Right wing demagogue's violent sexist assault on Hilary Clinton

by Richard Mellor
Afscme Local 444, retired

I am no fan of Hilary Clinton.  She is a ruthless representative of the 1% and an enemy of all workers.  As US Secretary of State she traveled the world seeking money making opportunities for bankers and US corporations and openly championed the dictator Mubarak as a family friend. Along with her class colleagues, she made it possible for his murderous regime to survive as long as it did by ensuring billions of dollars in US taxpayer funds went his way. The police and the torture chambers needed money and arms and Hilary came through.  Only when it became clear the heroic Egyptian people would tolerate Mubarak no more did Hilary and the US government drop him.

There are many reasons to oppose her as a standard bearer for her class.  But this blog condemns in the most forceful way the recent comments by the conservative radio host Pete Santilli who said that Hilary Clinton needed to be "Shot in the Vagina" He refers to her as the "Biggest vagina on the face of the planet".

All workers must condemn this sexist and racist pig.  He attacks all women and all workers with his remark.  He does it under the guise of having a great love for the troops and blames her as Secretary of State for the deaths of American in Benghazi.  She is responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans and millions of foreign workers as all of her class are in their role as the ruling class of the economic system under which we live.   But that is different.

He has made similar remarks about Obama saying he should be "tried, convicted and shot" for crimes against the people of the United States. But people like Santilli, Limbaugh and others don't support the troops, they support the corporations, bankers and all the coupon clippers whose interests and wars young working men and women are fighting. The sons and daughters of wealthy millionaires like Limbaugh don't fight their wars, they use our kids, that's why low wages and unemployment is good for them, it makes the military option look good to our youth.  We have an economic draft in the US.

Imagine the treatment a Muslim would receive if he or she made such statements about a US government official. Of course, their defenders would argue that he calls for a trial and conviction.

Santilli would be calling for the execution and shooting of workers during labor disputes as well be sure of that. One thing the remark does reveal in my opinion is that these pigs can say things about women that they wouldn't dare say about other groups. It's disgusting what he said about Clinton when you consider the daily rapes, assault and murders that women face in our society and the way they are portayed in the media.  Rape is epidemic in society and especially in the military.  Even bourgeois women deserve equal rights as women.

To think that there are innocent people rotting in Guantanamo.  It's where Santilli should be.

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Pakistan Trade Union solidarity rally against "slaughterhouses of workers."

Press Release
 
‘Stop factories from becoming slaughterhouses of workers ‘

Karachi workers stage rally to express solidarity with Baldia, Dhaka garment factories martyrs
 
Karachi, May 24: The governments and International Brands are directly responsible for the gory incidents in Ali Enterprises Baldia Karachi and garment factories of Dhaka, Bangladesh, as their criminal negligence resulted in loss of lives of thousands of innocent workers. Strict steps should be taken to ensure proper safety of workers and stop turning the factories into slaughterhouses of workers.
 
This was said by labor leaders, addressing a large rally in front of Karachi Press Club (KPC) here Friday, staged by National Trade Unions Federation Pakistan (NTUFP) to express solidarity with the martyrs of garment workers of Bangladesh.
 
They said to avoid repetition of Karachi and Dhaka tragedies it is necessary that local and international labor laws be strictly applied in all textile and garment factories. The international industrial safety standards for labor should be implemented to save the lives of workers.
 
A large number of workers, trade union activists, political leaders, representatives of human rights organizations, intellectuals and students attended the rally. Carrying banners and placards they chanted slogans demanding safety measures for the factory workers.
 
The speakers said millions of Pakistani and Bangladeshi workers are related to textile and garment industries; however, in both countries these workers are even deprived of the rights guaranteed to them under the local constitutions and labor laws. They said working conditions for these labors are very poor and they have to work 12 to 14 hours a day. They said hardly 3percent of these workers are registered with social security institutions. In their factories trade unions and collective bargaining agents are virtually non-existent. Many big factories, working for decades, have not even bothered to get themselves registered.
 
