Putting People First
Mar 29 2009 16:41
Dont know if I've missed this on another thread but nobody seems to have mentioned yesterdays demo.
Any thoughts on this 'intervention'. Todays Observer reckons around 200 'anarchists' . From my own observations of the Militant Worker Bloc, this was probably accurate [maybe to stretch a point poss' 300]. This appears a tad disappointing given that figures of up to a thousand were mooted.
Mar 29 2009 20:32
#2
this was at the beginning. Around 400 people.
And that was the part which was seperated by the slow marching samba band.
Around another 400+ people.
So I would say that there were anything between 700-1,000 people joining and supporting the Militant Workers Bloc.
I say when we get to 2,000+ people on our bloc we should start doing our own demonstrations
Mar 29 2009 22:18
#3
I thought the march was pretty decent. The anarchist rally at the end was good, and the anarchist bloc was one of the marches more visible and coherent contingents.
Mar 30 2009 12:34
#4
Alf,
Not sure what you were expecting; it was always going to be an A to B march. We were told to have restraint, and leave the aggro for Wednesday and Thursday. That we showed enough disciple to respect that is a success in itself.
As for the bloc, the estimate given prior to the march was 500-1000. It wouldn't be outside the realms of reality to suggest it was near the former mark. Anyone who doesn't reckon that sort of number having organised themselves mightily well isn't impressive, is lying.
The intent of the march, from our perspective anyway, was to serve as propaganda for direct action in the week.
And did you really expect anything different from the likes of Tony Robinson and Tony Benn? The anarchist rally in contrast, was wicked.
Mar 30 2009 12:16
#5
What was discussed at the anarchist rally?
Mar 30 2009 13:10
#7
"organic tomatos"
Mar 30 2009 13:14
#8
That's your man drunk punk with a can of Special Brew.
Mar 30 2009 13:19
#9
Is the scottish bloke Nick? Coz its a fucking awesome speech.
Mar 30 2009 16:07
#10
Quote:
Not sure what you were expecting; it was always going to be an A to B march. We were told to have restraint, and leave the aggro for Wednesday and Thursday. That we showed enough disciple to respect that is a success in itself.As for the bloc, the estimate given prior to the march was 500-1000. It wouldn't be outside the realms of reality to suggest it was near the former mark. Anyone who doesn't reckon that sort of number having organised themselves mightily well isn't impressive, is lying
so in essence, the fact that youse managed to stroll from A to B shows you have discipline and organisation and that in itself is impressive and should be considered a sucess
Mar 30 2009 16:29
#11
weeler wrote:
Is the scottish bloke Nick? Coz its a fucking awesome speech.
Mar 30 2009 17:14
#12
The fact we, as a collective of 400 or so, from numerous different anarchist groups, walked from A to B without kicking off, showing discipline throughout, is impressive, and should be considered a success, yes.
Does Polly want a cracker?
Mar 30 2009 21:45
#13
Quote:
The fact we, as a collective of 400 or so, from numerous different anarchist groups, walked from A to B without kicking off, showing discipline throughout, is impressive, and should be considered a success, yes.
congratulations on your success
Mar 30 2009 21:54
#14
Admin delete - nonsense trolling
Mar 30 2009 22:17
#15
You two are busy; slow night, is it?
Oi, well done on grasping that quote feature. With that and your handle on parroting, you'll be a journalist in no time.
Mar 31 2009 13:16
#16
weeler wrote:
"organic tomatos"
THERE SHOULD BE ORGANIC FOOD IN AFRICA, AFTER G8 TIME!
Mar 31 2009 16:13
#17
jolly roger wrote:
You two are busy; slow night, is it?Oi, well done on grasping that quote feature. With that and your handle on parroting, you'll be a journalist in no time.
maybe for an anarchist posting one thing on a small message board constitutes a hive of autonomous activity (and no doubt something that reaps a certain amount of self congratulation on, given the self discipline shown in posting from start to finish without kicking off), but to normal people it's nothing really, ditto mastering the dialectical possibilities conjured up through majesterial dominance of the quote function
and the irony of a shouty crack student anarkist accusing someone else of parroting isn't lost on me either
Mar 31 2009 16:40
#18
oisleep wrote:
Quote:
Not sure what you were expecting; it was always going to be an A to B march. We were told to have restraint, and leave the aggro for Wednesday and Thursday. That we showed enough disciple to respect that is a success in itself.As for the bloc, the estimate given prior to the march was 500-1000. It wouldn't be outside the realms of reality to suggest it was near the former mark. Anyone who doesn't reckon that sort of number having organised themselves mightily well isn't impressive, is lying
so in essence, the fact that youse managed to stroll from A to B shows you have discipline and organisation and that in itself is impressive and should be considered a sucess
Yes it was a success to those involved in it. The bloc is the real reflection of the anarchist movement, and hopefully one which will become the dominant view for most people. We set a bench mark, we built some confidence in working together, and by and large what happened on that bloc was decided collectively by the groups and individuals before hand.
The result is that we have expanded our organisational capibilities and built a common experience and language so when there is the need of something similar people would know what to expect and hopefully be involved in getting more and more people marching with us.
