[ssf] Don't let em bring in the cleansing machines!

[Jase]

Really interesting stuff Androzdy, kinda took a while to think about so, uh,
lots follows.

----- Original Message -----
From: "A Drozd" <annedrozd at yahoo.co.uk>
Subject: [ssf] Don't let em bring in the cleansing machines!

How do we tackle both Global Capitalism while
simultaneously having to deal with worsening
antisocial situations taking place directly around us?
Though inextricably linked, maybe we should just
concentrate on one issue or the other BUT somehow
together.
>

There is a distance now which encourages attitudes to 'stamp on the camps'
rather than understanding. It's not surprising given
that most people struggle with everyday life, never mind coping with other
people's problems. Family life and work take over our lives, friendships are
shared in the release from work, drinking, clubbing, shopping and TV. Unless
we make the time there is no time to look beyond the surface of the problems
of society, and making time is not an option for many inside the present
society.

The Daily Mail crew et al appeal to the quick side of our nature, certainly to
mine (well ok, not the Daily Mail, but if I heard the arguments outside of the
paper then...). I can find myself coming out with unthought statements which I
realise are bull, but that is the natural reaction. To identify with people
who look like me, to wish that those who cause trouble are just disposed of,
without thought to the humanity inside. One problem with the 'left' is that
many problems are dealt with in the same absolute way as the 'right'. They try
and appeal to the quick side of our nature, the side which draws broad strokes
across groups of people, that likes 'us and them', 'our rights and their
wrongs'.

Problems are usually more difficult than simple right and wrong. A good
example is "Care in the Community", in some ways it was a good idea (it was
widely vilified by the left and, lately, the right). Steadily integrating
those with problems into the community is the best way to keep people from
being institutionalised, seperated forever. But the support needs to be there
and it isn't. Care in the Community is done on a shoestring, squashed by the
funding constraints brought about by the philosophy of low taxes and the
individualistic society. It is surrounded by targets for savings, I would
suggest that is why the mental health team are so reluctant to section your
neighbour (the recent play 'Blue/Orange' was an interesting take on this). It
also often assumes support where there may be none, little community has
survived the assault of capitalism/consumerism. We are bonded by laws of state
rather than laws of friendship in this mobile world. The movement of people,
within and without the shores of this island, has heralded the dissolving of
community.

Funnily enough the individualistic society does make clear one thing, that we
are individuals. We are not mysteriously bonded to those with the same skin
colour, or nationality. There are some bonds from shared background, the same
culture, the same town. We often hear about the 'Multicultural society' as if
it were something coming about because of people from different nations coming
into the country (and lets face it, people of different skin colour, I can't
imagine it being applied to Italians in this country for example). In fact,
even if the borders of this country were closed for a thousand years there
would still be many different cultures. North, south, Sheffield, Rotherham,
Sharrow, students, locals, rich, poor, Tory, Labour, liberal, anarchist, punk,
rockers, surfers, bikers, mountain bikers, mountain climbers, winers and
diners. To say our British culture is not already diverse is another broad
stroke of the brush, a quick answer for 60 million questions, the idea of
multiculturalism being something new is in fact 'racist'.

The point is that there are no easy solutions, to find answers we must think,
must find time to consider, or listen to those who have and trust their
judgement. It is all too easy to pre-judge and find prejudice, find yourself
believing the Daily Mail. If I wanted answers to problems I would ask those
involved. Sometimes I assume knowledge about an area I have little knowledge
of, and do not hear the arguments of those with a lifetimes worth of
knowledge, then afterwards I think 'duh', but I like thinking about stuff, and
live a life which allows me time to reflect. Sadly too many of those who run
things do not reflect, perhaps it is because they do not like saying 'duh', I
think some people have a pathalogical dislike of admitting they are wrong,
especially those in power.

We in this country are not badly off compared to many, and the crooks running
our country are less corrupt than many, there are even some nice people up
there! So therefore many in alternative politics look abroad to those who have
most power (the US govment and the capitalist hierachy) or those who commit
horrifying abuses against humanity (lots of people really). The problems of
Sheffield are maybe too mundane, too close to home, too personal, too
difficult to grasp. The left does campaign on this local issue or that, but
they look for clear answers where there are none. Just hundreds and thousands
of people, hundreds and thousands of questions, each person an expert in their
own lives, each assuming a lifetimes knowledge based on how another looks or
acts without the time to hear the words. Solutions are very rarely absolutes.
To change things we suffer under the weight of prejudice and are slammed
against the mountain of state.

I don't think the team will really win abroad, there may be some concessions,
but you are right that unless we win at home then we never win. It's all very
well watching the big matches on the telly, cheering for whichever side,
taking part in the global enterprise even though you know your shout may never
be heard. But to play in a match down the end of the road, you have to be fit
for that, and you might well get a little bruised by the experience, because
it's not as simple as when it's from the comfort of an armchair. Adam showed
how much can be done by hassling councellors, it's seems a little mundane when
compared to arguing for freedom from tyranny, but the small changes really do
matter. I would like to think that we can 'think locally and act globally'.
The changes that we make in our communities make all the difference.

