The war mongering in Syria remains. The G20 summit in St. Petersburg will soon pass. U.S. President Barack Obama continues to outline his case for a military strike in Syria. He claims to be the moral conscience of the world and the upholder of international law. Yet, he is trying to be the spokesman for the act of trying to justify unprovoked and illegal military strikes of aggression against Syria. The White House believes that the USA has the right to attack another nation even if neither it nor its allies face imminent attack (and if military action has not been sanctioned by the United Nations). Regardless of how you feel about the U.N., this is a direct repudiation of the United Nations Charter. That charter defines unilateral and unprovoked actions as criminal act of military aggression. If a military strike comes about, it will be another example of defiance of the post-World War II framework of international law (it is about the United States wanting to attack any country that it sees fit to do so). Explaining his decision to seek authorization for the use of military force against Syria from the US Congress, Obama said, “I could not honestly claim that the threat posed by Assad’s use of chemical weapons on innocent civilians and women and children posed an imminent, direct threat to the United States… I could not say that it was immediately directly going to have an impact on our allies.” At another point he said, “It is my view… that given Security Council paralysis on this issue, if we are serious about upholding a ban on chemical weapons use, then an international response is required and that will not come through Security Council action.” Even the UN Security Council has placed its stamp of approval on many immoral wars like the recently US/NATO assault in Libya from March to October of 2011. Its members are divided on the question on what to do about Syria. We know that militarism done by Washington has been based on brazen lies. There is no evidence that the use of chemical weapons was used by the Syrian regime (in the August 2013 attack) as a means to kill innocent human life. Even the UN inspectors had arrived in Damascus at Syria's invitation to investigate previous claims of chemical weapons attacks. Many of the rebels are linked to al-Qaeda terrorists. The rebels are in the brink of defeat, so now some want a military strike against the Syrian government. Many of the rebels have killed innocent human life and some accuse the rebels of having chemical weapons and being prepared to use them. The claim that it will be, as Obama repeated Friday was that these U.S. military strikes would be “limited and proportionate.” In this connection, it is worthwhile citing an article posted September 3 on the Foreign Policy web site by Bruce Ackerman, a well-known authority on US constitutional law and professor at Yale University. Bruce wrote that the words in the draft of authorization for use of military force has language that can be used for extensive military involvement since it says that the President can act to deter the use or proliferation of chemical or other weapons of mass destruction (to protect American allies and partners). This is an endorsement of military intervention throughout the Middle East and beyond. Washington cannot, moreover, conceal its own record of violating the “international norms” that Obama claims to be defending—from the nuclear holocaust of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, to the saturation use of napalm and Agent Orange in Vietnam, to US support for Saddam Hussein’s use of chemical weapons against Iran in the 1980s, to the use of depleted uranium and white phosphorus in Iraq. The Bush administration repudiated the Geneva Conventions in relation to prisoners captured in the so-called “war on terror,” opening the way for torture, indefinite detention, rendition, and drone assassinations—all of which have been continued and expanded under Obama. So, evil militarism should not happen. We should fight austerity, war, and the destruction of our democratic rights. We have the right to have political mobilization to seek freedom for all.
The See Something, Say Something program from the Department of Homeland Security is a common fixture of the establishment in America. This has been a fear mongering campaign executed by the Department of Homeland Security. It has been from an initiative from the DHS called the Nationwide Suspicious Activities Reporting (SAR) Initiative aka NSI. The NSI codified the actions of the FBI, local police, the CIA, etc. These entities since 9/11 and the infamous Patriot Act has been targeting and infiltrating the nonviolent antiwar, peace, and justice activist groups with spies. Some of the feds have stooped so low as to provoke violence via their agent provocateurs in order to discredit them in the eyes of the public. The Nationwide Suspicious Activities Reporting Initiative was DHS’s intent to “gather information regarding behaviors and incidents associated with criminal activity — but without the customary restrictions on collecting data on individuals in the absence of reasonable suspicion or probable cause.” In other words, if you “See Something, Say Something," the authorities want you contact the DHS or other authorities. The mandate of the NSI is trying to cause Americans to observe behavior that in the feds' minds could be related to terrorism or criminal activity. The DHS approve of government pseudo-patriotic snitches. They want snitches to monitor us and our neighbor or those who may be bigoted against theoretically (someone of another race, skin color, nationality, political party, creed, sexual preference, economic class or gender). And we are urged to report our suspicions to the NSI authorities). The NSI and the NSA did not like those who report on other things like Julian Assange, Bradley Manning, Edward Snowden (regardless of who he is, he doesn't need murder), millions of intelligence, courageous patriotic truth seekers (in the 9/11 Truth Movement), etc. Many federal government operatives are tools of the shadow government or the military industrial complex. NSA illegal