Hi folks,

Turns out Les has been running a small and practical email news service
for a bit more than two years.

I have subscribed.  A revolutionary news service, I have concluded, is
our future.  So everything we can learn about how they work and how we
can run them--will eventually be helpful.

More info is at:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SocialJusticeNV/

-- Ben

-----Original Message-----
From: les evenchick
Sent: Monday, November 30, 2009 8:48 AM
To: Ben Seattle
Subject: Re: How to create a revolutionary mass organization (reply to
Les)


I have a small sunscriber base news service called socialjusticeNV.

It is a Yahoo group with about 20-30 subscribers. I post news on little
know struggles around the world that either do not make the normal
commercial or left news or have not yet made it.

I also post news of battles here in new orleans.

Posts are typically 0-3 per day but sometimes a week goees by without a
post.

I accept news from subscribers from their areas that have national or
international significance.

I have no sectarian limits but won't post anything with personal or
ideological attacks. Its not a discussion lsit and I am the editor
(dictator) of it.

NV, by the way, stands for News and Views.

I have only promoted it on lists I am already on.

Since i started it I have had only 1 unsubscription.

An idea I have had is to organise a conference here in New Orleans for
those interested in a non sectarian democraticly based mass working
class party for the discussion of how to create such.

But I don'thave the resources to actually do so.

If you wish to post any of these comments on any of the lists, you are
welcome to do so.

                             Les

Les Evenchick
New Orleans

-----Original Message-----
From: les evenchick
To: pof-200@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [pof-200] (Kasama forum) The Ozymandias argument

Ben wrote:

We need a revolutionary mass organization that has the ability
to mobilize the working class and the oppressed in their millions for
the overthrow of bourgeois rule. We cannot create such an organization
in the context of modern conditions without making use of the principles
of "open community" and "political transparency".

Les: On this I agree 100%.

However, I do often find Ben's writing and arguing style hard to follow
and that is one of the main reasons I don't enter into discussions on
these list.

Given the above, the question is how do we help create such a mass
organization.

Les Evenchick

------------------------------------------------------------
Ben replies:
------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Les,

It is good to hear from you.

I am forwarding this to the pof-300 list (where there is not a
2-post-per-week limit).

Yeah, I wish I could make things more clear when I write :-)

Eventually, when more activists understand the power of these
principles, we will see many different people defending these principles
in their own words.  Some of them may be gifted writers and easier to
follow.

> the question is how do we help
> create such a mass organization.

Yes, that is the big question, given that there must be hundreds (if not
thousands) of activists who would like to see such an organization come
into existence.

The key issue, in my mind, would be a project (or projects) that bring
together a critical mass of experienced activists.

In "How to Build the Party of the Working Class" and other essays I have
given the opinion that the central project around which this
revolutionary mass organization will come together will be an online
revolutionary news service.  Such a service would offer opportunites for
activists from different trends to work together.  This is important
because probably the majority of revolutionary activists with experience
are currently "locked" into sectarian groups and highly resistent to
working with other activists who do not support their particular trend.
For example, at least three members of this forum (ie: DJ Dialectic,
Lonnie and Iskra) no longer post here because they are putting 100% of
their energy into the particular trend (ie: the LRP, the ISO and SAIC)
which they believe holds all the answers.

A Revolutionary News Service could probably be started by a dozen (or
half-dozen) activists who had experience and who had a solid
understanding of the principles which must guide it.  Of course
initially it would not have any kind of big impact within the left or in
society at large.  But the point is that such a project would help us
"grow our work" in the direction that will be most useful over the
long-term.

Activists from different trends might eventually feel compelled to
contribute articles from their trends.  They could also be drawn into
the online discussion and debate that would be created.  This could lead
to their having links and working relationships with one another.

I am also including (see below) a project idea I posted to the blog of a
guy on RevLeft.

In any event, what is needed would be:

(1) the right kind of projects that
(2) are guided by the right principles and
(3) bring together experienced activists
     into an open community

Beyond that I don't really have much of a clue.  I have had ideas for
many different projects.  Most of these projects have gotten nowhere but
have proven valuable in terms of experience gained and ideas for better
projects in the future.

As conditions in society develop, we can expect the movement to grow as
many thousands become radicalized.  They key is to develop projects that
will help these new activists grow in the right direction rather than to
scatter and dissipate their emerging revolutionary energy and instincts.

All the best,
Ben

------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.revleft.com/vb/blog.php?b=553

Practical program of work may revolve around information war

Hi there Q,

I found your post very thoughtful and I found a lot of your thinking to
be along similar lines as my own, including the stuff about atomization
and celebrity culture. Just to begin with, I appreciate writing in which
an effort is made to describe something important in an understandable
and readable way.

Your essay is titled: "How to go from a sect to a mass force?" but I
note that you do not really answer the question you posed although you
make some good suggestions.

You are certainly on target about the need for political transparency:

> Providing an open platform for discussion makes you
> the center of the discussion, thus you become the
> political leadership of the workers movement, or at
> least the layers in which we have an influence.

Your point above is quite important. A truly revolutionary mass
organization will attract considerable attention from activists and
workers because it will be characterized by open debate over the issues
that are real and which reflect contradictory currents of thought within
working class and progressive circles. The debate, so to speak, will act
as the broadcast signature of the mass organization. Such a signal will
be beyond the ability of the opportunists to counterfeit and will become
an important means by which a large mass audience will be able to
understand that the organization is authentic.

But let's get back to your question: how can we grow a sect to become a
mass force?

The answer, I have concluded, is simple:

It cannot be done.

You can't get there from here.

It has never happened and it never will.

There have been innumerable attempts to do this because it is a common
(and totally mistaken) view that this is how Lenin's party was built.

As I see it, a genuinely mass party will be the result of many political
trends (including opposing trends in serious and determined opposition
to one another) being brought into close proximity to one another on the
basis of a common program of work. These opposing trends are pulled into
this common program of work because the program is attractive and
successful and these opposing trends have supporters at their base who
more or less insist on participating in the work. So the competing
trends will be dragged, by this process, into the work against their
will.

So the real issue for us then becomes: what kind of program of work is
the most likely to play this role? What kind of program of work will
make it easy and practical for activists (who will be coming to this
program from trends at war with one another) to work together?

What kind of program will offer us, so to speak, the biggest bang for
our buck? Of course when I use the term "buck" I am not talking about
money. The analogy is to our labor hours. What kind of projects make the
best and most productive use of time? What kinds of projects will
generate (for the least effort) the visible success necessary to attract
the attention we need?

The conclusion to which I have come is that this program of work will
most likely revolve around what I call "information war" (understood as
a struggle of ideas organized on a mass scale). The best example of this
might be a revolutionary news service. But it could go beyond news, of
course, and include culture.

The projects that are the most practical would likely be those that are
easiest and require the fewest labor hours in comparison to the
attention they attract. For example, it is easier to write a review of a
movie than to make a movie. It is easier to summarise and analyse news
from bourgeois sources than to send someone to do first-hand reporting.

Lenin, in 1901, concluded that the program of work should revolve around
a newspaper. The newspaper would give workers news of struggle as well
as news of the world. It would also feature debate and discussion
between the various left trends at the time. I have concluded that we
need to update Lenin's proposal for modern conditions.

A relatively small number of activists, for example, could provide a
useful service that would fill a big need for other activists (as well
as readers who are not activists).

Here is the example:

This Monday, November 16, I read the New York Times. I do this (when I
have time) so that I can know what the heck is going on. But it takes a
lot of time--and I am forced to go through a lot of crap in order to
find the few items of real news that are important. On Monday it turned
out that there were three articles that I considered significant:

(1) one article concerned the U.S. effort to force the Pakistan
government to widen the war it is waging against the Taliban into areas
other than South Waziristan. It turns out that the Pakastan bourgeoisie
is interested in fighting only those sections of the Taliban that are
challenging its authority within Pakistan. The U.S. imperialism, on the
other hand, wants the Pakistan army to better coordinate with its
efforts to fight other sections of the Taliban that are based in
Pakistan but fighting across the border in Afghanistan.

(2) The other two articles concerned what may be an emerging trade war
between the U.S. and China. One was by the popular economist Paul
Krugman and the other by the professors who coined the term "Chimerica"
to describe the U.S.-China economic marriage. The bottom line is that
the marriage is headed for divorce.

Now it would only take a half-dozen intelligent activists about four to
six hours a week, each, to summarize and pump into a database the most
important articles from the New York Times and the Economist weekly
magazine. These summaries would then make it possible for a much larger
number of busy activists (like me) to keep up with things that are
important. Of course this would also require some intelligence (or
filtering or rating) also being pumped into the database so that someone
like me does not have to read either shallow, crappy summaries of
something important or summaries of crappy things that are not really
news in the first place. Otherwise there would be little point to this.
As the internet penetrates further into ordinary life, other activists
could read the summaries aloud into podcasts or some other means by
which people could listen to something useful while they are commuting
to work.

Things like this may be the low-hanging fruit that we should go after
first.

I not have the time or mental focus and clarity right now to go into
this further but I have written about these topics in various places,
including "How to Build the Party of the Working Class" and the more
detailed proposal I describe at http://NewsRefinery.com

     Posted 23rd November 2009 at 14:17 by BenSeattle

Hi folks,

(this is the only substantive response to my "Conscious Forces" essay I
have gotten so far--Ben)

http://z11.invisionfree.com/Kasama_Threads/index.php?showtopic=983


Stiofan Posted: Nov 29 2009, 07:46 AM


I did read your annual report as well as the report on the conflict
within the SAIC. Several things struck me right away. As I understand it
you have been hard at work for years in your community but have had
enormous trouble finding a group that appreciated your contribution and
was willing to try your ideas. From the section on Kasama I take it that
you are especially angered at the way in which moderation was done on
this site because

"the interests of the working class require that we do not fuck with
your ability to communicate with other members of our community and we
recognize that you have a fucking right to communicate with other
activists who are here."

In this case I read "you" as being "Ben Seattle" since the complaint was
against the way your posts were handled.

Instead of cursing Kasama, why not take a new path? You have plenty of
material launch your own blog site and if your insights inspire a
response than that could be the basis for your own list. Both the blog
and the follow on discussion list would be devoted to modeling the new
forms of organization and struggle that you are committed to. You would
be the moderator and could run it anyway you want. This is precisely the
method that Louis Proyect has used to build the Marxmail list and it has
worked quite well for him.

If you are unable to attract a following for your ideas, then perhaps
the fault is not the moderation of Kasama or the decision making process
of RevLeft, but rather the way you are expressing your yourself and
engaging with your audience. If your ideas are, indeed, critically
important to the working class than I am sure you will find a way to
distribute them successfully and use them as a way to effectively
organize for revolution. If your work is that important then surely
others will be drawn to them and give you both the recognition and
support that you need. In that case what happens on Revleft or Kasama is
immaterial to what you will be able to achieve on your own.


Ben Seattle Posted: Nov 30 2009, 05:24 AM


What are our principles of victory?

------------------------------------------------------------
The principles of "open community"
and "political transparency"
will prove to be powerful weapons
in the struggle of Kasama
and other communities of activists
to create a revolutionary mass organization
capable of leading the working class and oppressed
in the overthrow of bourgeois rule
------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Stiofan and others in the Kasama community,

First, I would like to thank Stiofan for taking the time to look at my
annual report and associated essay on the nature of the conscious forces
which I believe will be shaping the revolutionary movement in the
decades ahead.

Stiofan has some criticisms of me and, before going any further, I would
like to acknowledge his criticisms:

> Instead of cursing Kasama, why not take a new path?

This is an argument that, if I believe that certain principles are
powerful, I should attempt to apply these principles in practice in my
own projects and prove their value instead of hanging around Kasama
where (he hints) I am a nuisance.

> If you are unable to attract a following for your ideas,
> then perhaps the fault is [...] the way you are
> expressing yourself and engaging with your audience.

In other words I am alienating readers here because I am simply "talking
at" readers and not making a reasonable effort to engage.

I do not agree with Stiofan's conclusions, but out of respect for him
and for the many readers who may find his logic and arguments reasonable
I should reply.

Activists who are familar with my work know that the center of gravity
of my work is not with Kasama and that I have, over the years, made
reasonable efforts to help build an open community (ie: the Media Weapon
community) based on the principles (such as "political transparency")
which I serve. It is natural that readers might ask: "If these
principles are, indeed, as powerful as Ben claims--then why have Ben's
efforts, so far, come to so little? Why have not more activists come to
join his efforts and created some kind of visible success to give
visible proof of the supposed power of these principles?"

This question, in effect, is also the core of Stiofan's argument.

I call this argument the "Ozymandias argument" (see the poem below for
why) and I run into it almost any time I criticize any collective
effort. Of course I am not the only person who runs into this
argument--because (just to give one example) this is also the core
_real_ argument that the RCP uses against the Kasama project. The RCP,
in effect, says to its supporters: "We have a newspaper and a
distribution machine. We write and distribute large numbers of very good
articles and so forth while the Kasama project only has a blog and a
pamphlet or two. Therefore we know how to build revolutionary
organization while the Kasama project will never amount to much."

The RCP also used this argument against me when I criticized the
reformist orientation of their hysteria about fascism that became the
"World Can't Wait" campaign. After all, they had built a powerful
machine with hundreds of supporters while I was simply a sideline critic
and a pointy-headed intellectual.

Revolutionary activists understand that there is often a correct
material basis to arguments of this kind (ie: it is a scientific
principle that "you shall know the tree by its fruit" -- or practice is
the criteria of truth). But revolutionary activists also understand that
this argument is often misused to justify all kinds of bankrupt
practices. So it is good to approach this kind of argument with caution.

To answer readers who may ask why my own projects have, so far, amounted
to very little, I will simply reply that all of my efforts have, so far,
failed to achieve a critical mass of support by experienced activists.
Without this nothing much is going to happen.

The principles (ie: such as the power of open communities and political
transparency) which I struggle to popularize do not belong to me. I did
not discover these principles and I do not own them. I simply recognize
their significance. These principles are immense, like the ocean. In
comparison, my efforts to do something with these principles are paltry,
like a grain of sand. The power of these principles will be recognized
by activists in the course of time on the basis of their _own_
experience--not because of anything I do. All of my efforts to
popularize and argue for these principles, at best, are only likely to
speed this objective process up by a tiny amount.

For example, I was arguing for the significance of the revolution in
communications (ie: things like the internet and the cheap easy-to-use
devices that access the internet) in the early 1990's. The potential of
the internet for use by political activists is more widely recognized
today--but it is not because of my work. It is because activists have
seen with their eyes the power of the internet.

So understanding the correct principles is not some magic solution that
creates instant success. Rather, when we understand correct principles
we can position our work so that we can grow in the right direction.

I know that readers get tired when I write long posts so I will
conclude. We need a revolutionary mass organization that has the ability
to mobilize the working class and the oppressed in their millions for
the overthrow of bourgeois rule. We cannot create such an organization
in the context of modern conditions without making use of the principles
of "open community" and "political transparency". This is my conclusion.

I cannot prove this conclusion here in a few sound bytes. I have argued
for this conclusion, at great length, in many articles to which I
sometimes link (when my posts are not deleted). If my limited and
restricted participation on this forum helps one or two readers to think
about these principles--then my efforts here have been worthwhile. With
the wrong principles in command--the revolutionary movement ends up in
the sewer, where it is today. With the correct principles in command--we
will win.

I am not cursing Kasama, as Stiofan asserts. I am helping Kasama. I want
to see the Kasama project and community help to lay the foundation for
the revolutionary mass organization that we need. My discussion of the
distinction between a paternalistic community and an open community--and
how this relates to Kasama and its mission cannot be posted in this
forum. However any readers who may be interested are welcome to read my
essay (which includes the most serious criticism of Kasama of which I am
aware): "Conscious Forces Will Bring Us Certain Victory" at:
http://struggle.net/Ben/2009/conscious_forces.htm

Ben Seattle
http://struggle.net/ben/


From "Ozymandias":
------------------

And on the pedestal, these words appear:
"My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings,
Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!"
Nothing beside remains. Round the decay
Of that colossal Wreck, boundless and bare
The lone and level sands stretch far away.

-- Shelley, 1817

Hi Ben,

Sorry to hear about your personal tragedy.  Best wishes for your recovery.

I posted a discussion topic here on working-class alternative culture that you
might be interested in.  It is something that mere individuals cannot do, but a
sufficient mass might consider it later on.

