Convinced Yet? (General Strike Now!)

 

"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." --Frederick Douglass

 

"The world is dominated culturally, economically and militarily by a regime that just killed women's rights protections because they make Jesus mad." --Caitlin Johnstone

Convinced Yet?

words and protest photos by C. A. Matthews

I hate to say, "I told you so," but I told you so. This is all getting a bit ridiculous. I discussed the history and likely outcome of the Supreme Court's recent ruling a little over a month ago in a piece entitled The Ministry of Truth v. Roe v. Wade. I followed up a week later at the first pro-abortion rights protests with Your Obedience Is Prolonging This Nightmare. Go back and read those two articles and then tell me that I'm not prescient. Go on. I'll wait.

Okay, now that you're back, and scratching your head over what we can do next to protect our human rights, let's get down to brass tacks. It might be too late. The damage has been done, and we can't overestimate the damage enough. Americans have sleepwalked into allowing the oligarchs, a.k.a. the 1%, a.k.a. the billionaires, a.k.a. the true rulers of our country and the world, into doing whatever the hell they want to whomever the hell they want, whenever they want.  Here are a few examples:

Equal rights/equal pay for women? Whatever! Put out the fire and put your bra back on, Grandma.

LGBTQIA rights and marriage? Excuse me? These persons don't exist in our perfect society ruled by white, hetero, cis-gendered males of wealth and privilege. Go back into your closets and shut the f*ck up.

Public schools? Desegregated public schools? To paraphrase a younger Joe Biden, "We aren't going to let our superior white offspring go to school in the jungle with all those brown and black kids." And besides, government school vouchers are good at religious schools now according to the Supreme Court. We only want our children associating with people going to heaven with us, not straight to hell where everyone who is not us automatically goes to upon death, an early death probably brought on by malnutrition caused by childhood poverty.

Yes, they'll be coming for more than just your or your friends' right to have an abortion. Count on it.

So, what are we to do? Voting harder doesn't work. Voting doesn't seem to work period. According to the infamous Princeton study, politicians don't even listen to us little people, the 99%. Money is what influences their actions. We'll never have as much money as the top 1% or even top 10%, so we'll never be able to influence politicians the way the wealthy can. 

Stop wasting your tears on feeling betrayed by "progressives" or "The Squad" or whoever lied to you to get your vote and/or a donation out of you. Their job is to manipulate you into thinking the system works for the poor and struggling of America. But the system is corrupt. It's broken. It's not worth saving.

Get over acting like "temporarily embarrassed millionaires" as John Steinbeck once put it. Even if you consider yourself "middle class," you are desperately poor compared to the billionaires who own everything, including our government. You ain't ever going to be allowed in their club, let alone dictate terms to them.

That means there's only one thing left we can do. We can use our vast numbers to overtake and take down the super-wealthy minority from their position of power. We can even the score and even out the inequalities of our society. We can start by letting them know in no uncertain terms that We The People are in charge.

How do we take charge? Two words: General strike. 

Our super power is our labor. In case you haven't noticed, rich folks don't know how to do shit for themselves. They have slaves--I mean, wage slaves--to do everything for them… Everything from cleaning their mansions to mowing their estates to painting their fingernails to piloting their private planes to wiping their backsides. If We The Workers don't do the work, the one-percenters are effectively dead in the water, particularly if the captain of their yacht abandons ship with them on it in the middle of the ocean.

And a general strike doesn't have to be one big, long, dragged out affair that happens everywhere at the exact same time. A general strike can be a series of shorter strikes done in rapid succession and spread across a wide variety of industries and occupations. Medical workers can strike at the same time as teachers and fast food workers. The next week it can be civil servants, airline pilots, and telecommunication workers. And so on. The main thing is that workers are all agreed to keep inconveniencing the oligarchs until they capitulate to the workers' demands.

What if you're unemployed or retired or disabled? You can help the strikes by boycotting businesses and institutions that treat their workers disrespectfully and cruelly. You can use your voices and wallets to support strikers by helping them stay out on the picket lines for as long as necessary and relieving them from time to time. Just the fact that we are the majority of Americans gives us unspeakable powers over the tiny majority that hoards most of the material wealth on this planet.

So, get creative and stick it to the Man. The Man undoubtedly wants to stick it to us. 

The actions of the 1% wealth-hoarders indicate that they're aware of our great power. It's why they've been militarizing your local police. It's why they continue to build up our bloated military (while simultaneously raking in lots of profits from the military industrial complex). The only way they know how to keep us in line is by force and violence. The oligarchs long have been dreading the day when working class Americans woke up to the fact that they've never lived in a democracy. The US is actually a corporatocracy ruled by those who come into the world connected to great wealth.

There are very few Cinderella stories in reality--it's why it's a fairy tale. Reality is much harsher. Rich kids inherit a ton of cash and get to go to the exclusive schools. They automatically go to the top positions of government and industry upon graduation. Poor kids stay in poor jobs and sometimes become even poorer than their parents' generation.

We The People need not be shy about it any longer. We know we need to redistribute the wealth of our land to all the people. No American should go hungry, or without health care, or a roof over their head. There is more than enough for everyone. It's the distribution methods that are totally f*cked. It's the corrupt distribution of wealth in the US that allows the homeless to die on the streets when there are homes enough for all--and then some.