wiretapping is evil. Even the Transform Now Plowshares Three who exposed international war crimes at Oak Ridge TN nuclear weapons facility and are now rotting in prison awaiting sentencing. So-called "snitching" on enemies of the state has been historically regarded as the patriotic thing to do in times of national security crises. We know that snitching for helping totalitarianism has been done in the days of Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Even the Praetorian Guards of the Roman Empire (which protected the Emperor as his bodyguards) had spy groups that tried to harm those suspected of rising up against Roman tyranny. In American history we can go back at least to the adoption of the US Constitution, in which the only provision for the death penalty was treason (“giving aid and comfort to the enemy”). Many laws were created to ferret out dissenters during the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812, the Mexican War, the Civil War and the Spanish-American War (more accurately known as the Philippine-American War). The Espionage Act of 1917 was highly immoral. It was amended soon thereafter by the Sedition Act of 1917 (aimed at domestic “enemies” – which prohibited many forms of speech, including “any disloyal, profane, scurrilous, or abusive language about the form of government of the United States…or the flag of the United States, or the uniform of the Army or Navy"). These provisions were ambiguous and it criminalized anybody who dissented with the war in an extremely strong way. Those acts criminalized anyone who seemed to be “insufficiently patriotic”, “defeatist” or otherwise opposed to the war effort. Specifically, the Espionage Act criminalized anybody who caused or attempted to cause “insubordination, disloyalty, mutiny, refusal of duty in the military or naval forces of the United States, or to willfully obstruct the recruiting or enlistment service of the United States”. Fascism regularly re-emerges to degrade democracy in the Land of the Free. Many objectors to WWI were falsely accused of being traitors and were spied upon, harassed, and imprisoned during the Red Scare of 1918-1919. There were folks including conscientious objectors to war during WWI that were deported or even given the death penalty. Even Eugene V. Debs, the Socialist Party candidate for president in 1904, 1908 and 1912, was arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for making a speech that “obstructed recruiting.” He ran for president in 1920 while in prison and was so popular with the working class that he got almost 1 million write-in votes. The lesson here is that human beings have the right to speak out against any form of injustice in the world. We have the right to say something when we see injustice. Yet, working for justice or disagreeing with tyranny home or in abroad has nothing to do with treason. It is our duty. Trying to spy on innocent human beings who want to legitimate make a different is also immoral and wrong too. I do not follow the Department of Homeland Security at all. I do not believe in spying or snitching on real domestic activists that seek to create revolutionary changes in the world society at all. We have the right to question the official story on 9/11. The Bush and Obama administrations have more similarities than differences as time goes on. For people of conscience, See Something, Say Something was not intended for them. We know of the documentable lies about the war on terror, 9/11, and other events. We know that Bush administration neocon insides of the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) planned much of the war on terror including the military invasion of Iraq before the attacks on September 11th came about. So, we should continue in our fight for freedom.
The Democrats are prepared to select a New York mayoral candidate. The major party candidates for the November 5th mayoral election in New York City are to be chosen in party primaries scheduled for September 10. If no candidate gets at least 40 percent of the primary vote a runoff between the two with the most votes will take place on October 1. This end of the mayoral elections marks the end of Michael Bloomberg's 12 years in office. Bloomberg overturned the term limits in legislation in order to run for run for and narrowly win a third term in 2009. He leaves a controversial legacy with workers suffering and civil liberties harmed. He is a billionaire and is listed as the seventh wealthiest individual in America with a net worth of $27 billion. This compares to the $5 billion before he first ran for mayor in 2001. Bloomberg has an expanding fortune. It reflects the enormous polarization and growing inequality that is characterized in his three terms as mayor. For the ruling rich in NYC, the 46,000 individuals who as of last tax filings reported income of at least $1 million per year (along with their upper middle class retainers and associates, life has never been better). The majority of NYC though has millions of workers and the unemployed, the unemployed, the working poor, the students, and youth still struggling to get by in life. Social inequality is real in New York City. There is a new high rise residential boom occurring in midtown and lower Manhattan. These areas have massive towers sprouting literally form one week to the next. Billionaires snap up penthouse properties for tens of millions of dollars, while the homeless shelter population continues to set new records. What we see now is that hospitals in Brooklyn (even supposedly nonprofit institutions) are shutting their doors, because they are losing money. This is not because their services are no longer needed. The public school system has been attacked systematically. Spending is cut, standardized testing is being used to demonize teachers, and charter schools siphon off students including resources and leave behind a self-fulfilling prophecy of "failing schools." Almost half of New York City is characterized as poor or near poor. This has been deciphered by the government's lax yardstick of 150 percent of the poverty income threshold. The city is enraged by the arrogance of