“The only acceptable response to any accusation of racist prejudice is self-scrutiny, self-criticism and self-improvement.” ~ Rebecca Long Bailey 12 Jan 2020.
According to this there is no defense against any accusation of ‘racist prejudice’. To be accused is to be guilty. Both RLB and the Labour Party have abandoned reason, freedom of expression, tolerance of dissent and principles of natural justice. And it is in the nature of witch hunts and inquisitions that defending those accused of witchcraft and heresy are to be accused of being witches and heretics themselves.
“… Llanelli MP Ms Griffith said anyone who cannot accept Sir Keir’s zero-tolerance approach should leave the party.”
“Zero tolerance”. That’s it exactly. Total, totalitarian, intolerance.
These are my ‘video notes’ from the Black Lives Matter event in Central Park Newham. I’m sure that the host organisation, Stand Up to Racism Newham, will publish their videos of various speeches so these are mostly some short clips but I included in full a speech at the end by a young writer/actor talking about her own emotions regarding BLM. I think that as we move forward it’s really important to talk intimately about feeling and relationships .. to have honest and open conversations whether we agree with each other or not. There is of course much more I could say on this subject; my perspective is unique to me as everyone’s perspective is unique to them they may or may not be of value to others but what is really valuable is the sharing of perspective in genuine conversation.
Campaigns may bring about change at political levels but it is conversations that bring about change at personal and interpersonal levels. I also recorded the latter part of a chat I had with a young man at the event, Suje Junior, who does some interesting work and had some interesting things to say. I said that I would like to continue the conversation and invited him to join the Newham Democracy Facebook Group.
I also spoke to Suje, and a couple of other people, about a Zoom video conversations that I want to organise. My first attempt to do this for the Newham Democracy group didn’t really happen since only Dean Armond and me turned up. The second attempt (in a couple of weeks) will not be focused on the Newham Democracy group but on people, from anywhere, willing to share their thoughts, feelings and creativity about our current crises. If anyone wants to talk with me about this do that.
