Poetry and Literature in Wales & the World, Page

The poetry of struggle - Fit To Work: Poets Against Atos
(section taken from the Morning Star article)

Mark Burnhope is editor of the website Fit to Work: Poets Against Atos.

"We want to change the meaning of 'fit to work' from a condemnatory
life sentence to a recognition that everyone is fit to - and wants to -
work, in dignity and security at the work of their choice," he says.

"We believe that these circumstances are often off-limits -
we are fit to work, but by and large our corporate culture
is not fit for anyone to work in.

"That's amplified by the experience of physical
or mental illness and disability."

Burnhope sees Atos and the work capability assessment programme
as "the corporatisation of the Department for Work and Pensions.
To say the programme isn't working is a gross understatement,"

"WH Auden's line 'poetry makes nothing happen' has been taken
out of context and made into a challenge - one we're accepting."

"Amid the misery of the coalition government there have been
flashes of excitement as a coalition is being created on the
streets, in squats, in occupations and in community groups.

"We've seen disabled and disability activists at the forefront of
student fees protests, and the benefits cuts are leading to an
alliance around disability rights between disability activists and
other campaigners. We're making contacts as we go - building
bridges between poetry and disability arts communities, finding
contributors from all around, and they're finding us, which is nice.

"I'm just a 'proactivist' or a 'reactivist' - I've watched the
government swing a wrecking ball through the sick and
disabled community and I've had to say no. Publicly.

"Like race, gender and sexuality, disability has often been invisible
on the left or regarded as an add-on - but now people are seeing
that it's not a supplementary, minority issue but central and
far-reaching. Disabled people have always faced a dominant
culture which sees their complaints and demands as quaint.

"But we're now seeing the effects of a government and media-
manufactured culture that sees benefit claimants - any benefit
claimants, the average Joe doesn't differentiate - as 'scroungers.'

"The overwhelming mood among the disabled and sick people I
know and have met through social networks is that this protest
has become synonymous with disabled rights as a whole. These
times could be the most significant for disabled rights in recent
history. We're taking back the movement from a government that
makes every effort to undo its achievements."

What inspired the project?

"The combined effects of simultaneous vicious attacks on the
99 per cent and how they affect people with disabilities -
universal credit, the personal independence payment and
employment support allowance, the bedroom tax, the
continued outsourcing of the work capability assessment
programme - with the free market, profit-led values it promotes.

"This is intensified by the tabloid media's language of 'scrounging'
& 'skiving,' all of which undermine any gains made in dismantling
the disabling public perceptions of people with disabilities.

"It's the horrible paradox where [Minister for Disabled People]
Esther McVey claims she is helping (helpless) people with
disabilities out of the oppression of benefits - double-speak
for depriving us of what we need to participate in an 'ablist'
society on our own terms."

"Both the poetry community in this country and the disability
arts and activism community have shown their support by
submitting work, reading the site and sharing it.

"We've got a WriteToThem link on the site so that readers can
share it with their MPs, and we're waiting to see what - if any -
responses we get, which we'll post on the site.

"So far all but a - legendary - handful of MPs have been very quiet
about the total eradication of a fair benefits system, and we're
hoping against hope that the poems and statements on the site
wake them up to the real effects on their constituents.

"We're also running a GoFundMe campaign to support the site,
which we're running independently and for free. But we know
that many of our contributors and readers are all struggling in
the same economic situation. We'd like to raise enough money
to enlarge the project, maybe with a print book, and even live
reading events & workshops, thus increasing visibility further."

Any public events planned?

"Does anyone have an accessible - and public
transport accessible - venue with sign-language
and hearing aid provision?"

"If so, we'd love to hear from you, so we can bring
our poets and our audience together. Get in touch!"

For more information visit
Fit To Work: Poets Against Atos

or their Facebook page.

Poetry and Literature in Wales & the World, Page

_________________________The Bards Of Wales

_________________________

The Bards Of Wales