In search of unity – March tomorrow!
Unity is a difficult thing to come by these days. Protests are generally mounted by the same old hacks, or simply by those whose livelihoods depend on it whilst others (especially in cases of industrial action see such protests as an inconvenience.) But in times like these, when unemployment is sky-rocketing, we can be fighting a unified struggle.
If you are free tomorrow and around London, there will be a demonstration from Highbury Fields to Archway Tower here in Islington to fight massive job cuts at London Metropolitan University, City University, and 500 civil service posts in Archway Tower. These sorts of cuts don’t just affect those who are made redundant, they affect whole communities and we must come together to fight it. Whilst the government is more concerned with infighting and the so-called “revelation” that politicians are untrustworthy and corrupt, we have to show them that their policies are ruining the livelihoods of real people, and the spirits of communities.
Reader Comments
Could you expand on your opening sentences. Are you saying that solidarity protests can actually damage industrial actions, or just that less politicized strikers are uncomfortable with them?
In terms of the people who organize protests, I will give you that having the same people in charge of campaigns for years on end can present problems, e.g. limiting target audiences for organizations like CND, but you seem to be implying an unfair level of cynicism and sectarianism (I am, admittedly, interfering quite a lot from a few sentences; this is why I ask you to expand).
Michael, you’re reading far too much into what I’m saying. My point was simply that this is a good sort of protest because it’s bringing people together from a range of organisations, and is showing that such a loss exists for the communities as much as for those who lose their jobs. With any luck this protest will involve those people who don’t normally turn up for these sorts of things, but see it as an important issue at least on a local level if not on a global level. I can’t see where I’m either cynical or sectarian though.
I wasn’t accusing you of sectarianism, I thought you were implying cynicism and sectarianism on the part of the “Old Hacks”.
The reason I jumped in was that it seemed like you were addressing the line between solidarity with and political hijacking of industrial actions (I was reading quite a lot into the word inconvenience).
Michael basically jacob fucked up his brackets, and what was saying was more ambiguous than he meant it to be. He meant that when workers carry out industrial action, members of the public sometimes see this kind of protest (ie industrial action) as an inconvenience. He wasnt saying that that those involved in industrial actions see political rallies to support them as an inconvenience.
Jacob: sort out your syntax.
Michael: cut your hair.
Aah. That makes sense. Have had the hijacking argument various times with various people, so such an interpretation seemed plausible.
I too have had the hijacking argument numerous assorted dickheads.