That's why it's so obvious that our politicians are on the take from the 1%. They gladly perpetuate this screwed up distribution system to keep the majority of us poor and struggling so that a mere handful can enjoy every creature comfort ever invented. Politicians can't wait to be in that top percentage group, too.

So here's a plan: General strike. Stop wasting time voting for those now currently in office backed by the corrupt establishment political parties. Support leaders who aren't in the pockets of Big Oil, Big Pharma, Big Ag, etc. Chase the oligarchy away. Tear down the system. Rebuild it back better. Be open to change and a new way of doing things that is truly democratic, not just pretend democratic like the mess we've got currently.

Convinced yet? If you are, get going!

If not, re-read this piece and ask yourself, "Why do I not believe I'm worthy of the human rights the Supreme Court has taken/will continue to take away from me?" Deep down, you know you are worthy. Leave behind the abusive relationships that make you feel unworthy of equality, liberty, and justice.

It's time. We need you on the picket line.

A telling quote:

That’s why America’s authoritarians are out of control. They are reveling in their power so much they’re flaunting it. They’re openly, gleefully saying that, next, they’re going to come for gays, kids, minorities of every kind, everyday marriages, families. When authoritarians are that open, my friends, you had better understand: it’s a message. They’re trying to humiliate you, because they are no longer afraid. They are only this open when they are unleashed to the maximum degree, and unafraid of any form of consequences whatsoever. --Umar Haque, If You're Scared For America, You're Still Not Scared Enough

Related articles:

When Joe Biden Voted to Let States Overturn Roe v. Wade https://www.nytimes.com/2019/03/29/us/politics/biden-abortion-rights.html

Just Hurling Money at the Democrats Won't Save Abortion Rights https://www.rsn.org/001/just-hurling-money-at-the-democrats-wont-save-abortion-rights.html

How the Democrats Are Culpable in the Erosion of Abortion Rights https://www.gp.org/democrats_are_culpable 

If You're Scared For America, You're Still Not Scared Enough  https://eand.co/the-end-of-roe-is-the-beginning-of-a-totalitarian-america-c9038f7d1d91  

The Creative Methods Workers Are Using to Stop Bosses' Abuse https://popularresistance.org/the-creative-methods-workers-are-using-to-stop-bosses-abuse/

What Overturning Roe v. Wade Means for Pregnant People in Pollution Hotspots  https://grist.org/health/what-overturning-roe-v-wade-means-for-pregnant-people-in-pollution-hotspots/ 

As Roes Falls, Criminal Defense Lawyers Sound Alarm About Mass Incarceration  https://www.npr.org/2022/06/16/1105291030/scotus-roe-v-wade-abortion-law 

GUIDE: How Will My State Be Impacted by the Overturning of Roe v. Wade? https://therealnews.com/guide-how-will-my-state-be-impacted-by-the-overturning-of-roe-v-wade

Green Party Calls for Mass Mobilizations to Protect Reproductive Rights https://www.gp.org/green_party_calls_for_mass_mobilizations_to_protect_reproductive_rights?

"A Revolutionary Ruling--And Not Just For Abortion"  https://scheerpost.com/2022/06/25/a-revolutionary-ruling-and-not-just-for-abortion-a-supreme-court-scholar-explains-the-impact-of-dobbs/

How Clarence Thomas' Concurring Opinion Suggests Other Rights May Be Vulnerable After Roe  https://www.alternet.org/2022/06/clarence-thomas-2657559336/

Fascist Republicans Kill Roe v. Wade, Useless Democrats Let It Happened https://www.directleft.com/p/fascist-republicans-kill-roe-v-wade

The Ministry of Truth v. Roe v. Wade  https://bernie2016.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-ministry-of-truth-v-roe-v-wade.html 

Your Obedience Is Prolonging this Nightmare  https://bernie2016.blogspot.com/2022/05/your-obedience-is-prolonging-this.html

 

Seen on Twitter:

“You have to vote for Democrats to protect Roe!”

How many times did we hear this? Yet, Roe was just overturned with a Democratic majority.

If this doesn’t make you realize that Democrats are complicit with Republicans I really don’t know what will.

— K ☭ (@IbaraEleven) June 24, 2022

Radicalization is an appropriate response to your rights being stripped away. Don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.

— 🏳️‍🌈 Pinkerbun 🏴🚩🏳️‍🌈 (@PinkerbellPixie) June 24, 2022

The U.S. will not give you healthcare for you or your baby, it will not give you daycare, it will not feed, educate, or house your baby, BUT by any means necessary they WILL FORCE YOU to bring a child into this Hellhole they have created.😉🔥

— Petrichor Exulansis (@PetExula) June 24, 2022

Maybe someday, women in America will have as many rights as guns do.

— Jo 🌻 (@JoJoFromJerz) June 23, 2022

Bill Clinton could have codified Roe V. Wade into law.

Barack Obama could have could have codified Roe V. Wade into law.

Joe Biden could have Roe V. Wade into law.

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY NEVER CARED ABOUT ABORTION RIGHTS.

— Danny Haiphong (@SpiritofHo) June 24, 2022

My Soviet grandmothers had access to free abortions in the 1950-60s unlike both their American contemporaries and American women in particular states in 2022. Kind of mindblowing, huh? Because it's not only a gender issue, it's a class issue, untenable under capitalist rule.

— katya (@kazbek) June 24, 2022

Just got another e-mail from @SpeakerPelosi wanting a signature and money to stand against the abomination that is the SCOTUS decision. I should give the party money so she can go campaign for an anti-abortion candidate and help defeat a pro-choice one? Not in this lifetime!

