Friday, September 09, 2016

Political News in early September 2016.

One of the most important stories today and one of the most important stories of the 21st century is about Native Americans standing up against those who want to disrespect land and the aspirations of Native Americans. In South Dakota, many corporations want to build a pipeline, but courageous Native Americans protesters have put their lives on the line in order to try to prevent that from happening. Representatives from about 300 Indigenous nations and their supporters have blocked the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline since August 18, 2016. The proposed pipeline is meant to be built under Missouri, Mississippi, and Big Sioux rivers in violation of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe’s federally protected rights. There are also reactionaries who used dogs to attack innocent protesters, even children. The protesters have still used legitimate resistance against such evil. Now, more people are in support of America’s indigenous people. National and international support for the cause has grown. The #NoDAPL movement has been inspirational. We are total solidarity of the struggle of thousands of Native Americans and non-Native people who are in Standing Rock (or North Dakota) who are protecting the land and water against construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. Nature is a blessing and we must protect it from any evil intrusive that seeks to harm it. The protesters are protecting the Missouri River and the drinking water of millions of people against the agenda of corporations and corrupt politicians who want an unnecessary pipeline on Native American lands. Native Americans’ lands have been the victims of environmental devastation for decades. We should respect the sovereignty and right to self-determination of Native Americans. Indigenous voices and leadership must be respected. Native Americans have suffered the exploitation of lands from Arizona to beyond. Protecting water is important. Access to water is a human right. We know that the water crisis in Flint, Michigan was caused by evil people. 10 percent of Native homes don’t have clean drinking water. There is a water crisis in some areas of Puerto Rico and poor black communities have been forced unjustly to pay exorbitant fees or face shutoff. America is indigenous land. Native Americans fought for justice in Wounded Knee in 1973, the 1990 Mohawk blockade, etc. Our black forebears were attacked by dogs during the times of slavery and the Civil rights movement. Therefore, we condemn the evil actions of private security companies hired by the corporations (in support of the Dakota Access Pipeline) using dogs and pepper spray on peaceful water protectors including children. We are outraged at how protesters were blockaded by police and cell phone service cut while the police used surveillance against them. We are opposed to fracking and unwarranted pipelines. We reject the corporate greed of capitalism and believe in revolutionary change. We know that water brings better life and we want justice.

Today, Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump are discussing about each other ideologically on the issue of national security heavily recently. This election is unlike any other election that I have seen in my lifetime. The leaderships of both the Republicans and the Democrats have advanced war, economic austerity, and the repression of democratic rights. There is the crisis of capitalism. Trump is supported by a section of the ruling class who wants an authoritarian movement which desires extreme nationalism and militarism. Now, Trump has called for a massive 90 billion dollar increase in U.S. military spending. He spoke in Wednesday’s Commander in Chief forum he told military veterans that America should take the oil of the Middle East. That is a blatant violation of Iraqi sovereignty. He has also promoted torture and other criminal policies. Trump is rather clear in his call for the elimination of corporation regulations (even legitimate ones) and a reduction of the taxes for the rich. He is overt in his advocacy of demagogic nationalism. That means that he has vilified undocumented immigrants, he wants a wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, and the creation of what amounts to concentration camps to detain and deport the undocumented human beings. Hillary Clinton is the consensus candidates of the most powerful parts of the corporate financial elite and the military intelligence apparatus. The super wealthy has given Hillary Clinton’s campaign $143 million in August, which is a record for the campaign so far. She has won over the support of many national security Republicans. Many of those Republicans are war criminals from the Bush administration and top military generals. Clinton in the Wednesday forum said that Trump was a tool of Russian Vladimir Putin.  “What would Ronald Reagan say about a Republican nominee who attacks American generals and heaps praise on Russia’s president?” she asked on Thursday. Trump, she declared, was “unpatriotic,” “scary” and a danger to “national security”—i.e., the geostrategic interests of American imperialism. There is no secret that Hillary Clinton is a war hawk. Putin is an autocratic nationalist and I don’t agree with Putin on many issues. Yet, even Russia shouldn’t experience invasion or military intervention. One of her first acts as president, she said, will be to order a Nuclear Posture Review to “make sure America’s arsenal is prepared to meet future threats.” The leadership of the Republicans and Democrats disagree on means not on the major goals. They advance the national and global interests of the corporate and financial elite that control the U.S. We live in a world that has the crisis of American and world capitalism. We also witness a parasitic financial corporate aristocracy who want war and social counter-revolution. So, the working class and poor must have economic justice. There should be no militarism and an end to poverty. We know about the problems of economic inequality and stagnant wages too. There must be real democratic rights advanced for all people. There must be an end to governmental illegal spying and police terrorism. We desire progressive change in our world.

