HUMOUR:

THE SAD END OF EMPIRE:

POLITICAL SPORT:

SOCCER WITH A DIFFERENCE:

There's the World Cup and then there's the 'Homeless World Cup'. The latter is soccer played by homeless people, street soccer if you will, and it has its own events designed to draw world attention to the plight of the homeless. This year the Homeless World Cup will be held in Rio De Janiero Brazil from Sept. 19 to 26. this alternative world Cup is sponsored by numerous organization worldwide, including the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE). The following announcement of a fundraiser on September 1 out in Vancouver comes from CUPE.

HSHSHSHSHS

Support Team Vancouver in the Homeless World Cup 2010
Aug 23, 2010 07:26 PM
Team Canada is holding a fundraiser on Wednesday, September 1 from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at Doolins Pub at Granville and Nelson in Vancouver. Tickets are $15 and include a burger and a beer. The event will feature special guests, a silent auction and live entertainment.

This is a benefit and send-off for Street Soccer Team Canada which is going to Rio De Janiero, Brazil on September 15 to represent us in the 64-nation Homeless World Cup. Players have recently been homeless, are homeless, or are at risk for homelessness.

Most of Team Canada’s players were originally recruited from shelters run by the Portland Hotel Society Community Services Society (PHS).

CUPE 15 and CUPE 1004 members work for both PHS and the Carnegie Community Centre and both locals are supporting the team financially and as volunteers.

For more information call Leo Cooper at (604) 831-8412.

Watch the ad promoting the series.
For more information, visit the Homeless World Cup website.

HUMOUR:

WHAT IS IMMORAL ?:

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT POLAND:

MORE ON THE RESTAURANT DISPUTE IN WARSAW:

The dispute at the Azteca restaurant in Warsaw Poland ( as reported the other day at this blog ) continues as do the pickets of the Polish anarchosyndicalist ZSP. Here from their website is the latest on their continuing actions.

@@@@@@@@@@

Warsaw: Pickets at Azteca Bar Continue
Pickets at Azteca Bar in Warsaw are continuing. After failure to make any progress with the boss on Friday / Saturday, ZSP decided to picket the establishment every day at lunch and dinner hours. The protests are related to illegal deductions taken from the pay of our dismissed comrade, attempts to make people work illegally, without any contract and unpaid trial periods, with 'training' that the boss wants to charge workers for if they do not work a certain period of time.

During the first picket on Monday, the boss of the bar became very aggressive towards the leafleters and started making many threats. According to him, handing out leaflets should end in 'criminal charges" and he threatened to sue us for losses his business has incurred due to our pickets. He made a great scene, shouting at and filming the protestors and calling the police. Neighbours and passersby then got involved in the argument. Most people tell him he should pay the money.

In the evening the protestors consisted of more senior citizens and the boss became more subdued and only shouted at the younger people. Again the police and city guards were called and again the boss was told that we have the right to picket him. We promised that we would return tomorrow, he could be assured.

Although we presented our demands clearly enough, the boss now asked us for an official letter, which we will present him tomorrow. What we will demand is:

- payment of all money due to our comrade (he does not want to be reinstated, and after meeting the boss, we don't blame him)
- no more attempts to charge workers for "training" and no unpaid trial periods
- legal hiring and working conditions
- no more illegal deductions from pay
- full-time contracts for employees that want

The pickets have created a lot of discussion in the neighbourhood and has been on the news. After the first picket already other restaurant workers contacted us and are considering a campaign.

HUMOUR:

PETTY DISPUTES:

Ah the joys of watching American politics from the outside. I'd also suggest, given the religious beliefs of the Oklahoma bomber which cpontributed to his actions that all Christian churches be banned near the remains of the building in OC. Equal time after all.

INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS GAMBIA:
FREE GAMBIAN JOURNALIST EBRIMA MANNEH:



The following call for solidarity comes from the Care2 Petition site. The "African media foundation" referred to below is undoubtedly the Media Foundation for West Africa who have been protesting his imprisonment for some time. Some time means four years as Manneh was originally disappeared in 2006. You read all about Mannah's case and also numerous other struggles for freedom in West Africa at the Media Foundation's website. Molly found the site to be quite interesting and worth recommending.
EMEMEMEMEM
Free Gambian Journalist Ebrima B. Manneh

The exact reason for journalist Ebrima B. Manneh's arrest is uncertain, and the Gambian government denies knowledge of his whereabouts, but it's widely believed he is detained by the government as a prisoner of conscience.

