Friday, August 21, 2015

GAZA COMES TO SCOTLAND!

On August 30th. 2015 at the Normandy Hotel Inchinnan Road Renfrew an event is taking place which is a must for those who want to learn about the Palestine Israel conflict and hopefully help the beleaguered people of Gaza. Below you will find details of the all day events which culminate in a dinner and speakers from Palestine as well as Professor Norman Finklestein who is an American Political Scientist and an expert on the Middle East. I would urge anyone who might be interested to ‘Google’ or U Tube Mr. Finklestein, this is rare chance to see him and hear him speak.        

   
Below is a copy of the itinerary provided by the organisers...

For the workshop you can register here...http://www.hopeoverfear.info/workshops/

the website has information http://www.hopeoverfear.info/ on the event.

Below you will find information about the charity...

Al-Khair is a humanitarian aid charity organisation, established in 2003 with branches throughout the UK, East Africa and subcontinent Asia. Primarily our focus is delivering emergency aid and relief in regions suffering the aftermath of natural disasters, conflict zones and communities plagues by abject poverty. The Foundation is constantly engaged in humanitarian project internationally as well as charitable work here in the UK, assisting those who are in need of help and assistance.

Our programmes include food supplies and access to clean and safe water solutions, medical aid, temporary and permanent shelter constructs, educational institutes, and livelihood training facilities. Insha’Allah we are currently sponsoring widows and orphans in Gaza, Insha’Allah will soon build a hospital in Khan Younis (our maternity hospital was destroyed last summer during Ramadan), we are currently supplying hospitals with medicine and medical equipment, we have a food programme to feed families in need, Insha’Allah we will be sponsoring undergraduates in all of Gazas universities and many more programmes.  Al-Khair Foundation is a 100% donation charity.
 The workshops will be live with Gaza so that we may see first hand the problems facing Gazans and hear it directly rather than second or third hand. As a studen tthis is an ideal way to gain experience and use your knowledge to help Gazans via skype 2-3hrs a week and also at the same time helping a humanitarian cause.

Insha’Allah our aim is non political and we will be holding workshops during the day time to find solutions to problems Gazans face on a daily basis.  Our aim is to find mentors and businesses willing to help Gazans via Webcam, as they are unable to leave their open prison and we outsiders are unable to enter. Insha’Allah we are hoping to start a mentoring and apprentice programme to help them and the day will culiminate in an auction dinner.

Morning Workshops – 10am to 1pm
Education – currently a student in gaza who has done an online course with a Scottish university but unable to attend her exams in Alexandria as crossing for raffah is closed – find solutions ie exam in Gaza with agreement with universities?
Emergency services – invite fire brigade & rescue services

Afternoon Workshops – 2pm to 5pm
Business and Construction – businesses together can they offer solutions for apprenticeships via webcam etc Apprenticeships for Gaza Students and solutions for problems/ difficulties facing Gazans on an every day level alternative methods of building without using cement
Health / Medical – natural health remedies / medical personnel to work closely via webcam etc with hospitals in Gaza giving advise etc
Exhbition – Palestine and Gaza
Stalls – Palestinian goods / services stalls only £40
Palestinian theatre group during the day – if they manage to leave gaza

EVENING EVENT
Auction dinner £20 per person – for our orphans programme (many lost of limbs in last war) and education (we have just signed an MoU with UNWRA last week to build schools in Gaza and educate children) and food programmes in Gaza.

Our keynote speaker will be Norman Finkelstein, son of holocaust survivors
Imam Qasim – Chairman of Al-Khair Foundation
Aamer Anwar – Human Rights Lawyer
Manual Hassassian – Palestinian Ambassador

Further information can be found on our event website www.hopeoverfear.info and tickets for the evening can be bought at our shop or online.

Al-Khair Foundation Glasgow Office 441 Victoria Road Glasgow G42 8R
Tel. 0141 423 5747
Registered in England and Wales Charity Registration No: 1126808
Al-Khair Foundation109-119 Cherry Orchard Road, Croydon, CR0 6BE, United Kingdom Registered Charity No. 1126808 - AL-KHAIR FOUNDATION. 






Saturday, August 15, 2015

TO PARAPHRASE MARK TWAIN - "REPORTS OF OUR DEATH ARE AN EXAGGERATION" - THE LABOUR PARTY.

