If he hits you, hit him back with interest!!

Prominent Turkish Muslim preacher and writer Fethullah Gulen...ruled that a woman should return the violence (on her husband) with interest.

Read full story here.

Irish students protest over uni reforms

Irish students protest over uni reforms, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Photograph: Dara Mac Dónaill

STUDENTS MARCH: STUDENT protesters brought traffic to a standstill in Dublin city centre yesterday afternoon as an estimated 15,000 young people took to the streets to voice concern about the potential reintroduction of third-level fees.

Students gathered in Parnell Square at lunchtime ahead of the march, which culmintated with a rally outside Leinster House where the protesters were addressed by student leaders and opposition politicians.

The students cited budgetary cutbacks in the education sector, a €600 increase to the annual student registration charge announced in the Budget and recent comments by Education Minister Batt O'Keeffe on the possible reintroduction of third-level fees as the fuel for their protest.

The protest was organised by the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), the representative body of some 250,000 third-level attendees in the State.

USI president Shane Kelly said he was delighted with the response of students, which he said was one of the largest student protests in years.

Read more here.

Another Education is Possible conference-sign up now

Sign up HERE

Conference Agenda 1st November

11 – 11.30 am Registration:
Registration desk will be inside the foyer of the main SOAS Building. If you have not yet paid you will be asked for a £5 fee to receive your ticket

11.30 – 12.30 pm Opening Session: Education in a Neoliberal World:
Room G2 (on left handside of SOAS reception desk)

• Paul Mackney, former joint General Secretary of University and College Union
• Italian Student, activist from the occupation of Rome University. Witness to the wave of occupations and protests sweeping Italy.
• Alex Callinicos, Author of “Education in a neoliberal world”
• Stalin Vermudez, victimised cleaners leader and SOAS Unison branch chair

12.30 – 1pm Lunch break: Home made Ugandan food will be served for a suggested price of £4. All proceeds will gotowards the cost of educating refugee children.

1 – 2.30 pm Workshops:

Fighting Racism and Fascism (Room G2)

• Brian Richardson, ‘Tell it like it is’ campaign on racism in education.
• MC’s Lo Key and Bashy, leading UK grime artists involved in Love Music Hate Racism
• Assed Baig, Staffordshire Student Union Exective

Stopping Climate Chaos (Room G50)

• Phil Thornhill, Campaign against Climate Change
• Alison Smith, VP Education and Welfare Plymouth SU

Anti war, Troops Out Now (Room G51)

• Andrew Murray, Stop the War coalition
• George Solomou, Former Soldier involved in Military Families against the War
• Noreen Fatima, Student at London Met University

Recession and Resistance (Room G52)

• Ben Sellers, SOAS Justice for Cleaners and Co President SOAS SU
• Sean Vernell, UCU Left activist and member of UCU National Executive (pc)
• PCS branch secretary on how we can support the PCS strikes

2.45 – 4.15 The future of the student movement - What sort of NUS do we need?
Room G2
Wes Streeting, NUS National President Vs Rob Owen, NUS National Executive

4.30 – 5.30: Closing Session: Building a democratic, campaigning student movement
Room G2, Chair: Ben Sellers

Fireworks from my balcony

Fireworks from my balcony, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Italian students protest Uni reforms

Italian students protest Uni reforms

Written by Kasia Mychajlowycz

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi threatened to call in the police to break up the week-long student demonstrations and protests that have been taking place across Italy in opposition to his conservative government’s planned reforms of primary and university-level education in the country. According to the Associated Press, “thousands” of students - up to thirty thousand, by one estimate - conducted sit-ins, demonstrations and marches throughout last week. Since the beginning of term, political unrest amongst university students has disrupted classes, with some students skipping class for weeks in protest. Even some teachers have joined the students and begun conducting lectures in the streets and squares, reported AP. Primary school staff plan a general strike next Thursday, while higher education faculty are to strike on November 14. The main march on Thursday saw secondary school and university students marching from Sapienza University in Rome to the Senate, where members of the government were voting on the reforms. If passed, universities and secondary schools will see drastic budget and job cuts to conform to the national budget set in August, which called for a €7.8 billion cut in state-run schools over the next four years. In the lower schools, elementary students will have the same teacher over five years, and could fail a grade for poor conduct. Both the Italian Carabinieri and Rome’s police force had a heavy presence during the demonstration. On Friday morning, PM Berlusconi threatened to order police to break up the sit-ins and demonstrations, stating that he “will not tolerate schools and universities being occupied”. Organizers of the protests, in particular Italy’s student union (Unione degli Universitari), said that they have no plans to cease the demonstrations until the reforms are voted down by the Senate, stating defiantly in one press release “The mobilisation not only continues, it is growing”.

Fifty Iraqi Kurds forcibly deported to Iraq

Yadga an Iraqi Kurd detained in Tinsley House reported to IFIR that a number of Iraqi Kurdish asylum seekers were taken from Tinsley and Dover House to Stansted Airport yesterday 27October..

Yadga told the Home Office escorts that he was due to be released that day.The escorts however ignored him.Yadga was forced onto a coach with the other Kurdish asylum seekers.Yadga deported there was a convoy of four coaches travelling to the airport. Each asylum seeker as before was accompanied by two escorts. Following phone calls from Yadga’s solicitors he was taken from the holding area at Stansted airport and returned to Tinsley House at 6pm yesterday evening.

Dashty Jamal IFIR Secretary called Awat from Sulaymania.Awat said he and five other Kurdish asylum seekers refused to board the plane and were beaten very badly by their escorts prior to being forced to board the International Hamburg airplane.The filight arrived at Arbil airport at approxiamately 4am the morning of the 28 October. Awat reported that they waited in Arbil for
30 minutes until they were diverted to Sulaymania airport.

This is the sixth time that Iraqi Kurds have been forcibly removed in such large numbers. Generally the UK deports Iraqi Kurds using Royal Jordanian airlines on charter planes. All of these removals are in contravention of the Geneva Convention which states that asylum seekers should not be returned to a war zone.

