Blogger thischarmingwoman was among the crowd at LMHR’s carnival in Barnsley on Saturday 1 May. Here, we republish her review of the day.

Pic: Mark Tighe – see his LMHR carnival gallery here

Love Music, Hate every type of prejudice under the sun

It’s not as catchy as the name of the event I went to in Barnsley two days ago. But it has a point all the same.
Prejudice is ugly. And luckily, I think the vast majority of people at ‘Love Music, Hate Racism’ on Saturday were aware of that, hence they came (or they were just being obliging pupils to attend a free gig that their teachers in the NUT offered them). But it FELT positive.

I went with my friend Chris, and we were a lot over the average attendee age, by a long stetch. That was so refreshing at an event like this; it felt so good. That a whole generation of children are growing up to fight racism and fascism and prejudice.

I started to feel almost jealous of them. The biggest event I attended when I was 14/ 15 (which must have been the average age of the person there, if not a little younger) was Radio One’s ‘One Big Sunday’ event in Cardiff. And wonderful as it was, it didn’t come with the same message as this event. It wasn’t organised by unions; it didn’t have sensational poets and speakers on stage who spoke out against fascism and its evils.

This was really something special and I was glad to be a part of it. For the first time in my life I was HAPPY to have people banging into me, squashing me to get past. Because it showed the success of the event and therefore the cause. There was a phenomenal turnout, I was hugely impressed.

The speakers were really good at engaging the kids – talking about where our culture comes from and how most of it we wouldn’t have if it wasn’t for immigration. A few slightly rude jokes kept them engaged too. Kevin from the NUT who I met last Sunday when canvassing in Stoke was really great with them.

There were some heartbreaking tales about incidents of racism that have resulted in death. These were very harrowing; I could barely listen. Someone got up on stage and praised immigration, talking about how his mum came over as a nurse to help save lives and that its the inhabitants of England who made things shit; Margaret Thatcher closing the mines and losing people jobs left right and centre. I applauded this point hard.

But for me, it was when someone explained why it was called ‘Love Music, Hate Racism’ that really struck a chord. He talked about Woody Guthrie and his guitar in the wake of the second world war/ rise of fascism that had a label on it saying ‘This Machine Kills Fascists’. It reminded me to go home and stick a sticker on my guitar that says the same thing.

I was listening to and reading about Woody Guthrie nearly all day yesterday. As a guitarist, I’m beyond ashamed to admit that I knew little about his story prior to this event. But after reading and listening to his stuff, I have to say, I’m beyond impressed. It’s REVOLUTIONARY. He is my new Hero.

But it’s not only racism we need to crush. As I stood in the crowd on Saturday, soaking to the bone on a bloody May Bank Holiday Weekend, it occurred to me that we need a new label for something: Facism. The irrational prejudice and discrimination against someone because of the way they look. We live in such a visual society, where people put a lot of emphasis on beauty.

But in truth, it’s bollocks. We’re a product of our society and of consumerism, sad as it is to say. What we need to realise is that we’ve been shaped and conditioned by the media and by our upbringing to see certain things as ugly. But it’s bullshit. We’re all beautiful in different ways. And with facism I really want us to recognise that and celebrate diversity; love and appreciate the way everybody looks.

I’m staggered someone hasn’t thought of it before.