ARTICLE FOR RIOTER’S BLOCK

Written on the 16^th of November 2006

– MINORITIES –

There will always be a distinct minority which will disagree, which will have different desires from the masses and hence will instigate the momentum for change. Whether this change is intrinsically good or bad is another question, but there will at least be movement in the society, preventing evolution from reaching a standstill.

If we accept this, then it holds true that any society should nurture variety of opinion, to allow diversity of perspective and impede any possibility of monotony of thought from manifesting itself in the minds of the people. This is the killer of all intelligence and originality of thought and should be dutifully and diligently avoided.

Taken then, the accusation that so often is flung in the direction of this paper and its authors, that because the world is not a socialist or ideal one and is not ‘likely to change’, they claim that thinking as we do, differently, is futile and will serve no purpose.

Indeed? The segregation in America was wrong by all standards in the 1960’s, but that does not imply that the oppressed should not have risen in protest, that they should simply have accepted things as they were. Martin Luther King Jr., by that judgement, was a fool. This is not, by far, the singular example, but it proves the point. Minorities are not wrong simply because they are minorities. And acceptance of any state of repression, even when the future looks bleak, is defeatist.

Therefore, it is wrong to say that people should not think in terms of a better, more idealistic world. At least there are some, if not many, who may initiate some change. A stone dropped in a pond may sink to the bottom, but it sends ripples across the entire surface of the still water. You may accept the world as it is, but do not look down on those who cannot and do not. And when you are reaping the benefits of the revolutionaries’ tactics and methods, perhaps you will not condemn them so vehemently as you do now.

Remember, “Someone is sitting in the shade today because someone planted a seed a long time ago.” (Warren Buffet)

– R*A*P

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Empty concepts, empty words, empty politics

Nationalism has always been a problem in Spain, but it has never reached today’s ridiculous extremes. President Zapatero has the whim to be remembered as the hero who saved Spain from Basque nationalist terrorism and for this reason he has invented a “process of peace” with the terrorist organisation ETA. There can be no process of peace when there is no war. And, as far as I know, there is no war going on in the Basque Country. This “peace” is among other things an insult to ETA’s innocent victims. Have their deaths been in vain? After decades of vehement anti-terrorism, the Spanish government now surrenders unconditionally to the wishes of a few fanatical empty heads – that is all it is reduced to in the end. Of the three million Basques, three thousand want independence. Three thousand. Zapatero faces opposition at home: what does he do? He attempts to legitimise his process of peace by presenting it to the European Union, conscious that sympathy for ETA is rather popular in Europe. But know this. One should understand and may sympathise with a “terrorist” who sacrifices his life for the cause of freedom and the end of oppressive occupation, but not with a coward murderer serving the ambitions of a few nationalist politicians. These ambitions are as stupid as they are varied. An example: Ibarretxe, head of the Basque Nationalist Party, has claimed that his ultimate dream is a World Cup final between Catalonia and the Basque Country (no, I didn’t make this up). Only ignorant fools can believe that heavy words like “oppression” can be applied to the situation in the Basque Country. However, whether Spain ends up divided into twenty different states is completely irrelevant. The country –or, should we say, group of countries– faces far more important social and economic problems that are deliberately hidden under this foolish and much publicised wave of nationalism. Spain is full of anachronisms, but the worst of them is nationalism. The Spanish right, worthy follower of Francoist values, now claims that the national political situation greatly resembles that of 1934, and that the country is on the verge of civil war due to the reckless policies of the “left”, which are destroying the unity of Spain. There is at least one important difference: the “left” of 1934 had a sense of social justice and revolutionary spirit that nowadays, I am ashamed to say, seem gone. This is not extraordinary considering that “left-wing” parties cease to be so under the appearance of “democracy” and parliamentarism. “Democracy’s” main success is putting the revolutionary spirit of the people in a state of hibernation. But if the numerous mistakes, corruption, incoherence and plain idiocy of this and all the other governments in the 30 years of Spanish “democracy” have not reawakened it, I really can’t see what can. People are led to believe that “democracy” is the only good system so that any other alternative must be bad. Conforming to “democracy” happens to be a moral obligation. Voting becomes necessary: it makes people think that they are participating, that they are taking the decisions. And there is nothing more satisfying for a voluntarily political ignorant person than a sense of self-importance. It reassures him in his ignorance. Solutions cannot possibly be found within the putrid “democratic” system. “Democracy”, “moderation”, “liberalism” and all those charming words are empty rhetoric, false and impractical. Action is required. And action can only be taken through that magic word – and one full of meaning: revolution. The main thing to avoid is “working against a system from within”. If we don’t want to end up becoming part of it!

