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Joe Anybody Latin America Solidarity
Tuesday, 3 November 2009
Citizenship for anyone in Mexico
Mood:  brightNow Playing: Leagle citizenship being done with respect in Mexico Topic: Mexico Solidarity Mexico has taken steps to allow foreigners whether legally or illegally, to apply for citizenship http://therealnews.com/t/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=31&Itemid=74&jumival=4404
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:05 PM
Saturday, 31 October 2009
Possible Agreement Reached in Honduras Political Crisis
Mood:  happyNow Playing: Both sides of the negotiations are meeting ... Topic: Honduras Solidarity Possible Agreement Reached in Honduras Political Crisishttp://www.hondurasnews.com/2009/10/30/agreement-reached-in-honduras-political-crisis/ October 30th, 2009 · 11 CommentsBoth sides of the negotiations are meeting this morning at 8:30 a.m. The committees of President Roberto Micheletti and Manuel Zelaya signed an agreement last night, in which Congress decides on the return to the Presidency of former President Zelaya, after hearing the opinion of the Supreme Court. Victor Rico, OAS delegate, made the announcement. “With satisfaction, a settlement was reached” he began. Rico confirmed that the credit belongs to the Hondurans and that the Secretary General of the Organization of American States, Jose Miguel Insulza had been informed. Then the sub U.S. Secretary of State, Thomas Shannon, expressed his admiration “for the democratic spirit demonstrated by the Honduran people.” He said the U.S. government will oversee the election process on November 29th. The agreement contains the following the points:
1 – The creation of a government of national unity and reconciliation. 2 – Rejects amnesty against political crimes and criminal actions. 3 – Give up a call for a Constituent Assembly or to amend the Constitution. 4 – Recognize and support the general elections and the transfer of Government. 5 – The transfer of authority over the armed forces to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal. 6 – The creation of a commission to enforce points of the agreement. 7 – The formation of a truth commission to investigate events before, during and after June 28, 2009. 8 – Request the international community to normalize international relations with our country. 9 – Support a proposal that allows a vote in Congress with a prior opinion of the Supreme Court, to roll back the entire executive branch prior to June 28th. The agreement was read by the former president of the CSJ, and member of Micheletti’s commission, Vilma Morales. Reina has warned that the opinion of the Court is not bound by the decision of Congress, because the agreement reached yesterday is political, not legal. “Tonight my negotiating team authorized to sign an agreement that marks the beginning of the end of the political situation”, Micheletti stated. He said the agreement includes provisions, which have already been agreed to and signed by both parties beforehand. Micheletti also sent a message to Zelaya and his representatives in the dialogue: “It should be noted that accepting this proposal represents a significant concession by our Government, we have always been firm that it is the Supreme Court who should decide the return of Mr. Zelaya, but we also understand that our people are calling to turn the page of history in these difficult times we live in,” he said. “I urge Mr. Zelaya and his negotiating committee to support this agreement and join us in signing it, enough excuses, and the rhetoric that divides us, enough of political games, the people of Honduras need a final agreement.” Meanwhile, the deposed Manuel Zelaya said the talks to reach a political agreement were in the same spot, and asked his followers to remain calm. “We have accepted the invitation of Shannon (Assistant Secretary of State for Latin America, USA) to meet again, we are in the same spot where we started, there is no approval yet,” he said. The former president called in the afternoon to his followers to remain calm so as not to exacerbate tensions and not interrupt the dialogue and acknowledged that the process was 95 percent complete.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 5:25 PM
Updated: Saturday, 31 October 2009 5:30 PM
KIDNAPPING AND TORTURE
Mood:  downJaneth Tangarife denuncia vínculo entre el CICPC y paramilitares Translated from Indy Media in Venezuela The August 7, almost 9 months of kidnapping and torture of which was the victim professor Janeth Tangarife, who worked at the University Experimental Simon Rodriguez (UNESR), Echoes 93.9 FM the telephone interview for to give testimony to the violations of their human rights. In the interview, which Laclase.info below, is a chiling recount of the terrible crimes against humanity perpetrated against Tangarife, her husband and her mother, as well as two teachers of the Mission Ribas. University Colleagues, students, and producers of the paramo merideño sympathized with Tangarife, and in recent months have constituted the Collective "Freedom for Janeth". According to the complaint of the professor, allegedly operated in the case of his abduction and torture, an alliance between Colombian paramilitaries, the gloomy group of the Eagles Black, and security forces venezuelans; the time that exist in the plains venezuelans torture centers operated by the Colombian paramilitary group. Tangarife continues currently detained on charges of kidnapping, and the judge that brings the case refuses to admit as evidence at trial the testimony of the coworkers of this professor of Colombian nationality, as well as numerous documents related to his life vocational and academic in the paramo merideño. Transcript of the interview JT: I am grateful to the radio community Echoes 93.9 FM, because it is a fortress in the community work... the voice of those who suffer here inside does not go out there, then it is through these alternative means that can really reach the truth to our people. ECHOES: We would like us contaras how began the problems that have at this time. JT: I had my work in Merida, in the paramo, in the location of Mucuchíes, there is a headquarters of the Universidad Simón Rodríguez (UNESR), and was developing projects of agro-ecological, trying to convert the conventional farms that used agrotoxics toward experiences of character agroecological, where begin to take more account with the environment. In this experience spent a year and a half in Mucuchíes and was an experience of community work very good. I come from Colombia and had experience there in the community work. My mom was visitándome, reached