Rumour has it that the majority of those present were saying, "whose the grey haired guy with the beard talking to Terry Kelly" (see picture).


The Athens of the North, Auld Reekie, Edinburgh, this afternoon Aug. 14th. 2015 at the Festival Conference Centre, where the main auditorium is chock-a-block with what looks well in excess of its 600 capacity, another hall in the complex is also packed with several hundred people. The Jeremy Corbyn crusade to become leader of The Labour Party of course was in town and for today this was the hottest ticket in Edinburgh including the festival. 

The usual cross section of good causes were being touted at the door as Fringe goers as well as the “well set” burghers of this beautiful city looked on and wondered if we “had all had oor tea”. They also wondered what was going on and whether they should join the queue just in case they missed a show, this time honoured rugby scrum of competing political groups jostled for position as always and as always they managed to do this without trouble breaking out, you might think that with all the groups being left wing to one degree or another this would be easy but it's not, so well done to all of them today. My theory for this is that the lack of rancour was down to the man we were there to hear Jeremy Corbyn, who is respected by all left wing groups and before anyone asks, no he did not offer me a place in his cabinet if he wins. 

In over 40 odd years in the Labour Party I can only think of those febrile meetings against Thatcher during the coal dispute where an atmosphere like this was experienced. Corbyn if truth be told really is the nice guy he appears to be and his speech to the meeting and his ability to answer questions was exceptional. notwithstanding irate remarks from the audience targeted at those party members, some senior who are accused of having disgraced themselves with their attacks on Corbyn, he unwaveringly refused to retaliate and in so doing looked like a giant among pygmies. He does this with ease because he appreciates as many of us do that the 'personal' stuff is being hyped out of all proportion by the Tory press, this is nothing more than the now customary struggle for the heart of the party as well as control of it or, to put it more simply, left V right. The additional energy and enthusiasm is down to the impetus now being with the left for the first time in quite a while and as our old friend Corporal Jones would say "they don't like it up em, they just do not like it up em" were the positions inverted we would hear very little because the press would be more contented. 

Jeremy Corbyn is enjoying a tremendous surge in support because his three opponents are very similar and each represents what is now the genuine 'Old Labour' the Labour of the Blairites which, despite winning three elections has taken us to where we are now, their mantra about three victories in a row is worn out and the changes they made have not stood the test of time. Along with many others, I, while loving the Labour victories was never at ease with the direction we were taking , I fought on like many other comrades, regrettably other's didn't but it is my fervent wish that they will come back. The reality is that when you look in depth at our society it is impossible in all honesty to describe it as decent or tolerant, I don't think that I need to rehearse again my reasons for saying that, they are all around us. 

The cure remains what it has always been, not always in the same words or order but.  Equality, Peace, Justice for all, the meaning of the old "clause 4", Solidarity, The Redistribution of Wealth from Rich to Poor, I could go on but you have heard it before, it is now back on the agenda and it is still why I joined The Labour Party and more importantly why I am still in it. The Party is not the preserve of The Parliamentary Labour Group it belongs to all members, let's show that to be the case and elect Jeremy Corbyn.    

Sunday, August 09, 2015

"BLISS WAS IT IN THAT DAWN TO BE ALIVE, BUT TO BE YOUNG WAS VERY HEAVEN" - WORDSWORTH ON THE FRENCH REVOLUTION.

Who would have thought it. Here we are with a wonderful opportunity to elect a true "left wing" leader of the Labour Party. I have never met anyone or heard of anyone in the party who says 'I am a right winger' and everyone can make a case for their own type of Socialism but Jeremy Corbyn can not be described as anything other than a radical left winger, I am delighted with his position and campaigning for him to win.

There are many who are very much opposed to him for different reasons but I believe that there is an elephant in the room that these people are standing in. The most heard defence  put forward by many protecting their argument is that New Labour and particularly Tony Blair won 3 elections, this has stood for years as justification for where we are now, the truth is that because of where we are now is because those Blair years failed us long term, many of them sold their souls for power. The explosion of support and the sheer joy of the rank and file we are witnessing now for policies of the left are testament to that. We are within touching distance of bringing the party back to where it should always been, by the side of our own class, the workers, that language I know is laughed at by those among us who declare themselves "relaxed at more and more people becoming millionaires" but they are the ones who have done long term damage to the party, it's time to organize and get back on the attack. It is my fervent hope that by the time this is all settled we will see people like Scargill, Galloway, Hatton and Canavan and many more like them back where they belong, as members of the Labour Party.  

