WW News Service Digest #326
1) Bush appoints 'homeland' czar: Pa. pro-death-penalty Gov. Ridge
by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
2) Biased media back Bush's war drive
by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
3) Fidel Castro: The tragedy should not be used to recklessly start a war
by "WW" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Twwpublish.com>
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Oct. 4, 2001
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
BUSH APPOINTS "HOMELAND" CZAR:
PENNSYLVANIA'S PRO-DEATH-PENALTY GOV. RIDGE
By Monica Moorehead
During his Sept. 20 remarks before Congress, President
George W. Bush announced the creation of a new cabinet-level
department named the Office of Homeland Security. This post
was established to monitor and fight "domestic terrorism"
within the U.S. borders in the wake of the Sept. 11 attacks
on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon.
The Homeland Security office may sound like a logical
response in light of the tragic loss of thousands of lives.
But nothing could be further from the truth.
In reality, the Bush administration wants to seize the
opportunity to exploit the genuine grief and fear that
masses of people feel right now in order to shore up its
repressive state apparatus here and worldwide. This is being
done under the guise of super-patriotism--that is,
xenophobia and racist chauvinism aimed against non-citizens,
especially people of color.
This office will receive $11 billion in federal operating
funds. One of its main goals is to consolidate overt and
covert repressive organizations like the FBI, CIA,
Immigration and Naturalization Service and 40 others into
one agency.
Another goal is to severely restrict the civil liberties of
the progressive movement--especially the right to free
speech and freedom of assembly.
ANOTHER 'GOV. DEATH'
Bush named the current governor of Pennsylvania, Tom Ridge,
to head up this new office. Bush stated that Ridge would be
perfect for the job because he won the Bronze Star for
military service during the Vietnam War.
Bush had at one time considered making Ridge his running
mate. He withdrew Ridge's name because the more ultra-right
Republicans disagreed with Ridge's limited support for
abortion rights.
The progressive movement has a totally different view of
Ridge. He is the governor who has signed two execution
warrants against the world's most famous death-row political
prisoner: Mumia Abu-Jamal.
Less than a year after being elected governor, Ridge signed
the first death warrant for Abu-Jamal on June 2, 1995. Ridge
knew full well that Abu-Jamal's lawyers were filing an
appeal before the State Court of Common Pleas at that time.
That warrant set the date for Abu-Jamal's execution as Aug.
17, 1995. An historic demonstration in Philadelphia of
10,000 activists on Aug. 12 forced Ridge to rescind the
warrant.
Ridge again scheduled Abu-Jamal to be executed on Dec. 2,
1999. The governor was well aware when signing this death
warrant that Abu-Jamal's lawyers were planning to file a
writ of habeas corpus before the federal district court.
To say that Ridge is pro-death-penalty is putting it mildly.
During his six years as governor, he has put his name to
more than 200 death warrants.
He has a reputation for being a "law and order" governor. He
has lobbied for longer prison sentences for juvenile
defendants, and for the "three strikes you're out" laws.
These laws automatically sentence people to life in prison
with no chance of parole if they are convicted of three
felonies.
STOOGE FOR BIG BUSINESS
The mainstream press likes to brag about Ridge coming from a
working-class background. But the fact is that Ridge has
become a champion of big business.
The Philadelphia Inquirer published a major article on April
27, 1997, that focused on Ridge's business connections. The
Inquirer reported that in 1995 Ridge created a Governor's
Club board of directors that allowed corporate sponsors
within Pennsylvania to donate a minimum amount of $25,000
toward his re-election campaign.
The guaranteed amount pledged was $8.1 million. These
businesses received state contracts amounting to a half-
billion dollars. And those who gave the largest donations
were rewarded with appointments to seats on state boards.
For example, most of the Pennsylvania State Turnpike
Commission is composed of business executives who
contributed to Ridge's "club." It has been well documented
that this commission has a sordid history of promoting
racism, sexism and homophobia.
The Inquirer article read in part: "At least 120 of the 228
club members or their businesses receive something from the
state: a contract, a loan, a lease, legal work or a seat on
a state board. And some are in the business of influencing
government: Club members include 20 paid Harrisburg
lobbyists. ...
"The club membership reads like a Who's Who in Pennsylvania
Business, as befits a governor who ran as pro-business and
has called for corporate tax cuts in three straight years.
Many members have CEO after their name. The club is mostly
male and white. It includes just a half-dozen minorities and
eight women."
In 1999, Ridge established the Keystone Opportunity Zone,
which handed over 37,000 acres of arable land to establish
businesses that are not required to pay local or state
taxes. Ridge has come under fire from environmentalist
groups for putting profits before preserving the
environment.
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Oct. 4, 2001
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
BIASED MEDIA BACK BUSH'S WAR DRIVE
By Heather Cottin
The U.S. government is conducting a patriotic pep rally.
