October 2019

XR strategy is based on bad science

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If you happened to be using bad science to impose a strategy that turned out to be inefficient, and if as a result of this inefficiency billions of people died... who would be the most violent person in the room? This is the question Roger Hallam (a founder of XR) and George Monbiot (a Guardian journalist and prominent supporter of XR) would do well to ponder as the collapse of the earth's biosphere and the system fueling that collapse are claiming more lives every day.

Both of these men have been arguing in favor of non-violent civil disobedience as the only acceptable tactic to avert catastrophic climate change. This stance is usually justified by referencing a study entitled “Why Civil Resistance Works” authored by Erica Chenoweth.

Transport needs and Climate Breakdown as 25,000 march through Dublin

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As part of the global climate strike about 25 thousand students marched through the center of Dublin city. This was one of many demonstrations that took place around Ireland, even the small dormitory towns around Dublin like Maynooth had their own demonstrations. So the actual numbers protesting in Ireland was probably in the region of 40,000.  In this piece Andrew looks at how collective action can halt Climate Breakdown using the example of the need for transport to illustrate why individual consumer choices cannot fix things.

Reduced numbers at 2019 March for Choice after referendum win but a big fight is coming in 2021

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The 2019 annual March for Choice in Dublin was smaller than the previous two marches as many assumed the abortion referendum that Repealed the hated 8th amendment had settled the issue.  In fact the legislation brought in by the Fine Gael government in the months after the referendum left some groups behind, in particular migrants and forces everyone to go through a medically useless 3 day waiting period.  Despite being warned about this and other issues including the trans exclusive language Fine Gael went ahead with the flawed legislation so some still have to travel and not everyone has the papers or resources to be able to do so.  The legislation is up for review in 2021 and the anti-choice organisations are gearing up to try and roll back the legislation, the pro-choice movement needs to not only stop them doing so but needs to try and force whoever is in power to remove the flaws in the legislation. [Video]

 

MASI conference a celebration of the struggle for a humane asylum system.

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MASI - the Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland - held its first ever conference Saturday to mark FIVE years of struggle to end Direct Provision.

Hundreds of people attended the conference in Liberty Hall whose theme was 'Towards a More Humane Asylum Process'. People in the asylum system travelled from across Ireland to discuss the past and present of the asylum and deportation machine and to point the way forward to the end of Direct Provision and a more humane asylum system.

Travel for abortion access continues - 244 contacts to help line were past 12 weeks

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Despite a landslide vote to Repeal the 8th amendment, women are still being forced to travel for abortions. The Health Service Executive revealed today that 244 women who had passed the 12-week limit for an abortion had called their helpline. The 12 week deadline is an extremely restrictive deadline. Due to a national shortage of GPs many women have to wait up to a week to get appointments. Parts of rural Ireland still do not have GP coverage.

Two weeks of intense strikes and protests in Ecuador push back IMF

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After almost two weeks of intense strikes and protests that brought Ecuador to a standstill and forced the government to flee the capital protesters have succeeded in their demands. The IMF backed financial package known as Decree 883 will be thrown out.

Feminists in Ireland release letter in solidarity with "our friends in Rojava"

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The following letter has been signed by feminists living in Ireland, including WSM members

A Letter to our friends in Rojava

As feminists living across the island of Ireland, we wish to express our heartfelt solidarity with our courageous sisters and comrades in Rojava as their project for women’s freedom is under attack. Please know that as the fascist Turkish state attempts to isolate, dispossess and brutalise the communities of the Democratic Federation of Northern Syria, they will only serve to strengthen our collective resistance and resolve.

Chilean feminists call for International Solidarity against the Violence of the State

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A Call to International Solidarity with the Chilean People
Feminists of the World Against the Violence of the State!
October 18th, 2019

The President of Chile, in agreement with the National Security Council, has declared a state of emergency – the first one since Pinochet’s dictatorship – in response to protests against the rising cost-of-living and transportation prices that have swept through Santiago. The right to assembly and freedom of movement have been effectively restricted, and control of the nation’s capital has been turned over to the army, which is currently deployed in the streets. Nonetheless, the people have come out to protest at hundreds of locations throughout Santiago and across the country, facing their fear and breaking their silence.

Victory in the north as abortion access and marriage equality arrives in Northern Ireland

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Abortion decriminalised in Northern Ireland. Marriage Equality decriminalised in Northern Ireland. It has been a long hard struggle, many years, many people.

Tonight we celebrate our victories.  Tomorrow we will fight for more.

The final day of the countdown had some tension to it as the reactionary DUP and elements of the SDLP teamed up to try and reopen Stormont after 1000 days of not caring to shoot down these extensions of equality to the 6 counties.  Writing ahead of these shenanigans the Alliance for Choice said "It is clearer that this action, after over 1000 days of no functioning government, has one sole agenda; to obstruct the fulfilment of the human rights of women, girls and anyone who can get pregnant. I take the view that those who have called for this sitting of the Assembly know that an Executive cannot be formed under these circumstances. This recall is nothing more than a political stunt and it is disgraceful that our bodies would be used as political pawns in such a manner."