Members of the National Organization for Women and The World Can’t Wait, went, along with other women’s rights groups, went to Nebraska to defend Abortion Rights at Dr. LeRoy Carhart's Clinic, August 28-29.
The event went well as abortion rights defenders stood down the same crazy religious right cooks of Operation Rescue, who have been waging a campaign to keep Carhart from opening a clinic in Wichtia. This was an event to show that these people do not represent everyone in Kansas or Nebraska.
otto's war room banner
Monday, August 31, 2009
An interview with Comrade Binod of the Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
Note: In the current situation, in which international support for the Nepalese revolution has waned considerably since 2006, members of WPRM (Britain and Ireland) are in Nepal to talk with leaders and masses to try to better understand the contradictions in Nepalese society and how the UCPN(M) is providing leadership in making revolution. We believe constructive criticism should be made on the platform of internationalist support, especially given the ongoing threat from US imperialist and Indian expansionist intervention. Here is the first of various interviews and articles we hope to publish.
WPRM: Can you introduce yourself please?
Com. Binod: My name is Comrade Binod. I am a Central Committee member and secretary of the state council for Mahakali state, which comprises seven districts in the far west of
WPRM: Can you tell us about the recent Central Committee meeting and its implications for the coming weeks and months?
Com. Binod: In the life of the party, this Central Committee meeting has been unusual from the point of view of ideology and debate. We have received an opportunity, and we are proud that this meeting has been very unusual because it has taken place amid the deep curiosity of the proletariat in
WPRM: And what are these decisions?
Com. Binod: At this moment when there is no experience of revolution in the 21st century, when there is no advanced proletarian revolutionary movement in the world, when this country is encircled and governed by Indian expansionism, at this moment against imperialism and expansionism, we have come to the decision that we have to accomplish insurrection. This is the important outcome of this meeting. For the rest of the post please visit www.wprmbritain.org
World People's Reistance Movement (
E-mail: wprm_britain@yahoo.co.uk
Web: www.wprmbritain.org
Friday, August 28, 2009
US expands military role in Colombia
The US is expanding its military presents in South America by making agreements to use seven military bases in Colombia. This is a country that has fought a civil war with leftist guerrilla groups for 40 years.
Most of the governments in South America today are nationalist left of center politicians who view the base expansions as a threat to their autonomy and the beginning of spilling the Colombian war into other parts of Latin America.
President Álvaro Uribe,of Colombia, is a US puppet who acts as the US’s eyes and ears in the region and is out of step with the rest of the continent. Also In the U.S., several prominent Democratic senators have questioned the Obama administration's decision to strengthen ties with the Colombian military, which has a questionable human rights record.
According to Colombia Reports:
“The U.S. base agreement has placed Colombia in the diplomatic crossfire between two hemispheric powers with dramatically different visions of the region's political future. The country's leadership should tread carefully in the difficult days ahead.
There are currently a number of ongoing disputes surrounding the base agreement. In the U.S., several prominent Democratic senators have questioned the Obama administration's decision to strengthen ties with the Colombian military, which has a questionable human rights record.
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and his closest allies in the region have attacked the deal with sensationalist, even violent rhetoric. Domestically, many Colombian politicians have criticized the relative secrecy of the deal's details and prior negotiations.
Perhaps the most important debate, however, is a subtler, more diplomatic struggle between an increasingly autonomous Latin America and the U.S. government. Not too long ago, the U.S. had a strong military presence in Latin America. In those days, the U.S.-Colombia base deal would have been entirely unremarkable. Today, on the other hand, nearly every Latin American leader has called on the U.S. to explain the agreement. It is abundantly clear, if it wasn't already obvious, that Latin America is no longer America's backyard.”
Also according to one guerrilla group, the National Army of Liberation (ELN), Our Voice (of the ELN):
“T he association of Colombians in Venezuela inaugurated Thursday a new foundation for peace in the latter country to counter the threat posed to the region, the military agreement that the Colombian government made a pact with the United States for the installation of seven U.S. military bases .
El presidente de la Asociación, Juan Carlos Tanus, informó que en este nuevo espacio se realizará un foro de discusión previsto para este jueves en el Consejo Legislativo de Barcelona, al oriente del país. The Association president, Juan Carlos Tanus, reported that in this new space there will be a discussion forum planned for Thursday in the Legislative Council of Barcelona, in eastern Colombia.
El anunció de hace luego que el presidente de esta nación, Hugo Chávez, solicitara este miércoles que este tipo de centros brinden información a todos los ciudadanos, tanto venezolanos como colombianos para que "conozcan lo que realmente se está diciendo y haciendo aquí en Venezuela", The announcement ago after President of this nation, Hugo Chávez, requested on Wednesday that such centers provide information to all citizens, both Venezuelans and Colombians to "know what is actually being said and done here in Venezuela" ,
Durante un Consejo de Ministros televisado desde el Palacio de Miraflores (casa de Gobierno), el gobernante expresó que todo el pueblo colombiano tiene la necesidad de oír las verdaderas ideas que se expresan en el país, ''que no son otras que la del padre (Simón) Bolívar. During a televised Cabinet Miraflores Palace (Government House), the ruling stated that all the Colombian people have the need to hear the actual ideas expressed in the country,''which are none other than the father (Simon) Bolivar. Tienen derecho a saber que ellos son nuestros hermanos, que somos sus amigos y que no somos ninguna amenaza para Colombia". They are entitled to know that they are our brothers, who are his friends and that we are no threat to Colombia. "
A su vez, el mandatario venezolano destacó, que el gobierno que preside se encuentra en la obligación de hacer todo los esfuerzos para que su voz llegue al pueblo colombiano. In turn, Chavez stressed that the government of President is obliged to make every effort to make your voice reaches the people of Colombia.
Uno de los objetivos planteados por Chávez es la utilización de estos espacios de paz para la creación de consultorios médicos para que pueda ser atendido gratuitamente a los colombianos que tengan más necesidades. One of the objectives proposed by Chavez is the use of these spaces of peace to create medical clinics in order to be served free to Colombians who have more needs.
Las Bases por la Paz son una propuesta del presidente Chávez, para contrarrestar la amenaza que representan para la región latinoamericana, las bases militares estadounidenses en territorio colombiano. The Basis for Peace is a proposal by President Chavez to counter the threat to Latin America, U.S. military bases in Colombia.”
And concerning Ecuador:
“T he president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, called "attack" politics the appearance of the video where a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas said that supposedly financed his 2006 election campaign. Aseguró que "el famoso video del Mono Jojoy, claramente puede ser una treta para desviar la atención" por la discusión sobre la instalación de las bases militares estadounidenses en Colombia. He claimed that "the famous video of Mono Jojoy, clearly can be a ploy to divert attention" from the discussion on installation of U.S. military bases in Colombia.
El mandatario asegur ó, durante una entrevista exclusiva que concedió a teleSUR, que "es claro que eso (el video) salió en un momento, donde primero, en estricto apego al estado de derecho ya nuestras leyes (...) se inició una investigación por el bombardeo de 1 de marzo de 2008 y luego de casi un año de investigaciones se sindicó al ex ministro de Defensa de Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, que se responsabilizó del ataque". The representative insured, during an exclusive interview with Telesur, which is clear that (the video) came at a time, where first, strict adherence to the rule of law and our laws was initiated (...) investigation into the bombing of 1 March 2008 and after almost a year of investigation were accused former Defense Minister of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, who took responsibility for the attack. "
Explicó que por esta situación "tenemos una arremetida de Colombia de ciertos estamentos llenos de calumnias para el gobierno ecuatoriano y si a eso se le une una segunda coyuntura, que era la discusión de las bases militares estadounidenses en Colombia (...) entonces claramente eso puede ser una treta para desviar la atención". He explained that this situation "we have an onslaught of Colombia of certain estates filled with slander for the Ecuadorian government and if it is joined by a second joint, which was the discussion of U.S. military bases in Colombia (...) then clearly this may be a ploy to divert attention. "
Most of the governments in South America today are nationalist left of center politicians who view the base expansions as a threat to their autonomy and the beginning of spilling the Colombian war into other parts of Latin America.
President Álvaro Uribe,of Colombia, is a US puppet who acts as the US’s eyes and ears in the region and is out of step with the rest of the continent. Also In the U.S., several prominent Democratic senators have questioned the Obama administration's decision to strengthen ties with the Colombian military, which has a questionable human rights record.
According to Colombia Reports:
“The U.S. base agreement has placed Colombia in the diplomatic crossfire between two hemispheric powers with dramatically different visions of the region's political future. The country's leadership should tread carefully in the difficult days ahead.
There are currently a number of ongoing disputes surrounding the base agreement. In the U.S., several prominent Democratic senators have questioned the Obama administration's decision to strengthen ties with the Colombian military, which has a questionable human rights record.
President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela and his closest allies in the region have attacked the deal with sensationalist, even violent rhetoric. Domestically, many Colombian politicians have criticized the relative secrecy of the deal's details and prior negotiations.
Perhaps the most important debate, however, is a subtler, more diplomatic struggle between an increasingly autonomous Latin America and the U.S. government. Not too long ago, the U.S. had a strong military presence in Latin America. In those days, the U.S.-Colombia base deal would have been entirely unremarkable. Today, on the other hand, nearly every Latin American leader has called on the U.S. to explain the agreement. It is abundantly clear, if it wasn't already obvious, that Latin America is no longer America's backyard.”
Also according to one guerrilla group, the National Army of Liberation (ELN), Our Voice (of the ELN):
“T he association of Colombians in Venezuela inaugurated Thursday a new foundation for peace in the latter country to counter the threat posed to the region, the military agreement that the Colombian government made a pact with the United States for the installation of seven U.S. military bases .
El presidente de la Asociación, Juan Carlos Tanus, informó que en este nuevo espacio se realizará un foro de discusión previsto para este jueves en el Consejo Legislativo de Barcelona, al oriente del país. The Association president, Juan Carlos Tanus, reported that in this new space there will be a discussion forum planned for Thursday in the Legislative Council of Barcelona, in eastern Colombia.
El anunció de hace luego que el presidente de esta nación, Hugo Chávez, solicitara este miércoles que este tipo de centros brinden información a todos los ciudadanos, tanto venezolanos como colombianos para que "conozcan lo que realmente se está diciendo y haciendo aquí en Venezuela", The announcement ago after President of this nation, Hugo Chávez, requested on Wednesday that such centers provide information to all citizens, both Venezuelans and Colombians to "know what is actually being said and done here in Venezuela" ,
Durante un Consejo de Ministros televisado desde el Palacio de Miraflores (casa de Gobierno), el gobernante expresó que todo el pueblo colombiano tiene la necesidad de oír las verdaderas ideas que se expresan en el país, ''que no son otras que la del padre (Simón) Bolívar. During a televised Cabinet Miraflores Palace (Government House), the ruling stated that all the Colombian people have the need to hear the actual ideas expressed in the country,''which are none other than the father (Simon) Bolivar. Tienen derecho a saber que ellos son nuestros hermanos, que somos sus amigos y que no somos ninguna amenaza para Colombia". They are entitled to know that they are our brothers, who are his friends and that we are no threat to Colombia. "
A su vez, el mandatario venezolano destacó, que el gobierno que preside se encuentra en la obligación de hacer todo los esfuerzos para que su voz llegue al pueblo colombiano. In turn, Chavez stressed that the government of President is obliged to make every effort to make your voice reaches the people of Colombia.
Uno de los objetivos planteados por Chávez es la utilización de estos espacios de paz para la creación de consultorios médicos para que pueda ser atendido gratuitamente a los colombianos que tengan más necesidades. One of the objectives proposed by Chavez is the use of these spaces of peace to create medical clinics in order to be served free to Colombians who have more needs.
Las Bases por la Paz son una propuesta del presidente Chávez, para contrarrestar la amenaza que representan para la región latinoamericana, las bases militares estadounidenses en territorio colombiano. The Basis for Peace is a proposal by President Chavez to counter the threat to Latin America, U.S. military bases in Colombia.”
