FREE JULY 11-25, 1983 A RED RAG ſtyling itſelf The Only Newſpaper in READING ___________________________________ CONTAINING on page 3 DIVERS EVENTS and a Guide to ſundry forthcoming OCCASIONS of PUBLIC ENJOYMENT on PAGE 4 and also a NARRATION upon Events lately transpiring upon the Common at Greenham, BERKS, AND A DISCOURSE concerning Horrid Engines of WAR on page 6 ___________________________________ Red Rag being the only Newſpaper of the town of READING is produced, also printed upon Sound Principles befitting Co-operative Action. It has no political connexions or affiliations, the aim is to provide for the Common People of this Borough a full and perfect account of local news and events and also to publish the opinions of the Meanest of Folk. It will publish material submitted to an open but rigorous Editorial Meeting held on the Thursday before publication. Red Rag will not print material considered Racist nor Sexist neither will it print material supportive of oppressive religions or other divers oppressive organisations, long term aims pertaining to Organisation and other Divers Matters are made at the meeting of the Collective held in the Afternoon of a day, being one every 4 or 6 weeks. See Events for clarification. ___________________________________ READING. Printed at Acorn by members of the Red Rag Collective. 1983. - - - The Stationer to the Reader. After this iſſue of RED RAG we will have NO MONEY AT ALL. So if you want to receive RED RAG in future you must send us some Money. Cheques made out to RED RAG should be sent to Flat 2, 66 Wokingham Road, Reading. Standing order forms are available at Acorn. For your information, each Rag coſts about 9 pence to produce. Next iſſue for 3 weeks. Contact 666681, 666524 or c/o Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St with news; 666681 for distribution; 666681 for events, and 581222 ext 423[Helen] for going out guide. Next copy date is Thursday 24 July. If the next iſſue takes place and you would like to help, phone 66668l. Also help is needed to raise funds. Look out for a benefit soon. - - - Green Ham Over the past few days women have blockaded Greenham Common Airbase in protest at the siting of Cruise missiles there. The media have claimed that the protest has been a failure, because workers and police have succeeded in entering and leaving the base each day, in convoys of up to forty buses. Nonetheless work has definitely been delayed; and hundreds of women from all over Britain and abroad have each day disrupted normal work at Greenham and brought Cruise missiles yet again to public attention. The following paragraphs are written for the Rag following a telephone conversation with a woman who demonstrated, was arrested, charged and fined, and returned the following day to give more support. The general impression of the women there is that the police got more aggressive on Friday, the last day of the protest, than they had been during the rest of the week. This is one of the factors that led to a more dejected atmosphere on Friday. On Thursday the first blockade lasted only briefly but after a meeting more definite decisions were taken by the women about what should be done. Forty minutes before the second convoy of workers arrived at eleven o'clock there was much singing and dancing and energy. Women lay curled up in the road holding on to one another. Fifty-one women were arrested during the day. They were taken first to Newbury Racecourse where they were held in the canteen. When carrying out the arrests the police issued a general warning and at least some of the women were not cautioned individually before being arrested. At the racecourse everyone was photographed, even those who refused to give their permission. After a wait of five hours the women were taken to the police station and charged. Most pleaded not guilty or refused to plead. On both the last two days horses were used; and on Friday they were even gallopped towards the women, who lay down in front of them. Vehicles entering the base were again delayed and one convoy was turned away from at least two different gates. The fence was cut in two places and some women were able to get into the base. Sixty-five women were arrested on Friday, most for obstruction, although