Manneh's arrest was supposedly by the Gambian government, though they deny any involvement. Reports of the arrest cite several possible reasons for his imprisonment. It's unclear which reason is correct, but all of them point to the fact that Manneh is detained for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

An African media foundation has petitioned the Gambian government to answer questions about Manneh's disappearance, but so far they have remained silent.

Don't let the Gambian government cover up Ebrima B. Manneh's whereabouts after his murky arrest for a practicing a universal right. Tell the Gambian President Dr. A.J.J. Yahya Jammeh to release Manneh immediately.
EMEMEMEMEM
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following letter the President of Gambia.
EMEMEMEMEM


letterTarget: Dr A.J.J. Yahya Jammeh, President of Gambia
Sponsored by: Care2.com
The exact reason for journalist Ebrima B. Manneh's arrest is uncertain, and the Gambian government denies knowledge of his whereabouts, but it's widely believed he is detained by the government as a prisoner of conscience.

Manneh's arrest was supposedly by the Gambian government, though they deny any involvement. Reports of the arrest cite several possible reasons for his imprisonment. It's unclear which reason is correct, but all of them point to the fact that Manneh is detained for exercising his right to freedom of expression.

An African media foundation has petitioned the Gambian government to answer questions about Manneh's disappearance, but so far they have remained silent.

Don't let the Gambian government cover up Ebrima B. Manneh's whereabouts after his murky arrest for a practicing a universal right. Tell the Gambian President Dr. A.J.J. Yahya Jammeh to release Manneh immediately.
Dear Dr. A.J.J. Yahya Jammeh,

The exact reason for journalist Ebrima B. Manneh's arrest is uncertain, but evidence suggest he is imprisoned by your government for an act exercising his right to freedom of expression.

Multiple parties, including Manneh's father, fellow journalists, the Media Foundations for West Africa, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) have asked your government to answer questions about Manneh's disappearance, including his current whereabouts. The government issued a statement saying they were not involved in the arrest and didn't know Manneh's location, despite reports that he was escorted into a hospital by police. Now, after ECOWAS issued a statement saying that Manneh's right to liberty and fair trial were violated, and asking the government to release him, restore his human rights, and repay his damages, the government is silent.

The story behind Manneh's arrest may be unclear, but one thing is certain: no one should be imprisoned for exercising the universal right to freedom of expression. I urge you to release Ebrima B. Manneh immediately.

Sincerely,
[Your name here]

HUMOUR:

SCENES FROM THE AMERICAN MEDIA:

AMERICAN LABOUR:

DO YOU COPY XEROX ?:

The following appeal for online solidarity with workers at the Xerox corporation comes from the American Rights At Work group.

XEXEXEXEXE

Tell Xerox to Stop Unionbusting and Shipping Jobs Overseas

Xerox recently told 19 workers they must transfer departments or leave the company.

What do these workers have in common? They're all fighting for a fair union contract.

While Xerox tramples on its workers' rights at home, Xerox's outsourcing division is trying to ship those jobs – and thousands of jobs like them – overseas.

Tell Xerox CEO Ursula Burns: Our economy needs good jobs, not unionbusting and outsourcing.
XEXEXEXEXE
THE LETTER:
Please go to this link to send the following message to Xerox managament.
XEXEXEXEXE
Our economy is in trouble. Xerox is making things worse by shipping jobs overseas and retaliating against its American workers who stand up for their rights.

Your company recently told nineteen union supporters at its Staten Island E-ZPass call and administrative center that they can either transfer, or lose their job.

Meanwhile, your $6 billion outsourcing division is shifting the jobs of hard working Americans overseas. Thousands of jobs have been moved to other countries.

Our economy needs good jobs - not unionbusting and outsourcing.

I urge you to stop Xerox's illegal and unethical conduct.

CANADIAN POLITICS BRITISH COLUMBIA:

DEMAND FREE VOTE OVER HST:

Last week the British Columbia Supreme Court declared that the anti-HST petition initiative was legal and therefore binding. CUPE BC is demanding that the BC legislature be recalled and a free vote held on this outrageous tax grab. Here's the story from their website.

