SA CANDIDATES ATTACKED BY NAZIS
From: "Lawrie Coombs" <redlorry30s@h...>
Date: Sat May 26, 2001 9:58 pm
Subject: SA candidates attacked by nazis
>From: Anna Chen <a.chen@v...>
>Reply-To: socialistalliance_press@yahoogroups.com
>To: Recipient List Suppressed:;
>Subject: [socialistalliance_press] SA candidates attacked by nazis
>Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 20:24:36 +0100
>
>Socialist Alliance (SA)
>PO Box 121, Coventry, CV1 5DA
>Wickham House, 10 Cleveland Way, London E1 4TR
>Phone: 0207 536 9696 or 020 7791 3138
>email: main.office@l...
><http://www.socialistalliance.net>www.socialistalliance.net
>
>MEDIA RELEASE: Saturday 26 May 2001
>FROM: Anna Chen - SA press officer
>Phone: 0207 916 2308 Mobile: 07961 144905 Email: a.chen@v...
>Steve Godward, SA candidate for Birmingham Erdington: 07958 215584
>
>
>* Socialist Alliance candidates attacked by nazis
>
>Two Socialist Alliance (SA) candidates and their supporters were
>today attacked by a National Front gang while out campaigning in
>Birmingham.
>
>The fifteen-strong mob pounced on the Socialist Alliance stall in
>Hawthorn Road after unfurling St George's Cross flags and yelling
>"Communists" and other epithets. They then grabbed the SA banner,
>hitting a diminutive, middle-aged bespectacled SA supporter with an
>eight foot wooden pole, and overturned a nearby Anti Nazi League
>stall. The Socialist Alliance responded with an adrenalin-pumped
>chant of "Nazi scum off our streets".
>
>SA candidates Steve Godward (Birmingham Erdington) and Caroline
>Johnson (Birmingham Perry Barr) were unhurt, although a black woman
>and her children who had been talking to the SA just before the
>attack were terrified, and an Iranian refugee supporter was badly
>shaken.
>
>"Mainstream parties' attacks on asylum seekers are fuelling the
>climate of racism which allows the nazis to carry out attacks like
>this in broad daylight," said Steve Godward who works as a
>firefighter in Birmingham. "This attack comes in the same weekend as
>both Shiblu Rahman's funeral in east London and the Gay Pride demo in
>Birmingham. The same people who blew up the Admiral Duncan pub are
>given comfort and succour by politicians, the worst of the media, and
>the police."
>
>Steve described how two vanloads of police - some in 'stab-jackets' -
>arrived and then stood with the nazis. "A sergeant refused to take
>any action, insisting that as no-one was marked, no-one could be
>arrested even though we know that Delroy Lindo was famously arrested
>for 'sucking his teeth in an aggressive manner'. Another officer
>defended the nazis' right to march through Birmingham next Saturday.
>
>"The mask has slipped - the nazis exposed themselves. Everyone saw
>it. People came out of shops and gave us warmth and support having
>witnessed what these nazis are really like. This is how they view
>democracy.
>
>"We kept the police informed after several intimidating incidents
>recently but to no avail. We will be seeking legal advice on this
>assault on two respectable candidates engaged in the democratic
>electoral process."
>
>Shiblu Rahman's family have decided to have a public funeral in order
>that the local community can join together in unity and make a stand
>against racism.
>DATE: SUNDAY 27TH MAY
>ASSEMBLE: 2pm at Stepney Green Park, Stepney Way (nearest tube
>Stepney Green)
>
>Anti Nazi Demonstration Saturday 2 June.
>Assemble 11am, corner Streetley Road and Marsh Lane, Stockland Green,
>Birmingham.
>
>EDITORS' NOTES
>
>1) Steve Godward, SA candidate for Birmingham Erdington: 07958 215584
>
>2) Socialist Alliance, national press officer - Anna Chen.
>Phone: 0207 916 2308 Mobile: 07961 144905 Email: a.chen@v...
>
>3) Cllr Dave Nellist, National Chair, The Socialist Alliance
>Email dave@n... (h) 024 7622 9311 (m) 07970 294 237 (fax) 08700 560
>199
>
>4) The Socialist Alliance (SA) in England, the Welsh Socialist
>Alliance (WSA) and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) combined will
>be standing in nearly 170 constituencies in the General Election,
>including challenges to at least 20 ministers. The Socialist Alliance
>supports a major shift in wealth and power from the global companies
>and millionaires that support New Labour and the Tories to working
>people. The Socialist Alliance is supported by, amongst others,
>investigative journalist Paul Foot, broadcaster and writer Jeremy
>Hardy, and actor Ricky Tomlinson.
From: gary_ohalloran@yahoo.co.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 22:05
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: SA candidates attacked by nazis
What a press release by the SA! Absolutely unbelievable! You
genuinely couldn't make it up. It's beyond satire. Who do they
possibly think they are addressing?
NF attack in "broad daylight": socialist respond with "adrenalin
pumped chants". That should deter them in future.
Police inaction: when "we all know that Delroy Lindo was famously
arrested for sucking his teeth".
'Nazi public relations disaster': "the mask has slipped the Nazis
exposed themselves".
What? Even more than they did when attempting to wipe out the Jews?
The clincher: "the same people who bombed the Admiral Duncan are
being given succour by the politicians media and police".
Out to lunch.
A note of caution to members of the SA who might expect the SWP/ANL
to change tack, learn from the incident, or generally review security?
Don't hold your breath. Between 1990 and 1994, both before and
particularly after the launch of the ANL the SWP took a fearsome
beating from the BNP. Indeed the very first outing of the ANL in the
east End of London was an absolute disaster with groups of ANL
repeatedly attacked badly beaten and stabbed. Thereafter hardly a
week went by without news of another demo/stall/papersale being
turned over. Had the BNP, themselves under an even more ferocious
onslaught from AFA, not thrown in the towel at the beginning of 1994,
then it is extremely likely someone from the ANL/SWP would have been
killed. The strategy of the SWP central committe? Pretend it wasn't
happening? If reports were carried in Socialist Worker it generally
referred to the victims as 'socialists' only. The primary concern
appeared to be to conceal the level of violence from its own
membership. Lest that by admitting the scale and increasing ferocity
of the assaults would place a demand on them do something about it.
So they did nothing. Their attitude toward the resultant turn over in
own membership appeared to be: 'plenty more where they came from'.
If the situation arises will the SA membership prove as sanguine? I
think not.
NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
From: Red Action <bryantnicholas@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 21:28
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
This is from the Red Action website. http://www.redaction.org/
NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
23rd May '01
Yesterday as the Tories stepped up their attack on Labour's
tax plans, William Hague announced that Gordon Brown's refusal 'to rule out
scrapping the national insurance ceiling altogether, meant four million
people are now faced with the prospect of effectively paying income tax at
50%'. In real terms what Hague means is that those on an income of over
30,000 would be invited to pay more in tax.
The Tory estimate was that 4 million people would be directly
affected by any such move by Labour. Pressing home the advantage Michael
Portillo, when interviewed on Newsnight described Labour 'plans' as an
attack on 'the middle income, middle Britain,
the middle class'. What is interesting about Tory calculations is that not
only do they believe anyone earning over 30,000 is middle class, but that
in a country of over 60 million only 4 million,less than 10% fall into such
a category. Of course not everyone is earning, so allowing for spouses and
offspring this puts the total membership of the middle class somewhere in
the region of 20% to 25% of the population.
Take off 5% for the super rich and this leaves an
overwhelming 70% as working class, even in Tory eyes. It is particularly
remarkable since, not so long ago, New Labour were
busy informing us that 'we are all middle class now'. In reality of course
what makes 'Middle Britain' so attractive and important to politicians is
that it is this strata of society, even though a minority, which more than
any other is likely to vote. The paradox is, that even as increasing number
of the working class stop voting, because of this orientation by the two
major parties, the political choice narrows rather than increases.
Some estimates suggest that the voter turn-out may this fall
below 60%. Of the 40% not taking part the vast majority will be working
class. This 60-40 split is funnily enough, precisely the economic reform
needed to stabilise society that was recomended to Pinochet after the coup
in Chile in 1973. The basic idea was that the regime would bribe an
additional 30% of the population with money not
taken from the rich, but from the bottom 40%. This bribing of the upper
working and lower middle class would, it was felt, deliver both economic
stability and majority democratic support for the regime.
