A network of individuals, independent and alternative media activists and organisations, offering grassroots, non-corporate, non-commercial coverage of important social and political issues.

MPs slag off Geldof

On Tuesday Members of the House of Commons slagged-off Bob Geldof for calling for a million people on the streets of Edinburgh. Highly irresponsible they muttered into their Order Papers.

In an attack led by the Tory Scottish affairs spokesman, MPs slagged off Bob Geldof. In doing so, they were echoing their counterparts in Scotland.

The same crap, highly irresponsible to call for a million people to go to Edinburgh etc etc. [see Hansard Tuesday 7 June 2005]

Who do these people represent? No small wonder election turnout is so low and falling.

I have not in the past noticed the leader of Edinburgh complain about people attending the Edinburgh Festival or the Fringe, but then that is about fleecing visitors for every penny.

What the politicians do not like is a mass movement building up, people power.

It is okay in Georgia or other parts of Eastern Europe, for people to take to the streets and bring down governments, but not in the UK.

What we are seeing, is what is common in Latin America, people taking to the streets, controlling their own destiny. That is what our out-of-touch politicians fear most.

There is talk of violence on the streets of Edinburgh.

What of the violence globalisation wreaks on the people of Africa, the millions who die each year?

On the day MPs were slagging off Geldof, Tony Blair was meeting his master, George W Bush in Washington.

Bush, at the press conference that followed, said the US would triple aid to Africa.

Three times nothing, is still nothing.

The amount Bush is offering, is barely 10% of what even the discredited Commission for Africa said the US should be offering year on year.

What Bush is actually offering, will be given with one hand and taken away with the other. Yes, he is offering debt relief, but for every dollar given in debt relief, it will be taken from what is currently given as aid.

Websites

http://www.live8live.com/

http://www.wdm.org.uk/

http://www.makepovertyhistory.org/

http://www.resistg8.org.uk/

http://www.dissent.org.uk/

http://www.g8alternatives.org.uk/

http://www.g8blockades.org.uk/

Reference

G8 protest 'needs underwriting', BBC news on-line, 9 June 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/4074872.stm

Geldof expects 'glorious failure', BBC news on-line, 9 June 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/4076538.stm

Keith Parkins, Georgia, Indymedia, 25 November 2003

http://www.indymedia.org/print.php3?article_id=366181

Keith Parkins, Growing evidence of CIA involvement in Georgia coup?, Indymedia, 5 December 2003

http://www.indymedia.org/front.php3?article_id=368917&group=webcast

Keith Parkins, Bob Geldof and Live 8, Indymedia UK, 6 June 2005

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/06/312715.html

Keith Parkins, Sail 8, Indymedia UK, 6 June 2005

http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2005/06/312724.html

Keith Parkins, A sense of the masses - a manifesto for the new revolution, October 2003

http://www.heureka.clara.net/gaia/democracy.htm

US and UK 'close to Africa deal', BBC news on-line, 8 June 2005

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4071504.stm

Keith Parkins

Comments

Hide the following 8 comments

target-rich environment

09.06.2005 15:01

Hang on.. MPs attack Geldof for attacking the G8.. but don't we hate MPs, Geldof and the G8? How confusing. Perhaps we'd be better to hold off until the SWP/Respect turn up, then we can all attack them.

which way to turn?

we could make a list of bad things

09.06.2005 16:45

the first post was pretty obvious to anyone who's already aware of how crap 'democratic capitalism' is - but any given time, someone is looking at indymedia for the first time - so what's wrong with a few posts that don't assume the reader has lots of prior knowledge?

bobby

well it is highly irresponsible

09.06.2005 16:50

MPs just have legitimate concerns for people's health and safety. There could be a lot of pushing and shoving with a million people on the streets. What if someone got hurt? Let people have their say and I'm sure if they go through the proper democratic channels, it will taken into consideration in a fair and balanced way, but 1 million people taking to the streets is just childish and silly.

sceptic

Are you still here?

09.06.2005 20:33

So sceptic tank, do you also think the million plus who marched against the war were childish and silly also?

Please let me know what you consider 'grown up' demonstrating (a clue, voting isn't demonstrating)

Oi!

"Tonight thank God it's them, instead of you"

10.06.2005 09:28

"MPs just have legitimate concerns for people's health and safety"

Which people?

The Iraqi's starved by sanctions and maimed by cluster bombs?

The African's condemned to a lifetime of poverty and hunger?

Palestinians shot in the head for opposing Israeli occupation?

Innocent people tortured in the American gulag, JTF Guantanamo?

Tsunami orphans abducted into the International sex trade?

Servicemen sacrificing their lives for a diabolical lie?

Or, were you referring only to Brits who demonstrate?

Reply to sceptic

10.06.2005 14:57

G8 policies, whether directly or indirectly, cause the deaths of thousands every day. I think that more than justifies the risk of a bit of 'pushing and shoving'.

I think you need to get things in a bit of persepective.

selective scpeticism?

not convinced

10.06.2005 17:21

>>The Iraqi's starved by sanctions and maimed by cluster bombs?

Oh not the sanctions again! That was AGES ago. And besides, people starving in Iraq was entirely the fault of Saddam Hussein. There you go, blaming the west for EVERYTHING as usual. If you lot had your way, Saddam would still be in power, torturing and starving his own people.

>>The African's condemned to a lifetime of poverty and hunger?

Africans are living in poverty because of their corrupt incompetent governments. The G8 is trying to HELP Africa - that's what this year's G8 summit is all about! And you want to protest against that? By opposing the G8 you're simply going to make Africa's problems worse.

sceptic

GARGH!!

11.06.2005 14:56

It is sad to see that people can't look past their own petty mornic behaviour and see what really is going on.

The G8 is trying to 'make a deal' to provide Africa with funds to make life better, however this means that Africa will have to give something in response - that is capitalism. Any deal, other than the complete wiping out of third world dept, will just lead to more problems.

Most of the corrupt governments in Africa are funded, armed and looked after by our beloved G8. So any talk of 'the G8 are trying to make life better' is bullshit. They are trying to make more money for those in their countries that count (not the citizens but the large corporations ie. BAE, Lockhead etc...)

So before you ridicule people for marching, why don't you do a bit of unbiased research and form a proper opinion. Until then you are doing little more than trolling and perpetuating the same old moronic tripe that forever flows from the ignorant and stupid.

fredrico
mail e-mail: musteatvegan@yahoo.co.uk

UK Indymedia