[ssf] The SWP issue as concerning NO2ID

[Jase]

I think the relation of SWP to the NO2ID campaign will be one very similar to
that between the SWP and the Stop the War Coalition for the first couple of
years. When there are lots of other groups involved members of the SWP fit
into the organisation, often providing a much needed core of expereienced
activists, whilst accepting the democratic way it is run and the wishes of
other groups. The only reason the Stop the War Coalition now effectively works
as an SWP front is because most other groups and individuals have dropped out.
This situation was not entirely caused by the SWP as it is (sadly) natural for
movements to ebb and flow, however they tend to be very dogmatic about their
beliefs in how to go about things and so when they are a sizeable minority,
and certainly when a majority, they are very difficult to work with. Thus the
organisation in question becomes a front because they dominate it's structure,
organisation and methods without compromise, driving away people who don't
agree with their tactics.

It sounds as if NO2ID is still a broad based organisation and thus not an 'SWP
stooge' as stated. It is when local groups become dominated by SWP members
that it becomes difficult if not impossible to swim against the hierachical,
fixed ideological, tide. When everything becomes dicatated by a central
'executive' or whatever, then an SWP stooge is born. Having said that, I
understand it isn't nice to find the organisation you are in accused of being
just a campaigning arm of the SWP.

If people have concerns over an organisation being or becoming a stooge then
quite frankly the best way to address those concerns is to get involved in
that organisation. It would be frustrating to find alternative non-hierachical
groups being set up to NO2ID just because there was an assumption of central
control, thus meaning that NO2ID groups become more reliant on that central
control and involvement of the SWP. NO2ID had (one of :?) the most inventive
stall at peace in the park this year and it's apparent that autonomy is alive
and well. This may not be the picture throughout the country, but again, there
are only so many members of the SWP and these organisations are there for
people to do with as they wish. Only with involvement and commitment can
autonomy be preserved.

All the best,

Jason

----- Original Message -----
From: "jym jim" <jymjim at postmaster.co.uk>


> Hi there,
>
> It is something which i have seen mentioned here in the past, but i was
prompted to email after reading a very recent posting in the "Why SWP
undermined social forums?" thread which mentioned NO2ID.
>
> I quote the relevant part below:
>
> "the SWP is good at is
> identifying new movements early on and then rapidly organising a hegemonic
> leadership body dominated by the SWP, which is interested not in joining in
> with new movements, but in taking them over and co-opting their aspirations
> and frustrations as part of their messianic self-belief system - a good
> recent example of this is the No2ID movement, another SWP stooge.
>
> The problem for the SWP in all of this is two-fold. Firstly, horizontalists,
> experienced political activists and other more open folk who believe in more
> democratic, participatory organizations and methods can see this coming a
> mile off and refuse to accept the bullshit, understanding the need for such
> campaigns and joining in to the extent that they can without accepting the
> dictatorship of the cupula of SWP comandantes - the
> Rees/Callinicos/German/Nineham entity. As such groups continuallly point out
> the reality of SWP autocracy, the SWP is unable to adopt the democratic
> colouration to which it has pretensions (in spite of the reality of its'
> actions) and so lashes out savagely at anybody who dares to cast aspersions
> on the semi-divine utterances of the pantheon of SWP holies."
>
>
> End quote.
>
> Now, to begin with, i have been the Sheffield No2ID coordinator for just
over 3 months, and have experienced absolutely no interference from anyone in
the main office in London, or from other local coordinators, and have been
completely free from anything which would limit, or direct in anyway, my
campaign activities.
>
> Indeed, for some, the very "hands off" nature of the No2ID main office might
make starting up a campaign more difficult than if they gave explicit
instruction.
>
> I have also met many of the "founders" of NO2ID recently, and again have
found nothing to suggest to me any kind of underlying agenda apart from that
of stopping compulsory ID.
>
> This, as i see it, contrasts rather starkly with the sketched out methods of
the SWP.
>
> I have quizzed the guys working in the main office about the SWP issue, and
it turns out that there are actually two members of the SWP working there, but
i would not call that "organising a hegemonic
> leadership body dominated by the SWP", since there are at least 3 times that
many people involved at that level.
>
> And of course, just because you are a member of the SWP does not mean that
you cannot have independent campaigns, or, indeed, thoughts, which do not
involve those other political views.
>
> NO2ID is purely about preserving what Civil Liberties we have left from the
institution of compulsory national identity schemes, and i for one have never
found anything to even hint at an SWP slant to that campaign.....apart from
the fact that both NO2ID and the SWP do not accept the principle of compulsory
ID.
>
> As i said at the beginning of this reply, i have read in various places of
this supposed SWP co-opting of the NO2ID campaign, but i have not read
anything to support it in the least, nor experienced anything which would
confirm it to me personally.
>
> I am however very interested to learn of such supporting evidence, because,
as i say at all of the meetings/stalls i do as part of my campaign against the
ID bill, "I'm not a company man", meaning obviously that i am not "part" of
No2ID in the sense that i have some kind of allegiance above that of the
campaign itself, and i am more than able to look at the group critically.
>
> As perhaps some members of political entities are not......
>
>
> Please let me know if i have missed anything out, or am hopelessly naive,
because i am interested in learning the Truth of this issue one way or
another, and hopefully putting to rest what i currently see to be nothing but
a divisive rumour.
>
>
> Best regards,
>
> James Mannell.
> Sheffield NO2ID
>
> www.no2id.net
>
>
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