They said due to the pressure of influential industrialists, the process of labor inspection is put on the back burner. Resultantly, the number of industrial accidents has risen sharply. Three major human tragedies in such factories in short span of eight months have diverted the world attention to this sensitive issue. These incidents started with a huge fire in Ali Enterprises, Balida Karachi, burning alive more than 300 garment workers. Then in November 2012 more than 150 workers perished in fire in a Dhaka factory and recently more than 1200 workers died in collapse of a building in Dhaka, housing garments factories. All these incidents took place in the garment factories that make garments for renowned international brands. These international brands in order to maximize their profits through the use of cheap labor are violating all local and international laws.
 
They said it is a misfortune that in the 21st century after death of thousands of workers in these industrial accidents a discussion on the basic rights of workers has started. They said it is inevitable that the local and international labor laws should be implemented in consultation with the labor unions and workers’ organizations, and all international brands be made bound not to begin production till ensuring adherence to local and international labour standards and laws.
 
Paying glowing tributes to these martyrs, the speakers said their sacrifices would give a new spur to the international workers movement, and the repetition of these incidents would not be allowed. They welcomed the agreements between international brands and labor organizations especially "IndustriALL Global Union" after the Dhaka incidents and demanded that the sphere of these agreements should be extended to Pakistan and other countries. They demanded to give legal cover to these agreements and make bound the international brands to follow them. They criticized some international brands like Wal-Mart and GAP who have opposed these pacts and termed it anti-labor attitude.
 
The rally demanded adequate safety measures in all industries and factories. The use of social audit institute certification and code of conduct as substitute to labor laws should be declared illegal. The bereaved families of victims of Ali Enterprises Karachi and Rana Plaza Dhaka should be given compensation as per demands of the labor unions. The process of labor inspection should be revived and made further effective. All factories should be registered as per laws. All workers should be given appointment letters and social security cards. Labors should be given their rights of trade union and collective bargaining agent. The minimum wages should be fixed at Rs20000 per month. All international brands should be made bound to follow international labor standard.
 
Those spoke the rally include NTUF president Muhammad Rafiq Baloch, general secretary Ghani Zaman Awan, deputy general secretary Nasir Mansoor, labor leader Usman Baloch, Gul Rehman of Workers Rights Movement, Riaz Abbasi of Atlas Battery, NTUF Balochistan president Allah Warraya Lassi, president of Gadani Ship Breaking Labor Union Bashir Ahmed Mahmoodani, Ghulam Muhammad of Landhi Action Committee, Muhammad Aslam of Kohinoor Employees Union, president Al-Ettehad Power Looms Workers Union Abdul Muhammad, Shaikh Majeed of PIA, Muhammad Mubeen of Mactor Pharma, Razaq Kachelo, Rashid Abbasi and others
 
Issued by: 
Nasir Mansoor
National Trade Unions Federation Pakistan
+92300 3587211

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Noam Chomsky on terrorism, the mass media and US foreign policy

I am not the most ardent Chomsky fan as he doesn't really offer much of a way forward, but this is an interesting interview with the liberal intellectual on US foreign policy and the media etc.

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Statement on the Woolwich Murder

Woolwich, London yesterday

This blog condemns unconditionally the brutal slaying of a young British soldier in London yesterday.  This event will strengthen the British fascist and nationalist movement and weaken the unity of the working class in our struggle against the capitalist offensive and austerity agenda. It will be used as an excuse to ratchet up the police state tactics -- Homeland security etc. -- in the U.S. and the UK.

But as a leading Muslim spokesperson in Britain pointed out immediately after the killing, while condemning such acts of individual terrorism, they are not unique to Muslims and have to be understood within the context of British foreign policy if they are to be prevented in the future.

British capitalism’s involvement in the mass slaughter of Muslims and occupation of Muslim lands directly or indirectly through stooges, cannot be left out of the equation. The death and displacement of millions of people in the Muslim world as part of US and western imperialism’s efforts to control the resources of the world under the guise of a War on Terror has to be understood as the backdrop to such savage and barbaric actions. This killing is truly horrible, but no more so than the daily drone killings -- that are personally overseen by Barack Obama. The Palestinian issue, Guantanamo, all of this is relevant.

