the proper alternative to wanking Few self-perpetuating mavime have received as little criticism as are familiar to all readers of boys' the notion that sport is a non- magazines of the turn lads who have "made it". In the Open brimmed with the joys of old days, those who made it got a rags riches. Most pub or a sports outfitters. A step corrupting, but affecting George Paste approved of the policy of Chairman Mao. More than 30,000 copies of the Red Book have been sold in the Sorbonne. Now there is an army of real revolutionary students. youth in attempts to hit the big even if they've got to improve themsubtly time. And many hundreds selves. But if there wasn't a revoutionary direct y thoiicance associating them- situation as Mr. Rubinstein says, and not getting selves with black earth to do to build up grass roots "All work done for the n support and reject so many plans must start from their need that they end up doing nothing at not from the desire of ans all. The first point is, strangely vidual, HOWEVER WELL-I enough _ do it. A time comes just TIONED. It often happens th before you go out, when you don't jectively the masses need a want to do it, you find any excuse change but subjectively the for staying in the pub at lunchtime not yet willing or determit out. But. once make the change. in such
Gordon Peters Few self-perpetuating maxims the proper alternative to have received as little criticism as are familiar to all readers of boys the notion that sport is magazines turn political activity. It has, so far as century. But sport is not only a I know, never been mooted that prophylactic to such upper class the whole business might be totally obsessions: a couple of years ago undesirable. the revival of Sunderland's football There are at least four grounds team was seriously reported as a which sport generally major factor in the "high morale" objectionable. of Tyneside when that area's unIt encourages the "competi- employment rate was around ten tive spirit. per cent. 2) As oresent or canised. You might argue that this effect encourages the crudest forms of sport is beneficial if the end of nationalism. results are desirabe, for instance 3) The emphasis of physical fit- that the 2os CarOn Maoist ness is essentially militarist. principles and enthusiasm to table 4) The idea of "mens sana in tennis is positively beneficial.
corpore sano" (with its over- However, particularly in profestones that the beautiful are sional sport in the western world, good) is Fascist. the end results are highly unBut, in society now, there is a desirable. At best, it offers the more important objection: sport working class a spurious "escape now serves as a major opiate of route" ITS The comthe people. placence and general reactionariThere are of course. strong ness of top sportsmen is nardly links between sport and religion. surprising when it is remembered The cold tub and a brisk run as that they are mostly working cass ADVERTISEMENT "LABOUR'S POWER" SAYS BACK THE ENGINEERS WITH EVERYTHING!
OUR PROGRAMME FOR THE LABOUR PARTY:
DISARM THE BOSSES!
ALL ARMS, INDUSTRIES AND POWER TO THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT!
End the wage-freeze-make the bosses pay. 2. IMMEDIATE RENT-FREEZE. 3. Disarm the bosses and arm the workers for self-defence. 4. STRIP THE LORDS AND THE CROWN OF POWER.
AND BRING ALL POWER IN THE STATE TO THE WORKING CLASS, THE TRADES UNION CONGRESS AND THE LABOUR GOVERNMENT. 5. New elections throughout the Labour movement to change leaders where necessary. 6. NATIONALIZE THE 200 MONOPOLIES UNDER 7.
10. EXTEND REVOLUTION TO EAST AND WEST EUROPE.
WORKERS!
GOVERNMENT Name Address To: P.O. Box 12, Black Dwarf, 7 Carlisle Street, W.1.
nade i In the joys of old days, those who made it got a subtly pub or a sports outfitters. A step George Best's many more people, corrupting, but arecung is the directly dame/ boutique is only a change in style, promise provided by the gambling not kind. industry. It's no longer that the There were, of course, a very family is likely to be directly ruined large number who didn't make it. through gambling. just that They are, perhaps, fewer now, but whole attitude to life - and to still around: punchy boxers, - is perverted by cricketers picking up a bit of illusion of wealth at the end of the coaching work, footballers mixing rainbow. part-time play in a minor league Another area where sports are with labouring. Brian Statham, suggest that all is well the "model" cricketer, found him- with the system, the Olympics, has self on the dole during the winter. just at last come under attack. The Albert Scanion, of Manchester Project for Human Rights, most United after Munich, forced to the associated with the proposed boytop •betore he was ready for it, cott of the U.S. Olympic team by works in a steel mill. Randolph black atnietes, but with other Turpin lost a fortune and killed strings to its bow including the rehimself. Not everybody gets on the instatement of Mohammad Ali, gravy train by attachment to the points out that the alleged and monopolistic Bagenal Harvey. vaunted "integration" in the sports Yet the few successes are used arena is phoney. to justify the system. At its crudest, For a black athlete, there are the headlines when Lee Trevino even few who make it. But many WOn this year's American Golf thousands waste their precious Just Published CONTEMPORARY ISSUES Vol. 13, No. 51, September, 1968 * Boxett the Invaders of Czechoslovakia:
2,000 Words.
