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Iain McKie · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 191 Location: Ayr, Scotland.

FIGHTING INJUSTICE

Some do’s and don’ts.

1. Look after yourself: My health suffered over the years so look after yourself. Do not become an island. Let the family support and having a good friend you can totally trust is a real bonus. Make it a team game and not a one-man band. Your judgment will be important however and I always bounced my ideas off trusted people before action.

2. Always speak the truth: If you are found to be lying you and your credibility are finished. This is particularly true when dealing with the media. If you are going to campaign you need to be sure of the facts. I say this because you will have to deal with lies from many quarters and you cannot afford to be wrong in fact. The label of liar is difficult to remove and the system will try and label you thus. It is extremely important that any skeletons in your cupboard are dealt with because the opposition will stoop to anything to bring you down. If there are embarrassing issues on your side then deal with them after careful thought. If you do get it wrong an early admission and correction is essential.

3. Be prepared from the long game: While it is to be hoped the whole mess will be resolved quickly the system has all the resources of time and money to take as long as it likes. Your position might become one of shaking them out of their complacency.

4. What are your goals? : Initially my aim was ensuring the authorities came clean and revealed the facts. This did not happen because too many people and organizations had a vested interest in the outcome and the experts hid behind this protective shield provided by the police, prosecutors, politicians etc. The more the truth becomes known the more difficult it becomes for the liars to keep lying without becoming isolated.

5. Are your goals realistic? : It is unlikely that the system will capitulate and if your goals are unrealistic you end up achieving nothing. I found that the achievement of several smaller goals was important as a way of working towards the bigger goals. The first goal for instance could be establishing your structure and strategy and getting your voice heard.

6. Keep control of the agenda: The police, politicians and prosecution systems love letters. They are experts at delay and procrastination. My motto was - always keep the ball in their court - always give them questions to answer and pressure them from as many sides as possible.

7. Use of the internet: The internet gave us a voice the system denied hence the website. Consider establishing a website or using other relevant sites. Establish a ‘blog’.

8. Avoid being Obsessive: I found this so difficult given the enormous impact on my family's life. I have been contacted by many people who have suffered injustice over the years and they were so hurt they hit out at everyone and ended up hitting no-one. Obsessives who assault you with a mass of paperwork and who criticise everyone who has ever dealt with their case are easily dismissed and marginalized. The majority of thinking people just cannot believe that everyone is corrupt - and they are not. Be selective and build your case.

9. Use the Media: If possible be proactive and give the stories to the media rather than ending up having to be defensive. “No Comment” is not a good campaign strategy. Gaining the complete trust of a small number of respected journalists is important. Sadly the story must be ‘sexy’ and one that will excite reader’s interest so analyse your case for the ‘newsworthy’ elements. Media conferences at strategic times are useful but always have something new to say.

10. Legal team: While your case is important to the lawyers it is just another one of many. Get a legal team who believe in you and are not just going through the motions. Good as our legal team was I found that time was of little importance to them and that they could be guilty of arrogance - "we know best" - they did not. Lawyers tend to dislike the media but should be asked to justify why.

11. Political support: It is extremely important to have the support of a politician(s) who can be trusted and who believes in you. He/she/them can use their political power to open doors not available to you.

12. Know when to give up: Over the past decade I have met too many people broken by the pressure of fighting for justice. I suppose it is a question of knowing yourself and your priorities. Fighting injustice is a noble cause but not when you and everyone around you suffers or is destroyed in the process.

This list is of course not definitive. Many are inter-related and at times their importance changes as things develop. I would welcome reader’s comments and additions to the list.

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Pat A. Wertheim · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 39 Location: USA

Iain, you are a philosopher whose advice needs to be engraved in the Halls at Crown Court in Glasgow alongside the words of other great philosophers. Your words need to be printed and posted for every person to read who anticipates fighting injustice in life. And who among us lives a life free of injustice? Thank you for your insights.

Al · Posted: Sat May 12, 2007 10:30 am Post subject:

I could not agree more with Pat Wertheim.

Iain’s very wise counsel should be the ultimate template for everyone contemplating taking on monolithic institutions and organisations who, even when they are clearly in the wrong, will do everything they can to avoid saying “We’re GENUINELY SORRY for any mistakes and or wrong-doing caused / committed in our dealings with you”. For, saying “SORRY”, may well involve having to cough up some dough, so the suits keep schtum and the “good name” of the organisation you are taking on will ALWAYS come first, procrastinate (and procrastinate, and procrastinate,… ), be very well protected (self-protection / preservation writ large), close ranks at every level and, yes, lie and cover up to avoid the big pay out – at ALL costs … YOUR cost.