A Zappatista

This is American Justice.
Thats a link by the way.

The Student Lounge

A place for and by the students

What the Students Want

The student lounge’s mission is to create an area on campus where all students feel welcome and can escape from the normal bustle, hustle and dreariness that reigns over the rest of the school. There are now so many students in our school that there are very few places where students can truly feel welcome and can relax. The lounge also allows us to find a place that does not come under the control which is imposed in other parts of the school. How do we know that this is what the students want? Because this is what they have been clamoring for, for years now, and this is what they have personally told senior Lounge activists.

What We Had

We used to have a whole large room dedicated to the students, 6 or 7 years ago. Due to the exponentially expanding student population, this then other leisure oriented areas of the school where rapidly eliminated, to the benefit of more classrooms. Most recently a group of students, dedicated and determined to cut through the red-tape to the core of the problem and fix it, occupied an unused area outside the MMC. This area was large enough and spacious enough to accommodate 20-25 students in relative comfort at its peak. What we, the Lounge activists, did was rehabilitate this space. We harmed to no one, taking away nothing from anyone, and giving hundred fold what this space offered to start off with. We used the materials available to create a closed off space, using boards and chairs, positioned to create a relaxed area. Of note is also the helpfulness and cooperation of the librarians. Came generous donations to the lounge in form of a kettle and a stereo and thus music and tea became unavoidable elements of the fledgling lounge. Arrived a carpet, bringing together this space that was still cold in appearance. The carpet gave this space a very nice finishing touch. How we were proud of our lounge. Our tireless efforts and commitment to create a space of peace and well being within the school finally truly paid off. Students started flowing in, giving this unused space its first breath of continuous activity since it was built, years ago. Thanks to our efforts the space was kept clean and ready… But then…

What Happened

It was Friday morning, the third day, that Mrs. Berrada arrived questioning our legitimacy and our right to exist in this (our) space. Mr. Chinal rapidly arrived on the scene in a state of obvious excitation and questioned more forcefully. Attempting as we could do defend the student’s space and effort, we eventually caved in under the threat of police (!) intervention. Accused of squatting we were given the very clear and imperious command to clear out or else. It appears that these two school authorities, whose offices are both found in the Main building, believed we were disrupting the entire school by our noisy and unruly existence. However we had noted no complaints from any of the users of the building or the MMC. We were also likened to dictatorial revolutionaries, vanguards prepared to take over for our own ends, disregarding those of the Students. We were accused, entirely falsely, of having taken over this space for our own selfish wants. These accusations were not true as all were welcome and indeed al grades enjoyed this space equally since its habilitation. We were however compelled to clear up our things in order to avoid any further trouble to the users of this space, who were being amalgamated to activists and against whom we feared the anger of the administration might turn upon. Thus the carpet was rolled up, the electronics stowed away, and the Lounge returned to its old, cold and silent self, occupied but by a handful of the more resilient students. However we remain confident that the Lounge can and will return to its former glory and surpass it…

Hopes and Plans

A small group of Student activists met with Mr. Binge and discussed the future of this space. We were requested to talk to the 12^th Graders Council, still considered as the elected representatives, and asked to submit a plan. Only then could the Lounge be approved. The more dedicated elements of the group vowed to bring back the lounge no matter what, risking anything for the students. A few refused point blank and negotiations with the Council. As it stands the Student Union, representative of the demands of student activists and the interests of the Lounge, is not supportive of the 12^th Graders Council who have shown nothing but disrespect towards our initiatives and actions, who were taken in the interests of the students, and who harmed nobody, on the contrary providing a long overdue service to the school. We are however prepared to inform the Council of our plans, which are as follow:

- To rehabilitate the Student Lounge as soon as possible

- To include the following within it

- A stereo (available)

- A kettle (available)

- A couch and other seating arrangements (Pledged and available)

- Music CDs, on the condition of their respectful use (Pledged and available)

- MP3 connection for the stereo (pledged and available)

- More boards, so that the space is closed up better (pledged and available

- A computer (pledged)

These are our plans. This is our history. We have come too far to be dismissed. We have achieved too much to be ignored.

the Student Union.

