"Anti-Imperialist Unity" A New Poem

For the first time in about two years I wrote a new poem. I will usually do more than one at a time, but I am so excited about this that I wanted to post it ASAP. I explain how I write my poems here. (as I mention in that post, when I use the first person, I am almost never using my perspective, but I don't feel like changing all the first person terms, and I guarantee you I haven't attributed an opinion in this one to Costello that is in conflict with what he believed)

You can find all my poems by clicking on the "lyrics" label at the bottom.

“Anti-Imperialist Unity” based on “Unity is Power” by Kill, Baby, Kill, original lyrics are here.

1. The title is a phrase used by Seamus Costello, who was a leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Party and its military wing the Irish National Liberation Army. He believed in this concept, although I’m not sure what groups he had in mind besides his RSM and the Provisionals (what have been called in recent decades Sinn Fein and the IRA). Maybe he hoped he could convince his former comrades in Official SF and the Official IRA (the other side of the 1969/70 split that produced the Provisionals), but probably not. Probably People’s Democracy (a civilian but militant left-wing anti-Partition group born as a part of the civil rights movement that had taken place between 1967 and 1972), who I have reason to believe were friendly to the IRSP. Maybe 1-3? tiny left groups that were anti-Partition and maybe one or two tiny republican groups that I can’t think of. And maybe unaffiliated individuals would be welcome. I haven’t read his speeches and interviews in a long time and am not sure I can find them, but I imagine the unifying principles would be at least a lukewarm belief in socialism and a firmer opposition to Partition. He died in 1977, so this about the period 1975-1977.                 
2. The RUC were until late 2001 the police in N. Ireland.
3. I doubt Army bases were in anything smaller than a medium-sized town (i.e. Omagh, Strabane).
4. Starting around the beginning of the conflict and continuing in recent years some statistics about average pay indicate that the cost of labor is lower in N. Ireland than it is in Britain. On the other hand, the rate of unionization is higher in N. Ireland, but I think this has little effect because

A) sectarianism divides workers from taking effective action together,

B) it’s difficult for passionately anti-sectarian socialists to get into major positions of power in N. Ireland’s labor movement,

C) many of those who might take that kind of role were busy with the National Question and related issues and/or had/have criminal records from republican activity (something similar could be said about some reformed loyalists, for example the late David Ervine),

D) although the Churches aren’t nearly as central to N. Ireland politics as you might think, the Catholic Church there is not that of El Salvador’s late Archbishop Oscar Romero,

E) center-right politics dominate the Unionist community, perhaps because bigotry and colonialism tend to do that (i.e. most leftists advocate against that kind of shit, and are ignored even when they focus on issues that are purely class), and

F) it might be relevant that the police were, until recently, VERY prepared to break some heads and until recently had excellent political cover if they did so (potential strikers may have also been reluctant to confront soldiers with powerful rifles who were trained for aggression and had even better cover if they killed someone),

G) there is no labour party with the kind of power that the British Labour Party has in Britain (the SDLP don't count, see this and SF is hated by Unionists (you could say something similar about the SDLP, either because they're Catholics, or because they're socially conservative and middle-class, so the vast majority of those Protestants who are working-class and/or progressive don't vote for them))

More evidence for what I say in the last line of the 1st verse is found in the following facts taken from the book Northern Ireland: the Orange State by Michael Farrell:

“In 1974 45% of all firms in Northern Ireland employing 500 or more workers were controlled from Britain, as were 28 out of 51 firms employing between 250 and 500 workers” p. 326

5. The pride would be both the working-class kind and the Irish kind.
6. Fenian is a derogatory term for Catholic and republican, but has been adopted by republicans.
7. James Connolly was Ireland’s greatest socialist and greatest republican.
8. Republicans did a lot of feuding. Even if it was slightly unavoidable, it was bad. People who were, to one degree or another, good republicans and/or socialists were lost. It was demoralizing for the communities they were based in. It distracted form fighting the British. It was used by the British in anti-republican propaganda.
9. In 1975 the IRSP became one of the two first political parties in Ireland to call for gay rights (the other one was PD). I wouldn’t be surprised if in the mid-70s about 25% of the Provos supported gay rights (in 1991 a publication by and for IRA POWs published an article by a gay Volunteer calling for the movement to recognize the contributions made by gay and bi-sexual Volunteers).
10. **27% of this poem is me, 73% is the original.


So much wrong in the North today, the Catholics are being oppressed
What's the point of fighting each other, when the North’s in a mess?
RUC Barracks in every district, Army bases in every town
The Brits are occupiers and they’re trying to keep the cost of labor down

This is the voice of Costello, a voice full of pride
Calling out with a message now- we must all be allied
So listen fenians and reds, listen well, unity's a must
If we can't achieve to unite as one our efforts will go bust

Chorus:
Unity is power, unity is grand, Unity’s the weapon to defend our land
Unity's the answer to Connoilly’s call
Unity will set our class and nation free, Unity will bring us final victory
If we stand united, we will never fall

All these senseless feuds only give the Brits a laugh
Comrades we must stand as one, fighting on the people’s behalf
Shoulder to shoulder, brothers and sisters, make sure we'll never fail
So stick together and act as one, united we'll prevail

Chorus

To all of those who share our beliefs: United we will win
Unity brings victory, it's the power from within
So join our ranks on the battlefield, together side by side
To fight our people's enemies and for Irish freedom and gay pride

Cool Image and two more songs

The image I found on the web-site of Irish Anti-Fascist Action. Frank Ryan was an Irish Republican leader of the anti-Fascist foreign volunteers in the Spanish Civil War. The words are taken from a song by The Pogues, who seem progressive. (Blackshirts were Italian fascists who were in the Spanish Civil War)

Below are two new songs. They're both based on that crap I listen to. For more of an explanation, see this. The rest of the songs/poems can be found by clicking on the "lyrics" label (there are at least two pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).

