Friday, October 21, 2005
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR OCTOBER 12, 2005
FIXING THE POOR
Well, friends, what is a hurricane for? For some the real purpose of a hurricane is to promote an irrational, selfish and unforgivable looting by the rich. Here is the drill:
1. Suspend the requirement that federal contractors have affirmative action plans and the requirement to pay locally prevailing wages.
2. Cut Medicaid and food stamp programs.
3. Reduce taxes for the wealthy. Congressman Mike Pense of Indiana says this is how you fight poverty.
So Mr. Bush suspended the Davis Bacon Act, a 1931 law that prohibits federally funded construction jobs from paying wages less than the local average.
And he also suspends rules requiring federal contractors to file affirmative action plans which his allies called cumbersome. If justice is so cumbersome perhaps they think we ought to eliminate it altogether, right?
Our majority members of the House of Representatives are suggesting a 370 billion dollar cut in domestic spending over the next five years as they push for school vouchers in New Orleans.
So friends, as New Orleans reopens, the same people are being left behind who were left behind during the hurricane. Public schools are closed, public housing is closed, access to public health care is closed, and avenues to justice are closed.
There are 28,000 people still living in shelters in Louisiana. But there are 38,000 public housing apartments in New Orleans and none have been reopened in spite of the fact that many are in good condition.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated that 112,000 low income homes were damaged by the hurricane in New Orleans but local state and federal authorities are not committed to reopening public housing.
Public Schools enrolled 60,000 children before the hurricane. But the school board president now estimates that no schools on the city's east bank, where the majority of the people live, will reopen during this academic year.
Attorney William Quigley who is a professor of law at Loyola University in New Orleans says, "When those in power close the public schools, close public housing, fire people from their jobs, refuse to provide access to affordable public healthcare, and close off all avenues for justice, it is not necessary to erect a sign outside of New Orleans saying, 'Poor People Not Allowed to Return.' People cannot come back in these circumstances and that is exactly what is happening."
For a free copy of this commentary and the complete statement by Attorney William Quigley, please call 323/852-9808...323/852-9808.
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR OCTOBER 5, 2005
TESTIMONY OF THE GENERALS
The U.S. generals running the war in Iraq presented a new assessment of the military situation with some sworn testimony this week. They testified to the fact that 149,000 U.S. troops in Iraq are increasingly part of the problem rather than the solution.
The generals said the U.S. occupation was fueling the insurgency, making the Iraqi troops more dependent and expanding terrorism. They insisted that the withdrawal of American troops is imperative.
On the home front, there are only some 32 percent of our citizens who approve of the Iraq War. Now that the sworn testimony of the generals has been heard, just what is going on in Iraq? Moving northwest up the Euphrates River we find serial massacres that will be long remembered as war crimes. Fallouja, Ramadi, Haqianiya, Haditha and Karabilah. Suspected insurgents are being massacred. And who are the suspected insurgents? Anyone who is in the area. And for each suspected insurgent that is massacred, ten new insurgents are created. The generals gave their testimony in Washington but our tactics and strategies in Iraq have not changed. Reuters global managing editor states that the conduct of American forces toward journalists in Iraq is, "spiraling out of control." 66 journalists and media workers have been killed in Iraq since March of 2003.
Human Rights Watch has received testimony from members of the 82nd Airborne Division that prisoners were tortured as a form of stress relief or for sport. Aside from creating thousands more insurgents, we can expect such forms of stress relief and sport to come home.
Congratulations to Federal District Judge Alvin Hellerstein who ordered the Defense Department to release additional torture photos and videos which were provided by Sergeant Joseph Darby.
"Kill them all, let God divide them up!" seems to be the logo.
So let's get it clear. In Washington the generals tell us we are creating more insurgents by virtue of our out of control slaughter. In Iraq, however, we are continuing and expanding our out of control slaughter which absolutely and logically multiplies the resistance. A military spokesperson said that the goal of these offensives is to help the Iraqi authorities set up polling places so people can vote. But since when did bombing and strafing become the road to the ballot box?