In Britain it was called Thatcherism. It is the same ideology
New Labour subscribe to. However the onus is all on Gordon Brown to raise
revenue. Mainly because after a quarter of a century of Thatcherism the
basic infrastructure - roads, railways, schools, pensions, health
service is collapsing. While the working class have been 'squeezed until you
can hear the pips squeak'. Of course for New Labour any taxing of the really
rich is out of the question. And while
Brown might dare trifle with middle classes National Insurance
contributions,the revenue raised as estimated at 1 billion a year, would
only buy time. Unable to penalise the working classes for economic reasons
and the middle classes for political ones, New
Labour will in reality be forced to privatise practically everything. Post
office, Fire Brigade, even air traffic control. The big question is once
that's been spunked on maintaining majority support for the Chile experiment
what then?
The constant attack on civil liberties, the right to jury
trial,the right to assembly,along with the steady militarisation of the
police may offer some indications on how a pragmatic establishment
really see the endgame. One way or the other the endgame is in sight.
From: meberry68@hotmail.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 21:30
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
A couple of problems with the above analysis.
The privatisation of everything is a theoretical impossibility. Why?
If the working class constitute 70-80% of capitalist Britain one
cannot charge them for sending their kids to school, or to go to the
hospital. Not enough surplus capital exist to go around.
The destruction of the capitalist nation state is far more
complicated than even the Adam Smith Institute realise.
We are heading into an economic abyss whose only way out for the
capitalist class is dictatorial measures. But that doesn't solve the
contradiction it only heightens it. Capitalist deregulation may
provide a unique opportunity for the labour movement to campaign on
workers ownership and expropriation of the means of production. Not
capitalist re-nationalisations or more privatisation, but workers
control through workers power.
meberry68
From: ernestolynch2000@yahoo.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 22:17
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
Meberry wrote on 29 May regarding RA's comment on the sell-off of
our public services:
> A couple of problems with the above analysis.
> The privatisation of everything is a theoretical impossibility.
Why?
> If the working class constitute 70-80% of capitalist Britain one
> cannot charge them for sending their kids to school, or to go to
the
> hospital. Not enough surplus capital exist to go around.
New Labour/WTO/IMF or whoever it is in charge know they will not
charge us to send our kids to school or hospital. It'll come from
more regressive taxes to pay for the shareholders dividends in WS
Atkins, Nord Anglia, Tarmac and the other education privateers a la
Railtrack. Same with this "Stakeholder Pensions" bullshit being
touted by various insurance companies with their fingers in the
privatisation pie.
The End Game is in sight - no democratic control over services, no
more LEAs, local councils replaced by Quangos, advisers and
consultants creaming it in and the rich getting off scot-free from
taxation.
Off on a tangent slightly , anyone here have any info on that
big "Super ship" being built for the rich elite to live in and sail
around the world? (Sounds way off the track but I just remembered
about it from one of those crappily written Sunday Times articles)
Regards
From: Jim Drysdale <jimd48@btinternet.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 22:59
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
From Jim Drysdale.
SNIP>Off on a tangent slightly , anyone here have any info on that
big "Super ship" being built for the rich elite to live in and sail
around the world?
***** is that the big ship that can never come to port?
***** And, agreed, the end game is in sight. Millions of long gone
socialists (and decent non socialists) would
just love to be with us to see the bastard's squirm.
***** frequently, I see the image of the bumbling old fool pulling the
strings behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz.
Jim.
BNP PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
From: MH Dasein <mhdasein@yahoo.com>
To: uk_left_network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 21:57
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Fwd: PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
This is what the BNP have put out about last nights'
riots.
Comradely,
Phil Hamilton
> > BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY -
> >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY - PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT -
> > PRESS RELEASE
> > 27th May 2001
> > Release - Immediate
> >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Media bias pours fuel on racial tensions in Oldham
> >
> > British National Party activists electioneering on
> > white estates in Oldham this morning are finding
> > growing anger among local residents over the
> extreme
> > anti-white bias shown in TV and radio news reports
> > in the aftermath of last night's anti-white riots
> by
> > hundreds of Asian racists. "They burst into pubs
> and
> > beat up people having a quiet pint, they throw
> > bricks and petrol bombs at our pubs and at white
> > homes, they burn out our cars and attack people in
> > the street - but all we see on telly is Asian
> > 'community leaders' saying that it's all our
> fault."
> >
> >
> > This is the kind of response that BNP campaigners
> > are getting on doorstep after doorstep. An
> alarming
> > number - especially the younger people discussing
> > last night's events on street corners or as they
> > head to pubs for a drink at lunchtime - are saying
> > that if that's where rioting gets the Asians, then
> > it's time for white people to do the same. BNP
> > activists are calling for calm, and the party will
> > later today start a campaign calling on people to
> > protest against Asian racism peacefully, by
> > boycotting Asian businesses, rather than by
> > confrontation and violence.
> >
> > The party's Oldham Organiser, local minicab driver
> > Mick Treacy, has also urged broadcast journalists
> > covering the story to give a "fair crack of the
> > whip" to the only spokesmen for the majority
> > community - the British National Party. "Biased
> > reports that don't give white people the chance to
> > see articulate spokesmen giving their side of
> events
> > are alienating young whites from the political
> > process and making the argument that violence is
> > 'the only way' more and more attractive. The media
> > have a duty to let us speak for our community and
> to
> > call for calm peaceful protest. If they fail in
> that
> > duty, they will be pouring fuel on the fires of
> > racial hatred in our town."
> >
> > More information:
> > Mick Treacy 0161 287 5153 or 0779 912 6625
> > Nick Griffin 01938 820560 or 0771 808 3579
> >
> >
> >
>
From: gary_ohalloran@yahoo.co.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 22:21
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: Fwd: PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
What is the Socialist Alliance position on events in Oldham over the
last couple of months?
Is the SA standing against Griffin in Oldham?
Is the official rise in race attacks nationally still believed to be
solely down to 'greater confidence' after Macpherson?
Is dropping the celebration of Easter for Divali or Ramadam a good
idea?
Is multiculturalism a good idea?
Whose idea was it anyway?
Is anti-racism working?
Does the ANL still believe the NF carries a greater political threat
than the BNP?
SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
From: Red Action <bryantnicholas@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 20:12
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
From the Red Action Website newspage.
SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT RIOTS IN OLDHAM
29th April '01
As in war truth is often the first casualty in politics. As
is usually the case observers
appear to pick a side, and then pick a target. And there has
been no shortage of targets
to carry the can for the Oldham riots. Every target that is
but the real one.
Lib Dems rather ludicrously tried to pin all the blame on
William Hague. Mainstream
liberals (with a small l) tried fingering 'heavy handed
policing'.
Overwhelming favourite among 'community leaders' is that, as
in Bradford,'outside
agigators' in the shape of 'supporters of the National Front'
were the sole cause of the
trouble.
Perhaps all shades of opinion believe that if they repeat it
often enough, the ugly
unpalatable facts need not be faced. Or that white public
opinion, which is rarely quoted,
will be similarily convinced. Fat chance.
Lack of candour and the tip-toeing around the issue in 'a
liberal cringe' can do nothing
but boost support for far-right solutions generally, and the
BNP who are standing in the
election there specifically.
Which is why Independent columnist Alibahai Ba Brown is
surely right when she
comments: "I am not one of those hypocrites who cry foul when
white racism is in the
news but crawl under rocks when they are called upon to
criticize their own."
This refreshing honesty is in marked contrast to the
Socialist Alliance (SA) which
described apparently indiscriminate, random, and therefore by
any objective definition,
racist attacks by Pakistani youth on a series of pubs in the
area as "completely
understandable". Does this 'understanding' also stretch to
the Muslim attacks on Hindus I
wonder?
As well as calling for the resignation of the chief
constable, the media are also lambasted
as "shameful" for their highlighting of what the SA refers to
as an "isolated attack" on a
white pensioner. It is true that the Walter Chamberlain case
made headlines, but that is
mainly because it seemed to bear out rumours of 'no- go
areas' for whites in the town.
Moreover, while the Socialist Alliance seek to deny that the
attack was racially
motivated, they do not even attempt to suggest what else
might have provoked it. Even
more risible is the SA pretence that unprovoked Asian on
white attacks were practically
unheard of prior to the Walter Chamberlain incident, when in
reality the talk in Oldham
has often revolved around just that topic, for months if not
years.
Records show that police statistics which first showed Asians
as the principle
perpetrators in *reported* acts of racial violence, stretches
back to 1993. The disbelief
with which the liberal left greet such figures tends to
suggest they actualy believe working
class Asians to be incapable of such behaviour. The SA
respond by denouncing the
Oldham police as uniquely racist and calling for the top
coppers head. However, similar
'Asian on white' statistics have been compiled on the Isle of
Dogs by Tower Hamlets
council. Is Tower Hamlets also uniquely racist?