about fifteen were charged with criminal damage. One woman was knocked unconscious while being arrested. On Friday younger women were being singled out and threatened with being sent to Holloway. The solicitors defending the women described Friday as a 'pretty amazing afternoon', also stating that the police appeared partial in who they arrested for simple obstruction and who they arrested for criminal damage. Certain women who have admitted responsibility for criminal damage have not been charged while others who maintain their innocence have, been (the criminal damage charge relates to the fence-cutting). Inside the court itself there was more singing. The Magistrate took a patronising attitude towards the women, telling them to behave and threatening to put people out of court. One woman who complained about the confiscation of her property (a pair of shears) was returned to the cells. Another woman was dragged across the floor. Also on Friday one woman was sent to Holloway for seven days for refusing to pay a £10 fine dating from April. The trials for those women who pleaded not guilty have been set for late September. C - - - I went to Greenham, for the first time, to blockade with a bunch of women from Reading who'd just got together in the previous couple of weeks. It's great, not having to go by yourself into these things. We make a pretty good singing outfit! It's confusing as to what I achieved. (I speak only for me.) In one way, I went and was there, and caused my bit of disruption. In another way, they did what the they wanted. I saw my share of police state in action (at the double! New tactic - run out of the vans at a gallop, move everyone in sight, avoid eye contact, then run back to the vans at a gallop and zoom off into the sunset.) I hate to admit that it threw me, somewhat, but raised my anger even more! liz - - - EVENTS Mon 11 "The Campus and the Local Economy" - one-day conference. Topics include; the state of Berkshire, the changing rural environment, housing in an area of growth, economic development and the private sector, community based local economic development. Cost £6, full programme from Joint Centre for Land Development Studies, at the University. Tue 12 BANC General Meeting (Berks Anti-Nuclear Campaign): speaker from Campaign Against the Arms Trade, talking in the run-up to the Greenham Common Arms Bazaar later this month. Open to all 8pm, Friends' Meeting House, Church St. Wed 13 Friends of the Earth - pub meeting. Ring John or Anne on 868260 for details. Peace Pledge Union meeting - 7.30pm, St Saviour's Terrace (off Field Rd, off Castle Hill) Thu 14 East Reading Anti-Nuclear Group social. 21 Eastern Avenue, 8pm till late, bring a bottle, all welcome. Fri 15 Vegetarian Dining - delicious meal for £2 at Fairview Community Centre, George St. 7.30. Free live entertainment. Tickets at Acorn. Sat 16 Embassies Link Demo - link the US and USSR Embassies 2pm after Hyde Park rally 1pm. Bus from Alder Valley bus station 11.30am. Tickets £2 (£1.50 unwaged) from Acorn, 17 Chatham St or ring Neil on 582668. International Co-operative Day - annual festival, All Saints Hall, Downshire Square, 7.30pm. Admission by ticket only, ring Neil 532668. Sun 17 City Farm Open Day - welly-boot-throwing, New Games, pony & tractor rides, goats, sheep, plant and book stalls, refreshments etc. At the Cowsey, Blagdon Road, Whitley. 2pm. Free. Picnic - "to support resistance to ecological and military destruction". Bring what you expect to find to Primrose Hill from 1pm on. In London. Youth CND - anyone under 21 who wants to campaign in their own way? AUEW Hall, 121 Oxford Road, 2pm if you can't make it but are interested, ring Trevor on 582668. Open Garden - The Old Rectory, Burghfield. 2-6pm, 40p (kids 10p) Sun 17 RED RAG Collective meeting, open to all interested, 4pm. Flat 7, 66 Wokingham Road. Tue 19 Health Watch - meets whenever the District Health Authority does. See article last issue or ring 54123. 7.30pm, Centre for the Jobfree. Wed 20 Herbal Medicine - public meeting. Talk with slides by local osteopath David Potterton. 