And concerning Ecuador:
“T he president of Ecuador, Rafael Correa, called "attack" politics the appearance of the video where a member of the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas said that supposedly financed his 2006 election campaign. Aseguró que "el famoso video del Mono Jojoy, claramente puede ser una treta para desviar la atención" por la discusión sobre la instalación de las bases militares estadounidenses en Colombia. He claimed that "the famous video of Mono Jojoy, clearly can be a ploy to divert attention" from the discussion on installation of U.S. military bases in Colombia.
El mandatario asegur ó, durante una entrevista exclusiva que concedió a teleSUR, que "es claro que eso (el video) salió en un momento, donde primero, en estricto apego al estado de derecho ya nuestras leyes (...) se inició una investigación por el bombardeo de 1 de marzo de 2008 y luego de casi un año de investigaciones se sindicó al ex ministro de Defensa de Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, que se responsabilizó del ataque". The representative insured, during an exclusive interview with Telesur, which is clear that (the video) came at a time, where first, strict adherence to the rule of law and our laws was initiated (...) investigation into the bombing of 1 March 2008 and after almost a year of investigation were accused former Defense Minister of Colombia, Juan Manuel Santos, who took responsibility for the attack. "
Explicó que por esta situación "tenemos una arremetida de Colombia de ciertos estamentos llenos de calumnias para el gobierno ecuatoriano y si a eso se le une una segunda coyuntura, que era la discusión de las bases militares estadounidenses en Colombia (...) entonces claramente eso puede ser una treta para desviar la atención". He explained that this situation "we have an onslaught of Colombia of certain estates filled with slander for the Ecuadorian government and if it is joined by a second joint, which was the discussion of U.S. military bases in Colombia (...) then clearly this may be a ploy to divert attention. "
Update on the action to defend Dr. Carhart, who wants to perform abortions in Wichita, KS
This was sent from the Local chapter of the National Organization for Women:Defend Dr. Carhart's Clinic!
Women need you in Nebraska!
Action Needed:
1. Join NOW President Terry O'Neill in Nebraska to defend Dr. LeRoy Carhart's women's health clinic on Friday and Saturday, August 28-29, with Kansas and Nebraska NOW.
2. Send your thanks to Dr. Carhart for his steadfast commitment to trusting women.
3. Sign NOW's Pledge for Reproductive Freedom.
"Dr. Carhart saves women's lives, and we need to stand with abortion providers like Dr. Carhart to say that his life is precious, too," says NOW President Terry O'Neill. "Please join me in Nebraska to stand with a man whose compassion and dedication make it possible for women to own their lives."
Defend Abortion Rights at Dr. Carhart's Clinic August 28-29 Lies, intimidation and threats further a climate of violence and murderous terrorism against women's fundamental reproductive rights -- and women need you to join NOW's grassroots activists in Nebraska. Defend Dr. Carhart's clinic with NOW President Terry O'Neill on August 28 and 29.
Kansas NOW and Nebraska NOW are organizing a peaceful clinic defense to counter a demonstration by Operation Rescue. Roll up the map, start packing up your car and get details for how you can help at the Kansas NOW website.
PreRally
Meeting Point
First Unitarian Church of Omaha
3114 Harney St, Omaha NE
NOTE (this is important) everyone
who comes to the Unitarian
Church will be required to sign in and provide picture ID.
Friday, Aug 28
Saturday, Aug 29
1002 W Mission Ave
Bellevue NE 68005
For more information, please contact Erin: trustwomen2009@gmail.com
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Argentina second Latin American country to legalize drug possession for personal use
Argentina is the second country to legalize possession of small amounts of drugs for personal use.
As with Mexico, Argentina enacted a law that decriminalizes possessing low quantities of most drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and LSD. This is an example the US should take from. Again it would free up the government to spend its time doing something productive rather than just forcing people to live by cultural prurient interests.
For more information see Argentina follows Mexico and decriminalizes personal use of marihuana.
From the fightin’Cock Flyer.
As with Mexico, Argentina enacted a law that decriminalizes possessing low quantities of most drugs, including marijuana, heroin, cocaine and LSD. This is an example the US should take from. Again it would free up the government to spend its time doing something productive rather than just forcing people to live by cultural prurient interests.
For more information see Argentina follows Mexico and decriminalizes personal use of marihuana.
From the fightin’Cock Flyer.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Good-by Ted Kennedy
Ted Kennedy is dead now. While I’m a Marxist who believes the entire system is a rotten sham and needs to be replaced and overthrown, I think I’ll still miss Ted. He was an old time liberal. He came to office during the cold war and no doubt he was a cold warrior himself. So he was the enemy to us Marxists. However, for the working people in the US, he was one of their few allies they had. He was one of the few real liberals left in the US Senate. His main concern before he died was seeing health care reform pass and he wasn’t able to do it.He was the last of the Kennedy brother politicians, one a president, the other a presidential candidate expected to win and both gunned down. Both were far to the left of today’s common Democrat.
While in the senate he was a front ranking Democrat, in 1987 who torpedoed one of President Ronald Reagan's Supreme Court nominees, Robert Bork. Bork was a fascist anti-woman, anti-abortion, anti-evolutionists, anti-free speech judge.
As with all Democrats he had his faults. In later years fellow Democrats complained that his political touch had failed him, and that he was too eager to strike a deal with President George W. Bush on education and Medicare.
Many conservatives will probably celebrate the passing of their liberal nemesis and many on the hard left will be quick to point out all the anti-working and imperialists laws he supported.
But still, I’ll miss having Ted in the Senate.
For an Associated Press story see:
Ted Kennedy: Family senator, patriarch, dead at 77
Inerview with Alessandro della Malva- Leftist activist arrested by the Italian Government-part 2
From the Party of the Committees to Support Resistance - for Communism (CARC) – Italy:
A continuation of the interview with Alessandro della Malva, arrested by the police while facing the fascist patrols promoted by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government:
The comrades of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Turkey North Kurdistan (MLKP) asked us for an interview with one of the comrades arrested on latest July by the police while they were opposing the fascist patrols established by Berlusconi's government. Below the comrade Alessandro della Malva answers to the questions of Turkish comrades.
6- How did the event in July happen? Could you share this experience with us?
The proletarian patrol was announced to mass media already some days before, and this roused a mobilization about the matter, most of all because in Massa it had been organized a fascist patrol called SSS (clearly referred to the Nazi criminals). The proletarian patrol started from the park where CARC Party and ASP held their National Feasts. It was more than a patrol: it was a demonstration of 60/70 people who ran through the main street near the coast. When the demonstration arrived at the bar where usually some notorious local fascists used to meet, there was the police ranked to protect that scum. The fascists, feeling sure that police were protecting them, began to provoke, with fascist songs and Nazi hails, and when comrades approach them, they throw them chairs. The comrades reacted and accused the police to be there just for supporting the provocation. Then the comrades closed the demonstration going back to the park where they started. Nevertheless, fascists continued to provoke, going around near the park, some with sticks. So two comrades came back for seeing what was happening where we found the police ranked one hour and a half before. There they have been held by the political police and by its chief Valentini. The comrades warned the police about fascists' threatening attitude, but the police did not care of it. On the contrary, they asked the comrades to show their papers (even if they know them very well). The comrades did not do it, as they understood that they were plotting something for hitting us, and called the other comrades for telling what was happening. We arrived quickly protesting for such a fascist behaviour by the police. The result has been four comrades dragged in police headquarters, kicks, and blows by batons.
However, at the headquarters the police realized that it would not be easy at all to keep us quiet: we protested because they did no let enter an ambulance for a comrade blown at the head with a baton and outside as well there were the comrades immediately come for protesting. All night long, the demonstrators stayed out of the headquarters hitting the gate. The police was very troubled by what was happening at Massa and in other cities (Naples and Pistoia). P-CARC and ASP promoted railways blocks in Massa and Naples and a sit-in in Massa asking for liberating the comrades. Seven hours after two comrades were liberated and two stayed under arrest: the mobilization went on and police's switchboard became clogged by people calling to protest and to ask for news about the arrested.
Within the head quarters, the policemen showed friendship: they realized that outside thing could get worse and that the mobilization could grow.
The mobilization continued the day before at the tribunal. There the judge decided restrictive measures for the two comrades (to sign every day in carabineer's barracks until the day of the trial fixed on 9 October), but did not dare to confirm the arrest, thanks to the mobilization of the comrades who have been continuously to the attack and turned the repression against the police itself.
7- What kind of mistreatment did you face with under police custody? How was your attitude?
Firstly the police tried to use rough tactics, beating us on the road and trying to frighten us in the barracks, even stopping the aid for the wounded comrade, but when they realized that this could have been used against them they changed their attitude. Ad I told before, in front of us who were in the cell, hearing shouting and slogans by the comrades outside) the attitude was aimed to keep low the level of the clash: many of them told that they were on our side, that they knew we were not criminals. All of them were astonished by the mobilization so quickly aroused.
8- Has there been any change in the state's policies concerning the fascist patrols?
After the proletarian patrol of Massa there were stands also by members of the Government. Minister Maroni could not withdraw, as its party, the Lega Nord, has fighting migrants and patrols as warhorse, but Bossi, the leader of the Lega, had to justify himself. Berlusconi itself admitted that patrol are an act of mistrust for the Government, the members of the main leftist parties go so far as declaring that the Government is carrying out a wicked politics that creates further tensions, instead of giving security to the citizens. The leftist Major of Massa, who until then had condemned the SSS patrol very softly, decided to stand firmly and established a sanction of 400 Euros to be paid by who organizes patrols.
9- What will be the future of the antifascist struggle? Is this question still on the agenda of democratic forces?
As regards us, we shall use repression as an opportunity for creating mobilization: the trial against the arrested of Massa will be an opportunity to create mobilization. It has to become in the trial against the measures the Government adopted for facing the crisis and for security. We shall bring the Minister Maroni, fascists, and racists of this government in the box of the accused. Our struggle will be a concrete step for developing the self-organization of popular masses, The masse be the protagonist of building a People's Block Government that will open the way to socialism, the only way out of this rotten system.
The rank and file members of the parties of the bourgeois left sympathize with the experience of the proletarian patrols. Many people by now cannot stand any longer the fake antifascism of the corrupted leaders of their parties: facing the popular antifascism, those leaders unmask their true will and many of them will be obliged to follow us in our field.
Alessandro Della Malva
Secretary of Tuscan Federation for the CARC Party
-CARC Party - International Department
Via Tanaro, 7 - 20128 Milano - Tel/Fax 02.26306454
e-mail: resistenza@carc.it - website: www.carc.it
A continuation of the interview with Alessandro della Malva, arrested by the police while facing the fascist patrols promoted by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government:
The comrades of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Turkey North Kurdistan (MLKP) asked us for an interview with one of the comrades arrested on latest July by the police while they were opposing the fascist patrols established by Berlusconi's government. Below the comrade Alessandro della Malva answers to the questions of Turkish comrades.
6- How did the event in July happen? Could you share this experience with us?
The proletarian patrol was announced to mass media already some days before, and this roused a mobilization about the matter, most of all because in Massa it had been organized a fascist patrol called SSS (clearly referred to the Nazi criminals). The proletarian patrol started from the park where CARC Party and ASP held their National Feasts. It was more than a patrol: it was a demonstration of 60/70 people who ran through the main street near the coast. When the demonstration arrived at the bar where usually some notorious local fascists used to meet, there was the police ranked to protect that scum. The fascists, feeling sure that police were protecting them, began to provoke, with fascist songs and Nazi hails, and when comrades approach them, they throw them chairs. The comrades reacted and accused the police to be there just for supporting the provocation. Then the comrades closed the demonstration going back to the park where they started. Nevertheless, fascists continued to provoke, going around near the park, some with sticks. So two comrades came back for seeing what was happening where we found the police ranked one hour and a half before. There they have been held by the political police and by its chief Valentini. The comrades warned the police about fascists' threatening attitude, but the police did not care of it. On the contrary, they asked the comrades to show their papers (even if they know them very well). The comrades did not do it, as they understood that they were plotting something for hitting us, and called the other comrades for telling what was happening. We arrived quickly protesting for such a fascist behaviour by the police. The result has been four comrades dragged in police headquarters, kicks, and blows by batons.