"Always Stupid" based on "Always Near (For Ian Stuart)" by Brutal Attack, original lyrics are here.

In 1993 Ian Stuart (also known as Ian Stuart Donaldson) was killed in a car accident. He had been the leader of the world-wide Nazi skinhead music scene, and every year there are memorial concerts in his name. I've found three songs in his memory, there's probably more. There's another anti- song I did on one of the other lyrics posts.

1. I wouldn't say the skinhead scene was perfect before the Nazis became a big part of it in the late 1970s UK, but it certainly got worse with them, and if you first get rid of the Nazis, and then with the rest remove the fairly universal homophobia, common hostility towards immigrants, common hostility towards hippies, and probably a tiny amount of unjustified violence, the skinhead thing is kind of cool. It's about working-class pride, good music, friends, drinking, an interesting look, fighting when appropriate- there's nothing wrong with that.
2. I read somewhere about another fatal accident that took something like 3/4 of a Nazi band.
3. I'm not quite sure this was appropriate, but apparently I've developed a habit of referring to Seamus Costello in my songs about Ian Stuart. In this one I thought it'd be better to refer to Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey, but fortunately she's still alive. The instant she dies, change "Seamus" to "Bernadette."
4. Henry Rollins, who seems to have excellent anti-racist credentials, has said that Ian Stuart was a good singer, and I've heard other people say that minus the fascsim, Skrewdriver was a good band.
5. I'm not sure "crooner" is the right word.
6. The Starry Plough is the flag of republican socialism (it's shared by many Irish groups, the Irish Republican Socialist Movement is one).
7. The line about Nazis driving is inspired by a professional anti-Ian Stuart song by MDC called "Nazis Shouldn't Drive."
**8. 52% of this version is me, 48% is the original.
9. I give this song/poem two out of five stars.
10. This is similar to my poems about anti-racist skinheads and the "smashing the struggle" would be a lot less than 100% non-violent.

Now I sit alone and as I write this song
I think about how everything you did was wrong
You screwed up the skinhead scene, and ruined lives
Fortunately for us, Nazis don't know how to drive

Chorus:
This happiness I feel is oh so great
The death of Ian Stuart is so very easy to take
Remembering all his shit oh so crystal clear
And I know Seamus' strength is always near

Now some say absence makes the heart grow fonder
But not with Ian Stuart, his talent he did squander
Why is life so unfair, why didn't he die years sooner
We would have been a lot better off without that crooner

Our hatred for you will never be allowed to fade
We will continue to smash the struggle on which your life was made
I don't know all the answers, but I will stand up true
In all my anti-fascist actions Ian, I will think of you

Now Seamus, inspire me like the starry plough you unfurled
So I do what is right while I fight for our world
Steer me safe along the path that's destiny
To the ultimate goal when we are all free

*****

"Lanford" based "White Kid's Gonna Fight" by Bully Boys, original lyrics are here.

1. Lanford is the name of the large town in the late 80s/mid- 90s TV show "Roseanne." It's one of my favorite shows. It's hilarious, and it's about a working class family that's liberal across the board. "Roseanne" had one semi-main character who was gay, another who came out towards the end of the series, and a third that was in about 33 episodes. The show was also very anti-racist, and they had a fairly good attitude towards religion. Besides the politics, it was an amazing show. Also, the guy who played Mark is from Ireland.
2. The original is about demographic change in a small town, this version is about conservatives taking over a town and economic recession at roughly the same time, connected to a large degree. I suppose it's a large town or even a small city.
3. In general I don't like changing lyrics without a good reason. The original says Susan instead of Roseanne and I'm not sure exactly what it means. In my version, I guess it refers to Roseanne slightly breaking under the strain of the conservative nonsense that's taking over her town, which means that there's a lot of that nonsense, because it takes a lot to have that effect on Roseanne.
4. Considering that this is about a town being taken over by conservatives (and the rape line was already there, I didn't add it) I should say that it's probably not accurate to say that rapes would increase with an influx of conservatives, although it seems possible it would, more possible than with an influx of liberals. The main point though, is that, as evidenced by Sarah Palin and the rape kits (see this), and some other things I have heard, conservatives, including conservative women, are less likely than liberals to have the appropriate attitude about rape.
5. The darkened streets are the result of people not able to pay their power bills and/or the town/city cutting back on things like street-lights.
6. The words "porno store" were there with the original, but it almost makes sense the way I have it re-written for my version. Also, when I first read the original lyrics, I didn't know what a "porno store" was, a friend had to explain it to me, I had never heard of that kind of place.
7. In my version, the fighting is meant at least 99% non-violently. Also, although the quality isn't as great as I thought it would be, and I'm not sure how singable it is, it's possible this could be used to inspire people doing canvassing and get-out-the-vote efforts. UPDATE 2/23/09 I've changed my mind about the quality, and have been singing the altered version as I listen to the original, and it's awesome.
**8. 29% of this version is me, 71% is the original.
9. I give this song/poem five out of five stars.

