[ssf] Fwd: Sheffield Social Justice Groups

[Dan]

Hia

> I remember when one of the goals of the ssf was to co-ordinate and 
> help the different social justice groups in sheffield work together 
> and now it seems we are another social justice group among many 
> looking for things to do.
>
That's exactly why I always argue for SSF to have a very specific, 
limited role: if SSF tries to be any more than a regular forum, it will 
turn into 'another group' - and not only that, another group with 
megolomaniac goals.  I personally want only to organise for another 
forum, and nothing else. 

That can include things like more regular mini-forums or fund-raisers, 
etc.  But these all keep within the 'forum' model.

I think the Burngreave Area Panel example is a good one - you wouldn't 
see people marching behind a Burngeave Area Panel banner at a demo - coz 
it's a forum.  It's not what forums do.  You also wouldn't see a 
Sheffield Social Forum banner at a demo, for the same reason.

Of course, this is just me saying what I think!

p.s. There *has* been a lot of action going on from key SSFers!  G8, 
Burngreave Masterplan and Peace in the Park activities, for a start.  
Hence why, in the ecology of local politics, SSF has been quiet.

When working with the inter-agency conference on the Hungry for Justice 
event, we finished by saying that there would be a two-year break until 
the next one.  It was pleasing - we had done a fantastic event, and 
could clearly state what we wanted to do next - and what not to do.  
Nobody was clammering for it to be maintain ideological unity in the 
face of the enemy, or saying that we needed to build a mass working 
class movement, which I found quite refreshing...!

Dan