Selling Freedom on the London May Day march
Mar 25 2008 12:22
I am assuming that the traditional trade unionist march will be heading off from Clerkenwell Green to Trafalgar Square on 1 May (which is a Thursday this year). I have not found full details yet from the GLTUC site but its normally a noon start.
Following the discussion about the recent Stop the War march and selling Freedom I'd suggest a coordinated approach to selling the paper on May Day (including, if at all possible, a couple of people at Farringdon tube).
Guess we need people who are willing/able to pick bundles of the paper up and a pre arranged meeting point. Hard to predict numbers on the march could be as low as 3,000 up to 10,000.
Eds - will the relevant issue have a May Day theme?
What do people think?
Richard
Mar 25 2008 13:40
#2
Fair point - will get in touch with Iain too...
Mar 25 2008 16:30
#3
AHA!
if the TU demo is on the first for sure, then sod just selling freedom, lets have a block. Like last year.
been waiting on the confirmation of a date for fucking MONTHS. Different story from everyone.
Mar 25 2008 16:33
#4
I will absolutely help.
1st may it is.
Mar 25 2008 16:42
#5
Unfortunately, the characters (some would say "jokers") behind the official MayDay march are dragging their heels on deciding whether or not it'll happen on 1st May, because of the clash with the GLA/London Mayoral elections (and the need to "stop the racist BNP"). Thus the website carries details of who the confirmed speakers are at the rally, but no confirmation of when the rally (and indeed the march) is taking place.
Mar 25 2008 17:12
#6
fuck it fuck it fuck it.
this is what i was talking about. I've been trying to get an answer from TU/TUC ppl on this for months.
Its a problem is we don't want to do something separate, as we generally rely on lots of people just going to the rally and finding the anarchist block. I think a separate event has the potential to be a humiliating washout; secondly i think the place for anarchist is on the TUC demo, whether we like the TUC or not. Its workers day, its the workers day march, we started it.
Or we could rave it up in Tesco's again. There's always that 
Mar 25 2008 17:16
#7
Or this: -
Quote:
reclaim maydayover the past few years mayday has been a somewhat limp affair in comparision to it being reclaimed by autonomous people back in 1999.Unfortunatly the past few years has been a damp squid
,most people spending the day being penned in.
In the true spirit of London maydays past I propose a Mayfair in Mayfair. Meet up at speakers corner hyde park mayfair to celebrate,discuss,subvert,liberate! On !st May 2008!
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2008/02/391939.html
Mar 25 2008 17:28
#8
the button wrote:
Or this: -Quote:
reclaim maydayover the past few years mayday has been a somewhat limp affair in comparision to it being reclaimed by autonomous people back in 1999.Unfortunatly the past few years has been a damp squid
In the true spirit of London maydays past I propose a Mayfair in Mayfair. Meet up at speakers corner hyde park mayfair to celebrate,discuss,subvert,liberate! On !st May 2008!http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/regions/london/2008/02/391939.html
well i think he can rely on Mayfair being in Mayfair.
Quite clever really...
I propose that on Mayday everyone wear shoes to demonstrate their anarchist intent.
Mar 25 2008 17:33
#9
Quote:
Reclaim the word 'reclaim'!For many years now the word 'reclaim' - which had previously meant 'reclaim' - has come to mean 'do something so batshit annoyingly stupid even tacks won't make excuses for you on libcom'. This mayday we propose you form affinity groups and either go to the pub or watch some telly (we can assume going to work is right out). Do not leave the house, play drums, or borrow costumes from the community theatre project you volunteer at.
Mar 26 2008 08:42
#10
Tacks wrote:
fuck it fuck it fuck it.this is what i was talking about. I've been trying to get an answer from TU/TUC ppl on this for months.
Its a problem is we don't want to do something separate, as we generally rely on lots of people just going to the rally and finding the anarchist block. I think a separate event has the potential to be a humiliating washout; secondly i think the place for anarchist is on the TUC demo, whether we like the TUC or not. Its workers day, its the workers day march, we started it.