UPDATES 3/31/09
1) The line about the porno store. I could have gone with the original and changed it to "Fred's old diner is now a gun store," but I'm pretty sure, based on some stuff in the show, that the Conner family on "roseanne" would have been more upset about the porno store closing than a gun store opening, and although it's close (I'm in the middle on guns) I would feel the same way.
2) Cops were portrayed pretty positively on the show, but it's fairly possible in a fairly liberal working-class town like Lanford that there could be no problem with police brutality (until the influx of conservatives) so that could explain why the cops were portrayed the way they were.
3) There was one tiny element that was also pro-prison.
4) Obviously I'm not a liberal, but I said "liberal" because it might be more accurate to call the Conners liberal than progressive, and they certainly weren't socialist.
5) The last season, the family gets rich from the lottery, but that season also includes by far the most anti-capitalist element of the show when Jackie and Roseanne use some of their money to help workers at a factory buy it- it becomes an employee-owned factory.
6) I think the cops, prisons, and the lottery wealth are the only elements that undermine the idea that it was solidly liberal (I guess I mean so liberal that you could almost call it progressive (but it's not like it advocated for single-payer; and although there are progressives fond of small business, the show was pro-small business and that's more of a liberal thing than a progressive thing)).

This used to be where I belonged
Now where have all the liberal kids gone?
The working-class built this fucking town
Now the damn place is going down
Well, Roseanne's looking a little beat
The homophobes just moved onto Karl St.
The cops shot miguel at 8th and Main
And Kate got raped, but who's to blame

Chorus:
Darkened streets and smashed dreams
My hometown is torn at the seams
But I won't leave without a fight
I've got just one chance to make things right... fight!

The union hall is now all we've got
There's Republicans in every parking lot
The employers have declared class war
The Puritans closed down the porno store
I think I know just who's to blame
But I won't play their crying game
The GOP still wants to turn back the clock
I'm gonna fight this block by block



One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).

Fun with Nazi lyrics

UPDATE 8/19/12 The intro for this post has just been re-done, primarily to shorten it.

I do a kind of poetry on this blog. I take the lyrics of songs I listen to and alter them in different ways. On average about 60% of the syllables in my version are mine, 40% are from the original (that was updated 3/28/20). One of the two main ways I alter the lyrics is that I take lyrics about N. Ireland and make them about general liberal-left stuff, or vice versa. The other way is to take lyrics that are politically offensive to me and twist them into more or less the opposite of what they were originally (i.e. I took a song called “Oh no Here Comes a Commie" and made it “Oh no, Here Comes a Fascist”) (those poems also often involve a change of subject as well, and there's a small number of poems that contain only a small amount of material in conflict with what the original authors believe, but at the very least there's that). Almost all of the offensive lyrics that I alter are from Nazi skinhead bands.

I can't remember exactly how it started, but I decided that I like taking the lyrics of racist songs and twisting them into more or less the opposite of what the original said. I like the idea of taking their songs and throwing them back in their face, saying "look what I did, I took your lyrics and twisted them into the exact opposite of what you intended, you racist mother-fucker!” I imagine them reading my poem and recognizing some of the lines and getting pissed off about that in connection with what AT LEAST one line that I put there says (or a word in a line, etc.). Another way of looking at it is that it's like in those cartoons where Elmer Fudd points a gun at Bugs Bunny and Bugs bends it so that the gun is pointed at Fudd. Also, sometimes it's entertaining to read the original lyrics and then read my poem, at least when my version says the opposite of what the original says. I have also frequently done poems based on lyrics I like. (I have often referred to the poems based on offensive stuff as “Those Lyrics”). Almost all the time when I'm twisting offensive lyrics, I more or less change only what has to be changed- if it's completely different from the original, that kind of defeats the idea, although it could still be a good poem. I have also started twisting loyalist lyrics like I twist the racist stuff.

I do these poems because writing them is a fun, creative process, I get to express myself and explains stuff, especially through the notes, and some are really good.

A lot of the poems about N. Ireland are based on lyrics by people who more or less support(ed) the British and/or unionist causes in N. Ireland. With the rest of the N. Ireland poems based on racist stuff from other  countries with a significant chunk of the Irish diaspora, I have included at least one bit of something hostile to white supremacists (See this for more about that). Some of the former bands are Skrewdriver, No Remorse, and Brutal Attack. Some of the latter bands are Final War, Bound for Glory, and Bully Boys. Some poems are based on Nazi Skinhead stuff from other countries like Belgium. Without a lot of Irish-Belgians around talking about "the Cause" I think they probably just go with what their hero Ian Stuart of Skewdriver said about the North.

I have done my best and last calculation of how much of the lyrics are me and how much are the original. I counted all the sylables, and then the sylables of the words I put in the poem and came up with what % of the lyrics are me. ** marks this last, best, and final calculation.

Although this probably goes without saying, I am never or practically never referring to me when I use the first person. You might say the poems are about actual people who are not Tom Shelley or characters or something like that. I was not interested in changing all the first person statements, but I am no Walter Mitty!

The rest of the songs/poems can be found by clicking on the "lyrics" label at the bottom (there are several pages worth of posts, so click on the "older posts" at the bottom of the first page).


Why do I listen to that kind of music? (between late 2008 and mid-2018, I’ve spent an average of about 1 hr. a day listening to music by Nazi Skinheads (probably an average of about 5 hours a day listening to more or less anti-racist or neutral music):
1. I’ve always been interested in skinheads and very much opposed to Nazi Skinheads. In general, there’s something about listening to the music of my enemy that I find fascinating.
2. Although I don’t have to listen to study the lyrics, that is part of why I listen. It’s kind of research. Same for the fan-vids I downloaded from YouTube that have a lot of imagery.
3. The ones I listen to are MUSICALLY good- I like the sound.
4. These "poems" I write (and inspiration often strikes when I'm listening, so I kind of DO need to listen for this reason).

