"we need to rely on ourselves as a class"

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/class-struggle-is-a-portent-of-things-to-come-15030586.html

Class struggle is a portent of things to come

Wednesday, 15 December 2010

Rather than being ridiculed and condemned as 'thugs' and 'hooligans', the young people who took to the streets across Britain last week are an inspiration.

They should be congratulated for their willingness to confront the political establishment which is continuing its vicious class war against working people.

The only thugs I witnessed were those in police uniforms, lashing out with their batons and horses. Young people were left with no choice except to try and fight their way out of being 'kettled' like animals for more than seven hours and deprived of food and water.

It's about time the Royal Family experienced some of that fear and insecurity experienced by the rest of us. I will certainly not be shedding any crocodile tears.

This concrete struggle, based on self-organisation and direct action, is only a sign of things to come and will only politicise and radicalise a whole new generation who will not sit back and accept that we have to pay for a crisis we were not responsible for.

The lesson is: we need to rely on ourselves as a class to defeat these cuts which affect everyone, from students, unemployed, workers and pensioners, not on empty promises made by politicians at election time.

SEAN MATTHEWS

Workers Solidarity Movement

Crumlin, Co Antrim