[mobglob-discuss] Re: JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET IT

Wed Jul 17 22:57:20 PDT 2002

I totally agree. A email to Arthur Topham saying just this was sent by me 
earlier today.

>From: "Garth Mullins" <garth at dojo.tao.ca>
>Reply-To: mobglob-discuss at resist.ca
>To: <mobglob-discuss at resist.ca>
>Subject: Re: [mobglob-discuss] Re: JUST IN CASE YOU DIDN'T GET IT
>Date: Thu, 18 Jul 2002 01:09:59 -0000
>
>The Radical should clarify its position: progressive paper of platform for
>the far right.
>
>As editor of the Radical, Arthur Topham is in a good position to clear up 
>all
>the charges leveled against his paper. The Radical has run many progressive
>articles by authors with a great deal of credibility within the movement.
>Thus, the paper has many supporters who are unaware of its dark side.
>
>Mr. Topham could clear all this up by publishing an editorial on this
>subject, in a high visibility place in his paper. He could address why he 
>has
>run the writings of neo-fascists and bigots, why he sees fit to give such
>authors a platform and the legitimacy of appearing in a progressive paper, 
>if
>he regrets these editorial decisions, whether he intends to continue the
>practice, etc.
>
>Among social movements, newspapers are not just sources of information.
>Rather, they are organizing tools.
>
>Whispering allegations and counter-allegations puts off people. Mob Glob 
>has
>got to discuss this formally, and rationally. There can be no witch-hunt -
>this is not what ideas people hold in their heads, but how individuals,
>papers and organizations are acting as instruments of the far right in our
>ranks.
>
>
>Macdonald Stainsby <mstainsby at dojo.tao.ca> said:
>
> > Arthur Topham has begun threatening me for calling him and his paper
> > associated with racists. I stand by that, and I think the David Icke
> > quotes and the Paul Fromm article are sufficient evidence.
> >
> > A couple of points: I apologised for my tone on emails with Rick vis a
> > vis the thread on the list; I apologised not at all for doing what I
> > could to expel the Radical from the Convergence Centre in Calgary.
> >
> > Jews do not drink the blood of gentiles and that is obviously a line we
> > must draw. Abortion rights should be sacrosanct and so there too is a
> > line. People who defend this paper keep saying, in different words, two
> > basic points: one, the amount of good things in the paper outweigh the
> > rabid anti-immigration, anti-semitic (and other), so ignore the stuff
> > you don't like. I suggest that people do a bit of research into the
> > orignial Nazi Party program of 1922. It had the contents of
> > nationalisation of the banks, workers full employment and several
> > public works projects. Within the context of today's politics, stripped
> > of the anti-semitism and all of the militarism, it would appear social-
> > democratic as well. One cannot ignore the links to bizarre (and
> > dangerous) political positions! Joseph Goebbels was once a self-
> > professed Marxist and revolutionary, and he joined the Nazis because
> > they were called "The German National Socialist Workers Party". From
> > there, they twisted his mind into the mind that twisted millions. So,
> > one can see it matters when small bits of refuse crawl in.
> >
> > Second point to attempt to refute: I have never once said whether I
> > think Arthur is a racist. I don't care! This is so besides the point it
> > is utterly a waste of time to get into it. What matters are A) has the
> > paper carried anti-woman, anti-semitic and anti-immigrant policy
> > pieces; B) have all of these things been made clearly, as a show of
> > faith to the rest of the progressive community in all the colours and
> > genders therein, never to be seen as part of then paper or it's
> > contents again? No. He defends it.
> >
> > Topham has a massive article on the front page of his website extolling
> > a recent speaking tour by David Icke. Whether Topham believes that Icke
> > isn't really an anti-semite or is secretly trying to re-promote the
> > Protocols of the Elders of Zion, I don't know and I don't care.
> >
> > The fact is the paper has associated itself with many dodgy and
> > dangerous characters. That's not anything other than a fact. I am not
> > concerned with psycho-analysing anything at all about these people. All
> > I want to do is demonstrate their politics and their dangerous
> > political associations. If Topham wants to put the issue to rest, he
> > can do so very easily. But that would mean making a break from David
> > Icke et al.
> >
> > Here is Arthur and his psycho-analytical rant against myself, made
> > public. I don't know how many times people have threatened to sue me.
> > It's always quite the compliment.
> >
> > Finally, all due respect to Leon Trotsky, I'm not a Trot.
> >
> > Macdonald
> >
> >
> >
> > Radical Press <radical at radicalpress.com> said:
> >
> > > Dear Macdonald,
> > >
> > > RE: Current Smear Campaign Against Myself and my Newspaper, The
> > Radical.
> > >
> > > It appears that you are carrying on in a most ignoble manner
> > regarding both
> > > the accusations you are making against myself and my newspaper The
> > Radical.
> > > While I can appreciate your concerns about racism and maintaining the
> > purity
> > > of "your" movement and the movement of Will Offley, I really must
> > inform you
> > > that there are laws that exist in this country which limit what a
> > person can
