Statement from Dirty Revolution re: Saleh Family/UKBA

south wales | peace | opinion/analysis Friday November 02, 2012 12:28 by Reb Elle

I would like to express my gratitude to Bristol Indymedia for removing the article which accused me of vocally supporting UKBA and racist thugs.

I know the rumour mill is still running and that it's time to put this to bed and concentrate on the real matter in hand:  Fighting against the unjust removal of families such as the Saleh family.

My final word on this is:

I DO NOT SUPPORT THE UKBA, their employees or RACISM/FACISM of any kind. 

I wrote to Teresa May in support of the Saleh family and also called the airline to protest them removing them the first time around.

On reflection I wish I had publically declared this but that would seem to be using their situation for my own gain.

This whole thing stemmed from me sending a PERSONAL message to Nicky Williams father Gagz on Facebook, which someone obviously saw, saying "love to you Daddio" in which I meant as a message of support parent to parent as I feel he has been put in a terrible position and he is a long time friend of mine/campaigner AGAINST deportation.  This does not mean I don't care about the Saleh family or that I support UKBA/Their employees or RACIST THUGS.  Or that I feel more sorry for Gagz than the Saleh family.

The other thing I did was to 'like' a facebook comment a friend put on the FB page denouncing Solutions/No Choice and to clarify, what I was 'liking' in this comment, was the fact that this person, also a very good friend of mine, was saying that we need to deeply discuss Immigration Issues and Solutions to it, more than we need to witchunt individual employees and their families or label people Nazis.   Though I understand the anger at a 'Punk' working for UKBA and the hypocrisy of that. 

I DO NOT support any individual employees of UKBA or the organisation as a whole.

I did not agree with all of this persons views.  I should have been more clear about that, but I really didn't want to involve myself in the anger against Nicky William or his Father denouncing them as in my opinion that's not the fight I am fighting.  Plenty of people were already arguing over that.  

I was naieve not to declare my OWN position which is UKBA are scum, No Borders is what we should all work towards and individual employees of UKBA are accountable for their actions.  I personally would not label them Nazi's, but please do not endlessly argue with me about that as it's not important whether they are Nazi's or not really is it?  I condemn what they do as do most of you.

Someone who I probably know and have worked with, but who hasn't got the balls to speak to me directly or say who they are, decided to take offence at this, without asking me what my position is, and lumped me in with UKBA and it's symapthisers.  That was very unfair.  It's unfair to assume and then publish artcles based on assumption.  That's not the point of free media.  It undermines it.

My position is not always one of Direct Action more one of discussion/debate/lobbying/raising awareness and finding solutions. 

In my opinion, in order to make a change you need both Direct Action and people who fight the good fight through other mediums such as those above.

Together we can make a change.  Divided we cannot.

Please can we put this to bed now, in relation to me and Dirty Revolution, and concentrate on what's important. 

I will continue to support Asylum seekers, No Borders and to write music which I hope raises awareness and encourages young people to do that too.

No-one in my position would like to be accused of what I was accused of, especially if it's not true.  I hope you can appreciate that this is no PR/Ego thing.  I was deeply hurt over these claims, but that pain is nothing next to the pain Asylum Seekers such as the Saleh family face.

I have posted a link to the Save The Saleh family gp.

Please now put all this anger and energy into helping them and other families like them and I will do the same.