Its cheerleaders are the media--which are attempting to whip
the populace into a mood of ultra-nationalism to prepare for
a military buildup and war while they conceal the many
voices for peace.
With the World Trade Center smoldering and the New York City
air still filled with smoke, thousands began gathering in
Union Square Park, in a vigil for the dead and to promote
"Peace Not War." The cameras rolled, TV crews recorded the
spontaneous demonstration. But a peculiar thing happened.
CBS, NBC and ABC-TV newscasts showed the signs, reading
"Peace, not Vengeance," "War is not the Answer." The
microphones picked up the anthem of a thousand voices, "All
we are saying is give peace a chance." Yet announcers
declared that the vigil supported the U.S. government, and
interpreted the mood as vengeful, favoring war as a response
to terrorism.
Television provided non-stop coverage of the events of Sept.
11 and the aftermath. Viewers were glued to their screens.
The New York Times, Washington Post and Los Angeles Times,
and all the tabloids filled their pages with news of the
World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks.
Across the United States, special newspaper editions recited
details of the devastation and calls for action, day after
day. In a scene from a Hollywood movie, the members of the
Senate of the United States stood up and sang "God Bless
America."
U.S. flags materialized everywhere. Sept. 17 was
unofficially proclaimed "red, white and blue" day in schools
and some work places. Not wearing the colors isolated
students and teachers alike.
Fairness and Accuracy in Media studied the coverage. FAIR
analysts wrote, "In the wake of the devastating attacks on
the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, many media pundits
focused on one theme: retaliation." They pointed to the
rapid and virulent response by media pundits.
CNN asked former Secretary of State Lawrence Eagleburger on
Sept. 11 about those who carried out the attacks. "With
people like this," he said, "you have to kill some of them
even if they are not immediately, directly involved in this
thing."
On Sept. 12, Steve Dunleavy wrote in the New York Post, "As
for cities or countries that host these worms, bomb them
into basketball courts."
The Washington Post interviewed Rich Lowry, National Review
editor, and asked him about Osama Bin Ladin. His response:
"People like him need to feel pain. If we flatten part of
Damascus or Tehran or whatever it takes, that is part of the
solution."
But FAIR noted that it was not just conservatives who were
promoting racism and war. David Broder of the Washington
Post emerged with a political view he called "new realism"--
in America's national security policy: "For far too long, we
have been queasy about responding to terrorism."
The Sept. 13 Wall Street Journal urged the United States to
"get serious" about terrorism.
The truth is that since the nuclear bombing of Hiroshima the
U.S. armed forces have been responsible for the deaths of 10
million people in 20 countries. Yet a myth sprang up. The
United States has been too "soft," too peaceful and
unprepared for war, the Chicago Tribune's John Kass declared
on Sept. 13.
RESTRICTING CIVIL LIBERTIES
The media also began discussing the possibility of
restricting civil liberties.
Long Island Newsday reported a purportedly "scientific" poll
from the Siena College Research Institute, alleging, "One-
third of New Yorkers favor establishing internment camps for
individuals who authorities identify as being sympathetic to
terrorist causes."
Meanwhile, with almost no questioning from reporters,
President George W. Bush created a powerful new cabinet-
level police agency called the "Office of Homeland
Security."
Increasing the viciousness of the rhetoric, CNN reported
that British Prime Minister Tony Blair forecast a titanic
struggle "between the civilized world and fanaticism."
The Washington Post described Sunday morning TV interviews
of the Bush team. Cheney spoke about "broader surveillance
and wiretapping powers." The Post continued without
criticism, "administration officials reflected some of this
in television appearances, urging that law enforcement and
intelligence tactics designed for a more fastidious age need
to be loosened." No one from the media objected.
Lest working people remember their antagonism to war, the
media silenced even musical appeals for peace. Clear Channel
Communications, the Texas-based company that owns about
1,170 radio stations nationwide, circulated a list of 150
songs it asked its stations to avoid playing.
Among these are "Imagine" by John Lennon, "Peace Train" by
Cat Stevens, and "all Rage Against the Machine songs."
As the economy contracted and hundreds of thousands of
workers faced layoffs, the New York Times reported on its
business pages that the prospects for U.S. military
industries were showing definite signs of improvement.
On Sept. 23, after Bush asked the people of the United
States for their "continued participation and confidence in
the American economy," the Washington Post wrote, "Call it
market patriotism."
Presumably if workers don't rush right out and shop till
they drop, they don't "Stand up for America"--a song on the
approved list that radio stations play ad nauseam to build
up patriotic fervor.
A peace movement has emerged overnight, marching on
Washington even as the military prepares for war in
Afghanistan. Only because this movement has an
organizational form has it forced the media to begin to pay
attention, reporting about the thousands of people in
Washington, D.C., New York, San Francisco, Seattle, Chicago,
Boston, Baltimore, Los Angeles, Portland, Ore., and the
Canadian city of Vancouver, British Columbia--all of whom
are saying, "War is not the answer."
