FRED GOODWIN’S HOUSE ATTACKED
It’s been all over the news and there isn’t much to add. The message sent to the local Edinburgh newspaper claiming responsibility said:
“We are angry that rich people, like him, are paying themselves a huge amount of money, and living in luxury, while ordinary people are made unemployed, destitute and homeless.
“This is a crime. Bank bosses should be jailed. This is just the beginning.”
The message is bang on, and well done to whoever was responsible. Nobody was hurt and this bastard exemplifies the obscene inequality and greed that has defined the past 30 years of the free market.
Another important thing to state is that it wisnae me and nor do I know who it may have been either. I’m sure every other socialist, political activist, and radical based in Edinburgh will be able to say the same.
Life imitating art?
here is my review of the great german film on this same theme:
Die Fetten jahren sind vorbei.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:08 pm
The Red Army Faction started off in a somewhat similar way. Then it became more ambitious.
Comment by Faust — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:15 pm
Interesting, but I just spoke to a comrade about this, who said that a month or so back a peaceful protest was held outside Goodwin’s house.
It failed to make a dent in the news, whereas smash a few windows, a car, and you’d think the revolution had started.
I can’t imagine many people watching this up and down the country being too unhappy. It illustrates the impotence of the govt to deal with the issue appropriately. They should have taken the money off him and challenged him to sue them in court.
Of course, Goodwin is being offered up a sacrficial lamb by the ruling class. But with the damning rhetoric of Brown and Harman, et al., must come action.
If anything, this will remind the govt that people are angry and demand that justice is done.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
#2 Exactly, faust, the development of the RAF shows the inherent danger of this sort of direct action - it follows its own logic.
And by deifinition this sort of substitutionism becomes elitist and undemocratic, due to the need for secrecy.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:20 pm
John please fix the formatting of your post. You’ve got an unclosed italics tag that has turned the entire site into italics!
Comment by external bulletin — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:27 pm
The man has kids who live in that house.
Anyone who thinks this - rather than peaceful direct action - is the way to go is a complete moron.
Comment by Marie — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:28 pm
#5
Is that better? It didn’t look odd in my browser, but I have fixed some unresolved HTML tags.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:29 pm
Ah thanks - my stress levels have gone back down to “about to blow”.
Might be a firefox thing. It’s more standards-compliant, still, than other browsers. But it seems to vary between computers and add-ons as well as browsers.
Comment by external bulletin — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:33 pm
“Anyone who thinks this - rather than peaceful direct action - is the way to go is a complete moron.”
All we need now is for the attackers to say they found his house using Google Street View and the news circle will be complete.
Comment by external bulletin — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
Well, I see inherent dangers in doing nothing, or waiting for election time (where the left tends to do badly). JW’s point in #3 about peaceful protest being ignored and it being all over the news as a shock/horror item when the protest isn’t so peaceful has a certain resonance with me - because that is exactly how the media behave.
Comment by Faust — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:35 pm
Marie - nobody was in the house at the time. It’s been widely reported that Goodwin had decamped abroad.
Kids are certainly off limits, whether it’s the kids of Fred Goodwin or the kids of the unknown thousands of families up and down the country left destitute and in despair by the actions of this man and his ilk.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:37 pm
And by the way, how dare you call me a thug. You don’t know me or anything about me.
Their violence is far greater than a few windows being smashed in an empty property.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 7:56 pm
I’m just puzzled as to why this has received so much attention. It has just been the lead item on Channel 4 - a bit of petty vandalism in which no people, just a few panes of glass seem to have suffered physical damage. Is all this “shock horror” coverage in preparation for heavy handed police action in the name of “protecting property” this weekend, I wonder?
Comment by Francis King — 25 March, 2009 @ 8:08 pm
by the way, can we all calm down a bit. I ahve deleted a couple of abusive comments.
It is uncalled for and unacceptable to call John Wight a thug, just because he suggests that he may have little sympathy for Sir Fred having his windows broken.
But don’t let those uncalled for insults against john hijack the discussion.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 8:13 pm
the tension amongst the masses of the newly unemployed is palpable and their anger growing ever week. The overwhelming majority of unemployed will smile when they hear the news that Goodwins House and car were damaged.
CONTENT DELETED
Comment by abu jamal — 25 March, 2009 @ 8:58 pm
Andy,
lest you be accused of hypocrisy, perhaps you’d delete John’s charming description of me as an arsehole.