IFIR asks all Human and refugee rights organisations, Trade Unions and Trade Councils to write letters of protest condemning this flight to the Home

Secretary:

Phil Woolas,
2 Marsham St,
London SW1P
Fax:00442070354745

International Federation of Iraqi Refugees-IFIR CSDIraq

For more information please contact: , Dashty Jamal 078 5603 2991, Karen
Johnson 078 0489 1082 or Samera Ahmad 078 2842 4164 email:
sarahp107@hotmail.com, Karen.Johnson@btinternet.com, d.jamal@ntlworld.com

Derrida-the infinite search

Click here for short obituary article on Derrida

Spectres of Marx

...Of Grammatology

Sudanese comrade's political cartoon blog

See more cartoons here.

When Generals play

When Generals play..., originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

The trickle down effect

The trickle down effect, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Missogynisity London Beauty pagant

No doubt you have all heard of and are equally outraged by the Miss University of London pageant that is confirmed to take place again this year. At SOAS we passed a motion at the UGM that the union would not support SOAS taking part, but a group of slimy students (all male of course) are nevertheless widely publicising a SOAS qualification on 25th Nov at the Crystal Club.

We are discussing our course of action at our Women's Society meeting Wednesday, 6pm in the Institute of Education bar and would LOVE it if you could come along to let us know what your unions are planning and to organise some action that we can take together- whether its protests, events, publicity campaigns or lobbying our individual universities, the University of London or the pageant sponsors.

Please forward this to anyone who may have fab ideas/ and or bodies to contribute to the campaign. If we work together on this the feminist voice will be heard and it will be a resounding roar of indignation!!!

From Elly-SOAS Women's officer

Coming soon to a SWSS group near you-Life after Capitalism...

...the series.

Watch this space.

Suggestions for titles welcome-comment below please.

Can Obama bring the change Black America needs?

Obama, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Egyptian blogger Hossam el-Hamalawy discusses the state of independent journalism and free speech in Egypt.

She did it! Mum's graduation.

Congratulations to my dear mummy on graduating from Winchester University this summer with a higher division 2:1. Being the very first person in our family to graduate-well done.

Click here for the link to my Flickr account for more pics.

She did it!, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

As a 'graduand' before the ceremony outside Winchester Cathedral.

Mum before graduation, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Me, my mum and my 18 yr old sister Tia at the ball

Mum singing Shoop Shoop song with classmates

Me & Tia singing Madonna's Papa Don't Preach-it's much harder than we thought it would be!!

Karl Marx: did he get it right? Vote here...

From the Times Online Comment Central blog

Did Karl Marx get it right? That's the poser in today's paper. The Prussian has recently been ignored by the mainstream - consigned to obscure curricula as the business world steamed ahead. But as markets plummeted last week, dog-eared copies of Das Kapital started to fly off the shelves.

Comment Central wants to know your thoughts. Can you hear an 'I told you so' reverberating from Highgate Cemetery? Or are you still using the work of its most famous resident to prop up your television?

Cast your vote here.

Online Surveys & Market Research

Halloween Night Protest-Dance on the grave of capitalism

Halloween, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Another Education is Possible conference-sign up now

Italian Students have led a wave of occupations and protests against the neoliberal cuts in the face of the economic crisis. Students and lecturers have united with such force that the government is debating sending in the state to break up the occupations. Student strike waves are shaking Greece and Ireland as we write this. Governments are reshaping our universities to fit the needs of capital and we need to be part of the fight back; we need to start to pull together the nucleus of a movement at home that can replicate the same sort of action at home.

The crisis of capitalism is ripping through all areas of the welfare state and working class life. We need to fight on every front in solidarity with workers while remembering the main fight is where we are.

Our starting point is rally our forces nationally at the Another Education is Possible Conference on Saturday 1st.

Minister gets cake in his face

The immigration minister Phil Woolas was first asked for his passport, then given an 'eco-nationalist award' and finally had a pie thrown in his face by a group from Manchester No Borders. This came in response to his plans of more stringent population controls as announced in the national press. We also denounced his attempts to scapegoat immigrants for the ongoing economic and ecological crises.

Read more from No Borders here.

African Students claim historic victory @ SOAS

During a debate on Free education of which I was on the panel, a large group of students interupted the meeting to protest about the NUS's disgraceful decision to find Kings College SU president not guilty of racism.

In my speech on Fighting for Free Education I spoke about the need to fight for your rights; that the ruling classes dont just wake up and think 'what am i going to do today?, erm, maybe i'll give women the right to vote'. NO, women had to fight for this right. And the Black Students Campaign were exactly right to disturb this meeting and fight for their rights.

Wes streeting complained that he felt intimidated and harrased, and one of our own Co-Presidents called security.I'm not suprised that the security guard, who is Nigerian, did not rush or try very hard to remove said protesters.

The Minority Students Campaign forced NUS President Wes Streeting to answer questions which he has for the most part avoided. In all fairness, althhough he spoke like a true politician, typically avoiding the truth, he did issue an apology and admitted that the NUS has handled this case poorly and will oversee changes in procedures to ensure that we do not see a repeat of this event.



Not known for mincing his words Lee Jasper severly reprimands Wes.



Well done to Mpegwa for demonstrating, and demonstrating what can be acheived when you stand up for your rights. Being his very first protest it wass great to see a whole new layer of angry students want to get involved.


Written by Alex Donald
23/10/08

A damning statement, demanding an “immediate apology” and threatening “further action from being taken”, has been released by the SOAS Student Union Executive (SU Exec.).

The joint statement, which was signed by Ben Sellers (President of Sports and Societies), Marya Ahmad (President of Welfare and Education) and Nizam Uddin (President of Finance and Communication) directly accuses the Enuff is Enuff campaign of “false claims, inaccuracies, misrepresentation and slander” regarding their coverage of last Wednesday’s demonstration in the Junior Common Room (JCR) against Wes Streeting, the President of the National Union of Students (NUS).

The statement, which can be read on the SOAS SU website, directly indicts SOAS African-Caribbean Society (ACS), Minority Students UK (MSUK), Afrikan and Afrikan-Caribbean Youth and Student Action group (AA-CYSA) and an unnamed SOAS co-Black Officer.