WCG,

Jacob

--- In pof-300@yahoogroups.com, "Ben Seattle" <box601p@...> wrote:
>
>
> http://www.revleft.com/vb/conscious-forces-bring-t123043/index.html?p=16
> 05819#post1605819
>

Lenin suggested newspapers as a means of organizing the fledgling party in
underground Russian conditions.

Today comrades like Ben suggest Internet discussions and the like to replace
newspapers.  However, there is one other organizational aspect that is missing
about the discussions of the early Lenin: the alternative culture model in
Germany that commanded his admiration.

The SPD had cultural societies, sports clubs, funeral homes, etc. as an
alternative culture for the working class.  The anarchists later on called this
"mutual aid."  Is the suggestion of food banks a way to get this alternative
culture model of organizing going?

http://www.revleft.com/vb/conscious-forces-bring-t123043/index.html?p=16
05819#post1605819

(posted to the Kasama "threads" forum)

http://z11.invisionfree.com/Kasama_Threads/index.php?showtopic=983


Conscious Forces Will Bring Us Certain Victory

How, in the coming period of intensified class struggle,
activists will use open communities and information war
to win ever-increasing attention and support and create
the conscious forces that will bring us certain victory


Hi Folks,

My annual report is now online, along with a substantial essay
giving my views on the fundamental forces that will be shaping
the evolution of the progressive and revolutionary movements,
in the years ahead, in countries like the United States.

I am very much interested in your thoughtful and considered opinions.

The essay is posted at:
http://struggle.net/ben/2009/conscious_forces.htm

The table of contents is listed below.

The essay is lengthy at more than 13 thousand words. Nearly a quarter
of the essay describes the Kasama project and community, including
my experience with it and my view concerning the nature of the
principle barriers which may be blocking Kasama's forward development.

I am not posting the essay itself here, as doing so at this time
might be viewed as being unnecessarily provocative and result
in the deletion of this post. For similar reasons, it may
not be possible, at this time, to discuss here the parts of my
essay where I give my views on the next steps forward for Kasama.

However I am confident that other parts of my essay can be
discussed here if anyone finds them to be of interest.

And, of course, everyone is welcome to join me on my email list
where discussion is not restricted in the way it is here.

Sincerely and revolutionary regards,
Ben Seattle

Hi folks,

My annual report is now online (along with a substantial essay):

Conscious Forces Will Bring Us Certain Victory

How, in the coming period of intensified class struggle,
activists will use open communities and information war
to win ever-increasing attention and support and create
the conscious forces that will bring us certain victory

http://struggle.net/ben/2009/conscious_forces.htm

Your comments and impressions are very appreciated!

Contents are below.

All the best,
Ben Seattle


  Contents:

  ---------------------------------------------------------
  My annual report
  ---------------------------------------------------------
  (1) What I have done in the past year
  (2) What I plan to accomplish in the coming year
  (3) Problems that came up and solutions that were developed

  ---------------------------------------------------------
  Overview: Conscious Forces Will Bring Us Certain Victory
  ---------------------------------------------------------
  A background of economic crisis and imperialist war
  The objective factor
  The subjective factor
  The CPUSA was a revolutionary mass party
  The degeneration of the CPUSA
  Groundhog Day
  The good news today -- conditions are maturing
  The emergence of conscious forces
  Ever-increasing amounts of oxygen
  The hangman and the priest
  .... (media control in modern society)
  The emerging power of open communities
  Conscious forces will focus on building
  .... a healthy revolutionary movement
  We are only as sick as our secrets
  .... (ie: the need to speak out)
  Conscious forces will be invincible
  How open communities of struggle
  .... will lead to the emergence of
  .... a revolutionary mass organization
  So how exactly will this happen?
  My experience in four communities of struggle
  -- 0 -- The RevLeft community
  -- 1 -- The Media Weapon community-in-embryo
  -- 2 -- The Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committee (SAIC)
  -- 3 -- The local marxist study group
  -- 4 -- The Kasama blog
  Fiery collisions and eventual merger
  Conclusion: the Alkali Lake Band of Indians

<>

This is a brief report on the August 2 public planning meeting for an
October demonstration in Seattle against the U.S. imperialist wars in
Iraq and Afghanistan.

These notes are approximate and, in places where I have made errors, I
hope that others who attended can provide correction.

Nine people, in total, attended.  Approximately half of those were
supporters of the Seattle Anti-Imperialist Committee [SAIC].  There were
also one or two supporters of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War
(anti-imperialist) [VVAW-AI] as well as a local progressive journalist
and a few independent activists.

The main reason for the low attendence, in my view, is probably related
to the support of the imperialist Democratic Party for the "good war"
war in Afghanistan.  Many of the progressive groups in the city that
might be expected to support an antiwar demonstration are involved in a
defacto alliance with the left-wing of the Democratic Party and are
probably reluctant to piss off their Democratic Party allies by
encouraging independent mass actions with potential to upset the
existing status quo.

A secondary reason for the low attendence (again--this is my opinion) is
the atmosphere of sectarian infighting and corrupt traditions that the
antiwar movement has not yet overcome.

I attended the meeting for a bit over one hour.  During this period we
agreed to:

(1) change the date of the October action to avoid conflict with other
actions that month in support of gay rights

(2) implement the principle of an "open mike" at the demo--so that all
activists would have the right to speak out briefly

(3) implement the principle that the march route would be chosen on the
basis of being directly visible to the largest possible number of people
(ie: as opposed to relying on the mainstream media to cover this action
in the news)

The topic that generated the most discussion concerned the principle
that we needed an open mike.  Everyone attending the meeting agreed with
this principle.  The disagreements were over matters of less importance
(for example: should the time limit for each speaker be two minute or
thirty seconds, etc).

The meeting in general was orderly and businesslike although also a
little slow at times, with some who spoke being inexperienced with
making points in a concise, concrete and focused way.  These are skills
which will be important to master in order to have larger meetings that
make effective use of the time of participants.

I don't know if a public email list or web site was set up to support
the planning process.  It would be useful if this were to happen.

We need to develop healthy traditions and principles that can help us to
mobilize the masses into action and raise their consciousness.  This
meeting represented a modest but significant step in this direction and
I would like to thank the sponsoring organizations and activists who
helped to make this happen.

Ben Seattle
http://struggle.net/ben/

--------------------------------------------

posted at:
http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2009/07/273394.shtml
http://www.seattleaic.org/announcements/call_to_seattle_anti-war_organiz
ers

Hi folks,

My hard drive failed.  I had it all backed up.  But it still took a lot
of work and time to get things set up again.

This is a test message to see if I can post to pof-300

Ben


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

I'll repost this to the pof-200 list eventually as part of my planned annual
report in early May.

I'm actually thoroughly glad to see that Ben is criticizing SAIC for their
short-sighted opposition of the use of coal and nuclear power to meet energy
demands. But before the environmentalists that may be reading blast me for
perceived anti-environment industrialism, let me clarify my point.

First, I am well aware of the SIGNIFICANT problems with using coal and nuclear
energy.

Coal:
-Produces noxious fumes like carbon monoxide
-Produces greenhouse gases
-Makes the United States dependent upon nations that it probably isn't good to
be dependent upon
-It's a very finite resource


Nuclear Fission:
-Nuclear waste from plutonium can take BILLIONS of years to become safe
-There's no means of storing the waste that prevents people perhaps thousands of
years in the future from accessing it (after all, the Egyptian pyramids were
easy enough to break into)
-There are ways in which we can dilute plutonium waste, reducing the time it
would take to become stable to centuries instead of billions of years, yet the
government has been so far unwilling to fund research in this field.


The use of coal to produce energy obviously has a number of environmental
problems, and it is extremely irresponsible to use nuclear fission as a source
of energy when we have no way to deal with the waste.

We are Leftists. We are capable of thinking scientifically. We can and MUST
challenge the bourgeoisie on environmental issues such as this and BEAT them.

But this means coming up with ALTERNATIVES to the current forms of energy. We
don't win simply by saying that there is "plenty" of energy. I don't think
anyone can look at the current situation objectively and tell me with a straight
face that there is "plenty" of energy.

The people won't put faith in a movement that is only able to oppose bad energy
policies by denying that there is a problem. The people will put faith in a
movement that is able to offer alternatives, and is able to show that the
current order will never be able to effectively deal with these environmental
issues!


Nuclear FUSION is the way of the future. There is incredible potential in the
energy we can harness from fusion, and it's much cleaner and safer than fission.
The problem right now is that research is largely unfunded, and most scientists
agree that we need much larger sources of Tritium (an isotope of Hydrogen) to be
able to do it effectively. We don't see Tritium that often here on Earth, but
it's abundant on the Moon. This is a primary reason for the Obama
administration's claim that the US will return to the Moon by 2020. But the
government is not putting its money where its mouth is.

In fact, no capitalist society is going to make that kind of long-term
investment necessary to responsibly solve the energy crisis. These are the
points we need to be making.

In short, there is nothing at all wrong with opposing Obama's energy policies,
but our opposition must be responsible and scientific for it to be effective.

-- Alex

--- In pof-300@yahoogroups.com, "Ben Seattle" <box601p@...> wrote:
>
>
> Posted to the SAIC blog at:
> http://www.seattleaic.org/?p=137
>
> Ben Seattle
> Mar 11th, 2009 at 2:14 am
>
> Let me see if I have this right. You oppose the use of coal
> and nuclear energy in order to meet the growing need for
> energy. However you do not have any clear concept of what
> the practical alternatives would be-except that there are
> "plenty". I consider such a position to be shallow. This is
> a weak point in your agitation. When I point this out you
> claim that it does not really matter and that my criticism
> is not "comradely".
>
> I should be clear: your leaflet, on the whole, is good. It
> is important to oppose the popular social-democratic view
> that we can put our hopes in change from Obama. And you guys
> work hard and deserve support. And I consider myself a
> supporter of your efforts (even if you do not).
>
> But the most sincere support also requires considered
> criticism.
>
> Yes, it would be possible for me to post links on this page
> concerning energy policy. But what would be the point of
> doing so? Nothing can come from such an effort unless others
> join it. And SAIC does not appear to have any real interest
> in developing greater depth on this question (or many other
> important questions of the kind with which readers of my
> electronic forums are familiar-such as the nature of the
> revolutionary mass organization we need or how we can give
> readers and activists confidence that a society not based on
> capitalism can be something more than a police state). If
> SAIC did have an interest in developing greater depth on
> important topics-you would make it easier for activists to
> contribute (and you would encourage activists to do so).
>
> To give two examples:
>
> (1) How would an activist who might have something to
> contribute on the topic of energy policy even know where on
> your website to go to post comments or links? Is the
> activist supposed to see the title of your Obama leaflet and
> conclude that this would be a logical place to post info
> about or discuss alternatives to coal and nuclear energy? A
> wiki would be a practical way to harvest and organize
> comments on a wealth of important questions. (And I have
> offered to set one up for you. But you recoil from anything
> that might make give greater scope for people like me to
> post criticisms of your work or orientation.)
>
> (2) Your leaflets no longer even bother to inform activists
> that their comments and criticisms are welcome and needed
> and can be posted to your blog. This is an indication that
> you do not really believe that comments and criticisms are
> important.
>
> Of course, you folks have the right to organize your own
> efforts in the way you see fit. And your organizational
> model allows you to carry out a fair amount of useful work.
>
> The "closed" nature of your project (as shown by your
> retreat from your commitment to monthly public meeings and
> your refusal to create blog entries for the occassional
> public meetings you may still have-and your opposition to
> creating any kind of forum other than comments on your
> leaflets) may be convenient in the short term because it
> gives critics (such as me) less of a "surface" to attach
> comments and attempt to build discussion.
>
> However I believe an organizational model that was more open
> to the participation of others and the development of
> self-organizing community would better serve the movement.
>
> Yes, as you note, recognition by SAIC (as an organization)
> of the need for greater openness and community "is never
> going to happen". But SAIC includes individuals. Some of
> these people may continue their efforts to carry out
> revolutionary political work long after SAIC has passed
> away. The more serious people learn from thier mistakes. And
> I try not to underestimate the long-term power of developing
> clear formulations of essential principles.
>
> Ben Seattle
> ** Readers who would like to read more about
> ** these topics are encouraged to click:
> ** http://struggle.net/mass-democracy/
>

Posted to the SAIC blog at:
http://www.seattleaic.org/?p=137

Ben Seattle
Mar 11th, 2009 at 2:14 am

Let me see if I have this right. You oppose the use of coal
and nuclear energy in order to meet the growing need for
energy. However you do not have any clear concept of what
the practical alternatives would be-except that there are
"plenty". I consider such a position to be shallow. This is
a weak point in your agitation. When I point this out you
claim that it does not really matter and that my criticism
is not "comradely".

I should be clear: your leaflet, on the whole, is good. It
is important to oppose the popular social-democratic view
that we can put our hopes in change from Obama. And you guys
work hard and deserve support. And I consider myself a
supporter of your efforts (even if you do not).

But the most sincere support also requires considered
criticism.

Yes, it would be possible for me to post links on this page
concerning energy policy. But what would be the point of
doing so? Nothing can come from such an effort unless others
join it. And SAIC does not appear to have any real interest
in developing greater depth on this question (or many other
important questions of the kind with which readers of my
electronic forums are familiar-such as the nature of the
revolutionary mass organization we need or how we can give
readers and activists confidence that a society not based on
capitalism can be something more than a police state). If
SAIC did have an interest in developing greater depth on
important topics-you would make it easier for activists to
contribute (and you would encourage activists to do so).

To give two examples:

(1) How would an activist who might have something to
contribute on the topic of energy policy even know where on
your website to go to post comments or links? Is the
activist supposed to see the title of your Obama leaflet and
conclude that this would be a logical place to post info
about or discuss alternatives to coal and nuclear energy? A
wiki would be a practical way to harvest and organize
comments on a wealth of important questions. (And I have
offered to set one up for you. But you recoil from anything
that might make give greater scope for people like me to
post criticisms of your work or orientation.)

(2) Your leaflets no longer even bother to inform activists
that their comments and criticisms are welcome and needed
and can be posted to your blog. This is an indication that
you do not really believe that comments and criticisms are
important.

Of course, you folks have the right to organize your own
efforts in the way you see fit. And your organizational
model allows you to carry out a fair amount of useful work.

The "closed" nature of your project (as shown by your
retreat from your commitment to monthly public meeings and
your refusal to create blog entries for the occassional
public meetings you may still have-and your opposition to
creating any kind of forum other than comments on your
leaflets) may be convenient in the short term because it
gives critics (such as me) less of a "surface" to attach
comments and attempt to build discussion.

However I believe an organizational model that was more open
to the participation of others and the development of
self-organizing community would better serve the movement.

Yes, as you note, recognition by SAIC (as an organization)
of the need for greater openness and community "is never
going to happen". But SAIC includes individuals. Some of
these people may continue their efforts to carry out
revolutionary political work long after SAIC has passed
away. The more serious people learn from thier mistakes. And
I try not to underestimate the long-term power of developing
clear formulations of essential principles.

Ben Seattle
** Readers who would like to read more about
** these topics are encouraged to click:
** http://struggle.net/mass-democracy/

http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/757/letters.html



SPD model

David Taylor is, I'm afraid, part of the soup of Stalinist thinking from which
communism needs to escape (http://www.cpgb.org.uk/worker/754/letters.html).

Lenin's model for communist organisation was not the infallible dictatorship of
an elite, imposing "full agreement on definite aims", but the German SPD - a
mass, working class, democratic party, in which various Marxist tendencies
argued out policy in front of the working class and put their views to the vote.
That gave the majority the right to specify action and the minority the duty to
support that action, but also the right of criticism.

Moreover, the SPD organised sporting, cultural and social events within the
class. It strove to serve and represent a working class that was conscious of
its own interests and capable of expressing its own views. The aim was to enable
the working class to act as a ruling class.

The idea was that if workers are told the truth they will both understand it and
act upon it. So the party criticised sundry viewpoints, both from within the
working class and from outside it, from a rational and scientific viewpoint
rather than sweep ideas under the carpet.

So, yes, a communist party does differ radically from a bourgeois party. History
demonstrates that this kind of model is not infallible, but it is the only
approach that puts the working class in control.

Arthur Lawrence
email

Hi Alejandro and Steve,

Up until now, there have been few restrictions on what could
be posted to the pof-300 email list.

However, the pattern that has become clear is that you post
to our lists without reading (or participating in any way)
in any of the discussion which takes place.