— Spunky to My Friends (@laflemm15) June 26, 2022

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Your Obedience Is Prolonging This Nightmare

"I don't think that a woman has the sole right to say what should happen to her body." --Joe Biden, 1974

Your Obedience Is Prolonging This Nightmare

by C. A. Matthews

I participated in one of the thousands of Protect Roe v. Wade/Pro-Choice protest rallies held across the US this past Saturday. Our local outing was well-attended. Both the signage and the chanting protesters were creative and colorful. Passers-by honked their car horns and gave everyone a smile and a thumbs up. It's good to know that many Americans won't take this possible abridgement of their rights to privacy and bodily autonomy lying down. 

The saddest part for me was that some in this loud and boisterous crowd seemed oblivious to how and why the Roe v. Wade decision will be overturned. They seem content with supporting the corrupt status quo that created this dilemma in the first place. Whether this is intentional or unintentional makes little difference. The oligarchy that actually runs this country relies on the ignorance of the masses to promote their own purposes. 

For every witty "Think Outside My Box" protest sign I spotted there was at least one sign proclaiming "Vote Blue in 2022 to Save Roe v. Wade." For every "My Body, My Choice" button there was a person carrying a clipboard, trying to sign folks up to become registered Democratic Party voters. 

Excuse me? The Democrats have been in power with a majority in both legislative houses of government during the Clinton, Obama, and now Biden administrations. They have done nothing to codify the Roe v. Wade ruling into federal law at any time in almost fifty years. What makes you think they're going to change their stripes now? 

Well, I guess Biden can point to the ill-timed attempt to codify Roe in the Senate this past week, but wouldn't you know it--it failed. That mean ol' senator from West Virginia, Joe Manchin, voted against it. What party does Manchin belong to? Why, he's a Democrat. He's also the head of many important Senate committees. 

And House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was out campaigning this past week for a vocal anti-abortion member, a Representative Henry Cuellar, a Democrat from Texas. With these high level party examples of Sen. Manchin and Speaker Pelosi, why of course you would expect the Democrats to be the savior of Roe v. Wade. It makes perfect sense!

I got this bridge in Brooklyn I want to sell you if you believe that line of bull hockey. No kidding. You can trust me. You trust the DNC, right? 

So, you can understand why I'm very worried that we are going to return to the good ol' days of back alley abortions and women bleeding to death trying to induce one at home. If seemingly intelligent women at the rally actually believe the lie that either faction of the establishment (or either one of the "wings of the same bird") is going to protect a woman's right to choose, then we're destined to live in the world of The Handmaid's Tale. 

I covered the whys of the duopoly's love affair with keeping Roe v. Wade only a ruling and never a law in last week's blog, so I won't repeat myself here. But I will repeat that this "magical thinking" that either the Democrats or Republicans give a hoot about you or your rights above their bottom lines is just that--foolish and nonsensical. You have become a part of the problem by not questioning their misinformation campaigns (also mentioned in last week's blog). You have become blindly obedient to following their directives. And, in doing so, you have become a part of this nightmare. 

Please stop. 

You're prolonging the misery of millions of Americans by mindlessly giving your time, money, or vote to either faction of the duopoly. Nothing will change if they remain in power. Nothing. You will never sleep well at night knowing a woman's right to choose is safe unless you elect and appoint persons to government who have nothing to do with the current system that produces "lesser evil" candidates. You just won't. 

All the magical thinking in the world can't make politicians (who make a good deal of money on the side doing what they're doing) change. You have to "think outside the box" of voting either Democrat or Republican if you want them to stay out of "your box" and not take away your right to abortion care if and when you need it. 

Luckily, there is one American political party that fields candidates that don't accept corporate bribes--uh, lobbyists' money--and also have it written into their platform that abortion care is health care and that all Americans have the human right to health care. It's the Green Party US. Here is it in black and white: https://www.gp.org/the_real_difference 

Attend all the Protect Roe v. Wade rallies you like, but never forget that voting "blue no matter who" just keeps this nightmare going and going and going…

 P.S. Same goes for endless wars for oil/natural gas. Voting "blue no matter who" got us into the current proxy war. (Update: The US has just invaded Somalia as well.) You have to admit that the "Orange Man" isn't in charge anymore, so we can't put this war on his tally, long as it is.  The Democratic Party (including the supposedly progressive "Squad") are pro-military-industrial complex and pro-war, as every single one of them voted for the $40 billion package to Ukraine. Biden is admittedly anti-abortion as the earlier quote attests. 

By listening to the propaganda from the "Ministry of Truth" (Disinformation Governance Board) that told you to "vote for the lesser evil" Biden, you installed Evil 2.0.  And nothing has fundamentally changed, has it? We're still living in a nightmare. Until you decide to step out of line, that is.