First, we have to look back. This issue relates to the black studies movement of the late 1960's and the early 1970's. Back then, even courses talking about African American studies didn't exist or were heavily restricted. That is why college students decades ago protested, enacted strikes, and used other actions to allow culturally diverse studies to exist in universities in across America. Today, this campus housing in Cal State in California is about honoring black people and promoting an non-discrimination policy. The campus housing center advances tolerance and respect. Also, it is open to all students, so it is not segregated housing (as the haters always say). Just because black people want to affirm their Blackness, doesn't mean that we endorse Jim Crow policy. We want to promote black liberation. I have noticed that the haters don't criticize other ethnic groups with their own communities and other campus services. Therefore I believe this campus housing center is a great ideal and advances the principles of tolerance, community solidarity, and progressive educational learning. For true change involve the fair sharing of power and the love of black mental and social ingenuity. We still are in the fight for justice. After centuries of oppression, we are still here. Many people have done massive evils, but we still stand here in 2016 as understanding the truth. The truth is that progress has come by struggle, and the continuation of positive activism. We won't quit either. I am inspired by the great musicians who expressed their soul in their gifts. I'm inspired by the many lovers of exercise who eloquently show passion, compassion, and wisdom in their messages. I'm inspired by my friends and my people day in and day out who promote love, courage, integrity, sacrifice, and solidarity. There is no freedom without solidarity as we are all in this together. Therefore, we should learn lessons from the past like the heroism of Ida B. Wells and focus on strategies to better our present and future.

There is the Libertarian candidate Gary Johnson not knowing what the city of Aleppo is. Aleppo is the city in Syria which has been one major epicenter of the conflict of the Syrian civil war. Many refugees have left Aleppo and other places in order to survive basically. The refugee crisis is one of the most important issues of the 21st century. There has been a lack of media coverage of third party candidates except in certain circumstances. Gary Johnson is at 10% according to polls. I believe that Johnson should have known what Aleppo is. To his credit, he admitted his mistake and didn’t make excuses for it. There is a debate about regime change in Syria. Jill Stein, Gary Johnson, and even Donald Trump (and I don’t support Trump) oppose regime change. What is true is that America has shipped arms and money to al-Nusra, which is tied to terrorism. Saudi Arabia has funded terrorism in the region too. ISIS is a despicable, counterrevolutionary organization that has done massive evils as well. Cutting off funding to ISIS will definitely weaken ISIS. The main rebel faction in Aleppo is Jabhat al-Nusra, better known as the Al Qaeda affiliate in Syria—a bitter rival of ISIS. ISIS itself has little presence in the city. Gary Johnson is a libertarian. I’m not a libertarian since I’m economically progressive. Libertarians advance a free market capitalism which has not eliminated all poverty or radically reduced economically inequality. Libertarianism offers nothing major to stop environmental pollution, and other problems. Therefore, we need progressive solutions to our problems. We need public investment and the promotion of social plus economic justice.

Legends still exist in our time. Sister Ruby Bridges is a living legend. She is now 62 years old and her birthday is today. In 1960, as a six year old, she came into a school in New Orleans to combat Jim Crow apartheid. As a young child, she experienced racism, slurs, and other forms of injustice. Yet, she proved the naysayers wrong and gotten her education. To this very day, Ruby Bridges is a civil rights activist. Today, Ruby Bridges still lives in New Orleans with her husband and she has four children. Her Ruby Bridges Foundation, which was created in 1999, has advanced the values of tolerance and justice. As a life long lover of education, she has helped children all over the country and has written books. In October 2006, the Alameda Unified School District dedicated a new elementary school to Ruby Bridges, and issued a proclamation in her honor. We are reminded that freedom is not won by complacency, compliance with the status quo, or non-activity. If we want freedom and justice, then we have to use activism that confront injustice and makes some uncomfortable. We are in opposition to the status quo and we honor the continuing sacrifice and great blessings that Sister Ruby Bridges has brought to this world. Bless You Sister Ruby Bridges-Hall. The fact that he or Darren Seals was harassed by cops is a sign that police tyranny didn't end. Also, this person was an activist who wanted real societal change in Ferguson. The DOJ has documented clearly the classism and the racism of the Ferguson police department. The events of Ferguson changed history forever and it represented a new era of the black freedom struggle. Activists in Ferguson and throughout America want independent thinking, classism to be gone, and true human freedom to flourish prodigiously.
RIP Brother Darren Seals.


By Timothy


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