[LAF] 8th JUNE 2009

[Ian Gregory]

On Tue, Jun 02, 2009 at 12:27:23AM +0100, Simon Collister wrote:

> One of the main people behind it is Mark Barratt who was a driving 
> force behind the G20 Meltdown element.... nice guy

Indeed. I saw him today when he came to buy a bike from me. He has lots 
of energy and enthusiasm and has been involved in all sorts of stuff 
over the years I have known him. He was one of the people who made sure 
that the Reclaim Love party in Piccadilly Circus maintained its unbroken 
tradition the year Venus was not around and was closely connected to the 
anti-SOCPA Parliament Square picnics and lots of other similar 
grass-roots activisty things. I don't believe he is in any way connected 
to ether the Labour Party or any established Socialist organisation.

> but still believes that democracy can be reformed once the [socialist] 
> revolution happens.....

That is not my impression. I don't think he is waiting for any sort of 
dramatic revolution, socialist or otherwise. Although he is certainly 
active in protesting against some of the worst aspects of the State
he seems more interested in just getting on with local stuff outside the 
system - whilst struggling to develop his own conception of a better 
alternative.

But then I don't know him all that well, so I don't know why I am 
speaking for him?! If you are interested then go along to the open 
meeting on 8th June and see what it is about. It seems like not much is 
set in stone. If the word "democracy" puts you off then note that it 
always appears in the context of "real democracy" - perhaps "real 
democracy" means "anarchism"?

http://www.newsov.org/

I can't go because I am cycling to Amsterdam on Thursday and won't be 
back till June 10th - I would be interested to read a report of the 
meeting from the perspective of one or more LAF people.

Ian

-- 
Ian Gregory
http://www.zenatode.org.uk/ian/