Or we could rave it up in Tesco's again. There's always that
But why allow the TUC to set the agenda?
Mar 26 2008 10:51
#11
october_lost wrote:
Tacks wrote:
fuck it fuck it fuck it.this is what i was talking about. I've been trying to get an answer from TU/TUC ppl on this for months.
Its a problem is we don't want to do something separate, as we generally rely on lots of people just going to the rally and finding the anarchist block. I think a separate event has the potential to be a humiliating washout; secondly i think the place for anarchist is on the TUC demo, whether we like the TUC or not. Its workers day, its the workers day march, we started it.
Or we could rave it up in Tesco's again. There's always that
But why allow the TUC to set the agenda?
Because thats where the workers are.
Mar 26 2008 11:32
#12
october_lost wrote:
But why allow the TUC to set the agenda?
what, by calling a march to commemorate workers day?
I agree labour party hacks and other opportunists should be shouted down, but attending the main marchis a compromise i'm happy to make.
Mar 26 2008 11:40
#13
guydebordisdead wrote:
Because thats where the workers are.
Mar 26 2008 11:51
#14
who are you laughing at there jack ol bean 
In some senses its a bollocks statement and the vast majority of workers are found anywhere BUT the in the official labour movement, in other senses we are PART of the labour movement as class struggle anarchists...
Mar 26 2008 14:20
#15
Jack wrote:
guydebordisdead wrote:
Because thats where the workers are.
Apart from the Turkish Stalinist workers, which workers is that?
Devrim
Mar 26 2008 16:31
#16
Devrim wrote:
Jack wrote:
guydebordisdead wrote:
Because thats where the workers are.
Apart from the Turkish Stalinist workers, which workers is that?
Devrim
apart from the 50 or so TU bureaucrats and LP cronies, who on the march is *not* a worker dev? 
Mar 26 2008 16:38
#17
Tacks wrote:
who are you laughing at there jack ol beanIn some senses its a bollocks statement and the vast majority of workers are found anywhere BUT the in the official labour movement, in other senses we are PART of the labour movement as class struggle anarchists...
The Labour Movement isn't really present on the TUC March, is it?
I have no problems with going on the TUC march - I have done so myself and may well again. But pretending it's where the workers are is just retarded.
Mar 26 2008 17:22
#18
why did you attend and why would you go again jack?
Mar 26 2008 17:29
#19
Tacks wrote:
apart from the 50 or so TU bureaucrats and LP cronies, who on the march is *not* a worker dev?
As I remember TUC May Day marches they were tiny. I wouldn't say that that is where the workers are because virtually nobody is there.
Devrim
Mar 26 2008 17:35
#20
Tacks wrote:
why did you attend and why would you go again jack?
libcom leafletting.
To be fair, unless it got radically reinvigorated, would probably only go again to see people. Or if something decent was happening and it had a specific focus.
Mar 26 2008 19:30
#21
Jack wrote:
Tacks wrote:
why did you attend and why would you go again jack?libcom leafletting.
why? who were you leafletting?
Mar 26 2008 23:11
#22
I imagine most workers would be at work on May 1st. I probably will be. It's not a bank holiday over here in Israel, so it's not like most workers have much choice at the matter, unless there's a good reason to strike on that specific day, or they think some Histadrut-led march is worth wasting a paid holiday (law gives you about 14 of those a year, 10 if you work 5 days a week) on.
Mar 26 2008 23:45
#23
Tacks wrote:
why? who were you leafletting?
People on the march?
I'm kinda confused here, am I supposed to be waiting for you to come out with something smart that shows me having given out leaflts anf met mates on a crappy demo as being utterly foolish, and I think "Oh that's what he was getting at! That Tacks is such a wily rascal!"
Mar 27 2008 00:33
#24
guydebordisdead wrote:
october_lost wrote:
Tacks wrote:
fuck it fuck it fuck it.this is what i was talking about. I've been trying to get an answer from TU/TUC ppl on this for months.