Some other things about me listening to that music:

1. I listen to a small amount of N. Ireland loyalist (anti-Catholic/anti-Irish) music and several of the Nazi songs I listen to have the same message (I’m Irish-American and Catholic).
2. I have heard of other people doing something similar.
3. From about 1989 til 2009 about 70% of the FICTION that I read was by people like Tom Clancy and Stephen Coonts, people who are very close to the political center, and yet half that time I was doing a ton of left-wing activism (the rest of the time I was doing almost nothing political).
4. I have done a ton of activism on anti-racist and/or anti-homophobic issues and did a pretty good job of organizing that way on other issues. This blog has a ton of material that’s anti-racist, anti-homophobic and even more material that is against anti-semitism. 

 

UPDATE 1/21/19 I am leaving the above 2 sections because I DID for about 10 years listen to that music, but I also need to announce that I stopped listening to it recently. I learned recently the hard way that listening to it when I'm already depressed just makes my depression worse, and I also worry that anti-racist people will attack me over listening to that stuff. On the other hand, the last thing I'm going to do is delete my poetry from this blog. To one degree or another it's really good.

Why do I provide a link to the original lyrics even when they are offensive fascist or loyalist stuff?

1. I probably have nothing to worry about, but I DO worry about getting sued or legally harassed by the authors of the original lyrics, who despise me. I think that linking to the original lyrics might make it less likely that sort of attack on me would work.
2. I would say something similar about being criticized for stealing from artists without giving them credit.
3. Some of the best lines in my poems are unaltered from the original and I believe strongly in giving credit it when it’s due.
4. When less than about 50% of my poem is me and at least 51% of it is the original and my poem is saying the opposite of what the original was saying, sometimes it’s kind of amusing to read the original and then read my poem.
5. Sometimes the best lines were mostly or entirely written by me and I want people to know which amazing lines were written by me.

That's about it. Here are the poems- with some notes, which are probably more or less needed.

1. Costello's Song. Irish politics.
2. Red Power. American politics.
3. The Spirit of Che Guevara. Global resistance to oppression.
4. Fuck Orangeism. Anti-Sectarian Protestants in N. Ireland.

Costello's Song

Based on "White Power" by Skrewdriver, original lyrics are here.

1. Seamus Costello was a socialist republican leader in the 1970s, for more see the post below this.
2. FF and FG are Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, the two largest parties in the Republic, more or less centrist/centre-right.
3. The divison of Ireland and the sectarianism that goes with it weaken various liberal, left, progressive, and working-class movements, and therefore are part of the socio-economic problem; also, the two main unionist parties are basically centre-right, and Blair's economic policies have not helped the North.
4. "just sit and scoff" I'm exaggerating how little was done to stop it, buit 90% of the time, unless I have a good reason, I don't like to alter the lyrics unless neccessary (i.e. Red instead of White). Same thing with the line about corruption. Also, on a related note, it now exaggerates how little was done to stop the growth of corporate power- it might also exaggerate how powerful corporations in Ireland have become.
5. Aside from a huge chunk the loyalist paramilitaries, there aren't many fascists in Ireland (although, there's a large number in Britain and they often visit N. Ireland), and I don't advocate killing them, but I didn't have a good reason for changing that line any more than I did.
6. The line that ends with "begun," might not be the Queen's English, but I'm an Irish Republican, so fuck the Queen (seriously, though, it rhymes).
7. The North is a lot less Orange today than it used to be, but aside from uniting Ireland, there's still room for improvement on that front.
8. Ian Paisley was a notorious anti-Catholic bigot most of his life.
9. In my songs, I use the word "fascist" to refer to more than just Nazis, but also as a statement against bigotry (that doesn't mean I advocsate killing them, but in these first two poems using the word "fascist" is meant to bring up the subject of bigotry, something otherwise absent from the poem).
10. UPDATE Both Red Power and Costello's Song have a line about corporations taking over, and the second half of that line is different for each song. I'm switching them- the slam dance analogy makes more sense in the American context.
**11. 35% of this version is me, 65% is the original.
12. I give this song/poem four out of five stars.
13. Orange is the color of anti-Catholic bigotry in N. Ireland.
14. It's about republican socialists in general. I don't think Costello advocated the violent overthrow of the Dublin State. In any case this poem isn't advocating that. and today probably only a very small minority of republican socialists advocate that.

I stand and watch my country, going down the drain
The Brits and unionists, FF and FG, they are all to blame
The corporations have taken over, we just let them advance
But if we remember Seamus, we still have a chance

Red Power
For Ireland
Red Power
Today
Red Power
For the world
Before it gets too late

Well we've seen a lot of privitisation, we just sit and scoff
We've seen a lot of corruption, and the judges let 'em off

We've got to do something, to try and stop the rot
And the fascists that abuse us, they should all be shot

Are we going to finish what Seamus begun?
Have they got the Republican Left on the run?
Orange society is a mess
We ain't gonna take much more of this

What do we need?

Red Power
For Ireland
Red Power
Today
Red Power
For the world
Before it gets too late

Well, if we don't win our battle, and all does not go well
It's Apocalypse for Ireland and we'll see Ian Paisley in hell

********

Red Power

Based on "White Power" by Skrewdriver, original lyrics are here.