Sunday, and Thursday presented the facts. Was in my house preparing the class that had the next day, is that they came and attacked the house subject hooded, armed, smashed windows and doors. I am scared, because one never expected that to happen at 9 and half of the night, and i always thought that they were going to steal, or that they were going to come by the television or the few belongings that one can have. At that time i was with my mom, a lady colombiana de 85 years, newly llegadita to the country. They entered, collapsed doors and they got cruelly, beaten, never identified, hence began the tragedy. ECHOES: How many people accompanying you in your house? JT: i was with my mom and my husband, and at that time arrived two teachers of the Mission Ribas, but i do i realized that they had arrived, because we already were subjected to the house, we had covered the face, the mouth; i then is that i whole that teachers were also abducted, but when we had led to a farm where we led in some vans. That farm, i think that i am i could locate, it should be down already Barinas, because i felt i had spent the wasteland of Mucubají, and began the fall and the heat. Our captors were several cars, in one of the cars were my mom, my husband and myself. In that farm they began to beat, began to ask for a person kidnapped, we did not know, that was an act too criminal. We had the head in some bags, and began the session of suffocation. There they asked who we were, asked by a boy who was kidnapped, and us, what we were going to say? We could not say anything, because we knew nothing. My mom was also beaten, that was all that night of November 13 in Barinas, then they moved in some vans, and took us to a torture center, completely mistreated, destroyed in our physical, psychological, everything. I say that it was a torture center, because he was blindfolded and hands tied. There were some people who identified themselves as paramilitaries belonging to the group of Eagles Black, had specialized instruments of torture, we hung with chains with pulleys, arms, and we were there hung throughout the night. We placed electricity, i placed electricity in the breast, my husband also beat him, to electricity in the head, my mom also placed electricity. 1era parte  http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6133-el-secuestro-janeth-tangarife 2da parte http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6135torturas-cicpc-aguilas-negras-janeth 3era parte http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6136-parte-3-entrevista-a-janeth ORIGNAL VERSION El 7 de Agosto, a casi 9 meses del secuestro y las torturas de las que fue víctima la profesora Janeth Tangarife, quien trabajaba en la Universidad Experimental Simón Rodríguez (UNESR), Ecos 93.9 FM la entrevistó telefónicamente para que diera testimonio de las violaciones a sus derechos humanos.
En la entrevista, que Laclase.info transcribe a continuación, se hace un escalofriante recuento de los terribles crímenes de lesa humanidad perpetrados contra Tangarife, su esposo y su madre, así como dos profesores de la Misión Ribas. Colegas universitarios, estudiantes, y productores del páramo merideño se han solidarizado con Tangarife, y en meses recientes han constituído el Colectivo "Libertad para Janeth". Según la denuncia de la profesora, habría operado en el caso de su secuestro y tortura, una alianza entre paramilitares colombianos, el tenebroso grupo de las Águilas Negras, y cuerpos de seguridad venezolanos; al tiempo que existirían en los llanos venezolanos centros de tortura operados por este grupo paramilitar colombiano. Tangarife continúa actualmente detenida bajo cargos de secuestro, y la juez que lleva el caso se niega a admitir como prueba en el juicio el testimonio de los compañeros de trabajo de esta profesora de nacionalidad colombiana, así como numerosos documentos relacionados con su vida profesional y académica en el páramo merideño. Transcripción de la entrevista JT: Agradezco a la emisora comunitaria Ecos 93.9 FM, porque es una fortaleza en el trabajo comunitario... la voz de los que sufrimos aquí adentro no llega allá afuera, entonces es a través de estos medios alternativos que realmente puede llegar la verdad a nuestro pueblo. ECOS: Nos gustaría que nos contaras cómo comenzó la problemática que tienes en este momento. JT: Yo tenía mi trabajo en Mérida, en el páramo, en la localidad de Mucuchíes, allí hay una sede de la Universidad Simón Rodríguez (UNESR), y venía desarrollando unos proyectos de carácter agroecológico, tratando de convertir las fincas convencionales que usaban agrotóxicos hacia experiencias de carácter agroecológico, donde empezáramos a tener más consideración con el ambiente. En esa experiencia estuve un año y medio en Mucuchíes y fue una experiencia de trabajo comunitario muy buena. Yo vengo de Colombia y tenía experiencia allá en el trabajo comunitario. Mi mamá estaba visitándome, había llegado el domingo, y el jueves se presentaron los hechos. Estaba en mi casa preparando la clase que tenía el día siguiente, resulta que llegaron y atacaron la casa sujetos con capucha, armados, destrozaron ventanas y puertas. Yo me asusté mucho, porque uno nunca espera que eso suceda a las 9 y media de la noche, y yo siempre pensé que nos iban a robar, o que iban a entrar por el televisor o las pocas pertenencias que uno pueda tener. En ese momento yo estaba con mi mamá, una señora colombiana de 85 años, recién llegadita al país. Ellos entraron, derrumbaron las puertas y se metieron cruelmente, propinaron golpes, nunca se identificaron, ahí comenzó la tragedia. ECOS: ¿Cuántas personas te acompañaban en tu casa? JT: Yo estaba con mi mamá y con mi marido, y en ese momento llegaban dos profesores de la Misión Ribas, pero yo no me dí cuenta de que ellos habían llegado, porque nosotros ya estábamos sometidos en la casa, nos habían tapado la cara, la boca; yo luego es que me entero que los profesores también fueron secuestrados, pero cuando ya nos habían llevado a una finca a donde nos condujeron en unas camionetas. Esa finca, yo creo que por lo que me pude ubicar, debe quedar bajando ya a Barinas, porque sentí que habíamos pasado el páramo de Mucubají, y empezó el descenso y el calor. Nuestros captores iban en varios carros, en uno de los carros iban mi mamá, mi esposo y yo. En esa finca ellos empezaron a golpearnos, empezaron a preguntar por una persona secuestrada, nosotros no sabíamos, eso era un acto demasiado criminal. Teníamos la cabeza en unas bolsas, y comenzaron las sesiones de asfixia. Ahí ellos preguntaban que quiénes éramos, preguntaban por un muchacho que estaba secuestrado, y nosotros, ¿qué íbamos a decir? No