TABLE QUIZ Dun Laoghaire IAWM Chairperson Election Fund Raiser

by Inevitable Thu Mar 01, 2007 16:01

Funny what I must have missed during that time that Indymedia was down, the endorsement by the IAWM (SWP Front #245-d) of a candidate for People Before Profit (SWP Front #11-f) to the extent of mobilising for fundraisers for him.

As for having a serious chance of being elected, he polled less than 900 votes in 2002. In '04, with none of the big names standing, he still couldn't get elected to a six seat ward in Dun Laoghaire and his poetry writing sidekick Dave Lordan came last in the Ballybrack ward with less than 500 votes.

Him running though, is a good enough reason to turnout on polling day and vote for Anbody but the SWP.

by Erich Muehsam Thu Mar 01, 2007 16:36

What is going on here? The IAWM is supposed to be a non-party organisation, yet here is the Chairman of the IAWM using his position to advance his candidacy for a Dail seat. No mention of his
membership of the SWP.

The wording of the notice above would lead one to believe that the event is organised by the IAWM. The IAWM should clarify its position on this affair.

I hope this will be instructive to the few remaining non-SWP members of the IAWM.

by still.a - socialist Thu Mar 01, 2007 16:52

even more disturbing is that RBB's website does not use the word 'socialist' even once on the entire website.

Maybe he's no longer a Socialist?

http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Awww.richardboydba...earch

by Yawn Thu Mar 01, 2007 17:07

Looks like poor Richie got his fronts mixed up. According to his website this is organised by the people before profit alliance.

The only alternative is that the notice was deliberately written in such a way as to create the impression that this quiz was connected to the IAWM.

by Dub Thu Mar 01, 2007 20:32

I have no problem with broad organisation endorsing a candidate that may also be in a party (so long as that party is fully supportive of aims of broad organisation). That is not my objection. My problem is that SWP have totally dropped the word "socialism" from their electioneering. If you go before the electorate you should be honest. Saying you are in the "People Before Profit Alliance" and not saying you are a socialist is dishonest. The SWP are a registered political party entitled to nominate candidates. But they have decided to set up Pb4P as a registered political party! This is so that People Before Profit is on the ballot paper beside Richard's name! The SWP think that working class people are somehow scared of socialism! This all points to a very patronising view of the working class. The Socialist Party have far more electoral support than SWP yet they openly boast of their socialism. The ISN will be entering the election this year openly as a Socialist organisation.

Finally, Richard does not ahve a reasonable chance of winning a seat in this election. He'll do well, i.e. 2-3,000 votes. That is not the same as being close to winning. If SWP really believe that they have a chance then they are only setting themselves up for one hell of a demoralising post-election.

by Dub - Convenor of SOS Thu Mar 01, 2007 20:40

I just did a search on Richard's site. There is not one mention of the words "socialism", "socialist", "SWP". There is however lots of left-wing demands and information on campaigns. But where is there mention of the candidate's politics?

by activist Thu Mar 01, 2007 21:10

Richard Boyd Barrett may have no chance of getting elected but this will definitely be cash-in time. All the campaigns he - a full-time activist with plenty of time - has been involved with will be used to gain the SWP some electoral mileage. The saddest element of this is his 'chairpersonship' of the discredited so-called 'Irish Anti-War Movement'. An assessment of its role within the anti-war movement would show that this SWP front - which scarcely exists in reality - has as much to be ashamed of than proud of. Still, it will sound good on the ballot paper.

by still.a - socialist Thu Mar 01, 2007 23:19

quote from the IAWM Mailing List tonight:
"The Irish Anti-War Movement is planning to protest at the Fianna Fail
Ard Fheis on 24th March 2007. After that we will be working as part
of the stop bush campaign to make Shannon an election issue. We need
all the help we can get for this."

then later it says:

"Richard Boyd Barrett, chairperson of the Irish Anti-War Movement,
is standing as a candidate in the forthcoming general election in
the Dun Laoghaire Constituency. He has a serious chance of being
elected to the Dail. His election would be a major boost for the
campaign of opposition to Bush's war and the use of Shannon by the
US military.

Please Support this event if you can."

clearly the IAWM is being used to attack the electorial opponents of RBB while the IAWM is fundraising for RBB's campaign. What are the campaign law's in regards to this kind of opperation?

by Kieran O'Sullivan - IAWM Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:34

Firstly the quote form the e-mail sent out ti IAWM embers is misleading. below is the entire e-mail. As can be seen there are two fund raising events advertised in this mail. One for Richard and One for the stop bush campaign. Both of these are directly related to the election and the use of irish facilities by the US military.