I know. I too have seen it first hand with the big institutions and organisations here in Scotland. It is deeply ingrained in our “culture”, and is endemic throughout ALL our “established” (establishment) institutions alas.

“We are [indeed] the self-preservation society… ”.

Best wishes to Iain and Pat – both very wise counsel.

_________________
Do not be afraid of them therefore. For everything that is now covered will be uncovered, and everything now hidden will be made clear. What I say to you in the dark, tell in the daylight; what you hear in whispers, proclaim from the housetops.

Iain McKie · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 191 Location: Ayr, Scotland.

Recent postings on this forum and on Peter Cherbi's diary http://petercherbi.blogspot.com/ set me thinking again about how best to oppose the system and effect the change so many people want and led to this posting in the diary.

'As ever these discussions put me into reflective mode as they reveal the pain and frustration of many of those who have suffered injustice and see little changing.

Since Shirley was subject to an assault by our justice system over 10 years ago I have had my moments of hatred for a system cynically bringing someone I loved to the edge of suicide.

I soon realised however that my hatred had been spawned by an anger and helplessness that was changing me into someone I did not want to recognise – I was becoming the major victim of my own negative emotions. I was effectively playing their game and doing little to change what was happening.

I was on my way to becoming the hatred filled obsessive that those in the system wanted me to be. My at times unreasoning anger was becoming a self-destructive negative force.

I say this because I wonder if there are those, who have not been as lucky as I have in achieving their goals, who in hitting out in pain and frustration might blind others to the validity of their claims. The danger comes when we lose credibility with the objective observer who has difficulty in accepting that our justice system and everyone within it is totally crooked.

I continue to be amazed at the bravery, determination and logicality of many victims of injustice in the face of our at times incestuous and uncaring system. This helps further their aims and says more about them that any of the negative self-interested posturing of those within a system that has totally lost its way and whose aim is survival and self-perpetuation instead of justice for all.

If my aims should fail or fall short I do not see myself as a loser, weak or defeated. My self-belief comes from knowledge that I have supported a cause worth pursuing and I suggest that those who fight injustice share that strength.'

My point is that while releasing some of the anger is emotionally satisfying it does little to change the system. This will come I believe from credible people creating a credible case for change and influencing credible people already part of the system or having an influence on it.

The forthcoming judicial enquiry and the debate surrounding Lockerbie gives us the chance to further this process.

allan mcleod · Joined: 10 Jun 2007 Posts: 88

I Fully Agree with each and every one of Iains Points and Peters reply.

For the past 10 Years and even to this very day Northern Constabulary Police Force and its Cronies on the police Board have under taken numerous delaying tactics and erected obstacles to try and drain the family Financially,Mentally and Physically in the hope we would go away and leave them alone,but rest assured their plan has failed dramatically.

We are determined to continue and fight on until the truth is exposed as to why Northern Constabulary failed to properly investigate both Kevins Death which was a Murder inquiry and our subsequent complaints, but more importantly to expose who really did murder Kevin Mcleod.

How those Authorities involved can put families through hell in their fight for justice can look in the mirror or sleep at night Beggars Belief.

Iain McKie · Joined: 08 May 2007 Posts: 191 Location: Ayr, Scotland.

Allan's fight is a good example of what I was talking about.

Intelligent, determined and dignified argument in the face of procrastination and deceit.

My long term aim is a Royal Commission, or the equivalent, charged with examining the extent to which our justice system is no longer fit for purpose.

While I hope that the truth about Kevin's tragic death is revealed soon this is exactly the type of injustice that should be examined by any commission to inform its review.

While Lockerbie remains the prime example of a justice system gone wrong there is a lengthening list of injustices being highlighted on this and other forums that clearly shows just how much our system is in need of reform.

freethekillie2 · Joined: 27 Apr 2007 Posts: 309

Iain, stress and strain is all part of all our fights for justice.
it keeps you going it makes you stronger!

it is nearly 3 years i have fought not just for brendan but everyone that i think is a victim and have seen how our courts and police work , i never knew that so many miscarraiges of justice victims that there were.

I AM ANGRY THOUGHT AT U DIVISION EVEN THOU SOME OFFICERS KNOW THE TRUTH!BUT MORE ANGRY AT THE GLASGOW CID THAT PUSHED FOR CHARGE.
AGAINST BRENDAN.

BUT THE COFFEE WILL TASTE SWEETER WHEN HE GETS OUT AND THATS WHAT I THINK ABOUT! GETTING THE PERSON THAT MURDERED THAT OLD LADY IN THE DOCK.