HSTHSTHSTHST

Recall BC Legislature now, put HST before MLAs for free vote says CUPE BC
Aug 20, 2010 03:06 PM

Burnaby, BC —Today’s ruling by BC Supreme Court Chief Justice Robert Bauman that the anti-HST initiative petition and accompanying legislation are legal clears the way for Premier Gordon Campbell and the BC Liberal government to respect the wishes of British Columbians and recall the Legislature for a free vote on the HST, says CUPE BC President Barry O’Neill.

“This campaign was able to do what almost no one thought possible and the chief justice recognized the magnitude of that accomplishment in his ruling,” said O’Neill. “Premier Campbell now needs to do the right thing - respect the clear will of British Columbians and allow MLAs from all parties to actually vote on whether the HST is the right thing to do. And if the Liberals have the courage of their convictions, then they should make it a free vote so that British Columbians can see which elected officials truly have their interests at heart."

“In the meantime, if Mr. Campbell won’t respect the democratic will of the people, the interim Chief Electoral Officer no longer has any legal impediment to forward the initiative to the legislative committee. He should do so immediately, and the committee should meet at the earliest possible opportunity to take the next steps: either putting the legislation before MLAs for debate or a province-wide referendum,” said O’Neill.

O’Neill encouraged CUPE BC members and other opponents of the HST to write to their BC Liberal MLA to demand the government recall the legislature to debate the HST.


For more information, contact:

Barry O’Neill
CUPE BC president
cell: (604) 340-6768

Clay Suddaby
CUPE Communications
Cell: (604) 313-1138

HUMOUR:

POINTS OF VIEW:

INTERNATIONAL ANARCHIST MOVEMENT POLAND:

POLISH SYNDICALISTS PICKET BAR:

It always does my heart good to see anarchists doing something practical. In Poland the anarchosyndicalist (take a deep breath) Zwiazek Syndykalistow Polski (call them ZSP for short) are picketing the Azteca bar in Warsaw because of the illegal and dishonest practices of the owner. Here's the story from their website.

@@@@@@@@@@
First Picket at Azteca Bar
On Aug. 20, ZSP held an action at Azteca Bar in Warsaw. We are demanding an end to the deliberate cheating of vulnerable workers in this cafe.

The problems which led to the conflict are the following:

1. The owner of the bar (Jakub Mazur) uses unpaid trial periods for workers. On top of that, he claims that he provides "training" to the workers and estimates the value of this training at 1300 zloties (326 euro). He gives the workers contracts which state that this money will be deducted from their salaries if they do not work a certain period of time. It is approximately one month's salary - for full-time workers, So if somebody works only one month, s/he will receive nothing.

Most of the workers are students, working part time. Our comrade, a high-school student, was earning about 500 zloties a month (125 euros), so this fake "training" would cost people like that almost three months' salary!

2. Besides this, our comrade was fired and the boss illegally withheld over half of the pay for "damages".

3. The boss tries to get students to agree to work illegally, without any contracts at all.

Azteca Bar is located near a student dormitory. These students, many who are poor kids from other cities struggling to study in Warsaw, are often desperate to find any work in a city with high youth unemployment. Work in Azteca Bar may end up for them as a few weeks or months of unpaid or underpaid labour. We therefore warn them against working in these conditions.

We demand that the bar pay our comrade his due salary, stop the practices mentioned above and raise the wages.

During the action, activists from ZSP blocked the cafe, spoke about the work conditions there and handed out leaflets to passersby. The owner of the cafe called the city guards and police who came but nothing happened. We spoke with the owner, who would not answer questions about his illegal practices and just kept repeating that we should send letters in writing to his bookkeeper and take him to court. We explained that we would come even every day to his cafe if we had to. And we will do exactly that today.

ZSP will also prepare some workshops for the students living in the dormitory on their rights as workers and is preparing a new booklet explaining about deductions and fines at the workplace. It is a common problem and, especially in restaurants and cafes we hear a lot about illegal deductions. We would like people to know what is legal and what is not and give them ideas for action to fight against such practices.