We do not get in western media, the deep, penetrating and extensive coverage of the atrocities committed by imperialist forces in Muslim countries for obvious reasons; we would be moved by them as we are moved by the coverage of the events in Woolwich. They learned that media-marketing lesson in Vietnam.

Iraq and Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan where hundreds upon hundreds of civilians, women and children, have been blown to bits by US drones; further incursions in to Saharan Africa to control the area’s natural resources, this is the backdrop to what happened in Woolwich. When we add British support for Gaddafi and training of his secret police and the American support for the butcher Mubarak and financing and arming of his torturers, the people behind the killing of this young soldier are Cheney, Bush, Obama, Blair, Rumsfeld and other fine gentlemen.  And let’s not forget Madeline Albright who told ABC news that the death of 500,000 Iraqi’s (mostly women and children and Muslim) was “worth it”. These people commit acts of barbarism on a mass scale.  State terrorism is a very efficient form of terrorism.

As we wrote yesterday we recognize this for what it is, the inevitable savagery of imperialism's attempt to control the world. Such actions are inevitable because of the actions of 
imperialism. Listen to the young man in the video yesterday. He actually says this as he apologizes that women have to witness such barbarity that he says is carried out by imperialist forces in these lands all the time.

US imperialism supported and funded the Islamic fanatics including bin Laden. Saddam Hussein, Mubarak, Gaddafi, thugs like Tunisia’s Ben Ali who was overthrown in the Arab Spring, the absolute monarchy in Bahrain and the Saudi thugs, all these murderers have been funded and supported by the US and British taxpayer.  Up until 1999 every Taliban official was on the payroll of the US government. 

Despite this we condemn this act.  The young soldier, a worker in uniform, was 20 years old and like young workers that join the military in the US, mostly do so for economic reasons. His death is a “gift” to the right wing fascist and nationalist forces.

Included in the context we are outlining here is the role of the leaders of the mass organizations of the 
working class who support imperialism. As a result they give no lead to
 the enraged youth and workers in these countries, no alternative that can show a way out and to fight back against the Cheneys, Blairs, Bushes and Obamas of this world. So among the most desperate and despaired emerges this very savage and reactionary act in Woolwich.

The leaders of the workers organizations due to their support of imperialism’s policies refuse to organize mass anti-war movements, or movements in the armed 
forces for union rights for soldiers and to end all wars and 
occupations. These mass workers' leaders have blood on their hands also.

The Cheney’s, Bushes, the Obamas, the Camerons, 
the Blairs, the oil and gas companies, the military forces of 
imperialism all have their hands on the weapons that killed that young working class soldier in London yesterday.

Facts For Working People:

Unconditionally opposes the killing of this young soldier, a worker in uniform. This act will weaken and divide the working class.  

Unconditionally opposes the agents of imperialism who send young workers into harms way in the invasions of Iraq and Afghanistan and elsewhere to seize the resources of these countries for the major profit addicted tax dodging corporations. .

Unconditionally opposes all invasions and wars carried out by US imperialism and its allies internationally as they seek to seize the wealth of the planet.

We call for an immediate cessation of illegal drone attacks and the drone program that has murdered thousands of innocent civilians abroad and is being introduced in the US to include domestic police and security forces in order to suppress dissent and opposition to the US corporations’ austerity agenda at home.

Opposes any effort by the fascist and nationalist groups to exploit the death of this young soldier.  We must not let the racists and fascists take this event under their banners. The left and the workers movement must act. Workers of the world unite against the forces of the corporations and their armies and the reactionary alternatives that are springing up in the vacuum.

