Far Out

The ANC National Executive Committee met on Friday and finished on Saturday. So far there is no communiqué or press release, only speculation based on leaks and interviews with “analysts”. In other countries, politicians use weekend releases systematically. If it has its press conference today the ANC NEC will have missed the Sunday morning papers, the Sunday evening television news, and the Monday morning dailies, not to mention all the major radio programmes over two evenings and two mornings. This may be complacency, or it may be that there is a committee after the committee, still haggling over the wording of the press release. It does not look good. Let us hope for the best, because class alliance is the tactical business of politics and it will be far better to fix this one than to start building another. Edwin Naidu is a good writer who can illuminate a ghastly situation with humour, not to sugar the pill, but to show up the sour side in a clear contrast. What a great, short piece of writing is this (linked) merciless mockery of Minister Mdladlana for his laziness during the security guards’ strike. “People want to know that God has Sex. Then maybe it'd be okay if they have sex too.” Read more from Dr Susan Block, a highly gifted sex-doctor from the USA, also gifted in the literary department, on the Da Vinci Code flick. (See lubricious link below) Allen Ginsberg was a beatnik poet. Actually he was the beatnik poet, now dead. It is unfair to say that all US intellectuals are like him. Obviously Lenni Brenner, another gifted writer from the Far Side of the Atlantic, is not nearly such a silly liberal as Ginsberg was. Lenni still sizzles. See link. Another seminar on Con Hill is coming. “17h00 for 17h30” usually implies “refreshments”, which is nice. Con Hill has also been a great host for the Communist University for nearly a year. But we have to ask, are these NGOs well placed to tell us how to “understand people’s power”? Or, are our politics being commodified, monetised, and sold back to us as “analysis”? At least this gig is free, and “the people” might even be able to get a word in towards the end, if the four Speakers and the Chairperson don’t chow all the time. Freirean, it isn’t. See link. Click on these links: How many must die before Mdladlana speaks, Edwin Naidu, Sindy (684 words) God Has Sex, Makes Big Box Office, Susan Block, Counterpunch (1990 words) Allen Ginsberg, Silly Liberal, Lenni Brenner, Counterpunch (1736 words) Understanding Peoples Power Seminar, Con Hill, 30 May 17h00 (Notice)