In order to improve the signal-to-noise ratio of the list--I
have therefore removed your right to post.

If you read this email from me and respond and indicate that
you would like to particpate in the list discussion--then I
will restore your right to post.

Also--I am forwarding this email to the list.  If any
readers of the list indicate that they look forward to or
read your posts--I will restore your right to post.

sincerely and respectfully,
Ben Seattle
http://struggle.net/Ben/

-----Original Message-----
From: alejandro benedetti
Sent: Monday, March 02, 2009 1:31 PM
To: alejandro.benedetti
Cc: accionvioleta@...; ALIA@...;
Enlace_Laboral@...; felecs;
feministasantafe@...; foro; forobolivia;
forodeartes; gatoencerrado; grupo_de_opinion;
grupomediaindependente; gtmarxismoanpuh;
guerradenoticias@...;
haciaelsocialismoenmexico; infpol;
interhospitalaria@...; Interquorum;
inventario_1917; tzcuintli; jovenessocialistas;
jujuy_argentina gruposyahoo; Juventud-Rebelde;
juventudescomunistas@...; uventudindoamericana;
juventudurng@yahoogroups.com; laotravos.com.ar grupos;
las_asambleas@...;
leregresodelcheguevara@...; liberacion_argentina
gruposyahoo; ligadoscomunistas@...;
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mulheres-a@...;
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municipalidadycultura; nuestramerica;
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organizacioncoordinadora@yahoogroups.com;
organizaciones_sindicales@yahoogroups.com;
organizaciones_sociales@...;
panacuates@yahoogroups.com; partidosocialistaperuano;
PetrolerosDemocratasVenezolanos@yahoogroups.com;
PIQUETEROS_CARAJO; plan_de_gobierno_ps_dt;
pof-300@yahoogroups.com; proyecto_agenda@...;
proyectos_humanist; psicologialatina@yahoogroups.com;
psol-br@...; psol-pb@...;
ptfloripa@...; realidad_peruana; redanahuak;
redcolen@...;
REDENTRERRIANADEMUNICIPIOSPRODUCTIVOS gruposyahoo;
redperuanadeopini; revolucion_bolivariana;
revolutionwithtrotsky@yahoogroups.com; rinconsocialista;
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sindicatopralutar@...;
Socialist-Workers-Party@egroups.com; socialistaargentina;
socialistas_educacion@...;
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socialmarxistparty@yahoogroups.com; somosactores; somosun;
suscriptoreselsocialista@...;
susnoticiasverdaderas; tendencia_corrientes;
tendenciamovimentosocialista@...; terciarios;
todaslasvoces_todas;
trabajadorespsicosociales@...;
tribuna-latina; trotskyleague@yahoogroups.com;
uniontelefonicaglobal@...
Subject: [pof-300] ROSARIO CONFERENCIA POR CAMPA�A LIBERTAD
A ROMINA


From: Steve Wallis
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2009 7:57 AM
To: PRsocialism@yahoogroups.com;
ethical-capitalism@yahoogroups.com;
steve-wallis-socialist-blog@yahoogroups.com;
revolutionary-platform-of-labour@yahoogroups.com;
revolutionary-platform-of-the-ssp@yahoogroups.com;
revolutionary-platform-of-solidarity@yahoogroups.com;
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ogroups.com; revolutionaryplatformofrespect@yahoogroups.com;
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democratic-socialist-alliances@yahoogroups.com; Democratic
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UK_Left_Network@yahoogroups.com;
g8alternativesorg@yahoogroups.com;
revolution-destroyed@yahoogroups.com;
PlaidCymru@yahoogroups.com

Hi folks,

I saw this on the Kasama site.  I found it interesting (even
if tinged with a perspective with which I have
disagreements).

Foster is being interviewed by Mike Whitney--who may be
familar to many readers from his articles on Counterpunch
predicting the collapse of the housing bubble.

Ben

______________________________________________________
Foster on Crisis: Suddenly in a Different Historical Period
Posted by John Steele on March 7, 2009
http://mikeely.wordpress.com/2009/03/07/we-are-suddenly-in-a
-different-historical-period/

As the economic crisis worsens and its effects ramify around
the world, we will continue to post commentary and analysis.
John Bellamy Foster is editor of Monthly Review, and
coauthor, with Fred Magdoff, of The Great Financial Crisis:
Causes and Consequences. This interview was published in
Dissident Voice.

Interview with John Bellamy Foster

Mike Whitney: The financial crisis is quickly turning into a
political crisis. Already governments in Iceland and Latvia
have collapsed and the global slump is just beginning to
accelerate. Riots and street violence have broken out in
Greece, Latvia and Lithuania and worker-led protests have
become commonplace throughout the EU. As unemployment
skyrockets and economic activity stalls, countries are
likely to experience greater social instability. How does
one take deep-seated discontent and rage and shape it into a
political movement for structural change?

John Bellamy Foster: The first thing to recognize is that we
are suddenly in a different historical period. One of my
favorite quotes comes from Gillo Pontecorvo's 1969 film
Burn! where the main character, William Walker (played by
Marlon Brando), states: "Very often between one historical
period and another, ten years suddenly might be enough to
reveal the contradictions of an entire century." We are
living in such a period, not only because of the Great
Financial Crisis and what the IMF is now calling a
depression in the advanced capitalist economies, but also
because of the global ecological crisis that during the last
decade has accelerated out of control under business as
usual, and due to the reappearance of "naked imperialism."
What made sense ten years ago is nonsense now. New dangers
and new possibilities are opening up. A whole different kind
of struggle is emerging.

The sudden fall of the governments in Iceland and Latvia as
a result of protests against financial theft is remarkable,
as are the widespread revolts in Greece and throughout the
EU, with millions in the streets. The general strikes in
Guadeloupe and Martinique, the French Antilles, and the
support given to these movements by the French New
Anti-Capitalist Party is a breakthrough. In fact much of the
world is in ferment. Latin Americans are engaged in a
full-scale revolt against neoliberalism, led by Venezuela's
Bolivarian Revolution, and the aspiration of a new socialism
for the 21st century (as envisioned also in Bolivia, Ecuador
and Cuba). The Nepalese revolution has offered new hope in
Asia. Social struggles on a major scale are occurring in
emerging economies such as Brazil, Mexico, and India. China
itself is experiencing unrest.

The one place in the world where this world historical
ferment appears to not be having telling effect at present
is the United States. This can be traced to two reasons.
First, the United States as the center of a world empire is
a fortress of conservatism. Second, the election of the
Obama administration has confused progressive forces,
leading to absurd notions that the Democrats under Obama are
going to create a New New Deal without renewed pressure
arising from a revolt from below. Meanwhile, under Obama's
watch, and with the help of his chosen advisers, vast
amounts of state funds are being infused into the financial
system to benefit private capital.What is needed in the
United States today, we argue in The Great Financial Crisis,
is a renewal of the classic concept of political economy
(with its class perspective), whereby it comes to be
understood that the economy is subject to public control,
and should be wrested from the domination of the ruling
class. The bailing out of the system right now is going on
with taxpayer funds but without the say of the public. A
revolt to gain popular control of the political economy is
therefore necessary.

It is possible to start with the demand for a New New Deal
rooted in the best legacy of the Roosevelt administration in
the 1930s, most notably the Works Progress Administration.
But as Robert McChesney and I argued in "A New New Deal
Under Obama" in the February 2009 issue of Monthly Review,
the struggle has to move quickly beyond that to an expansion
of workers' rights along socialist principles, breaking with
the logic of capital. For this to occur there has to be a
great revolt from below on at least the scale of the
industrial unionization movement of the 1930s that created a
new political force in the country (later destroyed in the
McCarthy Era). The story of this struggle is told in David
Milton's classic account, The Politics of U.S. Labor, which
also points out that the rising labor movement was led by
socialists and radical syndicalists.

It is important, as Istvan Meszaros explained in his Beyond
Capital, that the radical politics opened up in this
historical moment not be diverted into attempting to save
the existing system, but be directed at transcending it. As
Meszaros wrote: "To succeed in its original aim, radical
politics must transfer at the height of the crisis its
aspirations - in the form of effective powers of decision
making at all levels and all areas, including the economy -
to the social body itself from which subsequent material and
political demands would emanate."

In the United States a primary goal of any radical politics
should be to cut military spending, which is the imperial
iron heel holding down the entire world, while corrupting
the US body politic and diverting surplus from pressing
social needs.

The obvious weak link of the whole political, ideological
and economic structure in command in the United States
today, is that the system has clearly failed to meet
peoples' real needs. Rather than addressing these pressing
needs in the crisis, the emphasis of the economic overlords
is to bailout private capital at virtually any cost. Between
October 2008 and January 2009 the federal government
provided about $160 billion in capital and infusions and
debt guarantees to the Bank of America, which had a total
net worth in late January of only a small fraction of that
amount. The rest had gone down the rat hole.

The robbing of public funds to bailout private capital is
now on a scale probably never before seen. A politicized,
organized working class capable of understanding and
reacting to that theft, and choosing thereby to restructure
society, to meet real social, egalitarian needs is what is
now to be hoped for. The title of a recent cover story
Newsweek declared: "We Are All Socialists Now." As it turned
out, Newsweek's editors were simply referring to the
increase in public spending now taking place - hardly an
indication of socialism. But the fact that this is said at
all in the mainstream media points to the fact that we are
in a different historical moment in which radical forces
have the possibility of moving forward.

MW: As the economy has become more dependent on
financialization for growth, the gap between rich and poor
has grown wider and wider. As you point out in your book,
"In the United States the top 1 percent of wealth holders in
2001 owned more than twice as much as the bottom 80 percent
of the population. If this was simply measured in terms of
financial wealth, the top 1 percent owned more than four
times the bottom 80 percent." (p 130). How have working
class people managed to keep their heads above water with
all this wealth being shifted to the rich?

JBF: The answer is fairly obvious. If people cannot maintain
their standard of living on the basis of their income, they
will borrow against income and against whatever wealth they
have. The result - if their incomes don't rise, or if the
value of whatever assets they have do not increase - is that
they will simply get deeper and deeper in debt in an attempt
simply to stand still. I became concerned about the growth
of working-class household debt in 2000 and carried out a
study of The Survey of Consumer Finances, which is published
every three years by the federal government with a three
year lag in the data. This is the only major federal
government data source that we have on household debt broken
down into income groups so that we can determine the debt
burden of different classes. I published an article based on
this research in the May 2000 issue of Monthly Review
entitled "Working-Class Households and the Burden of Debt."
I then followed this up six years later with an article in
the May 2006 Monthly Review on "The Household Debt Bubble,"
which was to be incorporated into The Great Financial
Crisis. There I wrote that "The housing bubble and the
strength of consumption in the economy are connected to what
might be termed the 'household debt bubble,' which could
easily burst as a result of rising interest rates and the
stagnation or decline of housing prices." This is of course
what happened, and the reason why this crisis has turned out
to be so severe was the destruction over decades of the
finances of working-class households, on the back of which
financialization took place.

MW: Will you define "debt-deflation" and explain its
potential danger to the economy? As credit continues to
tighten and housing prices sink; aren't we slipping into a
reinforcing deflationary spiral? Do you think that fiscal
policy will reverse this trend or is the stimulus package
too small to stop real estate and equities from continuing
to slide?

JBF: The term "debt-deflation" is associated particularly
with the work of Irving Fisher during the Great Depression.
Fisher wrote an article for the journal Econometrica in 1933
entitled "The Debt-Deflation Theory of Great Depressions."
Deflation as applied to the general economy is a drop in the
general price level, something not seen in the United States
since the Great Depression, and catastrophic in the economy
of monopoly capital (and even more so under monopoly-finance
capital). In the first place, deflation (or disinflation,
i.e. the reduction of inflation to what the Federal Reserve
calls "below optimal" levels) means that the profit margins
of corporations are squeezed, even if the cost structure of
production, and productivity remain the same. Under these
circumstances price competition is reactivated with giant
firms actually in a life and death struggle. This also
generates pressure for heavy layoffs and wage reductions,
creating all sorts of vicious cycles.

But the real fear of deflation has to do with the enormously
bloated financial structure and the huge debt load of the
economy. Under inflation, which is usually assumed to be
built into the advanced capitalist economy, debts are paid
back with smaller dollars (that is, worth less over time).
In a deflationary economy, however, debt has to be paid back
with bigger dollars (worth more over time). This then
creates a debt-deflation spiral, enormously accelerating
financial meltdown. As Fisher put it, "deflation caused by
the debt reacts on the debt. Each dollar of debt still
unpaid becomes a bigger dollar, and if the over-indebtedness
with which we started was great enough, the liquidation of
debt cannot keep up with the fall of prices which it
causes." Stated differently, quoting from The Great
Financial Crisis (p. 116), "prices fall as debtors sell
assets to pay their debts, and as prices fall the remaining
debts must be repaid in dollars more valuable than the ones
borrowed, causing more defaults, leading to yet lower
prices, and thus a deflationary spiral." In order to check
this deflationary tendency, the Federal Reserve and the
Treasury have been trying to reflate the economy by printing
money (euphemistically called "quantitative easing"). But
they have not succeeded and deflationary forces are still
very strong, causing President Obama to warn shortly after
his election that "we now risk falling into a deflationary
spiral that could increase our massive debt even further."

It is also worth mentioning the effect that deflation has on
investment. With capital faced with the fact that a few
years down the line the price level could be lower than it
is now, expected profits on investment in new productive
capacity (given that this takes years to be built and has to
paid for in current prices) are depressed, creating a deeper
stagnation of accumulation.

The stimulus package introduced by the Obama administration
is far too small to pump up demand and reflate the economy
under these circumstances. It is less than $400 billion a
year, forty percent of which is tax cuts, so that the
increased governmental spending is minuscule compared to the
size of the hole created by the drastic drop in consumption,
investment, and state and local government spending. It is
also dwarfed by the total federal government support
programs, primarily to financial institutions, which now
amount to more than $9.7 trillion in the form of cash
infusions, debt guarantees, swaps of Treasuries for
financial toxic waste, etc.

MW: Karl Marx seems to have anticipated the financial
meltdown we are now facing. In Capital,he said, "The
superficiality of political economy shows itself in the fact
that it views the expansion and contraction of credit as the
cause of the periodic alterations of the industrial cycle,
while it is a mere symptom of them." Marx appears to agree
with your theory that the real problem is deeper - economic
stagnation which forces surplus capital to look for more
profitable investments. While the monetarist theories of
Milton Friedman are now under withering attack, Keynes and
Marx seem to have held up rather well. What does Marx mean
when he talks about "political economy"?

JBF: Marx was an acute analyst of financial crises in his
time and described their main features. However, he saw
financial expansions as occurring at the peak of a boom, not
as a secular phenomenon. Financialization in the sense of a
long-term shift in the center of gravity of the economy
toward finance, with financial speculation building over
decades, is a completely unprecedented situation.

Marx and Engels did place great emphasis on the growth of
joint-stock companies/corporations and the appearance of a
market for industrial securities that began to appear near
the end of the nineteenth century. It was this creation of
the modern market for industrial securities that was the
real beginning of the emergence of finance as a relatively
independent aspect of the monopoly capitalist economy. There
are essentially two pricing structures to the economy: one
in the real economy related to the production of goods and
services, the other in the financial realm associated with
the pricing of assets (paper claims to wealth). The two are
interrelated but can be disassociated from each other for
periods of time. Keynes in the 1930s singled-out the dangers
of an economy that was increasingly governed by the
speculative pricing of financial assets. Marx was such an
acute observer of capitalism, that even in his time he began
to see the contradictions emerging between money (or
fictitious) capital and real capital.

One thing that Marx did argue in this context is that surges
in financial speculation were responses to stagnation and
decline in the real economy, as capital desperately sought a
way to maintain and expand its surplus. Thus he wrote that
the "plethora of money capital" in such periods was due to
"difficulties in employment, through a lack of spheres of
investment, i.e., due to a surplus in the branches of
production" and showed nothing so much as the immanent
barriers to capitalist expansion (quoted in The Great
Financial Crisis, p. 39).

Marx remains the strongest foundation for the critique of
the capitalist economy, down to our day. But the real Keynes
(not to be confused with the bastardized Keynesianism of
today) is also important, since he emphasized what he called
the "outstanding faults" of the capitalist economy: the
tendency to high inequality and high unemployment. He also
pointed to the dangers of a system geared to speculative
finance.

