Secretary’s report – November 2004

 

Hard to know where to start this month.  It’s been – interesting, would you say?  I remember back in year 2000 listening to Alistair Cooke’s letter from America just after GWB was first elected.  He refused to emit a reflex cry of woe, citing examples of past presidents who had been written off when elected but proved success.  But now – what would he make of the latest election, I wonder.  Could one say that GWB has been a successful president ­for the American electorate?  American economy: seems to be in shaky shape.  American influence abroad: don’t even ask.  American prestige:  rock bottom, I would say.  American prospects; something or other coming home to roost, probably.

 

For the rest of the world, I think the judgement continues to be a firm no.  Particularly if you live in Iraq.  Doesn’t it make you cackle derisively when the press releases talk about “foreign fighters” pursuing their private wars on Iraqi soil?  Horrible, messy murderous business on both sides.  There isn’t a lot to choose between the lunatics who send suicide bombers out and the American leadership who appear to view war as an extension of business operations.  Perhaps that last cheap crack is too near the truth.  Someone certainly profits from selling military hardware.

A group of us took part in the March on October 17th associated with the European Social Forum last month.  At least, we took part once we found each other which did take a certain time – thank goodness for mobile phones, what ever did we do before? [Ans: - see below[]]  There was a good showing overall at the march, with some interestingly polyglot banners – I certainly identified six major European languages (and English).  I particularly liked the skeletal models on trolleys that some sturdy bloke was pulling along.  These were more at the ESD end of the March than the anti war flavour, but they made an excellent photo on the front page of the Guardian, outlined against the House of Commons.

 

Our jumble sale – possibly the last one in this building – was on November 6th.  Maggie proudly announced a takings of £404.88 which is a terrific total.  Many thanks to all who helped. 

On November 10th we had an excellent informative address from Lindis Percy about the campaign for accountability of American bases in this country.  I hadn’t realised that we had so little information about what actually goes on in these places, let alone control.  It’s rather startling to meet someone who has been arrested several hundred times in pursuit of democratic accountability.  A big challenge, even though completely unspoken!

 

There is one ray of sunshine – of sorts – this month, for me.  That’s the announcement that the US Govt has acknowledged that the Gulf War syndrome seems a real effect.  This has to be good news.   Wish our government would do the same.  It’s bad enough our soldiers being asked to fight a war against a mad dictator with assorted vile weapons (sold to him by….).  Having their general health trashed as a result seems unfortunate and refusing to acknowledge it too, well who but a government would do that? ()

 

[]           Ans: In olden days, as my children say, the habit was to arrive in good time with an allowance for trains being delayed, and come to a well defined spot.  Cor, tricky.

()          Ans: an old fashioned business.  One of colleagues told me about working in an (American owned) chemicals business up in the NE, many years ago.  A workmate of his developed leukaemia, almost certainly due to excessive exposure to benzene.  Solution?  Fire him as unfit to work.  Mmmm, the caring face of capitalism.  Sounds as kind hearted as an official.


[]           Ans: In olden days, as my children say, the habit was to arrive in good time with an allowance for trains being delayed, and come to a well defined spot.  Cor, tricky.

()           Ans: an old fashioned business.  One of colleagues told me about working in an (American owned) chemicals business up in the NE, many years ago.  A workmate of his developed leukaemia, almost certainly due to excessive exposure to benzene.  Solution?  Fire him as unfit to work.  Mmmm, the caring face of capitalism.  Sounds as kind hearted as an official.