Related articles:

Thousands in US March Under "Ban Off Our Bodies" Banner for Abortion Rights https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-abortion-rights-activists-start-summer-rage-with-saturday-protests-2022-05-14/

The Ministry of Truth v. Roe v. Wade  https://continuousrev.blogspot.com/2022/05/the-ministry-of-truth-v-roe-v-wade.html

How the Democrats Are Culpable in the Erosion of Abortion Rights
https://www.gp.org/democrats_are_culpable

Mass Protest Is Rising. Can It Confront Global Capitalism? https://truthout.org/articles/mass-protest-is-rising-can-it-confront-global-capitalism/

Obama and Liberals Killed Abortion Rights https://www.blackagendareport.com/obama-and-liberals-killed-abortion-rights

Nancy Pelosi is Still Supporting Henry Cuellar, the Only Anti-Abortion House Democrat  https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/nancy-pelosi-is-still-supporting-henry-cuellar-the-only-anti-abortion-house-democrat/ar-AAXeoRX

The Bizarre, Unanimous Democratic Support for the $40 Billion War Package https://popularresistance.org/the-bizarre-unanimous-dem-support-for-the-40b-war-package-to-raytheon-and-cia-for-ukraine/

 Seen on Twitter:

Never forget, literally every reason you are suffering right now, Joe Biden played a part in creating it over the last 5 decades.

— citizen uprising (@cit_uprising) May 13, 2022

Hard to believe that after all the countries the US has invaded, the Dictatorships it has supported, the Coups it has orchestrated, and Leaders and innocent civilians it has murdered, that our citizens still fall for this talk about fighting for Freedom and Democracy

— Black in the Empire (@blackintheempir) May 13, 2022

"Thanks for the $40 Billion Joe" pic.twitter.com/2zaNgiDOYf

— No Retreat No Quarter (@ChrisSVige) May 11, 2022

Stop normalizing Nazis at home and abroad. It’s getting people killed.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) May 15, 2022

#FoodShortageJoe will lead to a summer of food riots

— #GayUnemployedWaiter (@PaulSorrentino3) May 14, 2022

There is a kind of poetic beauty in the way the US empire was birthed onto the world stage by a nuclear blast and will probably die in the same way.

— Caitlin Johnstone ⏳ (@caitoz) May 14, 2022

I'll believe it when I see it. Dems never met a corporate lobbyist with a suitcase of cash they didn't like. #capitalismkills

— C.A.M.@ TheRevolutionContinues.com (Pls read & RT) (@cynthianna3) May 14, 2022

Imagine still thinking voting Blue fixes things

— Pineal Podcast (@Pinealpodcast) May 14, 2022

It's possible to not be a Putin puppet and be against the criminals running this country risking WWIII so they can steal another $40 billion from us and more.

— Black in the Empire (@blackintheempir) May 15, 2022

Everything bad that was supposed to happen if Trump got re-elected is happening under Biden (but worse) because this is how the duopoly works. The people and planet always lose and Big Business and the ruling class always win because they own both parties.

— Ryan Knight ☭ (@ProudSocialist) May 16, 2022

The Ministry of Truth v. Roe v. Wade

 

The Ministry of Truth v. Roe v. Wade

by C.A. Matthews

Two shocking revelations were made public this past week that, at first glance, may not seem to have anything in common. Yet at second glance, any intelligent person can see they have everything in common.

The first revelation: The US Department of Homeland Security announced that they have been lying to us. (A big surprise to everyone, I'm sure!) Their "Disinformation Governance Board" is essentially what George Orwell described as "The Ministry of Truth" in his novel, Nineteen Eighty-Four. Government propagandists work to "spin" what's happening in the world in order to cover over a multitude of faux pas made by our officials and other embarrassing truths about the United States. The theory of propaganda is that if you, the public, don't know what's actually happening, you'll never become angry at the right villains and hold them accountable. You'll be easily manipulated into hating people, places, and things that possibly could be of benefit to you.

Remember: Private health care works! You've never once donated to a GoFundMe to help out a friend or stranger who is struggling with medical bills. Those homeless people on city street corners deserve to be homeless. It's not like we have a surplus of 17 million+ empty homes in the US currently. (Like what the "Disinformation Governance Board" (DGB) is doing thus far?)

These propagandists feed their concocted fairy tales to the mainstream media where good-looking, well-paid, big name newsreaders obediently pass them onto the public with little fact-checking of the facts. (Okay, I exaggerate here. There's no fact-checking done, whatsoever, especially if it comes from the mouths of "anonymous officials" who are probably with the CIA. These "anonymous tips" are just accepted as gospel truth. The DGB appreciates your cooperation in this matter.)

We're seeing the outcome of these propaganda tales currently in a number of "fake news" stories on broadcast outlets about events going on in Ukraine, some of which there is no proof of having ever occurred.

Remember: You've never heard of the Azov Battalion. Those funny tattoos on their bodies are not swastikas. There is no Nazi symbology on either their flags or helmets. You've never heard them once bragging about killing LGBTQ folks or other minorities. The DGB crosses its fingers and sings, "This is true! We hope to die, stick a needle in our eyes." Yes, you really are back in third grade. 

The second revelation: A leaked draft opinion (featuring references to a discredited misogynistic 17th century judge) reveals that the US Supreme Court will repeal the Roe v. Wade pro-abortion ruling. It was verified by the Chief Justice as a genuine document. Pro-choice activists immediately took to the streets to express their anger at the infringement of their rights to privacy and to exercise bodily autonomy.

Remember: Women enjoy equal rights in the United States. Look at how we passed that Equal Rights Amendment so many years ago…  See how a woman of color makes the same amount of money in the same job with the same training and experience as a white male does... You can trust us at the Disnformation Governance Board to steer you in the right direction, just like neoliberals can "push Joe Biden left."