Comment by Marie — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:05 pm
At #16 -
Rather than destroying stolen and ill gotten property shouldn’t we instead agitate for peaceful direct action to take it back? E.g. Factory occupations.
Having seen the damage done to property by small numbers of so called ‘anarchists’ on anti-capitalist demos (including once to a line of cars in Brussels owned by local migrant workers) I have never seen mindless damage to property either help build the movement or further a cause.
Comment by John Honson — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:10 pm
It was Jihadists wearing See-You-Jimmy hats.
Comment by Eddie Truman — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:24 pm
Andy, I think Marie @18 has a point. Looking back, we seem to have a series of abusive posts (12 & 13) by Mr Wight, which are presumably responding to …? Are your mates immune to the “abusive post” rule, or what? Are you now modelling your blog on Mr Seymour’s?
As for the act, well, I’m not going to lose any sleep. I’d be interested to know how many other Edinburgh windows were broken last night, and whether any of those provoked responses from our elected “representatives”. Yet another illustration of our own class society…
But the act itself just illustrates the weakness of our class. We may be angry, but we should direct our anger to change the world in a more substantial way than breaking a few windows.
Comment by Graham Day — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:28 pm
John #17 - calling someone a thug on a discussion list is more than disagreeing with someone. I think a sense of proportion has been lost by some people contributing to this thread. My instinct is that the vast majority of people in the world in which I live will not be discussing the futility of direct action or engaging in theoretical jargon to dissect the meaning behind the smashing of windows in an empty property.
My instinct is that in most working class living rooms tonight the overriding sentiment will be one of jubilation that someone has visited some semblance of redress on a man who represents the moral depravity of the system.
The govt and Fred Goodwin’s former friends have set him up for this with the public vilification which they have visited on him over the past few weeks. They’ve failed to back up the rhetoric with action, which made such an incident inevitable. Given the extent of the anger that exists over the economic chaos that has engulfed society, we should be relieved that all that’s been harmed is an empty property and a car.
But I tell you, unless the left starts engaging with people at their level of consciousness, and instead continues to preach obscure Marxist jargon in a period of economic chaos and dislocation, we will continue to exist in splendid isolation, disconnected from the real world.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:37 pm
Mr Wight, if you think that working class people, whether in central Scotland or elsewhere, are cheering on acts of petty vandalism then you’re the one who is disconnected from the real world.
Our rulers are very exercised by the whole thing; “my instinct” is that the working class couldn’t care less - they have real concerns, given that they’ll be paying for the crisis.
Comment by Graham Day — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:46 pm
I have deleted some more comments, and one of the other moderators had aldo done so before me.
Please refrain from insulting each other, and please don’t post things that are an incitement towards other people to commit criminal acts
It shouldn’t be so difficult.
And no Graham, i have no intention of allowing the comments to become like Lenin’s Tomb.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:50 pm
Marie - I’ll lay it out as clearly as I can. I welcome the action taken by whoever against Goodwin’s property last night. It has succeeded in placing the issue at the top of the news and adds to the pressure on the govt to bring people like Goodwin to account.
Nobody was harmed, this is fact. And your moralism I find pathetic, especially in the abstract way it is expressed in hypotheticals such as people could have been hurt, etc.
Nobody was hurt. Furthermore, the message released is one that the vast majority of people will sympathise with, of that I am sure.
Once again: WELL DONE TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE
So now are we clear on where I stand? I hope so.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:56 pm
#22
I have to say that i agree with Graham’s judgement here.
There is a very real danger of utra-leftism in the present political climate, we have seen a string of ill advised stunts from the Luton protests against the troops, to the stupid anti-BNP violence in leigh, and now this petty vandalism.
I suspect that John is being too generous to the perpetrators in assuming that these are the worl of angry politicall novices, more likely they are the work of seasoned sectarians misjudging the popular mood - or perhaps something altogether more sinister.
Comment by Andy Newman — 25 March, 2009 @ 9:59 pm
I think John is spot on in the general reaction to this. That’s not to say it’s a great idea, or a great plan for a fightback. But the gut level response of the ordinary people I’ve spoken to today has been “good”.
And that’s mine too.
Andy, from reading your Leigh thread, you seem to have been mistaken about what actually happened there. It seems odd to bring that in to this discussion.