“The Students’ Union is requesting an immediate retraction and apology from all parties concerned to counter the disrepute that it has placed upon the SOAS Students’ Union and prevent further action from being taken.”

SNEWS has learnt that the President of SOAS ACS, Symeon Brown is currently in direct talks with Mr Uddin about the incident.

The statement released counters claims made by the ethnic minority students campaign group MSUK that the presence of Mr Streeting at SOAS last Wednesday was as a result of an “undemocratic invitation” by the “powers that be within SOAS Union.”

The SOAS Exec argues that it “defends its behaviour in line with its principles”

MSUK also accuses Mr Uddin directly of having “political affiliations” with Mr Streeting, an allegation that the statement dismisses as “false”.

Last Wednesday (15th), protesters stormed the SOAS JCR demanding the immediate resignation of Mr Streeting for failing to act swiftly against “institutional racism” within the NUS.

A heated argument, which can be viewed here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q6rbCY50SqQ (Part 1 coming soon!), between Mr Uddin and SOAS Mature Students Officer Mpegwa Mwakang’ata took place, where Mr Mwakang’ata accused Mr Uddin of failing to uphold SU policy by inviting Mr Streeting.

Meanwhile, a source from within some of the groups mentioned, who wishes to remain anonymous, told SNEWS that statements responding to the Exec's statement will be released soon.

3rd raters

*Carol Vorderman

Was awarded a third in engineering at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge, in 1981.

*Hugh Laurie

The actor got a third in archaeology and anthropology at Selwyn College, Cambridge, in 1981.

*Christopher Hitchens

The writer got a third in philosophy, politics and economics from Balliol College, Oxford, in 1970. (not got much better then)

*David Dimbleby

The broadcaster graduated from Christ Church College, Oxford, with a third in philosophy, politics and economics.

*Evelyn Waugh

The novelist only managed a third in history at Hertford College, Oxford. When was asked what he had done for his college, he said: "I drank for it."

Karl, Mark II-bankers of the world unite

Sales of Das Kapital up 300%

What next? Imperial (ist) College to be re-named SOAS II (Sorry Our Ancestors are Shits)

Comrade Hossam speaks at SOAS World Against War mtg

The videos of the World Against War meeting at SOAS are now online thanks to Jesse Oldershaw:

Judith LeBlanc interview: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=AcmPSpk7crw

Judith's speech: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=GgB8VNNCW3g

Hossam el-Hamalawy: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=2GEvx-D70gM

Andrew Murray: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=rXh1ffLTLH8

Sabah Jawad: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=qDE9HQWmX4Y

Kings College President removed/fired (?)

Good news, Chris Mullan, President of Kings College Students' Union (KCLSU) has been removed from office.

Bad news, it was not done by students but by the board of trustees.

KCLSU has a Govenrance structure that makes it very diffilcult for rank and file students to have much say in how their Union is run. In order to bring about a vote-of-no-confidence (VNC) students need to demand a Union General Meeting since the Union does not hold them as a matter of course; all decisions are made at a much smaller Council meeting.

But first, students need to obtain 1,000 signatures to even call a UGM.

Need to dash to class - more later...

Here is the expectedly biased report from Imperial College.

http://live.cgcu.net/news/1851

Read the drivel of a statement from Kings and NUS here

SOAS renamed 'School Of Activism Studies' by Imperialist College London!!

http://live.cgcu.net/hackipedia/School%20of%20Activism%20Studies

Bloody great idea-I always hated the O for Orientalist anyway...

SOAS Abortion Rights campaign video

Me, Elly and the Women's Officer Elly went to parliament to protest at the attempts to roll back abortion rights. Here is some footage i took which was kindly edited by Jesse Oldershaw. Thanks Jesse.

Knowledge is power

Knowledge is power, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

ראיון עם סוציאליסט מצרי Egypt's strike waves

ראיון עם סוציאליסט מצרי
סמיח נאגיב, סוציאליסט מצרי, שוחח עם כתב הירחון הבריטי הסוציאליזם האינטרנציונאליסטי, אודות תנועת השביתה והרקע הפוליטי לה, כולל התפקיד של התנועה של האחים המוסלמים, המונה כמיליון חברים.

שאלה: בקיץ זה פרץ גל של שביתות במצרים.כיצד זה התחיל והתפשט?

Read more on Egypt’s strike wave in Hebrew here

Vote for Comrade Hossam's photo-only 10 days to go

Click on this link to vote proper.

Hossam's photo is the first one just in case you haven't by any chance seen it before. Good luck comrade.

Below are thumbnail images of the shortlisted photos as chosen by our panel of judges (David Bacon, Gretchen Donart, and Mac Urata).

Click on the image to see it in full size, and to learn more about it -- and also to add your comments. You can also view the images on "Union Island" in Second Life.

To vote, click on the appropriate button and then 'NEXT' on the bottom of this page. Voting ends at midnight GMT on 31 October 2008. Remember - you can vote only once.

If you have any questions or problems, please contact LabourStart senior correspondent Derek Blackadder.

Egypt: Real estate tax collectors strike Vote for this photo:

USA: Service workers on strike Vote for this photo:

Switzerland: Railway workers demonstration Vote for this photo:

Bangladesh: Freedom of labour Vote for this photo:

UK: Trade unions are fun! Vote for this photo:

I'm a house wife hooked on Valium, I am a 1 in 10

At Party Council this weekend Martin Smith reminded me of one of my favourite songs. With unemployment rising at an unprecedented rate, we will soon be approaching the 3m mark. With all the new rules regarding incapacity benefits, family tax credits, income support and the silly rule that does not allow the few asylum seekers and refugees that are in the UK to work, we will soon be 1 in 10 unable to earn enough to support ourselves, let alone our families...UB40 could have written these lyrics right now.

I am a one in ten a number on a list,
I am a one in ten even though i don't exist.
Nobody knows me, but im always there,
A statistic, a reminder of a world that doesn't care

My arms enfold the dole queen,
Malnutrition dulls my hair,
My eyes are black and lifeless
With an underprivileged stare
I'm the beggar on the corner
Will no-one spare a dime
I'm the child that never learns to read
Because no on spared the time.

