redFlags

Israel Kidnaps PFLP's Sa'adat from Palestinian Jail

Not content with having assassinated the last leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Israeli occupation forces launched a 9-hour siege of the Jericho prison where Ahmed Sa'adat was being held by the corrupt Palestinian Authority for the killing of racist Israeli cabinet member Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001. This assault comes hot on the heels of reports that the new Hamas-led government would release Sa'adat and several other leading members of the PFLP, and statements by Abbas that he, too, might release them.

According to Haaretz, "The drama began early in the day, when American and British monitors supervising the detention of the six left the prison. The monitors had been stationed there as part of a compromise reached between Israel and the PA, which had guaranteed Israel that it would keep Ze'evi's killers behind bars."

Noting that you might not want to click on this link (as it goes directly to the PFLP website, classified by the US State Dept. as a "terrorist" organization), the PFLP has responded to the kidnapping by saying that the Israeli government "more serious consequences than they can remember if they touch upon the life of Ahmed Sa'adat."

Lesson: The USA, UK and Israel work as a team. Any agreement reached by such "neutral brokers for peace" is toilet paper.

Lesson #2: According to the same Haaretz article, "An IDF colonel told reporters in Jericho that the main aim was to arrest those at the prison. Using a loudspeaker, the troops called on the militants in the jail to come out and surrender themselves. 'The objective is to arrest them, but there are no negotiations. Either they come out or they will be killed,' the colonel said."

You heard it: There are no negotiations, surrender or die. That's the "peace process" in a nutshell.

Pre-Histories of 911 -- Or, What did they know (and did they do it)?

"Bay" proposal for Ground Zero by Magic Propaganda Mill

First things first. I was at Ground Zero the day the planes hit the World Trade Center. I lived there in a cheap apartment on the Hudson River a few blocks north of the towers. Debates about the planes and "base charges," etc are of no interest to me as I saw what happened and, on general principle despise conspiracy theories. I've been embroiled in several "911 Truth" debates, and I think it very unfortunate that real interrogation of the offical story has been left to, how can I say it... unreliable elements.

All that said, I'm with the half of New Yorkers who believe the official 911 report is a "conspiracy theory" and do not accept the simple story we've been told. There are just too many loose ends, conflicting accounts and political expediency in how Bush has spun the whole story.

Browsing the internet, I found a new blog called DW Vents, an apparently communist blog from right here in the city that took on the Pre-Histories of 911. Because I think this piece avoids the more dubious lines of thought that define dissent of the official 911 story (in particular, the strange alleged conspiracy between a New York real estate magnate and the secret government crowd, anti-Semitic and racist bullshit, right-wing "Illuminati" kookiness), I've posted DW's piece here in its entirety for discussion and debate.

FMLN Gains in El Salvador Elections Despite Lackluster Turnout

Coming shortly after massive protests in response to El Salvador's implementation of the CAFTA "free trade" agreement, a fiercely contested election puts the FMLN in an increasingly strong position to win governmental management in the Central American country.

UpsideDownWorld reports: El Salvadorans cast ballots in 262 city mayoral races and elected 84 representatives to the national Legislative Assembly on Sunday, March 12. Despite being outspent 20-1 by the right wing ARENA party in the electoral campaign, the Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front (FMLN) gained a seat or two in the National Assembly and looked likely to regain the mayor’s office in the capital city of San Salvador. Nationwide turnout approached 50%. (continued)

Why Dialectics? Why Now?

Bertell Ollman is one of my favorite Marxist writers, and not just because he introduced me to the wonderful world of pugs, Ruby Fu!). Perhaps best known for his popularizations of the renegade Marxo-psychologist Wilhelm Reich, Ollman also wrote the classic study of Marx's concept of Alienation. And, of course, he's the mastermind behind the cult classic boardgame Class Struggle, a play on Monopoly where every player picks a social class... and it's on! No, for real real!

As a prof, Bert's a student favorite at New York University (boo, hiss) for his lively classes and interest in learning. So, I was tickled to find a recent essay of his on dialectics at the Canadian Autonomy and Solidarity website in the midst of all the discussions breaking out on Red Flags. (Regular readers may have noticed that I'm adding feeds to the site. A&S was among the first.