Equally, while the initial attack on the ironically named
'Live and Let Live' pub is being
broadly justified across the media on the grounds that it was
where some 'National Front
were rumoured to have taken refuge', no explanation
whatsoever is forthcoming for the
further attacks on the Westwood pub in nearby Chadderton, the
Dog Inn, the Welcome,
the Honeywell Arms, and the Junction on the edge of the
Glodwick neighbourhood.
Do the Socialist Alliance warmly approve of these attacks as
well? The answer
presumably is yes.
Tellingly, the Socialist Alliance despite boasting over 100
candidates, is not standing in
Oldham. By seeming to duck the challenge of the BNP, as it
infamously did in Beckton,
and more recently Bermondsey, in addition to hypocrisy, the
Socialist Alliance leaves it
itself open to the charge of cowardice as well.
It is also noticeable, that on the UK Left discussion site
which is generally seen as a
Socialist Alliance site, despite the Oldham riots making
national headlines everywhere
else, up to 9pm on Monday night, apart from the posting of a
news item and the Socialist
Alliance press release, there had been only one posting on
the subject.
And that from a Red Action supporter.
One of the possible reasons for the bizarre 'hear no evil,
see no evil' stance is that,
hypocrisy apart, liberal anti-racism has no answers and so
instinctively refuses to be
drawn on the questions.
On Radio Five live on Sunday night the BBC assembled a panel
of experts to discuss the
matter. All were agreed on the fundamentals. Asian youth were
beyond criticism. Of
course. It was all the fault of 'the police, media, NF/BNP
white racism, and mainstream
politicians'. An Asian caller who disagreed with their
analysis, was shouted down.
One representative of the race industry, Maxi Hales a
spokesman for the Birmingham
Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit went as far as to venture some
solutions. Denying,
outright a suggestion from another caller that 'working class
whites shared similar
problems to blacks', Maxi pointed out that "poor whites have
600 MP's the army and
the navy to look after their interests. We have only ten,
when we need forty!" he
shouted.
When another caller spoke of the need for assimilation
another member of the BBC
panel muttered that "the notion of integration was
dangerous".
Repeated challenges from the presenter to the panel that
anti-racism had clearly "failed"
were side stepped.
After over an hour of hand-wringing and self congratulation,
Maxi summed up
proceedings by suggesting that education might indeed be the
solution, "but - only - if it
was race consciousness education."
Perhaps he even believes it. Who knows?
But as we all know there is a party standing in Oldham who
would heartily champion
such racially based 'solutions'. It is party equally
reluctant to 'criticise their own'. So for
them too, truth is a stranger. The difference is that they
have picked the winning side.
And what's more, the Socialist Alliance know it.
From: Harry Steele <formercommunists@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 00:38
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
There are certainly plenty of reports suggesting the NF or BNP played some
role in helping to provoke the rioting in Oldham. However that does not take
away the essential points raised by Red Action.
The fascists would not be able to light the spark if there was not
antagonism on the ground in the first place. The SA therefore was badly
wrong to say that the issue is simply racism not racial tensions.
I don't live in Oldham but I have spent most of my life in a town which has
many similar problems and actually has a much larger Pakistani community
than Oldham does.
The recent reports about racial attacks on whites have been treated as
though this is some new phenemonon - believe me it is not.
Among many cases a good friend of mine, certainly no racist, was
hospitalised nearly ten years ago after a random street beating from a
Pakistani gang where the only motive was race - it is by no means the only
case. In my home town there have been no-go areas for whites for at least a
decade - they developed while I was in my teens. I was stoned for entering
one at the age of 12.
Later I was involved in what was called anti-racist work among youth. Any
attempt to deal with the issue of Pakistani violence against whites was
dismissed by the local left and by (most of) the social workers.
Interestingly the only people willing to accept this was a problem were
certain Muslims and white youth who were not involved in local politics.
Most of the elders on the left thought we were a bit suspect for addressing
this issue - and so we quietly put it on one side as so many others did.
There was no difference between the Labour Party, the Lib Dems or the
radical left on the issue. The police knew what was going on but have been
doing a containment job in these towns for about 15 years. For the SA to
describe the police in towns such as Oldham as racist might sound radical
and win a few easy recruits but it is far too simplistic - we are not
talking about Brixton or Toxteth in the early eighties. Most white people
think that the police have been letting Pakistani youth get away with
actions that white youths would be banged up for without a second thought -
and they have a point.
The refusal of the left to address anti-social behaviour (by no means
limited to violence) among non-whites has created the sense of despair and
isolation which allows the BNP and others to begin to make inroads in
communities which were once solid socialist areas.
Red Action's critique of liberal anti-racism is accurate but it is simply
not enough for people on this list to mutter their agreement every time they
post something here.
In my opinion the only way to begin to undo the effect of this divisive
ideology is to rebuild the left at community level among the working class.
Not only does this require movement into the basics of pavement and dogshit
politics in order to win trust and respect as people who can get things
done, it requires an end to the sponsoring of religious leaders as
"community representatives", an end to the unwillingness to attack reaction
within Muslim communities and an end to all the liberal tokenism.
There are some voices within black communities who have begun to realise
that the race-relations industry has served only the educated aspiring black
middle class in the public sector. It is here that the common ground can be
found where the potential for really tackling racial tensions exists.
Offical anti-racism does nothing for the Pakistani girl working for peanuts
in sweat shops packing mars bars. It does nothing for the unemployed,
middle-aged Indian who worked in a closed down factory, or for his son who
faces training schemes and then low pay. In short it does nothing for
working class members of minority communities.
Nor of course does it do anything for the white working class. We all know
as socialists that the class interests of Pakistani lads and white lads are
the same. Why do we not take that as our starting point rather than focus on
the differences? Why not be the champions of unity against real problems?
The local Pakistani youth I worked with used to mock the "Steel Bands and
Samosas" approach to anti-racism. It pleased the religious leaders who are
happy to get their seats on public bodies and be patronised (in both senses
of the word) but it did not address the real issues facing Pakistani youth
nor did it in anyway at all 'educate' white racists. It was tokenistic
meangingless apolitical shite and most of us have participated in it.
But for a start the left should no longer be afraid to deal with
uncomfortable issues.
It is the denial of very real problems - lying in the name of anti-racism -
which makes it so bloody easy for the real racists.
When the left say that random anti-white violence is a legitimate response
to years of oppression they hand over another recruit to the BNP. When the
left shout racist at anyone who criticises anti-social behaviour among
Pakistanis they win more support to the BNP. If you call ordinary working
class people 'racists' long enough - it might just be dangerously
self-fulfilling.
Class unity should be our aim and it is class unity that will bring
different ethnic groups together more effectively than any of the official
liberal anti-racism.
HS
From: Jim Drysdale <jimd48@btinternet.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 01:19
From Jim Drysdale,
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
Harry, the ugly truth for the long fragmented left, (in which you played
your part) was that it was not united enough to offer truth to the working
class.
All of our youth deserve, from today's socialists, absolutely nothing but
the truth about the reality of capitalist society. With or without that
offering the up-and-coming generation will make their own progress. They
have more pain that unites them (and increasingly so) than anything else
that divides them. The generation that does overthrow capitalism may see us
as a hindrance to that process. I like to think that we are grown up enough
to realise that everything that we do from now on is just ground work for
that generation. And, that it starts with our youth.
Jim.
PS: TRUTH FOR OUR YOUTH (snappy...eh?)
From: td954905@student.paisley.ac.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 14:13
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
--- In UK_Left_Network@y..., "Harry Steele" <formercommunists@h...>
wrote:
"Most white people think that the police have been letting Pakistani
youth get away with actions that white youths would be banged up for
without a second thought - and they have a point.
The refusal of the left to address anti-social behaviour (by no means
limited to violence) among non-whites has created the sense of
despair and isolation which allows the BNP and others to begin to
make inroads in communities which were once solid socialist areas.
Red Action's critique of liberal anti-racism is accurate but it is
simply not enough for people on this list to mutter their agreement
every time they post something here."
That is a new low for you, Harry. Unlike the comrade who said he
agrees with Red Action on what has happened in Oldham 100%, I agree
with some, but by no means all, of what they say. And, although Harry
wants to give the impression that he is broadly sympathetic, he is
playing games. What a surprise.
Red Action were certainly correct to complain about the failure of
members of this list to discuss this issue, concentrating too much
over the weekend on making lame jokes about irrelevant sects instead.