Last week the peace movement put twice as many people in Washington as there are troops in Iraq. It seems to me that the time has come for our citizens to simply go on strike until the government starts to represent us.
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
THE DEMONSTRATIONS
Congratulations to everyone who participated last Saturday in history making gatherings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle and throughout the world. We were overjoyed with the international response. But please understand that we need you every day. We need you to help remove the criminals who are driving our ship of state on to the rocks. We need you to demand the restoration of the public sector of the United States. We need you to stop the looting of funds designated for the repair of the Gulf Coast as our government has become the world's largest center of organized crime. We can be soft on crime no longer. Could our criminal justice system be any worse if it had been designed by the KKK?
We need you to bring our troops home now. We need you to impeach and imprison those responsible for the deaths of our young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need you to be a voice of repentance for the innocents who have been massacred in our name.
We need you to join the international quest for an authentic spiritual and moral revolution to achieve a universal common good. We need you to end divisive sectarianism and to bring that unity which is found in the struggle for justice, peace, love, joy, courage, compassion and endurance.
As we demand restitution for the crimes of this corrupt era, let the word go forth:
We will not tolerate the violation of the public trust which some voters have mistakenly placed in our president and other officials as they blatantly conduct malfeasance of office.
Pay attention: One. You don't privatize the Public Sector to funnel government funds to your corrupt cronies. Two. You don't loot funds which have been designated for widows and orphans. Three. You don't let third rate religious charlatans canonize and demonize other faiths nor ask for assassinations.
Yes, we have been entirely too soft on organized crime!
Our hard earned tax money has been used to kill millions of innocent people.
Our hard earned tax money has been looted by Halliburton and Bechtel.
Our hard earned tax money has been used to hire international thugs for mercenary warfare.
Our hard earned tax money has been used as part of an international lying machine.
Our sycophant commercial media is creating a nation of political illiterates.
Yes, we need you to help us in building an international system of peace. The nation state is too small for our total allegiance. Let us pledge allegiance to this beautiful planet with justice and peace for all.
BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW.
FIXING THE POOR
Well, friends, what is a hurricane for? For some the real purpose of a hurricane is to promote an irrational, selfish and unforgivable looting by the rich. Here is the drill:
1. Suspend the requirement that federal contractors have affirmative action plans and the requirement to pay locally prevailing wages.
2. Cut Medicaid and food stamp programs.
3. Reduce taxes for the wealthy. Congressman Mike Pense of Indiana says this is how you fight poverty.
So Mr. Bush suspended the Davis Bacon Act, a 1931 law that prohibits federally funded construction jobs from paying wages less than the local average.
And he also suspends rules requiring federal contractors to file affirmative action plans which his allies called cumbersome. If justice is so cumbersome perhaps they think we ought to eliminate it altogether, right?
Our majority members of the House of Representatives are suggesting a 370 billion dollar cut in domestic spending over the next five years as they push for school vouchers in New Orleans.
So friends, as New Orleans reopens, the same people are being left behind who were left behind during the hurricane. Public schools are closed, public housing is closed, access to public health care is closed, and avenues to justice are closed.
There are 28,000 people still living in shelters in Louisiana. But there are 38,000 public housing apartments in New Orleans and none have been reopened in spite of the fact that many are in good condition.
The National Low Income Housing Coalition estimated that 112,000 low income homes were damaged by the hurricane in New Orleans but local state and federal authorities are not committed to reopening public housing.
Public Schools enrolled 60,000 children before the hurricane. But the school board president now estimates that no schools on the city's east bank, where the majority of the people live, will reopen during this academic year.
Attorney William Quigley who is a professor of law at Loyola University in New Orleans says, "When those in power close the public schools, close public housing, fire people from their jobs, refuse to provide access to affordable public healthcare, and close off all avenues for justice, it is not necessary to erect a sign outside of New Orleans saying, 'Poor People Not Allowed to Return.' People cannot come back in these circumstances and that is exactly what is happening."
For a free copy of this commentary and the complete statement by Attorney William Quigley, please call 323/852-9808...323/852-9808.