podíamos decir nada, porque no sabíamos nada. Mi mamá también fue golpeada, eso fue toda esa noche del 13 de noviembre en Barinas, luego ellos se desplazaron en unas camionetas y nos llevaron a un centro de torturas, completamente maltratados, destruidos en nuestra integridad física, psicológica, todo. Yo digo que era un centro de torturas, porque tenía los ojos vendados y las manos atadas. Allá estaban unas personas que se identificaron como paramilitares pertenecientes al grupo de las Águilas Negras, tenían instrumentos especializados de tortura, nos colgaron con unas cadenas con poleas, de los brazos, y nos tuvieron ahí colgados toda la noche. Nos colocaban electricidad, a mí me colocaban electricidad en los senos, a mi esposo también lo sometieron a golpes, a electricidad en la cabeza, a mi mamá también le colocaron electricidad. Luego prendieron una motosierra y amenazaban con que nos iban a descuartizar. Yo reconocí que su acento era colombiano, y ellos además nos decían que eran de las Águilas Negras. ECOS: Las primeras personas que llegan a tu casa y se los llevan a la fuerza, ¿tenían acento colombiano o acento venezolano? JT: No, ellos tenían acento venezolano, y ellos fueron los que nos torturaron el primer día, el 13; y el día del 14 nos desplazan a una finca, donde les digo que es como un centro de torturas, de paramilitares colombianos, hay una conexión criminal entre las personas que fueron a nuestra casa por nosotros y los paramilitares colombianos. Resulta ser que, y luego nos dimos cuenta, los que llegaron a la casa eran del CICPC. En el centro de torturas ellos grabaron la tortura, tenían instrumentos especializados de tortura y terror, y no tuvieron compasión con nadie. Ahí estábamos los profesores de la Misión Ribas, estaba mi mamá, mi esposo, y estaba yo. Al otro día nos desplazan en las camionetas, con los ojos tapados, las manos atadas y los pies, y nos llevan a otro lugar. Dicen, yo no puedo decirle porque nunca lo ví, que era en el estado Miranda, una localidad que se llama Paracotos, y ahí dicen que había una persona secuestrada y que nosotros condujimos a ese grupo a esa finca donde estaba esa persona secuestrada. El sábado somos presentados ante el CICPC, ya las oficinas legales, normales, como secuestradores, como grupo armado ilegal, y para nuestra sorpresa, porque yo siempre pensé que nos iban a matar y nos iban a dejar en cualquier lado de la carretera, fuimos presentados al CICPC. Todo eso fue hecho, planeado, y con el conocimiento del CICPC. Audios 1era parte http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6133-el-secuestro-janeth-tangarife 2da parte http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6135torturas-cicpc-aguilas-negras-janeth 3era parte http://www.audiofarm.org/audiofiles/6136-parte-3-entrevista-a-janeth
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 5:20 PM
Michael Moore makes jokes about Chavez ...
Mood:  amorousNow Playing: Friends of Chavez dont appreciate jokes from Michael Moore Topic: Venezuela News CARACAS, Venezuela — Michael Moore, the filmmaker who is a bête noire of conservatives in the United States, now appears to have made some enemies among the leftist supporters of President Hugo Chávez. During a recent appearance on ABC’s late-night program “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” Mr. Moore gave an account — apparently tongue in cheek — of how he drank a bottle-and-a-half of tequila with Mr. Chávez at the Venice Film Festival in September, and how he mistook Venezuela’s burly foreign minister, Nicolás Maduro, for a bodyguard. Those comments have created an uproar here among some of Mr. Chávez’s loyal supporters, known as Chavistas. “Michael Moore is a most unfortunate coward,” Eva Golinger, an American lawyer who lives in Caracas and who is one of Mr. Chávez’s most prominent defenders in international leftist circles, wrote in an essay widely disseminated here that lambasted the filmmaker. Mr. Chávez, who had traveled to Venice for the screening of “South of the Border,” Oliver Stone’s documentary about Venezuela’s president and other leftist leaders in Latin America, has not publicly remarked on Mr. Moore’s appearance on the show. Mr. Moore did not respond to requests for comment. But the reaction of some Chavistas offered a view into their readiness to attack anyone criticizing their leader, without stopping to ponder whether the criticism was meant to be amusing or not. Ms. Golinger and other Chavistas took particular umbrage at Mr. Moore’s suggestion that he had imbibed with Mr. Chávez (the president is a noted teetotaler) while giving him some speechwriting advice. The advice, Mr. Moore said in the appearance, had been accepted. Mr. Moore’s comments “about President Chávez asking him to ‘help’ write his United Nations speech demonstrate Moore’s extreme ego,” Ms. Golinger wrote. “President Chávez is one of the most brilliant speakers in the world, with an immense capacity to bring together a variety of ideas while being coherent,” she added. “We know that nobody writes his speeches, not even him! He speaks from his heart, and not from a teleprompter!” Yet the tirades against Mr. Moore, including requests broadcast on state-controlled media that he rectify what he said, were followed by a bit of soul-searching within Mr. Chávez’s political movement as to whether a better-honed sense of humor was needed to absorb comments like those by Mr. Moore. “It’s a tremendous joke,” said Juan Carlos Monedero, a political scientist from Spain who supports Mr. Chávez, referring to Mr. Moore’s characterization of his meeting with Mr. Chávez. “What happened to irony?” Here, some critics of Mr. Chávez appeared to have about the same sense of irony as some anti-Moore Chavistas. For instance, the 2D Movement, which opposes Mr. Chávez’s policies, used a photograph of Mr. Moore in newspaper advertisements on Sunday attacking the president, contending that his luxurious hotel suite in Venice was a site of “havoc” illustrating wasteful spending abroad by Mr. Chávez while Venezuelans contend with electricity and water shortages. Others tried to treat Mr. Moore’s comments with at least some lightheartedness. “We all want to live in Venetian socialism,” said Alberto Barrera Tyszka, a co-author of a biography of Mr. Chávez, in a column published Sunday in the daily newspaper El Nacional. But Ms. Golinger, the author of books that delve into what she describes as Washington’s efforts to destabilize Venezuela, was having none of it. “I think I was right to say that Moore was being quite, and unfortunately, cowardly,” she said over the weekend, “about meeting one of Latin America’s greatest and most influential leaders.”