HUMOUR:

FOREIGN AGENTS ABOUND:

MEDIA:

THE VALUE OF WIKILEAKS:

It's a new and strange world we live in. In years past international empires could arrange an early and unpleasant end for those who released their secrets to the public. It was the old "poisoned umbrella" trick. But the action was more often than not simple revenge and terrorism to deter others (yes boys and girls, governments are the oldest, most experienced, most prolific and most noted practitioners of the fine art of 'terror' throughout human history, despite their strenuous propaganda to the contrary). In the new age in which we live all the secrets are not dumped at once. there is always an 'insurance policy' in reserve. To top it off the shear weight of the secrets that come to light are like nothing that existed in the pre-internet age. Never mind a few technical details. Now the public can be privy to full details of huge numbers of matters that empires would rather keep secret.

The recent controversy over the revelations of Wikileaks is a case in point. Lacking the good old option of 'executive action' empires are now reduced to the option of "counter-links" like the amazing appearing/disappearing accusation of rape against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange. This operation bears all the labels of the usual psy-ops action, intended to target a given audience with hot buttons related to their presumed ideology. The problem was that however well conceived it was in terms of psychology it was a miserable failure in terms of background preparation, and the Swedish warrant was withdrawn in less than 24 hours ad the fragility of the charges became clear. It all goes to show that no 'intelligent' intelligence agency should depend on the pseudo-science of "psychology' as one of its main props. it actually has to be backed up with proper planning.

One is left with the question of why the USA doesn't simply carry out a cyber attack on Wikileaks. They do, no doubt, employ perhaps hundreds of skilled hackers amongst others who have been caught and who have bought their freedom by selling their services to the Empire. No doubt this is the future, but for now the horse is out of the barn. It would do the Empire little good to strike back now. Look for this in the fullness of time.

Will the revelations about imperial actions in Afghanistan have any perceptible effect on public opinion ? That is also a question for the fullness of time. For now here is an opinion from Z Communications which says they will and which celebrates the value of Wikileaks.

WLWLWLWLWL
Why Wikileaks Must Be Protected

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

By John Pilger
Thursday, August 19, 2010
On 26 July, Wikileaks released thousands of secret US military files on the war in Afghanistan. Cover-ups, a secret assassination unit and the killing of civilians are documented. In file after file, the brutalities echo the colonial past. From Malaya and Vietnam to Bloody Sunday and Basra, little has changed. The difference is that today there is an extraordinary way of knowing how faraway societies are routinely ravaged in our name. Wikileaks has acquired records of six years of civilian killing for both Afghanistan and Iraq, of which those published in the Guardian, Der Spiegel and the New York Times are a fraction.

There is understandably hysteria on high, with demands that the Wikileaks founder Julian Assange is “hunted down” and “rendered”. In Washington, I interviewed a senior Defence Department official and asked, “Can you give a guarantee that the editors of Wikileaks and the editor in chief, who is not American, will not be subjected to the kind of manhunt that we read about in the media?” He replied, “It’s not my position to give guarantees on anything”. He referred me to the “ongoing criminal investigation” of a US soldier, Bradley Manning, an alleged whistleblower. In a nation that claims its constitution protects truth-tellers, the Obama administration is pursuing and prosecuting more whistleblowers than any of its modern predecessors. A Pentagon document states bluntly that US intelligence intends to “fatally marginalise” Wikileaks. The preferred tactic is smear, with corporate journalists ever ready to play their part.

On 31 July, the American celebrity reporter Christiane Amanapour interviewed Secretary of Defence Robert Gates on the ABC network. She invited Gates to describe to her viewers his “anger” at Wikileaks. She echoed the Pentagon line that “this leak has blood on its hands”, thereby cueing Gates to find Wikileaks “guilty” of “moral culpability”. Such hypocrisy coming from a regime drenched in the blood of the people of Afghanistan and Iraq – as its own files make clear – is apparently not for journalistic enquiry. This is hardly surprising now that a new and fearless form of public accountability, which Wikileaks represents, threatens not only the war-makers but their apologists.

Their current propaganda is that Wikileaks is “irresponsible”. Earlier this year, before it released the cockpit video of an American Apache gunship killing 19 civilians in Iraq, including journalists and children, Wikileaks sent people to Baghdad to find the families of the victims in order to prepare them. Prior to the release of last month’s Afghan War Logs, Wikileaks wrote to the White House asking that it identify names that might draw reprisals. There was no reply. More than 15,000 files were withheld and these, says Assange, will not be released until they have been scrutinised “line by line” so that names of those at risk can be deleted.

