The working class and the employing class have nothing in common

This is the sorry state of business unions, from the WSJ-

Two of the nation's largest labor unions [SEIU and UNITE HERE] have struck confidential agreements with large employers that give the companies the right to designate which of their locations, and how many workers, the unions can seek to organize.

The agreements are raising questions about union transparency and workers' rights. A summary document put together by the unions says it is critical to the success of the partnership "that we honor the confidentiality and not publicly disclose the existence of these agreements." That includes not disclosing them to union members.

The article goes on to mention that the deal demands the unions give up their right to strike as well. All this for a card check system, something that even has measurable political support. Andy Stern wanted off the Democratic Party's tit only because he wanted to latch on to corporate America's tit. That, of course, is nothing that wasn't known, but disgusting nonetheless.

The IWW is more relevant, and needed, than ever.

Pissing in the wind

I desire, dream, fight, educate, and yes, sometimes even unbelievingly pray, to be part of the mainstream.

Perhaps it's just a Midwest thing, but why is it so hard to find a revolutionary worker and so easy to find a goddamn lifestyle anarchist? Is it the shitty music, the brave boycott of the corporate soap makers, or the promise of pissing off your suburban mom and pop when you waste your college fund on dope and cross-country trips?

I don't deny the potential of groups like CrimethInc., but when they choose self-exile, the logical question is: Who the fuck gives a fuck?

Have fun trading "zines" at the "really really free market," we'll be trying to organize the working class into OBU. Actually, we could use some help. But then again, the CrimethInc. collective is for "ex-workers." 'Cause working is for idiots. So says the powerless leisure class.

"What keeps mankind alive?"

Kurt Weill's pertinent tune- sang by Mirah, music played by the Black Cat Orchestra.

"CAFOs uncovered"

This is Hell (best show on the radio, seriously, check it out) had a wonderfully informative interview with Doug Gurian-Sherman, who is the senior scientist in the Food and Environment Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. He just issued a report on CAFOs (confined animal feeding operations) called CAFOs Uncovered. This issue really touches home as my parents live next to one of these toxic shit releasing concentration camps. One of the myths of mass confinement operations is they're more efficient than traditional smaller operations. Many people, including myself, assumed that the one possible positive thing about them would be higher production in food. That's not the case at all, production has largely stayed the same since the introduction of CAFOs. What has changed is the agriculture industry. It has largely been centralized into a few hands that have ever increasing wealth, which obviously brings ever increasing power. Surprise, surprise.

(I forgot to add this last night, but I post Sunday mornings at The Peace Tree. Yesterday, I reposted a piece I wrote last year on the ongoing destruction of Somalia. Sunday saw thousands in central Somalia protest the latest U.S. terrorist attack against them. Today, food protests have hit Mogadishu.)

'nuff said

Fuck it. CNN is still talking about it. Mr. Fish via Guys From Area 51.

(UPDATE: The Pagan Temple on the double standard between wacky white and wacky black preachers.)

Happy May Day!

Best wishes to all fellow workers of the world!
(In the spirit of solidarity, check out the IWW's mission to Haiti. The well written updates give wonderful insight into Haitian life and the struggle against capitalism.)

America's foreign policy murders people (even before George W. Bush took office)

What a historic opportunity Jeremiah Wright gave liberals. Forget all the nonsense about AIDS, what liberals were scared of was his remarks on foreign policy. His point, mainly that terrorism begets terrorism, is obvious and hardly controversial to many across the world. But to most U.S. liberals, comments like that sound soft on security, or like "blaming America first," things they've convinced themselves is political suicide. Instead of asking the tough questions about our foreign policy, questions that go beyond Iraq and the myth the U.S. was a force for good before Bush took office, liberals largely chose to say "good riddance" to the crazy Reverend that refused to believe in American exceptionalism. It was no surprise that Barack Obama, the supposed candidate of change, wouldn't use this opportunity to question the status quo. After all, Obama admittedly admires the first Bush's foreign policy and has been quick to posture himself just as anti-Palestinian as the other candidates. I had, however, thought that there might be a few brand name progressives that would entertain the idea that Wright's foreign policy criticisms were at least worth discussing. Boy was I wrong!

Really though, what should I expect from progressives/liberals. I mean, they won't even vote for the only real progressive running for president. Actually, they try like hell to make sure he isn't even on the ballot. Democrats don't deserve to win the presidency. I can't figure out if that's a good or bad thing.

Capitalism starves people

Read this. State communism got blamed for starving people, and rightfully so, but why not capitalism?

Answer: Cargill, among other agribusiness giants, has seen their profits skyrocket during the food crisis.

Robert Zoellick = Mao Zedong.

No war but class war

Last month, white students at the University of North Dakota hosted an "Indian party." That same month a white North Dakota State University student wore blackface to portray Barack Obama during a public skit that also featured a couple cowboys dry humping. Now, back at the University of North Dakota, a Jewish man has moved out of his dorm room after being repeatedly harassed, swastikas being drawn on the building, and people shooting his door with a pellet gun.

Someone at NDSU blamed the Obama incident on small town kids that haven't been exposed to other cultures. I don't know if small towns have more racism than big cities, but I know my small hometown has got its fair share of people that believe white is right. I have listened to more than a few stories about the poor, persecuted white man. There is a movement afoot, you'll need to look no further than "North Dakota's most popular political blog" to find it, that is downright disturbed social liberals have had such success in fighting the "culture war." They ignore systemic racism (1 in 15 black adults are in prison) and hide behind disingenuous phrases like "we should all be colorblind" when arguing against policies like affirmative action. We've seen this movement take center stage during the nonsense about Obama's former pastor.

