Diary of a Domestic Extremist

Diary of a Domestic Extremist, Ideas, New in Ceasefire - Wednesday, November 17, 2010 9:00 - 4 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist Big Brother will soon be watching you

A week after the Milbank student protest, a vast witch-hunt is already under way by the police to track down the 'culprits'. Using popular displays of outcry over the cuts as a pretext, the government is stepping up its efforts to spy on activists and the public. In his new column, Mikhail Goldman says resistance is essential.

Diary of a Domestic Extremist, New in Ceasefire - Wednesday, November 3, 2010 8:00 - 7 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist One of the lads!

A few days ago, the UK activist movement was rocked by the revelation that one of its leading activists has been working, for over a decade, as an undercover police officer. As Mikhail Goldman highlights in his latest column, the case of Mark Stone/Kennedy has exposed some serious weak spots in activism. Lessons must be learnt, fast.

Diary of a Domestic Extremist, New in Ceasefire, Politics - Wednesday, October 20, 2010 11:42 - 0 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist: The Final Cut?

The Con-Dem cuts, the latest attempt to dismantle the welfare state, will see massive, catastrophic changes to the social make up of the country. In his latest column, Mikhail Goldman says the fightback already under way can stop the unfolding disaster, but only through unity, courage and an awareness of past mistakes.

Diary of a Domestic Extremist, Ideas, New in Ceasefire - Wednesday, October 6, 2010 2:00 - 49 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist: Why I hate activism

What does it really mean to be an "activist"? Are activists deluding themselves about being agents of radical change? In an impassioned polemic, Mikhail Goldman argues that today's activist movements, far from being the creative, truly revolutionary wave they purport to be, risk becoming, themselves, agents of bigotry, sexism, and elitism.

Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist, Politics - Tuesday, September 14, 2010 0:30 - 2 Comments

Morrissey, the privileged and the ‘Subspecies’ of Neoliberalism

Morrissey's outburst in Saturday's Guardian, calling the Chinese a "subspecies", provoked acres of outraged newsprint. And yet, as Mikhail Goldman argues in this week's diary, whilst many of us in countries like the UK may not consciously agree with the idea, we certainly end up benefiting from the very treatment of the Chinese and other Asians, Africans, Latin Americans and East Europeans as "subspecies". Our hypocritical outrage, Goldman points out, is no less outrageous.

Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist - Wednesday, September 1, 2010 12:00 - 8 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist – The New Empires

In this week's diary, Mikhail Goldman tackles the omnipresent red, blue and white masts of the Tesco empire. Far from helping communities and seeking socially-positive efficiencies, Goldman shows how Tesco and its rivals have been aggressive in their pursuit of profit and relentless in using their considerable power to silence opposition. The Tesco success story is a mirage built on a billion little failures, but a growing resistance is finally gaining ground.

Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist, Politics - Thursday, August 26, 2010 2:01 - 9 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist – Carry on Camping?

The past week has seen the 5th Camp for Climate Action take place outside the Royal Bank of Scotland's headquarters in Edinburgh. In a passionately polemical column, Mikhail Goldman argues that the choice of target could have brought together a wide spectrum of greens and anti-capitalists, but that the timing was completely wrong. He concludes that although the climate camp movement has to be applauded for its considerable achievements, its prominence has come at a heavy price.

Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist - Thursday, August 19, 2010 11:38 - 9 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist – The EDL: Street fighting for the establishment

The last 18 months has seen the meteroic rise of the EDL. In two weeks, they are planning to organise a protest in Bradford, their 'Big One'. In his new piece, Mikhail Goldman provides a powerful analysis of the socio-political reasons behind the popularity of the EDL and provides a few pointers as to how the response to it should be; puncturing, in the process, a number of myths and illusions that are harboured by both EDL supporters and their opponents.

Columns, Diary of a Domestic Extremist - Thursday, August 12, 2010 13:53 - 5 Comments

Diary of a Domestic Extremist: When legal means are not enough

The recent bankruptcy of the Refugee and Migrant Justice (RMJ) charity has left thousands of asylum seekers stuck in hopelessness and despair, leading at least one of them, Rasul Osman, to take his own life. This is the latest in a series of attempts by the previous government and the current coalition to make it harder than ever for those seeking a safe haven from torture and violence to do so in dignity and respect. Mikhail Goldman explains the impact created by recent changes to the legal aid system and the catstrophic consequences on the lives of the vulnerable. He also sends out a clear message: when the law fails those it is supposed to protect, only human solidarity and a common determination can make a difference.

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