8pm, St Mary's Centre, Chain St. Thu 21 Star 83 Symposium - this part of the weekend's Greenham jamboree is at the Hexagon. Demo planned. Watch noticeboard in Acorn or ring Andrew 873072 for details. Fri 22 to Sun 24 Comiso - Mass Occupation - another Cruise Missile site, this one in Sicily. The Mafia have been awarded all the building contracts. The locals are vehemently opposed and are organising a mass occupation at Magliacco airport... You could always send a donation to 1 Coordinamente Leghe, Autogestite contre la base Missilistria di Comiso, via Conte di Torino, 1. Comiso, Italy. Coordinating ideas from 121 Bookshop, 121 Railton Rd, London SW2. Sun 24 Green Barbecue at Pangbourne (I think that means meat!) Tickets £1.50 (kids 50p) from Maria 663195 Ecology Party. Regular Meetings Anarchists - every Monday, 8pm. Write to Box 19, Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St for details. Ecology Party - two Mondays per month, 8pm. Venue for July 18 is 38 Longbarn Lane. BANC Women's Group - first Monday of the month from August. 8pm, Women's Centre, Abbey St. ROAR (Reading Organisation for Animal Rights) - first Tuesday of the month (eg Aug 2nd). 8pm, the Crown, Crown St. Socialist Workers' Party - every Wednesday, 8pm, Red Lion, bottom of Southampton St. City Farm - organisational meeting every Wed, 7.30, Ashmead School, Northumberland Avenue. Amnesty - second Tuesday of month (July 12). 8pm, St Mary's Centre, by the church in the Butts. Women's Centre - "First of the Month" meeting on the first of the month. 8pm, open to all women interested. Women's Centre, basement of Old Shire Hall, Abbey St. Community Action Group - every second Wednesday (eg July 20), 8pm, Fairview Community Centre at the far end of George St. All welcome to come along and discuss ideas or offer voluntary help on local? projects. Activities so far include Mutual Aid Scheme, Wholefoods Co-op, New Games sessions. Claimants' Action Group - new reformed dynamic group meets every Wed, 1pm, Centre for the Jobfree, 4-6 East St. See article this issue. Red Rag Next issue: planning meeting & copy deadline Thurs 21st, 8pm. typing Thurs evening and Friday 22nd lay out and paste up Saturday 23rd ` printing Saturday evening folding and labelling Sunday morning distribution Sunday afternoon Help always wanted and much appreciated. Ring 666681 with offers of help for next issue and to find out where it's all happening. Women's Centre - new opening times from July:- Tuesday 10.30 - 2.00 drop Wednesday 10.30 - 2.00 in Saturday 12.00 - 4.00 times Also: Free pregnancy testing - Tuesday 7-9pm. Bring urine sample from first pee of the day. Girls' Club - every third Saturday (eg July 3th) 2.30 - 4.30. Disco and activities for ages 9-12 Music Club - every second Sat (eg July 14th 11am till noon. The Women's Centre is in Abbey St, near the Arch. All women are very welcome to use it. Reading Gay Switchboard - ring 597269 between 7 and 9pm Tuesdays and Fridays. Women's Institute Market - handicraft, fruit, veg, flowers plants, cakes etc. Every Thursday, 9am - 1pm, St Mary's Church House, St Mary's Butts. Recommended. Your Rights... - East Reading Rights Group stall outside the church on the Junction, every Sat, 11am - 1pm. S.W.A.G. ('Save waste and gain' charity paper collection) Skips at Superkey, Palmer Park, Northumberland Avenue, St Martin's Precinct, Recreation Rd and Great Knollys St. 8.30am - 12.30pm. Every first Saturday of the month. - - - DIVERSIONS of a scurrilous nature monday the eleventh Bull Hotel, Nettlebed: Sara Daniels, 8ish, £? (folk) South Hill Park, Bracknell: The Devils (18), 7.30 £1.90 + concessions Playhouse, Oxford: Cambridge Footlights Revue, 7.45; Sat 8pm, £3.25-3.75 + concessions. To 16th tuesday the twelfth Hexagon; West Side Story, 7.30, Sat matinee 2.30 £2-3 + concessions. Tues evening + Sat matinee £2 Fives: Boys from Brazil, 8ish, free Tudor Arms: Gay Disco, 8ish, free The Mill, Sonning: Out of the Crocodile, 2pm and 8.15, £6.90-11.90 inc meal. To Aug 6th S.H.P.: Five Days One Summer (PG), 7.30 £1.90 + conc to 16th. wednesday the thirteenth Meadway School Tilehurst: Music and Dance Festival 7.30 60p kids/oaps 40p also on 14th. thursday the fourteenth Fives: John Sinclair Roadshow 8ish free. Target: Tredegar, 8ish £1. Horse & Barge Duke St; Folk Club 8ish free; Angies, Milton Rd, Wokingham: Illusions 9-late £1-2. friday the fifthteenth Tudor Arms; Gay Disco 8ish free. Caribbean