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newsofleft | 1 Jan 2009 18:25
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End the Massacre in Gaza – No Solution Through Violence

End the Massacre in Gaza – No Solution Through Violence

http://socialistparty-usa.org/
natsec <at> socialistparty-usa.org

A Statement of the National Action Committee of the Socialist Party USA

The Socialist Party USA unequivocally condemns the ongoing Israeli
military offensive against the people of Gaza. We call for an
immediate cessation of hostilities on all sides and an immediate end
to the blockade of the Gaza strip. We encourage US citizens to assist
the process of peace in the region by demanding that the US government
end all military aid to Israel and other Middle Eastern governments.

The Israeli military is involved in a massacre of the people of Gaza.
More than one million people are trapped in the region, penned in by
the Israeli Defense Forces on one side and the Egyptian military on
the other. Over the past few days, more than 400 people have been
killed and thousands more injured as a result of Israeli military
aggression. This has resulted in a massive humanitarian crisis which
has put the entire population of Gaza at risk. Today, Gaza City is a
squalid ghetto under attack by overwhelming military force intent on
the inflicting collective punishment on the Palestinian people "to the
bitter end."

The present humanitarian tragedy in the Gaza Strip is only a one
moment in a history of Israeli state terrorism directed at the
Palestinian population. Features of this conflict include arbitrary
seizures of Palestinian land, destruction of homes, and the
criminalization and physical expulsion of hundreds of thousands of
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glparramatta | 2 Jan 2009 09:53
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What's new at Links: Gaza massacre; economic crisis; French new left party and more

What's new at Links: Gaza massacre; economic crisis; French new left 
party; El Salvador; Pakistan; Venezuela; Mexico photos; Zimbabwe debate; 
Nicaragua; Climate change

* * *
Subscribe free to Links - International Journal of Socialist Renewal - 
at http://www.feedblitz.com/f/?Sub=343373

Visit and bookmark http://links.org.au and add it to your RSS feed 
(http://links.org.au/rss.xml). If you would like us to
consider an article, please send it to links <at> dsp.org.au

*Please pass on to anybody you think will be interested in /Links/.

* * *

    Palestinians, solidarity activists condemn Israel's mass slaughter
    in Gaza, call for protests and sanctions (updated Dec. 29)
    <http://links.org.au/node/823>

[Please check the comments section below these statements for 
demonstrations in your part of the world.]

Occupied Ramallah, Palestine -- December 27, 2008 -- Today, the Israeli 
occupation army committed a new massacre in Gaza, causing the death and 
injury of hundreds of Palestinian civilians [latest reports place the 
death toll at more than 200], including a yet unknown number of 
schoolchildren who were headed home from school when the first Israeli 
military strikes started. This latest bloodbath, although far more 
ruthless than all its predecessors, is not Israel's first. It culminates
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Vishnu Ramakrishnan | 3 Jan 2009 05:21
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The ‘Non-Violent’ Death of an Indian Stray Dog

The `Non-Violent' Death of an Indian Stray Dog

Vishnu Ramakrishnan 
(from Gaddar hugged his People,
17 poems of contemporary relevance)

Like most of the Indians 
He lost his mother, 
Mother tongue and motherland; 
The noose followed him;
Smell of death everywhere,
Through the `non-violent' noose violently;
Civilizations echoed from all sides: 
`Son of a bitch…'
The dog ran… ran… ran and ran away,
Went into a tunnel,
Deep inside,
The noose was hanging and dancing,
Moving from end to end of the tunnel;
Abuse and words of desperation,
All languages and cultures,
Followed and continued…
The sun got tired and decided to fade,
The noose faded along with the fall of darkness.

One more `non-violent' night fell on the dog;
He slept a little, 
Soon `non-violent' dreams with violent means 
Shook him up,
Came out of the dark hole,
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FreetheCuban5 LibertadparalosCinco | 3 Jan 2009 18:24
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Jan. 10th-VB Film The man of two Havanas

 
 
The Man of Two Havanas - Jan 10 in NYC at IAC at 5PM

The Venceremos Brigade invites you to a screening of
The Man of Two Havanas
a feature-length documentary by Vivien Lesnik Weisman
 
Saturday, January 10
5PM
Solidarity Center
55 West 17th Street, 5th Floor (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
Manhattan
 
Donations welcome. No one turned away.
 
The feature film debut of Cuban born, Miami bread Vivien Lesnik Weisman has more than ruffled a few
feathers, befitting her pedigree as the daughter of legendary journalist, Max Lesnik.
 
"Okay, here's the situation. I was born in Havana. That makes me Cuban. But, I was raised in Little Havana,
which makes me Cuban-American. However, since I don't see Castro as the root of all evil in the universe,
nor would I strangle him with my bare hands given the opportunity, I am a little out of step with my tribe. I
always have been. And I really don't care.
    My dad, on the other hand, does care. He cares a great deal. Back in Havana he was a revolutionary and
fought alongside Castro for the freedom of the Cuban people. Then he had a falling out with his old friend
and it was Miami, here we come.
   But his animosity towards Castro did not last and he soon wanted dialogue with the Cuban government.
Perhaps, to live in peace.
   That's when the shit hit the fan."
 