Saturday, August 08, 2015

WHY IT IT NOT POSSIBLE FOR GOVERNMENTS TO STOP THE SLAUGHTER OF ANIMALS FOR FUN?.

"Cruelty is indifference to suffering, and even pleasure in inflicting it. Sadism can also be related to this form of action or concept. Cruel ways of inflicting suffering may involve violence, but affirmative violence is not necessary for an act to be cruel"
This intro. is a good description of what it is to be cruel, highlighting as it does that an action which is legal does not mean that it is not cruel. Hence It can be argued as I do that capital and corporal punishment while legal in many places qualifies as cruelty. "I was only obeying orders" is not good enough. I regard it as a given that no sane person would find cruelty to children as acceptable. The picture below of course indicates that I am talking about cruelty to our fellow creatures here, those not classified as human beings. 

When I see pictures of magnificent creatures like Rhinos, Elephants, Big Cats, Bears and wolves etc. lying dead at the feet of 'human beings' posing with their high tech. high power rifles I despair, the recent case of Cecil the well known well loved Lion who was lured from safety and killed and mutilated means I get very angry, no that is an understatement I become consumed by hatred for the people who regard this as fun, they test my hatred of violence to the very limits.  

I get lost for words when I try to articulate how I feel about these cruel sick bastards and I remember these words from Harper Lee's great novel "Remember it's a sin to kill a mockingbird" That was the only time I ever heard Atticus say it was a sin to do something, and I asked Miss Maudie about it.

'Your father's right,' she said. 'Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy…but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird.". The mocking bird represents for me all wild creatures and it and they are precious. Donald Trump's sons are big fans of slaughtering these beautiful creatures and he says he will pay the legal fees of the right wing republican dentist Walter Palmer who gunned down Cecil the lion and decapitated him for a trophy. Mr. Palmer BTW is a member of The Tea Party. 

We here in the UK have similar low life morons who enjoy inflicting cruelty on animals, they come mainly in two groups, the Tory Party and the Royal Family and their lackeys. The most prominent killer of animals for fun among them is our very own dear Prince Phillip, a man who needs to use both hands to find his own arse. As a Young man newly married to the young Princess Elizabeth on a royal tour of India he went hunting and his party caught a Tiger in a trap, tethered it to a rope and Philip like the hero he is shot it from about 15 feet or "bagged it" as the useless workshy clown would have put it. Man is the only creature that blushes and is the only creature that needs to.


“A Robin Redbreast in a Cage
Puts all Heaven in a Rage.
A dove house fill’d with doves and pigeons
Shudders Hell thro’ all its regions.
A Dog starv’d at his Master’s Gate
Predicts the ruin of the State.
A Horse misus’d upon the Road
Calls to Heaven for Human blood.
Each outcry of the hunted Hare
A fiber from the Brain does tear.” William Blake. 




Tuesday, August 04, 2015

THE SNP LIES ARE PILING UP AND THE NEW RECRUITS ARE ALREADY STARTING TO REALISE THAT THEY HAVE BEEN DUPED.

Here dear readers is an update on our SNP Scottish Government's progress or lack of progress as it turns out. They are now learning the hard way that success brings scrutiny and scrutiny exposes incompetence and lies. Not included in the production below is the total collapse of their flagship policy of carrying out major projects without using PFI which they condemned Labour for, their lies on that issue have caught up with them spectacularly as they are now bringing in private finance to pay for these projects, just as we said they would have to. Along with the colossal lies about oil prices and hidden oil fields as well as their ludicrous U Turn on not voting on English matters they are already looking a government  led by the Marx Brothers. The rumbling has already started with the new members saying to each other WTF have we joined?. Sturgeon and the men in Grey kilts have done underhand deals on "fracking" and also are now desperately trying to find a way to avoid another referendum following the famous "once in a generation" statements, a patterm is emerging isn't it, that promise was also a lie. There may be trouble ahead.