Club, London St: Warm Snorkel 9.30 - late £1.50. S.H.P: Valentino (18) 11.30 £1.90 + conc also on 16th. Angles: Jeep, 9- late £1-2. saturday the sixteenth Hex: Reading Coop Jazzers 12.15 free. Central Club, London St: Quorum + guest star Janes Brownne + King Solomon Sounds 8-late £2.50 (not the James Brown). Caribbean Club: G + F Promotion Disco £1.50 9-late. S:H.P: Di SEaney's Judy & Punch 1pm free. Angies: K K Khan 9-late £1-2. sunday the seventeenth Forbury Gardens: Reading Spring Gardens 3pm free. Fives: Lorelei lunchtime free. Allied Arms St Mary's Butts - Readifolk 8ish free. S.H.P.: Cept j j Waller 1pm free (truly wonderful) An Officer & A Gentleman (l5) 7.30 £1.90 + conc to 24th. Angies: Legendary Luton Kippers, 9-late £1-2. monday the eighteenth Bull Hotel Nettlebed: Irish Trio from County Cork 8ish £?. tuesday the nineteenth Hex; Danny La Hue 6+8.45pm £3-6. Fives: Lala Macabre 8ish free. Tudor Arms; Gay Disco 8ish free. S.H.P.: A Midsummers Night Dream 7.45 sat & sun mat 3pm £2/2.20 kids £1/1.20 to 24th. thursday the twentyfirst Target; Saracen 8ish free. Fives: John Sinclair Roadshow 8ish free. Horse & Barge: Folk Club 8ish free. Angles: Splash 9-late £1-2. friday the twentysecond Central Club: Mikey Dread + King Alfa + Fatman HiFi 8-late £1.50 Caribbean Club; Expresso Bongo 9.30-late £1.50 Tudor Arms; Gay Disco 8ish free. S.H.P.: The Rocky Horror Picture Show (15) 11pm £1.90 + conc. Angles: Ruthless Blues 9-late £1-2. saturday the twentythird Caribbean Club: Disco 8-late £1.50. Angies: The West 9-late £1-2. sunday the twentyfourth Fives: Libra lunchtime free. Forbury Gdns:Katesgrove Steel Band 3pm free. Allied Arms: Readifolk 8ish free. Angies; Twelth Night 9-late £1-2. - - - A City Farm Anyone who knows Rabson's Rec in Whitley may also know the area of scrubland at the rear of this park commonly called "The Cowsey". After three years ploughing through all the red tape involved in setting up any new venture, it is now possible to start turning a part of this land into a City Farm. The intention is to offer towns-people the chance to sample rural pastimes, gardening and caring for animals. At the same time by involving assistance through voluntary labour, advice from local industry a City Farm can encourage local people to work together for the benefit of their own community. One point that should be emphasised is that most of the enjoyment to be derived from the project is that of "finding out". People can discover talents they never knew they had as skills are exchanged, carpenters become goat farmers, engineers tend chickens, etc. There has been a lot of complaints recently in Reading, and particularly in Whitley, that the young people have nothing to do and nowhere to go. This venture will provide endless opportunities for all local people to get together and develop the facilities needed to give them "something to do". The land is there waiting for people to use, and the project can only succeed if the opportunity is seized by local people. As a first big publicity campaign an Open Day and Fete is being held on the site on Sunday 17 July at 2.00 p.m with the opening ceremony being performed by the Mayor of Reading, Councillor Mrs Doris Lawrence. Every one will be able to find out more about what could happen and enjoy the fun and games provided. Rome wasn't built in a day, but what did result was solely due to the effort of the Romans. In the same way if anything worthwhile is to be achieved in Reading then it will be done by the effort of Reading people. It is to be hoped that the infamous Reading Apathy can be proved a myth and that people will take this opportunity to help themselves. Contact: Alan Edwards, 48 Blandford Road Reading 873201 - - - Acorn bookſhoppe We've had a load of unusually good books come in lately thought you might be interested?!? * Britain's First Socialists by Fenner Brockway,£3.95 History of the Diggers, Levellers & Agitators. *The White Paper by Jean Cocteau £1.95.Gay youth in France. First time in U.K. paperback. * A Boy's Own Story by Edmund White £2.50. Gay youth in Amerika, also first time in U.K.paperback. * Paris France by Gertrude Stein £2.50. Not yer average travel guide. * Winners All 60p pamphlet on non-competitive games * Double yoke by Buchi Emecheta £3.00. Self-published novel about an African Woman's double burden. Emecheta has given up on publishers after years of problems end has done it herself! *A Rebel in Music by Hans Sisler £1.25. Collection of articles about music and socialism and his work with Brecht. - - - A Union of Claimants From this Wednesday, the new Claimant's Action Group will be working to establish itself. I'm saying it that way because it's important that the group isn't just looked upon as the sum total of its individual members claim problems worked at collectively, but will just as much be working for changes in local and national government policy, and ways of interpreting benefit law. There will hopefully be a great variety of ways in which feelings of claimants could be transmitted to those responsible for the present system, but we need help to put those into action. So if you claim benefit or have done in the past (which is probably most of you considering Pensions, Supplementary Benefit, Unemployment Benefit, FIS, Educational Maintenance Allowances Disability Allowances or Housing Benefit) then come along to the first meeting and give us the value of your experience. There are no experts running it; it's just a group of people tired of the present benefit system using their energy to make something better. First meeting is at Reading Centre for the Unemployed on Wednesday 13 July or if you can't make that, contact me at 2 Amity Road, Reading: we could use your help. John Humphries - - - An EVICTION of a Reading citizen It has come to my notice that there is another landlord like our beloved Vernon, who uses violent tactics with his tenats; this gentleman's name is Glanville. On Tuesday 5th July, he evicted Simon (hg) Dales. Mr Dales was summarily evicted from 46 Highgrove St by threats of violence and actual assault. Unfortunately although our friends in blue were called on two occasions that day, they did nothing since Mr Dales had not received 'actual bodily harm', ie bruises, sprains, etc (grievous bodily harm' requires the skin to be broken or bones/internal organs to be seriously damaged). On the second occasion when old Glanville arrived with his son, he immediately used threatening and abusive behaviour. He ordered Mr Dales to get out or Glanville would 'knock his fucking block off'. Dales went off to call the police, who after some hassling, eventually arrived after 1 1/2 hours. On returning to the house, he and the PC discovered that the locks on the front door had been changed. The following day, Dales went round there with a PC to collect his property. When eventually Glanville opened the door, he spent his time creeping to the constable, making out that he was the aggrieved party. My advice is not to have any dealings with Glanville or his father's furniture business. Both these gentlemen quite explicitly objected to Mr Dales' knowledge and exercise of his rights; eg eviction needs a court order and bailiffs. Love and peace Icarus - - - Correſpondences 29.5.83 To: Head of the Export 106 London Rd., Credit Guarantee Dept. Reading, Berks. Dear Sir, May I inquire as to the position of your department concerning the negotiated sale by British Aerospace to the Iraqi Govt, of an aircraft plant and licence to manufacture Hawk aircraft? I gather that Iraq already owes Britain £200 million in trade debts, and that completion of the above sale would increase this debt by £1000 million. Even without considering the moral aspects of this matter, surely to allow Iraq such a dramatic increase in credit would be economically unsound...? I anticipate your reply. Yours Sincerely, L. Andreski 23 June, 1983 L Andreski Esq Export Credit 106 London Road Guarantee Dept., Reading P0 Box No. 272, Berkshire Aldermarnbury Dear Mr. Andreski, Thank you for your letter of 29 May to the Head of ECGD about ECGD's position in supporting the sale by British Aerospace to Iraq of an aircraft plant and licence to manufacture Hawk aircraft. I have been asked to reply. I should first explain that ECGD's dealings with its policyholders are confidential and therefore I cannot enter into any discussion about the details of this particular case. I should also add that one of ECGD's main objectives is to operate at no net cost to public funds