More delicate negotiations between Police and Muslims..
January 19, 2005
January 18, 2005
BRUM SQUAT?
An interesting debate about squatting has broken out on Birmingham City Council's forum.
(Thank's to stuffit.org)
(Thank's to stuffit.org)
TALK TO THE OTHER SIDE
The world isn't black and white, and in my view it is people who think it is who cause most of the problems. Groups get entrenched in their positions, only talking to people who agree with them to the point where they actually generate their own patterns of language no one else can understand.
The right wing press love stories of "Firebrand Islamists on benefits preaching hatred." I'm sure they would be really disappointed when Hajj said to me on camera
"No one would set a bomb in this country unless he was a nutter."
Hajj is one of Mr. Hamza's closest people, so whose is the most realistic depiction of Fundamental Islam? I came to Finsbury park because it was billed as a centre of "Radical Islam" in a threatening sense. I like to go as far as possible to the other side in an attempt to find common ground much more than I like talking to people who agree with me. It's much more interesting and how else can anything get sorted?
In the same way, to depict all US soldiers or republicans as evil wouldn't be the whole picture either. Looking through blogsville you can find soldiers who genuinely want to free Iraq from Saddam and give its people back a stable country.
There are also genuinely caring conservatives. In the run up to the US elections I was really pleased to find Jejus Khans attrocity commiting death machine written by a Texan called Chris. Now he wasn't a caring conservative, but he was hilarious and easy to wind up.
During our debates he drew the attention of a blogger called "Rightwingsparkle." A Republican, a fan of Ronald Regan, but also a staunch supporter of racial equality. Reading her stuff I can tell that she is a caring conservative, who genuinely believes the west is under threat from "Radical Islamists."
For anyone of "leftwing" tendencies who may be bored of talking to people they agree with I would definately recommend rightwingsparkle. not only does she seem to be a genuinely caring conservative, she's also got a blinding set of gnashers.
The right wing press love stories of "Firebrand Islamists on benefits preaching hatred." I'm sure they would be really disappointed when Hajj said to me on camera
"No one would set a bomb in this country unless he was a nutter."
Hajj is one of Mr. Hamza's closest people, so whose is the most realistic depiction of Fundamental Islam? I came to Finsbury park because it was billed as a centre of "Radical Islam" in a threatening sense. I like to go as far as possible to the other side in an attempt to find common ground much more than I like talking to people who agree with me. It's much more interesting and how else can anything get sorted?
In the same way, to depict all US soldiers or republicans as evil wouldn't be the whole picture either. Looking through blogsville you can find soldiers who genuinely want to free Iraq from Saddam and give its people back a stable country.
There are also genuinely caring conservatives. In the run up to the US elections I was really pleased to find Jejus Khans attrocity commiting death machine written by a Texan called Chris. Now he wasn't a caring conservative, but he was hilarious and easy to wind up.
During our debates he drew the attention of a blogger called "Rightwingsparkle." A Republican, a fan of Ronald Regan, but also a staunch supporter of racial equality. Reading her stuff I can tell that she is a caring conservative, who genuinely believes the west is under threat from "Radical Islamists."
For anyone of "leftwing" tendencies who may be bored of talking to people they agree with I would definately recommend rightwingsparkle. not only does she seem to be a genuinely caring conservative, she's also got a blinding set of gnashers.
January 15, 2005
LOST MALUNG
I don't know if its middle class angst. I know I want to get this doc to TV and it probably is wrapped up in the urge to "achieve" in terms the society around me accepts. I don't accept society. I've never felt good about what I see around me since I came back from Asia 5 years ago. I don't blame anyone, or hate politicians or media of any creed. It all seems too serious to do that. And a solution seems achievable.
I do understand that The Finsbury Muslim community must be totally paranoid of the media and the government, especially now Mr. Hamza is in Belmarsh. I do question their thesis that the media and government are linked though, and I question it from my own experience over two years in Finsbury Park. Yeah, sure ITV London and such like bigged up the rough and tumble mask wearing Muslims, but that was probably because they translated such behaviour as protecting a terrorist. I didn't. I noticed when Mr. Hamza was arrested, on extradition charges brought by the US Channel 4 news put Mr. Abdullah's
"Kissing America's backside" comment went up.
