Death in Libya

The world is still shocked. And by world I mean America. And by America I mean the ignorant people who couldn’t see something like this coming. You can already tell by the title what I’m talking about. Libyans, reportedly angry about a film that gravely insulted Islam, stormed the US embassy in Benghazi and killed several Americans, including the Ambassador to Libya, a Mr. Chris Stevens. They also seemingly dragged his corpse through the streets of the city triumphantly, as a hunter might display their captured trophy prey. That kind of behavior is barbaric, it is disgusting and it is wrong. I condemn in the strongest language possible the killing of diplomatic personnel from any country. That said, I think it’s not wrong to examine why this happened, and why the US can only expect more of this to happen.

Islam vs Christianity? A false dichotomy

There are many who want to frame all this ongoing violence from majority Muslim countries as being a cultural war between the forces of Judeo-Christian civility, and Islamic barbarism. This is a misdirection of the issue, and is completely off base. The issue is  much deeper than just religious differences, or hurt feelings. It goes to the very core of why the US is hated around the world.

There is a talking point among the talking heads of Western media, and how they love to drive it into the ground. “The Muslims are dangerous, they hold nothing but ill will towards us nice white Christian folk, we’re in danger yada yada yada”. Iran, Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, Libya et al. How true is that though? How many Americans have died from Muslim terrorism? Let’s look at the numbers. 2,600 some people dead on 9-11. 4 people dead in Benghazi. 17 dead on the USS Cole. Bombing of the Marine Barracks in Beirut. OK. That’s pretty much it? Sure there’s been a couple others, but let’s not get off track here. “Now what did the US ever do to deserve that?” You may ask tilting your head quizzically to one side. Gee, let me think. Give me a moment here.

….. ummm….. ummmm…… ummm….. ummmm…..

Well, we support the genocide and blockading of the Palestinians, overthrew the rightful governments of Iran, Afghanistan, and others, bombed Libya, invaded Iraq and Afghanistan, again, propped up, still prop up brutal dictators in Bahrain, Egypt, Iran and others, purposely insult their religion “just because we can”, exploit their natural resources, abuse their governments and their people and shit all over their culture and sovereignty. “Yeah, but we didn’t kill that many people.” You may say. Oh really? The toll in Iraq and Afghanistan ALONE is in the hundreds of thousands at least. Families dead, cities destroyed, progress halted, elections thrown, protesters jailed, refugees imprisoned starved and murdered, drone attacks on civilians, Israeli settlements, US gifts of weapons to Israel that kills Palestinian civilians, bombs and missiles and warships and boots on the ground and shock and awe and torture and Gitmo and secret renditions by the CIA and more bombs and more troops and more US flag waving and more “freedom” and more capitalism and more coca-cola and more McDonalds and more ripping up the Koran, and more countries collapsing, and they are left with nothing.

Nothing but the only goddamn thing that the US and all its imperial might can’t take from them. Their religious identity. Let me note right here that I am not  Muslim, I don’t believe in that religion, but I understand. The anger. The rage. They’re people who have been shat on and walked all over for so goddamn long that religion is the only thing they have. They don’t have nice cars and houses and food. They have their belief in their god, it warms them at night, and shades them by day. It is their opium and their placebo. It is their blanket and their fortress. And the Western man sits in his nice house, bought with money drenched in the blood of the weak and powerless, watching these developments on TV. He sips his singe malt scotch on the rocks and says smugly “Those barbarians, how can they even be considered human when they do things like that.” Then he pays as little tax as possible, which will be used to rain down the brimstone of heaven on the heads of more innocent Muslims around the world.

And you wonder why they’re mad.

So before all you self righteous assholes go condemning all Muslims, try something a little bit different for once. Start advocating the end of imperialism. Start advocating the end of interventionism and war. Start advocating for socialism, start advocating for progress. And reach out to the Muslims in your neighborhood. They’re people just like you. Accept them, understand them, love them.

End the cycle of violence, move beyond imperialism. We can make a better world. Join me.

The people stand against the NATO Summit in Chicago

The people stand against the NATO Summit in Chicago.

The people stand against the NATO Summit in Chicago

Report and photos from the demonstration

MAY 21, 2012

 

 

 

The ANSWER Coalition published the report below.

 

“NATO: Shut it Down! Wall Street: Shut it Down! Homeland Security: Shut it Down!” That forceful chant rang out as protesters, many thousands strong, marched on the NATO Summit on May 20 in Chicago.

