The five weeks since the last newsletter have been the busiest for me for live shows post-Covid, with two performances of Just An Ordinary Lawyer: first at Vauxhall Law Centre, Liverpool, where I understand someone high up in the Liverpool Law Society walked out in protest, even before I had started, at what I had written in my programme note! It seems the person objected to my being unapologetic about what I had done that led to the criminal conviction I received for protesting against arms manufacturers, and in support of Palestine. The standing ovation at the end of the show was very gratifying though, and it goes to show how true it is that leaders are so often very out-of-step with, and not necessarily as intelligent as the people they supposedly lead. I think I will write at greater length about this in the future.
The following day found me in London at a conference discussing trade union activity, and the many strikes that workers around the UK have called, reported here. I was part of an evening of entertainment which raised some money for striking junior doctors and Amazon workers. Strikes continue as the summer heats up, but it is not clear that the Labour Party is ready to stand by the workers. Their support comes from the thousands outside the party – many of whom have left its ranks since the leadership changed.
Paul Robeson – The Giant, In a Nutshell is the title of the lecture/concert I was pleased to present as part of a fundraiser for the Saddleworth Palestine Women’s Scholarship Fund. The performance was a few days after the 6th anniversary of the Grenfell Fire. I made links between some of those responsible for that disaster, Elbit Systems (the Israeli-owned arms factory) and the justice system that criminalises and now even imprisons, not corrupt politicians and businesspeople, but protesters and journalists. It is saying something when prisoners in Palestine itself and many notable artists worldwide write an open letter demanding the release of British citizens imprisoned for standing up for Palestinian people.
The next performance of Lawyer was special in that it was performed on Windrush Day – a day of particular significance to Great Britain’s West Indian community. It was at the much underused Liverpool’s African Caribbean Centre; and Maritime Liverpool’s unique history of slavery, colonialism and racism were the subjects of the notes, as were the two oceanic disasters that had happened in the preceding days.
The article I wrote for Barriers to Bridges is out, titled The Indigestible African Warrior Seed, inspired by the story of Death-Row prisoner Keith LaMar and my visit to him in the US in April; and I have written another article, due out in August: a book review for Counterfire.
Early last year, I spent a whole night and early morning filming in a church with an actor/director who had sought me out to play opposite him in a short two-hander. About a year later, I received news that not only had the film been completed and entered into some competitions, but I had been playing supporting actor in an intriguing multi-award-winning short! United Wolves’s film Repent received a total of nine awards and nominations, and you can watch it here.
That and my recent appearance in Emmerdale are now part of my new screen-acting showreel, which no longer includes the recruitment video I did for West Midlands Police a few years ago. Now that I am officially a minor enemy of the state, I realise that I had been mistaken in thinking that helping to recruit non-white citizens into the police force was a worthy thing to do.
There were certainly several officers from the Global Majority in evidence when Elbit Systems received the full protection of the police against the protesters laying siege to their UAC Tactical Systems factory in Leicester starting on May 1, and still ongoing. The cost to the state must be eye-watering (I wonder if anyone has done a FOI request?), especially as the police seem to be the one arm of the public services that aren’t on strike (they are actually barred from taking industrial action, since a compromise reached after a near-revolt back in 1918/19).
Forthcoming appearances
30 July: Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ EBFringe, Eastbourne
5-19 August (odd dates only): Call Mr. Robeson @ Edinburgh Fringe
6-20 August (even dates only): Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ Edinburgh Fringe
26 September: "Dodging Bullets" in #BlackBoyJoyGone @ Unity Theatre, Liverpool
12 October: Just An Ordinary Lawyer. EICC, Edinburgh
14 October: Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ Tullynessle Hall, Aberdeenshire
20 October: Just An Ordinary Lawyer @ St. George's Hall, Liverpool
Parting Shots/Questions
I’ll be in Edinburgh when this happens, but as I prepare to send this out before joining striking doctors on a picket line, I thought I’d publicise this rally in support of Amazon workers in Coventry, UK, hoping to make similar inroads to their colleagues in the USA. As you will see from the link, the organisers are also calling for support of NHS workers, university lecturers, and on, and on …
I saw this photo on social media. As a former architect and one who tries to be aware of barriers to achievement, I look at it and am inspired and made hopeful for the future of my country.
Two more parting shots, available for now only to paid subscribers. The paywall will be removed when the next newsletter is published, in about a month. Here is the previous one in full.
I will also give at least temporary full complimentary paid access to people who make a donation to help my Palestine Action co-defendants and me over the line to pay our court fines, transportation and accommodation costs for our recent trial for aggravated trespass outside Elbit Systems (we are close). If you’d like to do that, please email me.
Widespread Anti-Semitism in Israel Itself? Cluster Bombs While Stocks Last / Dr. Cornel West for POTUS
According to some people’s reading of the IHRA’s working definition of Anti-Semitism, criticism of the actions of the State of Israel (the government, and not the people, I presume) can be seen to be anti-Semitic. This argument was used successfully to put an end to the political ambitions of people like Jeremy Corbyn and the hopes of his hundreds of thousands of followers here in Britain. It has been used to purge many people from the British Labour Party since his departure, including scores of misguided Jews. It has been used elsewhere in the world too, wherever the scourge raised its ugly head.
Would it not follow that the widespread protests against the Israeli government’s judicial reform bill could by the same logic be termed anti-Semitic? And considering that there are hundreds of thousands of Israelis on the streets, would it not suggest that the greatest concentration of anti-Semitism in the world is in Israel itself, notwithstanding the fact that the thousands of flags being waved are Israeli, not Palestinian? And do the sheer numbers of Israeli protesters on the streets all over the country mean that Palestinians temporarily get to breathe a little easier as the armed forces are diverted to police the unruly mobs (albeit with horses and water cannons, and not machine guns, drones, tanks or bombs)? Will those mobs cause as much damage to life and property as those that rampaged unchecked through Palestinian villages a few weeks ago, torching everything in their path, and killing innocent civilians?
Cleverer brains than mine are needed to answer these complex questions, or to explain why my logic might be warped. Thank goodness we have such minds in our world leaders’ heads. The clarity and lucidity employed by the US government spokesperson to explain the reasoning for sending cluster bombs to Ukraine was a good example of such brilliance. My mind is at rest, and I can go back to sleep, or to enjoying my life of peace, freedom and plenty.
The footage above includes extracts from the trailer of a wonderful film, Shadow World.
Finally, I enjoyed this recent interview on the Jimmy Dore show, in which he discusses, with Chris Hedges, the candidacy for the US Presidency, now with the Green Party, of Dr. Cornel West. It’s going to be an interesting campaign!
That’s all for now. Kindly forward this as you see fit, and I thank you for your support.
Best wishes,
Tayo Aluko