Date: Tue, 22 Oct 96 13:42:08 GMT
From: Adam Rose <adam-AT-pmel.com>
Subject: Re: M-I: community, etc.



There was a curious instance of working class localism in opposition to
international capitalism recently with Rupert Murdoch's Super League in
England.

Rugby League, particularly in Britain, started as a working class 
professional breakaway from Rugby Union, the "gentlemen's" amateur
game. When Murdoch bought British Rugby League recently, he decided
to merge Oldham + Salford into one super league team "Manchester".

You cannot imagine the outcry this caused. Salford RLFC fought and won
a battle to stay separate from Oldham, even at the cost of Salford staying
down in the second division ( they have now been now promoted ).

A naive American, even a naive English Southerner, might think that Oldham
and Salford are both parts of Manchester. Nothing could be further from
the truth ! I know revolutionary socialists who, when they are talking about
"over here" and "over there" aren't talking about the Atlantic, or even
the Irish Sea - they're talking about the Manchester ship canal, which 
divides Salford from Manchester ( eg Engels' factory was "over here" !!! ).

People from  Manchester THINK they know where the enemy is - Liverpool.
But people from Salford REALLY know where the enemy is - Manchester.


Adam.



Adam Rose
SWP
Salford
UK


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