So, how do these two revelations intertwine? Let's take a look at the mainstream media's promotion of this statement: "The Democrats are the party that supports abortion rights." If this story is true, then why is reality so different? Crystal, an abortion care worker in Pennsylvania, attests:

The Democratic Party has not had any substantial response to the recent attacks on Roe. Their statements and brief denouncements of these egregious abortion bans and restrictions have been toothless and weak, hardly even mentioning abortion services the majority of the time.

Why did President Obama promise on the campaign trail in 2008 that on his first day in office he'd sign Roe v. Wade into law if he never was planning to do so? If you realize that abortion rights have yet to be codified in the year 2022 and that Obama ran as a Democrat in 2008, then Crystal's statement that Obama's party has not made any substantial moves to protect Roe v. Wade contradicts the propaganda put out by the party currently in power.

I hope you now can see the "spin" of propagandists at work. The workers at our Ministry of Truth work hard at trying to convince you of falsehoods that serve the status quo's best interests. But why would they lie about Democrats being the champions of abortion access? What purpose do these lies serve? My exploding email box gives us the answer:

From Sen. Chuck Schumer: 

The instant Roe is overturned, abortion could be illegal in 26 states. And Republicans are already plotting to pass a nationwide ban on abortion if they take back control of Congress and the White House.
This is what's at stake in this year's election. So I need you to donate anything you can right now to some of the most vulnerable Democratic Senators up for reelection this year in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada, New Hampshire, and Washington and Democrats running to flip critical Senate seats in Ohio, Florida, and North Carolina. We need every single one of them to win if we're going to stop the Republicans from taking over Congress again and add to our majority to protect abortion rights.

From Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi: 

The only -- ONLY -- way to get justice is to win this election, protect the Democratic House and Senate, and replace every last anti-choice Republican who made this happen. I need a historic response to meet this earth-shattering moment -- 25,000 Democratic gifts in the next 24 hours -- to send a message so powerful, so resounding, there can be no question of our opposition. Will you rush $15 to stand with me on the right side of history? 

These and many other emails I--and millions of others--have received in the past week reveal the real truth: The Democrats have never really cared about putting Roe v. Wade into law because it scares neoliberal people into writing checks to support their campaigns. Simply put, never codifying this decision is a great way to raise money.

"Oh, but they have to deal with the ugly Republicans and those mean ol' Supreme Court justices!" you cry. "They keep the Democrats from making Roe into law." If these assertions are true, then why couldn't Clinton, Obama, or Biden with Democrat majorities in both the House and Senate even attempt to pass legislation to protect a woman's right to choose? Why did they let their majorities in Congress evaporate without putting up much of a fight to protect abortion access? Why did they pick justices to the high court who ultimately wouldn't stand up for abortion rights?

Two words: Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Keeping voters upset about access to legal abortion services is all about fundraising. It's just another way to control the public--especially women. (Read my take on how abortion rights are used against women in A Matter of Control.)

Now that your eyes are open to how the DGB/Ministry of Truth along with their well-paid allies in the mainstream media operate to spin facts in order to cover up the hidden agenda of their corporate-owned masters, you can't deny it. Roe v. Wade is an excellent fundraising tactic for both Democrats and Republicans. 

One group raises money by promising to defend Roe against the "evil conservative" people on the other side of the aisle. The other raises money by promising to "save the babies" or at least those babies who aren't born yet, since starving children without health care or a roof over their heads doesn't seem to bother them all too much.

So long as the establishment duopoly remains in power, a woman's right to abortion care will never be safe. 

Scarier still, other recently won rights such as same-sex marriage could be threatened as well. Check your email for the fundraising pitches to see which story the Ministry of Truth will spin next, and keep your money in your wallet. There's no use being robbed blind by these corporate-owned political machines as well as lied to by your government, is there?

Remember: Voting Democrat or Republican makes America great. We're not involved in a proxy war or selling bombs to drop on innocent civilians anywhere on the planet--and especially not on Palestinians or Yemenis! Women and minorities have always been treated equally in the USA. Americans are never arrested and incarcerated simply for "driving while Black" or living rough on the streets because they lost their homes due to unpaid medical bills or overwhelming student debt or high unemployment during a pandemic or...

Seen online:

I'm not pro-murdering babies.  

I'm pro-Becky who found out at her 20 week anatomy scan that the infant she had been so excited to bring into this world had developed without life sustaining organs.

 I'm pro-Susan who was sexually assaulted on her way home from work, only to come to the horrific realization that her assailant planted his seed in her when she got a positive pregnancy test result a month later.

 I'm pro-Theresa who hemorrhaged due to a placental abruption, causing her parents, spouse, and children to have to make the impossible decision on whether to save her or her unborn child.

I'm pro-little Kathy who had her innocence ripped away from her by someone she should have been able to trust and her 11 year old body isn't mature enough to bear the consequence of that betrayal. 

I'm pro-Melissa who's working two jobs just to make ends meet and has to choose between bringing another child into poverty or feeding the children she already has because her spouse walked out on her. 

I'm pro-Brittany who realizes that she is in no way financially, emotionally, or physically able to raise a child. 

I'm pro-Emily who went through IVF, ending up with SIX viable implanted eggs requiring selective reduction in order to ensure the safety of her and a SAFE amount of fetuses.

I'm pro-Christina who doesn't want to be a mother, but birth control methods sometimes fail.

I'm pro-Jessica who is FINALLY getting the strength to get away from her physically abusive spouse only to find out that she is carrying the monster's child.

I'm pro-Vanessa who went into her confirmation appointment after YEARS of trying to conceive only to hear silence where there should be a heartbeat.   

