Protestant and Catholic Unite and Fight
national |
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news report 
Monday June 10, 2002 14:47
by Dan Buckley - SWP
dan_buckley_1917 at hotmail dot com
Stop the bigots
Over the last few months it has been extremely difficult not to notice the sickening attacks different people in different parts of Belfast. It came to the notice of the vast majority of people with the UFF backed “demonstrations” against schoolgirls walking to school.
When the postal worker Daniel McColgan was shot dead by the UFF, under the guise of the Red Hand Defenders, postal workers across the north stopped work and went on strike for several days. The bureaucracy of the ICTU in the north was forced because of the pressure from below to call the first ever general strike against sectarianism.
This united working class action put the bigots on the run, the UDA was even forced to discipline some of its north Belfast brigades, the RHD cover name was disbanded to try and appease workers demands.
This type of action is needed again and before another person is murdered. But this action has to also reflect the concern over issues that matter.
Look at the postal workers again, privatisation looms and attacks by management are continuous.
Last week following the entry of loyalist gunmen into a college, where both catholic and protestant students were threatened, the NUS/USI condemned the attack, words are by far not enough.
Now the NUS/USI should tackle the issue head on by joining together with the lecturers and other staff at the college and with bus drivers and other workers who are facing attacks.
The demonstrations following Daniel McColgans murder were a magnificent show of unity in the face of bigotry, lets follow it through and smash sectarianism and smash privatisation and taking on the real issues.
Comments (21 of 21)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21By the way, in britain and the north the main fighters against privatisation are the postal workers. Thats why I mention them.
I was meant to put that in but absolutely forgot.
This is very subtle and useful stuff. I was particularly impressed by the originality
of the slogan. It really looks like you have found the way to unite the Northern Irish workers. The ruling classes are about to receive a major blow. Congratulations lads.
Oh yes, I'm a tool ?!
How the SWP works and why they can't cope with debate:
A centralized authority hands down the gospel to their lesser cadre, who in turn hand down the gospel in a very patronizing way to that non-descript blob, "the masses".
Ordinary members dress up in a fashion reminiscent of the 1930s and do their best rendition of how they imagine "the masses" to eat, drink and feel. Unfortunately, on the rare occasions they mix with the masses, they look kind of lost.
Myles,
"can't cope with debate", debate would be your incisive 1st comment which said precisly what?
The man might be: right, wrong, misinformed or a fucking genius but it wasn't exactly productive on your part was it?
isnt it amazing how anything can be turned into a anti swp discussion on this website....
to show some of englands-loyalist where the are at
I think that Dan has a good point here. Regardless of one's views of the SWP, Dan is making a very valid arguement. The workers from both sides of the sectarian divide should unite and demand and end to violence from both sides.
Whilst I do not agree with the methods of the SWP and will express such a view when I see evidence of those methods, it is pointless and even counterproductive to mock a decent statement from anyone.
If you've got criticisms, it gives them more weight if they're relevant to the points being expressed.
This statement is bloody patronizing and I'm free to say it.
Is that all you can say? Come on, try to think a little bit harder.
Aye, ok. I was there.And yes, it was great to see a timy general strike and people saw it as effective, at least in my workplace ( bus station). But mate, it was months ago and I think you should have open the debate earlier since you seem to be so involved in the issue ( well, issue is not really the right word).
Oh, and you forgot to mention prod kids who got stuff thrown at them while they were going to school on the Limestone Rd, between Newington St and Tiger Bay...and prod workers ( marks&spencer) being approched by the IRSP...the fear prods feel might seem weird and irrelevant but it is this feeling that the loyalists use: fear of your neighbours and fear of your "protectors" as well. I don't try to make prods being poor little victims but it is difficult for them to see an alternative to their daily situation. And no, they don't like the english, this is not the point ( some even dislike the queen, believe it or not). Enough with silly cliches.
One last word: this is so stupid to start again an argument against the SWP. I dislike them but I'd rather try to get some stuff going on along with them and even the SP rather than SF and the PUP...at least on this issue.
Myles is mostly correct, the swmmers love issuing (and screaming) simplistic slogans that actually mean very little if subjected to any serious scrutiny. Half baked sloganeering such as 'Catholic and Protestant workers unite and fight' is actually insulting and patronising to workers from both communities. However it saves having to do a serious analysis and sounds a bit lefty, and it wont frighten off middle class labour and fine geal members, who the swm hope to recruit.
what do you mean by troll? can't you articulate
your thoughts a bit more coherently?
Speaking of articulating thoughts clearly, Myles, the only criticism you have made about this article is that it is from a SWP member. We understand you have a problem with that but do you have a problem with any of the content of the original post. Be coherent now...
Myles, you are a wanker.
There is some of the worst rioting in thrity years happening in Belfast and it is spreading. The SWP are trying to agitate class unity in face of IRA/UVF sectarianism. What do you do? Criticise them because they are the SWP. No analysis or alternatives.
There is a war on. Our living standards and civil liberties are under attack. The Palestinaians are getting slaughtered. What is your contribution?SWP bashing. The Irish left is starting to get serious and organised. You are an irrelevance and rather than this being a thread of positive anti-bigoted ideas, we are dragged down to this.
Myles is someone who is so beaten and bitter about his own politics, the best he can do is attack some positive left wing ideas. You might disagree with the SWP's methods, but what could you possibly find wrong with the post? Be helpful on this or fuck off. Its too serious an issue for your delusional ravings.
He cannot be for real.
1 I'm not a wanker
2 I repeat, your sloganeering is simplistic and patronising
Is that it? Sloganeering?
So you have no actual disagreement with the original post. So what is the point of all this?
And 'your' sloganeering?
Its the world against poor old Myles!
Ayone got anything helpful to contribute?
swp reaction to criticism: fascistic abuse and intimidation. you're a wanker, fuck off...
leave myles alone.
he is free to express his opinions.
I AM NOT, REPEAT NOT, IN THE SWP.
I am just pissed off that a serious issue has been hijacked into anti-swp crap as as so much else on indymedia. the site is falling apart.
of course he is free to express his opinion. he is wrong though.
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