When I started blogging t,wo of the first to put me on their reading list were Miserable Old Fart and Syniadau.
It helped me greatly that two of the best blogs from Wales included me on their list so early.
They are always good reads and have a Independent streak that distinquish them from Blogs from those like Freedom Central (Or Subordinate Central as I call it) who are little more than Party press releases.
Alwyn on MOF has just announced that he has reapplied to join Plaid Cymru and Mike at Syniadau ,who is a member has recently criticised the selection process for the Ynys Môn byelection and now pans the successful candidate on his ambiguity of Wylfa B.
Which brings me to the problem .I have with blogging and Independence
How Independent can a Blog be if its written by a party member who is subject to party discipline.?
Should you blog of your disagreement with the party on a policy if it means it could be seized by political opponents who will claimof discord within the party.
Mike at Syniadau for instance is arguing that Plaid on Anglesey should follow party rules and stance on nuclear energy. so it is not he who is out of kilter and it refreshing to see someone arguing that that his political party should be open and honest with the electorate .
Alwyn in the past has argued against Plaids stance on socialism though (and he will probably disagree strongly with me). I have often found that we seem to agree on subjects that I regard as taking a left position.
But I sincerely hope that if Plaid let him back in in will not change his Blog in anyway and he continues (but more often) in his often educational and humorous musings.
For myself though I still support Plaid I would rather not get involved in the political machine and discipline of the party and feel free to criticise the party when its appropriate.
And Wylfa B is a prime example whilst I hope for the electors of Ynys Môn 's sake and Plaids future that Rhun ap Iorwerth wins (and I expect him to won comfortably). I would prefer that he took an open and honest approach of opposing Nuclear Energy and add that Wylda B will not be an asset to the Island and may in fact deter more jobs than it creates as investors may be reluctant to build near a Nuclear reactor.
Good Luck to Alwyn and Mike in their stance but alas I will not be joining them as a Plaid member if this means that I am open to accusations of enjoying "Power without Responsibility" so be it. ( I know I have no power but you get my meaning).
But one thing is clear to me. With the demise of a number of blogs in the last few years some openly political like Plaid Pantef and Welsh Ramblings and the Independent Valleys Mam there's a gap in this media that needs filing.
We need more to put a Welsh perspective and not Party Blogs who appear for a few Months before an election then disappear..
Iseldom agree with Jac O The North but I enjoy his musing finding it informative and whilst I 'm often shaking my head it is important that his views are heard.
So lets have more Independently minded Blogs even from party members.
If you feel that you have any new blogs that need promotion let me know in the comments section.
10 comments:
You left off Oggy Bloggy Ogwr. Up there with the best blogs and I don't think he's a Plaid member even if he is a Nat. It's hard to tell where he stands sometimes, can't tell if that's a good or bad thing as it seems a bit wishy washy and as though he has something to hide.
Aon I was taling largely about blogs which are no longer extant bit Oggy Blody Ogwr and others like inside out and Y Cneifiwr make a huge contribution and are on my Blogs Worth Looking at List. But can you suggest some who are not.
Well there's mine...
Done
You don't mention Inside Out either - or is your call for more nationalist-leaning independent blogs?
Yma
Thanks for saying nice things about Syniadau, Glyn. I appreciate it. And I like National Left, too. I often struggle with the typos, but it's usually well worth it for what you have to say.
Perhaps the most helpful thing I can say to encourage anyone who is in Plaid to start a blog is that I have never had warnings or complaints from the party about anything I've said. I've certainly upset a few individuals by what I've said, but no-one in the party has tried to take any action against me (at least that I know of). I hope people in the party will accept that what I say is motivated by what I think is in the best interests of the party and what it stands for. Again, people might disagree with my judgement (as some, including one or two I have the greatest respect for, are doing right now over on Syniadau) but I hope they will accept that I genuinely think things through before I say them.
My starting point is that I feel I cannot criticize politicians in other parties unless I am also prepared to criticize politicians in my own party. In fact I think I need to be, if anything, more harsh on those in Plaid because I expect us to have better standards than any other party. I try not to say anything on the blog that I would not be prepared to say to someone's face.
I also try never to criticize anyone for something they can't reasonably be expected to change. It is always better to criticize what people do or say, rather than who they are. No-one can change who they are, but people can change what they do. If I call someone a liar, I'll show exactly what it is they've lied about. If I call someone a hypocrite, I'll show the contradiction between what they said or did in one place, and what they said or did differently elsewhere.
So, as well as encouraging people in the party to blog, perhaps what I've said will encourage bloggers to join Plaid. In my experience, it really isn't a heavy-handed organization that tries to control what its members say or do. It's a coming together of people who share a core of fundamental beliefs, but with room for a whole range of different variations and disagreements on how to achieve them and where to put the emphasis.
Mike Yes I apologise for the Typos I tend to write this thing in the morning and don't compose it at my leisure. Still I will try harder to proof read it but often I am seeing what should be there not what I had actually typed.
Glyn, you're one of many who read my blog but seldom agree with what I say. In fact, there are some people who read my blog who never agree with what I say.
Oggy Bloggy Ogwr is good because it takes a unique "geeky" look at legislation and stuff like that. He is nationalist but isn't party aligned.
Welsh Not British, I just find the tone annoying, I can see where he's coming from, but it's not mature.
Jac is a great read, again I suspect most of his readership aren't really supporters as such, but enjoy him having his say.
National Left is good Glyn.
One thing i've learnt through reading blogs is how many different kinds of Welsh nationalism there are. Many of them have a very different world view to Plaid.
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