Hiroshima, we don’t forget, end the threat of nuclear destruction

The first use of a nuclear weapon against people was sixty-seven years ago today, August 6 1945, when the United States Army destroyed the Japanese city of Hiroshima at the end of the Second World War. The city of Nagasaki was destroyed by another bomb three days later. Some two hundred forty thousand people, the overwhelming majority of whom were civilians, died from the attack and its aftereffects. Over the past six decades a historical consensus has emerged: the atomic bombings were by no means militarily necessary. The Empire of Japan, which had begun the war, was by summer of 1945 defeated, the people of its home islands starving, the capital ships of its navy sunk, its army in China about to collapse before a Soviet onslaught. Historians now believe the key motive behind the bombings was political, the American government's goal to intimidate the Soviet Union as generals on both sides looked ahead to the next war. The use of the atom bomb never to have been used again and only ever used by the United States that fine beacon of peaceful lands is a timely reminder to us all the huge destruction and death that a nuclear world can produce. The whole idea of a nuclear war scares the wits out of me. I once visited a disused nuclear bunker in Essex now a museum thankfully really brings it home to you how a nuclear attack would devastate everything and anything in its path. The potential power of a nuclear war could possibly end this planet we live on. It is more the threat of the use of one that scares people I’d say lot of saber rattling went on during the cold war years between the US and Soviet Russia where an arms race ensued. I dream of a nuclear free world, a world which can sustain itself on renewable green energies which can meet the needs of the people not just the ruling class. Now I’m a member of the CND campaign for Nuclear disarmament but these days the CND is not a c campaigning tool it’s more of a front for becoming a labour party bureaucrat which is not what I want. I remain a member as I fundamentally oppose nuclear weapons and the idea of them. I think a socialist world will be nuclear free and a safer world to live in. But just joining a campaign to say we’re against nuclear or signing a petition will never be enough. Only a mass movement of the working class arming themselves with the power and the knowledge to change society on the basis of a socialist society removing the wealth from the 1% and bringing democracy to all for the first time allowing decisions to be decided by the mass’s democratically will put a end to wars, exploitation and the potential for disasters. I for not one minute think this will be straight forward. If changing society was easy they’d have done it already I’m regularly told but it doesn’t make it less of a goal to aim for. A society and a world which offers so much are possible. A world without the threat of nuclear disaster is possible and entirely realizable. Wars are more often than not taken place on the basis of markets and over trade as this global economic crisis deepens lets unite the international working class to oppose disputes and conflicts by over throwing our ruling class’s across the globe to emancipate human beings and uncapping their latent power and knowledge. With extracts taken from http://networkedblogs.com/AG3kg

Why I’m lobbying the TUC with the NSSN on 9th sept

Some may ask why am I of all people bothering to lobby the TUC in Brighton in September and what exactly do we hope to achieve. Well let’s just look at the situation we find ourselves in. We are an estimated 15% into the planned austerity measures with permanent austerity a very real possibility. With little to no opposition in this country with a Labour party who think the cuts are too far and too fast- not that the cuts are wrong full stop or completely unnecessary. I believe that cuts are not needed with an estimated £120 billion of tax evaded every year from the rich and big corporations their money is clearly there. In September with the Olympics still in people’s minds austerity will again be very real for many people having just witnessed a big glorified sports day for the super rich and the dignitaries of various countries not to mention some very suspect regimes including Sri Lanka and others. I myself am in a part time job with poor pay relying on working tax credits to top up my poor wages. I will be marching and lobbying the TUC to call a 24 hour public and private sector general strike. This should immediately follow their day of action and March on the 20th of October this year. Anything less will be a betrayal and a march from A to B will be for nothing. We do not wish to come on October 20th just to hear Ed Miliband we all have to vote labour and things will be ok and then see every labour council up and down the land pass on Tory cuts. It just won’t do. We need action now, today for workers who are losing their jobs today, not tomorrow, today! I’ll also be lobbying as a worker myself the vicious attacks on the disabled who work in Remploy and are also seeing their benefits cut and stopped in many cases’ by the private companies who wish to profit from a crisis not of our making who profit from disabled people being passed fit wrongly for work. It’s a disgrace and something must be done. I am also a young person myself and with currently over a million young people out of work its time young people stepped up their anger and demand a future. Decent jobs, free education, good pay and a future of hope. Many will ask well is a 24 hour strike enough. Probably not but it’s got to be the first step uniting public and private sector workers and others communities to join in to strike against austerity. Marching, talking and railing against the cuts is no longer enough. Bigger larger more militant action is required and if the TUC won’t lead it the NSSN is waiting in the wings to launch the fight back with rank-and-file pressure from below. So please join us as the TUC bureaucrats meet in Brighton to discuss platitudes and talk about how bad things are let them know with the NSSN that time for talking is over we want to see action and action on a mass scale. Let’s harness the latent power of the labour movement and let’s see workers finding their power once again. To change society for the many to find a life in.

