Profit Before People.

       For more than two years the people of Bahrain have been taking to the streets and dying in their attempt to end a brutal dictatorship. Meanwhile the West spouts about supporting the "Arab Spring" while selling arms to that brutal dictatorship. While the people die on the streets of Bahrain, a British arms sales team from United Kingdom Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, (UKTIDSO) has been promoting weapons sales to that brutal Baharian dictatorship.  Between 2008 and 2012 the UK has sold almost £13 million worth of weapons to Bahrain and despite the country's brutal record suppressing protest, has sold them £4 million worth of small arms.

      According to ekklesia On 25 April, Prince and Royal Guard Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, visited Counter Terror Expo 2013 in London. In an official statement he stressed the importance of “new technologies to contain the detrimental repercussions of terrorism.”

     In 2012 a human rights group alleged that the prince was "personally engaged" in beating, flogging and kicking pro-democracy protestors in April 2011. Documentation describes how Sheikh Nasser, who is the president of the Bahrain Olympic Committee, launched "a punitive campaign to repress Bahraini athletes who had demonstrated their support for the peaceful pro-democracy movement." The prince denied the allegations. The UN Rapporteur on Torture has had a planned visit to Bahrain indefinitely postponed by the Bahrain government.

ann arky's home.

1984 And The Permanent State War.

     1984, permanent state of war, all fiction of course!!! Well is it, America is "officially" in a permanent state of war.

This from Polizeros:

      America’s state of permanent global endless war approaches 12th anniversary. The militant American Empire doesn’t need any more AUMF (Authorization to Use Military Force.)

       On September 14, 2001, the Congress authorized the President to wage unfettered, permanent war against pretty much anyone the President, in his sole discretion, deemed related to the 9/11 attacks and any future attacks.  On September 18, 2001, President Bush signed this authorization into law.

      The United States has been in a permanent state of war ever since.  And on May 16, 2013, the Obama Administration’s Pentagon officials testified to the Senate Armed Services Committee that they expected this permanent state of war to last another 10 to 20 years.

Read the full article HERE:

ann arky's home.

We Can Stop The Machine.

     Saw this on Teacher Dude's Grill and BBQ, it is probably more relevant today that it was in the 60's:

        "There is a time when the operation of the machine becomes so odious, makes you so sick at heart, that you can't take part; you can't even passively take part, and you've got to put your bodies upon the gears and upon the wheels, upon the levers, upon all the apparatus, and you've got to make it stop. And you've got to indicate to the people who run it, to the people who own it, that unless you're free, the machine will be prevented from working at all! "

Mario Salvio - Berkeley, California 1964

ann arky's home.

Fascists in Nice Suits.

      Germany 1933, Spain 2013, does history repeat itself with just a change of clothes? Fascism can march in with jackboots or it can slink in wearing an expensive suit, but the result is still the same. Is the British UKIP just a well dressed BNP, with jackboots in their briefcase?

An interesting article from arrezafe:

      I understand that this title may sound provocative, because it is clear that there are major differences between the Spain of 2013 and Germany in 1933. But that upon which I would draw attention is the similarity they have, in their objectives, the current People's Party centralizing policy and performance of the NSDAP (German Nazi Party) in 1933, in their struggle to gain absolute power.

Read the full article HERE:

ann arky's home.

Employers' Loyalty, Move The Plant To Cheaper Wages.

     An Appeal for solidarity from Labour Start:

 

     The United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America (UE) is one of the unions that can always be counted upon when we need international solidarity.  

    As the head of the UCLA Labor Center put it, "The UE has been at the forefront of building international labour solidarity, especially worker to worker relationships."

 

Today, the UE is asking for our help.

 

     They're fighting the decision by General Electric to move nearly a thousand good union jobs from a factory in Pennsylvania to a non-union plant in the South where workers earn 40% less.

Please take a minute and click here to send a message to General Electric asking them to keep good union jobs in Erie.

 

     And then forward on this message to your friends, family and fellow union members asking them to do the same.

    We've been able to count on the support of the UE for so many of our campaigns in the past.

 

Now let's show them that we appreciate all they've done, and help them win this fight.

 

Because this is our fight too.

 

Solidarity forever!

 

Eric Lee

ann arky's home.

A Workers Experiment.

     If we want justice and a decent quality of life for all, then we have to completely change the way society is structured. Invisible shareholders who grow fat on workers sweat will never produce a society that sees to the needs of all our people. Workers takeover and workers management is the only way industry can be developed to the benefit of the community. Now seems the right time to move that plan forward, as is already happening in all sorts of places across the globe.