I'm pro-Lindsay who lost her virginity in her sophomore year with a broken condom and now has to choose whether to be a teenage mom or just a teenager.

I'm pro-Courtney who just found out she's already 13 weeks along, but the egg never made it out of her fallopian tube so either she terminates the pregnancy or risks dying from internal bleeding.

You can argue and say that I'm pro-choice all you want, but the truth is: I'm pro-life. Their lives. Women's lives. You don't get to pick and choose which scenarios should be accepted. Women's rights are meant to protect ALL women, regardless of their situation!

Related articles:

Obama and Liberals Killed Abortion Rights  https://popularresistance.org/obama-and-liberals-killed-abortion-rights/

Democrats Have No Plan To Stop the Overturning of Roe v. Wade https://therealnews.com/democrats-have-no-plan-to-stop-the-overturning-of-roe-v-wade

Republicans Kill Roe v. Wade, Democrats Vow to Tweet Harder https://www.directleft.com/p/republicans-kill-roe-v-wade-democrats?s=r

Democrats Had 50 Years To Save And Protect Roe. They Failed. https://truthout.org/articles/democrats-had-50-years-to-save-and-protect-roe-they-failed/

Leaked Draft Opinion Shows Supreme Court Set to Strike Down Roe v. Wade https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/05/02/leaked-draft-opinion-shows-supreme-court-set-strike-down-roe-v-wade 

https://www.propublica.org/article/abortion-roe-wade-alito-scotus-hale

The Roe Disaster--And What To Do About It  https://www.levernews.com/the-roe-disaster-and-what-to-do-about-it-2/ 

What Does Roe V. Wade Really Say?  https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/what-is-roe-v-wade 

Legal Experts Fear Loss of Abortion Rights Could Usher in End of Same-Sex Marriage and Other Rights  https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/legal-experts-fear-loss-of-abortion-right-could-usher-in-end-of-same-sex-marriage-other-rights

Homeland Security's "Disinformation Board" Is Even More Pernicious Than It Seems  https://greenwald.substack.com/p/homeland-securitys-disinformation

Western Claims of Russian Mass Graves Near Mariupol Another Fake News Hoax  https://scheerpost.com/2022/05/05/western-claims-of-russian-mass-graves-near-mariupol-another-fake-news-hoax/

There Are Many American Soldiers Already in Ukraine https://popularresistance.org/former-cia-contract-pilot-tosh-plumlee-there-are-many-more-american-soldiers-like-willy-joseph-cancel-already-in-ukraine/ 

Manufactured Truth (video) https://youtu.be/WG2q811Rmb0

CNN Helps US Government Lie About Spying on Americans https://www.rokfin.com/post/84932  ( very short video) 

Ukraine Alone Makes Biden the Worst US President In a Long Time https://caitlinjohnstone.substack.com/p/ukraine-alone-makes-biden-the-worst

Seen on Twitter:

Roe v Wade was decided in 1973. Democrats had 49 years to pass legislation for protecting abortion rights. They didn't.

— José Angel (@ComradeHavik) May 3, 2022

I wish Democrats fought for Roe v. Wade as hard as they fought against Bernie Sanders.

— John Brown was a socialist (@demsocjohnbrown) May 3, 2022

For decades, the Hyde Ammendment - which sexist Joe Biden supported throughout his career- prevented millions of poor women, who are disproportionately black, from getting abortion services. White liberals voted for Joe anyway.

Reproductive "freedom" is not reproductive justice.

— Prof Zenkus (@anthonyzenkus) May 4, 2022

So glad Trump lost because otherwise Roe v Wade would be on the chopping block and immigrants would still be getting mistreated and the Iran deal would still be dead and the military budget would keep inflating. Bastard would probably have us on the brink of World War 3 by now.

— Caitlin Johnstone ⏳ (@caitoz) May 3, 2022

democrats hold women’s health hostage for fundraising dollars and votes

— #GayUnemployedWaiter (@PaulSorrentino3) May 5, 2022

That's the whole idea of this charade--pretend to do something but then the bad guys in red hats stop it. Voters are told to keep voting "blue no matter who" to save Roe v. Wade. The Dems aren't serious about codifying it or else they'd have done it by now.

— C.A.M.@ TheRevolutionContinues.com (Pls read & RT) (@cynthianna3) May 6, 2022

Remember right before the Roe decision leaked how people were saying Biden should forgive all student debt? See how no one's talking about that now? That's why they leaked it.

— John Meade (@johnmeadeb2) May 9, 2022

Exploited People

 

Exploited People... 

Living In The Modern Day Slave State
by Coast Watcher

A recent meme posted on social media summarizes the nature of modern industrial relations. In the meme—a reproduction of a work announcement at an unnamed place of business—the workers are informed that one of their co-workers has passed away due to COVID-19. It goes on to set out strict instructions on how to mourn the person, any contravention of which will result in their "immediate dismissal." To cap it all the order ends with a line from an Emily Dickinson poem—as if this helps soothe ruffled feelings.

How different is this order to slavery in America’s antebellum South? Or indeed anywhere on this planet that had—or still has—a wage slave-based economy?

One can imagine the plight of field slaves in some long ago Southern state. They watch in horror as a fellow slave falls over  from a heart attack and dies. He is then carried away to the sparse plot of land where their dead are buried. The overseer approaches and tells the slaves they have five minutes to mourn, and if they want to mourn any more than that they have to do it on their own time. Oh, except that their free time is now curtailed since they’ll have to work longer to make up the shortfall of labor hours caused by the inconsiderate death of their fellow slave...