We know that SA members and groups are divided amongst itself about
its attitude towards many of these questions. It is traditional for
parties fighting elections to sweep all such differences under the
carpet in the middle of an election campaign. I myself have advocated
doing this in the SSP as far as the national question is concerned, a
promise I intend to keep to for the next week. But what has happened
in Oldham must be debated. And Red Action should be congratulated for
dragging us into a debate we should have had several days ago.
Something Harry might want to bear in mind is that Red Action, SSP
comrades on this list (including myself), and many organisations
involved in the SA (first and foremost, the CPGB) have all criticised
those who chose not to stand a candidate against the BNP in Oldham.
By default, the SA have ended up calling for a vote for New Labour. I
knew this was a disaster waiting to happen, and what has happened in
the last week has confirmed my worse fears. White working class youth
suffering mass unemployment, rotten housing, no decent leisure
facilities will not be persuaded by a few SA leaflets telling them to
give a vote of confidence to a Blairite puppet. This is one of the
lessons Red Action tried to teach us. It is, however, the very
opposite of what Comrade Steele has been preaching. He denounces the
SA, precisely because it is not doing an Oldham everywhere!!! The
fascists dont have the confidence to stand candidates in Scotland,
precisely because, over a period of years, socialists have managed to
unite, establishing ourselves as *the* radical electoral alternative
to New Labour, and the SNP. Socialists in England should be
criticised for not getting their act together quickly enough. They
have to accept responsibility for letting the BNP exploit
opportunities in rundown places like Oldham. Still, better late than
never. Harry hates the SA precisely because it has begun to emulate
the best part of what the SSP has done over the years.
Harry should not be expecting many on this list to endorse his
obnoxious defense of the police banging up even more asian youth. Red
Action will be embarrased by any association with such right-wing
views. But I am surprised to find so many people on this list (in
particular Red Action) refusing to appreciate the distinction between
the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressor. There may
well be arbitrary violence committed by a few asians against whites:
no one can deny that this happens. Such violence is deplorable. But
it is so in the same way that such violence was so when committed
against innocent white south africans, Isreali jews, Ulster
protestants etc, etc, etc. We have to place such random violence by
asian youths into a proper context. Unless we are prepared to
recognise such counterproductive explosions of anger as an
understandable but completely misdirected reaction to the racism that
has blighted their lives and that of their families for decades, then
we throw away the prospect of winning them to a united class
fightback against the system that breeds racism.
James Tait and the article he forwarded from No Platform went some
way to providing balance in their attitude towards the Oldham events.
They contained some good arguments for establishing class unity. In
complete contrast, Red Action's statements have attemptd to be even-
handedness towards the white youths stirred up by the NF, BNP and
Combat 18. This is simply provocative. We do need to open up a
debate. But let's not come across as appologists for white racists.
Comradely,
Tom Delargy
From: ernestolynch2000@yahoo.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 17:05
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
Thanks for continuing this debate, Tom because it is
crucial. I am the one who "muttered" to your chagrin,
his support 100% for RA's views on this.
Many people on the left are tainted by some inverted
racism which causes them to deny that there will be
racial bigots from all sections of our community - white,
West Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Indian, African or
whoever. To lump all the rioters in Oldham as "Asian
youth" on a par with the Intifada is racist in a naive
way. Most were bored kids enjoying a ruck. There are as many attacks
on Hindus and Sikhs by
Muslim bigots (and vice-versa) as those that involve
English bigots, proportionally. The recent trouble in
Lidget Green in Bradford started as an attack by a few
Pakistani youths on an Indian wedding party in a pub.
We should be focussing on uniting everyone as a Class,
not by "race". Do not fall into the old divide and rule
trick being perpetrated by opportunist fascists and
unwittingly by liberal press and commentators.
Unemployment is huge in Oldham (in "both" communities)
and to deny it and say it just affects "Asian" areas is
racist. We are in danger of both sections of the town
falling to bigots and right-wing extremists.
Yes the SA should have stood in the area - but it should
have tackled the fascists head on instead of seeming
to be on one side and not the other.
I read with interest the statement from "No Platform" - I hope
they do not consist of just student adventurists. I would
like some views of the Oldham working class (Asian and English)
as well.
For class solidarity.
From: Harry Steele <formercommunists@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 20:32
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
You somewhat missed the point of my contribution to the discussion of the
issues arising from Oldham - it had nothing to do with election candidates
which on the whole I think are irrelevant to this debate.
As far as the SA standing or not in Oldham it had no effect on the riots and
given the nature of the SA/ANL comments in the wake of the riots I doubt
that it would have made much difference electorally either.
The SA took the same position as Blair anyway - blaming it all on the
fascists and ingoring the crises in towns like Oldham and the root causes of
the very real racial tensions.
In fact the SA went as far as to say there were no racial tensions in
Oldham, so god knows what sort of election campaign they would have run if
they had stood.
My point about people just muttering agreement with Red Action was that
there is no sign yet of the SA actually taking on board any of the
criticisms they and others have made of conventional anti-racist strategies
that have clearly led the left up the wrong path.
"Harry should not be expecting many on this list to endorse his
>obnoxious defense of the police banging up even more asian youth. Red
>Action will be embarrased by any association with such right-wing
>views."
What are you on about Tom? When I referred to the police I was making the
point that while the SA bang on about the racist police in Oldham, many
local people actually think the police treat minorities with kid gloves
compared to white youth. So any left arguement that focuses solely on police
racism is going to ring a bit hollow in those communities.
"But I am surprised to find so many people on this list (in
>particular Red Action) refusing to appreciate the distinction between
>the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressor.
Who are the oppressors in this situation Tom?
There may
>well be arbitrary violence committed by a few asians against whites:
>no one can deny that this happens."
Good. That is a start.
"Such violence is deplorable. But it is so in the same way that such
violence was so when committed
>against innocent white south africans, Isreali jews, Ulster
>protestants etc, etc, etc."
Are you seriously comparing the white working class of Oldham to white South
Africans, Israeli settlers or the Orange Order? How the hell are the working
class oppressing the Pakistanis or the Bangladeshis? They are both being
oppressed by the ruling class in my book, and that was my whole point.
"We have to place such random violence by
>asian youths into a proper context. Unless we are prepared to
>recognise such counterproductive explosions of anger as an
>understandable but completely misdirected reaction to the racism that
>has blighted their lives and that of their families for decades, then
>we throw away the prospect of winning them to a united class
>fightback against the system that breeds racism."
There is nothing understandable about beating up people because of the
colour of their skin, Tom.
As long as the left makes excuses for this kind of behaviour then there is
no hope of any kind of unity.
I know a few "militant Asian youth" from my youth and none of them would
justify such actions.
Yes it was hypocritical of the media to jump on the beating up of the white
pensioner. But it was also just as hypocritical of the SA/ANL to try and
pretend it was only an isolated incident and wasn't at all motivated by
race.
Can you imagine the reaction if an Asian pensioner had been battered by
white youths and people said "It wasn't a race attack, it was just a few
idiots, nothing to worry about".
Perhaps if the left had organised a "Stop The Violence" demo after the
beating up of the pensioner, calling for an end to violence on both sides,
they might have won some respect. Frankly I find the SA/ANL's position on
that issue to be utterly repugnant.
"James Tait and the article he forwarded from No Platform went some
>way to providing balance in their attitude towards the Oldham events.
>They contained some good arguments for establishing class unity. In
>complete contrast, Red Action's statements have attemptd to be even-
>handedness towards the white youths stirred up by the NF, BNP and
>Combat 18. This is simply provocative. We do need to open up a
>debate. But let's not come across as appologists for white racists."
Whose apologising for white racists? Red Action certainly haven't, but they
can defend their own position. As far as I am concerned I stated here last
night that the BNP and NF should be oppossed physically. They weren't though
were they? Where were the heroes of the ANL at the weekend? In fact as James
Tait suggested if a bunch of students from Manchester Poly had turned out to
line up with the Asian youth the results may have hammered home the
realities of the situation to them very forcefully indeed.
To go back to my main point again - the left needs to change strategy not
particularly in terms of elections (that you seem so obsessed with Tom) but
in terms of regaining the streets. The fact that the BNP and NF can operate
so easily in these towns shows the state of the left after decades of
decline.
The BNP and NF target disillusioned white youth. The left ignores or insults
them. That has to change.