I wondered when I first started this how controlled the media was, Finsbury park seemed like the ideal place to find out for myself as I could see what was happening, and watch how it went up on TV afterwards. Most journalists I have met in Finsbury Park have been really encouraging, even from those who disagreed with my position. There were some arseholes doing arsehole stories but A Zionist controlled media? I don't know. I'm certainly not scared, but I suppose it's not my friend in Belmarsh, or my religion accused of harbouring terrorists.
I'm not going to be a sensationalist hack living off other peoples lives, which was why I started filming with the kids.I still look at the first interviews I did with them in awe. I wish things were this easy with Abdullah and co but I can understand why they are not, and why I have been taring my hair out. I think I should revise my ideas and present something with as little of me in it as possible. I wish I wasn't so depressed. Giving up drugs is so hard without going into Vippasna
I do understand that The Finsbury Muslim community must be totally paranoid of the media and the government, especially now Mr. Hamza is in Belmarsh. I do question their thesis that the media and government are linked though, and I question it from my own experience over two years in Finsbury Park. Yeah, sure ITV London and such like bigged up the rough and tumble mask wearing Muslims, but that was probably because they translated such behaviour as protecting a terrorist. I didn't. I noticed when Mr. Hamza was arrested, on extradition charges brought by the US Channel 4 news put Mr. Abdullah's
"Kissing America's backside" comment went up.
I wondered when I first started this how controlled the media was, Finsbury park seemed like the ideal place to find out for myself as I could see what was happening, and watch how it went up on TV afterwards. Most journalists I have met in Finsbury Park have been really encouraging, even from those who disagreed with my position. There were some arseholes doing arsehole stories but A Zionist controlled media? I don't know. I'm certainly not scared, but I suppose it's not my friend in Belmarsh, or my religion accused of harbouring terrorists.
I'm not going to be a sensationalist hack living off other peoples lives, which was why I started filming with the kids.I still look at the first interviews I did with them in awe. I wish things were this easy with Abdullah and co but I can understand why they are not, and why I have been taring my hair out. I think I should revise my ideas and present something with as little of me in it as possible. I wish I wasn't so depressed. Giving up drugs is so hard without going into Vippasna
January 14, 2005
THATS SNOW MOON!
And amazingly the Huygens European space probe has landed safely on
Titan, one of Saturn's moons. By seven we may indeed know whether the moon
has tangerine seas. No, I haven't just dropped a tab of acid.
See you, tab free at seven.
Best wishes as ever, Jon Snow
sign up for snowmails
there is also a great article on Falluja on the C4 site.
Titan, one of Saturn's moons. By seven we may indeed know whether the moon
has tangerine seas. No, I haven't just dropped a tab of acid.
See you, tab free at seven.
Best wishes as ever, Jon Snow
sign up for snowmails
there is also a great article on Falluja on the C4 site.
MALUNG
Below is a picture I really treasure. I had a really hard time in Pakistan because how I looked signified my beliefs to Muslims, and to them this made me an "infidel." When I found the Kallash tribe they welcomed me like a brother.
I arrived just in time for their annual fertility festival. I couldn't believe that I had found an intact dance culture which had survived the bight of the inquisition surrounded by probably the most Fundamental Islamic state in the world.
The festival was three days long. The kids always danced but the only other male to dance for the three days was the guy on the right. The tribes local nutter. He wasn't right in the head and was the butt of a lot of peoples jokes, but he was one of the most uninhibitted dancers I've seen away from my culture. As all the other men of the village shuffled from foot to foot we danced together like motherfuckers.
They had abandoned their tribal dress to "fit in" with the surrounding Islamists and it was easy to see the finacial and cultural presure the tribe were under to convert. I hope they are all OK. They are an amazing people with an amazing culture.
I arrived just in time for their annual fertility festival. I couldn't believe that I had found an intact dance culture which had survived the bight of the inquisition surrounded by probably the most Fundamental Islamic state in the world.
