a country in extraordinary transition. Watch this film because it is honest and fair and respectful of those who want to be told the truth about an epic attempt, flaws and all, to claim back the humanity of ordinary people."
- JOHN PILGER (Journalist, author and documentary filmmaker)

::: Thursday 29th October, 7.30pm-9.30pm

Film starts 7.45pm.

Entry: Free but donations gratefully accepted

The screening will be introduced by Derek Wall (Former Principal Male Speaker for the Green Party of England and Wales), who will also take part in a Q&A with the director after the screening. The event will be chaired by Karen Bell (Bristol Solidarity with Venezuela).

VENUE DETAILS:
University of Bristol
Department of Hispanic, Portuguese and Latin American Studies
School of Modern Languages
17 Woodland Rd
Bristol BS8 1TE

Map:
http://www.multimap.com/maps/?qs=BD7+1BN&countryCode=GB#map=51.46022,-2.60375|16|4&bd=useful_information&loc=GB:51.46022:-2.60375:16|BS8%201TE|BS8%201TE

Facebook event page:
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=151133118307

For further details on the documentary and to watch the trailer, please visit:
http://www.alborada.net/alboradafilms

Green Left Statement on Birmingham Hall Green

The Steering Committee of Green Left voted unanimously to support the following statement. We believe that in this week of the failed New Labour conference and following on from last Saturday's Convention of the Left in Brighton, it is a significant step in the direction of forging a new progressive and Left unity in British politics.

“Green Left calls upon our fellow Greens in Birmingham not not to stand a candidate in the constituency of Birmingham Hall Green in the coming general election in order to give a strong, progressive and environmentally aware candidate the chance of taking the seat. We believe that Salma Yaqoob of Respect is the candidate most likely to do this and her victory would be a victory for all those opposing the policies of privatisation, war, greed, racism and environmental destruction.

We believe that this is an opportunity for the progressive movement in Birmingham to unite behind one candidate and not to make the mistakes of the European election, where a divided Left opened the way to the election of racists and bigots. For the benefit of the people of Birmingham and of radical politics in this country we ask the Green Party in Birmingham to stand aside and not to oppose Salma Yaqoob. We are firmly of the belief that this will benefit both the Green and progressive movements in this country and send out a signal that we are serious in challenging the neo-liberal economic policies of the three main parties as well as Fascism and racism.”

Climate and Capital - seminar in London

Climate and Capital

Saturday 12 September

10.30 - 5.30, Friends Meeting House, Euston, London

A seminar organised by Socialist Resistance and Green Left

Sessions on:

• Global Fight for Climate Justice
• The economic crisis and the ecosocialist response
• Gender, ecology and ecosocialism
• Alternatives to the market
• Alternative production
• The impact in the global south
• Direct action prefiguring a sustainable society
• Sustainable cities
• The campaign for green jobs
• Building the fightback and organising for Copenhagen

Speakers: Ian Angus, Grace Livingstone, Raphie de Santos, Romayne Phoenix, Liam MacUaid, Helen Ward, Sean Thompson, Sheila Malone, Derek Wall, Terry Conway, Roy Wilkes and others...

Book now on-line for 1/3 off entry and £2 off new book by Ian Angus on "The Global Fight for Climate Justice" by clicking here.

Check out all the details on the seminar and get the leaflet here.

what are my politics? I don't really know to be honest.

Sometimes I put myself down as a bit "flaky" in my politics, as a rather nerdy teenager I flirted with the old Liberal Party, before becoming a convinced lefty and sometime member of first Militant (now Socialist Party) then the SWP. I left militant partly 'cos I found their meetings dull, and preferred the SWP line on Stalinism and frankly the SWP were more active at my university (Militant were too busy with politics in the "real" word, which I now see was perfectly reasonable)
The SWP's strident, often sectarian and over simplistic politics soon began to wear thin with me and I started reading round the subject. Studying Anarchist critics of Leninism like Emma Goldmann and Peter Arshinov and later theorists (especially Murry Bookchin) but, I never really was a true Anarchist and I find the libertarian left nature of the Greens, really suits me best right now. My short attention span means my political theory is broad, but slightly shallow.
Still, within the Green Party we have our fallings out and disagreements, unfortunately sometimes the rivalries become rather too personal, which is a shame. Despite disagreements, I want to be in a broad based party with people from different traditions, coming together to fight for a common cause.

