Quick update..some things worth checking out!

First up is rightwing US Shock-jock Alex Jones taking on neo-con Ann Coulter. Sure it’s rightwing vs. rightwing and I don’t endorse all of what Alex Jones says and believes in but he at least does have the integrity to not be hypocritical; if he attacks the Democrats for something he disagrees with, he will also attack the rightwing if they indulge in what he sees as wrong. As an example of how the hypocrisy within an ideology can be used to destroy an argument, it’s fine listening.

Second is the cost of war in Iraq – in real time! A top site that simply shows how much it costs. A simple and powerful message: costofwar.com

Third, don't forget the Thessaloniki prisoners. There is shocking footage of UK activist Simon Chapman being framed by the Greek cops. Support all anti-capitalist prisoners!

Drugged Out.
The issue with drugs is obviously one that motivates people, judging by the feedback on the issue. I’ve read comments people posted on Bristol Indymedia about the whole issue and getting bogged down on the issue of racism and stuff. Here’s my two pennies on the matter; We can’t blame nationalities for the drug problem. On the streets of St.Pauls most of the dealers might be Jamaican, but most of the junkies are British. Both are needed to create a drug problem. It’s people doing it, irrespective of their origin.

So who’s fault is it?

The police?

Ironically, because of the laws of supply and demand, the better the police become at interrupting the supply the better the price the dealers get for their drugs. As less reaches the streets and as the demand has not changed, the more the dealers can charge. In addition, the police generally get the least efficient dealing crews as they are caught easier, so weeding out the competition and acting as a kind of gang-related natural selection. The police are not to blame for this problem.

The Yardies?

While at the moment they might be in the frame in St.Pauls, they are just the latest in a long line of groups aiming to make money from the trade. I am aware to those who’ve been the victim of Yardie crime this is no comfort, but Britain can and does breed it’s own gangs and if the Yardies weren’t in St.Pauls then somebody else would be. Capitalism abhors a vacuum. Because of the drugs illegal status, the only enforcement comes from violence both to control the inner gang hierarchy and the payment from junkies. In a world were violence is the only form of negotiations, its little wonder the rest of the community suffer the fallout. The Yardies are a nasty symptom of a systemic disease.

The Junkies?

To any resident of St.Pauls, pasty-faced junkies roaming the streets like a zombie film out-take is a common sight. It only takes a few junkies, with their constant demand for fixes, to create a problem totally out of proportion to their numbers. The area is dotted with half-way houses, homeless shelters and hostels. All a ready base for the demand side of the drugs equation. (I doubt Clifton has many such places). Are they to blame? Like the dealers, they are in the frame, but every society in history has a mind-altering substance ingrained in the culture and there will always be those who succumb to it. Their reasons for addiction might be legion, but the end result is the same. It is how we choose to deal with this inevitable human trait that is the important issue, as we can never rid ourselves of it.

The Politicians?

I’d say yes and no to blame. Yes, their lack of thought and action on the problem has partly lead to our current problems. They have presided over a system that for over 50 years has (with slight variations) enforced prohibition and today, after all that exertion, drugs are cheaper and more accessible than ever before. (You can’t help but wonder if their new found zeal for drugs is motive by the news that the middle class are now getting addicted to crack too?) On the one had they shake the hands of people like Colombia’s president Alvaro Uribe dismissive of their collusion with the very drug dealers he’s supposed to be stopping. Indeed, many government intelligence agencies actually become dealers themselves, and do the politicians bring them to book for being part of the problem and not the solution? No - they either can’t or wont. Ultimately, the politicians with a nod-and-wink to the countries supplying the drugs and the total failure to grasp the nettle, are only allowed to be so incompetent because we let them get away with it.

Us?

The problem and solution rests with us and getting there will not be easy. But then living in a dealer-junkie hyper-market is not easy either. If you hate the drugs problems in your area and you’re not involved with a community group then this lack of action only helps the dealers. If you don’t do something more than complain, then your absence is the junkies invitation.

I’d like to see all drugs decriminalized, to wipe the dealers business model away at a stroke. I’d like to see community drug centers were the junkies in our areas get free crack and heroin. (I’d rather they got it for free than mugged someone to pay). These centers aimed at both treatment and rehabilitation would be community run , employing local people and be situated all over the city (yes in Clifton too). I’d like to see strong autonomous community organizations working together to fight the causes of the crime.