Mar 31 2009 18:12
#19
oisleep wrote:
jolly roger wrote:
You two are busy; slow night, is it?Oi, well done on grasping that quote feature. With that and your handle on parroting, you'll be a journalist in no time.
maybe for an anarchist posting one thing on a small message board constitutes a hive of autonomous activity (and no doubt something that reaps a certain amount of self congratulation on, given the self discipline shown in posting from start to finish without kicking off), but to normal people it's nothing really, ditto mastering the dialectical possibilities conjured up through majesterial dominance of the quote function
and the irony of a shouty crack student anarkist accusing someone else of parroting isn't lost on me either
Sorry, aside for sociological slurs (one about being a student no less, deary me), and going round the houses to slag off solid organisation between a dozen or more anarchist groups, have you anything worth saying?
Mar 31 2009 20:58
#20
raw wrote:
oisleep wrote:
Quote:
Not sure what you were expecting; it was always going to be an A to B march. We were told to have restraint, and leave the aggro for Wednesday and Thursday. That we showed enough disciple to respect that is a success in itself.As for the bloc, the estimate given prior to the march was 500-1000. It wouldn't be outside the realms of reality to suggest it was near the former mark. Anyone who doesn't reckon that sort of number having organised themselves mightily well isn't impressive, is lying
so in essence, the fact that youse managed to stroll from A to B shows you have discipline and organisation and that in itself is impressive and should be considered a sucess
Yes it was a success to those involved in it. The bloc is the real reflection of the anarchist movement, and hopefully one which will become the dominant view for most people. We set a bench mark, we built some confidence in working together, and by and large what happened on that bloc was decided collectively by the groups and individuals before hand.
The result is that we have expanded our organisational capibilities and built a common experience and language so when there is the need of something similar people would know what to expect and hopefully be involved in getting more and more people marching with us.
to be honest, your deriving a lot on the basis of a stroll from A to B, if the march was but a reflection of substantive organisation already existing, shared organisational capability already formed & bedded down etc... etc...then shouldn't the reflection of that be something a bit more than a stroll from A to B and a bit of running round the city wed/thur (i.e. moving on with community & workplace organising, building networks etc...). - it certainly seems from an outsider looking in, that the march/bloc isn't a reflection on the substance, but the substance itself - fertile ground for further things in the future perhaps, but at present nothing dissimilar to swappie likes call of a to b strolling as outstandingly successful
Mar 31 2009 21:01
#21
jesus do poeple still have chips on their shoulders about not going to uni? fuckin hell what year is it?
Mar 31 2009 21:03
#22
jolly roger wrote:
oisleep wrote:
jolly roger wrote:
You two are busy; slow night, is it?Oi, well done on grasping that quote feature. With that and your handle on parroting, you'll be a journalist in no time.
maybe for an anarchist posting one thing on a small message board constitutes a hive of autonomous activity (and no doubt something that reaps a certain amount of self congratulation on, given the self discipline shown in posting from start to finish without kicking off), but to normal people it's nothing really, ditto mastering the dialectical possibilities conjured up through majesterial dominance of the quote function
and the irony of a shouty crack student anarkist accusing someone else of parroting isn't lost on me either
Sorry, aside for sociological slurs (one about being a student no less, deary me), and going round the houses to slag off solid organisation between a dozen or more anarchist groups, have you anything worth saying?
sorry, i'll leave youse to define your successes based on inward navel gazing and self referential measures of success, you'll be out your ghetto in no time at all with benchmarks such as those
Mar 31 2009 21:08
#23
Choccy wrote:
jesus do poeple still have chips on their shoulders about not going to uni? fuckin hell what year is it?
yep, anyone anywhere who prefixes the word 'student' in front of anything has a chip on their shoulder about not going to 'uni' - it's the only possible meaning of such usage of the term
(ps, well done for getting to the crux of the matter so directly without getting derailed by mere peripheral issues at hand)
Mar 31 2009 21:39
#24
Ironically, I'm not at uni. What does have jokey self reference have to do with the price of fish?
Anything to detract from an actual point eh, fella?
Mar 31 2009 22:21
#25
I think the crux of the matter is that there's an anarchist movement from A to B. Once they master C, which stands for Capital, I'm sure the bosses will start shaking.
Mar 31 2009 22:49
#26
And the point me and raw have been making, is that the communication founded for this arbitrary march, will inevitably grow and allow for more meaningful action. The only criticism that could be had with that simple statement, is that it's a bit late in the day. Surely no one can take umbrage with the fact it is in motion?
After all the media hype (The Evening Standard even had a headline saying '100,000 people plot to take over London') this struck me as a very standard A to B march with some very dull speeches at the end, saying what the national governments and world leaders should do about the crisis, which is the result of some very irresponsible behaviour by politicians and bankers, according to the TUC General Sec. The anarchists gathered together to one side of the main rally but I got there too late to find out what they were discussing. According to the press the aim of the anarchist bloc was to recruit people to create mayhem on the 1st April, but perhaps some of those who were there can tell us more.
Still people were very nice about helping me to retrieve all the papers and leaflets that were blowing off our stall in the gale force wind, which, along with the rain, probably helped to dampen spirits as much as the speeches.