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 10:23 AM
Updated: Saturday, 31 October 2009 10:24 AM
Thursday, 29 October 2009
Honduras 100 Days of Resistance - 2 videos 10.29.09
Mood:  irritatedNow Playing: 2 part video on resistance in Honduras posted in October 2009 Topic: Honduras Solidarity
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 5:20 AM
Updated: Thursday, 29 October 2009 5:29 AM
Sunday, 18 October 2009
The Take - Argentina and factory Occupations
Mood:  crushed outNow Playing: workers take back their factories in Argentina Topic: Building Occupation In suburban Buenos Aires, thirty unemployed auto-parts workers walk into their idle factory, roll out sleeping mats and refuse to leave. All they want is to re-start the silent machines. But this simple act - The Take - has the power to turn the globalization debate on its head.
In the wake of Argentina's dramatic economic collapse in 2001, Latin America's most prosperous middle class finds itself in a ghost town of abandoned factories and mass unemployment. The Forja auto plant lies dormant until its former employees take action. They're part of a daring new movement of workers who are occupying bankrupt businesses and creating jobs in the ruins of the failed system. But Freddy, the president of the new worker's co-operative, and Lalo, the political powerhouse from the Movement of Recovered Companies, know that their success is far from secure. Like every workplace occupation, they have to run the gauntlet of courts, cops and politicians who can either give their project legal protection or violently evict them from the factory.
The story of the workers' struggle is set against the dramatic backdrop of a crucial presidential election in Argentina, in which the architect of the economic collapse, Carlos Menem, is the front-runner. His cronies, the former owners, are circling: if he wins, they'll take back the companies that the movement has worked so hard to revive. Armed only with slingshots and an abiding faith in shop-floor democracy, the workers face off against the bosses, bankers and a whole system that sees their beloved factories as nothing more than scrap metal for sale. With The Take, director Avi Lewis, one of Canada's most outspoken journalists, and writer Naomi Klein, author of the international bestseller No Logo, champion a radical economic manifesto for the 21st century. But what shines through in the film is the simple drama of workers' lives and their struggle: the demand for dignity and the searing injustice of dignity denied.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 6:00 PM
Saturday, 17 October 2009
8 vidoes from Peace Rally in Caracas
Mood: brightNow Playing: pdxVenezuela attends Peace Rally in Caracas Venezuela on 9.4.09 Day 1 Paint My Masterpiece Caracas Venezuela Bus Ride Caracas Bus Ride Trash Health and Education http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89f2g6og8BM Peace Rally Part 1 "We Arrive" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83Qc9VjCMh0 Peace Rally Part 2 "Signs & Music" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OS3E3RJbQu8 Peace Rally Part 3 "Closer to the Stage" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbGCg8-1pnU Peace Rally Part 4 "Yankee Go Home" Peace Rally Part 5 "Behind the Stage" Peace Rally Part 6 "On Stage" Peace Rally Part 7 "Speeches on Stage" Peace Rally Part 8 "Music on Stage" (more still to come)
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 2:08 PM
Updated: Saturday, 17 October 2009 2:13 PM
Thursday, 15 October 2009
Violation of Law Seen in GOP Legislators' Support of Honduran Coup Interview with Brendan
Mood:  sharpNow Playing: Violation of Law Seen in GOP Legislators' Support of Honduran Coup Topic: Honduras Solidarity Violation of Law Seen inGOP Legislators' Support ofHonduran Coup Interview with Brendan e-mail: betweenthelines@snet.net
This was copied from: http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2009/10/394805.shtml
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:01 AM
Tuesday, 13 October 2009
Indy Media & Honduras Information is here
Mood:  loudNow Playing: Listen to Radio Liberada, from somewhere in Honduras, after the military coup Topic: Honduras Solidarity Listen to Radio Liberada, from somewhere in Honduras, after the military coup
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:01 AM
Monday, 12 October 2009
Socialism: words of Albert Einstein 1949
Mood:  a-okNow Playing: Why? Topic: Socialism Why Socialism? by Albert Einstein http://www.monthlyreview.org/598einstein.php This essay was originally published in the first issue of Monthly Review (May 1949). Is it advisable for one who is not an expert on economic and social issues to express views on the subject of socialism? I believe for a number of reasons that it is. Let us first consider the question from the point of view of scientific knowledge. It might appear that there are no essential methodological differences between astronomy and economics: scientists in both fields attempt to discover laws of general acceptability for a circumscribed group of phenomena in order to make the interconnection of these phenomena as clearly understandable as possible. But in reality such methodological differences do exist. The discovery of general laws in the field of economics is made difficult by the circumstance that observed economic phenomena are often affected by many factors which are very hard to evaluate separately. In addition, the experience which has accumulated since the beginning of the so-called civilized period of human history has—as is well known—been largely influenced and limited by causes which are by no means exclusively economic in nature. For example, most of the major states of history owed their existence to conquest. The conquering peoples established themselves, legally and economically, as the privileged class of the conquered country. They seized for themselves a monopoly of the land ownership and appointed a priesthood from among their own ranks. The priests, in control of education, made the class division of society into a permanent institution and created a system of values by which the people were thenceforth, to a large extent unconsciously, guided in their social behavior. But historic tradition is, so to speak, of yesterday; nowhere have we really overcome what Thorstein Veblen called "the predatory phase" of human development. The observable economic facts belong to that phase and even such laws as we can derive from them are not applicable to other phases. Since the real purpose of socialism is precisely to overcome and advance beyond the predatory phase of human development, economic science in its present state can throw little light on the socialist society of the future. Second, socialism is directed towards a social-ethical end. Science, however, cannot create ends and, even less, instill them in human