So, the dialectics thing. Some claim it doesn't "exist," other use the term to justify any far-fetched claim... "hey, I know it sounds like gibberish... that's dialectics, baby!"

Not quite. Ollman wrote a great general introduction to this widely misuderstood method, and here shares a quick piece that's germaine to recent discussions about philosophy and the scientific claims of Marxism. The full text follows.

Gramsci Matters

Apparently the only way to get debate going on this site is to say the "A" word. Ahem. But in the mega-thread on the importance and problems of "Bob Avakian" as man and signifier, Red Flags regular Christopher Day took up the tangent of explaining why Antonio Gramsci (and by implication a whole host of other thinkers beyond the "five heads") is necessary for those concerned with revolutionary transformation.

Christopher Day writes:

Gramsci is concerned with developing a revoluitionary strategy appropriate to the conditions of more advanced capitalist countries.

The Russian Revolution revealed the importance of a disciplined revolutionary party oriented towards the seizure of state power. Some aspects of what occurred in Russia were generalizable to more advanced industrialized countries, others less so.

In Russia, Lenin's simple characterization of the state as bodies of armed men, was largely adequate to the political situation. Russian absolutism had greatly restricted the development of civil society making it possible for a comparatively small party like the Bolsheviks to really seize power and begin the reorganization of society in a manner that would be much more difficult in capitalist core countries. (continued)

Kim Jong: License to ill?

It was a few years back and have was having a chill Sunday brunch with a couple of friends in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn when we found a full-page ad in the New York Times proclaiming "Kim Jong Il: Lodestar for the 21st Century." 

And I thought, what the hell is a lodestar? (Shoutout: Left Spot and my fav babe from Babeland)

Now, I like Jong Il's eyewear as much as the next guy, and he's in close competition with Kadafi for most entertaining head of state. (Kadafi wins for the all-female ninja bodyguard bridgade, hands down.)

What the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has to do with socialism is beyond me. That's why I was surprised to see the central committee of the Communist Party of the Philippines send birthday greetings to the hereditary monarch of the DPRK, Kim Jong Il. Not quite as happy-happy as the Korean celebrations... (continued)

New Effort to Make Sure Rachel Corrie Play Is Staged in New York

Vanessa Redgrave calls the suspension of  My Name Is Rachel Corrie an "act of political cowardice." No doubt about that. Tremendous pressure is being brought to bear on the New York Theater Workshop by the usual Zionist suspects -- and the truth needs to be heard. They can't bury her again.

Rachel's Words is a new effort to galvanize support for artistic integrity in New York, and to make sure that this play is seen by the many thousands who will undoubtedly buy tickets to learn more, argue, be challenged and even in spite of themselves. If Broadway wants to be more than the Lion King -- this is it! Word has it that a guerrilla premiere of the play is coming on March 22. For regular updates, sign up for the mailing list.

The Corrie family encourages public readings of Rachel’s powerful emails that she sent home during her time in Rafah, Gaza Strip. If your group is going to stage a reading, let them know and they will post that information on the site.

Walter Davis also wrote up an analsyis of the conflict over at Dissident Voice: The Play's the Thing: Censorship, Theatre and Ideology

NYC: Solidarity March with 'Great Walk against Anti-women Laws in Iran's Islamic Republic

From NYC Indymedia, links added: In New York on International Women's Day, March 8, we will bring together a multinational gathering of women, men and young people in solidarity with the Great Walk in Europe.

A future of Islamic Fundamentalism vs. the Bush regime's "McCrusades" is a brutal disaster for the world's women and people, and we cannot and will not accept it. Support those risking their lives to oppose barbaric Islamic fundamentalist laws and practices against women -- be part of bringing forward movements of women and people the world over to reject both deadly and crushing ruling orders, instead fighting for relations of equality between women and men, and against domination and plunder of the world's nations and countries by a handful of imperialist powers.

