[matilda] Social centres, funding and the PGA Hallmarks

[dan at aktivix.org]

Aw Chris,

> Um, so if you don't get your way you simply walk away...?

Oh for f**ks sake, I don't want my way! I just don't want any group within
MATILDA imposing their way on others! I certainly won't get my way by walking,
will I???

I know - maybe next week, I can arrange a meeting to get another set of
principles ratified, and as long as no-one turns up to oppose that, we can say
that they're now official MATILDA policy.  Do you think that would be OK?

I do find it really, really upsetting that any small group would think it OK to
'ratify' anything, given how open the MATILDA project is supposed to be. That's
what makes me want to walk.

I wanted to be in a place of trust, respect and love.  If it transpired that
eight people really thought they could push through one way of doing things,
all that happens is that MATILDA becomes another locus for power-battles and -
as I've seen happen on several occasions now - the loudest and most violent
speakers win in those situations.  

I have no desire to come along attempting to assert power; the place should
enable others who perhaps don't even know their own point of view yet - let
alone be willing to 'ratify' anything.  A place of safety, and respect, and
support.

At the moment, whoever has the least respect for other's points of view wins
out.  Whoever is so sure of themselves that they *know* they're right, and can
justify dismissing anyone else.  I've seen the SWP do it again and again - why
would anyone want that at MATILDA?

That's politics, I guess.  I guess I keep on hoping we can find new ways of
doing things, but the Iron Laws of politics and power keep on re-asserting
themselves.

The world is shitty enough out there, isn't it? I may have been a lone voice on
the PGA - I don't know - and H was concerned that people 'sneered' at the PGA. 
I never sneered, and I hoped my response on the WIKI was thought through and
respectful...

Ah, fuck it, i'm really angry now so I think I'd better stop writing before I
say something I'll regret...

If I don't get my way...? Grrrrrr.

Aaaaanyway

x


Quoting Chris <chris at aktivix.org>:

> Hi
> 
> On Thu 06-Oct-2005 at 09:32:47AM +0100, dan at aktivix.org wrote:
> > 
> > You're joking of course. Ha ha.
> 
> Is he? I wasn't there and I also only have Cuthberts
> report to go on but when he says there were 8 people there
> and "no-one strongly opposed the PGA halmarks so everyone
> present that was unsure was talked around into ratifying
> the PGA halmarks" -- I belive him.
> 
> Having said that I did assume that the plan was that the
> conclusion of this smaller meeting would then go to the
> next Mondy meeting for the whole collective to consider
> it, and I expect that this will happen...
> 
> Personally I don't see the need for a name change (perhaps
> Cuthbert was joking about this!) and I'm also not sure if
> it is appropriate -- the people pushing for the PGA
> hallmarks to be part of the collectives agreements were
> *just* pushing the hallmarks, and *not* things like their
> Manifesto:
> 
>   http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/en/pgainfos/manifest.htm
> 
> or Organisational Principles  
> 
>   http://www.nadir.org/nadir/initiativ/agp/cocha/principles.htm
> 
> > So, anyway, maybe someone can tell me you're joking.... 
> > 
> > If not, it's been nice working with you, and I'll miss
> > you, but I ain't working with any group with such
> > authoritarian tendencies...
> 
> Um, so if you don't get you way you simply walk away...?
> 
> Chris
> 
> -- 
> Aktivix -- Free Software for a Free World
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