Fight Imperialism!

On account of my relative disengagement with UEFA’s beanfeast in Poland / Ukraine and Newcastle United’s abeyance in the transfer market, I had hoped it would not be beholden of me to take up my metaphorical pen as an even more metaphorical simple sword of truth until the Northern Alliance fixtures were released on 19^th July. However, events on Wearside have forced my mind. As noted last time, Cornelius Cardew declared “Stockhausen serves Imperialism;” sadly it appears that Martin O’Neill does too.

In point of fact I’ve been to Wearside recently; I attended a conference at sunderland University this week on Gothic Literature, where one of the keynote speakers was Dr Alison Younger, whose lecture on Gothic monstrosities included the fascinating theory that the essential differences in ideological motivation between Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein” were related to class conflict. Count Dracula was presented by Stoker and interpreted by many readers as being exotic, charming and intriguing because of his otherness; he symbolises old money and pre industrial privilege. In contrast Dr. Frankenstein, coming from the world of science, represents the unsettling values of the unknown and the forces of change relating to ambition; he almost exactly maps the unease pre Gothic romantic writers such as William Blake had for Newtonian principles in physics. What is more, Frankenstein’s monster can be interpreted as the inescapable rise of the working classes, especially how they are viewed by the bourgeois; nameless, sinister, massive in scale, destructive and unstoppable.

Dr Younger’s lecture was taking place at the same time as sunderland were launching their new kit, with the support of a predictably fawning and slavering puff piece in the repugnant “Guardian.” This garment has been unveiled to include the seemingly laudable sponsorship slogan of “Invest in Africa.” The publicity photos accompanying the launch included months old shots of former chief executive Niall “Mr Charity” Quinn, whose unexplained and hurried departure from the club has still to be adequately explained. Unlike the deep thinking that accompanied Dr Younger’s talk, it appears that scant regard for the implications of their actions in accepting this Faustian shilling has been undertaken by the so-called caring club, as they will henceforth be doing as much for that continent as manufacturers of baby milk did in the 1980s, even if they pretend their actions are Live Aid with shin pads. In short (no pun intended), the Mackems will be wearing shirts emblazoned with a slogan that has as much moral validity as if it said “Give heroin to toddlers.”

Because of this deal, sunderland AFC will be promoting the interests of Tullow Oil, a rapacious, unscrupulous, grasping, multinational conglomerate, dedicated to profiteering, exploitation and land despoliation. It is indeed a grim organisation to climb in to bed with, but not unsurprising for a club whose support would no doubt opt for Skrewdriver as their half time entertainment if such a choice was available. Make no mistake, this is not comparable to Barcelona putting UNICEF on their shirts; no grand philanthropic gesture this by Ellis Short. Think I’m being unreasonable? Well, read this article then see the veracity of my reasoning; http://platformlondon.org/2012/06/26/blowing-the-whistle-on-sunderland-fcs-oil-sponsorship-deal/ For me, the crucial parts are; Three years ago, Barcelona won praise for putting UNICEF on their shirts – this is an attempt to get similar credit, while effectively just getting money from an oil company aggressively expanding its operations across the continent… The result of this particular “Investment in Africa” represents a significant transfer of wealth from some of Africa's poorest to British and Irish investors…

While economic realities and the celestial dance of capitalism mean that shirt and other forms of corporate sponsorship are a reality that borders on to being a necessity, there are limits. Certainly, the renaming of grounds, such as Ashley’s crass attempts to ditch120 years of history relating to St. James’ Park (though protests against it from self-appointed gauleiters in Sports Direct attire who, to paraphrase Francois Mitterand, have the mouth of Caligula and the morals of Marilyn Monroe, lack a certain integrity) should be resisted at all times. At Percy Main Amateurs, we take any sponsorship we can; perhaps we are Maoist in outlook as local businesses offering us £100 now and then seems to be the extent of what is out there. However, I know for certain we would not accept money from an organisation we regarded as ideologically suspect; if only all clubs shared our probity.

The novelist Joseph Conrad wrote of the evil nature of European imperialism in Africa at the very end of the 19^th century in his masterpiece “Heart of Darkness.” While that text may be equally instructive for all those of a red and white persuasion who seek to justify their club’s actions, Conrad had earlier expressed his view of European activities in the Congo in a succinct but incredibly apposite phrase that sunderland apologists would do well to consider; the vilest scramble for loot that ever disfigured the human conscience.