(Continue reading)

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FreetheCuban5 LibertadparalosCinco | 3 Jan 2009 18:25
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Jan. 10th-VB Film The man of two Havanas

The Man of Two Havanas - Jan 10 in NYC at IAC at 5PM

The Venceremos Brigade invites you to a screening of
The Man of Two Havanas
a feature-length documentary by Vivien Lesnik Weisman
 
Saturday, January 10
5PM
Solidarity Center
55 West 17th Street, 5th Floor (between 5th and 6th Avenues)
Manhattan
 
Donations welcome. No one turned away.
 
The feature film debut of Cuban born, Miami bread Vivien Lesnik Weisman has more than ruffled a few
feathers, befitting her pedigree as the daughter of legendary journalist, Max Lesnik.
 
"Okay, here's the situation. I was born in Havana. That makes me Cuban. But, I was raised in Little Havana,
which makes me Cuban-American. However, since I don't see Castro as the root of all evil in the universe,
nor would I strangle him with my bare hands given the opportunity, I am a little out of step with my tribe. I
always have been. And I really don't care.
    My dad, on the other hand, does care. He cares a great deal. Back in Havana he was a revolutionary and
fought alongside Castro for the freedom of the Cuban people. Then he had a falling out with his old friend
and it was Miami, here we come.
   But his animosity towards Castro did not last and he soon wanted dialogue with the Cuban government.
Perhaps, to live in peace.
   That's when the shit hit the fan."
 
About the Venceremos Brigade
 
(Continue reading)

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Hunter Gray | 3 Jan 2009 19:06

Valkyri -- and some further-alongr personal reflections

NOTE BY HUNTER BEAR [JANUARY 3  2009]

The local  weather around here -- Eastern Idaho -- has been, as it seems to be nationally, wild and rough. 
Yesterday afternoon saw us in the midst of rain and snow, along with unusually warm periods followed by a
freezing temps, icy slush.  When three members of our family, Josie [our youngest daughter] and her
Cameron and visiting grandson/son Thomas [he to leave that very evening after an excellent visit]
prepared to see Valkyrie -- focused on the last and the best prepared plot to assassinate Hitler -- they
urged me to join them.  When I sought to politely decline -- it was six years since I was actually in a movie
theatre -- Josie, characteristically, pushed with intensity and her usual success.   So I went and I'm
quite glad I did.

It's a good, solid film -- not really, given the focus, enjoyable -- but fascinating.  It won't satisfy those
who see any Hollywood production as  something to be viewed with inherent suspicion nor those who relish
especially "arty arty" films, often those with psychiatric subtleties.  My film tastes, which as I've
previously noted, focus these days on HBO and IFC for the most part, are pretty catholic, diverse.  I do make
my measure of a flick on such matters as a reasonably worthwhile message [but not necessarily explicit],
basic adherence to the primary historical/cultural currents, and good acting.

Valkyrie does well on all of those counts.  It's a straight-forward, hard-hitting account with -- as was
certainly the historical fact -- lots of violence. My personal awareness of the courageous effort in 1944
by some German officers and a few civilians of well-placed social status -- sickened from a number of
perspectives by Hitler's irrationality and brutality --- has been mostly limited to my interest in Erwin
Rommel and his career and his supportive position in this good Conspiracy.  So I learned more about the
careful organization of the effort, the plans for an immediate post-Hitler coup, and something of the
interesting personalities involved.

Tom Cruise does an excellent job as a key participant in The Plan and the key action person -- in his case
depicting Colonel Claus von Stauffenberg who, "to the manor born," achieved the status of genuine war
hero but whose troubled conscience remained.  Other acting is likewise well done.
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KOE - Communist Org. of Greece | 4 Jan 2009 12:55
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Gaza is not alone! Report from KOE, Greece

[Check the English language website of KOE : international.koel.gr ]

*****

Gaza is not alone! Solidarity in Greece

On Saturday 3 January a massive and combative demonstration took place in the center of Athens and marched
towards the Zionist embassy. Thousands of people responded to the call of the Palestinian Community, of
the Greek Social Forum and of the Left organizations (with the exception of the "Communist Party of
Greece" - KKE). With slogans against the Zionist murderers and their accomplices, the USA, the EU and the
so-called "international community", and throwing stones, the people resisted for long time the
attacks of the Police Special Forces. The Police attacked with chemicals in an attempt to prevent the
demonstrators from reaching the embassy. 