What would you like to see and what are you doing about it? It’s time we faced the reality that after over 50 years of failure, looking to the same tired old solutions is a dead-end road. We’re the ones who live with the problems day in day out, we’re ultimately the only ones who can solve them.

5th July: Independence for St. Paul's!
St. Paul's carnival was everything a street festival should be; it was meandering, chaotic and packed with energy. While there were the inevitable bits of corporate sponsorship (this year it was Western Union money transfer, as even with poorer immigrant communities; there's money to be made! And before anyone complains about how useful their support is, I know the arguments about corporate citizenship, I'm just making an observation.) In my eyes, as a St. Paul's resident, the event was a success, there was much autonomy and spontinaety about the festival that embodies the direct spirit of the place the event's namesake. On the main street of the event, Grosvenor Road there was a vast array of stalls selling everything from Malcolm X posters to Goat Curry. At the head of the road was a large festival stage, on the green, where one of the youngest MCs I have ever seen got the crowd moving with a display of very youthful talent and confidence. Big-up to him! Further down, next to the Inkerman pub, we had the Ghetto Force sound system, which if you just passed by sounded overly distorted and strained, but if you'd stopped to take it in and moved off the road into the path of the speakers, you'd have heard the sound as it was intended; full-on and ragga. The sounds were a tidal wave of records with frequent punctuations of MC commentary to get the crowd motivated and moving.

Meanwhile, St. Agnes park hosted a BBC car and a whole host of kids activity as the place hummed with activity from the tiny-tot army who were busy bouncing, dancing, yelling and painting. Here was also more jerk chicken and more ginger beer and wood carving.

To anyone taking the scene in, there were also stories to be gleaned; the petition of Mr. Selburn Watson, a pensioner who's now living in a tent after being kicked out of his home in Denbigh Street. He was sitting in a tree watching those signing for action from the council on his behalf. There was the return of the well loved techo-crew Species blasting-out in the car park of Malcolm X centre, the talk was that the crew were rumored to triumphantly returning to play a gig at the newly re-opened New Trinity.

Over in the community erected stone circle by Dutty Ken's pub, the Star & Garter, there was a 'Disinformation Tent' where the public could announce; "Could people please refrain from sitting on the grass." The speaker gravely announced this to the hundred or so people sitting on the grass. Fortunately, having been rendered immune to disinformation during Gulf War II, most of the people didn't move, though the announcement that tickets were needed to use the toilets in the pub caused some mirth and panic in equal measure.

The autonomy of the community was inspiring to see; the local residents selling food, drink and clothing to the thronged crowd of newcomers, indulging it a little redistribution of the wealth from Clifton to St. Paul's. Davy Street residents had turned the whole road into one giant party for the day and up and down the area people created their own spaces to make the whole greater than the sum of the parts; blasting gabba in the driveway on Ashley Road, the plant sale to raise money for the Revolutionary Association of the Women of Afghanistan in Lower Cheltenham Place (find more out at http://rawa.false.net/index.htm as they are warning that the US is negotiating with the Taliban with the view to controling the country by returning them to power!)

Yup, St. Paul's carnival was just that; the flavor of St. Paul's with all it's diverse glory and the day we see a Starbucks or McDonalds stall replacing the jerk chicken kitchens at this event, is the day the event looses the St. Paul's bit and becomes just another calender event. Long may it stay!

One Rule for Them and another for Us.
In all the fake media hysteria surrounding the infiltration of Aaron Barschak - the comedy terrorist' there are a few base issues that have been, as usual, totally ignored by the feeding-frenzy of royal correspondents. And it pisses me off. Here is a crystal clear example of the ‘one rule for them and another for us’ ideology that all states perpetuate. What do I mean. Two examples of gross police malpractice have recently come to light. In once case, 2 local men are fitted-up for murder and serve 14 years in prison despite being innocent. Do the police apologize? Do they, fuck. Is there an enquiry in the this miscarriage of justice? Is there, fuck.