Comment by KrisS — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Andy, I disagree completely. On the contrary, I think the perpetrators have judged the popular mood accurately. As for the Luton protest, this was no stunt. The slogans being waved were politically sharp and cut across the received truth about venerating the troops.
No, I disagree. I think there is a real danger of the left being overtaken by events.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:08 pm
Well, it might have been futile, but it’s certainly heartwarming. I saw some ‘eat the rich’ placards from a ‘class war’ paper (and I have BIG reservations about them)on C4 News tonight. Remember that 80s film ( with Robbie Coltrane, I think)- it’s about time that spirit returned and the country got off its knees. UP AGAINST THE WALL MOTHERFUCKERS ( but please don’t be incited by this to do anything ILLEGAL - though I personally don’t mind if you do, within reason).
Comment by Jock McTrousers — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:17 pm
#24, Andy Newman: …don’t post things that are an incitement towards other people to commit criminal acts…
#26,John Wight: …I welcome the action taken by whoever against Goodwin’s property last night… WELL DONE TO THOSE RESPONSIBLE…
Someone is clearly incapable of taking friendly advice…
As I indicated above, this is all a distraction. This act leaves the realities of class power untouched and unchallenged. Indeed, it helps the ruling class characterise it’s opponents as mindless criminals.
For those who are sad enough to need the validation, I’m sure Lenin had things to say about nihilist terrorism, narodniks etc. that would apply. Go look it up, I can’t be bothered, and it would probably do you good to see what the man himself said rather then have it put through the usual filters.
It’s no surprise to see ultra left sectarians cheering it on, there’s no indication that the working class care one way or the other. In any event, there are better things to worry about.
Comment by Graham Day — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
#29, I always enjoyed Class War… but the comedy references are entirely appropriate. It was entertainment, not a guide to action.
Comment by Graham Day — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:20 pm
Yes, it’s a bit headstrong and not an act that sits easy with many but there’s a moral economy at work here. Of course this will happen, and of course the incident will crop up in conversation after conversation.I think Andy’s been a bit censorious here. Yes, it could be the work of a few ultra lefts but what the hell. I don’t see how one can conflate this, Luton and Leigh in some parable of non-violence.
Comment by fishtank — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:24 pm
As I said above, I don’t think there are many who will lose sleep over this (other than the policemen who now have to stick it at the top of their investigation list because of media and political pressure, rather than investigate, say, that burglary in Wester Hailes).
But indisciplined lawlessness allows the ruling class to characterise it’s enemies as mindless yobs. I don’t think that is in our long, medium or even short term interests, however vicarious the thrill.
Comment by Graham Day — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:40 pm
Graham:
This act leaves the realities of class power untouched and unchallenged. Indeed, it helps the ruling class characterise it’s opponents as mindless criminals.
Reply:
And how and where are you or anyone else touching the realities of class power? And who cares how the ruling class characterises its opponents. I wasn’t aware it was an exercise in gaining their approval.
Graham:
For those who are sad enough to need the validation, I’m sure Lenin had things to say about nihilist terrorism, narodniks etc. that would apply. Go look it up, I can’t be bothered, and it would probably do you good to see what the man himself said rather then have it put through the usual filters.
Reply:
Here we have the congenital problem that afflicts the left today - an inability to view the world except through the filter of theoretical texts written at the turn of the last century. The need to turn to Lenin in order to deconstruct the meaning of
the windows of a house in the Grange being smashed in the year 2009 is beyond ludicrous.
Graham:
It’s no surprise to see ultra left sectarians cheering it on, there’s no indication that the working class care one way or the other. In any event, there are better things to worry about.
Reply:
Well my brother-in-law is a bus driver who’s never been to a political meeting or even voted in his entire life. When he was over at my house earlier tonight helping me move furniture around he told me he was delighted to hear the news of what happened, and that a cheer went up in the bus depot when the news came over the radio. I’m sure it’ll come as a surprise to him to be informed that he’s an ultra-left sectarian.
Comment by John Wight — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:45 pm
#26 “There is a very real danger of utra-leftism in the present political climate, we have seen a string of ill advised stunts from the Luton protests against the troops”
ultra-left?? they were would-be jihadi’s !
Comment by alibi — 25 March, 2009 @ 10:46 pm
Class War - Henley Regatta
Was that ultra Left ???