beings; science, at most, can supply the means by which to attain certain ends. But the ends themselves are conceived by personalities with lofty ethical ideals and—if these ends are not stillborn, but vital and vigorous—are adopted and carried forward by those many human beings who, half unconsciously, determine the slow evolution of society. For these reasons, we should be on our guard not to overestimate science and scientific methods when it is a question of human problems; and we should not assume that experts are the only ones who have a right to express themselves on questions affecting the organization of society. Innumerable voices have been asserting for some time now that human society is passing through a crisis, that its stability has been gravely shattered. It is characteristic of such a situation that individuals feel indifferent or even hostile toward the group, small or large, to which they belong. In order to illustrate my meaning, let me record here a personal experience. I recently discussed with an intelligent and well-disposed man the threat of another war, which in my opinion would seriously endanger the existence of mankind, and I remarked that only a supra-national organization would offer protection from that danger. Thereupon my visitor, very calmly and coolly, said to me: "Why are you so deeply opposed to the disappearance of the human race?" I am sure that as little as a century ago no one would have so lightly made a statement of this kind. It is the statement of a man who has striven in vain to attain an equilibrium within himself and has more or less lost hope of succeeding. It is the expression of a painful solitude and isolation from which so many people are suffering in these days. What is the cause? Is there a way out? It is easy to raise such questions, but difficult to answer them with any degree of assurance. I must try, however, as best I can, although I am very conscious of the fact that our feelings and strivings are often contradictory and obscure and that they cannot be expressed in easy and simple formulas. Man is, at one and the same time, a solitary being and a social being. As a solitary being, he attempts to protect his own existence and that of those who are closest to him, to satisfy his personal desires, and to develop his innate abilities. As a social being, he seeks to gain the recognition and affection of his fellow human beings, to share in their pleasures, to comfort them in their sorrows, and to improve their conditions of life. Only the existence of these varied, frequently conflicting, strivings accounts for the special character of a man, and their specific combination determines the extent to which an individual can achieve an inner equilibrium and can contribute to the well-being of society. It is quite possible that the relative strength of these two drives is, in the main, fixed by inheritance. But the personality that finally emerges is largely formed by the environment in which a man happens to find himself during his development, by the structure of the society in which he grows up, by the tradition of that society, and by its appraisal of particular types of behavior. The abstract concept "society" means to the individual human being the sum total of his direct and indirect relations to his contemporaries and to all the people of earlier generations. The individual is able to think, feel, strive, and work by himself; but he depends so much upon society—in his physical, intellectual, and emotional existence—that it is impossible to think of him, or to understand him, outside the framework of society. It is "society" which provides man with food, clothing, a home, the tools of work, language, the forms of thought, and most of the content of thought; his life is made possible through the labor and the accomplishments of the many millions past and present who are all hidden behind the small word “society.” It is evident, therefore, that the dependence of the individual upon society is a fact of nature which cannot be abolished—just as in the case of ants and bees. However, while the whole life process of ants and bees is fixed down to the smallest detail by rigid, hereditary instincts, the social pattern and interrelationships of human beings are very variable and susceptible to change. Memory, the capacity to make new combinations, the gift of oral communication have made possible developments among human being which are not dictated by biological necessities. Such developments manifest themselves in traditions, institutions, and organizations; in literature; in scientific and engineering accomplishments; in works of art. This explains how it happens that, in a certain sense, man can influence his life through his own conduct, and that in this process conscious thinking and wanting can play a part. Man acquires at birth, through heredity, a biological constitution which we must consider fixed and unalterable, including the natural urges which are characteristic of the human species. In addition, during his lifetime, he acquires a cultural constitution which he adopts from society through communication and through many other types of influences. It is this cultural constitution which, with the passage of time, is subject to change and which determines to a very large extent the relationship between the individual and society. Modern anthropology has taught us, through comparative investigation of so-called primitive cultures, that the social behavior of human beings may differ greatly, depending upon prevailing cultural patterns and the types of organization which predominate in society. It is on this that those who are striving to improve the lot of man may ground their hopes: human beings are not condemned, because of their biological constitution, to annihilate each other or to be at the mercy of a cruel, self-inflicted fate. If we ask ourselves how the structure of society and the cultural attitude of man should be changed in order to make human life as satisfying as possible, we should constantly be conscious of the fact that there are certain conditions which we are unable to modify. As mentioned before, the biological nature of man is, for all practical purposes, not subject to change. Furthermore, technological and demographic developments of the last few centuries have created conditions which are here to stay. In relatively densely settled populations with the goods which are indispensable to their continued existence, an extreme division of labor and a highly-centralized productive apparatus are absolutely necessary. The time—which, looking back, seems so idyllic—is gone forever when individuals or relatively small groups could be completely self-sufficient. It is only a slight exaggeration to say that mankind constitutes even now a planetary community of production and consumption. I have now reached the point where I may indicate briefly what to me constitutes