revolution

Coming soon …

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The plan is to present a live audio podcast entitled ‘Talking About a Revolution’ featuring renowned climate activist Roger Hallam and myself on 1st May 2024 at 7pm BST (GMT +1). We’re not proposing violent revolution, rather a serious huge economic, political and social transition away from Capitalism which is totally and incessantly destroying the planet.

Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.
Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.

Roger has been active in founding many climate activist groups e.g. Extinction Rebellion, Insulate Britain and Just Stop Oil. Roger and myself are similar in many ways: We’re both about the same age, have Welsh histories, committed to being brutally honest and seem to have reached very similar conclusions i.e. the need for revolution, through different routes.

I’m also intending to host a live audio podcast a week earlier on 24 April at 7pm BST (GMT +1) featuring myself to test the tech since I’ve never done it before. There is a chance that it may not work of course which is part of why I’m doing it. It will likely be a monologue but I’m hoping to feature some special ‘guests’ in a not too serious programme. Not too serious because it’s probably a good response to laugh in the face of adversity.

Those of you who have attended universities will probably realise that they are are dumping grounds for insane but mostly harmless people who are basically fekking bonkers. I suggest that you should recognise that the same happens in contemporary politics: that politicans are totally fekking beserk who would not be tolerated in normal professions and have been successful in politics. Just consider our prime ministers FFS.

Roger Hallam’s blog.

Roger Hallam’s wikipedia entry.

Continue ReadingComing soon …

Earth, we have a problem

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Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.
Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022. Roger Hallam was instrumental is founding Just Stop Oil.

The plan is to feature Roger Hallam and myself in an audio podcast ‘Talking about a Revolution’ on 1 May 2024 7pm BST (GMT +1). Part of the advice for preparing for a podcast or interview is “Read the book” i.e. you’re expected to read the book if they’ve published one. I’ve been following that advice and here’s a small section of Roger Hallam’s book ‘COMMON SENSE FOR THE 21st CENTURY’ (2019).

[ed: I did provide a link but it should be available to subscribers to https://rogerhallam.com only]

Earth, we have a problem


Societies around the world did not allow the current ecological collapse.
Governments did. Since the 1990s, a false narrative was promoted around
the world that individuals should take responsibility for their ‘carbon
footprint’. Or that ‘it’s the corporations’, the fossil fuel and other polluting
industries that are to blame. Yet governments are the only institutions with
the power, and the responsibility, to protect us from harm. But they haven’t
used that power.


In the UK and around the globe, people have inherited a government system
and a civil society community of environmental NGOs unable to address the
threat we now face to the continued existence of humankind. Government is
something created by society to protect us from such threats. Yet it has
failed.


We need to rescue the concept of revolution from left wing political
ideology into a more classical 19th century tradition where we’ve had
enough of corruption and the gross abuse of power. The challenge we face
with the climate emergency is to promote the message that climate change
affects us all and so we all need to act.

There is no avoiding the following analysis: that the world’s political
systems which have facilitated a 60% increase in global emissions since the
beginning of the crisis in 1990 have no ability to stop a continued rise in CO2,
let alone create the political will to massively reduce levels (40% in
the next ten years according to the UN October report ).


This leads us to the grave conclusion that the probability of organising a
political revolution to remove the corrupt political class has a higher chance
(if small/indeterminate) than the chance that the political class will respond
to the climate crisis (effectively zero, as evidenced by the last 30 years).
This then is the central meta strategic point of this paper.

Continue ReadingEarth, we have a problem

Talking about a Revolution podcast with Roger Hallam 1 May 2024 7pm BST (GMT +1)

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Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022.
Just Stop Oil protesting in London 6 December 2022. Roger Hallam was instrumental is founding Just Stop Oil.

I am very pleased to announce an audio podcast featuring renowned climate activist Roger Hallam and myself on 1 May 2024 at 7pm BST (GMT +1).

The podcast is titled ‘Talking about a Revolution’ and to include addressing the following themes: What is a revolution – historically and in the 21st century?, that revolution means exiting the system and being in resistance to it, why that is necessary as we face social/eco collapse and concrete pathways to action at the present moment. 

I have research to do as preparation. Roger has many videos on youtube, I’m finding many of them long and long-winded. The podcast is likely to last at least 30 minutes. Roger has a reputation for sometimes being abrasive and I have been known to call a cnut a cnut so it is probably wise to accept that there may be some profanities. Further audio podcasts may follow.

Roger Hallam’s blog.

Roger Hallam’s wikipedia entry.

Continue ReadingTalking about a Revolution podcast with Roger Hallam 1 May 2024 7pm BST (GMT +1)

We need a Revolution. What’s the plan?

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https://juststopoil.org/2024/03/03/we-need-a-revolution-whats-the-plan/

This system is fucked, politics is failing us, we need a revolution or we really do face rule by ‘the mob’. As we pass through 1.5C of heating to 2C and then the predicted 3C in the lifetime of many alive today, we will lose all we cherish and value. Our treasured landscapes, the rule of law, education, healthcare, pensions – and yes the people we love. We will not be able to feed ourselves and those who rule us do not care. Look at Gaza, this is what they are prepared to let happen. Genocide is now acceptable.

In response, nonviolent civil resistance to a harmful state will continue, with coordinated, radical actions that reach out to new people and capture the attention of the world. Alongside this, a new political project will be set up. This will run local assemblies and will support and stand candidates to shape the electoral debate. A coordinating structure known as Umbrella, will support these projects and this will be the heart of our community of resistance. 

Just Stop Oil will continue to be the major focus until we win, but we have a new three part demand: No New Oil, Revoke Tory Licences and Just Stop Oil by 2030. In addition to disrupting high-profile cultural events and continuing our Stop Tory Oil campaign, focussing on MP’s and those in power, this summer Just Stop Oil will commence a campaign of high-level actions at sites of key importance to the fossil fuel industry – airports.

In addition to Just Stop Oil, young people and students will be taking action in a new campaign that will demand an end to genocide – both in Palestine, and globally, from the continued drilling and burning of oil and gas.  

Umbrella will launch Assemble, a democracy project that will mobilise hundreds of people by running local assemblies on issues of concern to communities across the country and giving them pathways to action. The goal is to create a “People’s House” to parallel the House of Commons as the first step towards having permanent legally binding citizens assemblies- a democratic revolution.

Umbrella will be the hub for fundraising, mobilisation and directing resources to a range of new campaigns and groups, including Robin Hood, a major new campaign based around a demand to properly fund our public services by taxing the richest in society. 

Each of these campaigns will share the values of nonviolence and accountability.  

The system is fucked. You know it, everyone knows it. Don’t just sit around and watch everything collapse. Build what comes next: a revolution in politics, economics – our entire way of life.

It’s time to unfuck the system.

We are going for it. Join us.

https://juststopoil.org/2024/03/03/we-need-a-revolution-whats-the-plan/

Continue ReadingWe need a Revolution. What’s the plan?