1. I exaggerate how little was done to stop the growth of corporate power and privitisation, but crucial parts of those lines are in the original.
2. "fascists" I don't advocate killing them (and with some exceptions I don't believe they should be shot either), but the vast majority of the time, unless I have a good reason, I don't like to alter the lyrics unless neccessary (i.e. Red instead of White).
3. I slightly exaggerate how bad things are for the poor and how judges treat corruption.
4. Obviously no one's being drafted, but it could happen, it's even slightly possible with Obama, and just recently it was very possible.
5. Obama, who is slightly to the left of the Clintonites, is probably going to disapoint, but A: he's probably still better than McCain (especially considering Palin), and B: overwhelmingly the current situation can be blamed on the two groups mentioned.
6. In my songs, I use the word "fascist" to refer to more than just Nazis, but also as a statement against bigotry.
7. UPDATE Both Red Power and Costello's Song have a line about corporations taking over, and the second half of that line is different for each song. I'm switching them- the slam dance analogy makes more sense in the American context.
8. "Slam dance." Probably something like 2/3 of concerts, slam dancing/moshing is the exact opposite of what I'm talking about. But "slam dance" rhymes and mostly makes sense. (of course it's been about 13 years now, but I doubt it's changed)
**9. 34% of this version is me, 66% is the original.
10. I give this song/poem four out of five stars.
11. Obviously corporations have been dominant in America for many decades, but in the last 20 or so years it's gotten worse- i.e. privatization.
12. This is about combating injustice in different ways and what I have in mind overall would be about 99% non-violent.

I stand and watch my country, going down the drain
The Republicans and Clintonites, they are all to blame
The corporations have taken over, it's a social slam dance
We used to have the New Deal, now the poor don't have a chance

Red Power
For America
Red Power
Today
Red Power
For the world
Before it gets too late

Well we've seen a lot of privitisation, we just sit and scoff
We've seen a lot of corruption, and the judges let 'em off

We've got to do something, to try and stop the rot
And the fascists that abuse us, they should all be shot

Are we going to sit while they draft our sons?
Have they got the unions on the run?
Capitalist society is a mess
We ain't gonna take much more of this

What do we need?

Red Power
For America
Red Power
Today
Red Power
For the world
Before it gets too late

Well, if we don't win our battle, and all does not go well
It's Apocalypse for the world and we'll see George Bush in hell

******

The Spirit of Che Guevara

Based on "Soldier of Freedom" by Skrewdriver, original lyrics are here.

0. UPDATE 2/15/19  The line about heroes bleeding- I could have sworn it was a fairly or at least sort of common line when discussing martyrs, etc. of armed struggle. And after searching for that phrase just now, it seems like practically no one uses it the way I was using it. I might change it sometime soon.
1. I'll keep this brief, but I don't believe universally in seperatism. There has to be either serious oppression and/or something like 65% support for it among the relevant population, or some kind of combination (that applies to independence, I have slightly lower standards for autonomy) (besides what I mention below, I support the Basques, Turkey's kurds, iraq's kurds, possibly some others, and potentially many non-European-American nations inside the US (the main issue there is how much popular support there is for seperatism among that nation, also possibly all residents of the area that will become independent (if a situation roughly geographically similar to the Irish situtaion develops, I would look at it roughly the same way); I do not, at this point, support Scottish Independence (UPDATE 4/11/16 I do NOW since last years British election saw the Scottish Nationalists get 56 out of 59 seats in Scotland (in the previous British Parliament they had 6 out of 59 which is believe is very close to what they have gotten in recent decades)).
2. I don't know how sympathetic Cheney was to Apartheid, but I believe that he voted for a resolution labeling Nelson Mandela and/or the ANC as terrorists. (UPDATE 1/31/09: Although I wouldn't be surprised if he did exactly what I said he did, I have found two things about him I'm certain of, which are basically the same as that (including one vote against sanctions on S. Africa))
3. Although I'm not sure that line is worded the right way, the World Bank and IMF frequently do stuff that makes poverty worse despite popular support for progressive economics in countries that get involved with the World Bank. In South Africa for example, one or both institutions thwarted the ANC government from advancing the economic policies they had campaigned on at the end of Apartheid (I'm not sure to what degree some of the people in the ANC had to be dragged into implementing WB's preferred policies, but the fact is that that kind of aid from international institutions shouldn't be used to discourage democratically elected governments from implementing the progressive economics they said they would when campaigning for office).
4. The last line is adopted from my favorite song, "Your Daughters and Your Sons." The lyrics are here.
5. Belfast is the capital of Northern Ireland.
6. Spain refers to the Spanish Civil War, which was won by the fascist side, which was followed by a fascist takeover of most of Europe.
7. S. Africa refers to the anti-Apartheid struggle.
8. The couplet that mentions Little Bighorn is referring to conflict between America settlers and the US Army on one hand, and Native Americans on the other. The tentacles part is about how after that battle, the westward settlement of the US continued.
9. The Warsaw Ghetto during World War II saw a rebellion by the Jewish occupants.
10. West Bank refers to the Palestinian struggle.
11. East Timor experienced a genocidal occupation by Indonesia until 1999.
**12. 48% of this version is me, 52% is the original, which doesn't count eliminating the 3-line chorus but does count adding two completely new lines at the very end.
13. I give this song/poem five out of five stars.
14. The reference to class pride is about WORKING-CLASS pride, and is not the best line I've done, (because most of the conflicts in this poem are more about national/religious/racial oppression than they are about class oppression) but it's okay.
15. UPDATE 7/9/12 This is not exclusively about armed struggle.
16. UPDATE 6/19/16 I changed WIN to SURVIVE in the 2nd line of the 3rd verse.