Things aren't all glum in North Dakota, however. Some wonderful Fargo activists have started a community bicycle workshop. I was there with my bro last Sunday fixing up his wife's bike and I'm headed back this Sunday to fix up my own. What a thrilling experience and perfect idea. We are building OBU as well, slowly, but it is an obvious uphill battle. We aren't going away! We will defend our values by any means necessary!!!

P.S.,

Completely unrelated, but doesn't this feel good to watch? Millions are starving right now because of the policies this piece of shit advocates. (Update: I found a new video, so now the link works.)

Do as we say, not as we do (again)

For years now it has been demanded, by the usual suspects, that Haiti adopt outward-orientated economic policies in order to become part of the international marketplace. What this means, of course, is they give up their right to sustain any national industries, and more importantly, they lose their ability to develop domestic agriculture. Really, it means Haiti must give up its sovereignty. This obviously is not unique to Haiti. It is primitive accumulation on an international scale, with developing nations essentially being turned into dependent proletarians ready to serve as a sort of wage slave for developed nations. Instead of personal labor being sold, their natural resources and political allegiances fill the bill.

Given the aggressive early protectionism (which continues today in some well-connected industries, even after the neo-liberal "reforms") of developed nations, two questions arise: Are proponents of this mess called "free market capitalism" simply so ideologically committed to a failed strategy that they refuse to learn from the death and destruction of the past and present? Or, do they realize the strategy is an utter failure for working people across the world, and simply use it as a less messy form of internal control and colonialism? Call me a cynic, but I'm guessing the latter.

The Band's Visit

The Arab-Israeli conflict is complicated. Even calling it "the Arab-Israeli conflict" provokes questions. After countless debates, peace deals, brokered then broken cease-fires, and even a road map; it seems only fitting that a seemingly apolitical movie would make such a strong political statement against the ridiculous behavior of leaders on both sides.

It's films like Eran Kolirin's The Band's Visit that keep my belief in humanity strong. The opening tagline announces, "Once-not long ago-a small Egyptian police band arrived in Israel. Not many remember this...It wasn't that important." Only, as the film goes on to explain, it is "unimportant" events like this that shape who we are and how we act. The story begins just as the police band from Alexandria is being dropped off at an Israeli airport. Decked out in sky blue military-style uniforms, they are by no means keeping a low profile. They even get their picture taken in a hilarious opening scene that sets the stage for the many awkward moments to come. (The camera work is brilliant- every shoulder shrug, facial twitch, and uncomfortable silent moment is captured completely unpretentiously, something many "indie" films can't seem to figure out.) The band was invited to play at the Arab Cultural Center in Petah Tiqwa, but when a P gets mistaken for a B, they end up in a lonely desert town where the only entertainment appears to be a roller disco that has a very eastern European feel to it. With the next bus a day away, and little to no Israeli money, they are forced to rely on the kindness of complete strangers. Complete strangers that they, of course, are expected to hate. Dina, played wonderfully by the absolutely beautiful Ronit Elkabetz, runs a restaurant on the edge of town where the band, led by "the general" Tawfiq, played perfectly by Israeli actor Sasson Gabai, stops to ask for directions. When it becomes clear that they are in the wrong place, and stuck for the night, Dina makes arrangements for the band to stay at various locations across town. Tawfiq, at first a bit reluctant, agrees to stay and ends up at Dina's place.

During the course of the film, I felt as if I knew the characters. I related to their hopes, desires, flaws, painful regrets, and I felt the underlying awareness of the political situation they all felt and were forced to deal with. Dina is tough and fiercely independent on the outside, but is deeply depressed and substitutes sex for love. Tawfiq is strict, especially with the womanizing Haled, but really views himself as a father figure to the youngest officer. Tawfiq's second in command lacks the self-esteem to finish his clarinet concerto, but is inspired by a stranger's advice and infant child. There is a scene at the roller disco that is, for lack of a better word, adorable. If it doesn't move you, you have no pulse. The film is full of subplots, each adding to the development and fascinatingly complex depth of the characters.

In a better world Tawfiq and Dina could expand on their shared moments, but for various obvious reasons, that are no fault of their own, this isn't an option. It may not be an option now, but as The Band's Visit makes abundantly clear, a better world is possible.

blah, blah, blah

Earlier this week I typed up a few long-winded posts on economic democracy, the nearly unbearable presidential race, and how the media makes the nearly unbearable presidential race actually unbearable. For whatever reason, they just didn't feel right. Writing them seemed more like a chore than a hobby. I scrapped them. I need a muse!!

Anyway, if you're into spending your limited free time in front of a computer downing beers and writing a bunch of words that you'll just end up deleting, this is a must.

Jerusalem

This is one of my favorite songs off one of my favorite albums. The singer is Mirah Yom Tov Zeitlyn, better known as Mirah, and the song is Jerusalem.

We celebrate the wars we've won
The blood of history's ancient sons
We followed Judah Maccabee
We fought against inequity
We saved ourselves with help from one
Who loves his children, every one
Every one, every one
Every one, every one

So now Jerusalem
You know that it's not right
After all you've been through
You should know better than to become
The wicked ones almighty God once saved you from

The lessons we should learn from all the fighting
in the days of old
When providence bestowed divine
The sanctuary purified
Let light encircle all you hold
And don't uproot the olive grove

So now Jerusalem
You know that it's not right
After all you've been through
You should know better than to become
The wicked ones almighty God once saved you from

So now Jerusalem
You know that it's not right
After all you've been through
You should know better than to become
The wicked ones almighty God once saved you from

Food fight

It appears that sometimes the "self-regulating market" needs a hand that isn't invisible. Every once in a while it needs a hand carrying a big fucking rock.