KKE Statement on the Photoshopped Poster October 24, 2012
Posted by Garibaldy in KKE, ULA.trackback
This is not the first time this has happened, but this time SYRIZA has crossed the line by choosing to adorn a poster which it issued for a meeting organized on the 19/10 in Ireland with the photograph of the banner which the KKE had put up on the Acropolis in May 2010, on which the slogan “ Peoples of Europe Rise Up” was written. Of course they took care to delete the signature of the “KKE” from the banner, in order to appropriate an initiative which had great resonance. To be accurate, there were two banners, one with the slogan in English and the other in Greek. This photograph became one of the most recognizable images from the struggle of the Greek people during the crisis, both at a European and global level.
We understand that SYRIZA does not possess an image from a similar initiative or action and it could not do as it is absent from the organization and development of the people’s struggle which has a class orientation and content. This however does not justify its attempt to appropriate the initiatives of the KKE in order to promote its non-existent militant profile to an audience which is not aware of its role and stance in Greece.
The ULA has issued a statement here.
Oh they’ve crossed a line alright! This really puts the Mick Wallace business in the shade doesn’t it? Maybe even puts Sean Quinn in the shade and Anglo-Irish and the Coal/Cattle pact and the economic war…are people really getting upset over this?
It was remarkably petty of the meeting organisers to do it all the same. And in fairness their action was pointed out over a week ago by people on the CLR. I don’t think the SWP would be particularly sanguine were one of their demonstrations used to illustrate a rally by the CPI with their banners airbushed out. Small stuff in the grand scheme of things perhaps but utterly needless all the same.
And I say that as someone who’d vote for SYRIZA rather than the KKE if I was in Greece.
The KKE are entirely within their rights to complain about doctoring the photo of their action.
However they should put the blame where it really is, with the SWP first and the ULA second.
It’s entirely wrong, and not a little bit opportunist, of the KKE to blame SYRIZA.
If the SWP had a shred of decency they’d apologize directly to the ULA, SYRIZA and the KKE.
Can’t argue with that.
It’s a ULA poster.
Shouldn’t the ULA apologise to SYRIZA and the KKE?
They did.
Quite right – sorry I didn’t scroll down to find the English before posting
I agree as it happens…just momentarily dazzled by the idea that this was causing ructions in Irish-Greek relations. How did the Syriza meeting go after all the time-changes anyway?
I’m led to believe the meeting was a joke – no proper translator, normal space cadet stuff from ULAites in the audience – would say the Syriza speaker left knowing he was not dealing with serious people.
Dodgy editing aside I think the ULA need to up their game when it comes to posters. I don’t mean slight anyone in particular and know it’s a bit of sideshow in the large scheme of things but there is a great tradition of leftist design and a lot of the stuff I see around doesn’t cut it imho. You only need look at the archive here or elsewhere. Original design will go a long way towards building the ULA brand. Something all parties have to do in in-between learning to get on with each other.
The cahwt poster with the cartoon of Phil being chased was good and FEE Galway have great plain red one that simply reads ‘tax the rich to pay for education’, very striking.
We understand that SYRIZA does not possess an image from a similar initiative or action and it could not do as it is absent from the organization and development of the people’s struggle
Sorry, who was blotting out who?
Yes, the KKE statement is no more honest than the stupid fucking poster. They must have known that it’s a ULA poster rather than a SYRIZA one, given that it says it’s a ULA poster right on it, yet they used it to attack SYRIZA. And they used the opportunity to make the additional dishonest claim you highlight there.
What a petty bourgeois play ground mentality, this belongs to me, I’m a better socialist than you. For christ sake sometimes I despair. Why the trots are apologising I just do not know, it would be different if they had left the CP logo on the poster, as it would have implied they were supporting the meeting. But they did not.
I cannot understand why the Greek party is carping, they should not be spitting bile but cooing amongst themselves, look at those Trots they even have to use the work of our comrades in their adds.
Just in case some folk have not noticed, workers across Europe are on their uppers and this is not the time to pick a fight within the left. Still, why change a life time of infighting.
If it serves a purpose in the struggle use it, if it would advance the cause I would steal from the pope himself. For me a banner on a building is much like the WWW, once its up there it belongs to us all.
I wonder how many comrades within the KKE have cut and pasted a photo/whatever? I know I have and I certainly do not feel the need to apologise.
As to the ULA or anyone else not being serious people, do we really have to go there, yes the KKE has decades of heroic struggle behind it. But they have also made some dreadful mistakes which at times cost them dear. The ULA has been going for a few years and undoubtedly has much to learn, but lets get this into perspective. Their mistake, if we can call it that, was over a poster, no one lost their life, which cannot be said about some of the mistakes the KKE leadership made in the past, some of which cost fine communists there lives. People who had been party members for years and served the Greek people in the fiery cauldron of the occupation and civil war.
Ha ha Irish Trotskyites caught photo doctoring, you couldn’t make the shit up. I though only Uncle Joe did stuff like that.
I wonder if the above could be airbrushed from history?
Ok lets all stand back, take a deep collective breath, and put things in perspective.
It’s a f*cking photoshopped photo.
Given the various issues both in this nation (another crippling budget coming up, attacks on the unions, Labour still happy being catamites, various actors and perpetrators in the bust remaining unpunished and free as the birds) and in Greece (riots, the bloody nazis in parliament ect), why the hell are the KKE and ULA hung up about a bloody poster? Ok it’s unfortunate that it did occur and it says much about the SWP member that actually did as well as the KKE for blaming SYRIZA for the poster. But still, focus people.