The pressure on Assange himself seems unrelenting. In his homeland, Australia, the shadow foreign minister, Julie Bishop, has said that if her right-wing coalition wins the general election on 21 August, “appropriate action” will be taken “if an Australian citizen has deliberately undertake an activity that could put at risk the lives of Australian forces in Afghanistan or undermine our operations in any way”. The Australian role in Afghanistan, effectively mercenary in the service of Washington, has produced two striking results: the massacre of five children in a village in Oruzgan province and the overwhelming disapproval of the majority of Australians.

Last May, following the release of the Apache footage, Assange had his Australian passport temporarily confiscated when he returned home. The Labor government in Canberra denies it has received requests from Washington to detain him and spy on the Wikileaks network. The Cameron government also denies this. They would, wouldn’t they? Assange, who came to London last month to work on exposing the war logs, has had to leave Britain hastily for, as puts it, “safer climes”.

On 16 August, the Guardian, citing Daniel Ellsberg, described the great Israeli whistleblower Mordechai Vanunu as “the pre-eminent hero of the nuclear age”. Vanunu, who alerted the world to Israel’s secret nuclear weapons, was kidnapped by the Israelis and incarcerated for 18 years after he was left unprotected by the London Sunday Times, which had published the documents he supplied. In 1983, another heroic whistleblower, Sarah Tisdall, a Foreign Office clerical officer, sent documents to the Guardian that disclosed how the Thatcher government planned to spin the arrival of American cruise missiles in Britain. The Guardian complied with a court order to hand over the documents, and Tisdall went to prison.

In one sense, the Wikileaks revelations shame the dominant section of journalism devoted merely to taking down what cynical and malign power tells it. This is state stenography, not journalism. Look on the Wikileaks site and read a Ministry of Defence document that describes the “threat” of real journalism. And so it should be a threat. Having published skilfully the Wikileaks expose of a fraudulent war, the Guardian should now give its most powerful and unreserved editorial support to the protection of Julian Assange and his colleagues, whose truth-telling is as important as any in my lifetime.

I like Julian Assange’s dust-dry wit. When I asked him if it was more difficult to publish secret information in Britain, he replied, “When we look at Official Secrets Act labelled documents we see that they state it is offence to retain the information and an offence to destroy the information. So the only possible outcome we have is to publish the information.”

HUMOUR:

FUNNIES FROM THE CORPORATIONS:

LOCAL EVENTS WINNIPEG:
OPEN MIKE AT THE DRAG:



Coming up at the beginning of next month..open mike night at the Mondragon, 91 Albert St.. Another night of musical surprises> Here's the promo. >>>
@♫@♫@♫@♫@♫


Rad OPEN MIC
Time
September 3 · 7:00pm - 10:00pm
-------------------------
Location
Mondragon Bookstore & Coffee House
91 Albert
Winnipeg, MB
------------------------
Created By Viva Mondragon
------------------------
More Info
The First Friday is coming up! Get your instruments tuned and your voices ready for another night of awesome performances. The MIC opens up @ 7pm, come early if you want to sign up.

See you there!

ANARCHIST LITERATURE:

BOOKS FOR YOUR READING GROUP:

One of the traditions of the anarchist movement is the 'reading group', and the good folks at AK Press are going to make it easier for your group to get the materials needed. Here's their offer from the AK Blog.

@L@L@L@L@L
New Discount for Reading Groups!

There has been a lot of interest lately in using AK Press books for reading groups. We’ve had requests for Uses of a Whirlwind, Come Hell or High Water, Sparking a Worldwide Energy Revolution, and Black Flame just to name a few. Given the interest, and to encourage others to do the same, we decided to offer a special discount for folks who want to order multiple copies of our books.

We’re offering a 30% discount off any of the titles we carry, as long as you order at least three copies of the same item (and you prepay for the order).

So if you and your friends decide that you’d like to start a Book Club or a discussion group or whatever you might call it and you’re interested in using some of the titles we carry here at AK Press please get in touch! We’ve set up a special email just for reading group orders. It’s readinggroup@akpress.org . And we’d be happy to suggest titles if you’re having a hard time deciding where to start.
We’re looking forward to hearing from you!