(Chorus)

I'm the murderer and the victim
The licence with the gun
I'm a sad and bruised old lady
In an ally in a slum
I'm a middle aged businessman
With chronic heart disease
I'm another teenaged suicide
In a street that has no trees

(Chorus)

I'm a starving third world mother
A refugee without a home
I'm a house wife hooked on Valium
I'm a Pensioner alone
I'm a cancer ridden spectre
Covering the earth
I'm another hungry baby
I'm an accident of birth.

PUBLIC SERVICES NOT PRIVATE PROFIT diary

MEETING TUESDAY 21 OCTOBER 7PM
With Frank Dobson MP, Kevin Courtney NUT
and speakers from local campaigns
Camden Town Hall, Judd St, WC1

Some interesting articles from the Guardian this week: http:/ / www.guardian.co.uk/ society/ joepublic/ 2008/ oct/ 15/ pfi- public- services

http:/ / www.guardian.co.uk/ commentisfree/ 2008/ oct/ 16/ pfi- banking

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/oct/15/economic-policy-banking

OTHER IMPORTANT DATES

Monday 20 October Camden PCT meeting 2pm St Pancras Hospital

Monday 27 October 7pm Camden Town Hall

Workshop for London Campaigns

Tuesday 04 November 6.30 Camden Town Hall

Camden Campaign meeting.

"When you got a N**ger running for President..."

SOAS election results for NUS Conference Delegate

NUS Conference Delegate:

M.Naina 17...............LGBT officer and various left slogans.
N. Uddin 93.............SOAS Co-President - No politics on manifesto
J.Angliss 25..............Brilliant lefty Labour (and Another Education is Possible (?)-shame he wasn't allowed to put Free Education on his manifesto)
I.Drummond 20..........Respect Renewal
C.Solomon 88...........Another Education is Possible
R.Roy 7...................New Labour
A.Wootten 8..............New Labour
M.Mwakangata 20...... 'No to Slavery-No to Racist president at Kings'
J.Anderson 18............Tory-esque, defended Kings President, but covered manifesto in 'anti-racism' policies and hence got quite a few of mine and other lefties transfers
Re-Open Nominations 3

Toal votes cast: 312

All-in-all about 175 good Left 1st preferences. 93 centre/centre-left or un-aware/non aligned and about 30 centre-right

Me and Nizam Uddin were elected in the first round. Then after eight rounds of preferential vote allocation, Mas Naina got the third position.

Well done mas, shame John and/or ian didn't get in too-we would have had a full slate. I guess it's always hard beating the president (Nizam) who i would have expected to get a much higher vote.

Capitalism isnt working-come Dance on the Grave of Capitalism

Capitalism isnt working, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Following from our brilliant protest outside the Bank of England a further protest has been called for Halloween night.

VENTURE CAPITALISM

You have two cows.

You sell three of them to your publicly listed company, using letters of credit opened by your brother-in-law at the bank, then execute a debt-equity swap with an associated general offer so that you get all four cows back, with a tax exemption for five cows.

The milk rights of the six cows are transferred via an intermediary to a Cayman Island Company secretly owned by the majority shareholder who sells the rights to all seven cows back to your listed company. The annual report says the company owns eight cows, with an option on one more. You sell one cow to buy a new president of the United States, leaving you with nine. The public then buys your bull.

Angry SOAS students force NUS president Wes Streeting to answer questions over racism in the NUS

During a debate on Free education of which I was on the panel, a large group of students interupted the meeting to protest about the NUS's disgraceful decision to find Kings College SU president not guilty of racism.

I spoke about the need to fight for your rights; that the ruling classes dont just wake up and think 'what am i going to do today?, erm, maybe i'll give women the right to vote'. NO, women had to fight for this right. And the Black Students Campaign were exactly right to disturb this meeting and fight for their rights.

Wes Streeting complained that he felt intimidated and harrased, and one of our own Co-Presidents called security. I'm not suprised that the security guard, who is Nigerian, did not rush or try very hard to remove said protesters.

During the Q&A with Wes, our 'Anti-Racism' officer Jordan Anderson held up the informational flyer and with a look of contempt on his face proceeded to rip the leaflet into tiny pieces, adding insult to injury, fanning the flames causing a great deal of anger. Students started a petition to get the 75 signatures required to force an Emergency General Meeting to put forward a 'vote of no confidence' to force the anti-racism officer to resign too. These students then went on to speak about this issue in lecture announcements.

Well done to Mpegwa for demonstrating, and demonstrating what can be acheived when you stand up for your rights. Being his very first protest it wass great to see a whole new layer of angry students want to get involved.


The rest is written by Alex Donald, Research and materials by Yelden Sarybay

Angry scenes broke out as protesters stormed the SOAS Junior Common Room (JCR) yesterday during a meeting demanding the immediate resignation of the President of the National Union of Students (NUS) for overseeing “institutional racism”.

Meanwhile Wes Streeting, the President of the NUS, accused the protesters of “bullying”, “intimidating” and “generating a climate of fear”.

While Mr Streeting was talking, the demonstrators, led by SOAS Mature Students Officer Mpegwa Mwakang’ata, chanted “Slavery is no joke, Wes Streeting’s got to go!”

This refers to an incident at an NUS training seminar at the University of York where student officers were acting out role-playing scenarios. One student inappropriately held up a sign which read ‘BRING BACK SLAVERY’ and was subsequently questioned by police.

He was then subject to an NUS enquiry for another incident in which he is alleged to have called black people “undesirables”. His comments were found by the enquiry “not to be motivated by a racist agenda”.

During the scuffles in the JCR, a heated exchange took place between two SU executives. Mr Mwakang’ata accused Nizam Uddin, the Student Union (SU) President of Finance and Communications, of failing to uphold Student Union Policy:

“Our constitution says union policy is decided at the UGM (Union General Meeting). The most recent UGM policy that the SOAS student body has passed democratically states that Wes Streeting should resign immediately…We should not have him here on platform”

However Mr Uddin argued that the decision to invite Mr Streeting took place before the union policy was passed:

“We invited Wes to come down before the UGM. We honoured that.”

In the midst of the chaos, Mr Uddin explained to the protesters, who were surrounded by security guards and voyeuristic students alike, that he was not disagreeing with their cause but was there rather to participate in the meeting that was currently taking place.