However, at the headquarters the police realized that it would not be easy at all to keep us quiet: we protested because they did no let enter an ambulance for a comrade blown at the head with a baton and outside as well there were the comrades immediately come for protesting. All night long, the demonstrators stayed out of the headquarters hitting the gate. The police was very troubled by what was happening at Massa and in other cities (Naples and Pistoia). P-CARC and ASP promoted railways blocks in Massa and Naples and a sit-in in Massa asking for liberating the comrades. Seven hours after two comrades were liberated and two stayed under arrest: the mobilization went on and police's switchboard became clogged by people calling to protest and to ask for news about the arrested.
Within the head quarters, the policemen showed friendship: they realized that outside thing could get worse and that the mobilization could grow.
The mobilization continued the day before at the tribunal. There the judge decided restrictive measures for the two comrades (to sign every day in carabineer's barracks until the day of the trial fixed on 9 October), but did not dare to confirm the arrest, thanks to the mobilization of the comrades who have been continuously to the attack and turned the repression against the police itself.
7- What kind of mistreatment did you face with under police custody? How was your attitude?
Firstly the police tried to use rough tactics, beating us on the road and trying to frighten us in the barracks, even stopping the aid for the wounded comrade, but when they realized that this could have been used against them they changed their attitude. Ad I told before, in front of us who were in the cell, hearing shouting and slogans by the comrades outside) the attitude was aimed to keep low the level of the clash: many of them told that they were on our side, that they knew we were not criminals. All of them were astonished by the mobilization so quickly aroused.
8- Has there been any change in the state's policies concerning the fascist patrols?
After the proletarian patrol of Massa there were stands also by members of the Government. Minister Maroni could not withdraw, as its party, the Lega Nord, has fighting migrants and patrols as warhorse, but Bossi, the leader of the Lega, had to justify himself. Berlusconi itself admitted that patrol are an act of mistrust for the Government, the members of the main leftist parties go so far as declaring that the Government is carrying out a wicked politics that creates further tensions, instead of giving security to the citizens. The leftist Major of Massa, who until then had condemned the SSS patrol very softly, decided to stand firmly and established a sanction of 400 Euros to be paid by who organizes patrols.
9- What will be the future of the antifascist struggle? Is this question still on the agenda of democratic forces?
As regards us, we shall use repression as an opportunity for creating mobilization: the trial against the arrested of Massa will be an opportunity to create mobilization. It has to become in the trial against the measures the Government adopted for facing the crisis and for security. We shall bring the Minister Maroni, fascists, and racists of this government in the box of the accused. Our struggle will be a concrete step for developing the self-organization of popular masses, The masse be the protagonist of building a People's Block Government that will open the way to socialism, the only way out of this rotten system.
The rank and file members of the parties of the bourgeois left sympathize with the experience of the proletarian patrols. Many people by now cannot stand any longer the fake antifascism of the corrupted leaders of their parties: facing the popular antifascism, those leaders unmask their true will and many of them will be obliged to follow us in our field.
Alessandro Della Malva
Secretary of Tuscan Federation for the CARC Party
-CARC Party - International Department
Via Tanaro, 7 - 20128 Milano - Tel/Fax 02.26306454
e-mail: resistenza@carc.it - website: www.carc.it
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
South Korea launches missile but US says that’s OK
The ultimate hypocrisy is that the US and its puppets in the UN can decide to sanction North Korea’s missile launches but OK South Korea’s actions of the same kind. If these missiles are such a threat, why should either side being testing them?
Once again the US has shown that only a standing member of the US empire may send missiles into space and not those considered opposition to US interests.
From Yahoo News:
South Korea launches first rocket into space
By JIN-MAN LEE, Associated Press Writer Jin-man Lee, Associated Press Writer – Aug 25,
GOHEUNG, South Korea – South Korea's first rocket blasted off into space Tuesday following an aborted attempt last week and just months after its rival North Korea drew international ire for its own launch.
For the rest Click Here.
From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK(Democratic People's Republic of Korea):
DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Blasts U.S. Misinterpretation of Satellite Launch as Ballistic Missile Launch
Pyongyang, May 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA Monday as regards the U.S. persistent insistence that the DPRK launched a ballistic missile, not a satellite, and its moves to make it an established fact:
Kwangmyongsong-2, satellite the DPRK legitimately launched on April 5 after going through necessary procedures according to international law, was accurately put into orbit 9 minutes and 2 seconds after its launch and it is regularly going round the earth.
The DPRK's satellite launch was aimed at independent scientific researches and development for the peaceful use of outer space.
For the rest click here.
Once again the US has shown that only a standing member of the US empire may send missiles into space and not those considered opposition to US interests.
From Yahoo News:
South Korea launches first rocket into space
By JIN-MAN LEE, Associated Press Writer Jin-man Lee, Associated Press Writer – Aug 25,
GOHEUNG, South Korea – South Korea's first rocket blasted off into space Tuesday following an aborted attempt last week and just months after its rival North Korea drew international ire for its own launch.
For the rest Click Here.
From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK(Democratic People's Republic of Korea):
DPRK Foreign Ministry Spokesman Blasts U.S. Misinterpretation of Satellite Launch as Ballistic Missile Launch
Pyongyang, May 4 (KCNA) -- A spokesman for the DPRK Foreign Ministry gave the following answer to a question raised by KCNA Monday as regards the U.S. persistent insistence that the DPRK launched a ballistic missile, not a satellite, and its moves to make it an established fact:
Kwangmyongsong-2, satellite the DPRK legitimately launched on April 5 after going through necessary procedures according to international law, was accurately put into orbit 9 minutes and 2 seconds after its launch and it is regularly going round the earth.
The DPRK's satellite launch was aimed at independent scientific researches and development for the peaceful use of outer space.
For the rest click here.
Interview with Alessandro della Malva- Leftist activist arrested by the Italian Government-part 1
From the Party of the Committees to Support Resistance - for Communism (CARC) – Italy:
Interview with Alessandro della Malva, arrested by the police while facing the fascist patrols promoted by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government
The comrades of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Turkey North Kurdistan (MLKP) asked us for an interview with one of the comrades arrested on latest July by the police while they were opposing the fascist patrols established by Berlusconi's government. Below the comrade Alessandro della Malva answers to the questions of Turkish comrades.
Dear comrades, firstly I would thank you very much for your message of solidarity, on behalf of CARC Party and Association for Proletarian Solidarity (ASP): actually, it has helped us to face bourgeoisie's repression more strongly. The many messages we got from everywhere in Italy and by organizations and parties from abroad become a weapon we can turn against Italian government, that persecutes workers, migrants and everyone who struggle for building a different society.
1- How did the patrols appear? What was the background that led to such process?
In Italy, these patrols are born within the reactionary mobilization promoted by the bourgeoisie. Concretely, the Minister of Interior Maroni has established them by law with the "security set". By these measures, the government wants to intervene against immigration that is the source of all evils, according to its propaganda. By these patrols, the bourgeoisie wants to mobilize the most backward parts of the popular masses against the other ones.
2- What is the opinion of democratic organisations in general? How do they evaluate the appearance of the fascist patrols? What is the plan for action in general?
The parties of the bourgeois left and the trade unions linked to them are against the patrols because they are founded upon racist principles of hate and suspicion. Anyway, today the bourgeois Left does not promote the protest against the fascist patrols. They protest only formally. The bourgeois Left considers the fascist patrols as a means of propaganda by the Right wing, that so tries to mobilize and tie to itself the most reactionary part of the country. Today the bourgeois Left do nothing but announcing that it will struggle by legal means for hampering the fascist patrols because they are not constitutional. In some zones (particularly in Northern Italy), some antagonist groups demonstrated against the patrols: these organizations denounce that these patrols are the attempt of the bourgeoisie to resort again to Fascism, as it did in the Twenties of the last century. Where it has been carried out, this kind of popular mobilization prevented the steady development of the fascist patrols and obliged the State to deploy great police forces, for protecting the patrols from being attacked by the people.
3- What is the attitude of your organisation?
The CARC Party denounces the fascist patrols as the attempt by the bourgeoisie to control the territory facing the growing people's protest against the effects of the general crisis of capitalism. The reactionary mobilization going on with this "security set" is the way out the bourgeoisie is carrying out for saving its power. On the contrary, for us is the field on which we can develop the mobilization of the popular masses, on which we can develop the ideological autonomy from the bourgeoisie: the antifascist proletarian patrol of Massa represents an experience of self-organization of the popular masses, for controlling the territory. The antifascist proletarian patrols comes out from the conception according to which only workers and popular masses' organizations can find solution to the problems that trouble them. Only these organizations (through a People's Block Government) can take the direction of the country and carry out those emergency measures requested as the crisis of capitalism is going on.
On the contrary, the measures the bourgeoisie will take will do nothing but driving proletarians to desperation and war. Because of this, the proletarian patrols are mainly "for". They are for a public order of the popular masses, for people's security (our enemies are the fascists provokers at the service of the masters, and not the migrants), for defending the conquests of civilization and democracy wrung out during and in the decades before the Antifascist Resistance, for building a People's Block Government thanks to the people who organizes himself and becomes protagonist.
Secondly, proletarian patrols are "against": against rehabilitation of Fascism, against government's reactionary measures.
4- How do you describe people's patrols? Which methods of struggle did/should they use?
As I told above, people's patrols are not mainly a means against fascists, against the State that supports them, against the reactionary mobilization of the popular masses that the bourgeoisie promotes as the crisis goes on. They are mainly a way of self-organization of the masses, to create the mass organizations that connecting each other will be able even to rule the country, if they only understand that this is quite possible and necessary, if they want to go towards the solutions of the troubles the crisis creates. They are a means for the revolutionary mobilization of the popular masses, for creating a People's Block Government, for going toward socialism.
The method of struggle of the people's patrols consists of mobilizing the masses against fascists (by meetings, demonstrations, rallies, wide spreading leaflets and so on). It consists of denouncing the fascist nature of the patrols instituted by the State, of denouncing the bourgeois institutions that do nothing against the exaltation of Fascism that the Italian Constitution prohibits, of denouncing the fake antifascism of the bourgeois leftist parties.
The people's patrols may use any legitimate method of struggle even if they are methods the bourgeoisie declared them illegal. This is the principle according to which "what is not legal for the bourgeoisie is legitimate for the masses."
5- What is the attitude of other political and democratic organisations to the people's patrols? Are there any other organisations defending the same way of action?
There were two kinds of reaction regarding the first antifascist proletarian patrol at Massa. On one side the majority of the bourgeois Left put fascist and proletarian patrols on the same level. They hide behind the opposition to all "extremes" for not standing on antifascists' side and to not express solidarity to the comrades hit by repression. On the other side, some leftist parties and many popular committees expressed solidarity and they too said that the way to follow was that of the proletarian patrols. Some popular committee opposed the fascist patrols just from the beginning: so they did in Padua, in the Venetian region, and in Prato, in the Tuscan region.
Alessandro Della Malva
Secretary of Tuscan Federation for the CARC Party
-CARC Party - International Department
Via Tanaro, 7 - 20128 Milano - Tel/Fax 02.26306454
e-mail: resistenza@carc.it - website: www.carc.it
Interview with Alessandro della Malva, arrested by the police while facing the fascist patrols promoted by Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government
The comrades of the Marxist Leninist Communist Party of Turkey North Kurdistan (MLKP) asked us for an interview with one of the comrades arrested on latest July by the police while they were opposing the fascist patrols established by Berlusconi's government. Below the comrade Alessandro della Malva answers to the questions of Turkish comrades.