HS
From: "Lawrie Coombs" <redlorry30s@h...>
Date: Sat May 26, 2001 9:58 pm
Subject: SA candidates attacked by nazis
>From: Anna Chen <a.chen@v...>
>Reply-To: socialistalliance_press@yahoogroups.com
>To: Recipient List Suppressed:;
>Subject: [socialistalliance_press] SA candidates attacked by nazis
>Date: Sat, 26 May 2001 20:24:36 +0100
>
>Socialist Alliance (SA)
>PO Box 121, Coventry, CV1 5DA
>Wickham House, 10 Cleveland Way, London E1 4TR
>Phone: 0207 536 9696 or 020 7791 3138
>email: main.office@l...
><http://www.socialistalliance.net>www.socialistalliance.net
>
>MEDIA RELEASE: Saturday 26 May 2001
>FROM: Anna Chen - SA press officer
>Phone: 0207 916 2308 Mobile: 07961 144905 Email: a.chen@v...
>Steve Godward, SA candidate for Birmingham Erdington: 07958 215584
>
>
>* Socialist Alliance candidates attacked by nazis
>
>Two Socialist Alliance (SA) candidates and their supporters were
>today attacked by a National Front gang while out campaigning in
>Birmingham.
>
>The fifteen-strong mob pounced on the Socialist Alliance stall in
>Hawthorn Road after unfurling St George's Cross flags and yelling
>"Communists" and other epithets. They then grabbed the SA banner,
>hitting a diminutive, middle-aged bespectacled SA supporter with an
>eight foot wooden pole, and overturned a nearby Anti Nazi League
>stall. The Socialist Alliance responded with an adrenalin-pumped
>chant of "Nazi scum off our streets".
>
>SA candidates Steve Godward (Birmingham Erdington) and Caroline
>Johnson (Birmingham Perry Barr) were unhurt, although a black woman
>and her children who had been talking to the SA just before the
>attack were terrified, and an Iranian refugee supporter was badly
>shaken.
>
>"Mainstream parties' attacks on asylum seekers are fuelling the
>climate of racism which allows the nazis to carry out attacks like
>this in broad daylight," said Steve Godward who works as a
>firefighter in Birmingham. "This attack comes in the same weekend as
>both Shiblu Rahman's funeral in east London and the Gay Pride demo in
>Birmingham. The same people who blew up the Admiral Duncan pub are
>given comfort and succour by politicians, the worst of the media, and
>the police."
>
>Steve described how two vanloads of police - some in 'stab-jackets' -
>arrived and then stood with the nazis. "A sergeant refused to take
>any action, insisting that as no-one was marked, no-one could be
>arrested even though we know that Delroy Lindo was famously arrested
>for 'sucking his teeth in an aggressive manner'. Another officer
>defended the nazis' right to march through Birmingham next Saturday.
>
>"The mask has slipped - the nazis exposed themselves. Everyone saw
>it. People came out of shops and gave us warmth and support having
>witnessed what these nazis are really like. This is how they view
>democracy.
>
>"We kept the police informed after several intimidating incidents
>recently but to no avail. We will be seeking legal advice on this
>assault on two respectable candidates engaged in the democratic
>electoral process."
>
>Shiblu Rahman's family have decided to have a public funeral in order
>that the local community can join together in unity and make a stand
>against racism.
>DATE: SUNDAY 27TH MAY
>ASSEMBLE: 2pm at Stepney Green Park, Stepney Way (nearest tube
>Stepney Green)
>
>Anti Nazi Demonstration Saturday 2 June.
>Assemble 11am, corner Streetley Road and Marsh Lane, Stockland Green,
>Birmingham.
>
>EDITORS' NOTES
>
>1) Steve Godward, SA candidate for Birmingham Erdington: 07958 215584
>
>2) Socialist Alliance, national press officer - Anna Chen.
>Phone: 0207 916 2308 Mobile: 07961 144905 Email: a.chen@v...
>
>3) Cllr Dave Nellist, National Chair, The Socialist Alliance
>Email dave@n... (h) 024 7622 9311 (m) 07970 294 237 (fax) 08700 560
>199
>
>4) The Socialist Alliance (SA) in England, the Welsh Socialist
>Alliance (WSA) and the Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) combined will
>be standing in nearly 170 constituencies in the General Election,
>including challenges to at least 20 ministers. The Socialist Alliance
>supports a major shift in wealth and power from the global companies
>and millionaires that support New Labour and the Tories to working
>people. The Socialist Alliance is supported by, amongst others,
>investigative journalist Paul Foot, broadcaster and writer Jeremy
>Hardy, and actor Ricky Tomlinson.
From: gary_ohalloran@yahoo.co.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 22:05
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: SA candidates attacked by nazis
What a press release by the SA! Absolutely unbelievable! You
genuinely couldn't make it up. It's beyond satire. Who do they
possibly think they are addressing?
NF attack in "broad daylight": socialist respond with "adrenalin
pumped chants". That should deter them in future.
Police inaction: when "we all know that Delroy Lindo was famously
arrested for sucking his teeth".
'Nazi public relations disaster': "the mask has slipped the Nazis
exposed themselves".
What? Even more than they did when attempting to wipe out the Jews?
The clincher: "the same people who bombed the Admiral Duncan are
being given succour by the politicians media and police".
Out to lunch.
A note of caution to members of the SA who might expect the SWP/ANL
to change tack, learn from the incident, or generally review security?
Don't hold your breath. Between 1990 and 1994, both before and
particularly after the launch of the ANL the SWP took a fearsome
beating from the BNP. Indeed the very first outing of the ANL in the
east End of London was an absolute disaster with groups of ANL
repeatedly attacked badly beaten and stabbed. Thereafter hardly a
week went by without news of another demo/stall/papersale being
turned over. Had the BNP, themselves under an even more ferocious
onslaught from AFA, not thrown in the towel at the beginning of 1994,
then it is extremely likely someone from the ANL/SWP would have been
killed. The strategy of the SWP central committe? Pretend it wasn't
happening? If reports were carried in Socialist Worker it generally
referred to the victims as 'socialists' only. The primary concern
appeared to be to conceal the level of violence from its own
membership. Lest that by admitting the scale and increasing ferocity
of the assaults would place a demand on them do something about it.
So they did nothing. Their attitude toward the resultant turn over in
own membership appeared to be: 'plenty more where they came from'.
If the situation arises will the SA membership prove as sanguine? I
think not.
NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
From: Red Action <bryantnicholas@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 21:28
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
This is from the Red Action website. http://www.redaction.org/
NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
23rd May '01
Yesterday as the Tories stepped up their attack on Labour's
tax plans, William Hague announced that Gordon Brown's refusal 'to rule out
scrapping the national insurance ceiling altogether, meant four million
people are now faced with the prospect of effectively paying income tax at
50%'. In real terms what Hague means is that those on an income of over
30,000 would be invited to pay more in tax.
The Tory estimate was that 4 million people would be directly
affected by any such move by Labour. Pressing home the advantage Michael
Portillo, when interviewed on Newsnight described Labour 'plans' as an
attack on 'the middle income, middle Britain,
the middle class'. What is interesting about Tory calculations is that not
only do they believe anyone earning over 30,000 is middle class, but that
in a country of over 60 million only 4 million,less than 10% fall into such
a category. Of course not everyone is earning, so allowing for spouses and
offspring this puts the total membership of the middle class somewhere in
the region of 20% to 25% of the population.
Take off 5% for the super rich and this leaves an
overwhelming 70% as working class, even in Tory eyes. It is particularly
remarkable since, not so long ago, New Labour were
busy informing us that 'we are all middle class now'. In reality of course
what makes 'Middle Britain' so attractive and important to politicians is
that it is this strata of society, even though a minority, which more than
any other is likely to vote. The paradox is, that even as increasing number
of the working class stop voting, because of this orientation by the two
major parties, the political choice narrows rather than increases.
Some estimates suggest that the voter turn-out may this fall
below 60%. Of the 40% not taking part the vast majority will be working
class. This 60-40 split is funnily enough, precisely the economic reform
needed to stabilise society that was recomended to Pinochet after the coup
in Chile in 1973. The basic idea was that the regime would bribe an
additional 30% of the population with money not
taken from the rich, but from the bottom 40%. This bribing of the upper
working and lower middle class would, it was felt, deliver both economic
stability and majority democratic support for the regime.
In Britain it was called Thatcherism. It is the same ideology
New Labour subscribe to. However the onus is all on Gordon Brown to raise
revenue. Mainly because after a quarter of a century of Thatcherism the
basic infrastructure - roads, railways, schools, pensions, health
service is collapsing. While the working class have been 'squeezed until you
can hear the pips squeak'. Of course for New Labour any taxing of the really
rich is out of the question. And while
Brown might dare trifle with middle classes National Insurance
contributions,the revenue raised as estimated at 1 billion a year, would
only buy time. Unable to penalise the working classes for economic reasons
and the middle classes for political ones, New
Labour will in reality be forced to privatise practically everything. Post
office, Fire Brigade, even air traffic control. The big question is once
that's been spunked on maintaining majority support for the Chile experiment
what then?
