London Anarchist Bookfair 2022

[TopCat]

I don't get invited to things all the time, I'm not sure I'd class it as a punishment. And her book's not banned, either. In fact the sum total of what she's been told she can't do is sit behind a table.

Who told her?

 

[Rob Ray]

Message from the group account, it was posted upthread.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

a) I don't care in the least what you think about my glory
b) I'm not a bookfair organiser so it wouldn't be my glory in any case
c) will you please stop throwing out random interpretations of what people say as though it has any meaning at all? It's very wearing. In fact your entire attitude of continuous attempted hyping of drama levels for something you have no stake in is very wearing. Though I suppose it does provide an example of what I was saying above.

I'm sorry that engaging on a discussion forum tires you so. Maybe have a lie down?

 

[Rob Ray]

I'm sorry that engaging on a discussion forum tires you so. Maybe have lie down?

I'll pass on the obvious rejoinder, but will indeed be enjoying the rest of my evening away from the thread. Ciao.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I'll pass on the obvious rejoinder, but will indeed be enjoying the rest of my evening away from the thread. Ciao.

Have a good one.

 

[Pickman's model]

Have a good one.

That shows a good spirit

 

[TopCat]

Message from the group account, it was posted upthread.

You are beyond obtuse now. I can do that too. Turn up, sell books!

 

[The39thStep]

Some transparency is needed.

Open the books

 

[chilango]

Open the books

Don't break the spine though, or you'll have to buy it.

 

[The39thStep]

Don't break the spine though, or you'll have to buy it.

And there was me thinking no ones going to get the subtle double meaning in that post

 

[krink]

I don't think I am an anarchist anymore if you can still be one and work for the Russian State and a two right wing media companies by choice.
For the first time ever I agree with the young whippersnappers of the new bookfair.

ETA - that's if she still calls herself one. She did last time I 'spoke' to her about working for RT

 

[Magnus McGinty]

I don't think I am an anarchist anymore if you can still be one and work for the Russian State and a two right wing media companies by choice.
For the first time ever I agree with the young whippersnappers of the new bookfair.

ETA - that's if she still calls herself one. She did last time I 'spoke' to her about working for RT

I’m sure we can get her to say some Hail Marys and we’ll all be pure again.

 

[killer b]

Not sure if purity is necessary, but I guess we would all draw a line somewhere. Not giving stalls to people who write for Spiked seems a reasonable enough place to draw one to me.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Not sure if purity is necessary, but I guess we would all draw a line somewhere. Not giving stalls to people who write for Spiked seems a reasonable enough place to draw one to me.

I don’t agree with writing for Spiked, or RT for that matter. But what she HAS written doesn’t seem off beam to me. And those that object are the usual suspects who mostly dismiss class within the debate as ‘reductionist’ etc (I’m not including Smokedout in that).

 

[DaveCinzano]

Well perhaps. I'm nostalgic for the days when you'd get Green Anarchist, Red Action, Michel Prigent and Communist Headache jeek by jowl in the lobby of Conway Hall (and the ICC just outside), so it's hard for me to be objective.

 

[killer b]

Only very online politics nerds even know Spiked exists, which is why it's only them objecting to it. So what though - it doesn't make it any less the propaganda arm of a deeply sinister far-right political project. And Mckenzie isn't thick, she knows who they are.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

Only very online politics nerds even know Spiked exists, which is why it's only them objecting to it. So what though - it doesn't make it any less the propaganda arm of a deeply sinister far-right political project. And Mckenzie isn't thick, she knows who they are.

I imagine she’s just trying to sell her writings to whoever is offering money. And most of us are in this predicament tbh. The difference with McKenzie is that all her dealings are on public record.

 

[killer b]

I imagine she’s just trying to sell her writings to whoever is offering money. And most of us are in this predicament tbh. The difference with McKenzie is that all her dealings are on public record.

You're welcome to give the person writing for the far right propaganda website the benefit of the doubt if you like. Others choose not to, and I can understand them taking that position. Not sure if I would, but as I said - everyone has to draw a line somewhere, and on balance I think I'd rather give the benefit of the doubt to the people telling the person who writes for the far right website to do one than the person who writes for the far right website.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Don't break the spine though, or you'll have to buy it.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

You're welcome to give the person writing for the far right propaganda website the benefit of the doubt if you like. Others choose not to, and I can understand them taking that position. Not sure if I would, but as I said - everyone has to draw a line somewhere, and on balance I think I'd rather give the benefit of the doubt to the people telling the person who writes for the far right website to do one than the person who writes for the far right website.

Are Spiked 'far right' then? Can you point to as to why. And then can you relate back why you think the articles of hers on there help promote the far right?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

It's fucking nuts anyway tbh. If I spoke to workmates about some of the things McKenzie has to say I imagine they'd be interested. All this other stuff just exists in the bubble and so by accident or design Anarchism remains relevant to pretty much nobody.

 

[killer b]

absolutely they are - the political movement of the living marxism network over the last few decades is well documented elsewhere - the thread Danny linked to above is a good place to start, and an interesting read if lengthy. I've not really got the inclination to precis it for you though. As for what a left wing writer writing for a website which among other things tries to function as a pipeline between disaffected left wingers and the populist far right does to help promote their cause? Does it really need spelling out?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

absolutely they are - the political movement of the living marxism network over the last few decades is well documented elsewhere - the thread Danny linked to above is a good place to start, and an interesting read if lengthy. I've not really got the inclination to precis it for you though. As for what a left wing writer writing for a website which among other things tries to function as a pipeline between disaffected left wingers and the populist far right does to help promote their cause? Does it really need spelling out?

I’ll read the 37 page thread to better educate myself.
I’m just a bit surprised that the anti fascists posting on this thread haven’t claimed similar which would have been the canary.

 

[DaveCinzano]

Proven antifascists have never noted the scabrous pro-capital, far right-adjacent politics of the LM grifters, you say?

 

[Magnus McGinty]

View attachment 332320

Proven antifascists have never noted the scabrous pro-capital, far right-adjacent politics of the LM grifters, you say?

Given all manner of people are called fascists nowadays for all manner of reasons I'd rather put my trust in those with a historical understanding of it.

 

[killer b]

Monbiot pulls together a lot of threads about Spiked in this piece, if the 37 page thread is too daunting.

 

[chilango]

There's a distinction between 'far-right' and 'fascist' though.

I'm not sure I'd describe Spiked as either. But they are undoubtedly well dodgy and writing for them is a very iffy thing to do.

Iffy enough to be 'banned from the Bookfair'? I'd say 'no', but completely understand the logic of those saying 'yes'.

 

[DaveCinzano]

If only someone who was involved in the RCP milieu in the early 1990s was here and able to explain how even then the organising cadres were actively contemptuous of anti-fascism and anti-fascists Or how they actively and with forethought aligned themselves to far-right Slavic conservative nationalist movements under cover of 'anti-imperialism', to the point of denying war crimes.

 

[chilango]

...and there's that whole eco-system of Spiked, Unherd, Quillette etc. It deserves serious thought.

 

[Magnus McGinty]

If only someone who was involved in the RCP milieu in the early 1990s was here and able to explain how even then the organising cadres were actively contemptuous of anti-fascism and anti-fascists Or how they actively and with forethought aligned themselves to far-right Slavic conservative nationalist movements under cover of 'anti-imperialism', to the point of denying war crimes.

I assume you refer to some dear departed? Maybe I should read the 37 page thread.