To those who still wonder whether George Bush and his regime can deliver some kind of liberation to the women and people of the Middle East or any corner of the globe -- as one of the Great Walk statements says: "The American government has declared that it seeks to liberate the women of the Middle East from the yoke of Islamic fundamentalism. This is a ridiculous claim that makes a mockery of real liberation and is an insult to the women of the Middle East. The march of events in Afghanistan and Iraq should have helped those who were taken in by these self-styled liberators of Middle Eastern women to realize how badly they were fooled. If anyone still believes that George Bush and his ilk are liberators of women, please talk to American women fighting to prevent him from taking away their right to abortion as well as against the efforts of the Christian fascists to dominate every aspect of the lives of women in the U.S. What George Bush is taking away from the women in the USA he will not deliver to women in Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan or any other country."

Join with us in supporting the Great Walk in Europe. As their material states: "In this rally there is a place for all freedom-loving women and men, all political and progressive and revolutionary forces, who want equality between men and women in every aspect of life, a place for all those who oppose gender discrimination in any form." And: "Celebrate 8 March 2006 with us and help us to build the independent ranks of women against U.S. imperialism as well as the reactionary states governing these countries."

Wed, March 8th, 2006 — NYC
March: 5:00 PM Starts at 83rd and Roosevelt Ave.
(7 train to 82st St.)
Rally: 6:30 PM 73th Street and Broadway
(7, E, F, R, G trains to 74th St/ Roosevelt)

Colorado Students Walk-Out to Defend Radical Teacher

Overland Students Walk Out in Support of Jay Bennish
[Click on any of the images to watch the CBS 4 Denver video of the student walkout.]

Michael Yates writes for MR Zine: A high school geography teacher here in Colorado -- Jay Bennish who teaches at Overland High School in Aurora -- is in trouble, attacked by the right, for things he said in an honors geography class after Bush's State of the Union address.  A student in the class taped the teacher's comments (about twenty minutes of a fifty-minute class) without the teacher's knowledge.  His parents complained to the school administration, and, after nothing came of this, they gave the tape to radio station KOA (850 AM), a 50,000-watt outlet for far-right shock jocks like "Gunny Bob" Newman (Gunny Bob is a retired Marine gunnery sergeant.  On a recent show, he gave graphic descriptions of torture and argued that it was necessary and desirable for U.S. forces to use such torture) and Dave and Lois, the "drive home' team.  During each of the past two days, Dave and Lois devoted their entire four-hour show to Mr. Bennish.  On most shows, these two sound brain-challenged, but on these they presumed to know all there is to know about what makes a good teacher and what should be taught in any and all classes.

Indypendent: Photo Report from Cite Soleil, Haiti

New York's "free paper for free people" is hot off the presses with a photo essay by Andrew Stern from the streets of Cite Soleil, the slums of Port-au-Prince, Haiti where resistance to the US/UN occupation forces has shown that the Haitian people yet again refuse to be conquered.

Download the PDF of Indypendent #83

This issue is full of goodies, including a review by Paul Buhle, Nicholas Powers interview with a New Orleans preacher in the ruins of his church and a deeper than usual look at the realities behind Hugo Chavez's claim of "21st Century Socialism" in Venezuela.

It's Andrew Stern's photography that really took my breath away.

Haiti has been in turmoil as long as I can remember, first learning about it when my mother told me about the dancing over the Manhattan bridge when Baby Doc fell. A people who refuse to lay down versus an elite that won't let them breathe has created constant conflict. Imperial interventions from the United States, Canada and France keeping the blood flowing and democracy suppressed. To top it all off, Haiti is faced with an ongoing ecological catastrophe from topsoil erosion. The land is losing its fertility.

Since Aristide's hobbled regime was ousted in a US-backed coup, the residents of Cite Soleil have weathered withering attacks from supposed UN "peace-keepers," re-constituted death squads from the military that Aristide attempted to dismantle and racist disregard in the "world" press.

A selection of Stern's photos from Cite Soleil will follow in the next few days. For now, it's in the PDF of the Indypendent.