Poverty is the worst form of violence. – Mahatma Gandhi
Almost two weeks ago 57-year old Moshe Silman, a social protester from the northern city of Haifa, set himself on fire at a demonstration for social justice in Tel Aviv. Standing before a crowd of people, Silman read a letter explaining how the State of Israel had “robbed” him, poured flammable liquid over his body then set himself alight.… [Read more]
What would you do if you had the power? What would you do if you suddenly realised that you already have the power? Rather than sitting on the sidelines, all of us should be the change that we want to see in the world.… [Read more]
It’s finally over in Chicago: No more NATO summit, no more Occupy protesters. I breathed a sigh of relief today as I realized Chicago was Un-Occupied. Sunday, protesters clashed with Chicago cops, refusing to disperse a few blocks west of McCormick Place. A few injuries and some arrests later (worn like a badge of honor, I’m sure), and immediately we saw Facebook… [Read more]
Ever since I came to the United States, I have always been puzzled with a certain attitude in this country. Why do so many ordinary, god-fearing Republicans in this country oppose measures such as free healthcare for all? What do they mean when they say they are ‘against Obama as a matter principle’?… [Read more]
Radicals, said David Graeber, while holding a plastic Roman legion helmet (he just returned from an action protesting student debt), radicals have had a long unspoken pact with liberals: we incite, provoke, ask controversial questions, and liberals, now regarded as holding a more reasonable alternative to us, gain political power and enforce change. This, he went on to explain, is how political progress occurs: the Haymarket Affair was what pushed legislators to enact 8-hour workdays, it was factory occupations in the early 20th century which led to the rise of unions, and it is radical direct action which will turn the wheel of change now, in 2012.… [Read more]
So, while trying to pick a topic for this week’s blog post, I thought of many political things that are annoying me. President Obama’s support for at least the southern half of the Keystone XL Pipeline, the absence of a viable presidential candidate whom I can get excited about, the lack of political will to pass the much needed Buffett Rule on Taxation (let alone true tax reform), continued legislative attacks on women’s health and rights, and the stalling of the Student Loan Forgiveness Act in Congress all came to mind. … [Read more]
All tyranny needs to gain a foothold, is for people of good conscience to remain silent.
~ Thomas Jefferson 1821
What did we learn from his words?
First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Socialist.
Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out–
Because I was not a Trade Unionist.… [Read more]
What’s Happening, Brother?
For the inaugural post in the ‘Say It In Song’ category, BorderlessNewsandViews.com thinks that this classic release from 1971 is appropriate: Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On”. With ongoing protests about war, inequality, economic strife and control by so few over so many, Marvin Gaye’s timeless classic asked this question 40 years ago — but this song is as relevant today as it was then.… [Read more]