MW: Is wage stagnation and income inequality a direct result
of financialization?

JBF: I would put it the other way around. Wage stagnation
and growing income and wealth inequality are components of
the underlying stagnation tendency. Both have shown a
tendency to worsen over time, resulting in deepening
stagnation tendencies within the overall economy. Real wages
in the United States peaked in 1971, when Richard Nixon was
president, and by 2008 had fallen back to 1967 levels, when
Lyndon Johnson was president. This is in despite of the
enormous growth of productivity and expansion of wealth over
the intervening decades. Hence, this is a marker of "the
tendency of surplus to rise," as Baran and Sweezy put it, or
a rising rate of surplus value, in Marx's own terms. This
was accompanied by a massive growth of income and wealth at
the top. As we stated in The Great Financial Crisis (p.
130), "From 1990 to 2002, for each added dollar made by
those in the bottom 90 percent [of income] those in the
uppermost 0.01 percent (today about 14,000 households) made
an additional $18,000." By 2007 income/wealth inequality in
the United States had reached 1929 proportions, i.e., the
level reached just prior to the 1929 Stock Market Crash that
led to the Great Depression.

I do think you are right, though, that financialization made
income and wealth inequality worse, and contributed to the
stagnation of wages. We can see neoliberalism as basically
the ideology of monopoly-finance capital, introduced
originally as the ruling class response to stagnation, and
then increasingly geared to promoting the financialization
of capital, itself a structural response to stagnation.

Neoliberalism promoted incessant breaking of unions, forcing
down wages, cutting state social welfare spending,
deregulation, free mobility of capital, development of new
financial architecture, etc. One way to understand this is
the enormous need for new cash infusions to feed a financial
superstructure that was voracious in its demand for new
money capital, which it needed to leverage still more piling
up of debt and financial speculation. Insurance companies,
real estate, and mutual funds all provided infusions into
this financial superstructure, as did the state. All limits
were removed. Under these circumstances workers were
encouraged to use their houses like piggy banks to finance
consumption, credit cards were handed out to teenagers,
subprime loans were pushed on those with little ability to
pay. Individual retirement packages were shifted toward IRAs
that were tied into the speculative financial system. This
had all the signs of an addictive system. In these
circumstances, too, the real economy, particularly
production of goods and manufacturing, was decimated. In the
introduction to The Great Financial Crisis we include a
chart covering the period since 1960 showing production of
goods as a percentage of GDP in a slow, long-term decline,
while debt as a percentage of GDP is skyrocketing over the
same period. All of this meant a massive redistribution away
from working people to capital, and to those at the pinnacle
of the financial pyramid.

MW: In your book The Great Financial Crisis, you are
critical of Paulson's capital injections into the banks
saying that "at most they buy the necessary time in which
the vast mass of questionable loans can be liquidated in an
orderly fashion, restoring solvency but at a far lower rate
of economic activity ? that of a serious recession or
depression." On Friday, Timothy Geithner told CNBC that "We
will preserve the system that is owned and managed by the
private sector." This suggests that the Treasury Secretary
might not liquidate the toxic assets at all, but try
maintain the appearance that these underwater banks are
solvent. What do you think will happen if Geithner refuses
to nationalize the banks?

JBF: I would not interpret Geithner's statement that way.
Rather we are experiencing one of the greatest robberies in
history. I have written on the question of nationalization
for the "Notes from the Editors" forthcoming in the March
2009 Monthly Review. All the attempts to rescue the
financial system at this time go in the direction of
nationalization. The federal government is providing more
and more of the capital and assuming financial
responsibility for the banks. However, they are doing
everything they can to keep the banks in private hands,
resulting in a kind of de facto nationalization with de jure
private control. Whether the federal government is forced
eventually toward full nationalization (that is, assuming
direct control of the banks) is a big question. But even
that is unlikely to change the nature of what is going on,
which is a classic case of the socialization of losses of
financial institutions while leaving untouched the massive
gains still in the hands of those who most profited from the
whole extreme period of financial speculation.

To get an idea of what is happening one has to understand
that the federal government, as I have already indicated,
has committed itself thus far in this crisis $9.7 trillion
in support programs primarily for financial institutions.
The Federal Reserve (together with the Treasury) now has
converted itself into what is called a "bad bank." It has
been swapping Treasury certificates for toxic financial
waste, such as collateralized debt obligations. As a result
the Federal Reserve has become the banker of last resort for
toxic waste with the share of Treasuries in the Fed's
balance sheet dropping from about 90 percent to about 20
percent over the course of the crisis, with much of the rest
now made up of financial toxic waste.

Obviously, full, straightforward nationalization would be
more rational than this. But one has also to remember the
system of power - both economic and political - that we are
dealing with at present. The classic case of full bank
nationalization was Italian corporatist capitalism of the
1920s and '30s, and was carried out by the fascist regime.
Without suggesting that we are headed this way now it should
be clear from this that nationalization of banks itself is
no panacea.

The fact that Geithner, Obama's pick for Treasury Secretary,
is overseeing the enormous robbery taking place, probably
exceeding any theft in history, with the ordinary taxpayers
picking up the tab, should certainly cause one to ask
questions about the "progressive" nature of the new
administration.

MW: Former Fed chief Alan Greenspan has dismissed criticism
of his monetary policies saying that no one could have seen
the humongous credit bubble developing in housing. In your
book, however, you make this observation: "It was the
reality of economic stagnation beginning in the 1970s . . .
that led to the emergence of the ?new financialized
capitalist regime's kind of 'paradoxical financial
Keynesianism' whereby demand in the economy was stimulated
primarily 'thanks to asset bubbles'." (p 129) The statement
suggests that the Fed knew exactly what it was doing when it
slashed rates and created a speculative frenzy. Debt-fueled
asset bubbles are a way of shifting wealth from one class to
another while avoiding the stagnation of the underlying
economy. Can this problem be fixed through regulation and
better oversight or is it something that is intrinsic to
capitalism itself?

JBF: Greenspan is of course trying desperately to salvage
his reputation and to remove any sense that he is culpable.
I would agree that the Fed knew what it was doing up to a
point, and deliberately promoted an asset bubble in housing
- what Stephanie Pomboy called "The Great Bubble Transfer"
following the bursting of the New Economy tech bubble in
2000. The view that no one saw the dangers of course is
false. It reminds me of Paul Krugman's face-saving claim in
his The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of
2008 that while some people thought that financial and
economic problems of the 1930s might repeat themselves,
these were not "sensible people." According to Krugman,
"sensible people" like himself (that is, those who expressed
the consensus of those in power) knew that these things
could never happen - but turned out to be wrong. It is true,
as Greenspan says, no one could have foreseen precisely what
really happened. And certainly there were a lot of blinders
at the top. But there were lots of warnings and concerns.
For example, I drafted an article ("The Great Fear") for the
April 2005 issue of Monthly Review that referred to "rising
interest rates (threatening a bursting of the housing bubble
supporting U.S. consumption)" as one of the key "perils of a
stagnating economy." Other close observers of the economy
were saying the same thing.

The Federal Reserve Board, indeed, was internally debating
in these years whether to adopt a policy of pricking the
asset bubbles before they got further out of control. But
Greenspan and Bernanke were both against such a dangerous
operation, claiming that this could bring the whole rickety
financial structure down. Since they didn't know what to do
about asset bubbles they simply sat on their hands and tried
to talk the market up. The dominant view was that the
Federal Reserve could stop a financial avalanche by putting
a rock in the right place the moment there was a sign of
trouble. So Bernanke went ahead, closed his eyes and prayed,
raising interest rates to restrict inflation (an action
demanded by the financial elite) and the rest is history.

At all times it was those at the commanding heights of the
financial institutions that called the shots, and the Fed
followed their wishes. Greenspan himself is no dummy. He
wrote in Challenge Magazine in March-April 1988 of the
dangers associated with housing bubbles. But as a Federal
Reserve Board chairman he pursued financialization to the
hilt, since there was no other option for the system.
Needless to say, such financialization was associated with
the growing disparities in wealth and income in the country.
Debt itself is an instrument of power and those at the
bottom were chained by it, while those at the top were using
it to leverage rising fortunes. The total net worth of the
Forbes 400 richest Americans (an increasing percentage of
whom were based in finance) rose from $91.8 billion in 1982
to $1.2 trillion in 2006, while most people in the society
were finding it harder and harder to make ends meet. None of
this was an accident. It was all intrinsic to
monopoly-finance capital.

mi msn es
inventario_1917@...

Para mas informacion� llamar

0388-154138153 Mirta Tejerina

0341-156838170 Greta Roquero

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
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Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina




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Recetas pr�cticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

 




   8 de
   marzo   DÍA INTERNACIONAL
   DE LA MUJER TRABAJADORA
   Lunes 9 de marzo -
   Concentramos a las 18 hs plaza 25 de mayo y marchamos a Plaza San Martín.
Frente
   a Gobernación haremos escuchar nuestras voces con micrófono abierto.
   EXIGIMOS AL
   GOBIERNO DE CRISTINA KIRCHNER
   EXIGIMOS AL
   GOBIERNO DE HERMES BINNER
    



   ·  
   ¡ Ningún
   despido, suspensión, rebaja salarial o tarifazo! Qué la crisis la paguen los
   que se enriquecieron !
   ·  
   ¡ Basta de  TODO tipo de violencia contra las mujeres! ¡BASTA DE
   MUERTEs POR ABORTOS CLANDESTINOS!!
   ·  
   A Igual trabajo igual salario, mejores condiciones de trabajo. Aumento
   salarial acorde a la
    canasta familiar.
   ·  
   ¡ No al trabajo precarizado en las que las mujeres somos las más
   castigadas !
   ·  
   Guarderías, jardines maternales en los lugares de trabajo y estudio.
   ·  
   Educación sexual para decidir. Anticonceptivos para no abortar. Aborto
   legal, seguro y gratuito para no morir.
   ·  
   Acceso a la salud.  
   Atención adecuada en hospitales públicos sin discriminar la orientación
sexual.
   ·  
   Declaración de la
    emergencia en delitos sexuales. cárcel efectiva a los
   violadores.
   ·  
   Libertad inmediata e incondicional a Romina Tejerina. Repudiamos los
   ataques a Romina y sus compañeras. Resonsabilizamos al gobierno por su
   integridad psicofísica.
   ·  
   Justicia por Sandra Cabrera. Esclarecimiento de su
   asesinato. Derogación de toda ley que persiga a las trabajadoras sexuales.
Castigo a los proxenetas.
   ·  
   Aparición con vida de Florencia Penachi, Marita Verón y de las cientos
   de mujeres secuestradas. Desmantelamiento de las redes de trata y
   prostitución.
   ·  
   Derecho a la Tierra
    de los Pueblos originarios
   ·  
   Exigimos planes accesibles para la construcción de viviendas
   dignas.
    
     
   Salimos como las mujeres de Paraná Metal, como las docentes y demás
   trabajadoras y desocupadas, como las mujeres de los barrios que enfrentan a
   los golpeadores, violadores y abusadores! Juntas y organizadas podremos
   luchar contra los golpes del patriarcado y de las crisis nacional e
   internacional !
  
                                        \
                       
   Lo/As esperamos a todos/as.
    
   MULTISECTORIAL DE MUJERES DE ROSARIO –
   VOX ASOCIACIÓN CIVIL POR LOS DERECHOS DE LESBIANAS, GAYS Y TRANS, DOCENTES
   UNIVERSITARIOS COAD, AMSAFE ROSARIO, NO DOCENTES – ATE , ESCUELA DE
   PSICOLOGÍA SOCIAL “Instituto Dr. Enrique Pichón Riviere”, TALLER MUJER Y
   UNIVERSIDAD (Facultad de Humanidades y Artes), El Puente, Pueblos
   Originarios, PLENARIO DE TRABAJADORAS, JUVENTUD COMUNISTA REVOLUCIONARIA –
   PCR, CORRIENTE CLASISTA Y COMBATIVA, PUEBLOS ORIGINARIOS EN LUCHA,
   CONVERGENCIA DE IZQUIERDA, PAN Y ROSAS, PARTIDO DE LOS TRABAJADORES
   SOCIALISTAS, AMAS DE CASA, ALDE, OPINION SOCIALISTA, PARTIDO REVOLUCIONARIO
MARXISTA
   LENINISTA, CUBA-MTR, TUPAC en Tendencia Universitaria 29 de mayo, y MUJERES
   INDEPENDIENTES.
     
   PRENSA GRETA ROQUERO
   gdroquero@...
   (0341)156838170






Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
www.es.netlog.com/ROQUEROGRETA
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

mi msn es
inventario_1917@...

Amenazan a Luis Cuello

Este jueves a las 11.30, el ex concejal rosarino y sobreviviente
del centro clandestino detención que funcionara en el Servicio de Informaciones
de la ex jefatura de policía de la provincia, Luis Cuello, radicará una
denuncia por amenazas en los tribunales provinciales de Santa Fe. Cuello estará
acompañado por organismos de derechos humanos y por un nutrido grupo de
sobrevivientes
y familiares de víctimas de la última dictadura militar.

Cuello, quien es testigo en la emblemática causa Galdame –el
caso donde fuera asesinado el joven estudiante Conrado Galdame y dos ciudadanos
de nacionalidad peruana, y que provocara el cierre del Servicio de
Informaciones que comandaba el torturador Agustín Feced–, fue víctima de un
hecho intimidatorio cuando días atrás varios ex detenidos políticos de la
última dictadura recibieron un mail donde se anunciaba su muerte.

La denuncia, intenta dilucidar quienes pueden esconderse
detrás de las intimidaciones, que para el entorno de Cuello, claramente apuntan
a instalar el miedo entre los testigos y sobrevivientes, que en pocos meses
tendrán que dar sus testimonios en el inicio de las audiencias orales contra
los
responsables del terrorismo de estado en la región.

 

Contacto Luis Cuello: 156195888

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
www.es.netlog.com/ROQUEROGRETA
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

To other readers:

In his post, David is referring to my response in May of
last year to Eric (a supporter of the Communist Voice
Organization).  My response was titled: "Workers' Rule: Is
it Dead or Alive?" and it can be found (together with some
killer cartoons/sketches I made) here:

http://struggle.net/ben/2008/eric/moment_of_truth.htm


  * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

Hi David,

First, many thanks for your email on this topic.  I am short
time but I will respond since I believe this is a matter of
great importance.  (By the way, David, I would like to
confirm that I received your private email last month about
the Attention Refinery--I have not had time to reply
yet--nor to give a more complete reply to Wood giving my
thoughts on useful and practical steps forward re: that
project.)

> Ben, I read your response and I have some comments.

-- David --

1. You posit that workers should have "democratic rights to
speech and organization." While I do not necessarily
disagree, I have some problems with this formulation.

-- Ben replies --

It is natural that we may favor different formulations.  At
this stage we advance our theoretical understanding by
discussion of principles and, for this reason, I appreciate
your post.

-- David --

First, the concept of democracy is a bourgeois concept
through and through. I believe you would be better off to
drop the formulation "democratic" in favor of the
formulations such as "freedom of speech" and "right to
organize." Democracy, defined as some formal set of
procedures, is hardly the guarantee of freedom, and is an
entirely ambivalent term.

-- Ben replies --

The concept of democracy has great resonance with activists
and the masses--because it refers to the question of _who_
is running the show.

In our society, under bourgeois rule and under the
domination (and saturation) of bourgeois ideology the terms
"democracy" (like the terms "political" and "working class"
and "bourgeoisie" and "socialism", etc) are greatly
restricted, narrowed down and distorted.  In particular, the
bourgeoisie lays claim to the concept of "democracy".  Part
of the theoretical bankruptcy of the revolutionary movement
(which we must overcome) is that so many activists fail to
understand the central (and decisive) importance of
challenging the bourgeoisie on this question.  Until we do
so--we will (correctly) be seen as bankrupt in the eyes of
the masses.

You say: "Democracy, defined as some formal set of
procedures".  But this is a useless definition.

The term "democratic rights" refers to sets of concrete and
specific democratic rights.  For example, I do (or do not)
have the right to post to the Kasama blog.  In future
society (when it is run by the working class) anyone will
have the right to argue that society was better off under
capitalist rule and that we should return to capitalist
rule.

The term "democracy" is more abstract (less concrete) and
refers to the question of who rules (ie: which class
rules--bourgeois democracy or proletarian democracy).  The
term "democracy" refers to something (ie: a system) which
rests on a large number of more specific democratic rights
and traditions.