the essence of the crisis of our time. It concerns the relationship of the individual to society. The individual has become more conscious than ever of his dependence upon society. But he does not experience this dependence as a positive asset, as an organic tie, as a protective force, but rather as a threat to his natural rights, or even to his economic existence. Moreover, his position in society is such that the egotistical drives of his make-up are constantly being accentuated, while his social drives, which are by nature weaker, progressively deteriorate. All human beings, whatever their position in society, are suffering from this process of deterioration. Unknowingly prisoners of their own egotism, they feel insecure, lonely, and deprived of the naive, simple, and unsophisticated enjoyment of life. Man can find meaning in life, short and perilous as it is, only through devoting himself to society. The economic anarchy of capitalist society as it exists today is, in my opinion, the real source of the evil. We see before us a huge community of producers the members of which are unceasingly striving to deprive each other of the fruits of their collective labor—not by force, but on the whole in faithful compliance with legally established rules. In this respect, it is important to realize that the means of production—that is to say, the entire productive capacity that is needed for producing consumer goods as well as additional capital goods—may legally be, and for the most part are, the private property of individuals. For the sake of simplicity, in the discussion that follows I shall call “workers” all those who do not share in the ownership of the means of production—although this does not quite correspond to the customary use of the term. The owner of the means of production is in a position to purchase the labor power of the worker. By using the means of production, the worker produces new goods which become the property of the capitalist. The essential point about this process is the relation between what the worker produces and what he is paid, both measured in terms of real value. Insofar as the labor contract is “free,” what the worker receives is determined not by the real value of the goods he produces, but by his minimum needs and by the capitalists' requirements for labor power in relation to the number of workers competing for jobs. It is important to understand that even in theory the payment of the worker is not determined by the value of his product. Private capital tends to become concentrated in few hands, partly because of competition among the capitalists, and partly because technological development and the increasing division of labor encourage the formation of larger units of production at the expense of smaller ones. The result of these developments is an oligarchy of private capital the enormous power of which cannot be effectively checked even by a democratically organized political society. This is true since the members of legislative bodies are selected by political parties, largely financed or otherwise influenced by private capitalists who, for all practical purposes, separate the electorate from the legislature. The consequence is that the representatives of the people do not in fact sufficiently protect the interests of the underprivileged sections of the population. Moreover, under existing conditions, private capitalists inevitably control, directly or indirectly, the main sources of information (press, radio, education). It is thus extremely difficult, and indeed in most cases quite impossible, for the individual citizen to come to objective conclusions and to make intelligent use of his political rights. The situation prevailing in an economy based on the private ownership of capital is thus characterized by two main principles: first, means of production (capital) are privately owned and the owners dispose of them as they see fit; second, the labor contract is free. Of course, there is no such thing as a pure capitalist society in this sense. In particular, it should be noted that the workers, through long and bitter political struggles, have succeeded in securing a somewhat improved form of the “free labor contract” for certain categories of workers. But taken as a whole, the present day economy does not differ much from “pure” capitalism. Production is carried on for profit, not for use. There is no provision that all those able and willing to work will always be in a position to find employment; an “army of unemployed” almost always exists. The worker is constantly in fear of losing his job. Since unemployed and poorly paid workers do not provide a profitable market, the production of consumers' goods is restricted, and great hardship is the consequence. Technological progress frequently results in more unemployment rather than in an easing of the burden of work for all. The profit motive, in conjunction with competition among capitalists, is responsible for an instability in the accumulation and utilization of capital which leads to increasingly severe depressions. Unlimited competition leads to a huge waste of labor, and to that crippling of the social consciousness of individuals which I mentioned before. This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career. I am convinced there is only one way to eliminate these grave evils, namely through the establishment of a socialist economy, accompanied by an educational system which would be oriented toward social goals. In such an economy, the means of production are owned by society itself and are utilized in a planned fashion. A planned economy, which adjusts production to the needs of the community, would distribute the work to be done among all those able to work and would guarantee a livelihood to every man, woman, and child. The education of the individual, in addition to promoting his own innate abilities, would attempt to develop in him a sense of responsibility for his fellow men in place of the glorification of power and success in our present society. Nevertheless, it is necessary to remember that a planned economy is not yet socialism. A planned economy as such may be accompanied by the complete enslavement of the individual. The achievement of socialism requires the solution of some extremely difficult socio-political problems: how is it possible, in view of the far-reaching centralization of political and economic power, to prevent bureaucracy from becoming all-powerful and overweening? How can the rights of the individual be protected and therewith a democratic counterweight to the power of bureaucracy be assured? Clarity about the aims and problems of socialism is of greatest significance in our age of transition. Since, under present circumstances, free and unhindered discussion of these problems has come under a powerful taboo, I consider the foundation of this magazine to be an important public service.