Article inspired by “We The People” show on NDTV where the motion debated was “Are hospitals becoming hotels in India?”

Do the middle and upper classes represent the majority of the people of India? That would be a crafted statistic. One-third of the country’s population still live in abject poverty, barely surviving on less than a dollar a day. And yet, it is a ‘democratic’ society, where everyone has a voice. You would think therefore, that the government would address this issue, even if its only incentive was the fear of losing support of a large portion of the electorate. But it doesn’t work that way.

These millions of people, the real people, are not provided for by the government. They do not have social security, and though they are the ones who most need access to hospitals and medical care, they are denied it. Private hospitals are built like hotels and are subsidized (yes, subsidized) by the government. If you have the money, you have the service.

Thus we see the unequal distribution, the iron grip of the rich. The situation is in such dire straits that the poor have lost the will to act. And if they do not unite in action, they cannot express themselves with force.

But do not think that this is true only of India. One need not look further than America to observe this phenomenon in action, even in so-called ‘developed countries’. These societies were founded or have evolved into class obsessed systems and until this is obliterated, destroyed, revolutionized, a society cannot begin to consider itself democratic or civilized.

Not until the voice of every man and woman is heard. Not until the colour of your skin or the cost of your clothes is rendered insignificant in terms of your basic human rights. Not until your government bows to you, and not you to it, will the world begin a progressive step forward and initiate the negation of the backward process that began with imperialism.

This negation starts here, with us. If we respect each other, if we listen to what everyone has to say, we can set an example for others to follow.

So friends, let’s begin.

R*A*P

18-19 October 2006 – STANDING ALONE, IB Theatre arts monologue evenings.

The IB Theatre arts class in thirteenth grade exploded on to their solo scenes with a consistent level of high-quality performances all around. The adaptations of plays and transformations of novels were impressively diverse though typically female dominated the show remained equally dispersed throughout varied psychological and historical themes in contemporary theatre.

The night was opened by Elise’s terrific interpretation of “I stand before you naked” by Joyce Carol Oates. We are taken in to the psyche of a truly desperately bored, devious housewife who spends her lonely hours at home signing checks off to every type of charity possible in order to be able to sleep well at night with a clear conscience. The notion of death and the possibility of ending up in hell after a life of effortless comfort strikes this lonely housewife who surrenders a full dependence upon the obsessive work of her husband and stays at home alone making steps towards heaven via the husbands pay checks. In this case the amusing twist came with the wild imaginary community that lives inside her mind that she protects by the use of her husbands gun. This was successfully used as a prop and handled with much precision of motion and timing of gestures. The hilarious mental disturbance of this woman was magnificently represented by Elise’s tone, clarity of expression and the often explosive comical thoughts and actions of her character. The wife launders the husbands money by taking away his payment cheques. She makes a full reconsideration of her humanitarian vocation and leaves the crowd cheering and laughing…

-Amongst the dying claps and cheers you could start to hear the voice of the typical wasted teenager at a school play over enthusiastically cheering; “That was splendid! Simply outstanding!”. Clapping along well past the crowds cheers you could instantly recognise the voice as coming from the one and only Assaf Levin. He made a direct and spontaneous entrance into the spectator’s zone in order to heat up the atmosphere for a tour of Willy Wanker’s magic chocolate factory!

Assaf’s transformation of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate factory was much appreciated by the audience whose widespread popularity made this show a comic success by invoking, in many of us a return to the good old days of our childhood’s illustrated by the genial imagination of Roald Dahl. Crowd interaction was necessary and well employed considering the fact that it was a tour. Assaf managed to make me feel like a little proletarian English kid who found a penny and won a trip to the most extravagant and colourful chocolate factory in the world presented by one hell of an eccentric dude. Wonka creates a whole range of tripped out magic candy inventions that are often accompanied by physiological deformations. Then the guy tells us he’s got pipes flowing with chocolate yet that Wanker of a Willy won’t let my poor ass taste that shit, instead he recommends that I pass by the factory shop on the way out! So I reckon the show was highly ironic yet the character proved very charismatic on the whole. I found that Assaf’s strong control of stage attention took us all on a debatably psychedelic trip of Wonka’s mystery candy elaboration. There is an interesting critique of the side-effects induced by synthetic melting-pot candy produced by large candy companies: The adverse effects of child vice and gourmet speculation. Fantastic round of applause for Assaf!

