Make PEACE a #ge2015 election issue! - opinion by Ron Mackay

Since 6th.Aug. 1945 I've opposed nuclear weapons. I've protested at Aldermaston, Dunoon and Faslane many times. I'm very worried at international developments. Russia has nuclear weapons – they're all in Russia. China has nuclear weapons they're all in China. The U.S. Has nuclear weapons but they're in Germany, Poland , and bases arround Russia and in Turkey and elsewhere

NATO is an aggressive, nuclear armed military alliance under U.S. Control.

I read Professor Tyler Cowan an economist at a U.S. University said a big war is needed to settle the economy. Amazon recently displayed a book -”Winter Kill – war with China has already begun “ There have already been 2 Wws essentially caused by economic problems. Are we to have a 3rd.

The winners in the first 2 WW s were the U.S. Bankers and arms manufactures. We are 20 mls. From a nuclear arms dump. 

The position is serious.

I'm a long standing member of CND (google Ron Mackay and his peace activism and you'll find me on U tube). I've been against nuclear weapons since the first one was dropped on the 6th.of August 1945. The planet is in its most dangerous situation ever. The present generation has the power to change life on the planet or to destroy all life on the planet. Many eminent individuals are warning that the situation is extremely serious. Naom Chomsky, John Pilger, Michel Chossudovsky and many others have voiced their concern.

We've had 2 world wars caused essentially by economic problems. The big capitalist powers have serious economic problems. Has there to be a third world war ? The signs are ominous.

The Westminster warmongers are spending £ billions, not just on trident and other nuclear weapons but on huge military projects. The US policy of perpetual war which our defence “experts” slavishly follow throws a heavy burden on the welfare state. Warfare and welfare are incompatible. The media plays a significant part in promoting war propaganda . It is a powerful opponent of the peace forces. We badly need a strong active socialist peace movement which can accommodate the socialists in the LP, in the SNP, in the Greens, in the SSP , in the CP and all the other socialists some of whom are in no political party. We have much in common not just peace but anti-trident, anti-austerity, green issues etc. This need is urgent and vital. This matter should be raised at every meeting held as we approach the elections.

East Dunbartonshire Yes Political Parties come together for "Bairns not Bombs"

Strathkelvin Scottish Socialist Party organiser, Willie Telfer, lifelong anti-nuclear campaigner Ron MacKay and Local Green Party organiser Ross Greer, last night urged the people of East Dunbartonshire to head to Faslane for the Scrap Trident "Bairns not Bombs" demo on November 30th to add their voices to the calls for nuclear weapons to be removed from Scotland. 

L-R:   Ross Greer, Ron Mackay, Willie Telfer.            Photo:  Neil Scott

Activist Willie Telfer said, "The SSP was founded on the principles of fairness and equality and we have been fighting for the resources and money given over to the billionaire shareholders of these arms companies to be used for schools, hospitals and care of our most vulnerable citizens. It is a disgrace that while people will struggle to heat their homes and feed their families this winter, billions of pounds of our taxes will be given over to maintain and then replace these lethally dangerous and indiscriminate weapons. Let us know if you want a place on the bus to protest outside the home of Europe's biggest nuclear arsenal. Trident must go."

91 year old Ron Mackay, who was first arrested protesting the American nuclear weapons system Polaris in 1961 said, "I have been protesting these dreadful machines of death since news came to us of the execution of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children in Hiroshima an Nagasaki when I was posted out in India in 1945. To use these indiscriminate murderous weapons would be a war crime. Having them situated near Scotland's most densely populated area is madness. Only profit can be the motive for keeping them. I'll be outside Faslane's North Gate adding my voice to the Scottish public who in poll after poll say, 'no to nuclear weapons. Not in my name.'"

Ross Greer said, "The continued housing of these weapons on the Gareloch is not only lethally dangerous, but a total disgrace in the 21st century. The Green Party will proudly join our friends across the political spectrum in demanding Trident is scrapped."

For a place on the Bishopbriggs, Kirkintilloch, Milton of Campsie, Lennoxtown, Milngavie coach, please email eastdunbartonshiressp@hotmail.co.uk                 £6.50 per seat.

The Peace Camp 31st Birthday...