Next thing that happens, the overseer states blithely, "Anyone questioning this order will be whipped. Here’s a poetic statement I came up with to make you all feel better. Have a nice day. "

Think this sort of thing doesn't still happen in the 21st century? You believe that the government will protect workers from this kind of exploitation? Here's a telling quote:

The only urgency we’re seeing at the federal level is the urgency of continuing to sacrifice the working class on the altar of economic growth. For too many policy makers, learning to live with the virus means learning to live with preventable death and suffering. Direct, predictable payments could solve that, but at this point, that’s as hard to imagine as the pandemic ever coming to an end under the prevailing political conditions.  John Knefel, How Did We Go From Stimulus Checks to "Go To Work With COVID"?

A labor shortfall in modern America is hardly addressed any differently than it was prior to the Civil War. With COVID-19 on the rampage, Delta Airlines found itself facing a staff shortage. As a result, it bribed/coerced the Centers for Disease Control into shortening the quarantine time for an infected person from ten days to a mere five. Schools across the country took advantage of this CDC decision to force teachers back into the classrooms while they were still recovering from COVID, in spite of the disease having a track record of flaring up long past even the previous ten day quarantine. The Chicago mayor even outlawed remote learning and threatened teachers to return to work.

COVID is EVERYWHERE in our children’s hospital. These kids are SICK. Also fun fact: we’re seeing a lot of young kids with bradycardia, junctions rhythms and heart blocks. Like 0-6 month olds with heart rates in the 50-60s.

— Pediatric Nursey (@pediatricnursey) January 16, 2022

Childhood hospitalizations due to the omicron variant of COVID have skyrocketed in the last month in some American cities. "It's a mild variety" according to government spokespersons and mainstream media pundits. Can you imagine how much higher the numbers would be if it wasn't so "mild"?

It’s no wonder teachers and other workers are striking. Social media is full of accounts of people quitting after receiving peremptory texts from management ordering them back to work or else. Perhaps those doing so no longer face the whip or the other brutal methods used by slave owners to chastise unruly slaves, but official sanctions bite as hard. Unemployment pay is hard to get, and it doesn’t last for long. Landlords are evicting those who are behind on their rent, and student loan payments will be expected soon enough.

It’s my opinion that much more strike action is needed. Workers at Kroger stores in Colorado, Starbuck outlets across the country, and others are taking strike action and/or joining unions to demand fairer wages and working conditions in the face of the risks taken every day to keep these businesses running. (Target workers are even creating their very own union: https://targetworkersunite.com/)

Meanwhile, the US government is doing nothing to help citizens beyond the token issue of COVID-19 home testing kits (on request only from a government website that's sure to crash). As a further measure to reassure the public, the government has decided no longer to issue daily records of deaths from the disease. Because if we don't know how many of our fellow citizens are dying from COVID, then it's not really happening, right? Now, get back to work!

There are rumors circulating that EU countries are preparing to take an influx of economic refugees from the US, as the American economy is expected to tank later this year. While there’s not much evidence in fact that this is the case, it’s a clear indicator of our times that such rumors circulate at all and are given credence. 

It's time to stop all worker exploitation. It's time to let the capitalists know who is really in charge of the economy--the workers. Don't be afraid to walk out, sit down, or march on the picket the lines. Human beings can only take so much punishment and cruelty from the ruling class. Their time of exploiting the people is about over. Let's do all we can to hasten its ending, shall we?

 

BIO: Coast Watcher is tired of the blatant greed and inhumanity of the bourgeoisie. Why do we let them treat us like trash? It's time to rise up and create a workers' utopia--or at least put everyone on an equal footing with universal health care, UBI, guaranteed housing and education, among other things. Power to the People!

 

Related articles: 

Economic Update: Strikes Amid Reviving US Labor Movement (video)  https://youtu.be/4f2SeF60IQU

How Did We Go From Stimulus Checks to "Go To Work With COVID"? https://truthout.org/articles/how-did-we-go-from-stimulus-checks-to-go-to-work-with-covid/

Biden Urged to Fire COVID Response Chief Over Damning Failures https://scheerpost.com/2022/01/16/biden-urged-to-fire-covid-response-chief-over-damning-failures/

 Supreme Court Leaves Workers Without COVID-19 Protection https://popularresistance.org/supreme-court-leaves-workers-without-covid-19-protection/ 

Biden's Failure to Provide At Home COVID Tests Looks Extra Riduculous Arriving from the UK  https://popularresistance.org/bidens-failure-to-provide-at-home-covid-tests-looks-extra-ridiculous-arriving-from-the-u-k/ 

Australian Trade Unions Demand Free COVID Testing For All As Cases Surge https://popularresistance.org/australian-trade-unions-demand-free-covid-testing-for-all-as-cases-surge/

***

From UltraViolet:

The Trump-packed Supreme Court is poised to overturn Roe v. Wade this summer--and the minute that happens, it will unleash a wave of state-by-state battles by anti-choice radicals to ban abortion with zero exceptions in at least half the country

To kick off their push to ban abortion in as many states as possible in 2022, the anti-abortion movement is planning a march in Washington, D.C., on January 21, the eve of the 49th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, and we must fight back.