“This debate is about free education…I’m supporting the fight for free education.”

Mr Mwakang’ata then went on to accuse Mr Uddin of not organising enough events for Black History Month.

“How many events have you organised, Nizam, for Black History Month?” To which Mr Uddin replied: “I’m Finance and Communication. You are part of SOAS union. What have you done?”

Meanwhile Mr Streeting denied he was going to resign and that his position is untenable: “I think it’s pretty ironic that people are making grievances about the equal opportunities policy whilst engaging in this sort of bullying and intimidation. “I think the NUS has conducted itself reasonably well. There are lessons to learn.

“Generating a climate of fear and intimidation that I’ve never ever seen at a student meeting before is absolutely reprehensible.”

Meanwhile one of the protesters vowed not to give up their campaign against Mr Streeting: “We won’t give a second of rest until he resigns.”

Essex SU shows how to build a great meeting-Viva Essex

By comrade Dominic Kavakeb-newly elected President of Essex Students' Union

The most effective way to restrict democracy is to transfer decision-making from the public arena to unaccountable institutions: kings and princes, priestly castes, military juntas, party dictatorships, or modern corporations.” The point that Noam Chomsky makes here is that democracy is essential and must be enjoyed by all. An important lesson to be learned for all organisations, including Students’ Unions.

This is why this year we are focusing on reinvigorating our democratic structures, most notably the General Meeting. The place where every student can attend, take part in debate and have a voting say on every decision. Essentially, the place where you can have a direct say in the decisions being made.

So this year we want to be different. We want General Meetings to be the most important meetings on campus. We want every student to have a say, have a voice and have a vote. Anything less is not enough. Therefore we have taken the decision to double the number of General Meetings per year. We will now be having two per term as opposed to one. We are ensuring that they will be accessible and that every student will know that they are taking place.

In addition we have invited various inspirational speakers to address the meetings and give them some context to the real world. Understanding the world outside the campus is key for a Students’ Union to see its role in the wider world. The speaker for the first meeting of term will be one of the best, interesting and inspiring speakers you will are ever likely to hear. Moazzam Begg, a British citizen who spent 3 years in Guantanamo Bay, will be speaking to us in addition to the debates we will be having.

World against war-SOAS Against War. All welcome

Next week Stop the War is hosting rallies around the country tackling big questions about the 'War on Terror'. International speakers will discuss whether economic crisis will spread war, whether Obama will pull troops out of Iraq if he wins the election and the devestating impact of the NATO occupation on Afghanistan. The meetings will also report on resistance to the war in the West and the Middle East.

SOAS Rally details:
Tuesday, 21 October
Lunchtime 1pm
in Junior Common Roon (JCR)

Speakers:
Judith Leblanc from United from Peace and Justice in the US,
Hossam El-Hamalawy from the Cairo Conference in Egypt,
Sabah Jawad and Sami Ramadani from Iraqi Democrats against the Occupation,
Andrew Murray from Stop the War.

Complementary readings for Myth & Mythmaking, Critical Theory and Religion in London classes

A few people asked me for some some supplementary reading materials for our class so here is a selection of articles. All theses articles are fully referenced with bibliography. Those with hyper links are available on-line. Otherwise, you can go to Bookmarks bookshop just round the corner from SOAS on the corner of Gower and New Oxford St and buy the journals-most of the old ones are only £1!! Failing that, I have copies which you could borrow. Email me at revolution@soas.ac.uk or ask me in class.

There are many more topics that you can search for yourself here. Just type the key word into the search function. It is not the best search facility so try a few combinations.

A Miniature Library of Philosophy

Aldred, R. 2004 'In perspective: Judith Butler' in International Socialism Journal 103. London, Bookmarks

Birchall, I, 2005. 'Sartre's century' in International Socialism Journal 107. London, Bookmarks

Bradbury, R. 1988. 'What is Post-structuralism?' in International Socialism Journal 41. London, Bookmarks

Blackledge, P. 2008. 'Marxism and Ethics' in International Socialism Journal 120. London, Bookmarks

Fotheringham, B. 2008. 'Gramsci goes Global' in International Socialism Journal 118. London, Bookmarks

Kohan, N. 2005. 'Postmodernism, commodity fetishism and hegemony' in International Socialism Journal 105. London, Bookmarks

Molyneux, J. 2008. 'Marxism and Religion' in International Socialism Journal 119. London, Bookmarks

Smith, S. 1991. 'Towards a Feminist theory of the State' in International Socialism Journal 51. London, Bookmarks

Wilson, C. 2008. 'Michel Foucault: friend or foe of the left' in International Socialism Journal 118. London, Bookmarks

Wolfreys, J. 2002. ' The Disposable Heroes of Hypocrisy' - A review of Dominique Lecourt, The Mediocracy: French Philosophy Since the Mid-1970s (Verso, 2001) in International Socialism Journal 96. London, Bookmarks

Wolfreys, J. 2000. 'In perspective: Pierre Bourdieu' in International Socialism Journal 87. London, Bookmarks

Social Theory: A historical introduction (R: Alex Callinicos 2007)

From Marx to Gramsci (R: Paul Le Blanc/ Humanities Press, £14.99)/ Gill Hubbard: 76/129 Text [Order]

Theories and narratives: reflections on the philosophy of history(R: Alex Callinicos/ Polity Press, £12.95)/ George Paizis: 68/109 Text [Order]

Philosophy and revolution: from Kant to Marx (R: Stathis Kouvelakis/ Verso, 2003, £17.00)/ Mark Thomas: 99/139 Text [Order]

A review of Kieran Allen, Max Weber: A Critical Introduction (Pluto Press, 2004), £11.99 (£5 at Bookmarks at the mo)

A review of Jonathan I Israel, Radical Enlightenment (Oxford, 2002), £20.99

A review of Ian Birchall, Sartre Against Stalinism (Berghahn Books, 2004), £36.50

Also, just found this journal Radical Philosophy....

Foucault-The Archaeology of Knowledge

Comrade Mary's stunt outside Royal Courts of Justice

Comrade Mary's stunt, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

After seeing this article in the financial section of the Guardian we students got a gentle poke to remind us how it's done!! Protesting outside the Royal Courts of Justice against the rise in energy bills, Mary received a mass of media attention.