-- David --

Second, I think you sidestep the issue of worker's
consciousness. Formal rights, such as freedom of speech and
the right to organize, in NO WAY guarantee that the workers
will act in terms of their interests as a class. In
capitalist society, false consciousness pits worker against
worker in such a way that they typically act in terms of
individual, short term interests, and against their
interests as a class. We can expect that workers may still
act in such a way after the revolution, depending on how
advanced their class consciousness is.

-- Ben replies --

It is true, of course, that the right to speech and
organization do not guarantee that workers will understand
or act in their own interest.  Workers (and the working
class as a whole) will gain consciousness on the basis of
their experience in the many component mass struggles that
will eventually merge into the class struggle to overthrow
the system of capitalist rule.

However, the right to speech and organization will greatly
assist the development of workers' consciousness for many
reasons:

(A) Workers will have access to all the arguments from
     all classes
(B) Workers will gain experience in thinking for themselves
     and making their own arguments and learning how to
     influence others--which means the burden of combating
     the influence of bourgeois and counter-revolutionary
     ideology will not be placed on the backs of a few party
     ideologues (or censors) but will be a mass struggle
     in which many millions participate on a daily basis.
(C) It will be far more difficult for a corrupt central
     authority to suppress criticism of incompetence,
     hypocrisy and corruption (in particular) and (in
     general) suppress the independent political life
     of the working class
(D) (this list could go on and on)

-- David --

Granted the freedom of speech and organization are good
ideas--they might nevertheless lead to the demise of the
revolution if the consciousness of workers is not advanced
enough. The paradox of history is that one must nevertheless
create the revolution when the time for revolution is ripe
(1917), knowing full well that it may fail!

-- Ben replies --

I have argued (I will not repeat here--see ALDS below) that
if a revolutionary government found it necessary to suppress
the rights of speech and organization for a lengthy period
(ie: more than a year or so) in order to survive--that it
would probably be doomed--because these rights are necessary
for the smooth functioning of society and (in particular)
for a high (and growing) productivity of labor.  Basically:
there is a linkage between these political rights and
economic development.  In the long term this cannot be
ignored.

Whether or not it is better to launch a revolution that is
likely doomed to fail is an interesting (and complex)
question.  I do not intend to focus on that question because
there are far more important (and easier) questions which
require our attention today.  First things first.

-- David --

2. The idea of workers' rule seems to forget that as a
class, the proletariat's task is not only to achieve power,
but also and especially, to abolish itself as a class.
Freedom from wage labor means that we should not view
individuals after the revolution as mere workers. It is
capitalism that makes us all into workers! Therefore I
personally oppose the slogan "workers' rule" as being too
narrow a formulation, suggesting that the essence of
humanity is to be found in our existence as workers.

-- Ben replies --

There will be a considerable period (probably at least
decades) between the overthrow of bourgeois rule and the
development of a classless society.  This is fundamental.
Everyone needs to understand this in order to understand, in
a realistic way, our goal and how humanity will reach that
goal.  In order for everyone to understand this--we need
some _name_ for this historical period during which the
working class will run society.  I have concluded that
"socialism" and "communism" are not good names because
(after everything that took place in the last century) these
names now refer to a system in which a corrupt privileged
class exploited and oppressed the working class.  If you
think there is a better name than "workers' rule" you may be
right.  What name might you propose?

-- David --

3. Your thinking does have a certain anarchist bent in its
economic formulations, and I am skeptical of this. What you
fail to take into account is "economies of scale." Where
appropriate, the gift economy sounds appealing--but what if
its application on a large scale leads to, say, electrical
blackouts or mass food shortages? I suggest that we need
empirical evidence as to where centralized planning would be
most effective, and where the gift economy or limited
markets might be most effective; to posit either position in
advance, without detailed scientific study, would be to risk
repeating the types of concrete disasters that plagued past
'really existing' socialist societies.

-- Ben replies --

Skepticism is good :-)

Economies of scale will play more of a role in some sections
of the economy (such as manufacturing) than others (for
example some kinds of software--or entertainment).  The gift
economy (if you look at part 7 of the anarcho-leninist
debate on the state--including the appendices) will only
grow in competition with the other sectors (ie: the
capitalist and/or state-capitalist sectors) as it proves
itself competent.  If projects that are part of the gift
economy are failures in the areas of food or energy--then
these projects will not grow--and food and energy will
remain in the capitalist or state-capitalist sectors--until
such time as gift economy projects accumulate experience and
practical know-how and learn how to produce more effectively
than the other sectors in a reliable way.

> I welcome your comments in reply.

And I yours.  I may not have time to reply as much as I
would like.  Sometimes I must postpone things for months--or
more.  But I appreciate your thoughtful comments and hope
that my reply may be helful.

All the best,
Ben Seattle

http://struggle.net/Ben/  index of my work
http://struggle.net/mass-democracy/ index of my debates
with other activists organizations (for now: SAIC and CVO)
http://struggle.net/ALDS/ anarcho-leninist debate on the
state

ROSARIO CONFERENCIA POR CAMPA�A LIBERTAD A ROMINA



EL 24 DE FEBRERO SE REALIZ� EN ROSARIO POR LA MA�ANA UNA CONFERENCI A
DE PRENSA CON LA PRESENCIA DE MIRTA TEJERINA, HERMANA DE ROMINA Y DE SU
MAM� ... � m�s


EL 24 DE FEBRERO SE REALIZ� EN ROSARIO POR LA MA�ANA UNA CONFERENCI A
DE PRENSA CON LA PRESENCIA DE MIRTA TEJERINA, HERMANA DE ROMINA Y DE SU
MAM� ELVIRA. TAMBI�N ESTUVO LA MAM� DE JOANA LAGOS DE VILLA
CONSTITUCI�N, ORGANISMOS DE DERECHOS HUMANOS (APDH Y FAMILIARES DE
DESAPARECIDOS DE ROSARIO), EL SECRETARIO GENERAL DE ATE ROSARIO, Y
COMPA�ERAS DE LOS CENTROS DE ESTUDIANTES DE LAS FACULTADES DE MEDICINA,
DE HUMANIDES Y ARTES Y DE TERCIARIOS.
POR
LA TARDE, M�S DE 700 MUJERES NOS REUNIMOS EN LA PLAZA SAN MART�N,
FRENTE A LA SEDE DE GOBERNACI�N EN ROSARIO, Y MARCHAMOS JUNTO A MIRTA Y
ELVIRA RODEANDO LA EX JEFATURA HASTA LA PLAZA PRINGLES DONDE SE REALIZ�
EL ACTO.
LA UNIDAD SE DEMOSTR� CON TRES CONSIGNAS ELEMENTALES PARA EL MOVIMIENTO DE
MUJERES EN LA ARGENTINA:

LIBERTAD A ROMINA TEJERINA.

REPUDIAMOS LA LIBERTAD DE LOS VIOLADORES POR BUENA CONDUCTA C�RCEL /CASTIGO A
TODOS LOS VIOLADORES.

EDUCACI�N SEXUAL PARA DECIDIR, ANTICONCEPTIVOS PARA NO ABORTAR. ABORTO LEGAL,
SEGURO Y GRATUITO PARA NO MORIR.

La
exitosa y amplia unidad se demostr� por medio de la convocatoria
realizada por las compa�eras de CONVERGENCIA DE IZQUIERDA, Asociaci�n
Civil Amas de Casa. CCC Corriente Clasista Combativa, ALDE Agrupaci�n
de Lucha por los Derechos de los Estudiantes- Escuela de Psicolog�a
Social de Rosario Dr. Enrique Pich�n Riviere, JCR -Juventud Comunista
Revolucionaria-, ATE - Asociaci�n de Trabajadores del Estado-, Juventud
Guevarista de Rosario, Pan y Rosas, Opini�n Socialista, Secretaria de
la Mujer del Centro de Estudiantes de Cs. M�dicas, TUPAC- Tendencia
Universitaria 29 de mayo; PRML Partido Revolucionario Marxista
Leninista, Socialismo Libertario, entre otras activistas independientes
de la facultad y de la militancia feminista. � menos








Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
www.es.netlog.com/ROQUEROGRETA
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas pr�cticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

ROSARIO: Marchamos  por la libertad de RominaLas mujeres trabajadoras -ocupadas
  y desocupadas en trabajo
formal- las amas de casa, las estudiantes, nos acercamos para brindar
la solidaridad con la lucha por liberar a Romina Tejerina el pasado
martes 24 de febrero, tras haberse cumplido el 23, seis años de prisión
de Romina.



La exitosa y amplia unidad se
demostró por medio de la convocatoria realizada por las compañeras de
Convergencia de Izquierda, Asociación Civil Amas de Casa. CCC –
Corriente Clasista Combativa, ALDE – Agrupación de Lucha por los
Derechos de los Estudiantes- Escuela de Psicología Social de Rosario
Dr. Enrique Pichón Riviere, JCR -Juventud Comunista Revolucionaria-,
ATE - Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado-, Juventud Guevarista de
Rosario, Pan y Rosas,Opinión Socialista, Secretaria de la Mujer del
Centro de Estudiantes de Cs. Médicas, TUPAC- Tendencia Universitaria 29
de mayo; PRML– Partido Revolucionario Marxista Leninista, Socialismo
Libertario, entre otras activistas independientes de la facultad y de
la militancia feminista.



LA PREVIA A MOVILIZAR[



  La fuerza de la convocatoria tomó dimensión en esta ciudad con la
presencia de Mirta Tejerina y de la mamá de Romina, Elvira, que en la
conferencia de prensa previa a la movilización, en la sede de ATE contó
con la presencia de prestigiosas representantes de las organizaciones
de Derechos Humanos - la presidente de la APDH Rosario, Norma Ríos y de
FAMILIARES DE DESAPARECIDOS Y DETENIDOS POR RAZONES POLÍTICAS ROSARIO: Paula y 
Elida Luna- Además al finalizar la conferencia, el secretario general de ATE
/CTARosario,
Jorge Acedo saludo la presencia de las familiares de Romina y las instó
a seguir en la lucha, manifestando su solidaridad y afirmando que "esta
es su casa también". Otra presencia que conmovió durante la conferencia
fue la mamá de Joana Lagos, que se hizo presente llamando a acompañar
la lucha para encarcelar al violador que sigue impune por Villa
Constitución (Llamaron a una actividad el 6 dde marzo) . - También hubo
mujeres del Centro de Estudiantes de la Facultad de Medicina, de la
UTN, del ISET18 entre otras.

Esta vez los medios de comunicación podemos decir claramente ¡Se
portaron! No hicieron preguntas inconducentes ni dolientes, sino claras.·1



PARA LA LIBERTAD DE ROMINA:

LA FUERZA DE LA UNIDAD



Concentramos, de a poquito ibamos llegando, frente a la sede de
Gobernación en Rosario (la ex jefatura de policía, con unos cuantos
oficiales adelante que no suelen estar) Allí aparecieron las demás
compañeras ·2 y juntas llegamos a ser una cuadra de larga, compacta columna y
unísona a los canticos de "Al
gobierno le exigimos, al gobierno le exigimos, cárcel a los violadores,
cárcel a los genocidas, aborto libre y gratuito, libertad para
Romina"..."Escuha Cristina, escuha Cristina, se mueren las mujeres por
aborto en Argentina" , y girabamos alrededor de donde los genocidas se llevaron
a cientos de compañeras ·3

Después de agitar fuertemente ante el gobierno binnerista/ K -
murieron dos compañeras en Rosario por abortos clandestinos- por
nuestros derechos y por la libertad de Romina como una rehén del
sistema patriarcal, de la connivencia entre el Estado capitalista (Los
gobernadores K, los jueces K, todos estos KK) ,y la Iglesia. Por eso el
fuerte grito de "Cárcel a los violadores" no es diferente de "Cárcel a
los Genocidas", ya que el amparo de los poderes todos hacia los
violadores suman las mafias corporizadas de la policía (que reprime a
los jóvenes pero protege a los violadores y a los asesinos), de los
jueces y fiscales ( se desentienden de las denuncias, encubren a los
golpeadores, inscriben la muerte de mujeres como casos pasionales, todo
lo remiten a policiales, al ocultamiento de la violencia doméstica)

Así, a paso firme llegamos a Plaza Pringles, con tres consignas
muy claras exigimos la libertad de la joven Romina a 6 años de su
encarcelamiento:



LIBERTAD A ROMINA TEJERINA.



REPUDIAMOS LA LIBERTAD DE LOS VIOLADORES POR BUENA CONDUCTA CÁRCEL /CASTIGO A
TODOS LOS VIOLADORES.



EDUCACIÓN SEXUAL PARA DECIDIR, ANTICONCEPTIVOS PARA NO ABORTAR. ABORTO LEGAL,
SEGURO Y GRATUITO PARA NO MORIR.





(Para resumir en el escenario cada organización presente que quizo expresarse
lo hizo, colgaré los audios en los próximos días)



RECONFORTANTE, PERO MUCHO POR ANDAR



Realmente quiero agradecerle a Mirta y Elvira , como toda su
familia que no bajaron los brazos por Romina Nunca. No es fácil, es un
caso donde todos los poderes pretenden señalarla como asesina, como una
vil y siniestra mujer, incluso el obispo jujeño la trata como si fuera
el demonio.
Y a mi modo personal, quiero decirle, no solo a Romina, que esto que hacemos es
por la libertad, este sistema de afuera y de
adentro no se arregla metiendo en la cárcel a los ladrones de gallinas
y a los chivos expiatorios de los negocios delictivos de los grandes.
Cada pisada en el suelo en una marcha, cada canción al viento y cada
acción que hacemos nos junta a las mujeres luchadoras por la igualdad
en un puño contra la opresión, contra la explotación. La figura no es
violenta, las que somos violentadas somos nosotras y el futuro de la
humanidad en manos de este sistema patriarcal y capitalista que
derrotaremos.





Greta Roquero 25/02/09





Gracias a los/as compañeros/as de prensa (Daniel,Maria, Ernesto,
Gustavo, Leo, Flor, Susana y todos los que colaboraron en difundir la
actividad!!)









SUGERENCIAS :ver notas:A seis años de la detención de Romina Tejerina: “es
una presa política”

Por Indymedia Rosario - Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at 1:39 AM

rosario@...

Rosario: Dos mujeres murieron por complicaciones de abortos ilegales

Por Fuente: La Capital - Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at 1:17 AM



Eloisa Chamorro. Tiene 18 años. de la Ciudad de Santa Fe. Desaparecio de su
hogar el lunes pasado.


La denuncia fue hecha en la Comisaria Sub 18, de la Regional primera.


Vestia remera blanca a rayas azules, yean celeste, zapatillas verdes, pesa 54 Kg
y mide 1,60, cabellos oscuros, ojos marrones.


Acompañaremos mañana a la mama al canal local para pedir por su
aparicion. Desde hoy (miercoles al mediodia)estamos junto a la mama de
Eloisa.


Hasta el momento, nada se sabe de Eloisa.


 


Recien mañana tendremos la fotografia, por eso no la enviamos, pero nos
parecia importante darles a conocer una nueva desaparicion.


 


Un abrazo.




   

 LAS DIVERSAS

www.lasdiversas. blogspot. com




Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
www.es.netlog.com/ROQUEROGRETA
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

ROSARIO: Marchamos  por la libertad de RominaLas mujeres trabajadoras -ocupadas
  y desocupadas en trabajo
formal- las amas de casa, las estudiantes, nos acercamos para brindar
la solidaridad con la lucha por liberar a Romina Tejerina el pasado
martes 24 de febrero, tras haberse cumplido el 23, seis años de prisión
de Romina.



La exitosa y amplia unidad se
demostró por medio de la convocatoria realizada por las compañeras de
Convergencia de Izquierda, Asociación Civil Amas de Casa. CCC –
Corriente Clasista Combativa, ALDE – Agrupación de Lucha por los
Derechos de los Estudiantes- Escuela de Psicología Social de Rosario
Dr. Enrique Pichón Riviere, JCR -Juventud Comunista Revolucionaria-,
ATE - Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado-, Juventud Guevarista de
Rosario, Pan y Rosas,Opinión Socialista, Secretaria de la Mujer del
Centro de Estudiantes de Cs. Médicas, TUPAC- Tendencia Universitaria 29
de mayo; PRML– Partido Revolucionario Marxista Leninista, Socialismo
Libertario, entre otras activistas independientes de la facultad y de
la militancia feminista.



