A reply to Mark McGregor’s attack on the WSM on Slugger O’Toole

antrim | racism & migration related issues | other press Monday June 22, 2009 15:45 by Sean Matthews-personal capacity - Workers Solidarity Movement- Belfast branch

Mark McGregor should check his facts before embarking on baseless comments without any shred of evidence or truth, before deciding to demonise those who attended the rally as a crime and stayed with the Romanian families, who actually requested help and assistance.

Mark McGregor should check his facts before embarking on baseless comments without any shred of evidence or truth, demonise those who attended the rally as a crime and stayed with the Romanian families, who actually requested help and assistance.

Mark should no better before engaging in unwarranted speculation by referring to the families “taking the opportunity of media attention to gain advantage on the social housing list.” Firstly, social housing should be provided based on need, not skin colour or ethnic origin. Such unfounded comments, not based on fact also provide further ammunition to those thugs carrying out the attacks and the general state discrimination and oppression against Roma people across the world.

WSM members where a minority within the demonstrations and did not help to organise the rally. We have no hidden agenda or interested in “stunts.” We will not be deflected by witch-hunts from pretentious bloggers masquerading as ‘journalists’, from challenging racism and sectarianism where we live and work with others, as part of the struggle for a better world.

As anarchists, the Workers Solidarity Movement believes racism must be fought on a class basis. We need to expose and attack the institutions which are legitimising racism in our society; we need to stand up against racist bullies and fascists carrying out attacks on migrant workers. Central to this is the need to physically and ideologically confront fascism wherever it raises its ugly head and the building of opposition to the system of wage slavery and exploitation which promotes racist scapegoating and the criminalisation of immigration.

Racism is motivated and perpetuated by greed, promoted by those in power. If festers in ignorance and misplaced fear. Our alternative is social equality and freedom for all.

WSM position paper on Fighting Racism
http://www.wsm.ie/story/829
Link to article by Mark McGregor
http://sluggerotoole.com/index.php/weblog/comments/get-...sm-2/