Brexit Climate & Environment Conspiracy Theories Coronavirus Corruption Democracy Equality & Inclusion Fascism Feminism Holyrood Election 2021 Human Rights Immigration Left Politics Media Politics of Hate Poverty Privilege Racism Scotland Scottish Independence Tory Party Trans Rights Val Waldron

A Snapshot of 2021 by Val Waldron

‘Alexa give me a snapshot of 2021 without mentioning Covid’  Can I help? All of the events below were of course shot through with Covid, antivaxxers, restrictions, opposition and media undermining of the Scottish Government health message, oh, and big shouty businesses. It didn’t stop the world from turning though! In Search of Q We […]

Coronavirus Equality & Inclusion Fascism Human Rights Immigration International Media Scotland Scottish Independence Ungagged Writing Val Waldron

Obstacles to Indy

The result is a dumbing down of news, couched in hysteria. A sticky web of hopelessness can engulf us, leading us to believe that it’s essentially all our fault. That we are confused, and we want too much, or we don’t demand enough. The subtext, often with the help of (unannounced) politically motivated contributors and […]

Conspiracy Theories Corruption Democracy Equality & Inclusion Fascism Holyrood Election 2021 Scottish Independence Ungagged Writing Val Waldron

The Crass Landing of The Ego by Val Waldron

“…the parallel between QAnon and the more extremist blogger/Salmond support is stark, and should send a warning to us. Keep Alba in our sights, and when we see bigotry challenge it as we would in our workplaces. We can’t in any way endorse a party that is a receptacle for regressive views and policies that […]

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The Media Bullshit Mountain

“Each decade we declare that we buried class- each decade the coffin stays empty.” Richard Hoggart, 1989 introduction to George Orwell’s Road to Wigan Pier. Lately, rather than sitting down to BBC Breakfast or Sky, I’ve been watching the previous nights American chat shows; Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel or Seth Myers, or news from CNN or […]

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Not My Grassroots by Val Waldron

Things have changed so radically between 2014 and now, that the independence movement is barely recognisable as the same animal. It has been impeded, infiltrated, interrupted, call it what you will, by a plague of misogynistic wreckers. A corner of the Yes movement is a stinking cesspit of bigotry, destruction, hate and treachery. A contaminated […]

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Impeachment by Chloe McDermott

A successful impeachment would result in Trump being unable to run for President again. Something that would help us all sleep at night. The House Democrats are moving towards a second impeachment of Donald Trump for “incitement of insurrection” when Trump supporters violently stormed the Capitol and forcefully stopped the confirmation of Joe Biden as […]

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The One With the Nazis

There are strong hints from the events that we’ve just witnessed, that those among us who are loose lipped about Unilateral Declaration of Independence, and rigged referendums should sit back and consider democracy for a bit, or if not, have a look at the ultimate might of the state. For the Yes movement, the conclusion […]

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This Is Not Over

There’s another layer above the real and fantasised darkness, and it’s a good one. It involves people working away at the grass roots with and for their community. BBC Radio Scotland’s Kaye Adams lives in a world where it’s fine to introduce her “Rule of 6” call-in with the comment “I know dozens of people […]