[kj] FW: [grunder] News from France

[jon chapman]

Good post,even though i was taking the piss (as usual).
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Funnily enough, in my south west corner of france, we have about 8% of the population from ‘anglo-saxon origins’..most are brits on the piss who wouldn’t give each other the time of day if they were living in the same place in the Uk , but have a ‘solidarity’ as they bluntly refuse to talk to the ‘natives’. 
We also have a smaller- and much appreciated, community of Australians, kiwis, south Africans, Canadians, and yes, even Americans, who have integrated with style – unfortunately, only 2.8 %.
Now if you count the amount of inhabitants from the Maghreb (northern Africa) at about 18%, a Turkish/kurd population of 15%, Mayotte (an island off Madagascar) at 2.5% and a Vietnamese (empire song stuff) at 1.8% we are 46.3% non French in a town of under 7000 inhabitants which…
 
Funnily enough, was a way station of the retirada (evacuation after the Spanish civil war) and their descendants settled here, so in fact, there are very few French people…you are more likely to come across some horrible brit on the piss talking to you IN A LOUD VOICE  to compensate their lack of integration/imagination/language.
 
So shove your  British chauvinism up your arse and come down here for a dose, give us the Muslims and the ‘colonials’ any day
 




From: gathering-bounces at misera.net [mailto:gathering-bounces at misera.net] On Behalf Of jon chapman
Sent: 20 October 2010 18:14
To: gathering at misera.net
Subject: Re: [kj] FW: [grunder] News from France
 
  
i would move to France for that reason alone,but it's full of French people.  
  


 

This makes me want to move to France, where people are actually trying to improve their lives, rather than just attacking each other like some Americans are currently doing (e.g., blaming teacher unions
and immigrants for all the world's problems--give me a break)!
 

> Subject: [grunder] News from France

> From: grunder at furrg.montclair.edu

> Date: Tue, 19 Oct 2010 21:59:34 -0400

> To: grunder at furrg.montclair.edu

> 

> This is the GRUNDER list

> ------------------------

> This is a very exciting report from a French worker who's part of the 

> general strike.

> 

> __________________________________________________________________________________

> 

> I'm exhausted.

> 

> I've spent the last three days going from road block to road block,

> together with teachers, railroad workers, truckers, nurses, etc.

> 

> So far, in our sector, we've managed the feat of keeping the Arnages oil

> depot totally closed since Friday 4 AM !

> 

> As a result, all the petrol stations in aradius of 70 kms are closed,

> completely out of gas.

> 

> I slept 4 hours on Friday night, 6 hours on Saturday, 2 on Monday ...

> Today, we got the main Teachers' Union to call on all striking teachers

> to come and help block all the remaining fuel depots.

> 

> The police can't intervene, because the truckers have established road

> blocks on the major roads leading to the oil depot.

> 

> What is incredible is that despite the fact that there is no more oil

> available, and therefore that people are blocked at home, a resounding

> 71% of the population approves of the strike (according to today's

> opinion polls).

> 

> The movement is set to last at least another week. I spent the whole of

> Sunday night with transport (railway and truckers) workers playing cards

> and drinking beer. It was quite cold (2°C) around 4 AM, but the railroad

> workers brought several truck-loads of "palettes" (empty wooden

> containers) and we lit a might bonfire.

> 

> Striking workers from the neighbouring Renault factory brought

> firecrackers and we spent the wee hours of the morning lighting them.

> 

> Workers are determined to fight until the bitter end. Workers who chose

> not to go on strike are being encouraged to donate part of their salary

> to the workers of the most "strategic" sectors, especialy the Donges

> raffinery.

> 

> Personally, this is my 6th day of Strike. An open-ended strike that

> might not be the best way of going about things, the consensus now being

> that "revolving" strikes (15% of the workforce on strike on a given day)

> would enable us to hold out longer.

> 

> The support from "ordinary people" is astounding. When we block a

> freeway, drivers often honk to support us, give us money, hand us daily

> newspapers, enven though we are effectively blocking them.

> 

> I've decided to stay on strike for a further three days but to spend

> more time with my family, which is also what the union is advocating.

> Some comrades have spent 4 days without going home and the union is

> worried this may cause trouble with spouses,who are forced to look after

> the kids, which would further undermine our resolve.

> 

> All 12 French oil refineries are on strike until next Friday. Many

> depots are blocked. Half the trains (including major ones) are not 

> running.

> Truckers have blocked the roads leading to the main production

> areas, and factories cannot function because they lack raw material and

> pieces (they don't have any stocks of materials stored because they

> believe storage costs money).

> 

> Anyway, the mood is indescribable. Workers from every sector are united

> and determined, and for the first time, many workers can chat with

> people employed in other industries knowing that they share a common

> goal.

> 

> The only problem is, it will be hard, very hard to go back to work. But

> thanks to the government, people are prepared to remain on strike until

> next week. Then we'll see.

> 

> It's a general strike and a lot of ordinary workers I've talked to are

> determined not to resume work until the retirement age is brought back

> to 60.

> 

> 

> 

> ---

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> To unsubscribe email bradyf62 at gmail.com


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