I am of course more likely to cheer on the national side, as it is more
exciting, and when you only have moments you want to change the world, or at
least think of yourself as part of that, rather than having to think about
stuff, and getting involved, actually talking to the neighbours and so on. Ho
hum. I think there really does have to be a major change in our society to
move forward tho', and I fear that it will have to come from the top (it
usually does) because most other people don't seem to have the time, at least
to get beyond the slogans. I wish I could offer you more practical solutions
than 'contact your councellor/MP'. Maybe the Sheffield Star. I would like to
think we could have a meeting on the issue of mental health services, but
these things generally need someone to take hold and run with it. I'd offer my
support tho', it's another thing that needs changing in the world. Cheers,

Jason

>
This is the first time I've posted to the social forum
list because I feel that at present, left-leaning
political thinkers (perhaps other than here) appear to
concentrate on globalisation: how we are affected by
what's happening overseas and the way we, as the
privileged few, perpetuate it; Meanwhile, the
reactionary right deliver a two-pronged attack instead
- dealing their political card upon the poorest and
uneducated communities (Bee En Pee) while those lucky
enough to enjoy the privileges of living in the UK(ip)
and the luxury of hypocrisy they'd have to forfeit,
fear the nightmare of global equality becoming a
reality.

Reason I'm writing this is because I'm finding that my
patience and empathy towards others, important values
for any human, are being tested a bit too much just
now, to the point where my problems are making me
question my beliefs. Whlie i know that poverty is the
root cause to the daily shit we encounter, i'm often
left torn between feelings of compassion towards
people who's social problems impact upon myself and
cursing the authorities to provide some "social
cleansing".

Unfortunatley, i think that the rightees end up
relating to people more than the leftees do. Maybe
someone can correct me on that. Okay, it's people's
ignorance thru lack of education, ultimately caused by
poverty, that finds a connection with right wing
solutions to society. At the risk of being a little
negative, I think we need to consider: how come the
left's ideas don't appeal to working class povs as
much as the reactionary right does?

Some stuff I've found myself burdened with on a
domestic level has recently made me think that the
right sometimes makes as much sense as the left -
obviously i wouldn't agree with ethnocide or cleansing
of the handicapped and disabled. But then again I feel
that the left's obsession with international affairs
at the expense of local issues affecting people's
traditions, however backward some may be, is likely to
create a void presently being filled by quick fix
"don't tell em the whole truth about yer politcs"
reactionaries.

Bringing an experience of my own into play here, I
have a nuisance neighbour that's bothered me for the
last 35 months. Despite my complaints to the
appropriate authorities and efforts I've made to get
help for her to hopefully resolve the situation, this
has resulted in nothing but misery for all. She's an
ex-crack whore, bringing all those problems back home
above my ceiling and into the wider communal areas of
the flats, constant activity during the dead of night
due to her mental health issues, and then, since the
end of 2003 it's culminated into a full-on aural
assault where the whole area is being subjected to a
disturbing display of a 40 year old woman pretty much
losing it in public and letting everyone else know
about it. She's not been able to access apropriate
help and her behaviour has impacted on so many others
around her.

Apart from moving out ages ago, which has got to be
the sensible option here, I seem to have chosen the
non-sensible option of banging my head repeatedly
against the wall (metaphorically speaking) in an
attempt to get the social services and any of the
other agencies to intervene on her behalf, which in
turn will give the rest of us some peace while
allowing her to at least be given the chance to live -
instead of just existing like a member of the living
dead!

I'm taking a long time to say what i need to say here
and obviously the above episode is something i can't
pass by so easily as someone who, say, happens to
notice it on their way to the office. So, in this
modern world, I've taken the nonsensible option of
trying to help (and there are certainly great lessons
to be learn't in defeat!) a person rather than just
trying to get her evicted without also exercising my
social conscience. Mental health services won't help
someone however much they may need it if that person
won't accept their help, this leaves the option of
sectioning her but I feel her mental health team won't
section her because she is black/mixed ethnicity and
throughout the decades there has been a
disproportionate amount of black people put into care.
Political correctness has ultimately failed this woman
who's been left to it for so much of her life (long
before i started living there 5+ years ago).

Maybe she's just being dealt with in a "care in the
community" way that affects anyone with such problems,
black or white. If you can handle yourself, just
about, you'll be left to it. But she hasn't been
handling it,  and has now flipped (or least over the
last year+). Her self-denial towards those who
supposedly can help her while simultaneously crying
out for help for her (or for someone to come and
bludgeon her, one or the other!) is obviously not
being read by the professionals as "this person needs
intervention" for reasons I can only think are because
of the "claimant" litigation culture we've inherited
from the US. Either that or she's beyond help and
services see too much risk involved.

The safety net system is no longer in place in society
and has been replaced by legal measures involving much
of public sector worktime being devoted to assessing
how "sueable" their service is, and how risky (costly)
a client will be. Litigation society feeds so
efficiently on the removal of essential services,
chasing itself round and round distracting everyone by
how profitable, while ultimately so redundant, such a
system is. The film Devils Advocate seems to sum up
quite well where we're at now - that the world belongs
to the lawyers and crooks (one and the same)!

Meantime, while we're waiting for it all to go belly
up, how about sorting our own backyard out - something
we'll have to do sooner or later whether global
capitalism continues or not.

I'm trying to get a point across towards the end of
this email - that if your team wins all its games
abroad, you may well become champions but in all
probability, you'll let your homes fans
down...........

hope this makes some sense,
Androzdy

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