We had to come up with something similar (but not as good) but forgot to take photo's.

Thanks Mary, and well bloody done.

Abortion Rights demonstration outside parliament

PROTEST

Tuesday 21st October - 5.30pm onwards

For a woman’s right to choose

Emergency protest to show the strength of pro-choice opinion ahead of the final abortion votes in Parliament

Old Palace Yard, outside Parliament, St Stephen's entrance

The protest has been called to oppose further anti-abortion attempts to drive back women's fundamental rights and support the first Parliamentary opportunity in a generation to improve the law for women and extend rights to Northern Ireland.

All pro-choice supporters welcome!
Please bring your friends, banners

Read more here

Paul Foot : Sleaze & the crisis in capitalism

I'm an ideological terrorist-it's now official

Tipped off by my friends in China - the Chinese censors have now decided that my content is not suitable for a "peaceful socialist society" (as they call it) - which is quite ironic really ;-) Basically if you try to load my site from Mainland China it just gives you a "Network Timeout" / 404 Error. Which means that it is most likely censored...

Facebook has also placed similar, although not so severe, restrictions on this site.

1) I can not send the url address in facebook messages unless it has another page at the end of the url because apparently my site contains 'abusive material'

2) I have to enter an annoying security code every time I paste my status to prevent me from spamming!! Also ironically, words I've been asked to submit so far: of occupying, crazy russian; I kid you not... 

I'm glad; it confirms that I am/we are doing enough to worry them or at least piss them off!!

A little self-indulgence...'Clair' (different spelling though)

Apparently Gilbert was a heart throb in the 70's!

Front cover of next weeks Economist!!

Front cover of next weeks Economist!!, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Egyptian stockbrockers face says it all!

Hearing the news that Egyptian certificates of deposit traded on the LSE have fallen dramatically and also that the Egyptian stock market is about to crash too, this gem of a photo sums up the general worry of the greedy capitalists.

Read more at El-Badeel newspaper here

Martin Smith: Socialists and the crisis - A Call to Action

Effing jump...(i cant say the real slogan coz my mum will tell me off for swearing)

Effing jump...(i cant say the real slogan coz my mum will tell me off for swearing), originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

The economic crisis: public meeting

THE ECONOMIC CRISIS—How bad will it get? What can we do about it?

Thursday 16 October, 7pm, Conway Hall, Red Lion Square, London WC1 (Holborn tube)

SPEAKERS:

• JEREMY CORBYN MP
• LARRY ELLIOTT Economics editor, the Guardian
• MICHELLE STANISTREET Deputy general secretary NUJ
• CHARLIE KIMBER People Before Profit Charter
• PAUL BRANDON Unite union 1/232 Holloway bus garage

CHAIR: Kevin Courtney NUT NEC

All speakers in personal capacity

Hosted by supporters of the People Before Profit Charter

“They call this Black Friday. We say it's fightback Friday "

Sweating like a pig!!, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.
Sweating like a pig...See more of my pics at my flickr stream here

“They call this Black Friday. We say it's fightback Friday and from this day we are letting it be known that we will be calling more protests”.

I'm still recovering from last nights March on the Banks-what a bloody brilliant demonstration.

Read full reports here at Socialist Worker, The Financial Times, Channel 4, Lenin's Tomb, Ady Cousins and google for many, many more-we certainly made an impact and created an element of revolutionary fervour.

The City of London police, who clearly are not used to this sort of demo, didnt have a clue how to respond. Bright red, huffing and puffing and sweating like mad they were rounding round in circles. They tried to block roads but didnt have enough police. Their dogs turnt on the handlers, the horses (only 2) were shying away. A comrade pointed at one police in front of his face-the officer said "don't wag your finger at me" oooh, how scary!

About 70 SOAS students attended and all were really militant-some said it was their first demo and they loved it. Well dont to Elly and co for getting in with the SOAS banner-shame i couldnt get some pics.

See SOAS Alex and Hannah centre stage here on AP (whatever that is...)

Can't wait for the next demo. Vive la revolution...

Watch Martin Smith on Channel 4 on 'Come back Communism'! Ignore the smarmy presenter-she doesn't add anything enlightening.

SOAS calls for NUS president to resign!!

A motion was passed at last weeks UGM calling on NUS (National Union of Students) President Wes Streeting to resign over his handling of racism at NUS events. apparently, and understandably, this has caused quite a stir at NUS headquarters!

The motion also called for disaffiliation from the NUS. I argued for and won the vote to remove this part. The NUS needs to be a strong, fighting, more political body and this will only happen with strong, fighting, political constituent members within it.

Read the London Student newspaper report here

SOAS Die-in

SOAS Stop the War Society held a die-in to mark the 7th year since the invasion of Afghanistan. The Iranian channel Press TV covered the story as did the London Student and Socialist worker. We received a very positive response from SOAS staff and students with people whistling and shouting from the windows in support.

Here is a link to the SW report

I'm back, got LOADS to tell you BUT...

having a slight computer problem...check back in a bit.

Alienated anyone?

My friend Ramsey (big shout out to Ramsey) posted me this horrific video. How often do people stop to think where their nice, shrink wrapped chicken comes from?

Please excuse the 'related links'-the word chick has other meanings in English.

Homophobic quote of the day (well, yesterday actually): preaching to the non-converted perhaps?

"I certainly have got nothing against homosexuals and...many of dear friends...are of that persuasion blah, blah, blah (emphasis mine)...

...What I have got against them is the militant preaching of homosexuality"said the Rev Richard Mullen, the chaplain to the London Stock Exchange, clearly oblivious to the irony in his rantings.

On his blog he also wrote that homosexuals should have "SODOMY CAN SERIOUSLY DAMAGE YOUR HEALTH" tattooed on on their backsides.

Another sign that the Stock Exchange is rotten to the core perhaps?

