Message of Support to Glasgow from Brazil

[tony at gaia.org]

GLASGOW'S GOVANHILL POOL:SOUTHSIDE AGAINST CLOSURE 
www.saveourpool.co.uk 

EMail. saveourpool at aol.com 

TO 

THE FIRST MINISTER, HENRY McCLEISH, CHARLES GORDON, ALL SMP'S AND GLASGOW 
CITY COUNCILLORS, BRIDGET McCONNELL, ALL CAMPAIGNERS ON LINE AND SAVEOURPOO=
L 
WEBSITE, THE MEDIA 

FROM GLASGOW'S GOVANHILL POOL: SOUTHSIDE AGAINST CLOSURE 

WE RECEIVED THIS MESSAGE LAST WEEK FROM PATRICK, A LIBERATION THEOLOGIST AN=
D 
CATHOLIC PRIEST FROM SCOTLAND  WHO 
SPENT 20 YEARS IN BRAZIL - WHERE HE LIVES NOW.  HE KNOWS A LOT 
ABOUT THE OPPRESSION OF PEOPLE STRUGGLING FOR JUSTICE.  IT IS POSTED ON OUR=
 
WEB SITE, WE BELIEVE THAT IT IS HIGHLY RELEVANT 

READERS MAY WISH TO PUT IT IN A CONTEXT OF THE HISTORICAL STRUGGLES IN 
SCOTLAND FOR PEOPLE'S RIGHTS AND SOCIAL JUSTICE. 

IT HAS BEEN POSTED ON OUR WEBSITE AND MIGHT BE READ IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE=
 
MESSAGE FROM TARIQ PLACED THERE ON THURSDAY LAST 

To the Glasgow Govanhill Pool Campaign 

I was horrified to learn recently of the latest developments in the long 
struggle to save the Govanhill Swimming Pool for the  local community and t=
he 
people of Glasgow.  I had thought that  the tactics used by Glasgow City 
Council to impose it's will were  restricted to the type of dirty 
dictatorship that I lived under 
as a missionary in Brazil for 20 years (1966 - 1986). 

However the experiences of the peaceful protesters at Genoa in July, and 
Govanhill and Sighthill in August, have shown me that  mini-dictators and 
their bootlicking followers continue to exist,  even in the most democratic=
 
countries. 

The circumstances are the same - a just cause and fierce 
suppression.  The more just the cause, the fiercer the reaction. 

The means used are the same: 

(1)Lack of consultation with the people involved, knowing that  there will =
be 
strong popular opposition. 

(2)Use of the element of surprise.  A 'fait accompli' is always  harder to =

combat or reverse. 

(3)Massive intimidation, using the forces of 'law and order' to  carry out =

their plans and provide an air of legality to their  actions and illegality=
 
to protesters. 

(4)Suppression of any sign of dissent or criticism among state  functionari=
es 
who fear open or subtle punishment (dismissal, lack  of promotion etc.) 

(5)Unnecessary acts of provocation to get a few hotheads to 
answer violence with violence, thus providing an excuse for more  repressiv=
e 
methods and photographs for the media. 

(6)Manipulation of the media, distorting facts to put protesters in a poor =

light using terms such as 'fanatics', 'anarchists' etc. 

(7)Ignoring the suffering their plans will bring to the weakest members of =

society - those with poor living accommodation, the  unemployed, those in s=
ub 
optimal health, the physically and/or  emotionally handicapped, children an=
d 
the elderly, etc. 

In contrast, history has shown that those regimes which used a  high moral =

tone (all for the 'good of the people'), had millions  stashed away in 
foreign banks, a result of massive kick-backs  from contracting firms and/o=
r 
multinational companies seeking to  explore natural resources. 

Refusal to meet with protesters or their delegates.Appointment of an offici=
al 
'trouble-shooter' to 'investigate'  complaints (usually an appointee of the=
 
'dictator') or the setting up of a 'committee' to draw up a “report” wh=
ich 
will take months  and years to issue some harmless 'findings'. If all else =

fails and protests continue, the campaign of  violence, intimidation and 
misinformation will worsen. 

But the fact remains that as long as there is one person prepared  to stand=
 
up and say 'NO', the dictator will not sleep easy.  Such  power has to be 
absolute else it remains insecure, in spite of  its best (or worst) efforts=
 
to give the impression that it is in  full control and will never go back o=
n 
its decisions. 

Sooner or later, dialogue will have to take place. 

Remember Bishop Desmond Tutu in the blackest days of South  African Aparthe=
id 
saying, 'We are on the winning team', and St.  Paul writing to persecuted 
Christians, 'You have not yet resisted  unto death'. 

(Padraig) 

FOR MORE DETAILS CONTACT saveourpool at aol.com