As much as I deplore violence and ultra leftism
who could argue that Class War action at Henley brought into relief the stark difference between Thatcher’s kids and the plight of the Working Class
smashing windows as used by the suffragettes even socialists on May days in the 1880s has always been part of honorable revolt
its when people get hurt and I know that’s a fine line but an important line as someone states we dont need or want another Red Brigade or Angry Brigade
Comment by Captain Swing — 25 March, 2009 @ 11:20 pm
Meanwhile, French workers take bosses hostage;
http://abcnews.go.com/International/story?id=7170102&page=1
Comment by Eddie Truman — 25 March, 2009 @ 11:30 pm
“I always enjoyed Class War… but the comedy references are entirely appropriate. It was entertainment, not a guide to action.”
I thought they really did eat the rich. You’ve explained why there are still so many rich people around, then: it didn’t happen.
Comment by Michael Rosen — 26 March, 2009 @ 12:36 am
But the “eat the Rich” campaign was when Nouvelle cuisine was fashionable, so many rich people survived only becasue the anarchists had very small portions.
Comment by Andy Newman — 26 March, 2009 @ 12:38 am
This will achieve nothing except to help the tabloids label the left as mindless and possibly dangerous yobs. The only effective way to get revenge on Goodwin and what he represents is to bring about a change in the culture of Middle England to the point where they will demand a crackdown on tax havens and insist that the super rich are made to pay their way. I doubt they will be won over by this kind of stunt.
Comment by attila — 26 March, 2009 @ 5:49 am
good luck with that one Attila.
Comment by alibi — 26 March, 2009 @ 6:26 am
37, yep, all the anarchists I have ever met have had very small portions. The rest suffered from premature insurrection.
Comment by Doctor Fudge — 26 March, 2009 @ 6:38 am
I’d agree with John W. Every working class person that I’ve spoken to thought the attack on Fred the Shred’s house was brilliant. That includes my 75 year old Mum who normally doesn’t approve of lawless vandalism. She was only disappointed at how little damage had been done - she’d have liked to have seen the house burnt to the ground. Even one of Fred’s very affluent neighbours thought that he’d brought it all on himself with his “obscene greed”. Maybe those that disapprove should get out more and listen to real people.
Comment by liamalba — 26 March, 2009 @ 7:48 am
It seems to me a brilliant idea to stop the City of London on the day the G20 opens.
Both the SWP and Respect seem to be entirely ignoring those protests and instead concentrating on the usual fare of marching around London’s streets to Hyde Park, with a Stop the War demo thrown in for good measure. Meanwhile the Labour and Trade Union hard left are collecting signatures on a petition, bless ‘em.
If campaigns are measured in terms of effort and impact Fathers4Justice and Plane Stupid win every time over the cult of planet placard. Two million marched against the war, not a single Cabinet Minister loses his or her seat, and the party best placed to win the 2010 General Election enthusiastically backed the war too.
A commando-style direct action culture disconnected from mass politics is futile and self-destructive. But if such actions can break the media silence, inspire others to act, connect to a very obvious widespread disgust at the bankers’ greed which causes the rest of us to suffer, including many bank workers then it is entirely a good thing.
The problem is the left is so mired in the culture of marches and petition-gathering it is entirely incapable of connecting to a public mood of anger and revulsion. What an indictment of irrelevance.
Mark P
Comment by Mark P — 26 March, 2009 @ 7:53 am
#42 Has Respect taken a position on their preferred form of protest against the G20? I had not noticed.
Comment by rachel trickett — 26 March, 2009 @ 8:19 am
Given how pathetic the fake “show trial” of the bankers was and the complete lack of any penalties for them, I don’t find it at all suprising that some people find it hard to resist taking their own form of “direct action” against Shreddie Freddie.
I’m sure worse things happen on council estates every week for far less.
So my reaction is - big deal.
Any space for ultra-leftism is due to the feeble reactions by New Labour politicians ever since the financil crisis morphed into a recession.
People are justifiably incensed at the billions that have been heaped on these total losers and crooks. They’re seething with fury at the fact that despite all these hand-outs, the government has refused to take any effective political control over the banks.
Even more serious is the fact that there is no sign that it’s working.
The recent exercise in “quantitative easing” was an enormous i.o.u which will lead to massive public debts for decades. Yet the government’s sale of gilts was a flop.
