Some thoughts on the Cedar Lounge Revolution…

2009 has probably been the most event filled year since we came on-line. Plenty of news. Perhaps too much and given that there was no General Election that’s saying something. Unfortunately a number of our valued contributors were unable to continue to post due to other commitments.

The Left Archive, many of you will be interested to hear, has enough material to see us well into the future. We’ve scanned sufficient documents to see us through to mid 2010 and there’s been considerable assistance in the shape of documents scanned by others to see us further. But there’s always a need for more, and particularly from smaller formations, from gaps in the historical record and so on. 1970 was a significant year in Irish history, and nowhere more so than on the left. We hope the materials posted in the Archive will reflect that. Again our thanks to anyone who has contributed materials and pieces.

Many thanks to AK at Irish Election Literature Blog whose weekly contribution is enlivening the material here.

And also thanks to our newest contributor Tomboktu for a range of posts that have broadened the CLR remit. That’s an important point. There’s always room for more posts and contributions are very welcome from any or all of you. We’ll look at them, see if they fit within the ethos and more than likely post them up.

Thanks most importantly to those of you who posted or commented here this year in the spirit of the CLR. That spirit is best described by reference to our moderation guidelines, one of courtesy and respect for others opinions. That’s been fundamental to this enterprise, not least because the nature of this enterprise, first and foremost a pastime (yep, let’s call it like it is), a means of communication between like minds, a means of putting material from the left into the public domain and to some limited extent a forum for the expression of views mostly from the left. Thankfully it’s just one amongst quite a few sites of a similar outlook.

It’s not important in the scheme of things except to the people who use it. But that’s us, and to us it’s very important, a labour of love, something that is a resource (we hope), a collective effort. You can disagree with everything we stand for and yet, we think, respect that collective effort. And that demands that those who come here treat it and all here in that spirit. If we want a discussion let’s have it. If people want Politics.ie they know where to go. Eagle has a brief message at the end of each comment box… ‘Comment – be civil’. It’s good advice.

Despite one thing and another we’ve managed to retain our light touch moderation and – we think – give a strong defense of our approach and philosophy and mostly in a good humored way. That’s no small thing. Our principles aren’t diminished by opposing critiques. We’ve heard nothing in the last year that has fundamentally altered the trajectory of our beliefs, beliefs shared with those other sites of a like mind, and we’d be worried if anyone here had.

One of the real pleasures of being co-organisers here has been the opportunity to make contact with a range of people on the left and further left over the course of the years. It’s good to know we aren’t alone, particularly in truly difficult times – one need only see how the CDP schemes are being gutted and talk to anyone involved to know that for all the cant about pragmatism those who can least afford it are having cuts forced upon them where they are least acceptable – that there is a strong and principled left still extant despite everything and that is worth something. Progressives of all stripes and none will always get a respectful hearing here… that’s the purpose of the exercise.

So, any changes in 2010? We’re toying with the notion of going back to the original model of slightly longer posts – like the series New Myths of the Peace Process – in between the snappier material. But we’d also be interested in the opinion of others on that score. And any suggestions for improvements across any of the areas this post discusses – Left Archive, contributors, topics, moderation, approaches – would be gratefully accepted in the comments below.

The next Left Archive will be posted up on the 4th of January and there’ll be some discussion posts along the lines of ‘gifts for progressives’ here and there to keep the site open and tide us over Christmas (and some more from AK to wrap up the year on the Irish Election Literature front) but we’ll be taking a break from anything too weighty – events permitting – until the New Year…

Again, many thanks for your support and participation – and many thanks too to everyone else, you know your sites, who’ve made this an educational and entertaining year for us. Sorry if this sounds overly reflective and solemn… that’s not the intention… just we’ve had a few issues we wanted to clear the air about and it’s hard not to sound either too casual or too serious…and any comments you have on improvements, fire away…