I don't fight for money, the whole world is my land
I'm fighting for freedom, I know where I stand
I fight for the nations, that haven't yet died
I fight to stop Imperialism, creating global class pride

I fought in Belfast, where the heroes bled
I fought in Spain, but the Brown disease, it spread
I fought in South Africa, against Dick Cheney's pets
Now I see democracy undermined by World Bank debt

I fought at Little Big Horn, but the tentacles spread
We are determined to survive, we will plow on ahead
I fought in the Warsaw Ghetto and the West Bank
With our rifles and petrol bombs we took on their tanks

We won in East Timor, against mass slaughters
It'll happen again, because you sow the seed of freedom in your sons and your daughters

*****

This one is actually not based on a racist song, it's a N. Ireland version of my favorite anti-fascist song. Considering the source of the original (white British people) and the lyrics, it's mostly aimed at celebrating Protestants who are anti-sectarian, or even better, republican. The original is called "Fuck Fascism" by The Oppressed. I guess I call it "Fuck Orangeism," (Orange is the color of anti-Catholic bigotry in N. Ireland) although I don't change all the key lyrics since there are obviously racists and fascists there (and the vast majority of them are associated with the Unionist/Loyalist side). It's about a mixture of violence and, mostly, non-violence.

**10% of this version is me, 90% is the original.

I give this song/poem four out of five stars.

The web-site of The Oppressed has shut down and I can't find the lyrics on-line except for a long discussion, so I'll just post them below the altered version. UPDATE 3/9/20 I decided that I like this poem more than I used to, but I also decided that a few more words need to be changed- it was written in 2008 and talks about an Orange State as if there wasn't one at that time, and there kind of WAS- I guess you could say that now, in 2020 it makes more sense since it isn't Orange at all today.

"Fuck Orangeism"
You don't understand us, we're nobody's fool
We know there's no freedom, under Orange rule
You'll never oppress us, you'll never dictate
Don't you see, we don't need, your sectarian hate

FASCISM, FASCISM, FUCK YOU AND YOUR FASCISM
FASCISM, FASCISM, FUCK YOU AND YOUR FASCISM

We'll NEVER surrender, we'll NEVER give in
We will NEVER turn our backs or let the sectarians win
So, don't try and tell us, about your Orange state
Don't you see, we don't need, your racial hate


"Fuck Fascism"
You don't understand us, we're nobody's foll,
We know there's no freedom, under fascist rule,
You'll never oppress us, you'll never dictate
Don't you see, we don't need, your racial hate

CHORUS:FASCISM,FASCISM,FUCK YOU AND YOUR FASCISM

We'll never surrender, we'll never give in,
we will never turn our backs, or let the racists win,
So don't try and tell us about your fascist state,
Don't you see, we don't need, your racial hate


One last note: Even with the songs that are only about 10% me (and at the upper end, one is 75% me), I have a request, although I don't have strong feelings or expectations about this. First, I want credit for these songs. Second, I'd appreciate it if the notes follow the lyrics around the internet. If you modify the lyrics further, please either make some notes for the changes if you leave some of my changes, or just provide a link to this URL so people can see my version. Although I'm not sure how many people will like what I'm doing with the lyrics, to one degree or another (depending on how much I changed them) I'm proud of these songs- and at the risk of getting a little personal, if people like the songs, I could really use the extra boost of getting credit for them right now (or if you don't like them, they were all written by Sarah Palin- that fascist, what kind of sick person enjoys altering racist lyrics?).

I Owe My Allegiance Only To The Working-Class

Seamus Costello once said the title for this post. He was the founder and primary leader of the Irish Republican Socialist Movement from it's formation in 1974 (partly by people leaving Official Sinn Fein) until his death in 1977.

I'm a republican-socialist in the Irish sense. Does that mean I support the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA)? Overwhelmingly, today, no. Also, there are tons of republican-socialists in Sinn Fein, and to one degree or another in other republican groups, and there are independent ones. But as a good, if slightly misguided, republican-socialist, I did, in the late 1990s flirt with the IRSP. And I believe that during the period 1974-1982 it was amazing. But I have not supported the RSM since 2000 and this post is about the first several years of the IRSM, not the time since 1982 (some people would advise me to keep that praise about the early years to myself, but after YEARS of thinking about it I am convinced that Seamus Costello was a great republican-socialist).

Shortly I'll go into a lot of detail about why I like the IRSP during that period, and then I'll describe why I don't like them today, and then I'll offer some thoughts on the other dissident groups. But first I want to clear something up.

In 2001 I found an archived email to some left-wing list that contained a letter to the editor of the Irish News I had written (it was criticizing Sinn Fein over the NY City St. Patrick's Day Parade). At the top, the person who sent it said I was a member of the IRSP. Although I did come close to joining once, I never even sent in an application. The email was sent 2 years earlier, so I didn't bother issuing a correction to the list I wasn't even on.

More generally, at the time I was significantly closer to SF than to the IRSP. My support for the IRSP included:

1) I was on their N. American email list.
2) When the library of the INLA prisoners was somehow destroyed (it somehow involved a loyalist attack), there was an appeal for good pinko books. I sent a bunch, hopefully all/most were enjoyed.
3) At one point, for sort of stupid reasons, I sent them my copies of two amazing anti-unionist and socialist books.
4) When I sent them a check for some merchandise, after emailing a couple times about not receiving the stuff, I told them to just keep it as a donation (I'm not sure if I even checked if the check was deposited).
5) I put out a small amount of IRSP lit. when I was tabling.

