The one thing that comes out of these campaigns [Canongate] is that the peoples voices can be heard. It may take all of our energy and invention to fight the biggest banks, the fancy law firms and our own councils. (Who continuously work against our interests, using our money to fund others interests)
With only our emails, blogs and photo copiers and what meager funds we can raise – It is us who create the intelligent arguments against the
tyrannies of corporations, and the workers who sell there souls for the
mortgage payment. It is us who attempt to educate a public consumed by television and the rhetoric of market advertising – passed off in the
dailies as journalism.
The good folk of Canongate are not busybodies out to spoil ever ones
fun, or stop “progress”. They are responsible citizens, engaging in the
life of their city. They are educators who have done all the legwork,
read all the reports, produced all the relevant arguments for the public
good – and will receive no brown envelope for their efforts
I sat for a few hours on Wednesday in Edinburgh City Chambers, as about 30 odd folk round a table earned there wages clinically describing the deconstruction of hundreds of years of history for the benefit of bankers. Is this all we can expect from those paid to serve the public? Perhaps it is.
The other lesson we should be learning is it is not inevitable. We do
not need to put up with corrupt councils who reinterperate the promises
they made to get into office. We can get rid of them like we have done
many times in the past. We can also inform the new ones with the
experiences gained and lessons learned out of these kinds of campaigns. For we need as well, to tell our future representatives what we “do” want and how they should go about getting it- as well as what we “don’t” want. The importance of these struggles, even if they are not won, is – they inform us of how we build a stronger movement ready for the next battle.
But we shouldn’t be fooled into listening to the opinions of lawyers and
experts – They are to used to telling us what we can’t do. We need to
start listening to our own kind, who do the work in our “real”
interests. Some of them will be pushing buggies, some of their ideas may seem a bit strange at first – but the glow in their eyes is because they can see a vision of a better future, it is not the dull glimmer in the
eye of the bankers assistant – nor the cynical bystander.
There is nothing in our history other than, only ordinary people change
things for ordinary people – That is, once we learn to stand up and
support each other. This has always been the story of our successes. You [Canongate campaigners] are an example and inspiration towards these ideas. I congratulate you and take inspiration from your work and efforts.
Power to the Independent Republic of the Canongate
Solidarity. Bob.