-The next piece took me on the whole by pleasant surprise. Sophie brilliantly honoured a much loved absurd theatre classic with her sentimental and physical lover: her cello. The epic monologue was represented in its original French version and it took us through an entirely different approach to sexual instruments. It was executed with much elegance and sensuality whilst proving absurdly comic. For those who might remember back to the class of 05 Monologues, Nissa represented the same play also in its original French version and used much more mime than props. However, Sophie’s proved a great deal more extensive and was propped up by a great big cello which provided for much use of movement and touch that made her sexually incoherent attraction seem physically plausible. “Il faut que j’aprenne a jouer !» mais tant qu’ on puisse toucher on peut toujours aimer !! Thumbs up to Sophie for taking us through her private affair with a cello and letting us enjoy the absurdly humorous situation it created.

-Sacha impressively took the stage with the frustrated impatience of a young girl’s desire to get engaged with a man called Archie. Her dilemma comes through in her interior debate over whether she should and why she could not propose herself to this Archie type. She interpreted the role of Martha in Walter Ben Hare’s “A Leap year Leap”. Her expressions and movements were both very naturally represented with a great deal of elegance and humour. Sacha successfully satirised the much loved scene of a damsel in emotional distress over her potential fiancee. All her inner arguments as to her possibility of proposing and the level of their relationship are immediately nullified by a letter that arrives from Archie declaring his long omitted love for her and his proposal to marriage. Sacha successfully demonstrated the immediate elation felt by Martha upon reading Archie’ s romantic letter. I was stunned by the high level of naturally this performance was handled with. The quality was tops. Big up to Sacha for an amazing monologue

Due to format limitations the rest of the Wednesday and Thursday night performances will be reviewed in next weeks issue of Rioters Block. B*R*W*G*-

Rioters Block has a new email adress:

riotersblock AT gmail DOT com

Also Rioter's Block is having a meeting on Thursday at Lunchtime outside the MMC

- THE CONFORMITY OF OPINION -

One would expect, in a school such as ours that calls itself international, to find a diversity of opinion and an atmosphere of lively controversy. Che Guevara haunts every corner and backpack, a symbol of adolescent rebellion; yet most often coupled with that common teen abhorrence of communism and fascination with the free market. At the end of the day they all retire to those ‘ever reliable’ McDonalds, Burger King and Starbucks joints – American multi-national corporations that greedily conquer every inch of the planet and engulf the consumer.

Where did originality and individual spirit go? A little while ago, Carpe Diem published an issue with a political cartoon on the front cover. This cartoon depicted a Muslim man (supposedly an Arab) reading a newspaper article about the failed/foiled (and alleged) terror plot while watching a trailer for the infamous ‘Snakes on a plane’ wondering, “Why didn’t we think of that?” I find it shocking, in such an international environment, that people can stoop so low. Have opinions – of course – but have some respect too. This cartoon clearly demonstrates the uniformity of opinion within the boundaries of our school system. And it is racist, discriminatory and unjust. This incriminating assumption on the part of the ‘first world’ countries in the west that “all Muslims are not terrorists but all terrorists are Muslim” shows just how far backward we have come from any possible sense of social justice or equality.

Have you ever held a minute’s silence for the thosands of victims in Palestine? Have you ever even considered the continued plight of the people in Afghanistan and Iraq, or remembered and respected the thousands who suffered from the Tsunami after 2004 was over? And now ask yourself if you’ve remembered or held silence for September 11^th victims, of the July 7^th bombings in London or even the Armistice of the First World War. Isn’t it perverse? These are ‘first world’ tragedies – that is why they are seen in so important and critical a light. These are disasters that have affected the countries that deem themselves MDC’s. I ask you, are you more developed if you are like the USA and have much money and weapons, and less developed if you’re like Egypt and economically poorer but with a wealth of culture and heritage? Oh yes, I see the logic.

These terms, these stereotypes, these segregations – how can we not yet be rid of them? It is a hypocritical world we inhabit, thinking the west superior because of its military might and power over others. Imperialism is still rife in new forms, and it will make people rise. Oaxaca will lead the way to revolution. And if you’re afraid of a repetition of 1917, then it is time to think and revolutionise your ideas. Have some respect for others, don’t look down at people, don’t use such sick stereotypes of other cultures. And don’t conform. Be original, think for yourselves. Or all the world will be lost to fools.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I would like to thank the Carpe Diem for issuing the obscene cartoon that has inspired this article.

BY R*A*P*