From: Peter Tatchell

Subject: March against religious attacks on human rights

*March against religious attacks on human rights*

*Defend religious freedom, oppose religious privilege*

Saturday 15 September 2012
Assemble: 13:30 Storeys Gate
March: 14:00-15:00
Rally: 15:00-17:00 Surrey Street (Temple Place)

Join the march and rally against religious attacks on human rights. All
across Europe, religious leaders are orchestrating campaigns against
equality for women and LGBT people, said Peter Tatchell, Director of the
human rights organisation, the Peter Tatchell Foundation.

Most UK religious leaders oppose same-sex marriage. They support legal
discrimination against same-sex couples. Some faith organisations ban women
clergy and bishops. Others oppose divorce, contraception, abortion, donor
insemination, embryo research and adoption by same-sex couples. Several
have been involved in child sex abuse and the cover-up of these crimes
against children.

Cardinal OBrien in Scotland has stirred homophobic prejudice and
intolerance by comparing gay marriage to slavery and by denouncing marriage
equality as grotesque and as an aberration that will lead to society
degenerating into immorality.

Saturdays protest demands an end to religious privilege and to religious
exemption from the equality laws. We support women’s rights, children’s
rights, LGBT rights & all human rights.

While we defend the human rights of all believers and non-believers, it
cannot be right that faith organisations have special rights and privileges
in law.

It is not compatible with democracy for the Church of England to be the
official state religion and for 26 of its bishops to sit automatically in
the House of Lords, with the ability to influence legislation. This is an
insult to people of other faiths and to those with no faith at all, he
said.

*The secular Europe campaign opposes:*

Privileged status of churches under Article 17 of the Treaty on the
Functioning of the European Union
Official state religions and established churches
The special status of the Vatican at the United Nations and its economic
and political privileges across Europe
State-funded religious schools

*The secular Europe campaign supports:*

Freedom of religion, freedom of conscience and freedom of speech
Womens equality and reproductive rights
Equal rights for LGBT people in all the European Union
A secular Europe democratic, peaceful, open and just, with no privilege
for religious organisations
One law for all, no religious exemptions from the law
State neutrality in matters of religion and belief

*CONFIRMED SPEAKERS:*

Robin Ince, Comedian and BHA Distinguished Supporter
Chris French, Skeptic and Professor of Psychology, Goldsmiths University
Warren Ellis, Writer and BHA Distinguished Supporter
Peter Tatchell, Human Rights Campaigner
Joan Smith, Journalist
Mejindarpal Kaur, Legal Director, United Sikhs
Richard Norman, Philosopher
Pavan Dhaliwal, Head of Public Affairs, British Humanist Association
Terry Sanderson, President, National Secular Society
Antony Lempert, Secular Medical Forum Chair
Adam Knowles, Gay And Lesbian Humanist Association
Nahla Mahmood, Council of ex-Muslims of Britain and One law for All
Sue Cox, Survivors Voice Europe
Maurizio Turco MP, Italian Radicals

*For further information:*

Peter Tatchell

www.petertatchellfoundation.org

It is good to have a feel good contribution in support of public transport in this country.

“Build it and they will come”

http://greenleftblog.blogspot.co.uk/2012/09/green-left-fringe-fringe-at-green-party.html

My contribution is at about 21:12 of Howard’s section:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=_A_6BuBeKUI#!

‘The Greens are turning into a force on the radical left’

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/video/2012/sep/10/green-party-gain-crisis-video

Good contributions from Romayne Phoenix and Sean Thompson – of Green Left.

Talking of which – can you spot the Bridgend delegation at the Green Left Fringe here:
Andy in Green (not asleep!) and Gareth looking the smartest member of the whole audience!

Will Duckworth, newly elected Deputy Leader, is a star in the ascendency. I strongly recommend you listen to his speech in its entirety. I may be biased here, because those of you that know me well will see quite a few parallel’s with my own story, but Will adds a tremendously warm and endearing personality to steely determination and inspirational success. He is a true man of the people, for the people.

PART 2:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=8hUTWSH00DM

Will’s successful election was also the pinnacle of Green Left’s success in getting numerous people into positions of influence in the Party – vital to ensuring that the Party stays truly ecosocialist in overall philosophy.

