Ken Livingstone a homophobe?

What a piece of piss, accusing Ken Livingstone of being a homophobe.

Peter Tatchell has summed it all up in his excellent press releasde which I copy here

“

Lots of Tories were closeted anti-gay hypocrites
Many gay MPs in the Tory party, from backbench to cabinet

London – 9 February 2012

“Ken Livingstone is not homophobic. His use of the word riddled has to be judged in context. It was clearly not used with any homophobic intent. All parties have lots of gay and bisexual MPs, as Ken noted. He is right to state that there were many gay MPs in the Tory party, from the backbenches to the cabinet,” said human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who has helped spearhead campaigns for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality since the early 1970s.

He was commenting on an interview with Mr Livingstone, Labour’s London Mayoral candidate, in this week’s New Statesman:
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/the-staggers/2012/02/khan-ken-livingstone-interview

“After Labour’s election victory in 1997 many gay Labour MPs came out, while gay Tories remained in the closet and continued to vote against gay equality. Ken was making a simple statement of fact,” added Mr Tatchell.

“Ken is correct to suggest that in the 1980s and 90s the Conservative Party was avowedly anti-gay, while having many gay MPs. Lots of Tories opposed gay equality, despite their own homosexuality. They were hypocrites and homophobes.  Ken is right to point this out.

“In recent years, the Conservative leadership has embraced gay equality, which is commendable. However, only two weeks ago it was reported that 100 Tory MPs intend to block David Cameron’s plan to end the ban on same-sex marriage. They still oppose gay equality.

“Ken was very wrong to invite the sexist, homophobic cleric, Sheikh Yusuf al-Qaradawi, to City Hall in 2004 but he should be judged on his overall record, which on gay rights is exceptionally good.

“In the early 1980s, as leader of the Greater London Council, he pioneered gay rights policies that most MPs opposed at the time. It took many of them another 20 years to embrace gay equality. Ken supported the lesbian and gay community at a time when most other politicians did not. He deserves great credit,” said Mr Tatchell.”

And meanwhile queer youth continue to kill themselves - http://www.wenatcheeworld.com/news/2012/feb/05/vigil-sheds-light-on-bullying/

Only a socialist revolution and the abolition of the family and religion can end homopbobia!

 

Sicknote Go From Strength to States!

 

 


After  performing in front of a capacity crowd at the Globe in  Cardiff , Welsh proto-punk band Sicknote will be releasing an album containing a live unedited recording of the event this Monday ( 6 February 2012 ).
Despite having been together for a number of years and having played most of the major festivals including Glastonbury it looks like 2012 will be the year of Sicknote – with an American tour lined up for this summer.
The new album ‘UNZIPPED’ with be available to download from today (Monday 6 February). In a move that is becoming increasing common in the industry, the album is available in two formats: A ‘Pay What You Want’ download and a limited edition CD (limited 100 copies) complete with cover artwork and booklet (both from www.sicknote.tv).
Tuan Duong, Head of Promotions at The Globe,  Cardiff  was initially wary about putting the band on at the venue. He told us:
“When I was approached by Jason from the Sicknote team to stage their ‘Phone in Sick Mega Party’ event, I was very concerned to how he would be able to pull in the 330+ crowd, taking into account that we only had just over 2 weeks to stage the concert.
“As soon as the announcement was made, we had a massive response flooding in from all the major Internet Channels, it created an Amazing Buzz! As this was the first time that I heard of Sicknote, I really didn’t understand much about this crowd of party goers, I had heard ‘fairy tales’ about their wild reputation which turned out to be nonsense.”
He continued:
“To my delight, the crowd was absolutely peaceful and were just happy going party lovers! Some of them had a wonderful sense of fashion. Both Sicknote and the crowd, super-charged the cold January night at The Globe and produced an awesome night with an electrifying atmosphere.
“It was an amazing sight to watch, the crowd and the band merged as one entity, dancing to the rhythm of the powerful vibes and beats. It was a pleasure to have come into contact with Sicknote and to have such wonderful people gracing the dance floor of The Globe.”
Band member and man behind the bleeps Jason Flapsandwich explained:
“This album signifies the start of a 10 week break after 5 years of spreading the sickness all over  Europe . The album is as close to a live show as you are going to get, totally unedited. A straight recording from The Globe in January and mixed and mastered by Jake Tilley at Butterhill studio.
“You get the screams of the crowd, all the mistakes, all the atmosphere… and you can sense the tension with the new drummer (who had never ever played with us before as our regular drummer (The Filth) phoned in sick last minute).
He added:
“The CD feels like a night out with us. We hope you enjoy and with the ‘pay what you want’ thing we imagine it will spread far and wide and bridge the gap until we come back in April at Freekwency Festival in  Portugal .”
Shortly after the concert the band were contacted by American promoter Ceri Shaw and asked if they would be interested in playing the West Coast of America this summer.
Mr Shaw of Americymru said:
“AmeriCymru and the Meriwether Lewis Memorial Eisteddfod Foundation are pleased and proud to be welcoming Sicknote to the Great Northwest later this year.
“We are arranging a tour taking in the cities of  Seattle ,  Portland  and  Eugene .
He continued:
“We are sure that Sicknote’s radical and innovative sound and stage performances will be welcomed here.  Portland  is the home of legendary  US  punk band, The Dead Kennedys and  Seattle  was the epicentre of the 90′s grunge phenomenon. We are hoping that the tour will coincide with this year’s West Coast Eisteddfod.”