The IAWM is not an SWP Frunt
The IAWM is not organising the fund raiser we are simply advertising it as we have advertised other fund raisers in the past by groups such as anti-war ireland and the catholic workers

I notice all the critical posts do not have the courage of their convictions and put their names on them or at least a consistant handle.

as for the comment from "Missed weeks"
Him running though, is a good enough reason to turnout on polling day and vote for Anbody but the SWP.

Anybody but the SWP maybe Justen Barrett?

If some of the critics want to do something constructive maybe follow the following links below and spend some of your energy attacking FF and their support for Bush honestly you would think from reading these posts that Richard was worse then Bush.

Anyway follow the links
http://irishantiwar.org/SignPledge.doc
http://irishantiwar.org/EnvelopeLables.doc

Text of e-mail
=======================================
What U Can Do To Help Build Fianna Fail Demo 24/3/07

Contents of This E-mail

1. Info on stalls in Dublin. Contact Sarah [email protected]
(087 2886646)
2. What is Going on Outside Dublin Contact Sarah
[email protected] (087 2886646)
3. WE NEED STREET Collectors for Stop Bush Fund Raising Day 15 March.
Contact Roger Cole (01 235 1512) or ([email protected])
4. Table Quiz 2-March 2007 Contact Richard Boyd Barrett (087-6329511)
5. Ask Your TD to Sign Pledge. Just Follow these links
http://irishantiwar.org/SignPledge.doc
http://irishantiwar.org/EnvelopeLables.doc
6. Dublin North City Group Organising meeting Monday 5th March, Red
Parrot Pub, Dorset St at 8.30pm.
7. You can support the IAWM by clicking on the Donate button on the home page.

The Irish Anti-War Movement is planning to protest at the Fianna Fail
Ard Fheis on 24th March 2007. After that we will be working as part
of the stop bush campaign to make Shannon an election issue. We need
all the help we can get for this.

1. Info on Stalls in Dublin
There will be street stalls in Dublin city centre every Thursday @ 5pm
and every Saturday @ 12 PM – 1:30 PM. Meet at Molly Malone statue at
the top of Grafton St ( the trinity college end of Grafton St)

We will also need people to help out making banners and putting up posters.
For more info contact Sarah [email protected] (087 2886646)

2. What is Going on Outside Dublin
There are events organised for outside Dublin please contact (087 2886646)

3. WE NEED STREET Collectors for Stop Bush Fund Raising Day 15 March.
Contact Roger Cole (01 235 1512) or ([email protected])

Roger Cole has got the Garda Collection Permit to have a collection on
Thursday the 15th March in Dublin. This has to be our major
fundraising campaign effort. Roger has agreed to act as co-ordinator
for the collection.

4. Table Quiz 2-March 2007 Contact Richard Boyd Barrett (087-6329511)

IRISH ANTI-WAR MOVEMENT CHAIRPERSON - ELECTION FUNDRAISER

TABLE QUIZ with lots of Fun & Prizes

Friday March 2nd at 8pm in the Kingston Hotel, Dun Laoghaire.

Table E40 Euro or E10 per person.

Richard Boyd Barrett, chairperson of the Irish Anti-War Movement,
is standing as a candidate in the forthcoming general election in
the Dun Laoghaire Constituency. He has a serious chance of being
elected to the Dail. His election would be a major boost for the
campaign of opposition to Bush's war and the use of Shannon by the
US military.

Please Support this event if you can.

For more info or to help Richard's campaign
web: www.richardboydbarrett.org e-mail: [email protected]
ph: 087-6329511

5. We have Contacts for all TD's Please write to them and ask them
to sign the pledge. Just Follow these links to do this
http://irishantiwar.org/SignPledge.doc
http://irishantiwar.org/EnvelopeLables.doc

The first link in the letter containing the pledge the second is
a letter containing labels which you can print out and stick to
envelopes.

6 Organising meeting Monday 5th March, Red Parrot Pub, Dorset St at
8.30pm.

North City Anti War Group

Wnat to help end our government's complicity in the war on Iraq?

Help organise the March 24th Anti-War Demonstration at the Fianna Fail Ard
Fheis: Organising meeting Monday 5th March, Red Parrot Pub, Dorset St at
8.30pm.

Over 160,000 US troops have passed through Shannon Airport in the first
quarter of 2006 alone a 100% increase on last year. Ireland is now the key
staging post for US troops on their way to the Middle East. Bertie Ahern has
made Irish neutrality a joke. Ahern is supporting George Bush and his war
drive against Iran by continuing to offer Shannon to the US Military. Given
the record of lies about Iraq, he should immediately withdraw the use of
Shannon from the US Military.