and it aims to balance its claims expenditure against premium income. Accordingly ECGD does not take on any unduly hazardous risks and keeps under constant review all of the UK's export markets. As to the present position in Iraq, UK exporters, often with ECGD guarantees, have for many years benefitted from the opportunities afforded by that country and for which adequate funds have been available from Iraq's oil revenue. With the changed economic circumstances now facing Iraq this situation no longer exists and the level of business available has fallen considerably. Despite the current position one might reasonably expect a turnaround in the Iraqi economic situation which will offer increased opportunities to UK exporters. Many of these exporters will look to ECGD for our continued support which we would expect to provide as part of our encouragement of trade function if the risks were considered acceptable at the relevant time. It therefore remains our policy to provide guarantees where the risk is deemed acceptable. Yours Sincerely, Rachel Davies Comment: It is clear from this reply that the ECGD are indeed guaranteeing Iraqi payment for the purchases in question. This is yet another example of a supposedly apolitical civil department supporting activities of a very definite political nature. It also illustrates how arms exports are couched in a network of supporting government bodies, from the Defence Sales Organization, through the ECGD, to the Foreign Office and the salesmanship of individual government ministers. Dear Red Rag Readers, I don't know if any of you read the reports in the Chronic and Post re: Mindless Vandals (w/e 24.6.83). They told of some 'Mindless vandals who daubed (in black underseal paint) - Don't hope for Peace, work for it' - on Caversham Bridge - 'one of the great landmarks of Reading' - would you believe? Anyway, to get it straight, the message is of far greater concern, it would seem to me, than any crumbling relic. It was not the work of mind-less vandals, but the caring minded cry of a desperate, worried and frightened group of three people: Individuals for Peace, who don't want to live in a violent society. It's up to all of us, to consider our own individual actions, to give our world a chance to know peace - no excuses - it cannot happen without our collective effort. Yours in love and hope for a non-violent future, for all human beings, Do it now! Jean Paul Sartre Reading inhabitant. Dear Red Rag, This is in reply to the article in last week's Rag from 'our very good friend' and his impressions of Stonehenge Festival. Of course, nowhere is perfect, but he seems to have seen the event with only half his head. Sure, it's getting more commercial, it's getting bigger and more popular every year - good, good, good! There is nowhere else in the world like the Stonehenge Festival. Where else can you be certain of no police harassment while you shop around for your favourite high - so it's commercial, but don't tell me that many people don't go there just to stock up on such things. And there are plenty of untogether people who were pretty glad of the junk food vans when it got cold in the evenings. Those traders worked very hard to keep us and our munchies well supplied. If alcohol was your trip there were no such things as licensing hours, and if you fancied a pizza at three in the morning, you could get it. Their prices were not extortionate and you can bet that H.M. Government won't get their share of tax out of much of it. Good luck to the enterprising, I say. But you didn't have to spend anything if you didn't want to. The land is free, the bands are free, the sun is free. It is a free festival after all. The festival is still growing every year and there are more day-trippers, but our strength is in our numbers. What can the authorities do against 50,000 people, short of bringing in an infantry regiment? I was there for four days and saw no trouble at all except for one domestic quarrel. That alone is amazing to me in our 'violent society'. The whole essence of the place is freedom. You can do what you like when you like - no one minds. The fact that 'our very good friend' spent the whole festival in a dress proves that. No wonder it is becoming a popular summer