Dear comrades, firstly I would thank you very much for your message of solidarity, on behalf of CARC Party and Association for Proletarian Solidarity (ASP): actually, it has helped us to face bourgeoisie's repression more strongly. The many messages we got from everywhere in Italy and by organizations and parties from abroad become a weapon we can turn against Italian government, that persecutes workers, migrants and everyone who struggle for building a different society.
1- How did the patrols appear? What was the background that led to such process?
In Italy, these patrols are born within the reactionary mobilization promoted by the bourgeoisie. Concretely, the Minister of Interior Maroni has established them by law with the "security set". By these measures, the government wants to intervene against immigration that is the source of all evils, according to its propaganda. By these patrols, the bourgeoisie wants to mobilize the most backward parts of the popular masses against the other ones.
2- What is the opinion of democratic organisations in general? How do they evaluate the appearance of the fascist patrols? What is the plan for action in general?
The parties of the bourgeois left and the trade unions linked to them are against the patrols because they are founded upon racist principles of hate and suspicion. Anyway, today the bourgeois Left does not promote the protest against the fascist patrols. They protest only formally. The bourgeois Left considers the fascist patrols as a means of propaganda by the Right wing, that so tries to mobilize and tie to itself the most reactionary part of the country. Today the bourgeois Left do nothing but announcing that it will struggle by legal means for hampering the fascist patrols because they are not constitutional. In some zones (particularly in Northern Italy), some antagonist groups demonstrated against the patrols: these organizations denounce that these patrols are the attempt of the bourgeoisie to resort again to Fascism, as it did in the Twenties of the last century. Where it has been carried out, this kind of popular mobilization prevented the steady development of the fascist patrols and obliged the State to deploy great police forces, for protecting the patrols from being attacked by the people.
3- What is the attitude of your organisation?
The CARC Party denounces the fascist patrols as the attempt by the bourgeoisie to control the territory facing the growing people's protest against the effects of the general crisis of capitalism. The reactionary mobilization going on with this "security set" is the way out the bourgeoisie is carrying out for saving its power. On the contrary, for us is the field on which we can develop the mobilization of the popular masses, on which we can develop the ideological autonomy from the bourgeoisie: the antifascist proletarian patrol of Massa represents an experience of self-organization of the popular masses, for controlling the territory. The antifascist proletarian patrols comes out from the conception according to which only workers and popular masses' organizations can find solution to the problems that trouble them. Only these organizations (through a People's Block Government) can take the direction of the country and carry out those emergency measures requested as the crisis of capitalism is going on.
On the contrary, the measures the bourgeoisie will take will do nothing but driving proletarians to desperation and war. Because of this, the proletarian patrols are mainly "for". They are for a public order of the popular masses, for people's security (our enemies are the fascists provokers at the service of the masters, and not the migrants), for defending the conquests of civilization and democracy wrung out during and in the decades before the Antifascist Resistance, for building a People's Block Government thanks to the people who organizes himself and becomes protagonist.
Secondly, proletarian patrols are "against": against rehabilitation of Fascism, against government's reactionary measures.
4- How do you describe people's patrols? Which methods of struggle did/should they use?
As I told above, people's patrols are not mainly a means against fascists, against the State that supports them, against the reactionary mobilization of the popular masses that the bourgeoisie promotes as the crisis goes on. They are mainly a way of self-organization of the masses, to create the mass organizations that connecting each other will be able even to rule the country, if they only understand that this is quite possible and necessary, if they want to go towards the solutions of the troubles the crisis creates. They are a means for the revolutionary mobilization of the popular masses, for creating a People's Block Government, for going toward socialism.
The method of struggle of the people's patrols consists of mobilizing the masses against fascists (by meetings, demonstrations, rallies, wide spreading leaflets and so on). It consists of denouncing the fascist nature of the patrols instituted by the State, of denouncing the bourgeois institutions that do nothing against the exaltation of Fascism that the Italian Constitution prohibits, of denouncing the fake antifascism of the bourgeois leftist parties.
The people's patrols may use any legitimate method of struggle even if they are methods the bourgeoisie declared them illegal. This is the principle according to which "what is not legal for the bourgeoisie is legitimate for the masses."
5- What is the attitude of other political and democratic organisations to the people's patrols? Are there any other organisations defending the same way of action?
There were two kinds of reaction regarding the first antifascist proletarian patrol at Massa. On one side the majority of the bourgeois Left put fascist and proletarian patrols on the same level. They hide behind the opposition to all "extremes" for not standing on antifascists' side and to not express solidarity to the comrades hit by repression. On the other side, some leftist parties and many popular committees expressed solidarity and they too said that the way to follow was that of the proletarian patrols. Some popular committee opposed the fascist patrols just from the beginning: so they did in Padua, in the Venetian region, and in Prato, in the Tuscan region.
Alessandro Della Malva
Secretary of Tuscan Federation for the CARC Party
-CARC Party - International Department
Via Tanaro, 7 - 20128 Milano - Tel/Fax 02.26306454
e-mail: resistenza@carc.it - website: www.carc.it
Monday, August 24, 2009
India Maoist continue attacks
Maoist rebels blow up rail track, phone tower in India
From TopNews.in:
Submitted by Mohit Joshi on Mon, 08/24/2009
New Delhi - Maoist rebels blew up a railway line and a mobile phone tower in India's eastern state of Jharkhand on the opening day of their two-day shutdown on Monday, officials said.
At least 20 rebels from the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist blew up the track between the Kumundi and Hehegada railway stations in Latehar district, local police officer Kuldip Dwivedi said.
For the rest click here.
From TopNews.in:
Submitted by Mohit Joshi on Mon, 08/24/2009
New Delhi - Maoist rebels blew up a railway line and a mobile phone tower in India's eastern state of Jharkhand on the opening day of their two-day shutdown on Monday, officials said.
At least 20 rebels from the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist blew up the track between the Kumundi and Hehegada railway stations in Latehar district, local police officer Kuldip Dwivedi said.
For the rest click here.
New report documents CIA crimes
We now have further evidence of torture and misconduct by the CIA in the Middle-east. Recent reports from the Associate Press, have shown that the US has used mock executions to try and coerce prisoners in to talking.
One case involves mock executions with both a gun and an electric drill to the head of suspected bomber, Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri. He was suspected of involvement with the suicide bombing of the warship USS Cole, which killed 17 U.S. sailors in Yemen in 2000.
Threatening a prisoner with death violates U.S. anti-torture laws.
According to the Associated Press:
“In another episode, a gunshot was fired in a room next to a detainee to make the prisoner believe another suspect had been killed, according to the report, which a federal judge has ordered to be made public Monday in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The IG report's findings were first reported by Newsweek on its Web site.
Nashiri was one of three CIA prisoners subjected to waterboarding, a brutal interrogation technique that simulates drowning that was among 10 techniques approved by the Bush administration's Justice Department in 2002. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have denounced waterboarding as torture.
"The CIA in no way endorsed behavior_ no matter how infrequent_ that went beyond formal guidance," said agency spokesman Paul Gimigliano. He declined to comment on the contents of the IG report.
Holder is considering whether to appoint a criminal prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's interrogation practices, a controversial move that would run counter to President Barack Obama's wishes to leave the issue in the past.”
This only shows us once again that the CIA is a rogue agent which acts beyond the law and beyond any oversight or control.
Just last week the AP reported that the CIA hired a private contractor to assassinate certain members of al-Qaida. Do we really want an organization that represents this country assassinating people as if they were James Bond?
Again according to the AP:
“Gimigliano said the career prosecutors at the Justice Department have reviewed the report to determine if any laws were broken and whether the interrogators should be prosecuted.
"Professionals in the Department of Justice decided if and when to pursue prosecution," he said. "That's how the system was supposed to work, and that's how it did work."
Just one CIA contract interrogator, David Passaro, has been prosecuted. He was found guilty in 2007 in the beating death of a prisoner in Afghanistan.”
It would be best if all covert operations by the CIA were ended. That is not likely to happen anytime soon. However, holding former President George Bush and those in the CIA responsible for these actions legally liable—putting them on trial—is the next best thing. At least it is a start. Many of us already no the Central Intelligence Agency or CIA is just a legal terrorist organization.
One case involves mock executions with both a gun and an electric drill to the head of suspected bomber, Abd al Rahim al-Nashiri. He was suspected of involvement with the suicide bombing of the warship USS Cole, which killed 17 U.S. sailors in Yemen in 2000.
Threatening a prisoner with death violates U.S. anti-torture laws.
According to the Associated Press:
“In another episode, a gunshot was fired in a room next to a detainee to make the prisoner believe another suspect had been killed, according to the report, which a federal judge has ordered to be made public Monday in response to a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union.
The IG report's findings were first reported by Newsweek on its Web site.
Nashiri was one of three CIA prisoners subjected to waterboarding, a brutal interrogation technique that simulates drowning that was among 10 techniques approved by the Bush administration's Justice Department in 2002. President Barack Obama and Attorney General Eric Holder have denounced waterboarding as torture.
"The CIA in no way endorsed behavior_ no matter how infrequent_ that went beyond formal guidance," said agency spokesman Paul Gimigliano. He declined to comment on the contents of the IG report.
Holder is considering whether to appoint a criminal prosecutor to investigate the Bush administration's interrogation practices, a controversial move that would run counter to President Barack Obama's wishes to leave the issue in the past.”
This only shows us once again that the CIA is a rogue agent which acts beyond the law and beyond any oversight or control.
Just last week the AP reported that the CIA hired a private contractor to assassinate certain members of al-Qaida. Do we really want an organization that represents this country assassinating people as if they were James Bond?
Again according to the AP:
“Gimigliano said the career prosecutors at the Justice Department have reviewed the report to determine if any laws were broken and whether the interrogators should be prosecuted.
"Professionals in the Department of Justice decided if and when to pursue prosecution," he said. "That's how the system was supposed to work, and that's how it did work."
Just one CIA contract interrogator, David Passaro, has been prosecuted. He was found guilty in 2007 in the beating death of a prisoner in Afghanistan.”
It would be best if all covert operations by the CIA were ended. That is not likely to happen anytime soon. However, holding former President George Bush and those in the CIA responsible for these actions legally liable—putting them on trial—is the next best thing. At least it is a start. Many of us already no the Central Intelligence Agency or CIA is just a legal terrorist organization.
aangirfanSunday, August 23, 2009
Maddow on the Democrats and health care
With allies like the Democrats we may as well just keep the Republicans.
Maddow Slams Obama, Dems: "Afraid of their Shadows" -from Discomfit Images .
Maddow Slams Obama, Dems: "Afraid of their Shadows" -from Discomfit Images .
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Friday, August 21, 2009
Mexico may legalize drug use
Rather than wasting time, money and manpower to spy on people and investigate their private lives, the Mexico's Senate approved a bill on Tuesday decriminalizing possession of small amounts of narcotics for personal use, in order to free resources to fight violent drug cartels, according to Reuters.
This makes a lot of sense that is long overdue in the US. But it is not likely to change anything in a country that has used drug laws for a variety of ways to circumvent people’s rights to privacy. Not only that, the US uses drugs as a propaganda tool to justify military intervention in such countries as Colombia and Afghanistan. While supposedly using the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to stop the flow of drugs such as cocaine and heroin, troops and spies are sent to attack paramilitary organizations that appose the US imperialist agenda. Drug laws are also used as an excuse to spy on people in the US for any reason the government wants to. Such laws are also as an excuse for corporations to spy on employees.
According to Reuters:
“The bill, proposed by conservative President Felipe Calderon, would make it legal to carry up to 5 grams (0.18 ounces) of marijuana, 500 milligrams (0.018 ounces) of cocaine and tiny quantities of other drugs such as heroin and methamphetamines.Mexico's Congress passed a similar proposal in 2006 but the bill was vetoed by Calderon's predecessor Vicente Fox, under pressure from the United States, which said it would increase drug abuse, but now is worried by the drug-related violence along its border.Calderon has staked his presidency on curtailing the escalating violence between rival drug gangs as they fight over smuggling routes to the United States, with violence spilling into U.S. cities like Phoenix and Tucson.”