Below is video of the celebrations at the Peace Camp at the end of June. As well as testament and drama, there was comedy and music. SSP Campsie member, Ron Mackay's very powerful testament can be found HERE and Acting Strange's comedy "news" programme with Prick Knobinson can be found HERE

Maggi Sale, one of the original Peace Campers, share's her 70th birthday with the camp...

Pauline Bradley, singer songwriter, performs at Faslane Peace Camp

Campsie Socialists mark 31 years of the Peace Camp

Last week local socialists teamed up with a theatre group to mark the 31st anniversary of protests against trident Nuclear weapons based on the Clyde. The group invited members and members of the public, and ran a mini-bus from East Dunbartonshire, to a “cabaret” at Faslane Peace Camp.

Acting Strange Theatre Group, a radical theatre group based in East Dunbartonshire, staged drama, comedy and music, ranging from satirical sketches through to poignant stories of casualties of war. Joining them this year were Rosie Kane, who performed an excerpt from her very funny one woman show; Pauline Bradley, who sang a number of folk and protest songs and singer song writers, Andy McGarvey and “Citizen Smart.”

Ron Mackay and Maggi Sale at the Gates of Faslane.  Photos Maggi Sale

Campsie Socialists protest outside the North Gate alongside Acting Strange theatre Company and original Peace Camper and author, Maggi Sale.

The highlight of the day were the testaments given by Maggie Sale, one of the women involved in setting up the original camp, who shared her 70th birthday with the “celebrations” and East Dunbartonshire resident, Ron Mackay who, in his 90th year, expressed his disgust at the weapons of war stationed just thirty miles down the road from Glasgow.

Ron said, “My father was jailed as a socialist conscientious objector during World War One. I was jailed in 1962 as an objector to the Polaris nuclear weapon system imposed on Scotland by the Americans. I thought after seeing action in World War 2 that we would end all wars, but the militaristic Westminster system has proved in the many interventions it has sanctioned since 1945, including the recent interventions in Iraq and Afghanistan that war is too profitable for the rich for them to give up sacrificing our young men and women. In my 91st year next year, I want to see these dreadful machines of death sailing out of the Gareloch for good.”

Author Maggie Sale said, “It has been amazing to share my birthday with so many committed peace activists at the Peace Camp I helped set up over thirty years ago. From 4 years to 90...and me, a mere stripling,..... and approaching my Prime!

I am mindful that 31 years after the establishment of Faslane Peace Camp, the Powers-that-be, of all political colours, still hide behind the delusion that the possession of Nuclear Weapons will somehow save us from 'enemy' attack and dissuade others from instigating a Third World War for fear of instant annihilation.
That 'WAR' has already started for every person on the Planet who is deprived of clean water and sustainable living as a result of Billions being spent on the design, production and maintenance of Weapons of Mass Destruction that we have found, to our cost, to have no defensive purpose what-so-ever.
That 'WAR' has already started for every victim of ideological war, fought largely to control the world's diminishing fossil resources, in the absence of appropriate Funds to address the underlying causes of international conflict.
That 'WAR' has already started for each of my nine grandchildren as they scrabble for diminishing Educational funding into alternative Research and Development that would create new ways of co-operative living, producing, consuming and ethically-sharing in a finite and fragile Planet.

We can see how infantile these 'games' are, when played out by a volatile North Korean who is systematically depriving his own people. But we are blinded by the myopic rhetoric and vested interests of our own policy-makers. The results are the same… and the 'enemy' can sit back and watch as we bleed from within.

When we first came here and occupied this piece of land for peace, we hoped the world would see sense and get rid of these dreadful weapons. We were wrong. They are still there – all 200 of them. People do not need these weapons of death. We are a family that stretches across the world, we have no need to kill. We're a' Jock Tampson's Bairns.... if we but knew it!”

Campsie Scottish Socialist Party organizer, Neil Scott said, “Hopefully next year’s anniversary of the peace camp will be a focus for the anti-war sentiment that should build around the anniversary of the first industrialized killing fields of the first Word War – and hopefully next years anniversary of the Peace Camp is it’s last as the nuclear weapons are disposed off after a Yes vote in the referendum next year.”

Acting Strange's blog - http://actingstrangetheatreco.blogspot.co.uk

Local man, 90 year old RonaldMackay’s testament at the camp on youtube

Singing Down the Government!

Celebrating the Scottish Socialist Party, 2013

 

Conference TODAY - Saturday 20th April, 10am, Augustine United Church, Edinburgh.