holiday. Even if you go there alone, isn't it a joy to see how many people of like mind there are in this country? I hope it keeps on growing if only to show the straights how many young (and older) free, peaceful people there are in this increasingly repressive society. Love Gill - - - Novel Diversions NEW GAMES CONSPIRATORS MEETING 4TH JULY -- REPORT New Games... "in which there are no spectators and no second-string players, games for the whole family and the whole day, in which aggression fades into laughter..." - and it's all free! A meeting of 13 games conspirators was held last Monday, and the following ideas were discussed and agreed. A games players list would be available for all those wishing to find other games players, also those wishing to find out more or to have some games put on somewhere. This list, currently has 21 names on it and is on display at Acorn Bookshop. We hope it will be added to continually. Future events involving New Games Conspiracy are the Green Gathering at Glastonbury 26-31 July, Diss Kids' Fayre at Norwich 29-31 July, Basingstoke Kids' Fun Day (expenses paid) 4th August, Greenham Common August 6-9. Plus a proposed afternoon out for the Greenham Common v kids on 13th of 20th July. (Help needed for all these please.) Railroaded idea of a jumbly later this month or in August, funds for New Games and Adventure Playground, Palmer Park and Red Rag. Offers of jumble, help etc, please phone Paul 587381. Venue to be announced soon. We also talked about being a little more organised (hence the list) in an effort to have some concrete help, and with the idea of splitting into groups to deal with the different age groups we play with ( 1-99yrs!) If anyone is interested in finding out more phone one of the numbers on the list at Acorn or write to Box 10, Acorn Bookshop, 17 Chatham St, Reading. This issue's new game is.... Snake in the Grass: Make a playing area (coats, string etc). Select a "snake" from your group. The snake them wriggles through the grass on its tummy and attempts to grab the others, who are standing inside the marked area. This is done by rolling over and crawling and leaping. When caught the victim also becomes a snake and so on until everyone becomes a snake. Anyone jumping outside the marked area (the snakepit) become snakes - you need a referee for this. Happy daze.... - - - Unrighteous Oppreſſion kindles a flame; but Love, Righteouſneſs, and Tenderneſs of heart, quenches it again. 1 King. 2. 5,6. The blood of War ſhed in the time of Peace, Cries out for vengeance; or our Freedoms ceaſe. - - - Upper Heyford Triall ONE OF THE HEYFORD 752 IN COURT... We all met at 9am in the waiting room of the court feeling happy & defiant - exchanging memories of the day of our arrests. The court was opened up by the usher, there was only room for half of us in the chairs at the back of the court room, we sat chattering away obviously taking it all a lot less seriously than the magistrates. We were called to stand at the front of the court by the clerk. We stood below the magistrates who tried to look imposing in their swivel chairs behind a big desk 4 feet above us. It was impossible to be made to feel humble when we all felt so strong together. Then we were read the charge and asked if we pleaded guilty or not guilty. I, like most others pleaded not guilty - much to their annoyance. As the proceedings continued the people who thought they were in power got more and more unsettled they realised that they were not really in control. The chief magistrate really lost her temper when John from the faslane peace camp explained that he was only pleading guilty because he couldn't he bothered to come all the way south for another silly appearance - while playing with his Yo-Yo! "Confiscate that mans Yo-Yo " she cried...... The public gallery booed..... "Will you stop behaving like children" she screached. We laughed. She fined John £25 costs, and was told that he would rather go to prison than pay a fine. Many of us including me had our charge amended to obstructing the highway etc "along with four other persons". The police prosecutor would not say why the charge had been changed or who the other 4 were, they may have dome it so they can charge us in groups of 5 - even though this is illegal. We don't really know. I really enjoyed my day in court, it's not as frightening as I thought it would be. I've found that the more they try to repress me the stronger I feel. Yours in peace, Andrew - - - OUTLETS Fine Food Stores, 168 Oxford Road Acorn Bookshop. 