In another case some stand-up comedian gatecrashes a party and within a day there are investigations all over the place. There is a full and unreserved apology and much groveling and scraping from the police. Why is it that if you are a royal, then the police fall over themselves both to admit mistakes and investigate? Why is it that if you’re a working class prole from Gloucester, not only do the police not give a fuck; but they can fit you up with impunity.

Gary Mills and Tony Poole were innocent but served 14 years inside, detained at Prince Willaim’s Gran’s pleasure. This is the scandal that should be all over the front pages. Prince William is elevated to a status above us by no other virtue that the family he was born into. That accident of birth splashes him all over the media. He receives the fawning attention of the police while his subjects; people like Gary and Tony, the family Stephen Lawrence and the thousands of others fitted up and locked up and dumped on by the state have to struggle year after year, uphill for even a semblance of justice. This is a symptom of a system that is rotten to the core and when he assumes the throne, William will be the living embodiment of that putrid husk.

The Parallels of History
"Missiles Flying in the Third World, from Hanoi to Wounded Knee. Bombs falling over Baghdad, and each one cries 'Democracy'." David Rovics.

Those who do not understand their history are doomed to repeat it. The system that has rained destruction on Iraq and threatens nuclear, biological and environmental armageddon to the world learns its lessons well. Maybe this is because their view of the future is so short term? Either way, those of us opposing the corpse machine also need to learn from history.

So it was as I read the excellent book by Ward Churchill and Jim Vander Wall; 'Agents of Repression'. Among other things, the book documents an incident in 1973, where the FBI and allied forces laid siege to a gathering of Native Americans encamped at Wounded Knee. These people were members of AIM - the American Indian Movement and they have come to the site of the 1890 massacre of their people to re-assert their civil rights and culture. As I read the account, I was struck by the similarity of the tactics used there and the parallels with the Fairford Peace camp established this year to witness the forward operating base for the bombing of Iraq.

I’m certainly not claiming that the severity or context of the two events were similar, but the tactics of repression were. Fairford was a peace camp while at Wounded Knee, a siege developed as the FBI attempted to isolate and destroy the American Indian Movement. By the end of the 68 days siege where the US Federal forces had deployed an arsenal including at least 130000 round of M16 ammo, 41000 rounds of M1 ammo and 600 cases of CS gas. There would be dead on both sides but mainly of AIM people. There would be 1200 arrested and the net result would be the US government again ignoring the legitimate demands of the true inheritors of that land.

Why so much force over such a small areas of land? Many years ago the US state had shrunk the Native American population into tiny areas of land considered worthless. When that land turned out to hold vast deposits of valuable minerals such as uranium and bituminous coal, the control of this land was an issue of vital economic and so political importance. The Siege of Wounded Knee was the opening salvoes in a war to ensure that these valuable resources was firmly in the hands of the state. The siege was characterised by the lines drawn; Inside the tiny village of Wounded Knee you had around 500 residents, AIM people and other tribal groupings such as the Independent Oglala Nation. Surrounding them were the combined forces of the US state including the FBI, the Federal Marshals and the Bureau of Indian Affairs Police. The was a clear desire on behalf of the state, not to stick to the law of the land, but to use any and all means necessary to ensure an favourable outcome; namely the destruction of Native American rights and power.

Fairford Air Base, situated in sleepy Gloustershire, England represented an asset of vital military and so political importance. Based here was a fleet of B52 bombers with sufficient reach, because of the bases strategic location, to cover a wide range of possible targets from Libya to Iran to the Sudan and of course; Iraq. As the peace movement focused on the base and established a peace camp, the clear aim of the state became to ensure that, regardless of the law of the land, the continued maintenance of USAF range and power.

Both battles for control were waged using a host of techniques on the part of the US state:

>>>Military Intervention in Civil Matters
Wounded Knee: Despite the constitutional prohibition of the involvement of the US army in domestic affairs; "General Alexander Haig, then Vice-Chief of Staff at the Pentagon, dispatched Colonel Volney Warner of the 82nd Airborne and Colonel Jack Potter of the 6th Army to Wounded Knee. For the first time in their careers they were ordered to wear civilian clothes while on duty."
Fairford: On the 11th March, despite the lack of any legal jurisdiction the US troops were engaged in forcefully moving the peace camp; "Acting totally outside of their juristiction Americans from USAF Fairford illegally forced the G10 Bomber Watch to move camp whilst police stood by."

