15 Aug 2007

Camping for climate


Well the uniform is a bit snug but I am off to the climate camp today.

"The camp is a scandal to the government because it sits on the very site of the proposed runway, a runway that will bulldoze a whole village. The camp reminds Gordon Brown, his Cabinet and BAA of their complicity in devastating environmental destruction. Non violent direct action to combat ecological destruction is the right thing and The Green Party explicitly supports it, and it is shameful but hardly surprising that terrorist legislation is being used to try to silence their voices.


Read more here

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I attended the Green Economics discussion at the Climate Camp and was pleasantly surprised by the diverse, fresh and enlightening ideas and debates (actual thought-out points and counter-points! No SWPers too!) that took place.

I was a be-spectacled, black guy pushing my mobile into people's faces so that I could record the discussion and debate!

Derek was a great initiator and contributor to that debate. I think you did a good job of introducing the basics of Marxist criticisms and Post-Capitalist ideas to a new and eager to learn audience as well as the embittered hacks like myself!

But how Leftist is the Green Party?

Anonymous said...

Although most will disagree with his comments, Brendan O'Brien of Spiked Magazine wrote an interesting piece on the Climate Camp with some important lessons for eco-activists: HERE

Derek Wall said...

Hi Justin,

well political parties have to work hard to stop being sucked into the system but the Greens are strong on social justice, peace, ecology and grassroots democracy...where as most parties are big on injustice and war.

take a look at the manifesto http://policy.greenparty.org.uk/mfss/index.html

especially economy and workers rights,

yes it was a great debate and the people who had big disagreements with each talked but were not pushy.

I must admit I said too much but economics does take a bit of getting through.

I was very conscious that political parties are banned at the camp, so I was really lucky to get the slot and tried to avoid simply saying 'trust us, the Green Party is better than vegan cream cakes and organic beer'...which I do the rest of the time! (well not trust us, always sounds a bit sad from a politico).

best wishes,

Derek

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