It is particular cause for celebration that Howard Thorp has become Campaign’s Co-ordinator and Derek Wall has become International Co-ordinator. They will both take places on GPEx – Green Party Executive – and be very influential in steering the Party’s course over the next two years at least. Oh, and I have also secured a place on the Green World Editorial Board, filling a seat vacated by Natalie Bennett’s and Derek Wall’s promotions. http://www.greenworld.org.uk/

Hopefully there will be more Green Left committee representatives announced tomorrow. The Green Left Fringe Meeting was encouragingly well supported, and although the theme was somewhat dystopian, there was a good buzz nonetheless.

http://bristolgreenleft.wordpress.com/2012/09/08/green-left-fringe-packs-yha/
Left to right: WILL DUCKWORTH / DEREK WALL / ROMAYNE PHOENIX / HOWARD THORP

And as proof that good news travels fast, we even had an amazing “Clause Four” moment during the debate on Howard’s ‘Economic Democracy’ motion. This is currently best reported here on the Bright Green Scotland blog:
http://brightgreenscotland.org/index.php/2012/09/green-party-clause-four-moment/

All good stuff!!

Andy.

At least seven out of every ten badgers across two areas, each approximately the size of the Isle of Wight, will be shot over a six-week period.

Please help, ask the Prime Minister to call off the cull today!

If the full policy is rolled out, it could affect up to 40 similar-sized areas across England and result in the deaths of up to 130,000 badgers. The scale of the killing could lead to the disappearance of badgers from many local areas.

Scientists involved in the largest-ever study of badgers and bovine tuberculosis, which took 10 years to conduct and cost £50 million, concluded that badger culling can make no meaningful contribution to cattle TB control in Britain.

Humane Society International/UK not only believes that the policy is misguided, it is also greatly concerned that many thousands of badgers could be injured and left to suffer a slow and painful death.

Killing badgers is not the solution. Please join us and tell Prime Minister David Cameron: Listen to the science and kill the cull, not the badgers.

http://e-activist.com/ea-action/action?ea.client.id=105&ea.campaign.id=16188&ea.tracking.id=email

Executive Chair – TIM DAWES
Campaigns Co-ordinator – HOWARD THORP
Elections Co-ordinator – GEOFF SMITH
External Communications Co-ordinator – PENNY KEMP & JOE WILLIAMS (job share)
International Co-ordinator – DEREK WALL
Management Co-ordinator – MARK CRIDGE
Local Party Support Co-ordinator – MATTHEW TOWNSEND
Policy Development Co-ordinator – STUART JEFFERY

I am pleased to say that I have had the chance to get to know 8 of these 11 people quite well through various channels and can assure everyone that this is a strong team that is very capable of taking the Party forward. I know that at least 4 of these people are members of Green Left, including Will Duckworth, so I find that encouraging. Green Left are the growing force in the Green Party, already punching well above its weight in numbers, that will endeavour to keep the Party eco-socialist in philosophy.

It is well known that I did not vote for Natalie, but it is widely acknowledged that she produced the strongest campaign and therefore probably secured the most votes from members not familiar with the candidates. Can she exploit the opportunities presented by a decaying centre-right coalition and a far from dynamic Labour leader? I share Derek Wall’ perspective:
“I think she might. She is intelligent and ambitious. She has proven adept at playing the internal political game, beating candidates who were better known in the party and had stronger backers. So while her aspirations to gain us councillors in every major town and city, to win a tranche of MEPs and to build a parliamentary party, are for the moment just aspirations, they are possible given determination and strategic thought. She has both.”

“She will also gain from the victory of Will Duckworth as deputy leader. A true working class Black Country lad, he won as a councillor in Dudley in May, showing that the party could move beyond its middle-class image and win against Labour in a working-class ward.”

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/03/natalie-bennett-green-party-leader

http://www.natalie4leader.org/ – Natalie’s leadership campaign website

BBC coverage and her first TV interview as leader: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19462474
(Andrew Neill’s pressing for numbers voting was a bit naughty and she didn’t handle it too well – but otherwise a pretty good debut – and she will have to get used to sour old hacks like Neill and Paxman pretty quick!)

I am looking forward to her ‘victory’ address to Conference on Friday afternoon.

Andy Chyba

Add to this the fact that Labour were taking no chances, and rolled out their big machinery and swarmed over Bettws like a rash today (apologies for the mixed metaphors – but it is getting late!), and we were always fighting over the minor places. We did at least beat the Tory – who couldn’t even be bothered to show up to the count.

So, time to re-group and re-evaluate where we are and where we are going. This will be what the whole party will be doing in the wake of the leadership election – with the result for this announced on Monday – and the Annual Conference just a week away.

Einstein said it is insanity to keep doing the same thing and expect different results. So it is more of the same for Bettws and Bridgend CBC. How depressing is that?

Welcome to the Asylum of the Universe!