The constant attack on civil liberties, the right to jury
trial,the right to assembly,along with the steady militarisation of the
police may offer some indications on how a pragmatic establishment
really see the endgame. One way or the other the endgame is in sight.
From: meberry68@hotmail.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 21:30
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
A couple of problems with the above analysis.
The privatisation of everything is a theoretical impossibility. Why?
If the working class constitute 70-80% of capitalist Britain one
cannot charge them for sending their kids to school, or to go to the
hospital. Not enough surplus capital exist to go around.
The destruction of the capitalist nation state is far more
complicated than even the Adam Smith Institute realise.
We are heading into an economic abyss whose only way out for the
capitalist class is dictatorial measures. But that doesn't solve the
contradiction it only heightens it. Capitalist deregulation may
provide a unique opportunity for the labour movement to campaign on
workers ownership and expropriation of the means of production. Not
capitalist re-nationalisations or more privatisation, but workers
control through workers power.
meberry68
From: ernestolynch2000@yahoo.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 22:17
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
Meberry wrote on 29 May regarding RA's comment on the sell-off of
our public services:
> A couple of problems with the above analysis.
> The privatisation of everything is a theoretical impossibility.
Why?
> If the working class constitute 70-80% of capitalist Britain one
> cannot charge them for sending their kids to school, or to go to
the
> hospital. Not enough surplus capital exist to go around.
New Labour/WTO/IMF or whoever it is in charge know they will not
charge us to send our kids to school or hospital. It'll come from
more regressive taxes to pay for the shareholders dividends in WS
Atkins, Nord Anglia, Tarmac and the other education privateers a la
Railtrack. Same with this "Stakeholder Pensions" bullshit being
touted by various insurance companies with their fingers in the
privatisation pie.
The End Game is in sight - no democratic control over services, no
more LEAs, local councils replaced by Quangos, advisers and
consultants creaming it in and the rich getting off scot-free from
taxation.
Off on a tangent slightly , anyone here have any info on that
big "Super ship" being built for the rich elite to live in and sail
around the world? (Sounds way off the track but I just remembered
about it from one of those crappily written Sunday Times articles)
Regards
From: Jim Drysdale <jimd48@btinternet.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 22:59
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: NEW LABOUR : 'ENDGAME IN SIGHT'
From Jim Drysdale.
SNIP>Off on a tangent slightly , anyone here have any info on that
big "Super ship" being built for the rich elite to live in and sail
around the world?
***** is that the big ship that can never come to port?
***** And, agreed, the end game is in sight. Millions of long gone
socialists (and decent non socialists) would
just love to be with us to see the bastard's squirm.
***** frequently, I see the image of the bumbling old fool pulling the
strings behind the curtain in The Wizard of Oz.
Jim.
BNP PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
From: MH Dasein <mhdasein@yahoo.com>
To: uk_left_network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 21:57
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Fwd: PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
This is what the BNP have put out about last nights'
riots.
Comradely,
Phil Hamilton
> > BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY -
> >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > BRITISH NATIONAL PARTY - PUBLICITY DEPARTMENT -
> > PRESS RELEASE
> > 27th May 2001
> > Release - Immediate
> >
>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> >
> > Media bias pours fuel on racial tensions in Oldham
> >
> > British National Party activists electioneering on
> > white estates in Oldham this morning are finding
> > growing anger among local residents over the
> extreme
> > anti-white bias shown in TV and radio news reports
> > in the aftermath of last night's anti-white riots
> by
> > hundreds of Asian racists. "They burst into pubs
> and
> > beat up people having a quiet pint, they throw
> > bricks and petrol bombs at our pubs and at white
> > homes, they burn out our cars and attack people in
> > the street - but all we see on telly is Asian
> > 'community leaders' saying that it's all our
> fault."
> >
> >
> > This is the kind of response that BNP campaigners
> > are getting on doorstep after doorstep. An
> alarming
> > number - especially the younger people discussing
> > last night's events on street corners or as they
> > head to pubs for a drink at lunchtime - are saying
> > that if that's where rioting gets the Asians, then
> > it's time for white people to do the same. BNP
> > activists are calling for calm, and the party will
> > later today start a campaign calling on people to
> > protest against Asian racism peacefully, by
> > boycotting Asian businesses, rather than by
> > confrontation and violence.
> >
> > The party's Oldham Organiser, local minicab driver
> > Mick Treacy, has also urged broadcast journalists
> > covering the story to give a "fair crack of the
> > whip" to the only spokesmen for the majority
> > community - the British National Party. "Biased
> > reports that don't give white people the chance to
> > see articulate spokesmen giving their side of
> events
> > are alienating young whites from the political
> > process and making the argument that violence is
> > 'the only way' more and more attractive. The media
> > have a duty to let us speak for our community and
> to
> > call for calm peaceful protest. If they fail in
> that
> > duty, they will be pouring fuel on the fires of
> > racial hatred in our town."
> >
> > More information:
> > Mick Treacy 0161 287 5153 or 0779 912 6625
> > Nick Griffin 01938 820560 or 0771 808 3579
> >
> >
> >
>
From: gary_ohalloran@yahoo.co.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 27 May 2001 22:21
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: Fwd: PRESS RELEASE - OLDHAM RIOTS
What is the Socialist Alliance position on events in Oldham over the
last couple of months?
Is the SA standing against Griffin in Oldham?
Is the official rise in race attacks nationally still believed to be
solely down to 'greater confidence' after Macpherson?
Is dropping the celebration of Easter for Divali or Ramadam a good
idea?
Is multiculturalism a good idea?
Whose idea was it anyway?
Is anti-racism working?
Does the ANL still believe the NF carries a greater political threat
than the BNP?
SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
From: Red Action <bryantnicholas@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 29 May 2001 20:12
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
From the Red Action Website newspage.
SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT RIOTS IN OLDHAM
29th April '01
As in war truth is often the first casualty in politics. As
is usually the case observers
appear to pick a side, and then pick a target. And there has
been no shortage of targets
to carry the can for the Oldham riots. Every target that is
but the real one.
Lib Dems rather ludicrously tried to pin all the blame on
William Hague. Mainstream
liberals (with a small l) tried fingering 'heavy handed
policing'.
Overwhelming favourite among 'community leaders' is that, as
in Bradford,'outside
agigators' in the shape of 'supporters of the National Front'
were the sole cause of the
trouble.
Perhaps all shades of opinion believe that if they repeat it
often enough, the ugly
unpalatable facts need not be faced. Or that white public
opinion, which is rarely quoted,
will be similarily convinced. Fat chance.
Lack of candour and the tip-toeing around the issue in 'a
liberal cringe' can do nothing
but boost support for far-right solutions generally, and the
BNP who are standing in the
election there specifically.
Which is why Independent columnist Alibahai Ba Brown is
surely right when she
comments: "I am not one of those hypocrites who cry foul when
white racism is in the
news but crawl under rocks when they are called upon to
criticize their own."
This refreshing honesty is in marked contrast to the
Socialist Alliance (SA) which
described apparently indiscriminate, random, and therefore by
any objective definition,
racist attacks by Pakistani youth on a series of pubs in the
area as "completely
understandable". Does this 'understanding' also stretch to
the Muslim attacks on Hindus I
wonder?
As well as calling for the resignation of the chief
constable, the media are also lambasted
as "shameful" for their highlighting of what the SA refers to
as an "isolated attack" on a
white pensioner. It is true that the Walter Chamberlain case
made headlines, but that is
mainly because it seemed to bear out rumours of 'no- go
areas' for whites in the town.
Moreover, while the Socialist Alliance seek to deny that the
attack was racially
motivated, they do not even attempt to suggest what else
might have provoked it. Even
more risible is the SA pretence that unprovoked Asian on
white attacks were practically
unheard of prior to the Walter Chamberlain incident, when in
reality the talk in Oldham
has often revolved around just that topic, for months if not
years.
Records show that police statistics which first showed Asians
as the principle
perpetrators in *reported* acts of racial violence, stretches
back to 1993. The disbelief
with which the liberal left greet such figures tends to
suggest they actualy believe working
class Asians to be incapable of such behaviour. The SA
respond by denouncing the
Oldham police as uniquely racist and calling for the top
coppers head. However, similar
'Asian on white' statistics have been compiled on the Isle of
Dogs by Tower Hamlets
council. Is Tower Hamlets also uniquely racist?