>>>Physical Isolation of Activists
Wounded Knee: The US state went to huge lengths to block access to the area and so starve the defenders of food and medical supplies. While this may have been done under the pretense of stopping weapons supplies, overt food convoys were routinely intercepted and confiscated and as such those inside the village ended up on one meal per day.
Fairford: "[The peace camp] is now subject to an embargo of certain essential items. Campers and visitors are not allowed to bring firewood, essential camping equipment such as sleeping bags, blankets, clean clothes or toiletries like toothbrushes to the camp." The area was also subject to Section 44 of the Terrorism Act, allowing the police to stop and search any traffic and (often illegally) turn people back from the area.

>>>Vigilante Attacks
Wounded Knee: Some of the most brutal attacks on Native American activists, including fatal shooting were carried out by a squad of vigilantes known as the GOONs (a federally funded paramilitary force), while they had no real authority to act as they did and were so out of control some members were even arrested by the US Marshals on the scene, as they ached on the side of the state, they were protected and even armed by the FBI. As a result none were ever convicted of wrong doings. Despite over 150 civil rights complaints being brought to the attention of the government, only 42 were ever investigated and 0 brought to court.
Fairford: the peace camp was subject to attacks; "At 10pm last night (19/Feb/2003) as the peace campers were retiring to bed the camp was attacked by six men dressed head to foot in black." To date the police have arrested or charged nobody for these attacks.

>>>Police Harassment
Wounded Knee: Needless to say before, during and after the FBI and local police forces subjected, at every possible turn, the activists to massive harassment. A typical example would be the incident of Frank Clearwater, an AIM activist shot in the head. The US state ensured a lengthy protraction before agreeing to medical aid for the victim but nonetheless eventually it was agreed that Frank and his wife could pass though the siege lines. As soon as they reached the police area, she was arrested and thrown in jail. Frank died on the 25 April 1973.
Fairford: Where were also legion of incidents in the sleepy Gloustershire village. A typical example was the pre-emptive detention without provocation of the WOMBLES civil disobedience group by police at the 22nd March demo.

>>>Media Disinformation & Complicity
Wounded Knee; Consistently the highly experienced FBI disinformation machine put out lies to the press, but the combination of the isolation tactics and complicity in many media outlets meant that the AIM activist could be painted as unrepresentative and dangerous militant to destroy their support base. Typical examples include the FBI telling the press that Father Paul Manhart, from the local church who was at the time were inside the besieged Native American village, was being held as a 'hostage'. Yet when two Senators arrived to negotiate his and 10 others release, they 'hostages' refused to leave because they did not consider themselves as hostages as one remarked; "The real hostages were the AIM people".
Fairford: The authorities tried to force journalists to 'make an appointment with the police before they visit the camp' and also refused entry to some journalists. Here's a typical example of the state-spun story where the anti-war movement is categories into two camps; the well-behaved (i.e. no threat to the war machine) and the Fairford protestors; "Scotland Yard expects a peaceful mass demonstration by 100,000 marchers at Hyde Park in London after extensive negotiations with the organisers. Anarchist and militant groups are concentrating instead on launching a two-pronged attack on the US military presence in Britain. The spy base at Menwith Hill in North Yorkshire is being branded by campaigners as the 'brains' of the American war effort and RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire the 'body'."

So What is Your Point?
The first point is to learn from history. We are engaged in a long struggle and we need to read our shared past; because you can bet the state is learning from and refining its tactics whether we do or not.

Secondly there is a validation of the part of the path chosen at Fairford. Ward Churchill, the AIM activist and writer remarked; "So whatever it is that is that will be state approved is exactly what you ought not want to be doing. Whatever it is they tell you, that you absolutely cannot, ought to be an indicator that maybe you ought to look at it seriously." Clearly, though the evidence presented here, the state did not want people at Fairford. It was happy for them to be in London, out of harms way. With such information and the evidence presented of the extraordinary lengths the US/UK state has gone to in both cases, I cannot but conclude that Fairford was the right place to be. I only wish others in the anti-war movement had also realised this and not squandered their energy in repeated state sanctioned marches.