This from, Borderline Reports,  A Workers Experiment:

“No worker who is not a shareholder, no shareholder who is not a worker,” say the workers of VIOME (Industrial Mineral), a factory in northern Greece. Their plan to take over the factory and to manage it themselves has generated waves of encouragement and support throughout the world. In this report for UNFOLLOW magazine, Christos Avramidis and Antonis Galanopoulos investigate the background to current events, and ask what the future might hold for these workers and their plan, what the reaction of the Greek government is likely to be, and whether workers’ self-management is feasible in a capitalist context.----

Read the full article HERE:

ann arky's home.

The Commons And Common Goods.

     This land is our land, not a song but a statement of fact, in the words of the football pundit, "We wis robbed".

A reminder:
     Kinning Park Complex Sunday 26th May 2:00 - 5:00

There will be a small Radical Independent Bookstall at this event.


     ‘Show the people that our Old Nobility is not noble, that its lands are stolen lands – stolen either by force or fraud; show people that the title-deeds are rapine, murder, massacre, cheating, or court harlotry; dissolve the halo of divinity that surrounds the hereditary title; let the people clearly understand that our present House of Lords is composed largely of descendants of successful pirates and rogues; do these things and you shatter the Romance that keeps the nation numb and spellbound while privilege picks its pocket.’

Tom Johnston

INFO:
http://comglas.co.uk/the-commons-and-the-collective-imagination-gathering/#more-1660


Event Poster PDF
* the-commons.pdf (289 KB) hosted on Ubuntu One:
http://ubuntuone.com/123ne64QuAN8dhX07Rvwru

ann arky's home.

Unite Against Fascism, Edinburgh.

From Unite Against Fascism-Edinburgh:

 

Hello

     Below is a statement on the recent murder in Woolwich and details of a despicable protest organised by the Scottish Defence League. Please forward and share this information. 

       Unite Against Fascism-Edinburgh sends its condolences to the family and friends of the soldier murdered in Woolwich. There can be no justification for such a terrible attack on an individual.
      Despicably, racist and fascist organisations such as the Scottish and English Defence Leagues are trying to use this tragedy to whip up racism and direct hatred against all Muslims.
     We must not give a quarter to those who would judge an entire religion, race or nationality by the actions of a few. We do not hold Norwegian Christians responsible for the actions of the fascist Anders Breivik, whose 2011 rampage left 77 dead. We do not hold all white British people collectively responsible for David Copeland, the former BNP member who planted bombs across London in 1999. Nor should anyone suggest that Britain’s Muslims are collectively responsible for the attack in Woolwich.
     The Scottish Defence League (SDL) have organised a protest to try to stir up trouble and racist violence in the wake of the Woolwich killing, they do not care about the dead soldier, his family or the interests of any community.
     We stand together to oppose the SDL protest outside Scottish parliament on Saturday 1 June.

To add you name to this statement please
Email: uafedinburgh@riseup.net
Facebook: Like this statement on our page “Edinburgh Against The Racist SDL”

JOIN THE UNITE AGAINST FASCISM DEMONSTRATION
“WE STAND TOGETHER”
1pm Saturday, 1 June at the Scottish Parliament

ann arky's home.

Robotic Bombing Of Friendly Nations.

     The soldierless war is here and in full swing and the innocent deaths are piling up. I say war but the deaths are inflicted by a country that has not declared war against the country which is suffering the innocent casualties. America, that defender of peace and freedom, is currently sending  drones into Pakistan and Yemen, with very little reporting on the results which include the deaths ever increasing numbers of children.

     This is a list of those children who are known to have been killed by drone attacks, the number of children injured and adults killed and injured would obviously create a much longer list. If these sort of numbers of children being killed was in any Western country there would be an outcry, and rightly so, where is our outrage? All this in countries that are not at war with America. Where is the International Community on this flagrant violation of a country's sovereignty? This list was taken from Drone Watch:

List of children killed by drone strikes in Pakistan and Yemen

Compiled from The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports
PAKISTAN
Name | Age | Gender
Noor Aziz | 8 | male
Abdul Wasit | 17 | male
Noor Syed | 8 | male
Wajid Noor | 9 | male
Syed Wali Shah | 7 | male
Ayeesha | 3 | female
Qari Alamzeb | 14| male
Shoaib | 8 | male
Hayatullah KhaMohammad | 16 | male
Tariq Aziz | 16 | male
Sanaullah Jan | 17 | male
Maezol Khan | 8 | female
Nasir Khan | male
Naeem Khan | male
Naeemullah | male
Mohammad Tahir | 16 | male
Azizul Wahab | 15 | male
Fazal Wahab | 16 | male
Ziauddin | 16 | male
Mohammad Yunus | 16 | male
Fazal Hakim | 19 | male
Ilyas | 13 | male
Sohail | 7 | male
Asadullah | 9 | male
khalilullah | 9 | male
Noor Mohammad | 8 | male
Khalid | 12 | male
Saifullah | 9 | male
Mashooq Jan | 15 | male
Nawab | 17 | male
Sultanat Khan | 16 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 13 | male
Noor Mohammad | 15 | male
Mohammad Yaas Khan | 16 | male
Qari Alamzeb | 14 | male
Ziaur Rahman | 17 | male
Abdullah | 18 | male
Ikramullah Zada | 17 | male
Inayatur Rehman | 16 | male
Shahbuddin | 15 | male
Yahya Khan | 16 |male
Rahatullah |17 | male
Mohammad Salim | 11 | male
Shahjehan | 15 | male
Gul Sher Khan | 15 | male
Bakht Muneer | 14 | male
Numair | 14 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Taseel Khan | 18 | male
Zaheeruddin | 16 | male
Qari Ishaq | 19 | male
Jamshed Khan | 14 | male
Alam Nabi | 11 | male
Qari Abdul Karim | 19 | male
Rahmatullah | 14 | male
Abdus Samad | 17 | male
Siraj | 16 | male
Saeedullah | 17 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Salman | 12 | male
Fazal Wahab | 18 | male
Baacha Rahman | 13 | male
Wali-ur-Rahman | 17 | male
Iftikhar | 17 | male
Inayatullah | 15 | male
Mashooq Khan | 16 | male
Ihsanullah | 16 | male
Luqman | 12 | male
Jannatullah | 13 | male
Ismail | 12 | male
Abdul Waris | 16 | male
Darvesh | 13 | male
Ameer Said | 15 | male
Shaukat | 14 | male
Inayatur Rahman | 17 | male
Adnan | 16 | male
Najibullah | 13 | male
Naeemullah | 17 | male
Hizbullah | 10 | male
Kitab Gul | 12 | male
Wilayat Khan | 11 | male
Zabihullah | 16 | male
Shehzad Gul | 11 | male
Shabir | 15 | male
Qari Sharifullah | 17 | male
Shafiullah | 16 | male
Nimatullah | 14 | male
Shakirullah | 16 | male
Talha | 8 | male
YEMEN
Afrah Ali Mohammed Nasser | 9 | female
Zayda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 7 | female
Hoda Ali Mohammed Nasser | 5 | female
Sheikha Ali Mohammed Nasser | 4 | female
Ibrahim Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 13 | male
Asmaa Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 9 | male
Salma Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | female
Fatima Abdullah Mokbel Salem Louqye | 3 | female
Khadije Ali Mokbel Louqye | 1 | female
Hanaa Ali Mokbel Louqye | 6 | female
Mohammed Ali Mokbel Salem Louqye | 4 | male
Jawass Mokbel Salem Louqye | 15 | female
Maryam Hussein Abdullah Awad | 2 | female
Shafiq Hussein Abdullah Awad | 1 | female
Sheikha Nasser Mahdi Ahmad Bouh | 3 | female
Maha Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 12 | male
Soumaya Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 9 | female
Shafika Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 4 | female
Shafiq Mohammed Saleh Mohammed | 2 | male
Mabrook Mouqbal Al Qadari | 13 | male
Daolah Nasser 10 years | 10 | female
AbedalGhani Mohammed Mabkhout | 12 | male
Abdel- Rahman Anwar al Awlaki | 16 | male
Abdel-Rahman al-Awlaki | 17 | male
Nasser Salim | 19

ann arky's home.

Lies Or Spin??

A thank you from change.org.

We did it!

     Iain Duncan Smith will be held to account for his misuse of Government statistics. 

      Last month Iain Duncan Smith told journalists that one million people are claiming benefits yet able to work. The problem was it wasn't strictly true. That's why 96,666 people -- including you -- signed the petition to demand the Work and Pensions Committee to hold Iain Duncan Smith to account for his use of government statistics on welfare. 