I think that's it. To give you an idea of how I was NOT very close to the IRSP, shortly before I went on my first trip to the North right around Jan. 1st 1999, I was put in touch with the brother of one of the INLA 1981 hunger-strikers, who wanted to hang out with me in Derry. I declined- I didn't want to get in that deep with the IRSP. (In the late 1990s I was closer to supporting Sinn Fein than the IRSP in terms of literature I put out while tabling on campus and bringing speakers to campus)

Two general points before I proceed. Whether it applies to the early period or since 1982, the IRSP is a little bit, perhaps significantly, to the left of me- I don't think you'll find any people in the IRSP who use the term social-democrat (I call myself a democratic Marxist/lefti-wing social democrat). That's got almost nothing to do with why I don't support them today. And if I was politically active during that earlier period, although I would have also expressed some degree of support for SF, I probably would have primarily supported the IRSP.

Here's why I like the Republican Socialist Movement during that earlier period:

1. Electorally, they had the support of about 1% of the Nationalist community, although there were probably many who supported them but, as republicans and as revolutionary socialists weren't voting. Probably most of the 40% of the Nationalist community who supported the IRA also sort of supported the INLA, and probably most of the 40% who sort of supported the IRA kind of, sort of, supported the INLA (the first 40% is based mostly on solid election figures, the second is a pretty reasonable estimate, based largely on what I've heard about support for the hunger-strikers in 1981).

2. They gave their lives disproportionately on hunger-strike in 1981 (well, based on everything I've read, there's no way that INLA members were 30% of republican prisoners at that time, but they were 30% of those who died).

3. From 1978 to 1980 when he was killed, the Chief of Staff (leader) of the INLA was Ronnie Bunting Jr. His father was Ian Paisley's (the notorious anti-Catholic bigot) right hand man who organized attacks on the civil rights movement in the late 1960s.

I give Ronnie Bunting Jr. a lot of extra points for breaking from the sectarianism of his father. Also, and I'm not sure I'd bother saying this if it were just that he was a Protestant, but considering who his father was, I give the Volunteers of the INLA a lot of extra points for accepting his leadership. (that doesn't mean I'm saying that republican groups not led by Protestants are sectarian, but it's not insignificant that he was chief of staff)

4. Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey was Co-Chair of the IRSP for the first year. She left because she felt that too much emphasis was being put on the armed struggle, but she remained friendly with them, and has continued to be in recent years.

5. In 1975 they became one of the two first political parties in Ireland to call for gay rights and possibly the very first to support abortion rights.

6. UPDATE 1/29/09 In the late 1970s, according to Tim Pat Coogan, the Provisonal IRA (now known simply as the IRA), collaborated with the INLA.

7. Seamus Costello, who was the primary leader of the IRSP and was Chief of Staff of the INLA, was one of Ireland's three greatest republicans/socialists. That's based on the following:

A: He was on the following bodies when he was killed (they all appear to be in the Republic of Ireland):

Wicklow County Council, County Wicklow Committee of Agriculture, General Council of Committees of Agriculture, Eastern Regional Development Organisation, National Museum Development Committee, Bray Urban District Council, Bray and District Trade Unions Council (of which he was president 1976-77)

B: Nora Connolly O'Brien, daughter of James Connolly (Ireland's greatest socialist/republican) said after Costello's death that of all the people she spoke with who claimed to be followers of Connolly, Costello was the only one who fully understood what he meant.

C: Eamonn McCann wrote highly of him, sometime years after his death.

D: Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey spoke highly of him after his death.

E: Dr. Noel Browne (he was a senior minister in a coalition government in Dublin shortly after world war II) spoke highly of him.

F: Tony Gregory spoke highly of him.

G: His speeches and interviews indicate a very good understanding of the connections between national liberation and socialism. He also believed in anti-imperialist unity and in dialogue with Loyalists. Critically he believed that when talking with loyalists it was important to be honest with them about being republicans and socialists (apparently there was a history of republican and non-loyalist socialists not doing this). Also, at the conference mentioned below, there was at least one loyalist, so he did talk with them at least once.

H: When he attended a conference in America in 1975 to which participants to the conflict were invited, he spoke for three hours as scheduled, and was then later asked to speak for another two hours.

I: UPDATE 1/29/09 Sinn Fein, in at least two ways, indicated their respect for him after he died.


That's it for that period. I chose 1982 as a cut-off point because it's one year after the Hunger-Strike, and one year before Sinn Fein decided they would not share a platform with the IRSP.

Why do I not support them today?

1. If they ran candidates, they'd probably get something like .5% of the Nationalist vote. This causes two problems for me. First, I'm reluctant to support armed organizations with such a low level of support, and second, it makes me wonder if there are some things local people know that I don't- for example, is there a little bit of truth to allegations of for-profit criminality or sectarianism.

2. They're anti-Good Friday Agreement. I could, and might, do an entire post on that, but let me explain why I largely support it- A: it's not that bad and B: about 99% of the nationalist community voted for it. (Here is that post)

3. In the 1980s and 1990s there was a lot of feuding involving the INLA. I won't go into the details but will say that even though it's likely I should not hold this against them, it still generates some concern, when feuding happens.

