Alex Callinicos/SWP vs Laurie Penny/New Statesman Facebook handbags

[Bakunin]

Our other demand is that she sort out her journalism.

I wouldn't call what she writes journalism, to be honest. I don't think she writes in an especially interesting or exciting way and what she does write does seem pretty dull and uninspired. She's obviously flavour of the month with a few editors and so on and there are folk who like what she writes but I can't say she's what I'd call a really gifted writer or journalist if I'm honest.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

A new Melanie Philips?

We got Douglas Murray waiting in the wings to fill her shoes.

 

[rekil]

A new Melanie Philips?

I could be wrong but yeah, a bit like that, but even shitter somehow.

 

[butchersapron]

We got Douglas Murray waiting in the wings to fill her shoes.

You drinking from the same pot eh?

 

[rekil]

What pot is this.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

You drinking from the same pot eh?

Eh?

 

[frogwoman]

Oh god, end of.

Get it now people?

Jesus, did she really write that?!

 

[ViolentPanda]

It does seem somewhat defensive and self-reverential, not to mention self-justifying. I've known a few journalists in my time and I've never encountered one who felt an urge to complain about how difficult it is to get noticed and get work. They just crack on with the job and don't whimper every time they receive a little (well-founded) criticism. If they were that sensitive then they'd not last long in that line of work.

She's a columnist. All columnists are journalists, but not all journalists are columnists. Columnists do, however, tend to whinge if they don't get noticed, because getting noticed is what helps boost their stock and up their retainer.

 

[ViolentPanda]

A new Melanie Philips?

Although hopefully without the knee-jerk pro-Zionism.

 

[ViolentPanda]

We got Douglas Murray waiting in the wings to fill her shoes.

I had a feeling that was the way wee Dougie rolled.

 

[rekil]

As a well-spoken, middle-class white girl, I took 22 years to learn to fear the police in the streets. But, in November last year, everything changed. In the Whitehall kettle, as I watched armoured officers brutalise thousands of young protesters, the realisation that the police are there to protect the rich from the rabble hit home like a baton to the back of the neck.

Either she's lying for dramatic effect or she really is even more of an ignorant cosseted twat than previously thought.

 

[Kid_Eternity]

I had a feeling that was the way wee Dougie rolled.

Yep, I think he's more likely to be heir the Mad Mel throne (Doolally Doug?)

 

[dynamicbaddog]

she claims to have been in amongst the thick of it yesterday

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2011/03/trafalgar-square-police-young

I find myself in front of the riot line, taking a blow to the head and a kick to the shin; I am dragged to my feet by a girl with blue hair who squeezes my arm and then raises a union flag defiantly at the cops

 

[butchersapron]

This line:

under a leaden sky

means she should be shot.

 

[killer b]

she claims to have been in amongst the thick of it yesterday

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2011/03/trafalgar-square-police-young

I find myself in front of the riot line, taking a blow to the head and a kick to the shin; I am dragged to my feet by a girl with blue hair who squeezes my arm and then raises a union flag defiantly at the cops

i hope she stops to take a breath one of these days.

 

[butchersapron]

raises a union flag defiantly

Argh, have they no subs on this rag?

 

[stethoscope]

She predictably popped up on Radio 5 on Sat night on Nolan's show in her usual capacity of 'the voice of the left', carefully treading between "I'm a leftie and I support this" and "I was in the right place at the right time" depending on whether his questioning would incriminate her. Still, that'll be the next few column inches sorted.

 

[butchersapron]

Starting to get annoyed now.

 

[butchersapron]

This is the key smug arrogant bit in the article though:

A large number of young people in Britain have become radicalised in a hurry, and not all of their energies are properly directed, explaining in part the confusion on the streets yesterday. Among their number, however, are many principled, determined and peaceful groups working to affect change and build resistance in any way they can.

 

[butchersapron]

How much longer is he being to allowed to get away with this made up tripe?

The young people being battered in Trafalgar square, however, are neither mindless nor violent. In front of the lines, a teenage girl is crying and shaking after being shoved to the ground. "I'm not moving, I'm not moving," she mutters, her face smeared with tears and makeup. "I've been on every protest, I won't let this government destroy our future without a fight. I won't stand back, I'm not moving." A police officer charges, smacking her with his baton as she flings up her hands.

 

[frogwoman]

Her energy is properly directed though.

 

[butchersapron]

Her energy is properly directed though.

Into her own career?

 

[frogwoman]

Yep.

 

[frogwoman]

Hopefully nowhere else.

 

[rekil]

Starting to get annoyed now.

See this line from her blog yet?

If I tweet momentary disillusion with a protest movement, it might actively dishearten a few hundred people involved, and that matters.

 

[butchersapron]

See this line from her blog yet?

Oh that's made my week

 

[frogwoman]

NOT saying you're disillusioned could actively dishearten a few hundred people involved. We're not robots.

Fuck, the other week I was asking myself what the fucking point of it all was. There. Now the world's gonna end.

 

[stethoscope]

See this line from her blog yet?

No way

 

[Dan U]

Not being funny but traf square looked pretty cleared to me before.midnight. the area around was pretty chaotic, but the bottom of nelson column was very sparse indeed.

I think this lady is chatting breeze and was possibly in her members club well before then

 

[Proper Tidy]

Who reads her?