     This week the Committee announced they would do just that. Iain Duncan Smith will face questions by the Committee over his department's use of statistics. The New Statesman reported the story here. 

    The DWP have slipped the news out quietly, so if you are on Twitter please take a moment to spread the word about the victory. We are really proud that we started this petition. It's often feels like politicians get away with saying whatever they like and as two disabled people affected by the benefit changes, we're fed up with the spin. By starting this petition we've shown that everyone has the tools to call politicians out if they start spinning statistics. 

     It's important people know this - so please share the news on Twitter. Click here. 

      The inquiry is set to happen in June so we'll keep the petition open until then. We both hope to attend the session and see Iain Duncan Smith face some tough questions. We'll let you know how it goes. 

In the meantime - a big thank you for all your support!

Thank you,
Jayne Linney & Debbie Sayers

ann arky's home.

The State Stifles And Distorts Information

      Spain, like Greece is trying to contain the anger of the people by clamping down on the independent media. Stifle the flow of information and people begin to feel isolated, less able to fight back. To maintain the present system of rule by the financial Mafia, the state has to be the only mouth piece, it is of the utmost importance that we support all those independent reporters and photographers who tell it like it is.

This from arrezafe: 

News about the arrest of photographers Raul Capin and Adolfo Lugan.

ann arky's home.

I Am The Crowd.

I Am The Crowd.

I am the crowd

I swim in the quagmire of poverty

its hooks, its barbs, tear my flesh

rupture my dreams,

I hold my breath for centuries

hoping to break through, gasp pure air.

Through the murky mire

I see bright things, shiny things sparkle

I see women in fine dresses, men in silk shirts

I ask myself

why do I swim in this cesspool?

I want the light and warmth of rectitude

to caress my labouring body,

seeds from my dreams to bloom

like wild flowers in a meadow.

One day, I will use my boundless strength

to haul this torn, battered being

out of the morass

onto the warm grassy bank,

when I do;

woe betide you, women in fine dresses,

woe betide you mister in your fine silk shirt,

should you ever try to get in my way,

for I am the strength of this world

I am the crowd.

ann arky's home.

European Fascism On The Rise.

       As austerity bites ever deeper in European country after country, the establishment will enthusiastically encourage and support, rather than just tolerate, the rise of fascist groups. As anger rises and the normal state parties lose control, the fascist thugs will attempt to intimidate and break any organising towards an alternative socialist society, capitalism must be saved at all costs. What is happening in Greece is not an anomaly, it is a pattern that will appear across Europe unless the left-thinking groups are strong enough and organised enough to crush it at root. The economic situation in Greece is not an accident, it is the result of an ideology driven by the financial Mafia, the Troika, ECB, (European Central Bank), EC, (European Commission), and the IMF, (International Mankind Fuckers). This is not happening in some distant foriegn land with a strange name, Golden Dawn is in Greece, Greece is in Europe, and Golden Dawn is being bankrolled, with plans to expand into other countries.

         For more on the history of Golden Dawn and its rise, read Reports From The Edge Of Borderline Democracy's report: GOLDEN DAWN, 1980-2012. THE NEONAZIS’ ROAD TO PARLIAMENT

ann arky's home.

Faslane Peace Camp.

      As you may know Faslane Peace Camp recently put out an appeal for new members. Fortunately the publicity has generated more people moving to the camp and the good news is that it now looks like the peace camp is not going to close at this crucial time in the debate about nuclear weapons in Scotland.

Visit Faslane Peace Camp from Camcorder Guerrillas on Vimeo.

     To help the peace camp some former residents and supporters of the camp have set up a Faslane Peace Camp Supporters network to help distribute information, fundraise, organise events and protests, benefit gigs, trips out to the camp and staying there regularly etc.

    This summer the Support Network are planning to build an eco-house using recycled materials for use as a communal space at the peace camp and we recently held a successful 'Phoenix Gathering' at the peace camp. Some of us are meeting in Mono on Wednesday 22nd May at 7.30 to discuss setting up a Support Network in Glasgow and how we can do more to help the camp.

    Anyone interested in helping to support the camp is welcome to come along!

Cheers!

Phill
Faslane Peace Camp Support Network

faslanepeacecampsolidarity@gmail.com

Or Faslane Peace Camp 01436 820901 / faslane30@gmail.com

ann arky's home.

Radiobubble.