It is not enough for the labor movement, the left and progressive forces to comment on this reactionary act. They must mobilize. We call for demonstrations and mobilizations to end all involvement of British and other imperialist countries’ military invasions and wars in countries such as Iraq and Afghanistan. This is the only way to prevent new forces from being recruited to the reactionary Islamic groups and reactionary Islamic ideas.

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Moore Oklahoma school deaths could have been avoided with proper safety measures

Moore Oklahoma: calm and comfort after the storm

by Richard Mellor

The death toll in Moore, Oklahoma after a tornado battered the town for 45 minutes stands at 24, ten of them children, more than 240 have been injured according to reports in the media. Seven of the children were killed when the tornado tore through the Plaza Towers School destroying it completely.  According to the National Weather Service, the tornado had winds of 200 miles an hour, was about 17 miles long and 1.3 miles wide.

As we always remind people when the big business press talks about money shortages for this or that social investment, it is important to reject that argument as there’s lots of money, it’s simply a question of allocation.

So once again, the deaths in this instance are largely market induced, they were far from inevitable.  Some building and homes have underground shelters or “safe rooms”, rooms built of reinforced concrete in which residents can take cover when these storms hit. These safe rooms cost a few thousand dollars apparently.

Many schools have them as well.  The Plaza Towers School didn’t have an underground shelter and Oklahoma state law doesn’t require schools to have above ground shelters despite this area being a tornado prone area.  There are about 100 schools in the state do have safe rooms built with federal funds.  But that money “has dried up” the Wall Street Journal reports and many of the schools are now on a waiting list.  Plaza Towers won’t have to wait, as it no longer exists.

"The people of Moore should know that their country will remain on the ground there for them, beside them as long as it takes for their homes and schools to rebuild,", president Obama said today.  But this is typical after the fact.  The same with the West, Texas explosion, workers killed by the explosion on the deep water rig in the Gulf of Mexico and other disasters that inflict more damage and destruction than they should due to the attacks on public spending and the way capital is allocated in society and the priorities as determined by the politicians int he two Wall Street parties.  As I wrote before, OSHA shows up after workers die.

Glenn Lewis, Moore’s mayor said he would propose an ordinance requiring a reinforced shelter to be built in every new home which will also save lives in the future and assumes the bill will pass easily.  But we need to instill firmly in our minds the understanding that certainly the human deaths and most likely structural destruction in these disasters are greatly increased by the priorities of capital.  We do not control the allocation of capital in society otherwise we wouldn’t be spending a few trillion dollars on foreign wars and other expenditures aimed at protecting the rights and bank accounts of the 1%.

There are many instances where measures taken that would improve the quality of our lives, communities and our safety, regulations and government oversight for example, are squelched by politicians in the pay of lobbyists representing the 1%. Mustn’t cut in to profit taking.

A simple thing like a safe room would have saved the lives of six Oklahoma children at least.  But the money’s “dried up" it's called Austerity.

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Woolwich UK: British Muslims hack young soldier to death in street.

We will have more on this tragic event but while this blog does not support acts like these in any way we recognize it is the inevitable savagery of imperialism's attempt to control the world.

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Oklahoma Tornado and Climate Change Censorship.

The mass capitalist media is a wonderful thing. And this applies to the liberal as well as the right wing media.  Here we have the catastrophe in Oklahoma. A few months ago we had the Sandy catastrophe. The capitalist media zeros in on personal stories and the fact that a dog that was found in the debris. I am sure we are all glad for the wee dog and its owner. But the issue at the center of this catastrophe is what is causing so many tornadoes and hurricanes. It is climate change. This is what the mass capitalist media should be discussing but of course precisely at this time when the issue is so concrete they run from this like it was the devil. Precisely at this time when the issue is concrete they are absolutely determined not to discuss it. They censor it as they usually do when an open and honest discussion is most necessary and could most benefit the conscious of the working class and youth.

Then we see the hypocrisy of the Republicans and the two Senators from Oklahoma. They voted against relief for Hurricane Sandy. Now we will see what they have to say about relief for Oklahoma. It is hard to believe that these creatures have any human feelings, in fact any feelings at all.

Sean.

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