Thread by @_Ungagged

Superb to see the Scottish Parliament discuss and pardon the Miners after the aggression of the Tory Party under Margaret Thatcher during 1984-5.

If you doubt the power of a media over packed by the right and underrepresented by the working class, the

Thatcher government's vicious attacks on the Miners, and the propaganda of a quisling press (and I don't use that word lightly), really should be an education. Our present media is as biased, as is the fact that presence on social media can be

bought. Twitter, Facebook and YouTube are becoming unusable because of advertising and the promotion of views that at present represent a few entitled people. Swamping social media helped a right wing, ultra nationalist

coup by very rich people. Nowadays they don't club you as you fight for food on your table. They target groups with mis/disinformation.

The Sun, The Telegraph, The BBC, ITN, Sky News, The Times and The Express can still

control aspects of public opinion. But bot farms and "influencers" targeting key demographics, are growing the petite fascist groups that were targeted to vote for exiting the EU, reduce rights and make

poverty pay and tenuous employment acceptable.

This same media has been subtly (and less subtly in some of the far right and tabloid outlets) targeting Scottish democracy in recent years, trying to pare apart the

independence movement. Its only success was helping to create Alba Party and a small bunch of bigots who call themselves "Women Won't Wheesht." It has been satisfying to see that polls in the past few months have shown that their

bigotted views represent a tiny percentage of the Scottish public. The right have failed to make any impact on our existing movement and support.

The group they will turn to next will be the undecided, sewing doubt and peppering discussion

with "a referendum is a distraction," through to targeted personification of the referendum as "Sturgeon's" or "Slater's" (the unreconstructed right really are happy to be sexist, midogynist). And Harvie and Greer

will also be targeted.

A new, positive, inclusive, honest campaign is our attack. When they go low, we go high. And when they baton charge, we stand firm in solidarity, knowing we are right and they are scared as their power

wanes.

Johnson's petite fascists are at present dismantling rights and checks and balances in our democracy... Scotland needs to go in another direction, and win its right to create a more equal society within Europe.

The discussion today

regarding the criminalisation of the miners who fought hard for their lives and the life of their community is a start. Lessons need to be learned,

compensation paid and legislation created to ensure power cannot be wielded in such a way again.

#ScottishIndependence2023
#indyref2

#ToryFascists

#HumanRights

#Scots

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