Contrary to the received wisdom, inflation also rose last month.
So even the neo-Keynesian policies favoured by fashionable economic gurus like Graham Turner, Socialist Economic Bulletin and elements within the left are failing.
Having tried near zero percent interest rates and “printing” virtual money, there is very little left in the toolbox.
At such a time, the unions should be taking a lead by demanding the nationalisation of the entire banking sector and an emergency plan in which direct government investment is used to replace falling demand in the economy.
Of course it also needs to be internationally coordinated, but not in the way that the EU and World Economic Forum intend to.
The British unions should be emulating the demonstrations, strikes and occupations we’re seeing in Ireland, France and elsewhere. They should be leading a national campaign against job loss. Instead we’re being treated to a hand-wringing, quasi religious pink-greeny prayer fest around London on March 28th.
No wonder there are elements wanting to take direct action! Of course, they are totally misguided if they imagine that anything other than wholesale direct action and political change will have the slightest effect on these well-heeled and well protected representatives of the rich.
Comment by prianikoff — 26 March, 2009 @ 8:24 am
Rachel. On the Respect website, in the Respect e-newsletter all that’s mentioned is the 28 March parade to Hyde Park and the delights of getting signatures on a petition.
These are extraordinary times and yet the Left serves up the same-old same-old, a march, a petition. The anarchist and direct actionists can be a bit grandstading, a day stopping the City isn’t anti-capitalism, but at least its dramatic, has the potential to inspire, connects to a popular wave of revulsion at the bankers’ greed. And leaves a Left gasping at its own inability to come up with anything remotely like it in response to these extraordinary times. Meantime the BNP win another council seat and are in poll position to get MEPs elected.
Bit sad really.
Mark P
Comment by Mark P — 26 March, 2009 @ 9:04 am
#45 Mark, it seems to me we need the full spectrum of protest from church services, peaceful marches & petitions through to Plane Stupid-type non-violent direct action and on to the Captain Swing/smash a few windows in an empty house pranks.
Nobody involved in any of these activities should waste energy attacking others choosing a different form of protest. The main challenge is to offer options to people not currently involved in any form of activity, ways to start getting involved that make sense to them and they feel happy with.
If the left could do anything better it would be to rethink the format of planning meetings for activities such as running a stall or getting a petition up. These tend to be too long, too boring and overall too unattractive to newcomers.
Comment by Strategist — 26 March, 2009 @ 10:03 am
There does seem to be a disconnect between the dynamism that some parts of Respect show, particularly (but not only) the Birmingham and manchetser respect brnaches, and George’s office; and the rather more staid and almost inert national Respect organisation.
Generally Strategist is correctt though, that there is no mileage in people criticsing the different approaches of other people, we just need to increase the overall level of confidence and activity in a way that floats all our boats.
Comment by Andy Newman — 26 March, 2009 @ 10:15 am
I bumped into Alan Thornett and other members of RESPECT who participated in the climate camp, on the way to the camp and we all got searched by the cops a couple of timess.
Climate camp/Reclaim the Streets,etc….have inspired me as an ecosocialist, good luck to them on April 1st….
Comment by Derek Wall — 26 March, 2009 @ 10:42 am
Just one thing: the auction that fell short yesterday is not part of ‘qualitative easing’. It is the more normal process of government borrowing. The government is not creating new money at this particular auction, but rather trying to borrow money from others by selling government interest-bearing securities. The last time an auction like this failed was in 2002, but there sure as hell wasn’t any ‘quantitative easing’ going on in 2002!
Qualitative easing is being carried out by the Bank of England concurrently with this different issue. It involves the Bank issuing/creating new money and using this new money to buy securities from other people. In other words, not selling new government debt for money already in the system as just fell short, but printing new money and feeding it into the economy by buying up existing government (and other) debt.
These are significantly different issues - though obviously related and a sign of tensions between the Bank and the Brownites. It doesn’t help our arguments if we mix things up like this though.
Comment by ID — 26 March, 2009 @ 7:48 pm
47, Oh the irony, Andy! Weren’t you in the camp that basically wanted to restrict Respect activity nationally to supporting Salma in Birmingham and George in London, opposed building Respect as a national organisation and was less than luke-warm about us even having a national conference. Its a bit rich to complain about perceived inertia at the top as a result!