HUMOUR:

GIVE THEM AN INCH AND THEY'LL TAKE A KITE STRING:

The cartoon above was inspired by the recent city of Toronto move to ban kite flying from a city park because they deemed the sport of 'kite fighting' was "dangerous". Kite fighting is where you try and cut the opponent's kite string. Use your imagination as to the "danger".

This cartoon is dedicated in loving memory to the late great Winnipeg football game 'Beer Snake', also a victim of the urge to ban.

MOLLY'S POETRY CORNER:

KENNETH REXROTH:

"Once upon a midnight dreary,

while Molly pondered weak and weary,

Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore,

While I nodded nearly napping,

suddenly there came a tapping,

As of some one gently rapping,

rapping at my chamber door-

'Tis some visitor, I muttered,

'tapping at my chamber door-Only this, and nothing more".

Wrong again. Just when you thought it was safe to hit the absinthe and laudanum once more the cultural raven maven brings you another edition of 'Molly's Poetry Corner'. Our subject this time around is the American anarchist poet Kenneth Rexroth (1905-1982). Rexroth actually lived a somewhat pedestrian life as compared to some of the poets featured here before. After being orphaned by the age of 13 he went to live with an aunt in Chicago where he enrolled in the Art Institute of Chicago. The only truly outré aspect of his life occurred there when he was arrested at a raid on one of the bars that he frequented in either 1923 or 1924. He was charged with being part owner of a brothel on the bar premises. If true it would show precocious enterprise as he would have been only 18 or 19 at the time. Or maybe that was just his bar tab.

While in Chicago Rexroth became involved with the anarchist movement and was also active in the IWW. This remained with him throughout his life and informed much of his subsequent literary work. In his time in Chicago he gained a reputation as a "soapbox poet". During WW2 he was an conscientious objector, and he worked during the duration to help Japanese Americans avoid internment. Other interests included poetry from a number of different cultures, and in addition to his own work Rexroth was the author of numerous translations of poetry from Greek, French, Chinese and Japanese, concentrating on the work of women authors.

Much of Rexroth's life was spent in California where he associated with the anarchists and was briefly (1968-1973) a lecturer at the University of California in Santa Barbara. While he was popular with the students he was an irritant to the administration. He was a seminal member of the 'Beat Poets', acting as "master of ceremonies" at the 1955 'Six Gallery Reading' where Allen Ginsberg first read 'Howl'. He was later a defence witness for Ginsberg at the obscenity trial that resulted from this event. When Rexroth died in 1982 he was buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery Association graveyard, his grave being the only one to face outwards to the sea. His epitaph reads, "As the full moon rises/The swan sings in sleep/On the lake of the mind".

You can read more about Rexroth in the link above. Almost all of his works, poetic and otherwise, are available at the Bureau of Public Secrets website. In addition to his literary output he was a prolific writer on many other subjects, political and otherwise. This blog has previously published one of his essays on 'the police' back in 2008. The following poem 'From the Paris Commune To The Kronstadt Rebellion' was originally published in 1936.

@P@P@P@P@P
FROM THE PARIS COMMUNE TO
THE KRONSTADT REBELLION
Remember now there were others before this;
Now when the unwanted hours rise up,
And the sun rises red in unknown quarters,
And the constellations change places,
And cloudless thunder erases the furrows,
And moonlight stains and the stars grow hot.
Though the air is fetid, conscripted fathers,
With the black bloat of your dead faces;
Though men wander idling out of factories
Where turbine and hand are both freezing;
And the air clears at last above the chimneys;
Though mattresses curtain the windows;
And every hour hears the snarl of explosion;
Yet one shall rise up alone saying:
“I am one out of many, I have heard
Voices high in the air crying out commands;
Seen men’s bodies burst into torches;
Seen faun and maiden die in the night air raids;
Heard the watchwords exchanged in the alleys;
Felt hate speed the blood stream and fear curl the nerves.
I know too the last heavy maggot;
And know the trapped vertigo of impotence.
I have traveled prone and unwilling
In the dense processions through the shaken streets.
Shall we hang thus by taut navel strings
To this corrupt placenta till we’re flyblown;
Till our skulls are cracked by crow and kite
And our members become the business of ants,
Our teeth the collection of magpies?”
They shall rise up heroes, there will be many,
None will prevail against them at last.
They go saying each: “I am one of many”;
Their hands empty save for history.
They die at bridges, bridge gates, and drawbridges.
Remember now there were others before;
The sepulchres are full at ford and bridgehead.
There will be children with flowers there,
And lambs and golden-eyed lions there,
And people remembering in the future.