Bristol Elections

Mixed night for Greens in Bristol- disappointment in Ashley, where a big personal vote forLib Dem Jon Rogers kept us out, but a massive increase in Easton where we went up from 560 to 938 votes, now just 352 behind the Lib Dems!
Very hopeful for the Euro elections, we shall see!

We've sown up the left wing comedian Vote

Pinched from Jim Jepp's Daily Maybe (arguably the finest Green Blog in the world)

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mark-steel/mark-steel-turn-left-and-then-left-again

Then Alexi Sayle emailed our fantastic North West Euro candidate Peter Craine with the following:

"One of the great things about Britain is that, unlike in a lot of Europe, we have never let extremist parties of the right get anything but a tiny toehold in our electoral system. I'll personally be voting Green this time but whoever you support you should use your vote to continue our noble tradition and keep the BNP out."

Sikh Federation says vote Green!

From their website:

http://www.sikhfederation.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=142:stop-the-bnp-in-the-european-elections&catid=35:news

"The BNP can only be defeated by mobilising all those opposed to fascism. To this end the Sikh Federation (UK) urges Sikhs throughout Britain to cast their vote on 4 June in large numbers. If any Sikhs are to cast a protest vote it is better if candidates of the Green Party are supported, which is the only major political party that has passed a specific motion in support of the Sikhs right to self determination."

First Joanna Lumley now the Sikh federation, who's next? :)

Candidate for St. George West Ward, Vote Green Vote Nick Foster on June the 4th

I'm very pleased to be selected as Green Party Candidate for St George West. Hopefully I can build on the votes I picked up in the bye- election last year, St George isn't traditional Green territory, but I think its important we offer a positive alternative both to the empty promises of Lib/Lab/Con and the racist bile of the far right.

I have been working hard for my partner Katie Buse in Easton and the Ashley Campaign is hotting up where Daniella Radice was just 110 votes short of victory last time around. Here in East Bristol we have a great range of candidates, including one of Bristol's top Green Campaigners, Glenn Vowles in Eastville.

Must not forget the dynamic Ricky Knight who leads our Euro list and stands a decent chance, thanks to the fairer voting system used of being the South West's first Green MEP.

Population or consumption?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/apr/15/consumption-versus-population-environmental-impact

This was spotted by Chris Cotton in the Guardian - an interesting contribution to what is one of the most serious and controversial issues for Greens ( and anyone else, serious about the future)

Mark Thomas says Vote Green

Saw this on You Tube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhIR8MIxzh8

Thanks Mark!

Leaving work to spend more time in politics

Yet more upheaval in my life! I've handed in my notice, selling luxury products in an economic crisis is neither very lucrative, nor what I want to be doing right now. I'll be starting part time work and spending more time being an activist and hopefully writing more on this rather negleted blog. I have added the excellent Local Green Tony Dyer's blog onto my blogroll:
http://aureamediocritas-tonyd.blogspot.com/

Two very different viewpoints of the Israel/Palestine question worth looking at:

http://greensengage.wordpress.com/

http://azvsas.blogspot.com/

Unite -Amicus Selection - Vote Jerry Hicks!

Well known Bristol Socialist Jerry Hicks is running for General Secretary. He has the support of the Green Party Trade Union Group and Green Left. He has come out against Heathrow Expansion, unlike the present Unite leadership. If you are an Amicus member check out the following links:

http://jerryhicks.wordpress.com/
http://www.socialistunity.com/?p=3545

No bigots on our march, thanks

Great article from someone called Daniel Trilling in this weeks New Statesman about the ongoing Gaza Protests, it sums up exactly my feelings on the matter:

http://www.newstatesman.com/society/2009/01/israel-starbucks-march-protest

Cheers Daniel!

Bristol Caretakers Dispute

http://unitecaretaking.blogspot.com/

Have added this to my blogroll, please check out this blog.

Israeli Demo's against attacks on Gaza

Here are some good You tubes of Israeli demos against the attacks on Gaza:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHi2F67_uRo&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB23y9WQOWE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpeC7P-2LfU