Socialists, the crisis - a call to action

SWP LONDON-WIDE PUBLIC MEETING

"Socialists, the crisis - a call to action"

Wednesday 8th October, 7pm
ULU, Room 3 C/D, Malet Street, WC1(Nearest tubes Goodge St, Warren St or Euston)

The financial crisis shows no sign of ending. Bosses' organisation British Chambers of Commerce stated today that the UK economy is already inrecession. Banks are being nationalised across Europe. European governmentsare squabbling over how to respond.

All this affects working people. British Chambers of Commerce predicts over 300,000 people will be made unemployed in the next year or so. Already lay-offs have begun - ITN are sacking 1000 staff out of 5000; MFI are closing 100 out of 190 stores; Fords Southampton have put the staff on a four day week and in the last six weeks nearly 50,000 jobs have gone in the finance sector.

This is a disaster for the bosses and the mainstream pro-market political parties. We have a huge opportunity to win people to an alternative. But thecrisis is so big we can feel paralysed by it. We need to start arguing thatworkers won't pay for the bosses' crisis. And we need to take action to show that capitalism is to blame, and an alternative is possible.

Please come along and bring with you friends, workmates and local campaigners.

Ken Livingstone's appaling excuse for an excuse for the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes

I invited Ken Livingstone (mainly because the new President wanted to invite a pop star otherwise!) to the 1st Union General Meeting of SOAS Students' Union to talk about activism and grass roots democracy.

Chatting to him briefly before hand I asked him to stress the importance of working with United Fronts such as Stop the War, which in the past he has supported. Not only did he not even mention it but he blatantly had a dig at revolutionaries and continued by saying that he was a realist and an unrepentant reformist.

When questioned on his response to the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes and the fact that he backed Police chief Ian Blair, he was even more disgusting. He said that everyone makes mistakes whatever their line of work. When a journalist prints an inaccurancy, he said, they have to apologise and get on with it.

What a disgraceful comparison to make-oops sorry, we just shot you repeatedly in the head...back to work lads.

Stop the War Die in to mark 7 yrs since the invasion of Afghanistan

SWSS update

The fact that loads of SOAS students attended the new members day school on Saturday demonstrates that not only is there a renewed fighting spirit but that it is our politics that can provide answers to the madness that is going on in the world, and students are looking to us for guidance.

We started the term with a variety of events to agitate, educate and organise and our strategy has paid off. We hired the Renoir cinema for a Unite Against Fascism event and over 200 people attended the filmshowing of This is England. We put a call out for immediate action to fight the BNP who were staying in the local area. 30 people stayed behind to start straight away.

They then set up a LMHR society which attracted another 200 sigh-ups at Freshers Fayre. At which, SWSS had a great response.

The following week a Stop the War mtg on Pakistan, Afghanistan & the Spread of War had 55 people followed by plans for a Die-in next Tuesday (tmrw). Jonathon Neal did a brilliant mtg on Climate Change at which we had 65 people.

At a caucus just before our UGM, having already seen us being active on campus, more non-members gathered around us and then clearly followed us when voting. The UGM had about 200 people (our quoracy is only 50) and we passed and opposed some very important motions including unanimous support for both the demonstration at the Bank of England and the People Before Profit Charter, defending staff against job cuts at SOAS, passed a motion condemning the racist persident at Kings and Notthingham colleges, defeated a Disaffiliation from NUS motion, and opposed the upcoming Miss University pageant.

The debate was of a high level and we smashed the right repeatedly getting the loudest cheers. Even though the mtg was 2 1/2 hrs long, and there was plenty of procedural motions and 'taking parts' which confused a lot of new students, we pulled many people with us and we came out buzzing if not bewildered!

We believe the success of the UGM is mainly due to the fact that we have taken student democracy very seriously, have consistently fought to bring back politics into the student movement and shown what can be done when we stand up for the oppressed and exploited.

SOAS SWSS is now raring to go to build for a Die-in on Tuesday and for the direct action against the Bank of England.

International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network

The International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network (IJAN) is launching its founding Charter in continental Europe, India , Israel , Latin America, Morocco , the US , Canada and the UK .

For the past two years IJAN has been building an international network of anti-Zionist Jews to support Palestinian resistance and seed new Jewish anti-Zionist organizing:

"Our commitment is to the dismantling of Israeli apartheid, the return of Palestinian refugees, and the ending of the Israeli colonization of historic Palestine."

Capitalist bankers-agitate, educate, demonstrate

With the world economy in melt down, it's time to take action.

Make lecture announcements, stand on tables in common rooms, shout from the roof tops :WE WON'T PAY FOR YOUR CRISIS.

Meet SOAS steps at 3pm with banners, whistles and other props.

Call Clare on 07958 034 181 for more details.

Unprecedented debt and no jobs for the class of 2008

Found this in the Times Online. Wish I had time to write something on this myself like " der, what do you expect?"-maybe tomorrow...

The class of 2008 faces unprecedented levels of debt and is struggling to find jobs as the credit crunch takes hold.

Students who graduated from university this summer have apparently never have had it so bad. Many borrowed tens of thousands of pounds in student loans on the assumption that they would walk into well-paid employment.

But graduate recruitment has been suspended or reduced by some companies as they struggle to stay afloat. Rather than taking their first step on to the career ladder, graduates are instead moving back in with their parents and accruing interest on debts as they look for work.

One graduate from the London School of Economics said: “I thought after I got a masters degree from a world-renowned school that I would have an easier time finding a job. I was wrong....

Read more here

Leaked police video شرطة مبارك تعامل المصريين كأسرى لقوات إحتلال

Cross posted from Comrade Hossam

Published by Hossam el-Hamalawy October 3rd, 2008 in Egypt مصر, Human Rights حقوق إنسان, Police شرطة, Video

Noha alerted me to this video, which was uploaded around a year ago to YouTube, but hadn’t caught our attention…

You can see at least one uniformed police soldier, and hear talk in Egyptian colloquial about ma7ader, etc… Though the channel user titled it as “prisons in Egypt,” I think it’s likely to have been shot in a police station..

I couldn’t help but remembering similar scenes one watches on TV, but in Iraq, Palestine or Afghanistan. There’s no difference between Mubarak’s police and the US occupation troops..

Circulate the video ya shabab, and let’s try to get any more info about it…

Are you Wired for Sound?