CANADIAN POLITICS:

RALLIES IN SUPPORT OF TAMIL REFUGEES:

Beginning today and into next week there will be a number of rallies across the country in support of the right of the recently arrived Tamil refugees on the west coast to stay in Canada. These are being organized by No One is Illegal. Here is the story from No One Is Illegal Vancouver.

NOIINOIINOII
Canada: Stop Jailing and Deporting Refugees, Let The Tamil Refugees Stay!
Time

August 21 at 3:30pm - August 26 at 6:00pm

-----------------------
Location Various cities and communities - check description for details
across Canada / Indigenous lands
-----------------------
Created By No One Is Illegal - Vancouver, Coast Salish Territories
----------------------
More Info

CANADA: STOP JAILING AND DEPORTING REFUGEES, LET THEM STAY!
SUPPORT THE TAMIL MIGRANTS! SAY NO TO RACISM!

==> In VANCOUVER, Unceded Coast Salish Territories:
Saturday August 21 @ 3:30 pm
...Gather at Vancouver Art Gallery, Robson Side
* Download poster PDF http://bit.ly/aq9HWI or JPG: http://bit.ly/c0VN60

==> In UNSURRENDERED WET'SUWET'EN TERRITORY:
Saturday August 21
Solidarity with the Tamil Refugees and No One Is Illegal. Moricetown Canyon, noon.
Contact gitksanmanoct6@hotmail.com

==> In VICTORIA:
Saturday August 21st 12:00pm - 4:00pm
Victoria Information Booth, Government and Belville
Organized by Victoria Anti-Racism Network (VARN)
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=143826562315624

==> In OTTAWA:
Monday August 23 @ Noon.
Gather at corner of Kent and Laurier
(Citizenship and Immigration Canada)
RSVP: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=119285261456467

==> In MONTREAL:
Thursday August 26th from noon to 2 pm
Front of Immigration and Refugee Board offices, 200 Boul. René Levesque. Organized by Friends of Tamil Refugees/ Les Amies des Réfugiées Tamils.
Contact 514-668-4751 or 514-449-9370.

==> In KITCHENER-WATERLOO:
Monday August 23.
Press Conference and gathering, details tbc.
Contact rachel@peaceculture.org

==> In TORONTO:
Saturday August 21st
Toronto Welcomes Tamil Migrants!
Follow www.twitter.com/noii_ to to see images of creative actions that we will be taking.

(more TBC)

Join No One is Illegal to call for the immediate release of detained Tamil asylum seekers, and an end to racist and restrictive refugee policies. Justice, Freedom, and Status for All!

Surviving a dangerous journey, 500 Tamil refugees, including women and children, arrived in BC after fleeing war and persecution in Sri Lanka. When the ship first neared Esquimault, territories of the Songhees First Nation, it was immediately boarded by the Armed Forces, Border Services, and RCMP. Families are now being separated, with many children being taken by the Ministry of Child and Family Development. The refugees now face the threat of incarceration and eventual deportation.

Canadian government officials and media outlets are perpetuating false and dehumanizing stereotypes of 'illegals', 'terrorists', and so-called queue-jumpers. The earlier arrival of 76 Tamil migrants on Ocean Lady was similarly sensationalized. This deliberately created hysteria appeals to prejudices of refugees as undesirable. Well-known neo-Nazis, like Paul Fromm and the Aryan Guard, also known as the Canada First Immigration Reform Committee, are openly organizing rallies for the ship to be sent back.

This fear-mongering is just another tactic used to disguise the racist policies that define Canada’s immigration and refugee system. The Canadian government was recently forced to apologize for its “keep Canada white” measures, such as the Komagata Maru incident. Yet Minister of Censorship and Deportation Jason Kenney continues to increase detentions and deportation of refugees and undocumented migrants, while bringing in more temporary exploitable migrant labour. Public Safety Minister Vic Toews recently declared that Cabinet is drafting new policies to clamp down on migrants and “make this country less welcoming for future shipments of human cargo.”