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 8:26 PM
Updated: Monday, 12 October 2009 8:27 PM
Honduras 10-9-09
Mood:  don't askNow Playing: New media measures take effect in Honduras Topic: Honduras Solidarity New media measures take effect in Honduras Oct 10 2009
TEGUCIGALPA, Honduras (AP) -- Honduras' interim leaders put in place new rules Saturday that threaten broadasters with closure for airing reports that "attack national security," further restricting media freedom following the closure of two opposition stations. The latest decree is sure to anger supporters of ousted President Manuel Zelaya and appears to be a challenge to the Organization of American States and a team of regional diplomats who were in the country Thursday to push for a resolution of the crisis. A statement released by the OAS delegation urged the coup-installed government to, among other things, allow the resumption of operations at the two broadcasters, which backed Zelaya's return to office. Under the decree imposed by the government of interim President Roberto Micheletti, "the frequencies of radio or television stations may be canceled if they transmit messages that incite national hate and the destruction of public property." Officials can monitor and control broadcast messages that "attack national security," according to the decree. It was adopted by the Interior Ministry and will be enforced by the National Telecommunications Commission, interim Information Minister Rene Zepeda told The Associated Press. Micheletti was sworn in Honduras' interim president following a June 28 coup that ousted Zelaya and sent him into exile. After Zelaya suddenly reappeared in Honduras and took refuge in the Brazilian Embassy on Sept. 21, street protests prompted the Micheletti government to limit freedom of expression, association and movement, and to shut down two pro-Zelaya broadcasters. The restriction on civil liberties has been lifted, but Channel 36 and Radio Globo are still off the air. Micheletti said they would remain shut down until their owners "come to the courts to recover their right to be on the air." "We thought that when the (civil liberties) decree was revoked, the equipment would be returned, but that has not happened," said Yesenia Herculano, an activist with Honduras' Committee for Free Expression, earlier this week. "There has been no progress." Talks on resolving the bitter divide over Zelaya's ousters produced some signs of progress before breaking off for the weekend. On Friday, police fired tear gas and a water cannon at about 200 pro-Zelaya protesters who demonstrated outside the hotel where negotiations were taking place. There were no arrests and apparently no major injuries, though many people rubbed their eyes or had tears streaming from their eyes because of the acrid smoke.
The international community has been pressuring the Micheletti government to allow Zelaya's return before the Nov. 29 presidential election that was scheduled before the coup. Zelaya was toppled after he pressed ahead with plans for a referendum on changing the constitution despite a Supreme Court order ruling the vote illegal. The U.S. and other nations have suspended foreign aid and imposed diplomatic isolation on the interim administration. Full Original article found here: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/L/LT_HONDURAS_COUP?SITE=ARFOS&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT&CTIME=2009-10-06-19-06-54
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 6:00 AM
Updated: Monday, 12 October 2009 1:33 PM
Land returned on Indigenous Resistance Day (in 2005)
Mood: a-okNow Playing: 2005 news story of interest for today in history Topic: Venezuela News . VENEZUELA: Land returned on Indigenous Resistance Day . CARACAS – Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez returned 1.65 million acres of land to 15 indigenous communities in recognition of national Indigenous Resistance Day on October 12 2005. The collective titles are for land in the states of Apure, Anzoategui, Delta Amacuro, and Sucre. Chavez also offered governmental assistance for social development projects for the 34 ethnic groups that live in the territory. This was the second delivery of collective land titles under Chavez; 313,824 acres were returned to indigenous communities in Monagas and Anzoategui in August 2005. Prensa Latina reported that Chavez emphasized that the ceremony was the country`s third annual celebration of Indigenous Resistance Day. In 2002, the government changed the holiday from Dia de la Raza (Race Day), which celebrated Christopher Columbus` arrival to America. Sources and further reading: Prensa Latina and Cultural Survival
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 6:00 AM
Updated: Monday, 12 October 2009 8:26 PM
Friday, 9 October 2009
Delegation Goes To Honduras
Mood: brightNow Playing: Delegation is reporting back from Honduras Topic: Honduras Solidarity
http://hondurasdelegation.wordpress.com/ DELEGATION REPORT FROM HONDURAS We’re back at the hotel after a very long day of meetings. We met today with students and youth and the international committee of the National Resistance Front. We also had the opportunity to connect with a delegation that is here from Los Angeles, and discussed coordinating future efforts. While some of us were busy sending out the emergency email this morning, others were able to get into the U.S. embassy and meet with a representative to present our evidence and demands
http://hondurasdelegation.wordpress.com/
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 8:54 PM
Updated: Friday, 9 October 2009 8:59 PM
Snipers fire on Zelaya
Mood: don't askNow Playing: Mercenaries and paramilitaries arrive in Honduras Topic: Honduras Solidarity Radio Globo reports: . Snipers fire on Zelaya . Mercenaries and paramilitaries arrive . in Honduras . Urgent - Take Action Now! 10.9.09
