[matilda] Guiding Principles.

[R&A]

Dear Ben,

> ** We exist as a space where this fear is dissipated and instead our 
> differences are turned into possibilities, and everyone who wishes to 
> participate and engage with our space, providing they observe our 
> ground rules (see below) can do so without the fear of harassment.**


I particularly like the above paragraph. Won't rip your text  apart, 
can't find any syntactical or other linguistic mistakes :-)
then i' m not so sure about this introductory sentence:**

"providing they observe our ground rules (see below)"

since you have already provided the ground rules in this previous sentence:
**

> **"Another aim of a social centre is to create a space that is free of 
> racism, sexism and homophobia and any other prejudice. In order to do 
> this it is important that the space is free of state control, and that 
> we organise in a way which respects autonomous movements, "
> **


To make it a bit less solemn or pompous, let's call it perhaps the 
Moles' Communiqué... add perhaps a short paragraph or two with quotation 
from that Italian philosopher you once quoted, the one who expanded on 
the concept of  *moles* and their habitats, i mean

 I would add something brief in that sense, to provide a basic political 
"framework" if you want...

*Basic ground rules and quotations could be displayed on a Matilda's 
board. Btw would the collective name be "MATILDANS" / "MATILDEANS"/ 
"MATILDITES"/ or how would we call the inhabitants of the Matilda's habitat?

Yes i think i would try to make it sound less pompous, a bit more exotic 
or humorous (with the animal topic it shouldn't be difficult to find 
some similes or metaphors. I mean the notion of "social centre" won't be 
new to indymedia readers i guess.

Big hugs from

mole amp





Benjamin Major wrote:

>  
>  
> When we are finally able to gather together in order to come up with 
> out guilding principles for the Matilda centre, I would like our first 
> step to perhaps be ;
>  
> -Do we start with the PGA hallmarks? Do we deconstruct and analyze and 
> argue the PGA hallmarks and either leave them unchanged or revise them 
> to meet our own consensus, or to meet our own local concerns...
>  
> -Do we build from a clean slate and construct our own ideas, coming to 
> an understanding amongst ourselves why we feel we have to have a 
> social space in Sheffield at this point in time and the methods and 
> towards what ends we wish to work.
>  
> -Either way, perhaps we could keep reflecting on what we have got so 
> far, refining these principles, and comparing them with the hallmarks 
> which took so many thousands of participants so many days to come to 
> an agreement on, realising it is going to be a long and gradual process.
>  
> Anyway, people who attended the meeting on Monday will have already 
> seen a copy of this- I post it here so that others get to have a look 
> too. It's a mostly pinched piece which just offers some starting 
> ground. I believe that there is a hundred good reasons why a social 
> centre should exist in Sheffield. I want this piece to be ripped to 
> pieces. Someone responded with good reason that this piece should not 
> be referred to as a communique. It does kind of make it sound like 
> something coming from a closed and sheltered group to an 'outside' 
> world. But communication is a two way process- once we have got a 
> cafe, an art studio, and a hacklab and all the other things, an even 
> harder part comes- the dialogue which convinces everyone else why this 
> is a good idea.
>  
> Please do rip it apart- I'm still a relatively recent-comer and I need 
> to be shown where my mistakes are.
>  
> *
>
> M.A.T.I.L.D.A, the new Sheffield Social Centre
>
> A new social centre is currently emerging in Sheffield, for YOU to 
> use! This social centre, named M.A.T.I.L.D.A (or Massive Alternative 
> Terrain for Insurrection, Love and Direct Action) is now open for 
> meetings, forums, film showings, parties etc… The space will also host 
> a regular café social, will house artists studios, and contains it’s 
> very own hacklab. It is a political space for use by community groups 
> and activists who are unable to afford the high rent charged by 
> commercial venues.
>
> All around us public space is disappearing. Instead we are forced into 
> the corporate ‘space,’ if you could call it such, where the only 
> options are working or shopping and our entertainment comes only in 
> packaged, branded, inherently unsocial bars and multiplexes. But we 
> are fighting back. All around the world social centres are created so 
> that activists and community groups can have space to organise events 
> in a democratic way.
>
> Now there is a social centre in Sheffield, in a building that lay 
> largely abandoned for years. We aim to make this space a /working 
> alternative/ to the everyday system of violence, war, fear, 
> capitalism. It will be a community centre that is autonomous from 
> state control and challenges the system of property relations which 
> keeps us broke and enslaved to unscrupulous landlords…
>
> Our social centre makes use of self-managed space through autonomous, 
> consensus based decision making. The sorts of activities we envisage 
> using the social centre for are information sharing, free / cheap 
> cultural space, libraries, multimedia resources, meetings / forums, 
> and the occasional party! Providing not-for-profit services such as 
> food (by donation), internet resources, and a friendly, caring 
> environment to people increasingly disenfranchised by the stripping of 
> the welfare state is prioritised.
>
> Another aim of a social centre is to create a space that is free of 
> racism, sexism and homophobia and any other prejudice. In order to do 
> this it is important that the space is free of state control, and that 
> we organise in a way which respects autonomous movements, multiplicity 
> of means towards a common end, and also establishes real links with 
> communities. We live in a precarious time where fear of our own 
> neighbours is spread throughout our communities by the stranglehold 
> the government, corporations and the mainstream media have on our 
> consciousness. We exist as a space where this fear is dissipated and 
> instead our differences are turned into possibilities, and everyone 
> who wishes to participate and engage with our space, providing they 
> observe our ground rules (see below) can do so without the fear of 
> harassment.
>
> In all, we exist to demonstrate the capacity of people to organise 
> themselves outside of the systems of state and market which 
> increasingly control our lives. By providing our own social and 
> political spaces we are empowered to express our marginalised views, 
> develop civic courage, and take democratic control of our own communities.
>
> Drop round to check out the hacklab, enjoy one of our regular café and 
> social nights, or just to have a chat and a sit down.
>
> *
> * *
> * *
> * *
> * *
> * *
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> * *
>
>*
>*
>------------------------------------------------------------------------
>*
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>*
>


-- 


Please, never despise the translator. She is the mailman of human civilisation.
(Pushkin).