Foreshadowings of a New World Reflections Suggested by the Students' Movement and the Events in France... Andrew Maxwell?
Black Panther Party for Self-Defense Documents Kathleen Cleaver, etc.?
Eldridge Cleaver,?
- Release Cleaver CampaignA Report On The Greek Coup ....... A Student of Greek Society Monkey Number Ni. ..... Comment on "On The Greek Coup" Lionel Robertson Basil Druitt 20 or more copies 10% discount "Inside story of Tibet' by R. D.
6/- per copy post paid.
hundreds thousands. by associating them- But if there wasn't a ravoutionary selves with black stars, castrate situation as Mr. themselves politically. it was for subjective ones. Workers you've It will be a courageous act for a black runner to face the storm for over 15 years; and that was the its of execration which will greet him stays out of the Olympic was more easy for students to disthe team. or otherwise disrupts the cover the real nature Mexican Games. It may turn out (Parti "Communiste" Francais) too much to ask - and the white because they are young press will claim the movement is haven't known it when was a paper tiger. great party. They had no But they will be wrong: the im- to it, and above all they were not pact of the proposals has already much influenced by its pacifist and reached far beyond the surface surrendering ideas. It wasn't quite ripples; not only the American the same among workers: we must sporting establishment, but the know that the real revolutionary whole caboodle coud come crash- workers were a minority: but a lot ing it the message isn't heeded were in advance of the revisionist that the people can't be fooled all theories. For example, the time. thousands and thousands It would be ironic, but should workers were asking for wages to not be surprising, it "non-political" correspond to the rising price sports, because they have been so living, they were asking for little considered, turn out to be- negation of capitalism, which gives come revolutionary flashpoint. something with one hand and takes it back with the other.
No there wasn't a revolutionary situation: Mr. Rubinstein IS IED But he is quite wrong when he des. id cribes the people as a flock may reformists. It's a revisionist idea not to trust the masses. who by = wish you'll get lots of success. org will Fraternally, and field A Student Under Restraint. We ind WHAT IS AND CAN BE DONE! has a van and will bread possible = 1/6 We spend an immense amount P.O's.. information of time talking to each other halls, pads, etc. International Socialists go to Comnospitals. and anything munist Party meetings. can think of yourself. Anarchists and the International help in any wav pease Marxist Group work together with Cindy Scott, c/o the Maoists and IS, the YCL goes Street, WC2. to VSC meetings and soon is all to the good and helps us all Rehearsal for the Referendum. find new ways of working Come and record your vote against together, find common ground for the Greek dictatorship outside the discussion and helps to clear points of difference. But, too often Greek Embassy, 51 Upper Brook Street, W1, on Sunday, September we find that this becomes the 22nd, at 3 p.m. LONDON GROUP totality of our activity. FOR THE RESTORATION OF In an attempt to find new ways DEMOCRACY IN GREECE. of putting across our ideas to a larger society, Manchester has been trying out the technique PIONEER Book Service of going to a street market Sells Marxist Literature: finding a quiet spot where we stick Early and late Trotsky pam. a large sheet of paper on to a phiets, Cuban literature, wall. We then write on the top of Intercontinental Press. Vive the paper "The Vietcong are still Catalogue badges write etc. to: For Free Pioneer fighting. Then, about three or four Book Service, 8 Toynbee St.. of us stop people as they walk Express" London, E.1. past and say, "Excuse me, what do you think of that?" If they stop and a good thing if we them about Vietnam, We specialise in the printing Imperialism and the wage freeze, of underground and other Most don't talk at them or shout or hold at the ACO11O Titan l a public meeting, we merely chat cheate letterpress; litho with the passers by in the market.