Also, according to an Oct. 9 AP report, paramilitaries from Colombia are arriving in Honduras now. Many of these paramilitaries were trained in torture and repression at the infamous School of the Americas in the U.S. Support the people of Honduras in their heroic struggle against the brutal coup regime! Thousands of courageous working people are taking to the streets, in spite of the growing brutality of the criminal right wing forces, who are armed and trained by the U.S. The following is a report from the delegation of U.S. activists in Honduras, who will be holding a news conference today, October 9, at 5pm EST at the offices of the Bottlers’ Union, a center in Tegucigalpa of the National Front for Resistance Against the Coup: In the last 24 hours, the situation in Honduras has reached a profound level of urgency. The illegal, de facto Micheletti regime is clearly reaching a point of desperation—and there is a serious danger in this, as the rightwing can and will do anything when they are desperate. The delegation also reports that despite the coup government's announcement that it had lifted the ban on civil liberties, the country still remains under martial law. The coup government is telling the world that it has lifted martial law, but they haven't told anyone in the police or military, from the top commanders to the troops in the streets. There is still a massive armed presence, and protesters and dissidents are still being brutally attacked and arrested. That's why it is so important for us to support the Delegation in Solidarity with the Honduran Resistance. The corporate media is echoing the coup government's press releases claiming that martial law has been lifted and civil liberties restored, and ignoring the fact that repression is intensifying. We need you to help get the word out. What you can do now: Call - Honduras Desk, U.S. State Department 202-647-3482
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 12:55 PM
Updated: Friday, 9 October 2009 12:55 PM
Human Rights Help Needed: Colombian Activist in Visa Limbo
Mood:  energeticNow Playing: Principe Gabriel Gonzalez has suffered repeated persecution because of his work Topic: Colombia Solidarity Principe Gabriel Gonzalez, like many human rights activists in Colombia, has been harassed by his own government. Baseless criminal charges, imprisonment, stigmatization as a "terrorist"-these are unfortunately an all-too-common experience for human rights defenders in Colombia Gonzalez has endured these challenges to continue his critical work fighting for justice for victims of the conflict in Colombia - and this is why Human Rights First has chosen him as the recipient of our annual human rights award. But Gonzalez may not be able to come to New York this month to accept the award - not because the Colombian government will not let him leave Colombia, but because the U.S. government has not granted him a visa to enter the United States. We are asking for your help to remove Gonzalez from the bureaucratic limbo he has been in for the last four months. Sign our petition today to urge U.S. government officials to grant Gonzalez a visa. Gonzalez's case illustrates the predicament activists face when they are falsely accused of being terrorists as a result of their work in support of human rights. In an ironic and sad twist of fate, his advocacy fighting for the rights of prisoners landed him in jail in Colombia and now threatens to bar him from entry to the United States. His visa is being held up apparently because of the false charges lodged against him by the Colombian authorities-despite U.S. agreement that those charges amount to nothing. In a report earlier this year, Human Rights First exposed how Colombian prosecutors routinely use trumped-up charges to stigmatize and silence human rights activists. Fortunately, we have achieved real progress in a number of the cases we documented, including the release of over a dozen activists who were unjustly detained and the opening of an investigation into a prosecutor involved in one of the cases. By honoring Gonzalez with this prestigious award, we are recognizing his courage and dedication to the pursuit of justice as well as the broader movement to advance human rights in Colombia. Colombian Activist in Visa Limbo.jpg) Like many activists in Colombia, Principe Gabriel Gonzalez has suffered repeated persecution because of his work – including baseless criminal charges, imprisonment, death threats, and stigmatization as a “terrorist.” He has endured it all to continue his critical work fighting for justice for prisoners and victims of the conflict in Colombia. Human Rights First is honoring him with our annual human rights award this month.However, Gonzalez may not be able to accept the award in person–not because the Colombian government will not let him leave (as you might expect), but because the U.S. government is not granting him a visa. Earlier this year, Human Rights First released a report, In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, that documented the widespread and systemic nature of the problem. We are asking for your help to get Gonzalez out of the bureaucratic limbo he’s been in for the last four months. Send a message today to urge U.S. government officials to grant him a visa, putting into practice our stated policy of supporting human rights defenders in Colombia.
We urge you to approve the visa application for Colombian activist Principe Gabriel Gonzalez so that he can accept Human Rights First’s award in New York on October 22, 2009. It has been over four months since he first applied for his visa and he has received no explanation for the unreasonable delay. I understand that the U.S. government may have concerns about the criminal investigation against him. However, the State Department and numerous United Nations bodies have agreed that those charges are specious. Gonzalez’s case is just one example of a larger problem in Colombia where activists are subjected to baseless charges intended to stigmatize and silence them. Earlier this year, Human Rights First released a report In the Dock and Under the Gun: Baseless Prosecutions of Human Rights Defenders in Colombia, that documented the widespread and systemic nature of the problem. Last month, the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders led an extensive visit to Colombia, meeting with Gonzalez and decrying the problem of unfounded criminal proceedings against Colombian activists. Refusing a visa to Gonzalez sends the wrong message to the Colombian authorities and undercuts U.S. policy to support Colombian human rights defenders who are under attack. Please grant Gonzalez a visa. He deserves the recognition the award would afford him and granting the visa would demonstrate that the United States is standing by its policy of supporting human rights and the rule of law in Colombia. The link to send this letter is below http://actions.humanrightsfirst.org/t/5124/petition.jsp?petition_KEY=699
Posted by Joe Anybody
at 5:01 AM
Updated: Friday, 9 October 2009 12:48 PM
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homepage: 
address: BETWEEN THE LINES c/o WPKN Radio 89.5 FM Bridgeport, Connecticut 
In the morning of this Sunday, Honduran president Mel Zelaya was kidnapped by the military and transferred by force to Costa Rica. 
