Martyn is absolutely right, 'The idea of using banker's
bonuses in this way also provides a spurious legitimacy for
the cuts - and the inequalities of current public service
provision and financing.'
Because economic events have shown that what bankers do has
massive social implications, it seems sensible to suggest
that more of their income should find its way into the
public purse; and from there, subject to democratic
processes, perhaps into the public library movement.
From the conversations I have with service providers and
users (mainly social services and charities these days),
there is at last some growing anger about the exacerbation
of inequalities, and increasing credence given to the view
that the cuts being imposed may be far in excess of what is
justifiable. We can expect this trend of disquiet to
increase.
It is in the interests of people on the right to reverse the
equalisation of society. They are taking their opportunity
to trash as much of the public realm as they can. So the
time is coming for defenders of libraries to decide how far
they will go in adopting a political stance in defending
those things that are essentially public.
As I write, in a corner of my screen there are scenes of
public anger in Cairo. The pairing of these issues is
neither fanciful nor coincidental: network society awareness
is partly about how arrogant regimes can be given a serious
shock by those people whose views they ignore or try to
quash. The survival of public libraries may depend on being
part of a very significant movement of citizens insisting
that their views be taken into account.
So in case folk are not aware -
Week of resistance is 12-19 Feb
http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/2011/01/week-of-resi
stance-12th-february-19th-february/
TUC march for the Alternative - London March 26th
http://www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/2011/01/make-march-2
6th-a-massive-show-of-strength-cor-newsletter-25-january/
kevin
____________________________
Kevin Harris
0773 042 9993
Local Level
<http://www.Local-Level.org.uk>
www.Local-Level.org.uk
Neighbourhoods blog
<http://neighbourhoods.typepad.com>
neighbourhoods.typepad.com
_____
From: lis-pub-libs: UK Public Libraries
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of MARTYN
EVERETT
Sent: 29 January 2011 13:23
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: good idea??? More on Bankers Bonuses
While I support any idea that keeps libraries open, I do not
think that they should should be dependent on the money of
a few people, however altruistic they may be. Community
resources should be supported by the whole community
otherwise they will cease to be responsive to the community,
and listen only to the voices of the well-heeled.
The idea of using banker's bonuses in this way also provides
a spurious legitimacy for the cuts - and the inequalities of
current public service provision and financing. Would the
cuts be necessary at all if the government closed tax
loopholes and tax avoidance schemes through which the
bankers 'earn' their bonuses, if they stopped the war in
Afghanistan and ceased funding the descredited Trident
programme.
Funding libraries via bonuses means that the 'crisis' is
funding remains on the agenda in the future - we need a
fairer society.
Martyn
--- On Sat, 29/1/11, Frances Hendrix <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:
From: Frances Hendrix <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: good idea!
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Saturday, 29 January, 2011, 12:41
DAILY TELEGRAPH :Dear bankers, give us your bonuses, pleads
councilsss
He said if the scheme succeeded, the first beneficiary would
be libraries threatened with closure.
<http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfin
ance/8289978/Council-to-ask-bankers-to-give-up-bonuses-to-pl
ug-budget-black-hole.html>
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/banksandfina
nce/8289978/Council-to-ask-bankers-to-give-up-bonuses-to-plu
g-budget-black-hole.html