> > > and can't say about another citizen. They are known as libel and
> > defamation.
> > >
> > > As for your callous actions of late, especially the manner in which
> > you
> > > treated me while I was in Calgary, I'm afraid I can't accept the
> > excuse that
> > > you were merely having a "nic" fit. Your behaviour was deplorable and
> > > revealed to me a mind bordering on delusional fantasy and mental
> > breakdown.
> > > Then, after returning home, I find that you also accosted my friend
> > Rick
> > > McCallion and treated him to your assinine and childish outbursts as
> > well.
> > > Then, to top it off, upon arrival home to your safe haven in
> > Vancouver, you
> > > proceed to bad mouth him and I and my newspaper and accuse Rick of
> > all sorts
> > > of vile deeds on the mobglob discussion list. And you call yourself a
> > > revolutionary? Someone to be trusted and listened to seriously?
> > Someone to
> > > be constantly mouthing the words "we" and "our" with respect to the
> > social
> > > justice movement in B.C. and Canada, as if you personally were
> > somehow in
> > > control of what millions of people around the world are currently
> > involved
> > > in?
> > >
> > > One thing I can say about Will is that, apart from his bigotted and
> > > misguided principles, he at least is not as openly stupid and rabid
> > as you
> > > are. Your frenzied fixation with David Icke is akin to a mentally-
> > deranged
> > > person. I will admit that with Paul Fromm you have a bit of a case to
> > flout
> > > in your favour (even though you take the excerpts out of context from
> > the
> > > article itself) although I have already explained my position
> > regarding that
> > > issue on the vancouver-d list back in January of this year.
> > >
> > > You are a fanatic Macdonald. Pure and simple. Although more simple in
> > some
> > > respects. Your method of dealing with racism is no different that
> > that of
> > > Gordon Watson when it comes to the pro-choice movement or the
> > homophobic
> > > Christian Fundamentalists who bristle with hatred at the sight of
> > gays,
> > > lesbians or transexuals, or the zenophobic rantings of the Canadian
> > Alliance
> > > Party. All of your sort suffer from some type of messiah complex
> > mixed in
> > > with a personal sense of self-worthlessness. Gordon's cross is
> > abortion,
> > > yours racism. And, I would suspect that like Gordon you too would
> > sanction
> > > the killing of anyone who expressed such views as you deem "racist",
> > > preferably by having the new State do it for you so as to prevent your
> > > conscience from bothering you too much at night.
> > >
> > > I note in your recent tear-stained confession on the list that you
> > are now
> > > trying to suck up to Rick and defend your deplorable behaviour.
> > Again, a
> > > sign of weakness and confusion on your part. You can't seem to
> > fathom, for
> > > all your internal tryings, that I may not be the spook and demon that
> > you
> > > would like to believe and have the rest of the world believe. As
> > well, your
> > > arguments are second hand and second rate and merely poor substitutes
> > of old
> > > worn out, dogmatic Trotskyist platitudes that Will tried in his
> > Canadian
> > > Dimensia article back two years ago. It really makes me wonder
> > whether or
> > > not you have an active, creative and original mind of your own or
> > whether
> > > you are just another Moonie-style, brainwashed Trot who follows the
> > leader
> > > without question.
> > >
> > > As for your strategy of smear it's as old as Lenin himself and one
> > that the
> > > Trots have been employing  against anarchists for decades. But, what
> > is
> > > different now Macdonald, is that I have the option of suing you for
> > libel
> > > and slander and at the same time also exposing you and your deluded
> > comrades
> > > for what you truly are: bigots and fanatics of the worse kind. So
> > stand
> > > warned the next time that you start calling me names the likes of
> > which are
> > > appearing on mobglob. That sort of defamation, based on hearsay and
> > mere
> > > accusation and hatred, is more than suitable grounds for issuing you
> > a writ
> > > of summons. It can happen. It has happened. It will happen again.
> > >
> > > Arthur Topham
> > > Pub/Ed
> > > The Radical
> > >
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Macdonald Stainsby,
> > External Relations Co-ordinator,
> > Douglas College Students Union.
> > **
> > In the contradiction lies the hope. --Bertholt Brecht.
> > ***
> > "`Order rules in Berlin.' You stupid lackeys! Your
> > `order' is built on sand. Tomorrow the revolution will rear
> > ahead once more and announce to your horror amid the brass
> > of trumpets: `I was, I am, I always will be!'"
> >
> > -Rosa Luxemburg, 1918.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > mobglob-discuss mailing list
> > mobglob-discuss at resist.ca
> > http://resist.ca/mailman/listinfo/mobglob-discuss
> >
>
>
>
>--
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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>mobglob-discuss at resist.ca
>http://resist.ca/mailman/listinfo/mobglob-discuss

Christopher A. Shaw, Ph.D
Associate Professor
Research Pavilion
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Vancouver, British Columbia
Canada, V5Z 1L8
tel: 604-875-4111 (ext. 68375)
Fax: 604-875-4376
e-mail: csshawlab at hotmail.com

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