Happy New Year to all Bella Readers & Writers

tyIMG_9722There’s not much to add by way of a ‘review’ after Robin’s piece yesterday ‘So Far So Good’.

This year was emotionally, psychologically and politically both inspiring and – let’s be honest – massively disappointing.

But I’d like to thank everyone – writer, readers and everyone who has dug their hand in their pockets and supported us over the last year. We would have ground to a halt without you. A special thank you to all of the new editorial board and to Jacqueline Gallagher and the team running the Facebook group.

Our proudest moment of 2014? Here’s four stand-out issues:

* Producing Closer 3 dedicated to women in the indy movement.

* Bringing Mr Moodie to the pages of Bella.

* Creating an album of music ‘Songs for Scotland’ and a concert at Oran Mor.

* Bringing Smári McCarthy to Scotland was a coup.

We intend to expand our content and improve our website with a re-launch in January (once we have the indyref awards out of the way). We’ll be back early in 2015.

We are doing this because our work has just begun. As I wrote in Closer 2:

“How can we make sure that the thousands of people who’ve been inspired by the process don’t retreat as politicians try and bring us all back to business as usual? How do we make sure we don’t let power quietly reassert itself?”

That’s my fear. That for all the talk of ‘Scotland has changed forever’ we face an ongoing struggle to overcome decades of inferiorism, cultural colonialism and media bias. We face a battle against lies and distortion, briefings against us and political opportunism from a damaged and hurting unionist political class.

But with an improved new media, a massive swathe of people who have had a rapid political education and the networks and momentum of our movement still intact, I’m up for it. Anyone else on board?

Happy New Year to all our readers and writers. Next year can’t be better, can it?

 

 

Comments (18)

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  1. Kenny says:

    Happy New Year! Let us take another step closer to independence in 2015… in fact, let us take more gigantic strides!

    It is wonderful to see my country come alive and once again show the world the way when it comes to grass-roots activisim — and rejecting far-right neoliberal policies.

    The pace of history is quickening, it is on our side, and fair stands the wind for indy!

  2. jimnarlene says:

    Happy new year to all independence supporters, old and new.

  3. AnnaMac says:

    Thank you Bella for being the mainspring of my personal rapid political education (ongoing).
    Bliadhna Mhath Ur !

  4. john young says:

    Keep the faith “tiocfaidh ar la” dreams/vision/creativity collective will for a better society we have it all we will win them over.

  5. Fran says:

    Watch us go.

  6. James Munro says:

    Thanks Bella, 2014 was “the end of the beginning” I look forward to 2015 with relish. A happy, healthy and politically progressive New Year to one and all.

  7. joseph O Luain says:

    Thanks, and best wishes for 2015 to all at Bella.

  8. Alastair McIntosh says:

    Thanks especially to you, Mike Small, for holding this space.

  9. Bothy Basher says:

    Thanks for everything…………………………………have a brilliant New Year.

  10. Fay Kennedy. says:

    Bold, brilliant bonnie Scotland just beginning a brand new day. To all the great supporters especially the Bella team. 2015 another chapter begins.

  11. maxi kerr says:

    Its a new year start, and there will be a barrage of propaganda thrown at our new awakened nation from the scribes and mouthpieces of the corrupt union HQ at Westminster. Let’s not forget “we won’t get fooled again”………BETTER New Year everyone who believes.

  12. john young says:

    A happy and healthy New Year to all especially those “bravehearts” of the YES campaign, who have I think awakened peoples perceptions that a new dawn can be acheived not only here in Bellascotland but elsewhere,the time has come for people to realise that it is not about politicians/political parties it is about US the people.

  13. macart763 says:

    A good new year to all and well done Bella.

    A couple of things will stop ‘business as usual’ rearing its ugly head and first of those is the ongoing revolution occurring in the way we access news and current affairs. The old media failed us and people know it. All we need do is keep getting behind new media sources.

    Secondly sit back and allow Westminster to be Westminster. Its already begun with EVEL, pension reform, the Smith Fudge, the slashing of the block grant and further austerity measures promised. Oh and that’s one promise they’ll deliver on. They’ll do much of the heavy lifting on the break up of the political union all on their own.

    I think they’re in a rut.

  14. Well done to everyone associated with Bella . I think it’s been a great year even with the result of the referendum going the wrong way ,it has certainly awakened the Scottish people to a new attitude for politics , things will never be the same again , once again thanks for all you’ve done and have a great New Year

  15. John Page says:

    Thanks, Bella and have a great 2015!

  16. Thanks Bella for helping to open my eyes to the political system we inhabit and show it up for the disgrace it is.
    We mustn’t take anything for granted in 2015 and mustn’t underestimate how low the Unionists will drag themselves to cheat us (eg; Murphy) and also we mustn’t overestimate the ability of “No” voters to see through it!
    A very Happy New Year to you all at Bella, and to each and every person who has Scotland in their heart!

  17. Keep on keepin’ on Mike and the Bella team. Great year with great things ahead.

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