PES Manifesto

1. Too secure ? by Duncan Anderson on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 11:53

I can agree with: -

border security,

resource security,

energy security.

I think a lot of votes will get confused with, but I can agree with: -

employment security

social security - making sure people don't fall through the welfare net

economic security.

But I fear that when you use the term "community security" you involve images of ghettos, segregation and one community against another.

I can understand what Neil is talking about, but I think that the word "security" is the wrong one to use, will lead to a lot of confusion and even comments along the lines of, "the best form of defence is attack".

2. Security - should socialists use the word? by Asynjen on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 14:32

My first reaction when watching this video was that security is not a word socialists should use! For exactly the same reasons which Duncan describes... 'security' tend to have associations with 'homeland security' and defence.  But then I came to think of 'social security', 'food security' and 'energy security' - which is definetely something socialists should take up!

I think Europe's socialists and social democrats need to claim the word 'security' back! Of course, we should speak about security, but we should do it in our own way, taking our own values into account. 

3. Reclaiming security for the socialists by Julian from Schaerbeek on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 at 17:59

I think we should reclaim the word 'security' for the socialists - every bit as much as we should reclaim the debates about crime, migration and (national) identity. We cant allow the right to colonise these words or debates. The conservatives talk about  security to play on people's fears.  We should be talking about the security people care really about - safety in their homes, security of work (not necessarily security on the same job), secure opportunities for good life chances. We should talk about security not to demonise people (that's what the right does) but to see how as a society we can make people feel more secure. I dont think there's any doubt lots of people do feel insecure in various ways and unless we address that sensibly we are just vacating the space for the right and the far right to occupy - and we know the intolerance and hatreds they try to spread .....

So I think it's great Neil has chosen the word security and good it has sparked a debate....  

4. Security, Safety, Protection... by chourka on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 12:23

All these words are defensive. Of course, we have to address people concerns in the daily life and first of all tackle unemployement (that means personnal job unsecurity). But is it so difficult in the current time to have more positive mottos, some more enthusiasm about Europe?

Is it so impossible for our national/european leaders to emphasize europewide Freedom of movement (apart UK, and Ireland ;-) ) thanks to Shengen Agreement or the Freedom to settle and work everywhere we want?

We have to build for the PSE a campaign where people feel that thanks to the political and social integration at european level, they have more Freedom, that they benefit to want more solidarity among Europeans as they benefit of having a social net in their country.

Please make us proud to be Europeans ! That means proud not to send people in the Death row, proud to have Social Net, proud to produce in an environnemetal friendly way, proud to have efficient public services (Post Offices, electricity, water supply, TGV/ICE, public transports such Railway and tramways in our Towns, internet equipment, etc), proud not to conduct international Affairs through an imperial and unilateral way!

5. Sounds about right to me by psjcph on Wednesday, April 23, 2008 at 18:21

The PES should of course use words and terms people understands and can relate to.

Security - used the way Kinnock does it here and in other questions - is for sure one of them.

//peter, who actually just was checking, if his account here worked :-)