LA PREVIA A MOVILIZAR[



  La fuerza de la convocatoria tomó dimensión en esta ciudad con la
presencia de Mirta Tejerina y de la mamá de Romina, Elvira, que en la
conferencia de prensa previa a la movilización, en la sede de ATE contó
con la presencia de prestigiosas representantes de las organizaciones
de Derechos Humanos - la presidente de la APDH Rosario, Norma Ríos y de
FAMILIARES DE DESAPARECIDOS Y DETENIDOS POR RAZONES POLÍTICAS ROSARIO: Paula y 
Elida Luna- Además al finalizar la conferencia, el secretario general de ATE
/CTARosario,
Jorge Acedo saludo la presencia de las familiares de Romina y las instó
a seguir en la lucha, manifestando su solidaridad y afirmando que "esta
es su casa también". Otra presencia que conmovió durante la conferencia
fue la mamá de Joana Lagos, que se hizo presente llamando a acompañar
la lucha para encarcelar al violador que sigue impune por Villa
Constitución (Llamaron a una actividad el 6 dde marzo) . - También hubo
mujeres del Centro de Estudiantes de la Facultad de Medicina, de la
UTN, del ISET18 entre otras.

Esta vez los medios de comunicación podemos decir claramente ¡Se
portaron! No hicieron preguntas inconducentes ni dolientes, sino claras.·1



PARA LA LIBERTAD DE ROMINA:

LA FUERZA DE LA UNIDAD



Concentramos, de a poquito ibamos llegando, frente a la sede de
Gobernación en Rosario (la ex jefatura de policía, con unos cuantos
oficiales adelante que no suelen estar) Allí aparecieron las demás
compañeras ·2 y juntas llegamos a ser una cuadra de larga, compacta columna y
unísona a los canticos de "Al
gobierno le exigimos, al gobierno le exigimos, cárcel a los violadores,
cárcel a los genocidas, aborto libre y gratuito, libertad para
Romina"..."Escuha Cristina, escuha Cristina, se mueren las mujeres por
aborto en Argentina" , y girabamos alrededor de donde los genocidas se llevaron
a cientos de compañeras ·3

Después de agitar fuertemente ante el gobierno binnerista/ K -
murieron dos compañeras en Rosario por abortos clandestinos- por
nuestros derechos y por la libertad de Romina como una rehén del
sistema patriarcal, de la connivencia entre el Estado capitalista (Los
gobernadores K, los jueces K, todos estos KK) ,y la Iglesia. Por eso el
fuerte grito de "Cárcel a los violadores" no es diferente de "Cárcel a
los Genocidas", ya que el amparo de los poderes todos hacia los
violadores suman las mafias corporizadas de la policía (que reprime a
los jóvenes pero protege a los violadores y a los asesinos), de los
jueces y fiscales ( se desentienden de las denuncias, encubren a los
golpeadores, inscriben la muerte de mujeres como casos pasionales, todo
lo remiten a policiales, al ocultamiento de la violencia doméstica)

Así, a paso firme llegamos a Plaza Pringles, con tres consignas
muy claras exigimos la libertad de la joven Romina a 6 años de su
encarcelamiento:



LIBERTAD A ROMINA TEJERINA.



REPUDIAMOS LA LIBERTAD DE LOS VIOLADORES POR BUENA CONDUCTA CÁRCEL /CASTIGO A
TODOS LOS VIOLADORES.



EDUCACIÓN SEXUAL PARA DECIDIR, ANTICONCEPTIVOS PARA NO ABORTAR. ABORTO LEGAL,
SEGURO Y GRATUITO PARA NO MORIR.





(Para resumir en el escenario cada organización presente que quizo expresarse
lo hizo, colgaré los audios en los próximos días)



RECONFORTANTE, PERO MUCHO POR ANDAR



Realmente quiero agradecerle a Mirta y Elvira , como toda su
familia que no bajaron los brazos por Romina Nunca. No es fácil, es un
caso donde todos los poderes pretenden señalarla como asesina, como una
vil y siniestra mujer, incluso el obispo jujeño la trata como si fuera
el demonio.
Y a mi modo personal, quiero decirle, no solo a Romina, que esto que hacemos es
por la libertad, este sistema de afuera y de
adentro no se arregla metiendo en la cárcel a los ladrones de gallinas
y a los chivos expiatorios de los negocios delictivos de los grandes.
Cada pisada en el suelo en una marcha, cada canción al viento y cada
acción que hacemos nos junta a las mujeres luchadoras por la igualdad
en un puño contra la opresión, contra la explotación. La figura no es
violenta, las que somos violentadas somos nosotras y el futuro de la
humanidad en manos de este sistema patriarcal y capitalista que
derrotaremos.





Greta Roquero 25/02/09





Gracias a los/as compañeros/as de prensa (Daniel,Maria, Ernesto,
Gustavo, Leo, Flor, Susana y todos los que colaboraron en difundir la
actividad!!)









SUGERENCIAS :ver notas:A seis años de la detención de Romina Tejerina: “es
una presa política”

Por Indymedia Rosario - Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at 1:39 AM

rosario@...

Rosario: Dos mujeres murieron por complicaciones de abortos ilegales

Por Fuente: La Capital - Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2009 at 1:17 AM



Eloisa Chamorro. Tiene 18 años. de la Ciudad de Santa Fe. Desaparecio de su
hogar el lunes pasado.


La denuncia fue hecha en la Comisaria Sub 18, de la Regional primera.


Vestia remera blanca a rayas azules, yean celeste, zapatillas verdes, pesa 54 Kg
y mide 1,60, cabellos oscuros, ojos marrones.


Acompañaremos mañana a la mama al canal local para pedir por su
aparicion. Desde hoy (miercoles al mediodia)estamos junto a la mama de
Eloisa.


Hasta el momento, nada se sabe de Eloisa.


 


Recien mañana tendremos la fotografia, por eso no la enviamos, pero nos
parecia importante darles a conocer una nueva desaparicion.


 


Un abrazo.




   

 LAS DIVERSAS

www.lasdiversas. blogspot. com


Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
www.es.netlog.com/ROQUEROGRETA
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

mi msn es

inventario_1917@... de prensa
Campaña por la Libertad de Romina Tejerina.

El martes 24 de febrero en  la Asociación de
Trabajadores del Estado (ATE) seccional Rosario, San Lorenzo  1879, a
las 10 hs
convocamos a una Conferencia de Prensa para anunciar  el pedido de
Libertad para la Joven Romina Tejerina. El panel contará con el
testimonio de su hermana Mirta Tejerina y de  organizaciones convocantes.

Cabe destacar la movilización se realizará a partir de las 18 hs desde
Plaza San Martín a plaza Pringles  para
exigir la libertad de Romina Tejerina.

   

  Esperamos contar con
su participación para dar a conocer porque Romina a seis años de su
encarcelamiento expresa la demanda del movimiento de mujeres que denuncia que
“mientras el violador está libre la justicia patriarcal se ensaña  a
través de la condena por 14 años con  Romina por ser una joven, mujer y
pobre”.

   

Este caso  expone el
silencio cómplice a los abusos y violaciones, a la necesidad de educación
sexual y las numerosas injusticias que viven miles de “rominas” en el mundo,
en
el País y en Rosario.





Otros casos similares pero con
fallos favorables a las mujeres que atraviesan estos traumas producto de la
violencia que se ejerce sobre nosotras, las mujeres (niñas y niños) son los
ejemplos en Neuquén, Entre Ríos
y Córdoba demuestran que el clamor popular ha triunfado.










Por eso proclamamos
  LIBERTAD A ROMINA TEJERINA. CÁRCEL A LOS
VIOLADORES.
EDUCACIÓN SEXUAL PARA DECIDIR, ANTICONCEPTIVOS PARA NO ABORTAR,
ABORTO LEGAL, SEGURO Y GRATUITO PARA NO MORIR.

   

CONVOCAN y Adhieren 



TUPAC-
Tendencia Universitaria 29 de mayo; PRML– Partido Revolucionario Marxista
Leninista, Convergencia de Izquierda, Asociación Civil Amas de Casa. CCC –
Corriente Clasista Combativa, ALDE – Agrupación de Lucha por los Derechos de
los Estudiantes- Escuela de Psicología Social de Rosario  Dr. Enrique Pichón
Riviere, JCR -Juventud
Comunista Revolucionaria-,Juventud Guevarista de Rosario, Opinión Socialista,
Multisectorial de mujeres , ATE -
Asociación de Trabajadores del Estado-, Secretaria de la
  Mujer del Centro de Estudiantes de Cs. Médicas  y siguen las firmas.
Prensa : GRETA ROQUERO
(0341)156 838170gdroquero@...



						 LIBERTAD A ROMINA




En
el marco de la campaña por la libertad de Romina Tejerina acercamos
este pequeño fragmento audiovisual - de imágenes del Encuentro de
Mujeres en Jujuy 2004 y en Mar del Plata 2005 - en Solidaridad con
Romina, su familia y todas las mujeres que luchan diariamente contra la
opresión y la injusticia hacia las mujeres.
El martes 24 de febrero de 2009 en Rosario MARCHAMOS desde Plaza San
Martín a las 18 hs a Plaza Pringles Córdoba y Paraguay.

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn:
  inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

One thing that still boggles my mind when it comes to the extreme
republicanism of Marx is: Why did he advocate elections for all public
officials?  I can understand the idea that they should all be subject
to recall, but wouldn't election fatigue creep in?

mi msn es

inventario_1917@... el blog de CS en Convergencia de
Izquierda


Tres a�os en las c�rceles kirchneristas. Libertad a los presos pol�ticos de Las
Heras


Dar�o Catrihuala, Juan Pablo Bilbao, Ram�n Cort�z, Alexis
P�rez (detenidos el 24/02/2006), Jos� Rosales (detenido el 10/03/2006)
y Humberto Gonz�lez (detenido el 02/11/2006) son los seis trabajadores
de Las Heras que se encuentran tras las rejas kirchneristas por haber
protagonizado hist�rica lucha en la provincia de San Cruz.


A principios de febrero del 2006 los trabajadores petroleros y los
de la UOCRA que ingresan a los yacimientos iniciaron un paro por tiempo
indeterminado para enfrentar al Impuesto a las Ganancias y buscando
mejoras salariales.


El por aquel entonces gobernador Sergio Acevedo (ex vice de N�stor Kirchner)
mand� a encarcelar al l�der de los trabajadores.

Cuando
Mario Navarro fue detenido una multitud de obreros, familiares y
habitantes de Las Heras protagonizaron una pueblada que conquist� la
liberaci�n del dirigente petrolero.


Frente a la Alcaid�a de Las Heras se produjeron enfrentamientos entre los
polic�as y los trabajadores.

El
saldo fue un polic�a muerte: Jorge Sayago. Por primera vez en muchos
a�os y muchas represiones, el ca�do era un integrante de la represi�n;
casi siempre los muertos, heridos y golpeados son los trabajadores y
los pobres que sufrimos el accionar del brazo armado del Estado.


La derrota de la huelga signific� un avance imparable de la represi�n. As� se
militarizaron los yacimientos y toda la regi�n.

Las
Heras se transform� en una ciudad con estado de sitio no declarado
formalmente, con la Gendarmer�a instalada en la vida cotidiana.


Las persecuciones, las detenciones y las violaciones a los derechos
humanos fueron y a�n son hoy en d�a una moneda corriente en Las Heras y
la zona.

Los seis compa�eros fueron encarcelados, torturados, despojados de sus trabajos
y acusados de la muerte del polic�a.


Las esposas, madres, hermanas e hijas apenas si logran sobrevivir,
luchando diariamente contra la pobreza y esforz�ndose por contener a
los presos.

Mientras que la esposa de Sayago (ascendido a
Comisario postmorten) recibe todo tipo de contenci�n del Estado y los
pol�ticos, las/os familiares de los presos enfrentan diariamente al
sistema judicial, pol�tico y econ�mico para poder liberar a los
compa�eros que siguen en las comisar�as.


Exigimos la libertad inmediata de los compa�eros as� como del resto
de los/as presos pol�ticos/as y el cese de la persecuci�n y
procesamiento a miles de luchadores y luchadoras.

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas pr�cticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

mi msn es

inventario_1917@...

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn:
  inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas pr�cticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Si no queres recibir mas estos mails manda a esta direccion un mensaje� que te
doy de bajaMuchas gracias
alejandro benedetti

www.cs.org.ar el blog de CS en Convergencia de Izquierda


23 de febrero 17:30 hs Casa de Jujuy marchemos todas/as por la libertad de
Romina Tejerina




Este 23 de febrero se cumplen 6 a�os del encarcelamiento a Romina.
A fines del a�o pasado se le neg� una vez m�s la posibilidad de
conmutar su pena y de salir a pasar las fiestas con su familia.

El
movimiento de mujeres y las organizaciones pol�ticas repudiamos este
accionar de la justicia y el poder pol�tico que la mantiene como reh�n.


El pr�ximo 23 nos movilizaremos por ella, porque creemos que
representa a las miles de mujeres v�ctimas de la opresi�n y explotaci�n
de este sistema patriarcal y capitalista que se ensa�a con las m�s
pobres.

Redoblemos la campa�a por la libertad de Romina Tejerina . El 23 de febrero
todas/os a la casa de Jujuy a las 17.30 hs.


Madres de Plaza de Mayo Linea
Fundadora, Carne clasista, Convergencia de Mujeres de Izquierda,
Plenario de Trabajadoras, Pan y Rosas, Las Rojas, CBL, Polo Obrero,
Convergencia de Izquierda, I.S., Socialismo Libertario, MAS, Partido
Obrero, PTS.


Campa�a por Romina

En el marco de la
campa�a nacional e internacional por la liberaci�n de Romina, el
plenario de delegados docentes de AMSAFE Rosario se pronuncio por esta
reivindicaci�n.

En la asamblea de delegados docentes de AMSAFE
Rosario realizada el 18 de febrero m�s de 120 de delegados de las
escuelas rosarinas ratificaron su apoyo firmando el petitorio por la
libertad de Romina Tejerina apelando a la Sra. presidenta de la Naci�n
, Dra. Cristina Fern�ndez de Kirchner y al Sr. Gobernador de la
provincia de Jujuy Dr. Walter Barrionuevo (ver petitorio).


El jueves 18 de febrero se realiza en la seccional de ATE de
Rosario una reuni�n para impulsar la actividad del movimiento de
mujeres, coordinando una acci�n al cumplirse este 23 de febrero 6 a�os
de encarcelamiento injusto, y tambi�n la convocatoria ser� para
coordinar acciones para profundizar la campa�a por la libertad de
Romina.


El otro tema de la reuni�n es coordinar acciones en el marco del pr�ximo 8 de
marzo, D�a internacional de la mujer trabajadora.

Petitorio de la Campa�a por Romina:

Sra. presidenta de la Naci�n , Dra. Cristina Fern�ndez de Kirchner

Sr. Gobernador de la provincia de Jujuy Dr. Walter Barrionuevo

Las/os
abajo firmantes, apelamos a la facultad que le otorga su investidura
para que disponga por medio de la misma, la libertad de Romina
Tejerina, quien cumplir� el pr�ximo 23 de febrero seis a�os de su
injusta condena y encarcelamiento.


A pesar de su tragedia, Romina ha terminado el secundario y se dispone a seguir
estudiando una carrera universitaria.

La
consideramos una v�ctima de esa violencia multifac�tica que se ejerce
tanto en la Argentina como en distintos lugares del mundo.


Respecto de otros casos similares, mientras los �ltimos fallos en
Neuqu�n, Entre R�os y C�rdoba demuestran que el clamor popular ha
triunfado.

Por otra parte, en el caso de Romina ni siquiera se
cumple con tratados internacionales a los que Argentina adhiere a favor
de la protecci�n a las mujeres de los flagelos, que como en �ste caso,
victimizan doblemente a las mujeres: por ser mujeres y pobres.


Para que no contin�e consum�ndose LA INJUSTICIA Romina tiene que estar en
libertad.


Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn: inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas pr�cticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

www.cs.org.ar el blog de CS en Convergencia de Izquierda


Beica y Martino concurrirán al INADI para reclamar el cese de la demanda
presentada por ese organismo contra ambos


Ambos dirigentes, querellados por el INADI por una supuesta
violación de la ley antidiscriminatoria, (en una causa radicada en el
juzgado del doctor Oyarbide) concurrirán mañana jueves a las 12 horas
al INADI (Moreno 750) para entrevistarse con sus autoridades,
reclamándoles el cese de la demanda.