Join the revolution!

Faslane blockaded today!

Around 500 protestors closed down Faslane nuclear weapons base today.
Arrests were 43 in total including a 13 year old. 28 women and 15 men denonstrators were dragged away by Scotland's Police.

SSP Co-convenor, Sandra Webster was joined at the base by SSP Campsie member, 90 year old Ron Mackay who recalled being arrested in 1960 when the USA first based nuclear weapons just up the road from Glasgow.

"All of the jails in Scotland were filled with people demonstrating against these murdering machines. After Nagasaki and Hiroshima, as a young man who fought against Nazi-ism, I vowed I would fight against these disgusting weapons of mass destruction. We fought between 1939 - 1945 to end wars and create a fair society. I have been fighting for the past 50 years to have these death machines taken from Scottish soil and waters. Hopefully next September the people of Scotland will vote for Independence and we can have them dismantled forever."

Photos via SSP Co- convenor @gallusgirl @scott_eff and reports via @Ross_Greer @nwsocialist @the_ssp_ and others

The SSP say Scrap Trident!

A large contingient of SSP members and supporters marched in support if the calls to Scrap Trident today in Glasgow.

SSP co-convenor, Sandra Webster said, "It is so inspiring to see so many people fighting for the future of our country. This proves we are a caring nation. No-one in Scotland would want our nation to be the launch-pad for weapons that could annihilate entire cities of poor and working people.

"A Yes vote in the referendum next year will, I am convinced, mean the eradication of nuclear weapons from the British Isles, and quite possibly, Europe!"

My View on Scottish independence:

How to Confuse an Electorate

Bill Newman, retired Banker

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the Bitter Together campaign, far from engaging in an honest debate, is deliberately raising a multitude of specious questions to throw confusion in the minds of the electorate.  By posing an endless series of questions, to many of which they know there are no definitive answers, they hope to sow confusion and doubts on matters where no real issues arise,or, at least,where no decisions are needed prior to independence. 

The question of EU membership is a typical case.  There are many interpretations,legal and otherwise, as to whether Scotland (and, incidentally,the rest of the UK - RUK) would automatically become a member of the EU on independence.  There are no definitive answers to this question.  Nor does it matter whether automatic membership would apply or not.  If not, then does anyone seriously think that neither Scotland nor the RUK would be granted accession on application?  This, of course, begs the question whether membership would be desirable; Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man seem to get on perfectly well without membership, not counting our northern neighbours, Norway.

To cite just one of many other red herrings.  The position of an independent Scotland's currency need not depend on negotiations to become a subservient client of the Bank of England and English interest rate policy.  Indeed, Alec Salmond has been most unwise to imply that Scotland should continue the current ties.  Scotland could very ably establish its own monetary authority, and its own currency (the old Scottish Merk?) could shadow sterling, at least on a temporary basis, without being beholden to Westminster and the Bank of England.

There are many other examples of Bitter Together's attempts to muddy the water (Trident comes to mind), and the Yes campaign must not be drawn into pointless debates which present a defensive posture.  Let's get back to the core reason why independence is necessary.  We do not wish to continue at the beck and call of a Government antipathetic to our needs and desires.  We are distinctive and we need to be in charge of our destiny.

Bill Newman

Moral Sickness

by Ron Mackay

87 year old retired teacher Ron Mackay has been a Socialist all of his adult life. He is a member of CND and the Scottish Socialist Party, Campsie Branch

"I want to say a bit about neo-liberalism, the creed that life is all about making money. They privatise water. They'd privatise the air we breathe if it were possible. It's a sickness and so many people have it, they're known as Tories. There's not so many in Scotland, but, alas, we are afflicted by carriers of this disease, they're called New Labour. In the vast majority of cases when you vote Labour you get New Labour. My own Labour M.P., Gregg McClymont, MP for Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch is a typical example- all smiles and hand shakes- charming. I wrote to him about Trident and weapons of mass destruction and what did he reply? A full page of verbal diarrhoea quoting Brown and giving the excuse that others have it so we must have it. Now if ever there was a moral issue this is it. W M D s are for the mass slaughter of innocent men, women and children. Don't equivocate we're talking of mass murder. This is only one aspect of this malignant disease but New Labour is a carrier of this illness. Beware, for all their smiles, friendliness and concern, they are sick or at least carriers of the infection.