Its a problem is we don't want to do something separate, as we generally rely on lots of people just going to the rally and finding the anarchist block. I think a separate event has the potential to be a humiliating washout; secondly i think the place for anarchist is on the TUC demo, whether we like the TUC or not. Its workers day, its the workers day march, we started it.
Or we could rave it up in Tesco's again. There's always that
But why allow the TUC to set the agenda?
Because thats where the workers are.
At some point we have to aspire to move beyond them, maybe Mayday isnt it, but as people have already suggested Mayday in recent memory is for the dinosaurs.
Mar 27 2008 10:07
#25
IF SE Region TUC organise a May Day march (and I'd be surprised if something didn't happen) we should ensure an organised anarchist presence including the selling of Freedom, Black Flag etc.,
IF the march isn't organised cos of some pointless elections then agree we should take the initiative - particularly given the anarchist orgins of international workers day although I have to say spending the day being given the run around by the cops doesn't excite me that much. We might do something down in Kent if the London march doesn't happen.
Watch this space I guess....
Mar 27 2008 14:02
#26
Jack wrote:
Tacks wrote:
why? who were you leafletting?People on the march?
I'm kinda confused here, am I supposed to be waiting for you to come out with something smart that shows me having given out leaflts anf met mates on a crappy demo as being utterly foolish, and I think "Oh that's what he was getting at! That Tacks is such a wily rascal!"
Not really - i'm saying you found worthwhile and i have found it worthwhile.
Also you are being disengenuous - you didn't meet your mates and hand out crappy fliers on a crappy demo, you leafletted for a communist website. You haven't done that on an animal rights demo, a stop the war demo, you didn't leaflet the Foxhunting march. You leafletted mayday. You clearly see some political content. Neither of us are claiming that 'this is where the workers are' but i think we both accept that the political content of the event maks it worthy of our attention.
Christ, i find the only way to deal with you is to get really longwinded and specific. It's really really draining. Can you not find some other way to have a laugh?
Cheers 
Mar 27 2008 14:08
#27
Tacks wrote:
Not really - i'm saying you found worthwhile and i have found it worthwhile.
It was (possibly) worth a targetting flyering distribution, but that doesn't mean it's where 'the workers are'. And it was my objection to this term that lead to your intervention.
Quote:
Also you are being disengenuous - you didn't meet your mates and hand out crappy fliers on a crappy demo, you leafletted for a communist website. You haven't done that on an animal rights demo, a stop the war demo, you didn't leaflet the Foxhunting march. You leafletted mayday.
I've flyered several STW demos, actually. I wouldn't have bothered if I wasn't meeting mates there.
Quote:
You clearly see some political content. Neither of us are claiming that 'this is where the workers are' but i think we both accept that the political content of the event maks it worthy of our attention.
Nah, it was just meeting mates and doing some advertising. More habit than anything. I mean it's not harmful or anything. It's just largely a waste of time. It's like one of those little STWC demos - you're not harming anything by going, and I'm not gonna have a go at you because you could have spent your afternoon doing something politically better. I just think it's mostly pointless, and a pretty dull and meaningless way to spend an afternoon.
Mar 27 2008 14:25
#28
Coolio.
I on the other hand have recruited people to anarchist organisations and campaigns, built links which i am using productively now, and brought my politics to greater attention. Also its fucking good practice for times when it matters that we have a big anarchist rally: if we don't know who will come, who can speak, what we are doing - then we will be worse off when it's 'for real'.
I totally accept that most of these things are of very little or no value to you
Mar 27 2008 14:31
#29
Tacks wrote:
I totally accept that most of these things are of very little or no value to you :)
Yea, fair enough, I can think of little more horrible or damaging to anachist politics in this country than "a big anarchist rally"
Mar 27 2008 14:35
#30
Jesus, can you imagine the smell?
Depends on whether there's a new angle to it - I'm wary about running the same headline as all the other leftie rags on the march. The next Black Flag should be out by then as well btw, I reckon Iain would be grateful for a joint selling strategy.