Having heard this on the radio yesterday morning and having had it stuck in my head all day i thought i would subject you all to some ear bashing too. Although, now that I have watched it on Youtube I've realised that I am actually treating you to a great golden oldie.

I couldn't quite decide which version of this gem to post here so i have settled on the one with the most ridiculous dancing but I think the 1998 live concert performance also competes for this title.

Is it just me or does Cliff still exude that certain je ne sais qua? Ok, ok, I'm on my own on that one then.

You'll be walking about with a head full of music ALL day...enjoy :-)

Justice 4 Cleaners Celebration-ALL welcome

J4C Celebration, originally uploaded by solomonsmfield.

Children of the Revolution

Women are now using their appearance and sexuality to fight the regime.

In 1979 Iran went through a major upheaval with the Revolution.

While this political and social transformation was just beginning the country was thrown into a terrible and costly war with Iraq, that would last eight years.

During these years, the revolutionary leader, Ayatollah Khomeini, encouraged Iranians to have large families, to make 'Armies for Islam'.

At the time, Iran's population was 25 million: today the population is 68 million with nearly 70 percent aged 30 or younger - these are the Children of the Revolution, (also known in Iran as "the burnt generation").

Today unemployment amongs this generation runs at 50 percent. Officially half the population lives below the poverty line. Prospects for young people are not good and many graduates are lucky to get jobs as taxi drivers.

This generation of young Iranians has experienced real extremes - the turmoil of war, social and religious reform, and the conservatism and poverty that followed.

Zohreh Soleimani is not a journalist - but she sets out to give a picture of Iran that reflects the reality of day to day lives.

Read more at the BBC here

• 23 mins

• Download (mp3)

• Documentaries

Download or subscribe to this programme's podcast.

Manchester Students Union faces attacks over re-labelled toilets

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7643136.stm

A row has broken out at the University of Manchester after its students' union toilets were "de-gendered". The ladies and gents are now called "toilets" and "toilets with urinals"

Temporary signs have made the "ladies" simply "toilets", while the "gents" have become "toilets with urinals".

The changes are in response to an unspecified number of complaints from trans students who are uncomfortable using the men's toilets.

A university newspaper criticised the move but the student union said it was needed to tackle transphobia.

There are no figures on the number of transsexual and transgender students believed to be among the university's population of more than 35,000 students.

The students' union welfare office declined to reveal the number of complaints, but said it was an important issue.

A student newspaper editorial questioned the wisdom of the move

Women's officer Jennie Killip told the BBC: "If you were born female, still present quite feminine, but define as a man you should be able to go into the men's toilets - if that's how you define.

"You don't necessarily have had to have gender reassignment surgery, but you could just define yourself as a man, feel very masculine in yourself, feel that in fact being a woman is not who you are."

Asked about the change, some female students questioned the move.

One said: "Girls might not want to use the same toilets as boys, so then you just end up with people complaining about that - so you can't really win.

Another told the BBC: "I personally wouldn't want to be in the same toilet as a man."

The move prompted an editorial in campus newspaper Student Direct last week which criticised the new arrangements.

Newspaper spokeswoman Susannah Birkwood said: "The toilets have been provided for men who don't self identify as men and women who don't think of themselves as women.

"Whether or not this is political correctness gone mad.. because it certainly seems that way to some members of our student community."

Union officials have rejected the criticism and permanent signs for its first gender neutral toilets are being made.

Almost 60 people, including Ms Killip, have signed a letter to the student newspaper criticising the editorial.

Tony Cliff in Turkish...

THY İşçileri ve Hava-İş'in yanındayız!

From the Tony Cliff Facebook group

Can Irmak Ozinanir

THY A.O. yönetimi İstanbul'daki çağrı merkezini kapatarak, bu görevi AssisTT ve Vodatech firmalarına devretme kararı almıştır. Bir süredir çeşitli illerdeki satış temsilciliklerini taşeron firmalara devrederek çalışanların bir anda tayinlerini çıkartan THY yönetimi bu kararıyla 550'ye yakın işçiyi işsiz bırakmaya hazırlanıyor.

Çağrı merkezi işleri devredilen firmalardan AssisTT firmasının genel müdürü eski AKP İstanbul İl Başkan Yardımcısı!

THY A.O. Çalışanlara ya da bu iş kolundaki tek sendika olan Hava İş'e hiçbir bilgi vermemiş, keyfi bir şekilde "çağrı merkezini kapattım" demiştir.

Üç farklı tarihte hisseleri satışa sunularak özelleştirilen ve kamu denetiminden yoksun bırakılan THY'nin işçilere dönük uygulamaları özelleştirmenin emekçiler açısından acı sonuçlarını açık bir şekilde göstermektedir. Şirket el altından bu uygulamaların, kendi zorlamalarıyla yapılan "grev oylamasını" kaybetmelerinin intikamı olarak alındığını emekçilere duyurmaktadır.

İşçiler, işlerini korumak için "özveriyi askıya alma" kararı almıştır. Bunun çağrı merkezi hizmetlerinde sorunlara yol açması üzerine THY yönetimi işçilerin direncini kırmak için çağrı merkezindeki bilgisayarları genel müdürlüğe taşımaya başlamıştır.

Hava-İş, bu konuda duyarlı olan bütün yurttaşların 8 Ekim tarihine kadar 444 0 849 numaralı telefonu sık sık arayarak, takım liderini istemelerini, uygulamayı protesto etmelerini, çağrı merkezini olabildiğince meşgul ederek işçilerin eylemini desteklemelerini talep ediyor.

DSİP tüm işçileri, ezilenleri, antikapitalistlerin, emekten ve demokrasiden yana olanları çağrı merkezinde çalışan emekçiler ve Hava-İş'le dayanışmaya çağırıyor.

Çağrı merkezi kapatılmamalıdır, THY yönetimi taşeronlaşmaya dönük bütün uygulamalarından derhal vazgeçmelidir. Alınan bütün kararlarda işçiler ve sendika muhatap kabul edilmeli, şirket üzerinde kamu denetimi sağlanmalıdır. İşten çıkarmalar derhal durdurulmalıdır!

DSİP Genel Sekreteri

Damla Çimen