What about the Scottish Nationalists. The leaders of that party also carry the infection but they do oppose Trident and W.M.D.s and occasionally some of them sip the medicine – the only real cure for this disease. It's called Socialist policy."

Comment...

by Ron Mackay

Ron is a tireless campaigner for socialism and against war and the weapons of war.


"All politicians want to be seen as fighting for peoples jobs but the mainstream parties, including the S.N.P., have accepted the primacy of market capitalism with its drive for profit. The market capitalists, or as Iain MacWhirter (Glasgow Herald) called them kleptocracy, plan to turn the public sector over to private enterprise, the very people responsible for the recession. The situation may be bad but its going to get worse. It won’t be helped by cuts, cuts and more cuts, as called for by the mainstream politicians. There are some cuts that would be entirely beneficial – cut the arms budget and the spending on wars; cut the spending on Trident; cut the bonuses and financial perks being paid to financiers and bankers.

However we must defend public spending on things that matter to most people – health, education, housing, social services, pensions, benefits and transport in order to protect living standards. Frank Dobson MP recently made the point that the policy of cuts with its attendant increase in unemployment, actually costs us more than it saves, with every jobless person costing the state £12,000 per year. Maintaining spending in essential public services not only saves jobs but boosts the entire economy.

Basic services are traditionally paid for by taxation. Many problems could be solved by a progressive tax policy – the rich being made to make a much greater contribution with the numerous loopholes closed."

Hampden, Proclaimers, Clydebank, Chilli and Chips!

Monday 9th
Spent writing for the Clydebank Post/ reading manifesto and getting photies
taken to highlight local campaigns.

Tuesday 10th
SSP People Not Profit Manifesto Launch at the national stadium Hampden. What
a venue!
We walked into the press conference to the tune of one of our latest supporters, the Proclaimers'500 miles', then Colin and Alan introduced our
flagship policies, before we went down trackside for photo opportunities
with the Saltire behind us in glorious technicolour.

I was so proud of everyone and every word in the manifesto because we are
the only party not pandering to big business/ careerism in this election.
Our MSPs take the average skilled workers wage and donate the rest to the fight for socialism and a fairer society because we are committed to
representing real people and not the 5% in Scotland who earn an MSP's salary
of £53,000. 'People Not Profit' - We do what we say and we say what we mean.

Wednesday 11th

Was texted at 7.30am by a pal to say he'd seen the broadcast and thought it was
superb and that he'd seen our photie in the metro.

We spent the day campaigning in Clydebank with Frances, Pam, Ann Lynch and
Alex Cunningham who is one of our council candidates. We decided to split
campaigning for a stall on free school meals in the morning then on the
council tax in the afternoon. Both issues really strike a chord with the
Bankies angry at the West Dumbartonshire labour party council scandal which
has been preceded by years of them ignoring locals on many issues.

We then decided to discuss free public transport with the huge bus queues
and train commuters nearby. We got a terriffic response on this issue. With
many people saying that they had enjoyed our broadcast (see below) the previous night.
Only a few folk were sceptical (I was maybe pushing it giving a leaflet to
the ticket inspector) which is a huge leap from when we first campaigned on
this issue and testament to how the party have shifted the agenda in
political terms on issues with our campaigning within the parliament and on
the streets. Though I almost got lost from the rest at one point because I
was helping a woman on to the train when her message bag burst and was so
caught up in conversation I nearly ended up on my way to Dalmuir without my
money which i'd left at the stall. Roll on Free public transport ! I also
ran faster than I have since I was in primary school we were trying to catch
Ann's bus and get a copy of the metro to see our picture at Hampden!


We had our lunch, at the co-op cafe naturally, Chilli and chips proved an
excellent choice and we planned the next weeks activity.

To round things off we leafleted the carpark.

In the evening I went to our own meeting at Campsie branch where we were
finalising our "wee do" - ALL WELCOME!! a week on Saturday the 21st in Kirkintilloch miners welfare. As well as local campaigning for council candidates. Not to mention
organising our public meeting/ beach party in Twechar! Cannae wait for that
one!!


Thursday 12th
I joined the Clydebank branch for a public meeting to launch our People Not
Profit manifesto. We had an excellent discussion of our policies and local
issues with the council candidates; Dawn and Cammy Fyfe and Alex
Cuunningham. The Clydebank Post came to cover the event.