including Chaple Terma malt, No. German at petre not Wales. Tel: Bala TIONED, It often hap lectively the masses nee change but subjectively for staying, in the not yet willing or determi Rubinstein says, and not OUT the change. In such ci have been lacking a real leadership pretty quickly and if you find that nerves go should wait patiently, should not make the change reason of their being asleep. It are a bit shy. People are generally It's fairly easy after all, even If you through our work, most masses have become surprised that you actually want to of the need and are willing of the PCF talk to them about politics and determined to carry it out. that you're not trying to sell them wise we shall isolate and something. A lot of them just walk from the masses. Unless they on and won't stay - there's no conscious and willing. any kind loyalty point in chasing them because work that requires their par there's always someone else pation will turn out to be a m coming by who might be interested. formality and will fail." Also, we found it best not to shout This is why I think that altho at people and create a song and demos are useful, we must mo dance you get much further a massive campaign to inform by just generally chatting about this and that. Also, a lot of people masses of Vietnamese and to link it to t when genuinely concerned and of the British Working Class. T of pleased to see you — a good indication when a silly old woman tried to this came last week (VSC IS, Gone YCL by local etc.) hold COOL street meetings with speak the tear down the newspapers and the putting our case coherently a people standing around said "No, also by greatly stepping let them alone. agree with propaganda. them: It's a free country and so Bruce Robinson. onla 55 Chitern Court, Baker Stree right. We haven't had any trouble from the police at all. We try not to WESTERN FALLACY of create an obstruction, we stick the paper on the wall with drafting As a regular reader of this par I feel I must write this letter tape so that we can take it off if I support your movement and I need be, and one is allowed to that the whole of the next Iss public meeting, though even here, an already near-universal Weste one has to be careful. I suspect fallacy. This concerns the Russi that It a constable did tell us to motivations for entering Czechc move on. we would, having first lovakia. First I would like to s that the Czech politicians asked the crowd that gathers to come with us and made a general people are genuine in their desi appeal to them. I don't think that for a more thoral system the police would have a leg to Marxist socialism. However, sin the stand on if they did try and nick January, through no real fault the Czech government's conside us, but as they haven't tried at all able numbers of CIA agents ai I don't expect they bother very much. West German reactionary forces This As the mobilication for the a similar nature have been int October demonstration gets under trating Czechoslovakia way, we intend to have these wall attempt to pervert the people magazines all over the show, desire for reform. This situati up building up support at grass roots the Russians pointed out to level. We can go to the markets Czechs at Cierna and asked t and make them, the shopping Czechs to expel or eliminate the centres outside the libraries and Western agents. The Czechs pr anywhere where people congre- sumably undertook this but gate. Our feeling is that we pro- Russian invasion indicates that tt VSC bably do more with the two Czechs were either unsuccessit three hundred people that we can or, more likely, made no serio and speak to in one afternoon than any attempt to stamp out this menac number of crazy advantures down to their country. This is the mai Park Lane. We also feel that when reason for the Russian invasior the only opinions that Perhaps if we could see all th receive are those from the ditches in Czechoslovakia Bourgeois press (The "Daily would see a couple of hundred Cl sells million, the men lying in a grave they hardi "Morning Star" 60,000) then it is deserve. They deserve a sewer te can get and it is they by the provocation chat - and a lot do — we just talk about and push our line to at least their attempted exploitation of th about a section of the public situation who may have endan We have tried other methods of gered Czech liberty. The Unite about the situation generally. We getting support in the past: Leaflets States have done it again! Lon factory gate, outside the live Dubcek and the Czech people branch meetings of the Unions and John Macdonald.
also speaking to organisations The Chase, Chigwell Row, Essex
THE BLACK DWARF 13-5 Havana and Prague about to be overthrown? Fidel's idel's support for the invasion of arguments do not prove it, because choslovakia has dismayed many much of what he mentions as happorters of the Cuban revolution. pening in Czechoslovakia has been Cubans have openly criticised happening, more or less, in the other Russians on previous occasions countries the Warsaw Pact. ver the withdrawal of missiles in Novdia Dubcek's reforms amount 2, over the policy of Communist to a drift towards imperialism. The ties in Latin America and and on Soviet Union is also prepared to nature of economic relations trade with the West, Revolutionaries veen Cuba and the rest of the in the West may disagree with the INS
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