This makes a lot of sense that is long overdue in the US. But it is not likely to change anything in a country that has used drug laws for a variety of ways to circumvent people’s rights to privacy. Not only that, the US uses drugs as a propaganda tool to justify military intervention in such countries as Colombia and Afghanistan. While supposedly using the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to stop the flow of drugs such as cocaine and heroin, troops and spies are sent to attack paramilitary organizations that appose the US imperialist agenda. Drug laws are also used as an excuse to spy on people in the US for any reason the government wants to. Such laws are also as an excuse for corporations to spy on employees.
According to Reuters:
“The bill, proposed by conservative President Felipe Calderon, would make it legal to carry up to 5 grams (0.18 ounces) of marijuana, 500 milligrams (0.018 ounces) of cocaine and tiny quantities of other drugs such as heroin and methamphetamines.Mexico's Congress passed a similar proposal in 2006 but the bill was vetoed by Calderon's predecessor Vicente Fox, under pressure from the United States, which said it would increase drug abuse, but now is worried by the drug-related violence along its border.Calderon has staked his presidency on curtailing the escalating violence between rival drug gangs as they fight over smuggling routes to the United States, with violence spilling into U.S. cities like Phoenix and Tucson.”
You too can be a sleazy politician
The Republicans and their front groups are at it again. Now they are trying to recruit more pinheaded corrupted politicians to run for office and suck up all the slush money from corporate lobbyists.
Anyone who wants to go and become a sleazy Republican politician can sign up and learn the ropes from this:
Anyone who wants to go and become a sleazy Republican politician can sign up and learn the ropes from this:
Greetings,
One of the greatest features of our Republic is the opportunity for men and women to serve their nation in elected office.Every elected official, from Board of Education Member to State Legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom.Join us to learn how YOU can make a difference in your community by running for office.American Majority Kansas is hosting a Candidate Training on October 17th from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm in the Lower Level Conference Room in the Hayden Office building: 212 SW 8th St., Topeka, KS 66603.
If you cannot join us in October, stay tuned to our website for more information on our November 6th Candidate Training in the Kansas City Metro.
Regardless of experience, American Majority's Candidate Training Program makes it easier!
The Candidate Training Program is a one-day event that features the following:
Lectures from campaign veterans. Topics include:
Your Campaign Plan to Win: Planning for the Time, People and Money to Win.
Dollars and Sense: Fundraising for What You Need, Not What You Can Get.
New Media Engagement: The New Ways to Talk to Voters and Engage Supporters.
Grassroots Action: How Ordinary People can get Extraordinary Results.
American Majority's Core Principles.
Personalized communications training from the field's finest consultants.
Interaction with individuals thoroughly involved with the issues confronting your state.
The opportunity to network with other liberty-minded candidates.
A complimentary resource guidebook full of supplemental material designed to further assist candidates Register online today: http://americanmajority.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6f2d297819556631a898c38c7&id=49ebfae81f&e=4ddbcbc2e9
One of the greatest features of our Republic is the opportunity for men and women to serve their nation in elected office.Every elected official, from Board of Education Member to State Legislator to the President of the United States plays a vital role in shaping the policies and direction of our communities, states, and nation. These offices deserve men and women who are grounded in the principles of liberty and individual freedom.Join us to learn how YOU can make a difference in your community by running for office.American Majority Kansas is hosting a Candidate Training on October 17th from 8:45 am to 5:00 pm in the Lower Level Conference Room in the Hayden Office building: 212 SW 8th St., Topeka, KS 66603.
If you cannot join us in October, stay tuned to our website for more information on our November 6th Candidate Training in the Kansas City Metro.
Regardless of experience, American Majority's Candidate Training Program makes it easier!
The Candidate Training Program is a one-day event that features the following:
Lectures from campaign veterans. Topics include:
Your Campaign Plan to Win: Planning for the Time, People and Money to Win.
Dollars and Sense: Fundraising for What You Need, Not What You Can Get.
New Media Engagement: The New Ways to Talk to Voters and Engage Supporters.
Grassroots Action: How Ordinary People can get Extraordinary Results.
American Majority's Core Principles.
Personalized communications training from the field's finest consultants.
Interaction with individuals thoroughly involved with the issues confronting your state.
The opportunity to network with other liberty-minded candidates.
A complimentary resource guidebook full of supplemental material designed to further assist candidates Register online today: http://americanmajority.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=6f2d297819556631a898c38c7&id=49ebfae81f&e=4ddbcbc2e9
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Afghanistan revolutionaries and their position on the elections
From Shola Jasid:
Afghan Maoists: "Do not take part in the puppet regime's presidential and local council elections!"
10 August 2009. A World to Win News Service. Following are excerpts from a July leaflet by the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan.
Dear people of our country!
As you know the second round of the puppet regime's presidential election and local council elections will be held in late August. The reactionary-imperialist show has already started. We call on all of you: Do not take part in the puppet regime's presidential and the local council's elections!
We issue this call because:
First of all: Many people believe that participation in this election will be even less than last time, and that only a very small minority of the population will vote. Our people have the right to react to the upcoming elections with indifference. They experienced the results of previous elections: more murdering bombardments, the deepening and spreading of the regime's corruption, homelessness, unemployment, poverty and hunger among the toilers...
Under no circumstances sell your votes, either individually or as a group… resist even if you are faced with threats by regime officials and forces or those of the criminal warlords who may belong to different regime gangs…
We in turn see it as our responsibility to resist any sort of superficial or real threats and also struggle against any kind of trading votes by any means available, or at least to expose such cases.
Secondly, like this regime's previous elections, this campaign, the publicity accompanying it and other aspects will be politically backed, financed and even directly carried out by the occupiers, who are also taking responsibility for its security. The whole election process is firmly controlled by the occupiers…
Taking part in this election means approving the occupation of the country by the reactionary foreign imperialists and also approving the rule of the puppet regime…
For the rest click here.
Afghan Maoists: "Do not take part in the puppet regime's presidential and local council elections!"
10 August 2009. A World to Win News Service. Following are excerpts from a July leaflet by the Communist (Maoist) Party of Afghanistan.
Dear people of our country!
As you know the second round of the puppet regime's presidential election and local council elections will be held in late August. The reactionary-imperialist show has already started. We call on all of you: Do not take part in the puppet regime's presidential and the local council's elections!
We issue this call because:
First of all: Many people believe that participation in this election will be even less than last time, and that only a very small minority of the population will vote. Our people have the right to react to the upcoming elections with indifference. They experienced the results of previous elections: more murdering bombardments, the deepening and spreading of the regime's corruption, homelessness, unemployment, poverty and hunger among the toilers...
Under no circumstances sell your votes, either individually or as a group… resist even if you are faced with threats by regime officials and forces or those of the criminal warlords who may belong to different regime gangs…
We in turn see it as our responsibility to resist any sort of superficial or real threats and also struggle against any kind of trading votes by any means available, or at least to expose such cases.
Secondly, like this regime's previous elections, this campaign, the publicity accompanying it and other aspects will be politically backed, financed and even directly carried out by the occupiers, who are also taking responsibility for its security. The whole election process is firmly controlled by the occupiers…
Taking part in this election means approving the occupation of the country by the reactionary foreign imperialists and also approving the rule of the puppet regime…
For the rest click here.
Afghanistan revolutionaries and their position on the elections
From Shola Jasid:
انتخابات رياست جمهوري و شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم دست نشانده شركت نكنيد!
هموطنان عزيز! طوري كه اطلاع داريد قرار است در اواخر ماه اسد امسال، دور دوم انتخابات رياست جمهوري رژيم دست نشانده، يكجا با دور دوم انتخابات شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم،برگزار گردد. ما، از هم اكنون كه روند به اصطلاح مبارزات انتخاباتي براي گرم كردن ميدان اين بازي نمايشي امپرياليستي – ارتجاعي و فريبكارانه تازه آغاز گرديده است، شما را مورد خطاب قرار مي دهيم و از شما مي خواهيم كه:در انتخابات رياست جمهوري و شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم دست نشانده شركت نكنيد! ما بخاطري اين خواست را به پيشگاه شما تقديم مي كنيم كه:اولا: همه مي دانند كه شركت مردم در اين انتخابات حتي در سطح انتخابات قبلي رژيم نخواهد بود و تعداد به مراتب كمتري در آن شركت خواهند كرد كه يك اقليت بسيار كوچك از مجموع نفوس كشور را شامل خواهد شد. مردمان ما كاملا حق دارند با اينچنين روحيه نا مساعد با انتخابات آينده رژيم برخورد نمايند و وسيعا در آن سهم نگيرند. آنها نتايج انتخابات هاي قبلي رژيم را با چشم سر مشاهده كردند و به روشني ديدند كه نتيجه آنها جز بمباران هاي قتل عام كننده بيشتر اشغالگران، تعميق و گسترش فساد رژيم، دربدري، بيكاري و گرسنگي بيشتر زحمتكشان و تشديد تضاد هاي ارتجاعي ميان بخش هاي مختلف اهالي مناطق مختلف كشور، چيز ديگري نبوده است. بنابرين اقليت بايد با اكثريت بر حق مردمان ما كه در اين انتخابات شركت نمي كنند، همراهي نمايند و در هيچ سطحي در آن شركت نكنند. ما به همه هموطنان اطمينان مي دهيم كه هيچ قدرت و مرجعي نمي تواند و حق ندارد كه جبرا آنها را به شركت درين انتخابات مجبور سازد. چنانچه در مواردي با تهديدات مراجع قدرت رژيم و جنگ سالاران جنايتكار مربوط به باند هاي مختلف رژيم مواجه شديد، دست به مقاومت بزنيد و مطمئن باشيد كه آنها هيچ كاري عليه شما انجام داده نمي توانند. حتي مطابق به قانون اساسي و قانون انتخابات خود رژيم، شركت در انتخابات اجباري نيست و هيچ يك از مقامات رژيم و جنايتكاران مربوط به آن، قانونا حق ندارند شما را مجبور به شركت در انتخابات نمايند. علاوتا رژيم آنها آنقدر پاشيده و شاريده است كه ديگر توان اجراي تهديدات شان درينمورد را ندارند. به هيچوجهي حاضر نشويد آراء تان را بصورت فردي و يا جمعي بفروشيد. چيز هاي ناچيزي كه شما در بدل اين فروش دفعتا بدست مي آوريد، در آينده بصورت مستقيم و يا غير مستقيم چند برابر بيشتر از شما پس گرفته خواهند شد. ما به نوبه خود وظيفه مان مي دانيم كه با موارد تهديدات ميان تهي و يا واقعي و همچنان خريد و فروش آراء با استفاده از هر وسيله مبارزاتي بايستيم و يا لا اقل چنين مواردي را افشا نمائيم.
For the rest click here.
انتخابات رياست جمهوري و شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم دست نشانده شركت نكنيد!