Towards socialism, taking workers with us

As you may know on this blog i talk alot about socialism and marxism and so forth but we can often forget that not all workers we are aiming to win over get this and we do always have to remember as rerevolutionary socialists where we are and where the class is in its contiousness. At present we are at a very low form of class contiousness and a even lower socialist contiousness. Many workers do feel something is wrong, some even say so. But as far as an alternative goes very few workers have any idea what there is. Many still dont tag the current crisis up with capitalism. These are all the tasks and challenges we are left to tackle as marxists. To get amongst the working class and firstly find out where they are. What their concerns are immediatly and support those concerns whatever they may be. Extra pay, better working conditions or extra holiday time whatever it may be. We will always support workers in struggle with the boss's just because we see a alternative way of running society and reject the current system does not mean we will stand by and let workers get hammered by the boss's, quite the contary we will lend our support and resources as should the labour movement to fight for working class reforms out of the boss's. But at all times we must be raising ideas that reforms will never be enough that when the boss's grant us a concession with one hand they will look to take from us with the other.

This is why we as revolutionaries are constantly looking to popularise ideas of a better world, a farier way of running society for the majorities needs rather than a select few's personal profitable gains.

The reason i've taken up socialism and marxist ideas more in the last few months is the realisation that we do live in a deeply unfair world and it is deep rooted in inequality that is built into this system we live under and it needs changing and it can be changed.

But as we talk to workers in struggle of all levels of contiousness we must be careful and aware to never preech to workers not to patronise and offend. We are fully aware that we are the most advanced layer of contious workers and have already made the conclusion that society needs to be changed into a different order and capitalism is a bankrupt system. But not all workers currently agree with this. They may feel agrieved that their job is on the line or that their pay is being cut but this may not be enough for them to drawn the same conclusions as us, the marxists. But only by fighting alongside these workers in struggle for a better world which by nature all workers are compelled to do we can explain our own ideas the ideas of Karl Marx and Leon trotsky in a everyday situation and the idea that this doesnt have to be this way at all.

Having a open dialog with workers in struggle is the key to a revolutionary parties success. Being able to gauge the current feeling out there with workers and interveen where we can with the correct ideas is crucial i feel. As the socialist party with lots of very experienced comrades in struggle their experience will be crucial the idea that history does not repeat itself but can certainly be learnt from is key.

Popularising marxist ideas and ideas that can win over workers with a program that can appeal to those who are looking for an alternative will be important in this coming year and i feel that we must and are prepared for this and i am hoping we can win many more over to our ideas if we can.

But we must always be keen to show a empathy and a humility that we do not know it all. We have a good analysis and a correct program but we cannot be with this and look to ask workers themselves what they think first and foremost aragant . We must look to take the class with us if we can not look to lead it from out in front. Being apart of the class struggle but raising socialist ideas all the way will be key but never preeching and dictating our own ideas. Of course being passionate with our ideas and forceful like we expect others to do when countering our own ideas in a comradely way as a clash of ideas in the labour movement is a constant battle for the correct program to win out. We feel confident workers will find our ideas appealing and be drawn to our ideas in time. But let us not be that worker that turns them away but welcomes them with open arms. To take us forward for a fairer society and future for the many not just the few.