November Rain

In Anthony Burgesses seminal novel, A Clockwork Orange, he asked whether it was better for a man to choose to be bad, or forced to be good. For me, this is the dilemma facing the Scottish Socialist Party.

Tommy Sheridan is the most charismatic and enigmatic socialist of the modern era. Tommy remains the most successful. He is also, most probably, guilty of the charges laid against him. That being the case, however, the "United Left" are likely to be on a fools errand to stand against him, despite being right.

Welcome to the SSP's Culloden. In the October Conference, the ones put to the sword will be right. The will have upheld the truth in the most pointless manner possible outside of the First World War.

As a member of the working class, I want to believe Tommy, I honestly do, but I can't. To have so many people lie against you who have never been suspected of treason before is irreconcialable with the truth.

Now, I'm in the SRSM, previously accused of being involved with the SNLA and Irish terrorists. In my time of being involved, I don't think I've heard the term "grass" used so much.
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My lack of posts on this has been because of the whole "innocent until proven guilty" thing. I didn't want to believe Tommy was guilty, but when I heard the verdict, I failed grasp he was. Next, a whole shitload of ambivalence. I wanted Tommy to be innocent when he wasn't. This is the working class dilemma.

Their answer, oh so simple, was genius: "Don't grass on you own." It never mattered if Tommy was guilty or innocent. You JUST DON'T GRASS. But truth and justice will out, and why should WE be exempt?

Can you look eleven SSP members in the eye and call them liars? I can't. Can I look Tommy in the eye and tell HIM he's a liar?

I don't know. All I know is that the working class has lost now. There isn't a party to speak of. If we all knew he was guilty but united behind one cause and one leader I could easily cope with it. It was in the cause of a free Scotland and a Socialist Scotland. Now the only option is to unite behind traitors or liars.

Colin Fox, Tommy Sheridan's Sock-puppet cannot continue. The election is left to those who would be the architects of the future. Whatever that means.

What is left is philanderers, drug addicts, idiots, culture, alienation, boredom and despair. There's nothing left except the soft pitter-patter of the cold november rain following the suicide and funeral of the October Conference.