The festival was three days long. The kids always danced but the only other male to dance for the three days was the guy on the right. The tribes local nutter. He wasn't right in the head and was the butt of a lot of peoples jokes, but he was one of the most uninhibitted dancers I've seen away from my culture. As all the other men of the village shuffled from foot to foot we danced together like motherfuckers.
They had abandoned their tribal dress to "fit in" with the surrounding Islamists and it was easy to see the finacial and cultural presure the tribe were under to convert. I hope they are all OK. They are an amazing people with an amazing culture.
10 YEARS
Wow. Ten years of squatting is finaly over. It feels wierd. What do I get for my rent? A much smaller room, in a house where the skyline is dominated by an incinerator. Nice people though, and I get to move on when I want to rather than waiting for the ballifs. All my "North London Village" friends were moaning about how far away South london is and how they never go down there.
I just said "Fine. Don't visit me."
Peru is far away. Cyprus is far away. Cornwall is far away but South London? I made it on the tube from Archway in half an hour.
I just said "Fine. Don't visit me."
Peru is far away. Cyprus is far away. Cornwall is far away but South London? I made it on the tube from Archway in half an hour.
January 13, 2005
IF
I don't know why anyone complains about British TV. I switched on last night to find that Mark Thatcher was admitting to his involvement with the coup plot in Equatorial Guinea, or OIL RICH Equatorial Guinea as the news pointed out. Of course he's getting a fucking suspended sentence in exchange for a quarter of a million but its nice to see one Thatcher arms dealer brought to justice. There is going to be such a party when his mother dies and people under 30 are going to be scratching their heads wondering why.
I switched over to the BBC to watch the ground breaking IF docudrama which put forward both sides of the drug legalisation debate (which no one in government will touch) in a fantastic if slightly over the top "future shock" dramatisation followed by an equally fantastic debate. Docudrama seems to be the in thing on TV. I wonder how could I make Finsbury park into a docudrama? Would hajj and Abdullah star as themselves? Maybe we could recreate Belmarsh complete with Abu Hamza and his too long toenails.
In between all this was the news which went on and on about the US finally giving up their search for WMD and the COLLOSAL INTELLIGENCE FAILURE which was the MAIN REASON for the war in Iraq where over a thousand American soldiers have already lost their lives. It's pretty easy to see from the news in the UK what is happening in the world eh?
I switched over to the BBC to watch the ground breaking IF docudrama which put forward both sides of the drug legalisation debate (which no one in government will touch) in a fantastic if slightly over the top "future shock" dramatisation followed by an equally fantastic debate. Docudrama seems to be the in thing on TV. I wonder how could I make Finsbury park into a docudrama? Would hajj and Abdullah star as themselves? Maybe we could recreate Belmarsh complete with Abu Hamza and his too long toenails.
In between all this was the news which went on and on about the US finally giving up their search for WMD and the COLLOSAL INTELLIGENCE FAILURE which was the MAIN REASON for the war in Iraq where over a thousand American soldiers have already lost their lives. It's pretty easy to see from the news in the UK what is happening in the world eh?
January 04, 2005
NEW START
Happy new year and all that. I saw the new year in at theliquid connective squat party. They were trying to charge £15 for a squat party where the toilets didn't work which I found pretty hilarious. I love my fellow London trance people.
By morning I heard rumours of screens in Trafalgar square and other major cities anouncing that Britain was going to lead the way in a campaign to make poverty history by the end of the year. Apparently this is being lead by such people as Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Bob Geldof and Bono.
Following this trend of unlikely aliances I found that Bono and Bill Gates have teamed up in the Telegraph on the same issue. I'm sure everyone on indymedia will be scoffing but I say all the best to them. The article seems to be covering all bases including putting the evil WTO in the spotlight.
By morning I heard rumours of screens in Trafalgar square and other major cities anouncing that Britain was going to lead the way in a campaign to make poverty history by the end of the year. Apparently this is being lead by such people as Tony Blair, Gordon Brown, Bob Geldof and Bono.
Following this trend of unlikely aliances I found that Bono and Bill Gates have teamed up in the Telegraph on the same issue. I'm sure everyone on indymedia will be scoffing but I say all the best to them. The article seems to be covering all bases including putting the evil WTO in the spotlight.
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