 

Responding with determination in the face of an organized campaign of government threats and intimidation aimed at anti-NATO protesters, an impressive number of young people, union members, antiwar organizations and community members filled the streets to demand “U.S./NATO Out of Afghanistan Now!” during the opening day of the NATO Summit.

 

The Coalition Against NATO/G8 War and Poverty Agenda (CANG8) estimates the crowd size as about 15,000.

 

In the week leading up to the NATO Summit, thousands of people marched and rallied in Chicago. The actions included a large rally of nurses demanding higher taxes on the rich and a march on Mayor Emanuel’s house, 1,000 people strong, which demanded “Health Care not Warfare!”

 

People came in buses, by train and by car caravan from all over the country to take a stand in Chicago against imperialist war and capitalist austerity.

 

In a moving display of solidarity with the people of Afghanistan and the Middle East at the end of the march, Afghanistan and Iraq veterans took off their medals and hurled them toward the NATO Summit grounds. One of those who returned his medals, Marine Vince Emmanuelli, said: “Our enemies are right here and we look at them every day. … They are the millionaires and billionaires who control this planet and we’ve had enough of it.” (WBEZ Chicago)

 

Months-long campaign against protesters

 

Though the military machines of NATO are the greatest purveyors of violence in the world, local and federal law enforcement agencies and the media engaged in a months-long attack campaign against protesters and protest groups.

 

The Chicago chapter of the National Lawyers Guild set up a 24-hour hotline to provide support for people who were arrested before and during the NATO protest.

 

Prior to the May demonstration, the NLG Chicago chapter reported:

 

“More than two-dozen people had been arrested so far in the lead up to the NATO summit. At least 7 arrestees in addition to the ones with terrorism-related charges are currently in custody.

 

“During a Wednesday night house raid, police broke down the doors of multiple apartment units with guns drawn and searched residences without a warrant or consent. In addition to 9 arrests made that night, NLG attorneys believe that two undercover police or confidential informants were arrested with the others and were later released. Of the 9 activists arrested, 6 were released without any charges despite being shackled for at least 18 hours in solitary confinement and denied access to attorneys.”

 

At the May 20 mass march, a police mob surrounded and brutally attacked the demonstration as it was winding down, swinging their clubs at people’s heads and injuring many dozens. At least 45 people were arrested. Among those injured were ministers, community activists, journalists and others who tried to rescue people from police.

 

‘The people will not be bullied or silenced by the police and government’

 

The ANSWER Coalition in Chicago went all out to build the March on the NATO Summit, both through street outreach and social media outlets, and had a big presence at the protest with banners and placards and large amplified sound that unified large numbers of marchers with booming chants. The banners and placards read: “No War on Iran! Hands off Syria!”, “Troops Home Now! Money for Jobs and Education!”, “Unite the 99%: Fight Racism!” and “U.S./NATO Out of Afghanistan Now!”

 

Asked what she thought of the protest, ANSWER organizer Ymelda Viramontes said: “Today’s protest shows that the people can and will resist the government and Wall Street’s attempts to bully and silence us. The number of people that came out into the streets of downtown today to show solidarity with the people of Afghanistan, Iran and Syria and demand no U.S. or NATO intervention—that’s a good indication that we can build a powerful movement against war and racism right here in the U.S.”

 

Content may be reprinted with credit to LiberationNews.org.

Freedom of the Press: 2012

This needs to be put out there. It’s vital that people know, and understand what is going on. Right now in Chicago, the NATO summit is taking place. Thousands of people from across the country have rallied in the Windy City to speak out against the war crimes of NATO, and to demand peace instead of war. After a decade of continuous war, people have had enough. The streets are full of people, shouting, chanting, doing what they can to speak their mind, and speak it boldly.

There are those who don’t like this. For all the prattling on about American freedoms, it’s seeming that they’re going the way of the dinosaurs. What little freedom we had left, that is. The fascist state is trying to halt this freedom of speech by targeting the people who are showing these things to the world.  This has happened time and time again through all the Occupy protests. They attack those who are recording their evil deeds. They don’t want the world to see them tearing down signs, physically attacking protesters, and shutting up free speech. However, we live in the age of the internet, and these things will not stay hidden. We will not stay silent. There are dedicated citizen journalists on the streets every day, making sure that you get the information you need. Support them, spread the word about them, and help us build a better world. Please read the story I’m posting below, from a different site.

http://dissenter.firedoglake.com/2012/05/20/occupy-journalists-stopped-searched-handcuffed-interrogated-at-gunpoint/