I got one of the ANL-organised coaches down to the Welling march from Leeds in my student days and they had swappies going down the coach aisle having a chat with everyone trapped in their seats and giving them leaflets, so recruitment attempts did happen. Stuff about the underlying causes of racism being capitalism etc., please give your details/come to meetings. Felt like a Jesus Army style cult. Have a vague memory that I hitched home.
My own politics informed just by growing up, working, just seeing how things are. Never really been involved in groups, participated more in the RTS/critical mass type stuff which never seemed to be about soul-collecting, it gained its own momentum just from being fun.
Also done a lot in DIY music stuff through playing in bands, that all seemed to find me rather than me seek it out, but the fucking beauty of self-organised gigs and the international support network around it is hugely inspiring, plus all the related community stuff, squat bars, bike workshops, all about building positive alternatives, a better ‘recruiting’ tactic than pamphlets and meetings imo.
That just cemented what i'd already decided for myself. That she was a complete stone cold evil cunt. So by the time i was 16 i fucking hated the tories for the misery and stress that they'd caused to people i knew. I also hated them for what they represented and the utter contempt that they had for the working classes.