17 Chatham St Lazer Records. Butts Centre (downstairs) Pop Records. 172 King's Rd Central Club, bottom of London St. Unemployment Centre, East St Our Price Records, Butts Centre (downstairs) The Emporium, Merchants' Place (off Friar St) Mace Grocer, 2 Crown Colonnade, Cemetery Junction Jobal Cash and Carry, 14 Cholmeley Rd Elephant Off-Licence, 1 Derby St Ken's Shop, Students' Union, Whiteknights. ....or get it delivered to your door by ringing 666681 - - - The PEACE PLEDGE UNION ... in Reading There is now an Active group in Reading whose aim is to bring to people's attention the work and ideas of the Peace Pledge Union which for many years has been a focus for those seeking social change by adopting nonviolent approaches to problems... Violence can be seen all around us, everyday: war preparations, abuse of natural resources, commercial exploitation, greed, sexism, racism, etc, etc... By trying to adopt a positive nonviolent lifestyle and through education we can learn to recognise these negative things within ourselves and others and work towards replacing cruelty with compassion, suspicion with trust and hate with love... Make new friends ~ make campaigning fun, new ideas most welcome ~ find out what you can do to help by contacting Andrew (Reading 873072), David (Pangbourne 3153) or Acorn, Box 10, Chatham St, Reading. "I renounce war and will never support or sanction another" (Have you seen our display in Acorn? On view until approx 16th July). - - - Small Advertisements ACCOMMODATION WANTED Single sale, house-trained, semi-vegetarian; would prefer collective type household. Politically moderate but into the usual things. Phone Simon on Reading 507526. Rent £15-25 (housing benefit). DESPERATE NEED for someone to do the computerised address listing - 2 hours per fortnight. No experience (of any sort) necessary! PS Any woman/men/dexterous furry animal/group interested in compiling address labelling this is your opportunity to learn how to do it and/or get access to equipment cheap, cheap, cheap! WANTED Cheap, functional bicycle with gears. Phone Ian on 667214. HIGHLY DESIRABLE room available in shared house in Newtown. Available almost immediately. Ring 667180 post haste. TRANSPORT APPEAL Can anyone with a vehicle (doesn't need to be large) give a lift to an ailing badge machine from Acorn to Bethnal Green any working day soon? Please let us know. ROOM WANTED Central Reading/Cemetery Junction. Not A broom cupboard and a reasonable rent. Must be prepared to take a barely tamed cat. Prepared to move in straight away. Phone Helen 581222 ext 423 in work hours. - - - Publiſhed by a friend, for the Publick beneft. Reading between the Lines A meeting on Thursday 7th discussed what this guide to Reading might be like. Size and quantity and price if any will depend on how much money we have - apparently there's precious little at the moment. To get it done in the first half of August would be nice. Suggestions: It's for people who've just come to Reading, people who want information but don't know where to look, to promote a feeling of liveliness and "alternative civic pride"! It wants a hand-drawn map - any offers? It wants drawings and photos - any offers? It wants articles or paragraphs on say:- the local countryside and walks; the local economy; architecture; development and planning; history; recent history; areas of Reading; housing and homelessness; transport; health; education; Councils; co-ops; welfare rights; gay life; the women's movement; anti-nuke movement; unemployment centre food; pubs; arts and music... Any ideas welcome - any material on any of these even more welcome. (If you don't do it, maybe no-one else will...) And then lists (briefly annotated?) of say:- shops, active groups, venues, sources of information, community groups - again all ideas welcome and detailed suggestions even more so. Please get in touch if you're interested, as soon as possible. Ring James or Nick on 666681, or Liz on 584425 / 867955. - - - $Id $