Why I’m supporting Leanne Wood

I have recently joined Plaid Cymru, the party of Wales, to support the leadership bid of Leanne Wood. Plaid are currently without a leader and four candidates are vying for the post.

Leanne is an inspirational socialist feminist, anti war campaigner, staunch republican and peace activist and I believe she is the best candidate for the job and will make an excellent first minister should Plaid win the next assembly elections.

She is also a single parent who travels by bus to the assembly, donates most of her AM’s wages to community causes and lives off the average earnings of a skilled worker.

She is best known by many for her expulsion from the Welsh Assembly for “insulting” the queen by referring to her as “Mrs Windsor” and for her arrest after blockading the Faslane nuclear base to protest US nuclear weapons on Scottish soil.

She passionately argues for the legalisation of all drugs as can be seen in this excellent short video:

During anti EDL protests in Cardiff a couple of years ago she was kettled in by the police for hours and stood her ground along with a wide range of anti racist campaigners of many different political backgrounds.

Many have queried why an anarchist would join a political party. Well, I have never been an anarchist, I am a Communist, of the anti-Stalinist variety. I often wear a “Commie Fag” t shirt when on stage with my band, Sicknote, and I am exactly what it says on the T shirt! My other T shirt that I often wear on stage expresses my admiration and deep love for Hugo Chavez, the President of Venezuela, who I regard as one of the greatest living revolutionaries on the planet, and who, along with Fidel Castro, has achieved more for the emancipation and liberation of poor and working people than the anarchist movement combined have achieved in over 100 years. However I am always happy to work politically with most anarchists and have stood shoulder to shoulder with them on numerous picket lines and demonstrations over the years.

I am pleased that so many young people have followed my lead and also joined Plaid Cymru to support Leanne. I am hopeful that within the next few years we will create socialist republics in Wales and Scotland, eventually leading to a socialist world without borders, money, poverty, hunger or wars.

Others are more cynical and feel that all politicians are the same and none are worthy of support. To argue that all politicians are the same makes as much sense to me as saying that all bands sound the same. I have stood for election myself in the past, polling 263 votes in the Riverside ward of Cardiff in the 1999 council elections, almost beating the Conservative and Liberal Democrat candidates. I stood on a platform of opposition to all increases in council tax and rents, against all cuts to services, for the abolition of all immigration controls, and for the dismantling of the Cardiff Bay Barrage. One of my main supporters in that campaign was a young German anarchist activist living in Riverside then who although he had no vote, plastered his house with posters in support of me.

I do find it nonsensical when people say that all politicians are the same. If by politician you mean anyone who has ever stood for election to parliament or the local council, then you must believe that Tony Benn is no different to Margaret Thatcher, and that Arthur Scargill and Nick Griffin are one and the same. As David Icke regularly stands for parliament as well, perhaps you believe that he also is no different from say, David Cameron. I beg to disagree. A Labour government, however right wing, is always preferable to a Conservative one, and you would have to cut both my hands off to stop me voting in an election.

I have not been so enthused by politics for many years, and am hoping that the many new members Plaid have recruited will help transform it into the campaigning active socialist party that Welsh workers and minorities so urgently need.