Comment by Rob M — 26 March, 2009 @ 8:23 pm
one of the ways that the Bourgeoisie cope with huge crises like the economic crises currently is to BLAME INDIVIDUALS rather than the system itself.
I think the action against one of this bloke’s houses does the same kind of thing, or at least is a reaction to the media attempts at scapegoating individuals
..all this fuss over a pension, which is surely just a small part of what he is responsible for having ripped-off during his time in position - that is, that this bloke has been responsible for NICKING (that’s basically the marxist understanding of class relations under capitalism)
whining about kids is pointless if at all considered in the context of how many kids died eg in Iraq as a direct result of the imperialist embargo, or the number of kids dying EVERY MINUTE from starvation and/or entirely preventable illness - directly and absolutely a result of the system of commodity production that runs the world and which this bloke (one of whose houses/cars/whatever was attacked) was a prop of…
and btw (as i think i said) what happened in Leigh was excellent - the scummy fascist BNP need to meet that everywhere they go, which’d definitely stop them growing and lead to growth of the Left/socialist ideas&organisation if “militant antifa” could be combined with the mobilisation of the mass Labour Movement against racists and fascists!
steve
Comment by steve r — 26 March, 2009 @ 8:28 pm
I feel so strongly about the possible negative effects of the individual terrorist action taken against Sir Fred’s property that I plan to make the damage good myself, free gratis and for nothing. That way (a) the rest of the country will see that not all lefties are dangerous lunatics and (b) Sir Fred will probably follow my example and give some of his money back. I was down the Friendship Inn tonight and all the lads were saying what a shame it was that certain individuals were resorting to mindless thuggery when what we really needed was a new broad left party capable of taking on the Tories and New Labour at the ballot box. Mind you, just before I left things were getting a bit ugly in the snug bar. Still, keep on keeping on, eh comrades?
Comment by Bristol Brickie — 26 March, 2009 @ 11:33 pm
Adair Turner was appointed chair of the FSA by the (New Labour) Treasury in May last year, and took on the post in September. Each time he’s appeared on TV he’s been particularly weaselly, saying they would “learn” from events, yet they have regulated nothing. Should he still be FSA chair? Why is New Labour appointing arch capitalists to key controlling positions of the economy?
http://scotlandonsunday.scotsman.com/12702/Rosemary-Gallagher-FSAs-global-blame.5096327.jp
Comment by Madam Miaow — 27 March, 2009 @ 12:46 am
I don’t like this, sorry. If this kind of thing takes off it will be a gift for state agent provocateurs.
Comment by attila — 27 March, 2009 @ 12:46 am
attila you don’t think that could be who was behind the attacks do you?
of course it’s a diversion, and assists the Bourgeoise in blaming individuals for the world economic crisis
and yes Bristol Brickie of course we need a new party that’ll fight for the working class, and i agree that attacking the bloke’s house isn’t going to help that.
Comment by steve r — 27 March, 2009 @ 9:46 am
About time - well done.
Comment by abouttime — 28 March, 2009 @ 9:31 am
I don’t understand where the idea comes from that the left in Britain is actually capable of militant action. Anytime something militant happens in the world, the noise from the left is overwhelmingly the fluttering of poultry wings dissociating themselves from it at high speed.
Comment by Faust — 28 March, 2009 @ 11:05 am
#57 - Classic.
Comment by John Wight — 28 March, 2009 @ 11:19 am
“Far from opposing the so-called excesses - instances of popular vengeance against hated individuals or against public buildings with which hateful memories are associated - the workers’ party must not only tolerate these actions but must even give them direction.”
Karl Marx & Friederich Engels
http://www.marxists.org/archive/…ue/1850- ad1.htm
Comment by Adamski — 28 March, 2009 @ 2:05 pm
# 59. Yep that’s the one. An interesting weekend at various kiddies events talking to parents from diverse backgrounds. Not one single person I spoke to about the attack on the Shed’s big shed thought it was a ‘bad thing’. ‘Bastard brought it on himself’ would be a fair summary of the collective viewpoint. Class anger is class anger - better get used to it, there’s a lot more coming.
Comment by Phil Taylor — 29 March, 2009 @ 8:54 pm
Reckon you could get a dart through his bathroom window Phil?
Comment by Rory — 29 March, 2009 @ 9:04 pm