Bloomberg and equally disgusted with the Democrats (in the midst of some better off neighborhoods in parts of Brooklyn and Queens). As low as 29 percent of registered voters participated in the 2009 mayoral election. The September primaries are not expected to attract more than 15 percent at most. Seven Democrats and three Republicans want to succeed Bloomberg. It is most likely that a Democrat will win the mayoral election for the first time since 1989, but both major parties have similarities. The attacks on jobs, pensions, health care, and other social gains of the working class will continue regardless if a member of the 2 party system wins. The differences lie in tactical and rhetorical distinctions among mainstream candidates. Joseph Lhota is expected to win the Republican nomination. He was a top official in the administration of Rudolph Giuliani. The main Democratic candidates include Christine Quinn, the current speaker of the City Council; Bill de Blasio, currently the public advocate; William Thompson, a former comptroller and also president of the city’s Board of Education; John Liu, the current comptroller; and Anthony Weiner, the former congressman who was forced to resign two years ago in a “sexting” scandal. All of these candidates try to make distinctions among them and Bloomberg. Many of the top candidates have strengths and weaknesses. Yet, some of them were in high office while Bloomberg was mayor. Even Quinn worked closely and harmoniously with Bloomberg for a lot of the last decade. She gave support for stop and frisk (like the former police commissioner Raymond Kelly. Stop and frisk was ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge). Quinn worked City Council approval for the overturning of term limits in 2009. Quinn now wants to reform stop and frisk. De Blasio sees himself as the true liberal Democratic candidate. He condemns many errors of Bloomberg like inequality, the lack of affordable housing and attacks on the public schools. He shows little on what he would do about these things. De Blasio made the error of dismantling welfare programs in the 1990's as he served under the second Clinton administration. He was the campaign manage for Hillary Clinton on her successful campaign for Senator from New York state in 2000. Thompson is the only African American in the race. His views on stop and frisk have been a matter of debate. He has a moderate view of it, but he wants to eliminate outright racial profiling. Many unions want to be in the Democratic establishment and others don't. Many of the teachers and transit officials back Thompson; some hospital workers endorse de Blasio, and the AFSCME city employees giving their support to Liu. Wall Street interests dominate Republicans and Democrats. In NYC, about 9,000 bus workers went on strike against the destruction of job security and thousands of their jobs last winter. Amalgamated Transit Local 1181 closed down the strike after one month. There are complete support of all the major unions whose leaders feared that the bus workers struggle would spread to their own members, who have been working for between two and four years without contracts. Many Democrats want to exploit labor as a means to make city employees to pay for the huge budget deficit (which can trigger more strikes). We know that the fortunes of Bloomberg and other corporate chieftains including hedge fund managers can handle the city's deficit. Workers face new battles. We have a stock market and housing bubbles. The most important thing is for us to understand these issues and create solutions for society.
Tommy Sotomayor is a very big anti-black women hater. This is the first time that I have written extensively on him. I waited to do this after I have finished much of my research. Now, it is time to comment on him and on this issue. He represents the self-hatred that exists among many black human beings. For if a black human beings harbors sick hatred of black women or black men, then by definition that black human being harbors evil self hatred. Tommy Sotomayor is a reactionary that seeks to use slander, lies, and agitation as a means to break up Black Unity in society. That is his goal. He admits that he cannot stand the majority of black women, which is sick. The reality is that the Golden Rule and loving your neighbor as yourself is the key cornerstone of authentic manhood. Manhood is about defending womanhood not degrading it. It is true that no human is perfect. We all need improvements in our lives. Outlining constructive ways for males and females to better their lives is fine. All genders should be treated with dignity and respect. All of humanity should strive to do better and be better human beings. Yet, Sotomayor degrades and uses profanity to not uplift black women, but to bash black women in an inappropriate way. He is wrong for that. Sotomayor put down Trayvon Martin's mother, which shows that he is not only a traitor, but a punk. Trayvon Martin's mother is actively fighting against stop and frisk, racial profiling, and other injustices in the world. Sybrina Fulton is a grieving Mother and a Strong Black Woman that wants reconciliation in society without unjust hatreds. Sotomayor is sitting on his radio show complaining all of the time while refusing to call out white supremacy as a serious threat in the world. Sotomayor admits that he hates most black women, which is sick. He constantly calls women the B word. Many folks call him out on his hypocrisy. She demonized Jill Scott for no legitimate reason at all. Sotomayor plants seeds of animosity between Black Men and Black women. There is a special place in Hell for those who cause division among black human beings for the reason of causing division. Tommy Sotomayor bashes India Arie when her songs have legitimately represented Love between Black men and Black women. This sicko Sotomayor wants Black men to stop procreating with Black women. How can you be pro-Black and tell black human beings to stop procreating with each other. He is an agent by slandering Rachel Jeantel or the Sister that was on the witness stand during the trial of George Zimmerman. Sotomayor is