4. In 1997 the INLA issued a statement. At the time I wasn't too bothered by it, but I have since decided that it represented some degree of stupidity or sectarianism in the INLA. It threatened that the INLA would kill Orange Order (an anti-Catholic organization (see this for more info on why they should not be marching through Catholic areas)) members if their marches were forced through Catholic areas. Now, Orange marchers should stay out of Catholic areas, but I'm not sure if they're so bad that they deserve to be shot in that situation (I think they're only something like 90% as bad as the Klan), and even though I wouldn't call it sectarian, huge numbers of people would interpret it as such. It would have made more sense to threaten the security forces who were forcing the marches through.

5. When Eamonn McCann praised Costello, he said that he wouldn't like today's RSM.

My thoughts on the other main dissident groups:

Republican Sinn Fein and the Continuity IRA: First, and this goes for the next Movement as well, they need to go on cease-fire and stay there (for the foreseeable future). From what I've read, in 1998 no more than about .33% of the Nationalist community supported the continuation of armed struggle, I have no reason to believe that's gone up more than a tiny amount. Second, as far as I can tell, they're fairly socially conservative, whereas SF is very progressive socially.

32 County Sovereignty Movement and the Real IRA: Once again, go on cease-fire. They're probably roughly as left-wing, maybe a little less, than SF.

Eirigi: I'm not too familiar with them, they emerged during the last 4 years when I was only reading about 50 articles a week relevant to the North. I know Bernadette Devlin-McAliskey is friendly to them, so is the Troops Out Movement (A British group that is close to SF). As far as I can tell, a significant part of their disagreement with SF is over policing, which SF generally supports. Also, there's no doubt they're solidly left-wing. They have no connection to an armed group and generally do not support the continuation of armed struggle.

In a 2007 survey, only 2% of Catholics said the GFA was a bad thing.

So, if you decide to ignore the opinion of roughly 98% of the Nationalist community that either supports the GFA or who think it doesn't matter (21% of those surveyed), not to mention the 55% that support SF and the (likely) 75% of the poorest half of the Nationalist community that supports SF, and support dissidents, I strongly recommend you go with either the IRSP or Eirigi.

Also, what are my current feelings about the RSM?

1. I hope that their members are neither arrested nor killed (same for all dissidents).
2. I would support political status for their POWs (same for all dissidents).
3. The INLA, as far as I can tell, have been on a VERY solid cease-fire since shortly after the Good Friday Agreement, in respect of the fact that there is almost no popular support for armed struggle.
4. I assume that some majority of their members maintain the politics of Seamus Costello.

I want to say something about the killing of Seamus Costello. He was killed by the Official IRA. I could do an entire post on them, but I'll keep this brief. They, and currently they're represented politically by the Workers Party, are horrible. They had absolutely ZERO justification for attacking the RSM when a bunch of Official IRA and Official SF (the Officials were the other side of the split in late 1969/early 1970 that produced the Provisionals, now known simply as SF and the IRA) followed Seamus Costello to form the RSM. Including Costello, four IRSP members were killed. Although Costello was a military leader, he was also a civilian leader of the IRSP and held many positions in public or semi-public bodies, and was not a legitimate target.

Lastly, I leave you with a song and lyrics, by Ray Collins.. The YouTube video is here, the lyrics, preceded by some notes, are below:

1. As far as I can tell, like most republican songs, there are multiple versions- these lyrics should be about 99% accurate.
2. "Saoirse Go Deo" means "Forever Free."
3. The reference to Airey Neave. In general I don't approve of killing elected politicians, but Neave was almost 100% horrible- he was a Thatcherite Tory, may have been involved with dirty tricks against political opponents, and was calling for harsher measures in Northern Ireland, and was on the verge of becoming NI Minister.
4. "The Blanket" refers to a prison protest where republicans were demanding to be treated as POWs instead of as criminals.
5. Towards the end it refers to four of the 1981 hunger-strikers who died as part of the protest against criminalization. Patsy O'Hara said, as his last words, "let the fight go on."
6. When I sing this song it's dedicated to the early period of the INLA.
7. The Starry Plough is the flag of republican-socialism.

I'll sing you of an army brave
Who fights from the cradle to the grave
The people will be no longer slaves
With the INLA freedom fighters

Followers of Connolly
They fight to bring us liberty
Socialism we might see
With the INLA Freedom Fighters

Saorsie Go Deo is our cry
The Starry Plough, our flag flys high
England's tyranny we defy
We're the INLA freedom fighters

Rising throughtout the land
Connolly in head, gun in hand
The working class will take a stand
With the INLA freedom fighters

Fighting for the working-class
The priest condemns us at the Mass
That will not turn us from our task
As INLA freedom fighters

To make the Tory tyrants grieve
A Volunteer a bomb did leave
To kill Imperial Airey Neave
Twas they- the freedom fighters

Murder, torture, imprisonment
Our movement is still not spent
We vow to make our foes relent
We're the INLA freedom fighters

The Brits try to criminalize
Our comrades who on The Blanket lie
We'll make sure the struggle does not subside
We're the INLA freedom fighters

Captured guerrillas to prison are sent
As prisoners of war their time is spent
With heads unbowed and knees unbent
UNBROKEN Freedom Fighters

The news in 1981
A hunger-Strike for rights begun
A hollow victory was won
For ALL the Freedom Fighters

At British hands died Booby Sands
McCreesh and Hughes for the Five Demands
O'Hara's death, our symbol stands
We're INLA Freedom Fighters

Aye on beneath our banners high
To avenge our comrades who have died
"Let the fight go on" as Patsy said
We're the INLA freedom fighters