     Though the Greek fascist government works hard at shutting down Athens Indymedia and community radio, they fail miserably. The people's voice will be heard, the people will communicate, solidarity will live on in spite of the efforts of the Troika puppets in Athens. This From The Greek Streets:

Community

radiobubble: Independent media community in Athens Greece.

by radiobubble #rbnews hackademy

Athens, Greece

Monday, May 20, 2013

via radiobubble:

      Radiobubble is an open medium for communication and information, run by a community of volunteers. It is based in Athens, even though many of its volunteers live in other cities around the world. It operates on the basis of relationships of trust and mutual respect. It doesn’t follow the hierarchical structure of conventional, mainstream media.

     Currently a donation program is running in order to cover the operating costs of radiobubble and fund essential research, journalism and education projects.

    Your support will sustain and develop a powerful community of citizen journalists who inform the world about what is truly happening in Greece during the crisis.

      Support an independent media community in Greece; Empower Greek citizen journalism. (and feel free to share and promote our campaign).

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/radiobubble-independent-media-community-in-athens-greece?c=home

ann arky's home.

The Brews That Screw.

     Carling, Coors, Cobra, Corona, Crap, Capitalism. More and more of the business world are using the "difficult times" as an excuse to rip-up employment agreements won over years of struggle and negotiation, and replace them with a take it or leave it crap new employment agreement. One that sees the workers' rights shredded and their wages cut, Molson Coors UK, is just the latest to indulge in this "screw-the-worker" campaign.  This is an appeal from Labour Start for solidarity.

Carling.  Coors.  Cobra.  Corona. 

 

     Famous brews all made by Molson Coors UK -- and that's just the "C"s. Molson Coors UK claims to make great beers and be a great place to work. One of those statements may not be true.

      Recently, the company has told its employees that half of them will face pay cuts of up to £9,000 per year, they'll need to work excessive shift hours and that the employer has decided to tear up an agreement with the union. Workers who don't accept the company proposals stand to be dismissed by 14 June. Workers at Molson Coors UK, represented by Unite the Union, are now balloting for industrial action.

     They are asking for all of us to support the online campaign launched by the IUF - the International Union of Food workers.

 

Please sign up to the campaign and spread the word to your friends, family and fellow union members.

 

You can learn more about this struggle from the IUF and Unite.

 

Want to know more about the IUF and global unions generally?  Order our brand-new 100 page book -- The Global Labour Movement: An Introduction -- for only £3.99.

 

Thank you!

 

Eric Lee

 

ann arky's home.

 

Death From Greed.

     May 18th. a personal anniversary for me. It was ten years ago on May 18th 2003 that I lost a dear friend and comrade John Stewart Simpson, Ian to his friends, destroyed by that vicious killer mesothelioma, (asbestos related lung cancer). A fit 66 year old swimmer and cyclist, in a very short time went from being treated for a bad cough to being diagnosed with with mesothelioma and died six months later. It still hurts.

     This rapid vicious killer is no unfortunate event, no unavoidable accident. The health problems from asbestos were known to the powers that be and being written about in the 30's but UK industry continued to use it up until the 60's. 

Wealth From Asbestos.

Why no righteous anger from the crowd?

Why no public cry for justice?

Can't they hear those shallow gasps?

Can't they see their brother's pain?

Lungs that measured to the task

strength that made the Clydeside name.

Men who by willing force and skill

built the nations wealth

never knowing the final bill

was destruction of their health.

Now dumped on life's ladder's lowest rung

strewn like wreck across this city:

vibrant lives by asbestos stung

deserve more than passing pity.

Why no righteous anger from the crowd?

Why no public cry for justice?

 

     It was continuous lobbying and forced legislation that eventually put a stop to this killer substance being used in UK industry. At no time were the bosses of industry concerned about the health and well-being of the workers. The United Kingdom has one of the highest rates of mesothelioma in the world, largely because asbestos use continued in the UK long after it was banned in other parts of the world. Because of its wide use in shipbuilding, those in shipbuilding are among the people most affected by mesothelioma, and the shipbuilding industry played a large role in the industrial history of the United Kingdom.

The Waiting Game.

Don't tell them it's a killer,

as they work with it to earn their keep.

It's a time-bomb in their lungs,

but, so efficient, so very cheap.

It takes so long to kill

they'll never know who to blame,

They'll probably all be dead

before the couts hear their claim.

It's a time-bomb, it's a killer,

and they knew, ASBESTOS.