Hope to see you there

Helena Mc Neill
North City Anti-War Group

7. You can support the IAWM by clicking on the Donate button on the
home page.

======================================================================
To set-up a standing order with the Irish-Anti War Movement please go
to the following link http://irishantiwar.org/donate/standing-order-form.doc
fill in the form and post to the Irish Anti-War Movement P.O. Box
9260 Dublin 1.

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line.

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or ring +353 0 878289243

by Erich Muehsam Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:46

Your bluster is neither educative nor clarifying. The fact remains: RBB is abising his position as Chair of the IAWM to advance his candidacy for a Dail seat. Despite all the pretence about the PBFA, RBB is in reality an SWP candidate.

Now is the IAWM a broad organisation which welcomes support from anti war people of all parties or is the IAWM just an SWP Front? Given the manner in which this fund raiser is advertised and the way in which RBB misuses his IAWM position, I think any reasonable person would be forgiven for assuming that the IAWM exists solely to advance the electoral prospects of RBB.

by activist Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:50

Actually, I'd much prefer to see Richard Boyd Barrett elected than the usual right-wing crew. However I don't like his way of going about it. Activists always suspected that the SWP front the IAWM would be used to boost the SWPs flagging electoral fortunes. However with the anti-war movement in a downturn the SWP went to graze in what they figured would be the greener electoral fields of People Before Profit. Nevertheless, as we are seeing, the IAWM will still be milked for what it's worth - it still has some electoral 'use value'.

With regard to the IAWM promoting Richard: how does that sit with the other anti-war candidates in the constituency? He's not the only candidate in the area who is strongly anti-war.

by activist Fri Mar 02, 2007 11:03

With regard to People Before Profit, my understanding is that this 'alliance' has thus far put forward four candidates for election. Richard BB is one. Two others in Dublin are Brid Smith and Rory Hearne. The fourth is Carmel McKenna in Wicklow who, if she gets a decent vote, may effectively halt the gallop of Deirdre De Burca (a strong anti-war voice) of the Green Party. De Burca currently looks like she might take a GP seat in Wicklow.

Of the four PBP candidates, three (Boyd Barrett, Smith & Hearne) are SWP members. McKenna is a disgruntled LP member.

by LBB Fri Mar 02, 2007 12:42

On most Dail candidates' websites it mentions their occupation. I looked on RBB's site but couldn't find any mention of work anywhere. Maybe someone else could point it out to me.

by anon Fri Mar 02, 2007 18:51

In terms of the connectioin between the SWP and IAWM, it is worth looking at the event listings presenly up on the IAWM website - they include an advert for 'Marxism 2007', the SWP annual shindig. And the connection with anti-war activity? Umm...

by RDE Sat Mar 03, 2007 14:22

"There are no other anti-war candidates in Dún Laoghaire"

http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80204

by Sceptic - anti war unaffiliated Sat Mar 03, 2007 20:30

RBB is being packaged as chair of the "Irish Anti-War Movement" but I'd really query his commitment to this at this stage. He doesn't turn up at anything unless he's speaking or chairing it and even then that's rare these days. His energies have gone into save our seafront and people before profit in the last couple of years. I didn't see any sign at him at the last Shannon demonstration, though I suppose that's not a big surprise given that it was organised by what the IAWM see as a rival group whose events the IAWM regularly seem to boycott. His commitment to the anti-war issue is very doubtful to most anti war activists I have spoken to in the last year (which is a lot as I've done a research project on it). It's okay to shift priorities if you're an activist but to stay on as a chair when you're not active on a particular issue is just ridiculous. It's turned into a sort of an honourary post wtih no real practical value as far as I can see.

So that's a second problem with his candidacy. But of course it's galling also that he and his fellow people before profit candidates will not mention that most of them have a party affiliation. They were on Vincent Browne's radio show en masse some time back and it wasn't mentioned once. I find this very odd. Why not be honest and up front with the electorate? What's actually wrong with being a member of a socialist party? This cloak and dagger stuff is really awful and even though I am a committed socialist and have one of them in my constituency I wouldn't vote for them because of that fundamental dishonesty. It would just be trading one form of political sleaze for antoher.

by Erich Sat Mar 03, 2007 21:36

"On most Dail candidates' websites it mentions their occupation. I looked on RBB's site but couldn't find any mention of work anywhere. Maybe someone else could point it out to me. "

It is rather odd. But Richie is a fulltimer with the SWP. He gave that as his occupation when he stood in 2002 and 2004.