هموطنان عزيز! طوري كه اطلاع داريد قرار است در اواخر ماه اسد امسال، دور دوم انتخابات رياست جمهوري رژيم دست نشانده، يكجا با دور دوم انتخابات شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم،برگزار گردد. ما، از هم اكنون كه روند به اصطلاح مبارزات انتخاباتي براي گرم كردن ميدان اين بازي نمايشي امپرياليستي – ارتجاعي و فريبكارانه تازه آغاز گرديده است، شما را مورد خطاب قرار مي دهيم و از شما مي خواهيم كه:در انتخابات رياست جمهوري و شوراهاي ولايتي رژيم دست نشانده شركت نكنيد! ما بخاطري اين خواست را به پيشگاه شما تقديم مي كنيم كه:اولا: همه مي دانند كه شركت مردم در اين انتخابات حتي در سطح انتخابات قبلي رژيم نخواهد بود و تعداد به مراتب كمتري در آن شركت خواهند كرد كه يك اقليت بسيار كوچك از مجموع نفوس كشور را شامل خواهد شد. مردمان ما كاملا حق دارند با اينچنين روحيه نا مساعد با انتخابات آينده رژيم برخورد نمايند و وسيعا در آن سهم نگيرند. آنها نتايج انتخابات هاي قبلي رژيم را با چشم سر مشاهده كردند و به روشني ديدند كه نتيجه آنها جز بمباران هاي قتل عام كننده بيشتر اشغالگران، تعميق و گسترش فساد رژيم، دربدري، بيكاري و گرسنگي بيشتر زحمتكشان و تشديد تضاد هاي ارتجاعي ميان بخش هاي مختلف اهالي مناطق مختلف كشور، چيز ديگري نبوده است. بنابرين اقليت بايد با اكثريت بر حق مردمان ما كه در اين انتخابات شركت نمي كنند، همراهي نمايند و در هيچ سطحي در آن شركت نكنند. ما به همه هموطنان اطمينان مي دهيم كه هيچ قدرت و مرجعي نمي تواند و حق ندارد كه جبرا آنها را به شركت درين انتخابات مجبور سازد. چنانچه در مواردي با تهديدات مراجع قدرت رژيم و جنگ سالاران جنايتكار مربوط به باند هاي مختلف رژيم مواجه شديد، دست به مقاومت بزنيد و مطمئن باشيد كه آنها هيچ كاري عليه شما انجام داده نمي توانند. حتي مطابق به قانون اساسي و قانون انتخابات خود رژيم، شركت در انتخابات اجباري نيست و هيچ يك از مقامات رژيم و جنايتكاران مربوط به آن، قانونا حق ندارند شما را مجبور به شركت در انتخابات نمايند. علاوتا رژيم آنها آنقدر پاشيده و شاريده است كه ديگر توان اجراي تهديدات شان درينمورد را ندارند. به هيچوجهي حاضر نشويد آراء تان را بصورت فردي و يا جمعي بفروشيد. چيز هاي ناچيزي كه شما در بدل اين فروش دفعتا بدست مي آوريد، در آينده بصورت مستقيم و يا غير مستقيم چند برابر بيشتر از شما پس گرفته خواهند شد. ما به نوبه خود وظيفه مان مي دانيم كه با موارد تهديدات ميان تهي و يا واقعي و همچنان خريد و فروش آراء با استفاده از هر وسيله مبارزاتي بايستيم و يا لا اقل چنين مواردي را افشا نمائيم.
For the rest click here.
Omaha August 28/29: Protect Dr. Carhart & Stand Up for Abortion Rights!
Wichita KS’ religious right and fringe anti-abortion groups are trying to bully a Nebraska abortion provider who wants to start a practice in Wichita. They use the same tactics that the right has been using to try and stop health care. They create mobs that claim to represent the majority of opinion when the majority of us know they are clearly a fringe element of the right. They believe they can use the legal system and stall tactics they used on Tiller to try and stop him.
Now there is an effort to try and counter their bullying. Many local Wichita groups will be involved. There will also be pro-choice activist from other parts of the country going to Omaha, Nebraska August 28/29.
From:
The World Can’t Wait:
19 August 2009
Dr. George Tiller’s Wichita clinic, which cared for tens of thousands of women over thirty-six years, was closed a week after he was assassinated on May 31, shot in the head at close range. One of his colleagues, Dr. Leroy Carhart, an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, immediately stepped forward to say that he will care for Dr. Tiller’s patients and continue the provision of late-abortion services, to fill the great need left by Tiller’s absence. He worked at Dr. Tiller’s clinic, and maintains his own clinic in Bellevue, Nebraska. In 1991, his home and barn were burned to the ground in an arson claimed by anti-abortion activists. This spurred Dr. Carhart to devote more of his practice to providing abortions, and to challenge federal laws restricting abortion access….
The Wichita section of Operation Rescue, the group dedicated to ending women’s right to abortion and birth control, employs people like Cheryl Sullenger, their “senior policy advisor,” who served two years in prison for conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic in California. After moving to Wichita in order to make Dr. Tiller target number one for the national anti-abortion movement, they celebrated when their years of harassment, threats and violent attacks culminated in Tiller’s assassination………
. The question at hand is whether Dr. Leroy Carhart will be standing alone to face the angry, mobilized forces of patriarchy at the end of the month or whether enough us us will stand with him.........
Come to Nebraska!
What more do you need to know? Join us in Nebraska on August 28th and 29. Help to draw the line and defend Dr. Carhart and women’s lives.
As Sunsara Taylor wrote after Dr. Tiller was shot, “Either this killing will succeed in creating a climate where abortion providers cannot do their work and no one else joins them in that work, or it will be answered by growing numbers of people waking up, coming off the sidelines, defending our doctors and our clinics, and reversing the whole dynamic that has led to this situation where not only abortion, but birth control too, is imperiled.”
Lina Thorne is an activist with World Can’t Wait, and one of 45 million women in the U.S. who has had an abortion. She traveled to Dr. Tiller’s Wichita clinic in 2001 to defend him from a major anti-abortion mobilization, and once again to Wichita this past June for his funeral. This year she and a fellow abortion-rights activist won first place at Chicago’s Bughouse Square soapbox debates in making the case that access to abortion saves womens’ lives.
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Now there is an effort to try and counter their bullying. Many local Wichita groups will be involved. There will also be pro-choice activist from other parts of the country going to Omaha, Nebraska August 28/29.
From:
The World Can’t Wait:
19 August 2009
Dr. George Tiller’s Wichita clinic, which cared for tens of thousands of women over thirty-six years, was closed a week after he was assassinated on May 31, shot in the head at close range. One of his colleagues, Dr. Leroy Carhart, an outspoken advocate for women’s rights, immediately stepped forward to say that he will care for Dr. Tiller’s patients and continue the provision of late-abortion services, to fill the great need left by Tiller’s absence. He worked at Dr. Tiller’s clinic, and maintains his own clinic in Bellevue, Nebraska. In 1991, his home and barn were burned to the ground in an arson claimed by anti-abortion activists. This spurred Dr. Carhart to devote more of his practice to providing abortions, and to challenge federal laws restricting abortion access….
The Wichita section of Operation Rescue, the group dedicated to ending women’s right to abortion and birth control, employs people like Cheryl Sullenger, their “senior policy advisor,” who served two years in prison for conspiring to bomb an abortion clinic in California. After moving to Wichita in order to make Dr. Tiller target number one for the national anti-abortion movement, they celebrated when their years of harassment, threats and violent attacks culminated in Tiller’s assassination………
. The question at hand is whether Dr. Leroy Carhart will be standing alone to face the angry, mobilized forces of patriarchy at the end of the month or whether enough us us will stand with him.........
Come to Nebraska!
What more do you need to know? Join us in Nebraska on August 28th and 29. Help to draw the line and defend Dr. Carhart and women’s lives.
As Sunsara Taylor wrote after Dr. Tiller was shot, “Either this killing will succeed in creating a climate where abortion providers cannot do their work and no one else joins them in that work, or it will be answered by growing numbers of people waking up, coming off the sidelines, defending our doctors and our clinics, and reversing the whole dynamic that has led to this situation where not only abortion, but birth control too, is imperiled.”
Lina Thorne is an activist with World Can’t Wait, and one of 45 million women in the U.S. who has had an abortion. She traveled to Dr. Tiller’s Wichita clinic in 2001 to defend him from a major anti-abortion mobilization, and once again to Wichita this past June for his funeral. This year she and a fellow abortion-rights activist won first place at Chicago’s Bughouse Square soapbox debates in making the case that access to abortion saves womens’ lives.
.jpg)
Monday, August 17, 2009
40th anniversary of Woodstock
Lately there has been a lot of interest in Woodstock. It was a major event during my life time even though I didn’t go to it. I often mention the concert in my book, Memoirs of a Drugged-Up, Sex-Crazed Yippie: We were aware of it, through the news media and then through the movie and record albums. Besides all the debauchery, (which didn’t bother us as the time) there was some good progressive music to be heard... Country Joe McDonald - "Feel Like I'm Fixing To Die"
Joan Baez - Joe Hill & Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Woodstock
Joan Baez - Joe Hill & Swing Low, Sweet Chariot Woodstock
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Comments on Prachanda’s speech and the future of socialism
This is a comment on a speech from an earlier blog.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has pulled of a great victory in their people’s war campaign. They started the armed uprising about 10 years ago. At first, many people on the left were skeptical about them and didn’t take them seriously.
Then an agreement was reached, the war ended and the CPN(M) won an election, becoming the largest political party in their parliament. CPN(M)’s leader, Prachanda, प्रचण्ड, (or Pushpa Kamal Dahal) became the prime minister.
Now there is scepticism once again as the party has suffered several setbacks. The first was an inability to fire military leaders that CPN(M) felt threatened the elected government with a possible coup. Prachanda resigned. The other political parties then formed a new coalition government. The CPN(M) has now been squeezed out. They are backed into a corner.
Now the party gets a lot of advice from Maoist Parties all over the world. Some have criticized their commitment to a multi-party system. CPN(M) party officials have insisted all along they would develop a multiparty government with opposition political parties. They have insisted that the single party dictatorship of the last century was a mistake and a reason so many of the so called “communist countries” failed.
In one part of Prachanda’s speech he said:
“Either it will go ahead in a very creative and a very scientific way, or it will deviate from (inaudible) fundamental theory and fundamental ideology. I am very clear in my mind that we will not deviate because we are trying our best to apply this theory according the conditions of 21st century.
We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.”
He is right that the 21st century is a new era and we Marxists and Maoists can’t afford to stay stuck in theories developed and put in practice according to conditions of the last century.
On the other hand, the Communist Party of India – Maoist has correctly pointed out that the CPN(M) should have not disarmed any of its military wing, nor dismantle the rural bases they had established during the war. They left themselves at the mercy of the reactionary Nepal military and proper control of the military is essential in any revolution. Despite all the setbacks of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, in 1979, there was never a problem or concern that the military would turn on the civilian government. The old military had been abolished and that left the other parties free to struggle politically in a peaceful manor (with the exception of the contra guerrillas).
Another point Prachanda made:
“We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.
And we derived, I think when we were in the war, (inaudible) just after 5 years of the initiation of people’s war, we tried to understand the whole lesson of 20th century, all the revolution and counter-revolution, all the positive and negative lesson of the revolution. And we came to a new understanding. We came to a new conclusion that, we had to develop some new strategy and tactics we cannot copy the insurrectionist strategy of Lenin, and mechanically we cannot copy the whole theory of protracted people’s war according to our conditions.”
Again, the stress is that new strategies are needed to re-invent communist revolution. He is right that we must try new things and simply using force alone to bring about social justice is not the answer. These are difficult times and there are no guarantees that the CPN(M) will prevail. There are Maoist insurgencies in India, the Philippines and Bhutan. There may be more insurgencies, as time goes on, in such places as Afghanistan or Iran. There is still a Maoist insurgency in Peru.
Also, there are experiments in Italy by some Maoist groups who are trying to form “revolutionary Blocks.” There has never been a communist revolution in a Western European country, so this is all new forms of political struggle.
Today it would seem that the US will be one of the last countries to embrace any kind of socialist revolution. The health care debates have shown that paranoia against any government intervention into the private sector is labelled “socialists” by the politically unenlightened. Also many middle class Americans act as if socialism is the work of Satan himself. With such strong religious and political indoctrination, it would seem almost unthinkable for the US to rebel against capitalism. But as other countries make successful changes, this could all change. There’s little doubt that the US will eventually have a new health care system and the two-party system will eventually die out. As more diverse ideas are exposed to the US public, it is possible to eventually break the corporate ideology that strangleholds the US. By then, there may be some successful examples of socialist revolution that Americans can learn from.
The Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) has pulled of a great victory in their people’s war campaign. They started the armed uprising about 10 years ago. At first, many people on the left were skeptical about them and didn’t take them seriously.
