September 26, 2007 at 9:36 pm (Blogging, From The Desk)
Following on from the Sunrise’s appearance in Mick Fealty’s top twenty of Irish blogs, management is hugely pleased, and slightly astonished, to note that Andy has given us the number two spot in his list of the top left blogs in the Celtic Isles and England. With a much deserved number one spot to Cedar Lounge.
Like many Socialist Unity readers, I’ll be checking out the listed blogs I’m not familiar with and will probably mine the comprehensive list shamelessly for links. And a quick shout out to Bob from Brockley, who has one of the most irresistible blog titles I’ve seen. I’m sorry that Bob doesn’t like my snide attacks on the Decent Left, but I hope he sticks around as he’ll find snide attacks on lots of people. Our offensiveness at least endeavours to follow strict equal opportunities guidelines, although I wouldn’t put much money on this blog surviving a Section 75 audit.
Huzzah!
4 Comments
September 22, 2007 at 7:28 pm (Blogging, From The Desk)
Those of you who read Iain Dale will know that, in the runup to the launch of his Guide to Political Blogging in the UK, Iain has been running lists of top blogs in different spheres. Just yesterday, the estimable Mick Fealty contributed an Irish top twenty, which contains lots of good stuff, even if it’s slightly heavy on the north-east, and I’m immensely chuffed to notice the Sunrise coming in at 13. “Sharp, closely argued commentary from the Left,” is what Mick says, and you can’t say fairer than that. I am still a little surprised that a blog with as much esoterica as this manages to pull readers at all, but between this and passing 40,000 on the hits counter on the same day, I think some dark liquid in a raised glass is called for. Sláinte and Živili!
3 Comments
January 12, 2007 at 4:43 pm (Far Left, From The Desk)
I notice that my rather facetious comments on the far left’s intervention in the upcoming Stormont election have provoked an irate response from a partisan of the Socialist Party. If you look in the comments below, you will find that I have responded politely to his substantive points. I am of course gratified that at least one Irish leftist is reading this blog, but I sense a dark cloud on the horizon. That dark cloud is the SP’s fulltimer for the internet, the famously humourless Brian Cahill, bombarding me with splenetic comments any time I say anything slightly uncomplimentary about his sect. Therefore I feel it is incumbent on me to spell out from which vantage point I will be dealing with the Irish left. Please allow me to introduce myself…
I was born a long time ago. I write about the left from bitter experience and close observation over many years. I knew the Socialist Party when it was still the RSL, and a brief glance at the timeless contents of The Socialist assures me that my criticisms of it only need updating to the extent that that organisation’s idiosyncrasies have deepened over the years. I have studied the Socialist Workers Movement from the inside, and am better placed than most to examine its Melrose Place cum Darkness At Noon internal life, as well as its public positions. I have seen things that Brian Cahill can’t possibly imagine.
This blog does not represent the viewpoint of any organisation. It represents only the thoughts of a fairly experienced socialist militant. Bearing in mind my extensive familiarity with the existing (and some no longer existing) left groups, it is unlikely that I will go out of my way to be kind to any of them. If members of the Socialist Party or the SWP take umbrage at some of my remarks, tough. If they think I’m being unfair to them, boo hoo. Vu shteyt’s geshribn that I should be fair? My approach will be, credit where credit is due and a smack in the gub where a smack in the gub is due.
If anyone is expecting this to be a flame-fest pure and simple, though, they will be disappointed. I write about the left because I am of the left. I have every intention of writing about the bigger issues of the day, and have indeed begun to do so. And my writing on the left won’t be restricted to exposés of gormlessness – although examples aren’t hard to come by – but will include more sober reflections on the far left experience, as well as some constructive ideas as to how things can be taken forward.
Nobody of course is under any obligation to pay attention to anything I say, still less agree with me. My modest hope is that some readers might find some of my posts thought-provoking, reflect on them, and use them to inform their own ideas. In this spirit I will endeavour to have a civil argument with anyone who wants to argue in a serious way, although I am under no obligation to tolerate the purely abusive and will not do so. I would like an active and interested readership, and hope that this blog can provide a forum for developing debate.
3 Comments
December 19, 2006 at 4:43 pm (From The Desk)
Hello and welcome. This blog is basically designed for me to sound off about whatever takes my fancy, so you’re going to have the virtue of unpredictability.
Expect to see posting on far-left politics, Ireland, the Balkans, history, pop culture and lots of other stuff that I can’t predict at this point. I hope to provoke, enrage, enlighten and amuse. See ya!
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