The Wholesome Photo of the Month Thu May 09, 2024 11:01 | Anti-Empire
In 3 War Years Russia Will Have Spent $3... Thu May 09, 2024 02:17 | Anti-Empire
UK Sending Missiles to Be Fired Into Rus... Tue May 07, 2024 14:17 | Marko Marjanović
US Gives Weapons to Taiwan for Free, The... Fri May 03, 2024 03:55 | Anti-Empire
Russia Has 17 Percent More Defense Jobs ... Tue Apr 30, 2024 11:56 | Marko Marjanović
Anti-Empire >>
Indymedia Ireland is a volunteer-run non-commercial open publishing website for local and international news, opinion & analysis, press releases and events. Its main objective is to enable the public to participate in reporting and analysis of the news and other important events and aspects of our daily lives and thereby give a voice to people.
Julian Assange is finally free ! Tue Jun 25, 2024 21:11 | indy
Stand With Palestine: Workplace Day of Action on Naksa Day Thu May 30, 2024 21:55 | indy
It is Chemtrails Month and Time to Visit this Topic Thu May 30, 2024 00:01 | indy
Hamburg 14.05. "Rote" Flora Reoccupied By Internationalists Wed May 15, 2024 15:49 | Internationalist left
Eddie Hobbs Breaks the Silence Exposing the Hidden Agenda Behind the WHO Treaty Sat May 11, 2024 22:41 | indy
Human Rights in Ireland >>
A Summary of Why the Czech Republic Vaccine Data are So Devastating to the ?Safe and Effective? Narr... Tue Jul 30, 2024 15:00 | Will Jones
The Czech Republic record-level vaccine data are devastating to the "safe and effective" narrative, says Steve Kirsch, as he provides a new overview that explains why.
The post A Summary of Why the Czech Republic Vaccine Data are So Devastating to the “Safe and Effective” Narrative appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Keir Starmer?s Anti-Israel Policies Are Now No Different to Jeremy Corbyn?s Tue Jul 30, 2024 13:00 | Will Jones
Unlike Jeremy Corbyn, Keir Starmer has never described Hezbollah as his friends. But other than that, when it comes to Israel there is now little of consequence to differentiate them, says Stephen Pollard.
The post Keir Starmer’s Anti-Israel Policies Are Now No Different to Jeremy Corbyn’s appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Is the Muslim Vote Abandoning Labour? Tue Jul 30, 2024 11:00 | Frank Haviland
Is the 'Muslim vote' set to abandon Labour? With three quarters of British Muslims refusing to believe Hamas committed atrocities on October 7th, it's hard to see how Labour can retain them, says Frank Haviland.
The post Is the Muslim Vote Abandoning Labour? appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Bridget Phillipson is Wrong About the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act Tue Jul 30, 2024 09:00 | Dr Julius Grower
Bridget Phillipson is wrong about the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act she has just torpedoed, says Oxford law academic Dr Julius Grower. It won't increase legal action for universities but will ease it.
The post Bridget Phillipson is Wrong About the Higher Education Freedom of Speech Act appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
No, Ed Miliband Does Not Have a ?Mandate? for His Net Zero Lunacy Tue Jul 30, 2024 07:00 | Ben Pile
With swivel-eyed zeal, Ed Miliband has been telling broadcasters he has a "mandate" to deliver his unworkable and unaffordable Net Zero agenda. Not when just 20% of the public voted for you, says Ben Pile.
The post No, Ed Miliband Does Not Have a ?Mandate? for His Net Zero Lunacy appeared first on The Daily Sceptic.
Lockdown Skeptics >>
Voltaire, international edition
Netanyahu soon to appear before the US Congress? It will be decisive for the suc... Thu Jul 04, 2024 04:44 | en
Voltaire, International Newsletter N°93 Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:49 | en
Will Israel succeed in attacking Lebanon and pushing the United States to nuke I... Fri Jun 28, 2024 14:40 | en
Will Netanyahu launch tactical nuclear bombs (sic) against Hezbollah, with US su... Thu Jun 27, 2024 12:09 | en
Will Israel provoke a cataclysm?, by Thierry Meyssan Tue Jun 25, 2024 06:59 | en
Voltaire Network >>
View Comments Titles Only
save preference
Comments (4 of 4)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4"The danger is that once the Live 8 gigs have been played many will believe the fight to be over."
i thhink this quote is a good appraisal of the problems of spectacular demonstrations and such like. live 8 and MPH are spectacular in the sense that they rely totally on those in power to effect their demands, which itself relies on the unspoken presupposition that the powerful wil listen to their subjects if only they are asked. participation in events takes the form of spectation, turn up to gigs, go to events- all the while there is no question of the power hierarchies inherent in world economics that create these problems. in fact as a lobby group or campaign MPH actually reinforces the legitimacy of the powerful by saying that only they have the ability to effect these changes.
my own view on mass mobilisations and state power is that the state will only change policy if the refusal to do so is of worse consequence (for the state) then doing so. so these huge once off PR stunts don't really threaten state power, the state can downplay the negative PR by a few paltry gestures, such as Brown wearing the bracelet or a highly publicised cancellation gesture, but this obviously doesn't amount to anything like what is needed to truly 'make poverty history'. the only way to make power change policies is by constant pressure, not large spectacles. the management of the world economy in the interests of first world elites is too beneficial to be given up without a fight. such a fight bwould involve a fundamental rethinking of the way the world is run, so by allowing these once off events the G8 nations are actually being done a great service by Geldof and co.
MPH provides us with a perfect example of recuperation, don't be fooled.
can give ONE example of how either Geldof or Bono have differed in their "demands" from the already rejected Brown plan on debt reduction, then I'll buy a ticket and a wristband.
This "protest march and gig series" are Blair directed shams, nothing has been suggested which goes further than the position already discussed during the London / Washington summit.
If you think the Davos Switzerland 2005 World Economic Forum held under the title "Taking Responsibility for Tough Choices" was somehow made more democratic or relevant to the millions who have died in the meantime through poverty, or war, or disease, or lack of water, or hunger, or lack of drugs for want of patent permission by the presence of Blair, Bono and Bill Gates on the stage, then you don't get further than GO. What is most offensive is that whilst the irish government refuses to expand its aid and honour its previous commitments, the english speaking commercial media are happy to *spin* the whole event as "the irish conscience to the british imperial guilt".
Enough is Enough.
If the world had been fair in the first place, neither U2 nor Bill Gates would ever have approached multi-millionaire status. Yet, instead we have a world where Bono could say to the non-elected directors of world economics "my job is to tell you when you get it wrong". He's failed his job. Now it is for history to correct the wrong and see him judged.
When the blood is squeezed, add a dash of weak words loudly spoken for the worst after-taste imaginable.
"Bono and Geldof face the difficult task of ensuring that the plight of sub-Saharan Africa remains to the fore front of the media."
But Mary, didn't Geldof say that this was it, after this we can say we tried? I remember hearing him say that. I imagine he'll go back to his media enterprise and the G8'll go back to selling weapons to lunatics and keeping their foot pressed tightly on HIPC throats and the whole thing'll be forgotten about (by the mainstream of the north's media) for another couple of decades.
Northern N.G.O.s, war criminal politicos, and celebrities are not the solution. The people of the HIPC's are the solution. They must and will fight neo-liberal policies and sponsored instability.
"But Mary, didn't Geldof say that this was it, after this we can say we tried? I remember hearing him say that."
Twas Bono