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR OCTOBER 5, 2005
TESTIMONY OF THE GENERALS
The U.S. generals running the war in Iraq presented a new assessment of the military situation with some sworn testimony this week. They testified to the fact that 149,000 U.S. troops in Iraq are increasingly part of the problem rather than the solution.
The generals said the U.S. occupation was fueling the insurgency, making the Iraqi troops more dependent and expanding terrorism. They insisted that the withdrawal of American troops is imperative.
On the home front, there are only some 32 percent of our citizens who approve of the Iraq War. Now that the sworn testimony of the generals has been heard, just what is going on in Iraq? Moving northwest up the Euphrates River we find serial massacres that will be long remembered as war crimes. Fallouja, Ramadi, Haqianiya, Haditha and Karabilah. Suspected insurgents are being massacred. And who are the suspected insurgents? Anyone who is in the area. And for each suspected insurgent that is massacred, ten new insurgents are created. The generals gave their testimony in Washington but our tactics and strategies in Iraq have not changed. Reuters global managing editor states that the conduct of American forces toward journalists in Iraq is, "spiraling out of control." 66 journalists and media workers have been killed in Iraq since March of 2003.
Human Rights Watch has received testimony from members of the 82nd Airborne Division that prisoners were tortured as a form of stress relief or for sport. Aside from creating thousands more insurgents, we can expect such forms of stress relief and sport to come home.
Congratulations to Federal District Judge Alvin Hellerstein who ordered the Defense Department to release additional torture photos and videos which were provided by Sergeant Joseph Darby.
"Kill them all, let God divide them up!" seems to be the logo.
So let's get it clear. In Washington the generals tell us we are creating more insurgents by virtue of our out of control slaughter. In Iraq, however, we are continuing and expanding our out of control slaughter which absolutely and logically multiplies the resistance. A military spokesperson said that the goal of these offensives is to help the Iraqi authorities set up polling places so people can vote. But since when did bombing and strafing become the road to the ballot box?
Last week the peace movement put twice as many people in Washington as there are troops in Iraq. It seems to me that the time has come for our citizens to simply go on strike until the government starts to represent us.
PACIFICA COMMENTARY FOR SEPTEMBER 28, 2005
THE DEMONSTRATIONS
Congratulations to everyone who participated last Saturday in history making gatherings in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Seattle and throughout the world. We were overjoyed with the international response. But please understand that we need you every day. We need you to help remove the criminals who are driving our ship of state on to the rocks. We need you to demand the restoration of the public sector of the United States. We need you to stop the looting of funds designated for the repair of the Gulf Coast as our government has become the world's largest center of organized crime. We can be soft on crime no longer. Could our criminal justice system be any worse if it had been designed by the KKK?
We need you to bring our troops home now. We need you to impeach and imprison those responsible for the deaths of our young men and women in Iraq and Afghanistan. We need you to be a voice of repentance for the innocents who have been massacred in our name.
We need you to join the international quest for an authentic spiritual and moral revolution to achieve a universal common good. We need you to end divisive sectarianism and to bring that unity which is found in the struggle for justice, peace, love, joy, courage, compassion and endurance.
As we demand restitution for the crimes of this corrupt era, let the word go forth:
We will not tolerate the violation of the public trust which some voters have mistakenly placed in our president and other officials as they blatantly conduct malfeasance of office.
Pay attention: One. You don't privatize the Public Sector to funnel government funds to your corrupt cronies. Two. You don't loot funds which have been designated for widows and orphans. Three. You don't let third rate religious charlatans canonize and demonize other faiths nor ask for assassinations.
Yes, we have been entirely too soft on organized crime!
Our hard earned tax money has been used to kill millions of innocent people.
Our hard earned tax money has been looted by Halliburton and Bechtel.
Our hard earned tax money has been used to hire international thugs for mercenary warfare.
Our hard earned tax money has been used as part of an international lying machine.
Our sycophant commercial media is creating a nation of political illiterates.
Yes, we need you to help us in building an international system of peace. The nation state is too small for our total allegiance. Let us pledge allegiance to this beautiful planet with justice and peace for all.
BRING THE TROOPS HOME NOW.