Equally, while the initial attack on the ironically named
'Live and Let Live' pub is being
broadly justified across the media on the grounds that it was
where some 'National Front
were rumoured to have taken refuge', no explanation
whatsoever is forthcoming for the
further attacks on the Westwood pub in nearby Chadderton, the
Dog Inn, the Welcome,
the Honeywell Arms, and the Junction on the edge of the
Glodwick neighbourhood.
Do the Socialist Alliance warmly approve of these attacks as
well? The answer
presumably is yes.
Tellingly, the Socialist Alliance despite boasting over 100
candidates, is not standing in
Oldham. By seeming to duck the challenge of the BNP, as it
infamously did in Beckton,
and more recently Bermondsey, in addition to hypocrisy, the
Socialist Alliance leaves it
itself open to the charge of cowardice as well.
It is also noticeable, that on the UK Left discussion site
which is generally seen as a
Socialist Alliance site, despite the Oldham riots making
national headlines everywhere
else, up to 9pm on Monday night, apart from the posting of a
news item and the Socialist
Alliance press release, there had been only one posting on
the subject.
And that from a Red Action supporter.
One of the possible reasons for the bizarre 'hear no evil,
see no evil' stance is that,
hypocrisy apart, liberal anti-racism has no answers and so
instinctively refuses to be
drawn on the questions.
On Radio Five live on Sunday night the BBC assembled a panel
of experts to discuss the
matter. All were agreed on the fundamentals. Asian youth were
beyond criticism. Of
course. It was all the fault of 'the police, media, NF/BNP
white racism, and mainstream
politicians'. An Asian caller who disagreed with their
analysis, was shouted down.
One representative of the race industry, Maxi Hales a
spokesman for the Birmingham
Racial Attacks Monitoring Unit went as far as to venture some
solutions. Denying,
outright a suggestion from another caller that 'working class
whites shared similar
problems to blacks', Maxi pointed out that "poor whites have
600 MP's the army and
the navy to look after their interests. We have only ten,
when we need forty!" he
shouted.
When another caller spoke of the need for assimilation
another member of the BBC
panel muttered that "the notion of integration was
dangerous".
Repeated challenges from the presenter to the panel that
anti-racism had clearly "failed"
were side stepped.
After over an hour of hand-wringing and self congratulation,
Maxi summed up
proceedings by suggesting that education might indeed be the
solution, "but - only - if it
was race consciousness education."
Perhaps he even believes it. Who knows?
But as we all know there is a party standing in Oldham who
would heartily champion
such racially based 'solutions'. It is party equally
reluctant to 'criticise their own'. So for
them too, truth is a stranger. The difference is that they
have picked the winning side.
And what's more, the Socialist Alliance know it.
From: Harry Steele <formercommunists@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 00:38
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
There are certainly plenty of reports suggesting the NF or BNP played some
role in helping to provoke the rioting in Oldham. However that does not take
away the essential points raised by Red Action.
The fascists would not be able to light the spark if there was not
antagonism on the ground in the first place. The SA therefore was badly
wrong to say that the issue is simply racism not racial tensions.
I don't live in Oldham but I have spent most of my life in a town which has
many similar problems and actually has a much larger Pakistani community
than Oldham does.
The recent reports about racial attacks on whites have been treated as
though this is some new phenemonon - believe me it is not.
Among many cases a good friend of mine, certainly no racist, was
hospitalised nearly ten years ago after a random street beating from a
Pakistani gang where the only motive was race - it is by no means the only
case. In my home town there have been no-go areas for whites for at least a
decade - they developed while I was in my teens. I was stoned for entering
one at the age of 12.
Later I was involved in what was called anti-racist work among youth. Any
attempt to deal with the issue of Pakistani violence against whites was
dismissed by the local left and by (most of) the social workers.
Interestingly the only people willing to accept this was a problem were
certain Muslims and white youth who were not involved in local politics.
Most of the elders on the left thought we were a bit suspect for addressing
this issue - and so we quietly put it on one side as so many others did.
There was no difference between the Labour Party, the Lib Dems or the
radical left on the issue. The police knew what was going on but have been
doing a containment job in these towns for about 15 years. For the SA to
describe the police in towns such as Oldham as racist might sound radical
and win a few easy recruits but it is far too simplistic - we are not
talking about Brixton or Toxteth in the early eighties. Most white people
think that the police have been letting Pakistani youth get away with
actions that white youths would be banged up for without a second thought -
and they have a point.
The refusal of the left to address anti-social behaviour (by no means
limited to violence) among non-whites has created the sense of despair and
isolation which allows the BNP and others to begin to make inroads in
communities which were once solid socialist areas.
Red Action's critique of liberal anti-racism is accurate but it is simply
not enough for people on this list to mutter their agreement every time they
post something here.
In my opinion the only way to begin to undo the effect of this divisive
ideology is to rebuild the left at community level among the working class.
Not only does this require movement into the basics of pavement and dogshit
politics in order to win trust and respect as people who can get things
done, it requires an end to the sponsoring of religious leaders as
"community representatives", an end to the unwillingness to attack reaction
within Muslim communities and an end to all the liberal tokenism.
There are some voices within black communities who have begun to realise
that the race-relations industry has served only the educated aspiring black
middle class in the public sector. It is here that the common ground can be
found where the potential for really tackling racial tensions exists.
Offical anti-racism does nothing for the Pakistani girl working for peanuts
in sweat shops packing mars bars. It does nothing for the unemployed,
middle-aged Indian who worked in a closed down factory, or for his son who
faces training schemes and then low pay. In short it does nothing for
working class members of minority communities.
Nor of course does it do anything for the white working class. We all know
as socialists that the class interests of Pakistani lads and white lads are
the same. Why do we not take that as our starting point rather than focus on
the differences? Why not be the champions of unity against real problems?
The local Pakistani youth I worked with used to mock the "Steel Bands and
Samosas" approach to anti-racism. It pleased the religious leaders who are
happy to get their seats on public bodies and be patronised (in both senses
of the word) but it did not address the real issues facing Pakistani youth
nor did it in anyway at all 'educate' white racists. It was tokenistic
meangingless apolitical shite and most of us have participated in it.
But for a start the left should no longer be afraid to deal with
uncomfortable issues.
It is the denial of very real problems - lying in the name of anti-racism -
which makes it so bloody easy for the real racists.
When the left say that random anti-white violence is a legitimate response
to years of oppression they hand over another recruit to the BNP. When the
left shout racist at anyone who criticises anti-social behaviour among
Pakistanis they win more support to the BNP. If you call ordinary working
class people 'racists' long enough - it might just be dangerously
self-fulfilling.
Class unity should be our aim and it is class unity that will bring
different ethnic groups together more effectively than any of the official
liberal anti-racism.
HS
From: Jim Drysdale <jimd48@btinternet.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 01:19
From Jim Drysdale,
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
Harry, the ugly truth for the long fragmented left, (in which you played
your part) was that it was not united enough to offer truth to the working
class.
All of our youth deserve, from today's socialists, absolutely nothing but
the truth about the reality of capitalist society. With or without that
offering the up-and-coming generation will make their own progress. They
have more pain that unites them (and increasingly so) than anything else
that divides them. The generation that does overthrow capitalism may see us
as a hindrance to that process. I like to think that we are grown up enough
to realise that everything that we do from now on is just ground work for
that generation. And, that it starts with our youth.
Jim.
PS: TRUTH FOR OUR YOUTH (snappy...eh?)
From: td954905@student.paisley.ac.uk
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 14:13
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
--- In UK_Left_Network@y..., "Harry Steele" <formercommunists@h...>
wrote:
"Most white people think that the police have been letting Pakistani
youth get away with actions that white youths would be banged up for
without a second thought - and they have a point.
The refusal of the left to address anti-social behaviour (by no means
limited to violence) among non-whites has created the sense of
despair and isolation which allows the BNP and others to begin to
make inroads in communities which were once solid socialist areas.
Red Action's critique of liberal anti-racism is accurate but it is
simply not enough for people on this list to mutter their agreement
every time they post something here."
That is a new low for you, Harry. Unlike the comrade who said he
agrees with Red Action on what has happened in Oldham 100%, I agree
with some, but by no means all, of what they say. And, although Harry
wants to give the impression that he is broadly sympathetic, he is
playing games. What a surprise.
Red Action were certainly correct to complain about the failure of
members of this list to discuss this issue, concentrating too much
over the weekend on making lame jokes about irrelevant sects instead.