The anti-abortion movement's strategy is to try to convince politicians that most Americans want abortion banned, despite the fact that a wide majority of Americans actually supports legal abortion.¹ They think that if enough people show up on the National Mall, it will convince any wavering governors or state legislators that the American people support their radical anti-abortion agenda.

We can't let them get away with it.

To stop the anti-abortion movement from controlling the narrative on this historic day and make sure that the media and the public hear from America's pro-choice majority, we're planning a series of actions to get our message out, including a flash mob at the Supreme Court, petition delivery to every U.S. senator, and a daylong pro-Roe social media campaign.

To go big, we need to raise as much money as possible to fund our counter-protest actions. Will you chip in to help defend abortion rights on this historic anniversary of Roe v. Wade?

The current Supreme Court is the most conservative in a generation, and it's clear that there is a majority to end the constitutional right to abortion.

The court declined to block a draconian ban on abortion in Texas--twice. It heard oral arguments on Mississippi's abortion ban, in which they were asked to immediately overturn Roe v. Wade. In the disastrous oral arguments on these cases, the justices compared Roe to the notorious Plessy v. Ferguson case upholding Jim Crow and argued that abortion isn't needed because babies can simply be given up for adoption.²

The moment the anti-choice majority on the Supreme Court dismantles Roe, abortion bans from Idaho to South Carolina will go into effect. Abortion will likely become illegal in 22 states or more. Over 40% of people able to become pregnant will see their nearest abortion clinics close, with Black people, Indigenous people, and working-class people of color being hit the hardest.³

This is the all-out, state-by-state battle for legal abortion that we'd hoped would never come. But it's here, and the fight begins on January 22, the 49th, and likely final, anniversary of Roe v. Wade.

We can't let the anti-abortion minority control the narrative with their lies and disinformation. So, on January 22, we're planning a series of actions to get our message out that Americans support abortion rights, including a petition delivery to every single senator, a pro-Roe social media campaign, and an on-the-ground flash mob in front of the Supreme Court.

Will you chip in $5 to help us go big on what could well be Roe v. Wade's last anniversary?

Thank you for fighting alongside us!

--Sonja, Shaunna, Kathy, Melody, Lindsay, Kimberly, Maria, Elisa, KaeLyn, KD, Iris, Bridget, Katie, Jaya, Meena, Isatou, Luna, and Toni, the UltraViolet Action team

CONTRIBUTESources:

1. About six-in-ten Americans say abortion should be legal in all or most cases, Pew Research Center, May 6, 2021

2. Conservative US supreme court justices signal support for restricting abortion in pivotal case, The Guardian, December 1, 2021

3. Where Abortion Access Would Decline if Roe v. Wade Were Overturned, The New York Times, May 18, 2021

***

On January 14, nurses held actions across the country, including a candlelight vigil in Washington, D.C. for nurses who lost their lives to Covid-19 and a national virtual press conference. Together, we demanded the hospital industry invest in safe staffing, and that President Biden follow through on his campaign promise to protect nurses and prioritize public health.

Will you join our call for safe staffing critical health and safety protections by adding your name to our petition?

add your name »

As the Omicron variant is exploding across the country, now is not the time to rip away protections for health care workers and the public. 

That’s why nurses, other health care workers, and activists all across the country are coming together to demand:

• A permanent OSHA standard that requires employers to protect health care workers against Covid-19;
• Retention and enforcement of the June 21 Covid-19 health care emergency temporary standard until it is properly superseded by the permanent standard; and
• Restoration of guidance on ten-day isolation after a positive Covid-19 test for health care workers, other frontline workers, and the general public.

As of Jan. 11, 481 RNs have died of Covid-19, among 4,760 health care worker deaths overall, according to NNU tracking data. To date, more than 1.1 million U.S. health care workers have been infected. 

We know that optimal protections save lives, and we will not stop working to win those protections — but we don’t have second to waste. Will you add your name to call on the Biden administration to protect nurses and other health care workers during Covid-19?

add your name »

Thank you for standing with us.

In solidarity,

National Nurses United

 ***

From Friends of the Earth:

ACTION NEEDED: Corporate cruise ships are destroying our oceans -- driving orcas closer to extinction. Last year, we lost Cappuccino and Marina, two of the critically endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale population, which is now down to only 73 remaining orcas.

Scientists agree that orcas face three main threats: food shortage, chemical pollution, and vessel disturbance. Corporate cruise ships magnify all three of these risks and are making it harder for orcas to survive.

If we are going to protect the remaining orcas from extinction, we need to take action immediately to reduce the harm caused by cruise ships.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW

Engine waste, plastic waste, and human waste are ALL dumped directly into the water by cruise ships, damaging orcas’ sensitive habitats, food supply, and ecosystem. The pollution from cruise ships drives away orcas’ vital food source -- contributing to their STARVATION.  

Yet greedy cruise ship corporations continue to increase the size and number of these vessels -- meaning even more disturbances to vulnerable orcas. These ships add more underwater noise, hindering orcas’ echolocation abilities and making it difficult for them to hunt already-scarce prey. More vessel traffic also results in a higher risk of oil spills that can cause death or injury to orcas, and the physical presence of these massive ships interferes with their migration and mating patterns.

Cruise ships are HURTING orcas. We must do something before these beloved animals are gone forever. Please, take action now to help save the remaining orca population from corporate cruise ship pollution.

SIGN THE PETITION NOW

Thank you,
Friends of the Earth