Then an agreement was reached, the war ended and the CPN(M) won an election, becoming the largest political party in their parliament. CPN(M)’s leader, Prachanda, प्रचण्ड, (or Pushpa Kamal Dahal) became the prime minister.
Now there is scepticism once again as the party has suffered several setbacks. The first was an inability to fire military leaders that CPN(M) felt threatened the elected government with a possible coup. Prachanda resigned. The other political parties then formed a new coalition government. The CPN(M) has now been squeezed out. They are backed into a corner.
Now the party gets a lot of advice from Maoist Parties all over the world. Some have criticized their commitment to a multi-party system. CPN(M) party officials have insisted all along they would develop a multiparty government with opposition political parties. They have insisted that the single party dictatorship of the last century was a mistake and a reason so many of the so called “communist countries” failed.
In one part of Prachanda’s speech he said:
“Either it will go ahead in a very creative and a very scientific way, or it will deviate from (inaudible) fundamental theory and fundamental ideology. I am very clear in my mind that we will not deviate because we are trying our best to apply this theory according the conditions of 21st century.
We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.”
He is right that the 21st century is a new era and we Marxists and Maoists can’t afford to stay stuck in theories developed and put in practice according to conditions of the last century.
On the other hand, the Communist Party of India – Maoist has correctly pointed out that the CPN(M) should have not disarmed any of its military wing, nor dismantle the rural bases they had established during the war. They left themselves at the mercy of the reactionary Nepal military and proper control of the military is essential in any revolution. Despite all the setbacks of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua, in 1979, there was never a problem or concern that the military would turn on the civilian government. The old military had been abolished and that left the other parties free to struggle politically in a peaceful manor (with the exception of the contra guerrillas).
Another point Prachanda made:
“We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.
And we derived, I think when we were in the war, (inaudible) just after 5 years of the initiation of people’s war, we tried to understand the whole lesson of 20th century, all the revolution and counter-revolution, all the positive and negative lesson of the revolution. And we came to a new understanding. We came to a new conclusion that, we had to develop some new strategy and tactics we cannot copy the insurrectionist strategy of Lenin, and mechanically we cannot copy the whole theory of protracted people’s war according to our conditions.”
Again, the stress is that new strategies are needed to re-invent communist revolution. He is right that we must try new things and simply using force alone to bring about social justice is not the answer. These are difficult times and there are no guarantees that the CPN(M) will prevail. There are Maoist insurgencies in India, the Philippines and Bhutan. There may be more insurgencies, as time goes on, in such places as Afghanistan or Iran. There is still a Maoist insurgency in Peru.
Also, there are experiments in Italy by some Maoist groups who are trying to form “revolutionary Blocks.” There has never been a communist revolution in a Western European country, so this is all new forms of political struggle.
Today it would seem that the US will be one of the last countries to embrace any kind of socialist revolution. The health care debates have shown that paranoia against any government intervention into the private sector is labelled “socialists” by the politically unenlightened. Also many middle class Americans act as if socialism is the work of Satan himself. With such strong religious and political indoctrination, it would seem almost unthinkable for the US to rebel against capitalism. But as other countries make successful changes, this could all change. There’s little doubt that the US will eventually have a new health care system and the two-party system will eventually die out. As more diverse ideas are exposed to the US public, it is possible to eventually break the corporate ideology that strangleholds the US. By then, there may be some successful examples of socialist revolution that Americans can learn from.
Thursday, August 13, 2009
A written version of the Prachanda speech, from the post below
This is a written version of the London Woolwich Town Hall, London speech by Unified Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) leader Prachanda.
This was posted at the Kasama Project Page. According to the introduction:
Props to OSP who transcribed this based on the video. OSP notes,
“There are a few words I could not catch, and it may contain some minor mistakes. So we should be clear this is an unofficial transcription.”
Most of Prachanda’s speech that day was in Nepali. We do not yet have a translation of that. This is a transcription of a short part, delivered in English.
And the Speech
Prachanda speech at Woolwich Town Hall, LondonAugust 10, 2009
We are completely aware, we are fully aware that we have a very big responsibility and we have real historical opportunity and challenge right now we are facing. And we understand the concern of our fraternal comrades in other parties and institutions, that they are very much concerned about the future of the Nepalese revolution.
Either it will go ahead in a very creative and a very scientific way, or it will deviate from (inaudible) fundamental theory and fundamental ideology. I am very clear in my mind that we will not deviate because we are trying our best to apply this theory according the conditions of 21st century.
We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.
And we derived, I think when we were in the war, (inaudible) just after 5 years of the initiation of people’s war, we tried to understand the whole lesson of 20th century, all the revolution and counter-revolution, all the positive and negative lesson of the revolution. And we came to a new understanding. We came to a new conclusion that, we had to develop some new strategy and tactics we cannot copy the insurrectionist strategy of Lenin, and mechanically we cannot copy the whole theory of protracted people’s war according to our conditions.
Therefore, we tried to develop something new, and we tried to something new although in fundamental sense, in basic sense.
We are clear that we fighting against feudalism and imperialism, and we are leading the New Democratic revolution. We have not any kinds of doubt in these basic questions.
But to lead this revolution, we should have to develop some new strategy and new tactics according to the (inaudible) situation, therefore we developed this competitive politics, you know?
For the rest click here.
This was posted at the Kasama Project Page. According to the introduction:
Props to OSP who transcribed this based on the video. OSP notes,
“There are a few words I could not catch, and it may contain some minor mistakes. So we should be clear this is an unofficial transcription.”
Most of Prachanda’s speech that day was in Nepali. We do not yet have a translation of that. This is a transcription of a short part, delivered in English.
And the Speech
Prachanda speech at Woolwich Town Hall, LondonAugust 10, 2009
We are completely aware, we are fully aware that we have a very big responsibility and we have real historical opportunity and challenge right now we are facing. And we understand the concern of our fraternal comrades in other parties and institutions, that they are very much concerned about the future of the Nepalese revolution.
Either it will go ahead in a very creative and a very scientific way, or it will deviate from (inaudible) fundamental theory and fundamental ideology. I am very clear in my mind that we will not deviate because we are trying our best to apply this theory according the conditions of 21st century.
We understand the whole dynamics of 21st century, and we in Nepal, together have leading a very special, very specific type of revolution. Although there are so many ups and downs, and twists and turns in the process necessarily, but ultimately we are trying to lead this revolution according to the changed condition.
And we derived, I think when we were in the war, (inaudible) just after 5 years of the initiation of people’s war, we tried to understand the whole lesson of 20th century, all the revolution and counter-revolution, all the positive and negative lesson of the revolution. And we came to a new understanding. We came to a new conclusion that, we had to develop some new strategy and tactics we cannot copy the insurrectionist strategy of Lenin, and mechanically we cannot copy the whole theory of protracted people’s war according to our conditions.
Therefore, we tried to develop something new, and we tried to something new although in fundamental sense, in basic sense.
We are clear that we fighting against feudalism and imperialism, and we are leading the New Democratic revolution. We have not any kinds of doubt in these basic questions.
But to lead this revolution, we should have to develop some new strategy and new tactics according to the (inaudible) situation, therefore we developed this competitive politics, you know?
For the rest click here.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
More kookiness from the anti-health reform debate
Chris Matthews To Town Hall Protestor: Why Did You Bring A "God Damn Gun" To A Presidential Event? (VIDEO)
And further, Here in Kansas:
August 12, 2009
Congresswoman Jenkins defers to special interest groups
Topeka meeting offers no solutions to health insurance crisis
TOPEKA –At a public appearance in Topeka today, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins yielded her duties to special interest groups. On hand to answer questions for the Congresswoman, who has yet to even read recent health insurance legislation, were five panelists representing the healthcare lobby. This panel mis-characterized the proposed reforms before urging Congress to “take it’s time.”
Following the meeting Kansas Democratic Party Communications Director issued the following statement.
“There are now 350,000 uninsured Kansans and everyday another 70 Kansans lose their health insurance coverage. These Kansans need relief now. They can’t wait for coverage while special interest groups play politics with health insurance reform.
The public supports health insurance reform that builds on the current system to preserve consumer choice, expand coverage, and reduce costs. Despite claims otherwise, these goals are precisely what every major health insurance reform bill would achieve. Today, Lynn Jenkins deferred to her friends in the health care lobby, allowing them to spread misinformation, while she offered no solutions of her own.”
Paid for by the Kansas Democratic Party, http://www.ksdp.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
And further, Here in Kansas:
August 12, 2009
Congresswoman Jenkins defers to special interest groups
Topeka meeting offers no solutions to health insurance crisis
TOPEKA –At a public appearance in Topeka today, Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins yielded her duties to special interest groups. On hand to answer questions for the Congresswoman, who has yet to even read recent health insurance legislation, were five panelists representing the healthcare lobby. This panel mis-characterized the proposed reforms before urging Congress to “take it’s time.”
Following the meeting Kansas Democratic Party Communications Director issued the following statement.
“There are now 350,000 uninsured Kansans and everyday another 70 Kansans lose their health insurance coverage. These Kansans need relief now. They can’t wait for coverage while special interest groups play politics with health insurance reform.
The public supports health insurance reform that builds on the current system to preserve consumer choice, expand coverage, and reduce costs. Despite claims otherwise, these goals are precisely what every major health insurance reform bill would achieve. Today, Lynn Jenkins deferred to her friends in the health care lobby, allowing them to spread misinformation, while she offered no solutions of her own.”
Paid for by the Kansas Democratic Party, http://www.ksdp.org/, and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Anti-health kooks come to Kansas
Those idiot right wingers are at it again. They seem frustrated that they can’t stop health care reform, which some of us are depending on and it will save out lives, so they show up at town hall meetings, as they did this Tuesday in Derby and the Kansas City area, and shout down politicians. These town hall meetings are an attempt to answer questions that normal people have over the proposed changes.
Instead, they have turned into a bunch of loud-mouth crybabies blathering on their paranoid fear of the government getting into their health care. They don’t mind all their money going to insurance companies, who put them up to this. These people are nothing but a bunch of dupes for the medical insurance agencies and they have become rude bullies. They were able to make the KAKE TV news and pretend that only medical reform opponents where there.
The stinking bastards!
Instead, they have turned into a bunch of loud-mouth crybabies blathering on their paranoid fear of the government getting into their health care. They don’t mind all their money going to insurance companies, who put them up to this. These people are nothing but a bunch of dupes for the medical insurance agencies and they have become rude bullies. They were able to make the KAKE TV news and pretend that only medical reform opponents where there.
The stinking bastards!
Monday, August 10, 2009
People are still getting arrested for protesting our government
These people were arrested for protesting the Iraq and Afghanistan war:
AUGUST 10, 2009FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: NUKEWATCH 715-491-3813-or- Wisc. Net for Peace Justice 608-250-9240
NINE ARRESTED AT END OF 3-DAYPEACE WALK TO FORT McCOY
TOMAH, Wisconsin – Nine anti-war activists were detained at Mt. McCoy after walking onto the central-Wisconsin base to protest the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the continued U.S. possession of nuclear weapons.Five of the nine were ticketed and released from the site after being permanently banned from entering the base again.
For the rest see The New American Dream.
AUGUST 10, 2009FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: NUKEWATCH 715-491-3813-or- Wisc. Net for Peace Justice 608-250-9240
NINE ARRESTED AT END OF 3-DAYPEACE WALK TO FORT McCOY
TOMAH, Wisconsin – Nine anti-war activists were detained at Mt. McCoy after walking onto the central-Wisconsin base to protest the U.S. wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the continued U.S. possession of nuclear weapons.Five of the nine were ticketed and released from the site after being permanently banned from entering the base again.
For the rest see The New American Dream.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Wichita’s religious whackos try to keep out abortion providers
Once again, Wichita KS’ religious right and fringe anti-abortion groups are trying to bully a Nebraska abortion provider who wants to start a practice in Wichita. They use the same tactics that the right has been using to try and stop health care. They create mobs that claim to represent the majority of opinion when the majority of us know they are clearly a fringe element of the right. They believe they can use the legal system and stall tactics they used on Tiller to try and stop him.
