To act when...

You ever have one of those strange moments when you think you aren't busy, and realise the backlog of things you were doing, you hadn't really thought about.

Last night I acquired the SRSM.org domain and awaiting it to go up. Then, today, I was thinking about the unfinished novel, the unfinished story (both of which rock... incidentally), the project, the films, the PO BOX, this that and the other.

I don't mind, or worry about doing it all, it's just... I've got nothing planned for when it's over save hope that girl in the office dumps her boyfriend between then and now and maybe... just maybe...

Ach, fuck it.

So, how the hell are you?

Politically, things are interesting. Because Solidarity hasn't quite established itself, all the opinion polls aren't going their way. In a horrible way, it seems to vindicate my decision to stay with the SSP.

On the SSP discussion boards, there are signs of life. Those red wee bastards are still bolshie and up for a fight. I quite like that. The funniest bit on the internal boards is the "When is Solidarity going to go belly up?" sweepstake. I shouldn't entertain such juvenile brilliance, but it shows why the SSP is going to win.

Ask yourself a question, if your two main allies were the CWI (Committee for a Workers International) and the SWP (Socialist Workers Party) both of whom have a main purpose to propagate themselves whatever the cost to whomever they were allied to, who would you trust?

Anyway, lets get off that... I was at Sheriffmuir, briefly, this weekend. VERY good speech by Colin Innes of Na Fir Dileas.

My brief appearance was the result of inflated taxi fares by bloody Dunblane and Blackford taxi drivers. All of my drink and travel money was consumed by those hawking bloody drivers. Still, I made it to the battlefield, the inn and the service afterwards. Fuck it, so be it.

Now, this is a bit of a dichotomy, isn't it? I mean, left wing republican attends Jacobite commemoration? Isn't that like... weird? No. Most Socialist countries would kill for a history as rich as the Jacobite era. And since we have brothers and sisters who want to remember those brave and romantic souls who believed all too briefly... How can you not be sold by that? At the time, there wasn't a choice. There wasn't an SRSM or SSP when James VII or Bonnie Prince Charlie wanted the throne. Your choice was Germany or the ordinary Scots who said: "No! Properity and No Union." They, in the best Scottish Tradition didn't win, and so self destructed and the land was left to open up to Republicans in my tradition.

I love that Sheriffmuir spirit, and it's why I went, despite knowing I couldn't afford to stay: because Jacobitism, at the last dying moments was a moment to choose between death, glory and life. The Jacobites chose Death and Glory. How can you not respect that? How can you not love that?

Despite all my coy republican cynicism, how can you not admire something so pure, romantic and historic. There was no 1940 French Surrender for Scotland. We founght till we dropped. There was no Chamberlain "I have a message from Chancellor Hitler" appeasement. Our ancestors said: "Fuck it. So be it."

And this, coincidentally, is why I'm still in the SSP. Not because it's convenient, not because we're going to win, but because it's RIGHT. Tommy S DID screw them, big time. Tommy WAS a liar. In the end, the eleven who stood against him, and were vilified by that verdict deserve to be supported.

Ach, fuck it. So be it.