Beica y Martino estarán acompañados por el Sheik Abdala Madani,
Autoridad Máxima Religiosa de la Asociación Argentino Islámica,
representantes de la Asociación Árabe Argentina Islámica, de distintas
entidades árabes y palestinas y de la mayoría de los partidos de
izquierda, como el Partido Obrero, MST, PTS, etc.


Adjuntamos el escrito que presentará la delegación en el INADI:
Buenos Aires, 19 de febrero de 2009
Sra. Presidenta
Inst. Nac. Contra la Discriminación
La Xenofobia y el Racismo
Dra. María José Lubertino
S / D

Atento
las expresiones que ha vertido Ud. ante la prensa con motivo de las
movilizaciones llevadas a cabo en el Hotel Intercontinental, la sede de
la Amia – por encontrarse allí Yoav Bar-On, director del departamento
de América Latina de la cancillería israelí - y el escrache efectuado a
Eduardo Elsztain – Tesorero del Consejo Judío Mundial - realizado por
los abajo firmantes; así como la presentación ante la justicia llevada
adelante por el Instituto que preside para su investigación, le hacemos
llegar nuestro reclamo en cuanto a la necesidad de su inmediata
intervención para que cese la persecución político-ideológica sobre
nuestros militantes y el resto de las organizaciones sociales de la
Nación por constituir una flagrante violación a la Ley 23.592 para la
penalización de actos discriminatorios.

Asimismo, manifestamos nuestra preocupación en torno a las
relaciones con las entidades judías que representan las posiciones
diplomáticas del Estado de Israel, respecto de los antecedentes y
cuestiones que se detallan a continuación:


I.- Es incuestionable que el sionismo utilizó a las Naciones Unidas
para la creación del Estado de Israel, a expensas de los derechos
inalienables del pueblo palestino. Pero una vez obtenida la Resolución
de la ONU Nro. 181/II de 1947 para la partición de Palestina que
posibilitaría la existencia del Estado judío, Israel avanzó en su
política guerrerista y expansionista contra las naciones árabes vecinas
y en particular de Palestina incluso más allá de las resoluciones de la
propia ONU, avasallando así los más elementales derechos humanos de sus
habitantes.


Luego, el estado genocida de Israel ha desoído innumerables
Resoluciones posteriores de la ONU que lo conminaban a cesar la
ocupación territorial, la instalación de colonias, el ataque a la
población civil, la aplicación de torturas a los palestinos
secuestrados en campos de concentración como el Ansar I y II y la
deportación forzada de personas.

Entre algunas de las principales resoluciones, figuran: la 181/II,
que los sionistas violaron al crear el estado con el 78 % del sector
occidental de Jerusalem, y no el 55% otorgado por la ONU; como las
número 242 del CS del 22/11/1967; 2672 (XXV) del 8/12/1970; 2727 (XXV)
del 15/2/1970; 298 del CS del 25/9/1971; 2787 (XXVI) del 6/12/1971;
2799 (XXVI); 2949 (XXVII) del 8/12/1972; 3175 (XXVII) del 17/12/1973;
la 478 del 20/8/1988 del CS que le exige a Israel, la potencia
ocupante, no convertir a Jerusalem en su capital y le pide a los países
miembros no reconocer Jerusalem capital israelí y mantener sus misiones
en Tel Aviv. Las 45/74 del 11/12/1990; 681 del CS del 20/12/1990;
49/149 del 23/12/1994 y 51/190 del 13/12/1996. Y, esencialmente las
últimas resoluciones del Consejo de Seguridad: 1397 del 12/3/2002; 1515
del 19/11/2003; 1850 del 26/11/2008 y la 1860 del 9 de enero 2009.
Todas estas fueron apoyadas por la Argentina y al mismo tiempo violadas
por la potencia ocupante.


Por otra parte la agresión militar contra civiles que la potencia
ocupante denominó Plomo Fundido, una guerra unilateral contra el Pueblo
Palestino, contradice flagrantemente los Tratados Internacionales
suscriptos por nuestro país, alguno de los cuales detentan jerarquía
constitucional, como la Declaración Universal de los Derechos Humanos
que asimismo contempla "recurso de la rebelión contra la tiranía y la
opresión" y que resulta aplicable "tanto si se trata de un país
independiente, como de un territorio bajo administración fiduciaria, no
autónomo o sometido a cualquier otra limitación de soberanía"; la
Declaración Americana de los Derechos y Deberes del Hombre; la
Convención Americana sobre Derechos Humanos; el Pacto Internacional de
Derechos Económicos, Sociales y Culturales que además reconoce el
derecho de los Pueblos a su autodeterminación; el Pacto Internacional
de Derechos Civiles y Políticos; la Convención para la Prevención y
Sanción del Delito de Genocidio; la Convención Internacional sobre la
eliminación de todas las formas de discriminación racial; la Convención
Contra la Tortura y otros tratos o penas crueles, inhumanos o
degradantes y la Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño.


En este sentido y tal como se desprende de lo expuesto en los
párrafos precedentes coincidimos plenamente con las consideraciones que
Ud. Misma vertiera ante la prensa en el sentido de que "Israel violó el
Derecho Internacional y esto se le volvió en contra".


II.- Los bombardeos en la Franja de Gaza han despertado la
indignación internacional y casi todos los pueblos repudiaron de
diversas formas las acciones militares del Israel que tuvieron como
principal objetivo a la población civil que habita ese pequeño
territorio en flagrante violación de lo dispuesto por el IV Convenio de
Ginebra.


Las bombas de fósforo blanco y las bombas tipo racimo, que se
agregan a la acción genocida que desarrolla la potencia ocupante de
Israel desde el momento mismo de su creación hasta nuestros días sobre
el territorio del Pueblo Palestino, implican una abierta violación al
Protocolo I Adicional a los Convenios de Ginebra definidos en el mismo
como Crímenes de Guerra.


Frente a la inacción de la comunidad internacional la solidaridad
de los pueblos hizo sentir su voz. Fue en ese contexto que nuestras
organizaciones llevaron adelante las manifestaciones cuestionadas por
la DAIA y algunos de los miembros de los "Familiares y Amigos de
Víctimas del Atentado a la Amia".


III.- En nuestro país desde el comienzo mismo de los bombardeos
sobre la población civil que habita la Franja de Gaza se multiplicaron
las expresiones de condena a la bárbara agresión Israelí tomando la
forma de manifestaciones populares, notas periodísticas, solicitadas,
etc.


Cabe señalar que todas estas expresiones se realizaron al amparo de
nuestro derecho constitucional a manifestarnos, peticionar a las
autoridades y ejercer nuestro más elemental derecho al ejercicio de la
libertad de pensamiento y de expresión (art. 13 del Pacto de San José
de Costa Rica, con rango constitucional de acuerdo al art. 75 inc. 22
de nuestra Carta Magna), incluidas por supuesto aquellas por las que se
nos acusa inadmisiblemente de "antisemitas".


Estas acciones no subsanan las omisiones del gobierno nacional del
que esperábamos una respuesta alineada a la adoptada por la hermanas
Repúblicas Bolivariana de Venezuela y Bolivia al disponer la ruptura de
las relaciones diplomáticas con el genocida estado israelí y su
política sionista, sumándose así a la decisión del Gobierno Cubano
tomada en el marco de la Conferencia de Países No Alineados
desarrollada en Argel en 1973.


IV.- Como consecuencia del generalizado repudio de la sociedad
argentina a la barbarie del ocupante Israelí, entendemos se ha
orquestado una campaña desde la embajada israelí en nuestro país,
violando el respeto a la no ingerencia interna, contra las
organizaciones populares (organizaciones sociales y religiosas de la
comunidad árabe, partidos políticos, organizaciones de derechos
humanos, sindicatos, movimientos sociales etc.).


En verdad nuestra Nación – en particular quienes realizamos esta
presentación - no somos la excepción a la habitual estrategia de la
cancillería Israelí frente a las legítimas manifestaciones de los
pueblos contra su política criminal, a través de sus embajadas y
voceros menores. Cada vez que el sionismo viola el derecho
internacional público acusan a cualquier demostración de repudio de
representar un "peligro antisemita".


Pero cómo podría ser antisemita una marcha a favor del pueblo árabe
que es justamente semita y donde además habían concurrido compañeros
judíos? La verdadera intención de las huestes sionistas en la Argentina
es confundir antisionismo con antisemitismo.


¿Cuáles fueron las palabras pronunciadas o los hechos realizados en
esos actos que puedan tildarse de antisemitas? Debe tenerse presente
que una de nuestras principales consignas rezaba "Judaísmo no es
sionismo".


Resulta pertinente, entonces, recordar las apreciaciones que ha hecho
sobre el sionismo la propia ONU en su Resolución 3379, aprobada el 10 de
noviembre de 1975, cuando equiparó al sionismo como expansionista y racista,
política similar a la del apartheid sudafricano
y llamó a su eliminación. La resolución —que era de carácter
declarativo y no vinculante—, referencia frecuente en los debates sobre
sionismo y racismo, fue anulada vergonzosamente por la resolución 4686 del 16
de diciembre de 1991, sin fundamentar los motivos en apenas en 3 líneas y,
fundamentalmente, por la presión del lobby judío estadounidense.


Esta vez la cosa se ha pasado de la línea y la campaña sionista
constituye una inadmisible intromisión en los asuntos internos de
nuestro país y una persecución política contra quienes repudiamos,
también, el Holocausto Palestino.


Resulta pertinente la observación porque la ha tocado de cerca ¿por
qué la DAIA y la AMIA tuvieron que desmentir que pidieran su renuncia,
Dra. Lubertino, por haberse expresado a favor del imperio del Derecho
Internacional que posibilita la convivencia entre las naciones?


Sumemos a ello la presencia del embajador israelí en el "acto de
desagravio" de la AMIA (Asociación Mutual Israelita Argentina), al que
fueron convocados sólo miembros de la comunidad judía, avalando que se
acuse de nazis o antisemitas a las organizaciones sociales y políticas
que el día anterior repudiaron en su sede la presencia de Yoav Bar-On,
director del departamento de América Latina de la cancillería israelí,
quien dio una conferencia preparada por la Organización Sionista
Argentina con el título "Israel frente a la guerra en Gaza".


La campaña a la que nos referimos alcanzó su punto máximo con la
denuncia cursada por Ud. contra Juan Carlos Beica y Roberto Martino -
dirigentes de Convergencia de Izquierda y la Coordinadora Guevarista
Internacionalista respectivamente - por presuntos dichos antisemitas
que rápidamente se trasformó en una denuncia penal contra los mismos.


Ello sin contar que ya están investigando a quienes extender su
persecución en vez de denunciar a los que propician el holocausto
palestino.

V.- Entendemos que lo hasta aquí expuesto amerita que
efectuemos ante Ud, en su carácter de Presidenta del INADI, una
denuncia por la violación al art. 1 de la ley 23.592 sufridos por
nuestras organizaciones y en particular los Sres. Juan Carlos Beica y
Roberto Martino.


En efecto, resulta de público conocimiento que se ha intentado
arbitrariamente impedir el pleno ejercicio de los derechos y garantías
fundamentales reconocidos en la Constitución Nacional por medio de
actos discriminatorios que intentan criminalizar la libertad de
pensamiento y expresión.


Ello así por cuanto tales actos tienden a silenciar nuestra opinión
política respecto de los sucesos de Gaza y perseguirnos
ideológicamente, ello sin dejar de resaltar que dada la composición
social y económica de muchos de nuestros militantes sociales los han
hecho víctimas de la burla descarada de operadores mediáticos o
directamente de la representación diplomática del Estado Ocupante de
Israel cuando para referirse a nuestras posiciones nos tildan de
"ignorantes", "burros" y "antisemitas". Siendo todos ellos términos
descalificantes, calumniosos e injuriosos.


Como hemos detallado a lo largo de la presente los actos en el
Hotel Intercontinental y las oficinas del Sr. Elsztain se llevaron a
cabo por su condición de Tesorero del Consejo Mundial Judío,
organización que ha protagonizado innumerables escándalos de corrupción
y malversación de fondos, pero sobre todo ha desplegado un obsceno
racismo anti-árabe. No por la religión que practica.


Lo mismo puede decirse respecto al mencionado director del
departamento de América Latina de la cancillería israelí - Yoav Bar-On
-, quien pretendió en su conferencia justificar el genocidio en Gaza
llamándolo "guerra", y de los dirigentes de la DAIA y de la AMIA,
quienes en julio de 2006 viajaron a Israel a solidarizarse (en nombre
del pueblo argentino!!) con el gobierno israelí en la invasión contra
el Líbano.


Finalmente, estamos al tanto de proyectos de ley tendientes a
reprimir la negación del Holocausto judío, el Genocidio Armenio y el
Terrorismo de Estado en la Argentina - el que, reiteramos, contó con el
apoyo del sionismo israelí -. Apoyamos la iniciativa pero sumamos a
ella el reconocimiento del Genocidio Palestino, en la seguridad de que
ello será más fácil con su intermediación.


VI.- Por todo lo expuesto solicitamos:

El desagravio a las
organizaciones y ciudadanos argentinos respecto de las discriminatorias
afirmaciones vertidas por el embajador israelí en la Argentina, los
representantes de la AMIA y la DAIA, y demás voceros del sionismo en
nuestra patria.

Se intime a los responsables de la AMIA y la DAIA, y todas la demás
instituciones y/o personas que de acuerdo a las investigaciones que
lleve a cabo el INADI cometieran los actos de discriminación
denunciados para que den las explicaciones pertinentes.

Presentación ante la justicia por parte del INADI para que se
investiguen los actos de discriminación violatorios de la ley 23592,
motivo de la presente.
El INADI debe retirar las presentaciones y/o acusaciones que realizó
ante distintos juzgados, de manera que cese inmediatamente el proceso
iniciado contra Juan Carlos Beica y Roberto Martino a la luz de los
hechos denunciados.

La presentación por parte del INADI de un proyecto de ley que reconozca el
genocidio Palestino y condene a quienes lo nieguen.

Alejandro Benedetti
Mora Nin
Prensa
Convergencia de Izquierda
www.cs.org.ar
msn:
  inventario_1917@...
Cel: 0341156838170
Argentina














       Yahoo! Cocina
Recetas prácticas y comida saludable
http://ar.mujer.yahoo.com/cocina/

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Note to other readers:  Wood is referring to the
project described at: http://AttentionRefinery.com


hi there Wood,

First, many thanks for your thoughtful comments on the Attention
Refinery.  I think about the Attention Refinery just about every
day--but my life is, unfortunately, so chaotic that I have no
time except (on occasion) to scribble a few notes on a file card.

> Now all we need is a server and somebody who can write
> computer code.

I have the programming background to create a crude but functioning
version--but lack the time to do so.  There are very powerful
things that can be done when we make it easy for users to create
tables because these will, essentially, function as part of a data
base.  We will use data bases for all kinds of things: collecting
info about people, articles, publications, organizations, tasks,
competing projects, good posts and ratings of various kinds, etc.

My idea is to create (maybe next year?) a functioning version of
the Attention Refinery.  Once we have a few people who use it--I
believe that we will be able to find professional developers who
will donate their time to rewrite the project using solid and
professional design principles, methods and software.

I have not had time to fully read your comments yet (I have printed
out and will read/digest soon).  I hope to have some comments in
reply later this month after I have carefully read yours.  In the
meantime--I have one key question--how (if you remember) did you
find out about the Attention Refinery project?

Sincerely and revolutionary regards,
Ben Seattle
http://struggle.net/ben/


-----Original Message-----
From: consa_04
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 6:27 PM
To: pof-200@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [pof-200] Hello from wood consa

Dear Ben,

The attention refinery is a great idea. It needs to get done. Before I
saw it, I'd been thinking of trying to set up a leftists' version of
Wikipedia. The main problem with Wikipedia in my opinion is that it's
flooded with bourgeois ideology. People read something in mainstream
publications or the media and dutifully put it into Wikipedia,
thinking they're doing everybody a favour. The capitalist
culture-ideology industry is so big and dominant that this kind of
transfer swamps out intelligent, independent-minded contributions to
the encyclopedia. So the great communal semi-anarchic
information-sharing wiki project is actually written by professional
bourgeois ideologists one step removed. I don't think Wikipedia's
founders intended to create a Trojan horse or a big conservative
bullshit-and-mystification machine but, to a considerable extent, that
is what has happened.