The spirit of the demonstration, one of the biggest of the last years, was characterized by outrage for the
Zionist crimes, anger for the pro-US, pro-Israel stand of the Greek government, and by resolute spirit of
solidarity. The main slogans scanded also by the block of the Communist Organization of Greece were:

"Bush-Olmert murderers! Victory to the Intifada! Freedom for Palestine!"
"The people does not want them here - Throw the Zionist embassy out of Greece"
"Solidarity is the peoples' weapon - War against the imperialist war"
"Zionist pigs murderers: Gaza is not alone"
"Bush and Olmert kill, Karamanlis and Papandreou applaude"
"USA and EU, accomplices in the crime"
"No justice, No peace - Solidarity with Palestine"
"The real terrorists are in the embassies of USA and Israel"

Similar demonstrations took place also in Thessaloniki and other Greek cities. Today Sunday 4 January in
the afternoon a new demonstration is called by the Palestinian Community, the Greek Social Forum, the
Coalition of Radical Left (SYRIZA), etc. Unfortunately, and despite the plea of the Palestinian
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ballistanc | 4 Jan 2009 13:25
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Re: Gaza is not alone! Report from KOE, Greece

--- In marxist <at> yahoogroups.com, "KOE - Communist Org. of Greece" 
<laokratia <at> ...> wrote:
>
> ...As you sure know capital needs to generalized its catastrophe in 
order to start a new accummunlation process...The only alternative to 
stop this deadly and criminal process is by taking the streets with 
the objective to destroy capital.  Our action must be a combination 
of mass mobilization and military attacks... Only such mass action 
will put an end to this madness and repeated genocide from capitalist 
class.

Down with the bourgeoisie!!

[Check the English language website of KOE : international.koel.gr ]
> 
> *****
> 
> Gaza is not alone! Solidarity in Greece
> 
> On Saturday 3 January a massive and combative demonstration took 
place in the center of Athens and marched towards the Zionist 
embassy. Thousands of people responded to the call of the Palestinian 
Community, of the Greek Social Forum and of the Left organizations 
(with the exception of the "Communist Party of Greece" - KKE). With 
slogans against the Zionist murderers and their accomplices, the USA, 
the EU and the so-called "international community", and throwing 
stones, the people resisted for long time the attacks of the Police 
Special Forces. The Police attacked with chemicals in an attempt to 
prevent the demonstrators from reaching the embassy. 
>
(Continue reading)

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Hunter Gray | 4 Jan 2009 14:56

Follow-up on Valkyrie: personal conscience and responsibility

Re some of the discussion on Redbadbear:

I have no German forbears on which to fall back for direct, personal knowledge. My maternal grandmother
spoke German fluently but that came from her father, a Swiss immigrant [who was also a radical social
justice activist in Kansas, beginning in the Territorial days.]

So I'm not a personal authority on German society and culture -- though I am aware that, for various
historical and sociological reasons, among them monarchial principalities in the pre-unification
period and patriarchal family structures, authoritarian strains have traditionally been more
pronounced in Germany than in many other settings. Traditionally, again, the German military
subordinated itself to -- authoritarian -- civil government.

Long before I ever arrived in Mississippi ['61], I had learned via observation and experience that
fundamentally good people can not only do bad things -- but, much more commonly, can "look away" rather
than directly at nefarious and often downright sanguinary actions initiated by their leaders and even
their fellows. I've always recalled the comment made by a colleague of mine, a Jewish refugee from South
Africa, who observed that in a "choice" academic setting in that country, "the more intelligent the mind,
the more intricate the rationalizations."

With all due respect, I'm not inclined to be too harshly judgmental in situations where complex
individuals [and all of us are complex] are enmeshed in the complexities of totalitarianism. True, as we
fight for social justice, we do have to classify -- even usurp God's role in "sorting souls" -- as we carry
our campaigns, large and small, along the Trail. [For all of its many internal challenges, the United
States is a vast and diverse country with almost all Americans still recognizing that they are born into a
tradition of personal liberty. I have never seen this country -- despite, say, the last eight years -- as
even being close to a totalitarian incarnation.]

The "road to Damascus" [speaking, of course, in the New Testament sense] is a longer trek for some than for
others. I suspect many German officers in the Nazi regime were increasingly troubled by the policies of
the Third Reich. I understand Rommel, in North Africa, insisted on good treatment for British prisoners
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newsofleft | 5 Jan 2009 02:15
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In this week's Socialist WebZine....

In this week's Socialist WebZine....

http://socialistwebzine.blogspot.com/

* End the Massacre in Gaza – No Solution Through Violence
* "They know no limits now" - Report from the International Solidarity
Movement
* Massive Demonstration Against the War in Israel
* Palestine's Guernica and the Myths of Israeli Victimhood
* It's Time to Repeal the Hyde Amendment
* More Video from the Occupation of the New School
* Jan. 3, 1965 - Free Speech Movement Holds First Legal Demonstration

Plus...see the results of our Obama Inauguration Poll...Should
Socialists participate?

What are  your thoughts? Please add comments to the articles!

Spread the word...2,980 hits and counting!

The physical edition of the Socialist has arrived in the National
Office and will be shipped soon.  Order your subscription now...
http://socialistparty-usa.org/socialist/

http://socialistwebzine.blogspot.com/

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

"[C]apital comes dripping from head to foot, from every pore, with blood and dirt."
--Marx, Capital, Vol. 1, Chapter 31
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