       Though banned in the UK in the 60's, asbestos continues to kill, in 2008 in the UK, there were 2,249 deaths from mesothemiola and on average, the UK has more than 2,000 deaths each year from this greed driven killer, mesothelioma. Though deaths from this disease are beginning to decline in younger men, overall deaths are expected to increase by 10-20% over the next 5-10 years. Her we are in 2013 and the unbridled greed of past industries is still killing our people. It's the system friends.

 

WHEN  THE TIME-BOMB GOES OFF.

The bike just sits there,

dust covering its lovely sheen,

puffing up the Fintry Hills

well, it’s no longer my scene.

Y’see, as a Clydeside apprentice

I proudly learnt the tradesman’s skill,

little did I know then

the price, asbestos lungs that kill.

Now I just sit here through the painful day

gasping each mouthful of air, wondering

how can I make the bastards pay.

They new it was a killer

a time-bomb in our lungs

but, because it was so quick and cheap

they firmly held their tongues.

So what, if it cost the workman’s life,

there’s always a couple of new workers

in the care of the worker’s wife.

Please try to understand my anger

as I and others bear their cost,

a slow death from asbestos lungs,

a vibrant life lost.

Anguish for family and friends,

all in the name of profit;

now that really does offend.

Our anger without direction

is a blind archer behind the bow,

we have to use our anger

to smash the status-quo.

ann arky's home.

An Inspirational Life.

       I just received this sad news, from a wobbly friend and comrade, I'm sure he will have no objections to my sharing this with all those wobblies, friends and comrades out there, and like he said, we should use his life as an inspiration to organise for that better world.

      Dave Patterson, an electrician, who worked mostly overseas in places like Azerbaijan and Angola, died last night. Dave joined the IWW before anybody else I know of in Scotland, before the Stevenson College branch of the 90s. He joined the Clydeside IWW, at its inception. He was born in Springboig, Glasgow, and as a teenager was involved in the formation of the National union of School Students in the mid 70s. He only rarely made meetings and events due to his work, and his Scottish residence was south of Aberdeen.
      He was a dual carder also in OILC. In the course of a year I would usually see him a few times, after attending different football matches or at the STUC Mayday. In 2011 he got married to Lucy, a nurse in Edinburgh. This year in May, he was absent. A mutual friend came up to me before the Clydeside IWW took part in the procession, to explain he had been diagnosed with an aggressive and incurable strain of cancer. A few days ago he was moved to St.Columba's  hospice in Gogar near Edinburgh.

     This is a sad and sudden demise and in Scotland we mourn the loss of Dave, an unforgettable character. But knowing Dave and his affinity with the wobbly tradition, he would say - "Don't Mourn, Organise!"

 ann arky's home.

Pupil's Open Letter.

      The fascist regime in Greece will do anything to intimidate the people. Recently they passed legislation that makes it illegal for teachers to go on strike, no matter their grievance. The education system is in free-fall, what little is left is due to the dedication of those teachers and the determination of the pupils, not the system or its fascist governors.

This from Contra Info:

Piraeus, Greece: Open letter from a secondary school student

To my teachers… and the others:

      My name is K.M., and I am a student in the first class of secondary school, at the 10th Lyceum in Drapetsona, Piraeus.

     I decided to write this text because I wanted to express my outrage, my indignation, at the nerve and hypocrisy of those who govern us and all those journalists and the mainstream media who help them to impose their lawless and immoral plans at the expense of the pupils, the students, and the younger generation.

    My reason for writing is the intention of my teachers to go on strike during the university entrance exam period, and the politicians and journalists who shed crocodile tears about my future, which is “at risk” because of this strike.

What are you saying? What kind of future do I have, because of you? And who is it who has really put my future at risk?

Let’s look at who has constructed the future, and all of our lives, for a very long time already:

    - Who made the future for my grandfather? Who dressed his future with the cast-off clothes of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA), and forced him to immigrate to Germany?

     - Who has misgoverned and ripped off this entire country?

     - Who has forced my mother to work from dawn till dusk, all for 530 euros a month? Money that, after paying food and bills, is not even enough for a new pair of shoes, let alone a book I might want from a flea market table.

      - Who has cut my father’s salary in half?

      - Who is it who has slandered him, threatened to force him to return to work under civil conscription, threatened to fire him, along with all of his co-workers in public transportation, when they, wanting only to live with dignity, went on strike? More »

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