Having Scott Roeder kill Tiller and stop his clinic was not enough for them. Now they have to prevent abortion rights advocates from being able to provide for women’s health care as Wichita always has
According to The Wichita Eagle:
Abortion opponents start to fight Nebraska doctor planning clinic in Kansas
BY JOE RODRIGUEZ
A group of Wichita abortion opponents said Thursday that they want state regulators to re-examine a complaint against a doctor who said he plans to open a late-term abortion practice in Kansas.
LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider, said this week that his "main choice" would be to locate the clinic in Wichita. Carhart was one of four doctors who performed late-term abortions at George Tiller's Wichita clinic on East Kellogg, which closed after Tiller was shot to death May 31.
In response to Carhart's announcement, about 12 church pastors and other abortion opponents said they have asked the Kansas Board of Healing Arts to re-examine a 2007 complaint that Carhart and other abortion providers violated a state law that requires a concurring independent opinion from a second physician before a late-term abortion can be performed.
The 2007 complaint was filed by Kansans for Life, said David Gittrich, its state development director. He was among the abortion opponents at a Thursday news conference at Northwest Christian Church, 10850 W. 21st St.
"We want our petition re-investigated," Gittrich said.
For the rest click here.
Having Scott Roeder kill Tiller and stop his clinic was not enough for them. Now they have to prevent abortion rights advocates from being able to provide for women’s health care as Wichita always has
According to The Wichita Eagle:
Abortion opponents start to fight Nebraska doctor planning clinic in Kansas
BY JOE RODRIGUEZ
A group of Wichita abortion opponents said Thursday that they want state regulators to re-examine a complaint against a doctor who said he plans to open a late-term abortion practice in Kansas.
LeRoy Carhart, a Nebraska abortion provider, said this week that his "main choice" would be to locate the clinic in Wichita. Carhart was one of four doctors who performed late-term abortions at George Tiller's Wichita clinic on East Kellogg, which closed after Tiller was shot to death May 31.
In response to Carhart's announcement, about 12 church pastors and other abortion opponents said they have asked the Kansas Board of Healing Arts to re-examine a 2007 complaint that Carhart and other abortion providers violated a state law that requires a concurring independent opinion from a second physician before a late-term abortion can be performed.
The 2007 complaint was filed by Kansans for Life, said David Gittrich, its state development director. He was among the abortion opponents at a Thursday news conference at Northwest Christian Church, 10850 W. 21st St.
"We want our petition re-investigated," Gittrich said.
For the rest click here.
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Heath care rightwing organizations get ugly
I received this e-mail from The American Majority, a right-wing anti-healthcare reform group:
Last night, while many of us were preparing for bed, the Left-wing propaganda machine was hard at work. On MSNBC's late-night Rachel Maddow Show, American Majority and other grassroots organizations were the subjects of typical name-calling and partisan slander. Rachel shamefully attacked our leaders and other coalitions involved with the Recess Rally as,“Experts at fake-grassroots campaigns that promote corporate interests” and, “Republican operative millionaires clubs.” If you have a strong stomach, and can stand Rachel’s perpetual sneer, you can view the entire video here: (the attack begins about 3 minutes into the clip) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/ 26315908/#32307452
The Left continues to ignore facts and marginalize our efforts to train and strengthen the voice of regular citizens, calling our movement a farse by claiming that:“Americans are showing up at these events, and people are enraged,[but] they are enraged only because there being riled up by over the top fabricated conspiracy theories about healthcare. . . . recessrally.com is not some organic outgrowth of american anger, this is how corporate america creates the illusion of a grassroots movement to support their own interests.” The left-leaning, utopian statists are saying that your disdain for the absurd in our country is not representative of the average citizen. I would say, “On the contrary.” The collectivist, statist thinking behind the proposed health care “reform” is at odds with virtually everything that this country was stands for and was founded on.
Here’s more on these anti-health reform group:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
The Left continues to ignore facts and marginalize our efforts to train and strengthen the voice of regular citizens, calling our movement a farse by claiming that:“Americans are showing up at these events, and people are enraged,[but] they are enraged only because there being riled up by over the top fabricated conspiracy theories about healthcare. . . . recessrally.com is not some organic outgrowth of american anger, this is how corporate america creates the illusion of a grassroots movement to support their own interests.” The left-leaning, utopian statists are saying that your disdain for the absurd in our country is not representative of the average citizen. I would say, “On the contrary.” The collectivist, statist thinking behind the proposed health care “reform” is at odds with virtually everything that this country was stands for and was founded on.
Here’s more on these anti-health reform group:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Clinton shows diplomacy can work in DPRK(North Korea)
It’s a good bet that the government of Kim Jong Il, of the Democratic People's Republic of (North) Korea, had expected to release the two journalist all along. They either used this event for publicity or got some kind of concessions out of it. The DPRK news mentions Clinton’s trip, but not the freed journalists. This trip may lead the way for better relations between the US and the DPRK. As the article below points out, relations between the two countries froze during the George Bush years. It’s unlikely that the Bush government could have pulled this off.
From the Associated Press:
Freed journalists home in US after NKorea pardon
By ROBERT JABLON, Associated Press Writer Robert Jablon, Associated Press BURBANK, Calif. – Two American journalists jubilantly reunited with family and friends early Wednesday upon returning to the United States with former President Bill Clinton, whose diplomatic trip to North Korea secured their release nearly five months after their arrests.
The jet carrying Euna Lee and Laura Ling, reporters for Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV, and Clinton arrived at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport at dawn. Clinton met with communist leader Kim Jong Il on Tuesday to secure the women's release.
Lee emerged from the jetliner first and was greeted by husband Michael Saldage and 4-year-old daughter Hanna. She hugged the girl and picked her up before all three embraced in a crushing hug as TV networks beamed the poignant moment live.
For the rest click here.
From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK:
calendar>>August 4. 2009 Juche 98
Kim Jong Il Meets Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il today met with former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his party on a visit to the DPRK.
Bill Clinton courteously conveyed a verbal message of U.S. President Barack Obama to Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il expressed thanks for this. He welcomed Clinton's visit to the DPRK and had an exhaustive conversation with him.
There was a wide-ranging exchange of views on the matters of common concern.
Present there were First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Sok Ju and Department Director of the WPK Central Committee Kim Yang Gon.
In Korean:
과거기사 달력>>2009년 8월 4일기사 목록
김정일총비서 클린톤 미국 전 대통령을 접견
(평양 8월 4일발 조선중앙통신)조선로동당 총비서이시며 조선민주주의인민공화국 국방위원회 위원장이신 위대한 령도자 김정일동지께서는 4일 조선을 방문하고있는 미국 전 대통령 빌 클린톤일행을 접견하시였다.
석상에서 김정일동지께 빌 클린톤은 바라크 오바마 미합중국 대통령의 구두메쎄지를 정중히 전달해드리였다.
김정일동지께서는 이에 사의를 표하시고 빌 클린톤의 조선방문을 환영하신 다음 그와 진지한 담화를 하시였다.
접견에서는 공동관심사로 되는 문제들에 대하여 폭넓은 의견교환이 진행되였다.
강석주 외무성 제1부상과 김양건 조선로동당 중앙위원회 부장이 여기에 함께 참가하였다.(끝)
Photo: Yahoo News
From the Associated Press:
Freed journalists home in US after NKorea pardon
By ROBERT JABLON, Associated Press Writer Robert Jablon, Associated Press BURBANK, Calif. – Two American journalists jubilantly reunited with family and friends early Wednesday upon returning to the United States with former President Bill Clinton, whose diplomatic trip to North Korea secured their release nearly five months after their arrests.
The jet carrying Euna Lee and Laura Ling, reporters for Al Gore's San Francisco-based Current TV, and Clinton arrived at Burbank's Bob Hope Airport at dawn. Clinton met with communist leader Kim Jong Il on Tuesday to secure the women's release.
Lee emerged from the jetliner first and was greeted by husband Michael Saldage and 4-year-old daughter Hanna. She hugged the girl and picked her up before all three embraced in a crushing hug as TV networks beamed the poignant moment live.
For the rest click here.
From KOREAN CENTRAL NEWS AGENCY of DPRK:
calendar>>August 4. 2009 Juche 98
Kim Jong Il Meets Former U.S. President Bill Clinton
Pyongyang, August 4 (KCNA) -- General Secretary Kim Jong Il today met with former U.S. President Bill Clinton and his party on a visit to the DPRK.
Bill Clinton courteously conveyed a verbal message of U.S. President Barack Obama to Kim Jong Il.
Kim Jong Il expressed thanks for this. He welcomed Clinton's visit to the DPRK and had an exhaustive conversation with him.
There was a wide-ranging exchange of views on the matters of common concern.
Present there were First Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Kang Sok Ju and Department Director of the WPK Central Committee Kim Yang Gon.
In Korean:
과거기사 달력>>2009년 8월 4일기사 목록
김정일총비서 클린톤 미국 전 대통령을 접견
(평양 8월 4일발 조선중앙통신)조선로동당 총비서이시며 조선민주주의인민공화국 국방위원회 위원장이신 위대한 령도자 김정일동지께서는 4일 조선을 방문하고있는 미국 전 대통령 빌 클린톤일행을 접견하시였다.
석상에서 김정일동지께 빌 클린톤은 바라크 오바마 미합중국 대통령의 구두메쎄지를 정중히 전달해드리였다.
김정일동지께서는 이에 사의를 표하시고 빌 클린톤의 조선방문을 환영하신 다음 그와 진지한 담화를 하시였다.
접견에서는 공동관심사로 되는 문제들에 대하여 폭넓은 의견교환이 진행되였다.
강석주 외무성 제1부상과 김양건 조선로동당 중앙위원회 부장이 여기에 함께 참가하였다.(끝)
Photo: Yahoo News
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
What’s so bad about meth labs in Kansas?
Adding to the jobless rate, the State of Kansas is cutting back on law enforcement work.
This time it is cutting back efforts to stop what was suppose to be the greatest threat to all of us, the making of methamphetamine. After all the talk of needing to find and close meth labs, the state has now abandoned that job and turned it over the federal government.
This is one more example of how the “war on drugs” was just a scam. If this drug war was as important as we were led to believe, just a few years ago, our state government would never just throw up their hands and walk away. Once again they are cutting the government work force which will add to the state’s unemployment. It was a stupid effort but at least it kept cops busy with something to get paid for doing. There will be illegal drug labs as long as there is a demand for illegal drugs.
From The Wichita Eagle:
State cuts meth cleanup
BY JOE RODRIGUEZ
The Wichita Eagle
The state of Kansas has eliminated its methamphetamine lab cleanup program, forcing law enforcement departments to turn to a federal agency to do the work.
Recent budget cuts led to the elimination of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Clandestine Drug Lab Response Program. That means that law enforcement agencies — including the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office — are now turning to the Drug Enforcement Administration for help cleaning up meth labs.
For the rest click here.
This time it is cutting back efforts to stop what was suppose to be the greatest threat to all of us, the making of methamphetamine. After all the talk of needing to find and close meth labs, the state has now abandoned that job and turned it over the federal government.
This is one more example of how the “war on drugs” was just a scam. If this drug war was as important as we were led to believe, just a few years ago, our state government would never just throw up their hands and walk away. Once again they are cutting the government work force which will add to the state’s unemployment. It was a stupid effort but at least it kept cops busy with something to get paid for doing. There will be illegal drug labs as long as there is a demand for illegal drugs.
From The Wichita Eagle:
State cuts meth cleanup
BY JOE RODRIGUEZ
The Wichita Eagle
The state of Kansas has eliminated its methamphetamine lab cleanup program, forcing law enforcement departments to turn to a federal agency to do the work.
Recent budget cuts led to the elimination of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's Clandestine Drug Lab Response Program. That means that law enforcement agencies — including the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office — are now turning to the Drug Enforcement Administration for help cleaning up meth labs.
For the rest click here.
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