We know that SA members and groups are divided amongst itself about
its attitude towards many of these questions. It is traditional for
parties fighting elections to sweep all such differences under the
carpet in the middle of an election campaign. I myself have advocated
doing this in the SSP as far as the national question is concerned, a
promise I intend to keep to for the next week. But what has happened
in Oldham must be debated. And Red Action should be congratulated for
dragging us into a debate we should have had several days ago.
Something Harry might want to bear in mind is that Red Action, SSP
comrades on this list (including myself), and many organisations
involved in the SA (first and foremost, the CPGB) have all criticised
those who chose not to stand a candidate against the BNP in Oldham.
By default, the SA have ended up calling for a vote for New Labour. I
knew this was a disaster waiting to happen, and what has happened in
the last week has confirmed my worse fears. White working class youth
suffering mass unemployment, rotten housing, no decent leisure
facilities will not be persuaded by a few SA leaflets telling them to
give a vote of confidence to a Blairite puppet. This is one of the
lessons Red Action tried to teach us. It is, however, the very
opposite of what Comrade Steele has been preaching. He denounces the
SA, precisely because it is not doing an Oldham everywhere!!! The
fascists dont have the confidence to stand candidates in Scotland,
precisely because, over a period of years, socialists have managed to
unite, establishing ourselves as *the* radical electoral alternative
to New Labour, and the SNP. Socialists in England should be
criticised for not getting their act together quickly enough. They
have to accept responsibility for letting the BNP exploit
opportunities in rundown places like Oldham. Still, better late than
never. Harry hates the SA precisely because it has begun to emulate
the best part of what the SSP has done over the years.
Harry should not be expecting many on this list to endorse his
obnoxious defense of the police banging up even more asian youth. Red
Action will be embarrased by any association with such right-wing
views. But I am surprised to find so many people on this list (in
particular Red Action) refusing to appreciate the distinction between
the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressor. There may
well be arbitrary violence committed by a few asians against whites:
no one can deny that this happens. Such violence is deplorable. But
it is so in the same way that such violence was so when committed
against innocent white south africans, Isreali jews, Ulster
protestants etc, etc, etc. We have to place such random violence by
asian youths into a proper context. Unless we are prepared to
recognise such counterproductive explosions of anger as an
understandable but completely misdirected reaction to the racism that
has blighted their lives and that of their families for decades, then
we throw away the prospect of winning them to a united class
fightback against the system that breeds racism.
James Tait and the article he forwarded from No Platform went some
way to providing balance in their attitude towards the Oldham events.
They contained some good arguments for establishing class unity. In
complete contrast, Red Action's statements have attemptd to be even-
handedness towards the white youths stirred up by the NF, BNP and
Combat 18. This is simply provocative. We do need to open up a
debate. But let's not come across as appologists for white racists.
Comradely,
Tom Delargy
From: ernestolynch2000@yahoo.com
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 17:05
Subject: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
Thanks for continuing this debate, Tom because it is
crucial. I am the one who "muttered" to your chagrin,
his support 100% for RA's views on this.
Many people on the left are tainted by some inverted
racism which causes them to deny that there will be
racial bigots from all sections of our community - white,
West Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, Indian, African or
whoever. To lump all the rioters in Oldham as "Asian
youth" on a par with the Intifada is racist in a naive
way. Most were bored kids enjoying a ruck. There are as many attacks
on Hindus and Sikhs by
Muslim bigots (and vice-versa) as those that involve
English bigots, proportionally. The recent trouble in
Lidget Green in Bradford started as an attack by a few
Pakistani youths on an Indian wedding party in a pub.
We should be focussing on uniting everyone as a Class,
not by "race". Do not fall into the old divide and rule
trick being perpetrated by opportunist fascists and
unwittingly by liberal press and commentators.
Unemployment is huge in Oldham (in "both" communities)
and to deny it and say it just affects "Asian" areas is
racist. We are in danger of both sections of the town
falling to bigots and right-wing extremists.
Yes the SA should have stood in the area - but it should
have tackled the fascists head on instead of seeming
to be on one side and not the other.
I read with interest the statement from "No Platform" - I hope
they do not consist of just student adventurists. I would
like some views of the Oldham working class (Asian and English)
as well.
For class solidarity.
From: Harry Steele <formercommunists@hotmail.com>
To: UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com
Date: 30 May 2001 20:32
Subject: Re: [UK_Left_Network] Re: [UK_Left_Network SOME UGLY TRUTHS ABOUT THE RIOTS IN OLDHAM
You somewhat missed the point of my contribution to the discussion of the
issues arising from Oldham - it had nothing to do with election candidates
which on the whole I think are irrelevant to this debate.
As far as the SA standing or not in Oldham it had no effect on the riots and
given the nature of the SA/ANL comments in the wake of the riots I doubt
that it would have made much difference electorally either.
The SA took the same position as Blair anyway - blaming it all on the
fascists and ingoring the crises in towns like Oldham and the root causes of
the very real racial tensions.
In fact the SA went as far as to say there were no racial tensions in
Oldham, so god knows what sort of election campaign they would have run if
they had stood.
My point about people just muttering agreement with Red Action was that
there is no sign yet of the SA actually taking on board any of the
criticisms they and others have made of conventional anti-racist strategies
that have clearly led the left up the wrong path.
"Harry should not be expecting many on this list to endorse his
>obnoxious defense of the police banging up even more asian youth. Red
>Action will be embarrased by any association with such right-wing
>views."
What are you on about Tom? When I referred to the police I was making the
point that while the SA bang on about the racist police in Oldham, many
local people actually think the police treat minorities with kid gloves
compared to white youth. So any left arguement that focuses solely on police
racism is going to ring a bit hollow in those communities.
"But I am surprised to find so many people on this list (in
>particular Red Action) refusing to appreciate the distinction between
>the violence of the oppressed and that of the oppressor.
Who are the oppressors in this situation Tom?
There may
>well be arbitrary violence committed by a few asians against whites:
>no one can deny that this happens."
Good. That is a start.
"Such violence is deplorable. But it is so in the same way that such
violence was so when committed
>against innocent white south africans, Isreali jews, Ulster
>protestants etc, etc, etc."
Are you seriously comparing the white working class of Oldham to white South
Africans, Israeli settlers or the Orange Order? How the hell are the working
class oppressing the Pakistanis or the Bangladeshis? They are both being
oppressed by the ruling class in my book, and that was my whole point.
"We have to place such random violence by
>asian youths into a proper context. Unless we are prepared to
>recognise such counterproductive explosions of anger as an
>understandable but completely misdirected reaction to the racism that
>has blighted their lives and that of their families for decades, then
>we throw away the prospect of winning them to a united class
>fightback against the system that breeds racism."
There is nothing understandable about beating up people because of the
colour of their skin, Tom.
As long as the left makes excuses for this kind of behaviour then there is
no hope of any kind of unity.
I know a few "militant Asian youth" from my youth and none of them would
justify such actions.
Yes it was hypocritical of the media to jump on the beating up of the white
pensioner. But it was also just as hypocritical of the SA/ANL to try and
pretend it was only an isolated incident and wasn't at all motivated by
race.
Can you imagine the reaction if an Asian pensioner had been battered by
white youths and people said "It wasn't a race attack, it was just a few
idiots, nothing to worry about".
Perhaps if the left had organised a "Stop The Violence" demo after the
beating up of the pensioner, calling for an end to violence on both sides,
they might have won some respect. Frankly I find the SA/ANL's position on
that issue to be utterly repugnant.
"James Tait and the article he forwarded from No Platform went some
>way to providing balance in their attitude towards the Oldham events.
>They contained some good arguments for establishing class unity. In
>complete contrast, Red Action's statements have attemptd to be even-
>handedness towards the white youths stirred up by the NF, BNP and
>Combat 18. This is simply provocative. We do need to open up a
>debate. But let's not come across as appologists for white racists."
Whose apologising for white racists? Red Action certainly haven't, but they
can defend their own position. As far as I am concerned I stated here last
night that the BNP and NF should be oppossed physically. They weren't though
were they? Where were the heroes of the ANL at the weekend? In fact as James
Tait suggested if a bunch of students from Manchester Poly had turned out to
line up with the Asian youth the results may have hammered home the
realities of the situation to them very forcefully indeed.
To go back to my main point again - the left needs to change strategy not
particularly in terms of elections (that you seem so obsessed with Tom) but
in terms of regaining the streets. The fact that the BNP and NF can operate
so easily in these towns shows the state of the left after decades of
decline.
The BNP and NF target disillusioned white youth. The left ignores or insults
them. That has to change.
HS
