Dead Slow March for Peace

by Ken McDonnell - SP Mon Mar 24, 2003 12:43

This is yet another provocvation by the lunatic fringe. Their activities prevent genuine protests being organised at Shannon. They also lessen the possibility of winning the Airport workers over to strike action againdst the war.

Strike action will stop the US planes from using Shannon not people dresed like clowns breaking down fences.

by Joe Mon Mar 24, 2003 12:54

Are the SP going to distance themselves from their members who spend so much time on indymedia attacking the anti-war movements? We'd all welcome workers at Shannon taking strike action against the war but NO ONE not even a SINGLE SP member is claiming this is on the cards at the moment. So lets build the sort of actions that have already driven 3/4 of the troop carrying airlines out.

Lets see the SP distance themselves from these sort of attacks. Right now it seems the party line is to get individual members to try and undermine direct action protests - this is not acceptable.

by conor - shannon peace house Mon Mar 24, 2003 13:17

well joe what have the your party done to win over the workers of shannon airport?is it just alot of hot air on this website and one member of your party turning up for photo shoots at the peace camp in shannon?

by Masked worker Mon Mar 24, 2003 13:28

mate, as far as I know, only GNAW has contact with workers in Shannon. Maybe not as much as we would like to but only folks from GNAW had the balls to go to the terminal and have contact with the workers in Shannon airport. Not only that but they also encourage some of them to take action (strike action that is) by advertising various strikes against the war around the world (Italy, Canada, Turkey, Scotland...) which is affecting the transport industry. One of them is even member of GNAW. I am not saying that Shannon airport will go on strike any time soon. Far from it. But GNAW understands that the most effective direct action against the war is the strike. This is the only way to stop the war: stop the machine.
All those parties supposed to represent the workers did nothing because you are an electoral machine and you just don't have a clue about class struggle.
What you are doing of saying is a disgrace.
I am masked cos I have a fucking job and a reactionary management above my head. They already know far too much about me. It's very easy to just show up for 1 hour and "make a point" when you are a paid officer of a reformist party. Of course you don't want bad press cos you don't do it for your ideas (that you don't believe in anymore anyway) but you do it for the next elections and to control people. Fortunately, your lame ideas and tactics are now too obvious for the kids to buy it. You are loosing, we are winning.
Funny enough, reformist parties in the rest of europe and in the states are not so crap. Probably because they are not scared to show resistance. I think that you don't really care about Iraq. I think you see it as the new issue and an opportunity to recruite. It just doesn't work anymore.

by Katie Mon Mar 24, 2003 15:24

Ken,
What exactly do you mean by 'genuine protests'?
I've been on the last three protests at Shannon which I felt were very geniune-maybe you should spend more time trying to instigate a strike by workers at Shannon instead of criticising the 'lunatic fringe'. Now that WAr is well under way isn't it about time people like yourself gave up on the childish and not very constructive comments?

by doh! Mon Mar 24, 2003 17:12

Like where to meet and at what time?
A dead slow march from the town centre to the terminal will take about 4 hours.

by Chekov - GNAW Mon Mar 24, 2003 17:42

Keep the pressure up, Come to Shannon and let your voice be heard.

Or else you could join a political party like the SP and pray to the gods of industrial action that a strike will fall from the sky. While you pray (and this might be a long prayer session) you can concentrate on attacking those people who attempt to do something. You could have a go at the Grassroots people ('lunatic fringe') or you could concentrate on some good old fashioned inter-trot bashing against the SWP when they dare to do something.

Or perhaps you could just stay at home and wait for tv pictures of the greens 'stepping up the pressure' by getting exposure for their elected representatives in vigils every so often. Meanwhile they can help the police in dismantling any attempts at civil disobediance.

Personally I think that it should be obvious to all anti-war campaigners that it is well past time for action.

by Pat Murray Mon Mar 24, 2003 18:38

Aye, spot on Chekov.

Even the nemesis of the CWI-Ireland Tommy Sheridan, he of the perpetual tan, has managed to get himself arrested doing a bit of direct action.

Waiting for the Shannon workers to strike and more importantly getting union backing might just be like waiting for democracy in the SWP and the yanquis will continue to use it on their murdering spree and the precedent will be continued for their next targets i.e. anywhere that won't accept the line from the Oval Office.

by Lol Mon Mar 24, 2003 19:59

A slow march - and this differs from IAWM tactics how? Other than it's sure to be considerably more boring.

by Adam - GNAW Mon Mar 24, 2003 20:55

by being much slower...

by Slarti Mon Mar 24, 2003 20:56

Workers action would be fantastic, very effective and I'm sure widely and enthuisiastically supported. But the responsibility to stop this war rests with everyone, not just the workers at Shannon. We have to take responsibility and action ourselves, not just call on others to do it for us.

by David Rynne Mon Mar 24, 2003 21:06

Ask a stupid question, get a brilliant answer :)

by Me - in a personal capacity Mon Mar 24, 2003 21:48

Will there be busses this time? Even really slow busses....but preferably not.
I know it was a hassle but it would mean more people.