Ungagged Newsletter 15 11 22
Hi!
In the week when fascism lost the US elections, and it was revealed that (surprise, surprise) Brexit has crashed the UK economy, we allowed our intern to use our Twitter account. This had two effects.
1. Alba Party hate us more
and
2. We regained following after around 50 of our followers left the dying bird for the elephant (for those who don't do Twitter or Mastodon, apols).
Our newsletter will be sent out every Tuesday with news of political and social events near you. Send us news of events you know of; writing… opinion, activism, how YOU are helping to break the chains of capitalism to Ungaggedleft@gmail.com
Indy Event of the week has to be Kode9's Astro-Darien, a sonic fiction film critiquing Scottish Independence amongst other things. It is out now via Flatlines…On Bancamp:
Kode9 says, "If I was in Scotland, I would vote for Independence… aside from the positive potential of not being ruled by Westminster, I think being in London during the first Independence referendum and watching all mainstream British media and politics be so unionist was such a massive turnoff…. So Astro-Darien is an escape pod, which even if Independence doesn't happen for a while, can happen virtually, and gather momentum in this alternate reality."
The whole interview is in The Skinny, and a longer version on their website.
Podcasts
Talking Sense podcast…
http://leftungagged.org/?s=Talking+sense
Our Talking Sense podcast is recording an episode about Medical Marijuana with Debra Torrance (co-host of the Holyrude Ungagged pod), specifically the cost barriers to accessing legal use of cannabis. We are also asking for audio contributions (approx 5 min in length) from trans people about their experiences with the gender recognition certificate process, thoughts on the proposed gender recognition reforms, experiences with accessing NHS trans healthcare, or anything else they'd like to share for our December episode. Please email audio clips to talkingsense.ungagged@gmail.com (or email if you have further questions).
Holyrude Ungagged Podcast… http://leftungagged.org/category/holyrude/
Debra and David will be concluding Season 4 of Holyrude Ungagged in the coming weeks but don’t worry they will be back with Season 5 early in 2023. If you are enjoying listening then given them us a 5 star review on whatever platform you listen through and if there’s anything you think they should be talking about then get in touch through any of Ungagged Social Media Channels (and ungaggedleft@gmail.com)
Neil Anderson interviews Graham Campbell http://leftungagged.org/2022/09/04/really-interesting-interview-with-long-time-ungagged-contributor-councillor-graham-campbell/
Neil A is looking for more and diverse people to interview not only elected members. He has been interviewing political figures for us for a few years. You'll find those on our website leftungagged.org
More news about our Worldbeat and a NEW podcast in the coming weeks.
On our website…
Three main articles and a poem this week:
The War In Black And White; poem by By Val Waldron http://leftungagged.org/2022/11/10/the-war-in-black-and-white-by-val-waldron/
Stephanie Melnick on Disability and the Left: To win disabled people over, the left needs to change the rhetoric. We cannot mirror the Right’s idea of “useless eaters”. If we truly want to create a better future, we need to find a way to make a world where everyone can live happily – including those who cannot work… http://leftungagged.org/2022/11/03/disability-and-the-left-by-stephanie-melnick/
Neil Scott on the sick bird Twitter and on why understanding media is incredibly important: http://leftungagged.org/2022/11/13/the-bird-dies/
What Is The Answer To Tory Turmoil Groundhog Day? By Mhairi Hunter http://leftungagged.org/2022/11/01/tory-car-crash-redux/
Our Culture…
This week, we asked the editorial team, what track are you listening to, which political figure fascinates you most at the moment and what are you angry about?
Val: (Twitter @scribblingval)
1. A beautiful song by Davy Steele written just before the referendum called Scotland Yet. 😭.
2. I'm going to say Salmond as he's a shapeshifter with incredible perserverence and stamina, good energy once upon a time all channelled into bad intention now. Completely amoral.
3. Mostly angry about our own arch yoons...politicians, media and voters. What's in it for them 🤷♀️
Debra: (Twitter @HeathPeaPict)
1. Don’t hurt me baby - remix by Airwolf Paradise
2. Sophie Scholl
3. Mostly angry at the Tories
David: (Twitter @DavoMc82)
1. Elvis Presley - “In The Ghetto”
2. Che Guevara
3. The World Cup in Qatar
Kat: (Twitter @kat_cary)
1. Dentures Out, The Proclaimers
2. Bernie Sanders (always and forever obsessed with Brother Bernie) ✊
3. conservative political fuckery worldwide
Brian: 1.(Twitter @WeeSociologist)
Thelma Houston - You Used To Hold Me So Tight (such a good’un)
2. I’m pretty disillusioned by politicians at the moment. But, I always enjoy what Caroline Lucas has to say on energy production & the green new deal.
3. Mostly angry about the stage being set for more austerity with very little critical analysis or challenge from Starmer or establishment media.
Neil A: (@bikerneil)
1. Since just bought digitally re-mastered Beatles Revolver on vinyl - Eleanor Rigby
2. AOC
3. the current tory scum in Westminster.
Neil S. (@nwscotty)
1. New Order's first Album, Movement (41 years old this month) and in particular I'm revisiting the track Chosen Time a lot at the mo.
2. John Maclean, on and off since 2004 when Donald Anderson gave me the biography written by Maclean's daughter.
3. The dismantling of our incredible welfare state/NHS -one of the most wonderful systems created by humanity in history- by successive tory Governments.
Derek Stewart MacPherson
We lost one of our team last week. Derek Stewart MacPherson was a colorful, controversial character. A man who brought from Australia the idea that was AFI, and maxing the Yes (such alliances are common in Australia)... an idea stolen and crashed by Alex Salmond and others. Derek helped build Ungagged, and then left due to disagreements over Scottish Political tactics and culture wars. But he remained a friend… someone we debated with, but never fell out with. Derek's love for Scotland and his native Clydebank stayed with him to the end… taken from us much too young at the age of 57.
This is Derek and his daughter Mo recording the Red Flag for an episode of the Ungagged podcast back in 2018…
Rest in Peace, Babel Fish… Scotland will gain our Independence because you fought shoulder to shoulder with us all.
VERY Important links!
Visit our website (which is getting a lick of paint soon)
http://leftungagged.org/
Join us on Discord https://discord.gg/tpq3TJPa (link expires next Tuesday)
Shout at us on twitter: https://twitter.com/_Ungagged?t=ZqG4rjOBBwHjVXrxXW7zgA&s=09 (@_ungagged)
And breathe on Mastodon: https://mastodon.scot/@Ungagged
Interact on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Ungagged
Help us create new activist packs (scottish independence, anti tory, pro LGBTIQA+++) PayPal: http://PayPal.me/ungaggedleft
Or…
Kofi: https://ko-fi.com/ungagged
Keep an eye out NEXT Tuesday for our Newsletter!