No One is Illegal-Vancouver asserts the basic human right to safety, mobility, and protection. It is well known that Tamils in Sri Lanka are fleeing military atrocities and mass displacement. The only crime the migrants have committed is transgressing this imposed settler-colonial border. We encourage you to join us in rejecting repressive, racist, and exclusionary ideologies and policies, and instead encourage compassion, solidarity, respect for life, and justice for all refugees. Release Detained Asylum-Seekers! Let the Boat Stay! Status for All!

*** HOW ELSE CAN I SUPPORT? ***
THERE ARE 10 THINGS YOU COULD DO!

1) Join other cities and communities for nation-wide actions. Wherever you maybe, whatever you can organize (delegation to a Minister’s office, street theatre, leafleting, community speak-out), will help build this movement. Please email noii-van@resist.ca and let us know how you can participate.

2) Engage in dialogue and widely circulate the factsheet on the 6 most popular myths about the 490 Tamil Refugees, available here: http://noii-van.resist.ca/?p=2167

3) Sign the online petition here: http://www.petitiononline.com/16082010/petition.html . Join the Facebook group Uphold the Rights of the MV Sun Sea Migrants here: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=106719212717437

4) Put up posters in your neighbourhood, workplace, and campus, and as your social media profile. We have ‘Let them Stay’ and ‘Anti Neo Nazi, Fight Racism’ posters available here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/nooneisillegal/ . PDF’s: http://bit.ly/9HBtGa and http://bit.ly/cgM3gK

5) Participate in the Call/Email/Fax Campaign to the Government and your MP. State your support for the refugees to stay in Canada and denounce the government for spreading unsubstantiated racist lies. This is easy to do and you can tell others to do the same!

Jason Kenney, Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
Phone 613-992-2235 or 403-225-3480. Fax 403-225-3504 or 613-992-1920.
Email: Minister@cic.gc.ca and kennej@parl.gc.ca

Vic Toews, Minister of Public Safety
Phone: (204) 326-9889 or (204)345-9762 or (613) 992-3128.
Fax: (204) 346-9874 or (204) 345-9768 or (613) 995-1049
Email: toewsv1@mts.net and Toews.V@parl.gc.ca

To find out who your MP is and where to write them:
http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

6) Always take a minute to write letters to the editor and comment on news stories - make a difference in public discourse! Reinforce your support for the migrants and condemn irresponsible reporting including repeating unsubstantiated lies and giving white supremacists like Paul Fromm a platform. All letters must be short (100 words), include name, mailing address and daytime phone number of the writer; state “Letter to the Editor” in subject; and content should be in the body of the email.

Globe and Mail: letters@globeandmail.com
Vancouver Sun: sunletters@png.canwest.com
Vancouver Province: provletters@png.canwest.com
24 Hours: news@sunmedia.ca
Metro News: http://www.metronews.ca/Vancouver/comment/lettereditor
National Post: letters@nationalpost.com
Toronto Star: lettertoed@thestar.ca

7) Take your own initiative. This issue is not just the Tamil communities’ or for migrant justice organizers. The growing racist backlash that is taking root should concern all of us. Think of creative ways to disrupt this xenophobic climate (do a banner drop, host a community picnic, take some friends postering, organize a forum or press conference, distribute anti-racist zines, take action at the prison).

8) Consider inviting a speaker to your next meeting. Email noii-van@resist.ca and we would be happy to attend or suggest speakers, as well as provide educational materials.

9) Have your organization, traditional council, union, community group, or artist collective write a short public statement of support for the Tamil migrants. Please email us a copy at noii-van@resist.ca .

10) Join our low-traffic email announcement list to receive news and events. You can subscribe yourself https://lists.resist.ca/mailman/listinfo/noii-l . Our Facebook group is: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6252584281&ref=ts . Visit our website regularly for articles: http://noii-van.resist.ca/

www.nooneisillegal.org

HUMOUR:

THE ULTIMATE END OF OUTSOURCING:

Either laugh of cry...it's real. There's a huge industry in China made up of people who play games all day to gather imaginary "gold" for online games. Something about "world", "hell" and "handbasket". Reality moves far ahead of satire.