By the way, if you really want to get sick, look at the policies that
have been adopted at Wikipedia on references and the notability of
sources. In theory at least, everything in Wikipedia is supposed to be
referenced; and now you find out that the only thing that they
consider to be good references are publications from major capitalist
publishing houses or university presses. Anything else is treated as
iffy, a curiosity, a "point of view", rather than solid (capitalist
elite) "truth".

I think something better could be done. My idea was to start a wiki
encyclopedia with an expressly leftist editorship, a considerably more
open policy as to what is acceptable content, and some other
differences. Then I came across your attention refinery idea and it
incorporates much of what I was thinking of, plus a bit. So I am quite
enthusiastic about your proposal.

I think that "proprietary articles plus filtering" is a good core
recipe for the project. Aside from what I said above about Wikipedia,
I'm starting to feel that any given wiki article usually suffers from
the "if the whole world painted a picture it would be grey" syndrome.
They tend to be chaotic and suffer from the lack of one directing mind.

So I think a network of proprietary articles is the way to go. (By
proprietary, I mean editable by only one user, or only by people she
approves of.) What I envision is a universe of proprietary article
writers, all gleefully ripping each other off, each taking what she
considers to be the best pieces of her comrades' work and assembling
them into something stupendous in her own user-space.

The problem then becomes, how does someone confronting this
mountainous hive find the best article, or at least one of the best
articles, on a given subject? And the answer, which you have already
hit upon, is filtering.

The basis of a filtering system is to have people rate articles, say
on a scale of minus four to plus four. But a straightforward rating
system, where an article's rating is just the average of the ratings
everybody has given it, is almost ueless for a variety of reasons. For
one thing, people are going to cheat, and make multiple user accounts
so they can vote more than once on an article. Also, some people are
going to be hostile to the project, and attmpt sabotage by voting
intentionally stupidly. Also, from th point of view of any given
reader, you don't care what everybody thinks of an article, you care
what people you respect think of it.

One kind of filter that takes care of these problems is an "only show
ratings from people I trust" filter. Each person who wants to find
information within the refinery would select a set of users who, in
her opinion, have tended to vote sensibly and intelligently on
articles, or who she likes for some other reason. Then she could
specify, when she does a search or looks at an article, that only
ratings made by those people are displayed with the article, or
computed in the search ranking.

(I realise that I am probably repeating stuff you have already thought
of here. I hope you don't think this is stupid. I want to present a
somewhat clear picture of my own conception of this thing, even if
it's not very original.)

We could also allow users to form voluntary associations for the
purpose of rating articles. The ratings that an association comes up
with would have the same status as the ratings made by an individual
user, and a person could put the association's name on her "raters
that I trust" list just like the name of any other user.

A sophistication that we might try is allowing people to assign
weights to raters on her "raters that I trust" list, so that some
raters' opinions would, for her, count more than others.

A service that we could provide for users would be to allow a user to
punch in the name of any other user, and our software would tell her
how closely that user's voting has correllated with her own. For
instance, if, on aticles they have both rated, their ratings have
tended to be similar, that would be a high correlation. If dissimilar,
a low correlation. This service would help a person to locate people
to put on her "raters that I trust" list.

Possibly, we could make available, to each user, a list of all other
users ranked according to their correlation to her. This would require
a lot of computation; maybe we would only update the lists every six
months or something.

I think a person should probably be enabled to have more than one
"raters that I trust" list. She might want one for people she agrees
with, another for people whose intelligence she respects but doesn't
necessarily agree with, another for proponents of some point of view
that is antithetical to her own, just so she can see what they think,
. . . etc. She would choose whichlist she wants to employ at a given
time.

These are some filter ideas. Others are possible. I think you have
suggested that multiple types of filters could be made available to
each user. That is an enticing possibility.

Now all we need is a server and somebody who can write computer code.

By the way, I looked at Google Knol. It doesn't do what we want.

1. It has no filter.

2. It wants contributors to identify themselves. For people who are
going to contribute the kind of material we are hoping for, this is
too exposing and risky. We need to protect anonymity for those who
want it.

3. it is f' ing Google. If you give any credence to Marx's concept
that human systems' behaviour are largely determined by economics, you
have to look at it this way: Google is basically an advertising firm;
that's where they get their money. Their manager was appointed by the
venture capital firm that financed them. How much revolution is going
to come out of a place like that?

4. It expresses no revolutionary consciousness. (I guess this is
related to point 3, above.) I'm in favour of letting just about
anybody contribute but the site should let it be known that we're
trying to raise consciousness and promote social change. People are
going to realise that anyway, when they find out that you, good sir,
are behind the thing. Setting the tone may actually be quite important
in determining how people use the site, how things unfold.

We need to get about 30 to 50 percent of the population definitely
convinced that capitalism is messing the world up and needs to be done
away with. That requires "information war", or, more broadly,
convincing. That is the present task. It may seem like a pie in the
sky target at present, but it is simply the unavoidable objective that
must be achieved. Communism requires the goodwill of the people in it;
it can not be imposed. If somethig succeeds by coup d'etat but without
popular support, it may call itself communism but it can't possibly be
communism. So that 30 - 50 percent is a precondition to any kind of
power move. That's what we have to get -- that's the job.

I added the following important postscript to my message when I sent it out to
further places yesterday,
and thought those of you who just received and read the previous
message (included below) would appreciate seeing this too. It is
important for left-wing activists to oppose Islamic fundamentalist
ideas. This doesn't mean we shouldn't unite and discuss with Muslims;
indeed, it was only by discussing with one of them that I found out
that he believes you need to obey God to go to heaven!!! How do you
know what God wants you to do - this presumably means obeying the
Imam!!! In my opinion, if there is a God (and I am fairly convinced
there was one once even if there isn't now), she would be a very good
god and prefer people who think for themselves and try to do good in
the world rather than those who have blind faith. To be controversial
(which is nothing new!) I suggest that the Koran gives a more complete
view of society than the Bible (perhaps only due to it being written
later) leading to bad Muslims being particularly bad (Jewish
fundamentalists, i.e. Zionists, don't do suicide bombings, nor do
Christian fundamentalists in the Bible Belt of the USA) but good
Muslims (particularly female ones) being very good - and I've tended to
fall in love with good Muslims lately...



There were only 8-10 people on the protest outside the BBC
yesterday, compared with 25 and 40 when I went before, so calling for a
march to Granada studios was clearly pointless. Besides, I missed a
Greater Manchester Stop the War Coalition meeting earlier that evening,
which could have been a better place to raise the idea of an ITV
protest, but there were only 10 present there too (poorly publicised by
the Socialist Workers Party (SWP) or poor morale due to the recent
faction fighting in that party and their failure to grow in a period of
massive economic crisis methinks). Also, whereas the previous protests
had been quite inclusive, this was clearly dominated by the Muslim
Association of Britain (MAB) - their placards appeared for the first
time and two male Muslims hogged the microphone. It was actually a
female member of MAB who told me about the protests, and she had far
more charisma leading the chants making protesting far more enjoyable -
but I'm almost certain that she is on the convoy to Gaza. I may turn up
for BBC protests occasionally while the convoy is on its way to Gaza
and back, but I'll wait until it returns before making much of aneffort to
attend them...

I was involved in an interesting discussion with two other
protestors I already knew and a male MAB member (clearly an Islamic
fundamentalist) came over. He claimed that the Holocaust was committed
by Zionists (Jewish fundamentalists) against other Jews! The idea of
Jews running most/all organisations in society is a fascist myth and I
responded by loudly accusing MAB of being infiltrated by the British
National Party (BNP)! Two BNP members did infiltrate the SWP a few
years back, but in retrospect that idea is a bit ridiculous. More
credible would be a different fascist organisation, the National
Revolutionary Faction (which is supposedly now defunct but after a bit
of web browsing I discovered they still exist but in a more undercover
form). I recovered the contents of a web page (from their own website)
describing their strategy of long-term infiltration (involving several
different layers) and put it on my website as
http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/nrf.txt.

I did blurt out about this MAB member putting forward BNP ideas,
which in retrospect I realised was wrong - they generally claim that
the Holocaust didn't happen, that some Jews died but not in gas
chambers, or that the claim of six million is an exaggeration. I
visited Auschwitz and saw a huge number of bones there; a page of mine
partly about it with a picture of some of the bones
(http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk/manifesto/large7.htm) gets a lot of
hits. Don't believe the fascist or Islamic fundamentalist lies! [Also,
bear in mind that the Nazis were funded by big business to stop a
socialist revolution, and socialists, communists and trade unionists
were targetted first by the Nazis. They called themselves "national
socialists" but murdered many of the genuine socialists in their ranksin the
Night of the Long Knives.]

Incidentally, I'm a quarter Jewish and have some German Jews in my
ancestry - and some of their descendents would undoubtedly have diedin the
Holocaust. Those Muslims who are anti-semitic, blaming all Jews for attrocities
committed by some of them, are being countered bypeople like myself (and a fully
Jewish woman who turned up last night) who attend demos organised on a broad
basis and organisations likeJews for Justice for Palestinians (www.jfjfp.org).



________________________________
From: Steve Wallis <revolutionarysocialiststeve@...>
Sent: Sunday, 15 February
Subject: ITV News censorship of aid convoy to Gaza


I've
recently started attending demonstrations outside the BBC studios in
Manchester (Oxford Road, 5.30-6.30pm every night) against BBC
bureaucrats' decision not to screen the Disasters Emergency Committee
(www.dec.org.uk)
appeal for humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza after the Israeli
invasion which caused 100 Palestinian deaths (including many women and
children) for every Israeli killed.

When
I arrived on Friday, a fire engine siren was going on and was rather
mystified - until I noticed that it was leading a convoy to take aid to
Gaza from the Manchester area. The police forced the siren to be turned
off after a bit, but it certainly caused a stir! I later discovered
that this fire engine is being donated to the Gazan people by the Fire
Brigades Union (FBU). I didn't count the number of vehicles in the
convoy, most of which were cars (although one news item suggested that
there were many ambulances) but would estimate 15-20 just from
Manchester. This was part of a convoy of about 110 vehicles with
activists (primarily left-wingers and Muslims) from across Britain, via
France, Spain, Portugal and North Africa to Gaza, delivering �1 million
raised by these and other activists (or from the Viva Palestina website
at http://www.vivapalestina.org/donations.htm). I have just checked that page
and noted that they are trying to raise another �50,000 before the convoy
reaches Egypt.

Anyway,
as many of you will be aware due to TV, internet or newspaper reports,
part of the convoy (the North West region) was stopped on a motorway
and nine of the activists were arrested (and three charged) with
alleged terrorism offences. I wouldn't like to comment on those
allegations, but some were apparently being tracked by the security
services, which is clearly a much better way to defeat terrorism than
the use of torture - which results in a lot of false information from
those who'll say anything to get it to stop (and I've been tortured by
police handcuffs as I reveal on my socialist website -
www.socialiststeve.me.uk).
New US president Barack Obama has not only ordered the closure of
Guant�namo Bay, but all of the secret CIA detention centres around the
world to which terrorist suspects (or those deliberately framed) have
been taken to undergo torture via the process of "extraordinary
rendition". [He also ended the policy of the US government refusing to
support any organisations who provided any sort of support for women
who want an abortion, showing that he is also dedicated to women's
rights.] In my opinion, Obama was taking advantage of the massive
momentum and goodwill towards him, including the 2 million people who
witnessed his inaugaration, to get such good bills passed in the first
few days of taking office before other members of his administration.
Hillary Clinton and Joe Biden have apparently made hawkish comments in
contrast to Obama's apparent willingness to negotiate with Iran which
could play a major problems in solving conflict between people of
different religions in the Middle East and throughout the world. Obama
is far to the left of Tony Blair, but even Blair's government managed
to negotiate peace in Northern Ireland.

On
Friday's protest, some demonstrators were chanting "Barack, Barack,
terrorist, terrorist", which is an appalling mistake - clearly put
forward by ultra-left Marxists (the CPGB put "World's #1 terrorist"
with a picture of Barack Obama on the front page of their Weekly Worker
newspaper before he'd even had a chance to make his inaugaration speech
never mind do anything as president) and Islamic fundamentalists
(al-Qaeda put out a video saying they wantd John McCain to win the US
presidential election "because he was better at Jihad", tactically
released after it took place). I chanted "Hero, Hero" very loudly to
try to drown out the "Terrorist" chants.

A
15 year old girl I talked to at a benefit for Gaza yesterday afternoon
(some children were making cards for people in Gaza and I joined in,
including the lyrics of my song "9/11 Inside Job" which I thought they
may like to know about, and perhaps hear/download from www.red-day.net if they
could get to an internet cafe which would almost certainly
require them going through the apartheid wall to Israel) told me she
was boycotting BBC programmes completely as a result of them refusing
to show the appeal. This is a very bad idea, because there are many
well-intentioned people working for the BBC who have nothing to do with
that decision, producing great programmes like the Horizon programme on
dreams which say a lot about how the mind works - I strongly recommend
people living in the UK to play/download it from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b00hnc9n/Horizon_Why_Do_We_Dream/ before
it expires on Tuesday. I intend to write a message soon about how this
programme provides scientific justification for my Good Intentions
Manifesto (in short - whether you are good or bad depends a lot on
whether you have dreams in REM or non-REM sleep (or both), the former
being negative ones and the latter being positive ones).

Anyway,
as suggested by the subject of this message, ITV news last night (at
10pm) censored the news of police arresting people in the convoy,
mentioning the terrorism charges and showing a picture of the convoy
from a distance, but not saying anything about their presence in a
convoy, and certainly nothing about taking aid to Gaza. In contrast,
there were much longer items on the BBC news at both 5pm and 10.30pm,
and it was the first item on the North West news too - all of which
mentioned that they were taking aid to Gaza and the organisers, Viva
Palestina, which would of course enable people to search the web to
find out about it and perhaps donate further aid.

This
is not to say that targetting the BBC is wrong (in fact, it is a
brilliant strategy in Manchester since many people see us in the rush
hour on a very busy street). However, BBC news people are different
from those who took that appalling decision, and our protests have
probably led to them acting more favourably to our cause. I suggest
however, that we should also occasionally target ITV with protests too!
I will in fact suggest to demonstrators in Manchester tonight that we
march off at the end of a BBC protest to Granada studios at some point
in the fairly near future (allowing time to produce placards and
publicise the event). I'll print out this email to hand out to
distribute to other protesters, as well as talking to them.

I
received an email today saying that you can get messages about how the
convoy is progressing using the Twitter social networking site (a sort
of blog but with a 140 character limit to each message and the ability
to update it with mobile phone mssages). As it happens, I signed up at
Twitter on Thursday and put quite a bit there already (a mixture of
political points, what I'm doing politically in Manchester and my
social/love life - quite a bit about that since it was Valentine's Day
yesterday). Go to www.twitter.com to sign up and then
www.twitter.com/georgegallowayfor the convoy updates (by Respect MP George
Galloway) or www.twitter.com/socialiststeve for my "super-blog". [Or you can go
directly to George's or my pages without signing up to Twitter if you prefer.]

--
Steve Wallis (Manchester, England)
Preferred email address: revolutionarysocialiststeve@...
Super-blog: http://www.twitter.com/socialiststeve
Other blogs: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/steve-wallis-socialist-blog,
http://blog.myspace.com/galaxiasteve
My socialist website: http://www.socialiststeve.me.uk
My pages at Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1038291480,
MySpace:http://www.myspace.com/galaxiasteve and Bebo:
http://www.bebo.com/SteveW519
Founder, Ethical Capitalism Network: http://www.ethicalcapitalism.net
Founder, Foundation for Proportional Representation-based Socialism:
http://www.PRsocialism.org
Founder, Revolutionary Platform Network: http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net
My revolutionary socialist band, Galaxia:
http://www.galaxiamusic.net,http://www.myspace.com/galaxiamusic,
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Galaxia-a-revolutionary-socialist-band/84310120180\
, http://www.bebo.com/galaxiamusic.
My socialist band, Red Day: http://www.red-day.net,
http://www.myspace.com/reddayband,http://www.facebook.com/pages/Red-Day/27468311\
341
Author, "Revolution Destroyed? Have I ensured that a world socialist revolution
will never happen?":http://www.revolutiondestroyed.net
For discussion of the credit crunch, go to
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=156
For discussion of 9/11 conspiracy theories, go to
http://www.revolutionaryplatform.net/forum/index.php?board=89

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