A <em>blog entry</em> is a single post to an online journal, or <em>blog</em>.
We find ourselves in Ireland facing a imminent referendum on marriage equality, which the hardline religious right are opposing as part of their program of maintaining multiple oppressions.
A no vote in that context would be disastrous, serving only to entrench homophobia. Therefore anarchists are campaigning for a Yes to Marriage Equality vote but beyond the need to ensure the referendum is not defeated this session of the 2015 Dublin Anarchist Bookfair asked what else needed to be said?
This panel looked at the challenges and possibilities of popular self-organisation to reclaim our lives, our homes and our cities. Jenny and Zoe looked at recent occupations in Dublin, including the Grangegorman Squat in Smithfield where resistance to eviction is ongoing
The Dublin anarchist bookfair panel on migration, state racism and anti-racist, migrant self organising.
This session at the 2015 Dublin anarchist bookfair examined the reasons why gender liberation is central to the Rojava revolution in northern Syria and looks in particular at the importance of the struggle against tribal feudalism.
Apologies, it has been ages since I blogged last. A combination of many things, not least trying to cover all the nonsense Marx sprouts in The Poverty of Philosophy – more on that later. Since I last blogged, I posted a review of a Marxist book on the First International.
Dublin was one of many cities that saw a protest today (29 March 2015) called by the local Australians and Allies Overseas against Mandatory Detention as part of an international day of action involving 28 cities across 6 continents. The protest also drew attention to the terrible Direct Provision centres Asylum Seekers in Ireland are subjected to.
It took place outside the Australian embassy where those gathered demanded
Shut down Manus Stenton Centre for asylum seekers!
Shut down Nauru detention centre!
The election of the radical left party Syriza in Greece has demonstrated how democracy and the capitalist market are enemies of each other. Far from accepting the democratic result of the election the response of the markets has been to try and make the mild anti-austerity measures Syriza was elected on impossible.
A lot of left reporting of Greece reduces us to spectators of a West Wing like show where we are required to unthinkingly cheer the good guys in their efforts to get one over through clever negotiation methods. We don’t quite understand what is going on but we are required to believe our side are doing their best because they are the ‘good guys’. And we like it when they appear to land a blow on the EU establishment. But does this drama tell us much about what is actually happening in Greece.
Austerity saw the closure of Greek Radio-Television (ERT) but workers not only resisted they took ERT into collective self management and continued broadcasting. 21 months after its closure the striking workers still ran 17 radio stations (15 regional, two national) and a single TV channel (ET3).
The translation of the texts below has been sent to us by Thanasis, a worker at the ERT and outline how the workers restructured ERT and what they want Syriza to respect if funding is returned.
The reactions to the attempted evictions of the 27 people who occupied the long vacant Grangegorman complex here and elsewhere online has been interesting. On the ground at the gates people passing have been curious, and overwhelmingly positive. Some have brought down gifts including the pictured fry up from council workers at the depot nearby.