known to use profanity all of the time. He acts ignorant in the Internet, but refuses to confront white racism in public. He talks in cursing in front of his daughter, which is disgraceful as a man. So, Uncle Tommy Sotomayor is an agent and mouthpiece for white racists, because white racists view black men and black women in the exact same fashion that Tommy Sotomayor views black human beings as. Sotomayor admitted that he likes Rush Limbaugh and Limbaugh gave him his first break. Rush Limbaugh is a reactionary, racist talk show host, so that man is the enemy. Now, we know that no nation can rise higher than its woman. We know that social progress can be measured by the social progress of females. If a society degrades and harms females, then it is not a progressive society. So, it is our job to uplift and respect Black Men and Black Women living in the world. Black woman should be placed on a pedestal. Black females represent my friends, colleagues, my mother, my aunts, my nieces, and my other relatives. So, we should be continuously praising women. It is in the interests of white supremacist racists to destroy the African male/African female relationship including the black family. The mainstream media always show images that defile and defame including stereotype black men and especially black women. We should reject evil male bashing and evil female bashing. Anti-Female Sexism is always evil at every turn. So, I disagree with the words and agenda of Tommy Sotomayor completely as a Black Man. We can't sit back and ally with anyone (whether nonblack or black) that use music or entertainment that tries to degrade or dehumanize other black human beings at all. So, love for our BLACKNESS, SELF LOVE, TRUE LOVE, and real activism to help our people are things that we need. Our true oppressors are not each other, but racists in society. Dr. Neely Fuller, Dr. Welsing, and others taught us the truth that we should positively and constructively build up black humanity. Black Men and Black Women are allies. We have to defend and protect women. That is the cornerstone of true humanity. I will keep on fighting for the truth.
We do not need the tranquilizing drug of gradualism in society at all. That means that we should have freedom now and fight for freedom now. Gradualism prolongs oppression in the daily lives of Americans. We have seen time go from 1963 to 2013. We share many of the same issues from then and now. We live in some new political context, but we have the same system of oppression in the world. As human beings, we have the right to pressure the government including the world society as a means to respect our Black demands. For decades, the political establishment refuses to propose potent, substantive legislative initiatives to address our suffering today (except in small exceptions). The old marchers are right that we should continue to fight for jobs and justice. We are never in a post racial society to begin with. We do not experience a post racial society especially when we see the current President viciously being attacked by reactionaries beyond just policy disagreements. We do not have such a society when the President on many times has to use many deracialized speeches as a means to make the masses comfortable with the compromising aesthetic. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. rejected the tactic of gradualism as a means to get freedom. We know that Dr. King was a revolutionary, especially in the late 1960's. We know that many reactionaries have hijacked, compromised, and relegated his agenda to just that of a dreamer. They omit that Dr. King was also a man who wanted to use radical means to fight oppression and racism. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. criticized capitalism, wanted economic justice, and disagreed with war. We still have huge problems with civil liberties, education, health, the economy, and unemployment in the black American community. The unemployment rate in the African American community is more than double the national average and the wealth accumulation of the average European American family is 20 times that of the average African American family. After 50 years, we still have to address issues of the evils of police brutality, evil, radical cuts to social programs, jobs, etc. Back in 1963, various organizations use many political, social, and economic actions as a means to advocate legislation to Congress. There were nonviolent direct action and a demand to end racial discrimination in America. There were boycotts too. The 2013 March on Washington had great sincere human beings dedicated to justice in that arena. They made a huge tribute to the past efforts of heroes who some gave up their lives as a means for their descendant to live in a more just world. Yet, some today (including those in the March. Many speakers and leaders of the 2013 March on Washington were political imperialists, worldly celebrities, and other establishment political figures. At least the gracious Sister Bernice King has the strength to talk about Syria though) fail to articulate a legislative agenda or pressure the government to address police brutality, imperialism, disparities in other arenas too (like in mass incarceration, home foreclosure, unemployment, or education). Therefore, we have work to do. We have to speak out against imperialism and the evil system of white supremacy. We can never be token conservatives or token liberals. We should be revolutionary independent human beings. Malcolm X was a revolutionary not a social Democrat. Malcolm X disagreed with imperialism, capitalism, and any form of injustice against any human being. We have to address the suffering of humanity today and fight for real change in the world. Today, many heroes now are protesting, boycotting, and doing what is right. Their actions ought to be respected and we should never embrace the tranquilizing drug of gradualism as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. so eloquently mentioned before in the past. We should advance social and economic justice including peace.
By Timothy
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