-------------------------
Via Workers World News Service
Reprinted from the Oct. 4, 2001
issue of Workers World newspaper
-------------------------
[Speech given by Cuban President Fidel Castro on Sept. 22]
CUBAN PRESIDENT FIDEL CASTRO:
"THE TRAGEDY SHOULD NOT BE USED TO RECKLESSLY START A WAR"
No one can deny that terrorism is today a dangerous and
ethically indefensible phenomenon, which should be
eradicated regardless of its deep origins, the economic and
political factors that brought it to live, and those
responsible for it.
The unanimous irritation caused by the human and
psychological damage brought on the American people by the
unexpected and shocking death of thousands of innocent
people whose images have shaken the world is perfectly
understandable. But who have profited? The extreme right,
the most backward and right-wing forces, those in favor of
crushing the growing world rebellion and sweeping away
everything progressive that is still left on the planet. It
was an enormous error, a huge injustice and a great crime,
whoever organized or are responsible for such action.
However, the tragedy should not be used to recklessly start
a war that could actually unleash an endless carnage of
innocent people, all under the peculiar and bizarre name of
"Infinite Justice."
In the last few days we have seen the hasty establishment of
the basis, the concept, the true purposes, the spirit and
the conditions for such a war. No one would be able to
affirm that it was not something thought out well in
advance, something that was just waiting for its chance to
materialize. Those who, after the so-called end of the Cold
War, continued a military build-up and the development of
the most sophisticated means to kill and exterminate human
beings were aware that their large military investments
would give them the privilege to impose an absolute and
complete dominance over the other peoples of the world. The
ideologists of the imperialist system knew very well what
they were doing and why they were doing it.
After the shock and sincere sorrow felt by every people on
Earth for the atrocious and insane terrorist attack that
targeted the American people, the most extremist ideologists
and the most belligerent hawks, already established in
privileged power positions, have taken command of the most
powerful country in the world, whose military and
technological capabilities would seem infinite. Actually,
its capacity to destroy and kill is enormous, while its
inclination towards equanimity, serenity, thoughtfulness and
restraint is minimal.
The combination of elements--including complicity and the
common enjoyment of privileges--the prevailing opportunism,
confusion and panic make it almost impossible to avoid a
bloody and unpredictable outcome.e.
The first victims of whatever military actions are
undertaken will be the billions of people living in the poor
and underdeveloped world, with their unbelievable economic
and social problems, their unpayable debts and the ruinous
prices of their basic commodities; their growing natural and
ecological catastrophes, their hunger and misery, the
massive undernourishment of their children, teenagers and
adults, their terrible AIDS epidemic, their malaria, their
tuberculosis and their infectious diseases that threaten
whole nations with extermination.
The grave economic world crisis was already a real and
irrefutable fact affecting absolutely every one of the big
economic power centers. Such crisis will inevitably grow
deeper under the new circumstances, and when it becomes
unbearable for the overwhelming majority of the peoples, it
will bring chaos, rebellion and the impossibility to govern.
But the price will also be unpayable for the rich countries.
For years to come it would be impossible to speak strongly
enough about the environment and ecology, or about ideas and
research done and tested, or about projects for the
protection of nature--because that space and possibility
would be taken by military actions, war and crimes as
infinite as "Infinite Justice," that is, the name given to
the war operation to be unleashed..
Can there be any hope left after having listened, hardly 36
hours ago, to the speech made by the president before the
U.S. Congress?
I will avoid the use of adjectives, qualifiers or offensive
words towards the author of that speech. They would be
absolutely unnecessary and untimely when the tensions and
seriousness of the moment advise thoughtfulness and
equanimity. I will limit myself to underline some short
phrases that say it all:
"We will use every necessary weapon of war."
"Americans should not expect one battle, but a lengthy
campaign unlike any other we have ever seen."
"Every nation in every region now has a decision to make.
Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."
"I've called the armed forces to alert and there is a
reason. The hour is coming when America will act and you
will make us proud."
"This is the world's fight, this is civilization's fight."
"I ask for your patience [...] in what will be a long
struggle."
"The great achievement of our time and the great hope of
every time, now depend on us."
"The course of this conflict is not known, yet its outcome
is certain. [...] And we know that God is not neutral."
I ask our fellow countrymen to meditate deeply and calmly on
the ideas contained in several of the above-mentioned
phrases:
Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists.
No nation of the world has been left out of the dilemma, not
even the big and powerful states; none has escaped the
threat of war or attacks.
We will use any weapon.
No procedure has been excluded, regardless of ethics, or any
threat, however fatal--either nuclear, chemical, biological
or any other..
It will not be short combat but a lengthy war, lasting many
years, unparalleled in history.
It is the world's fight; it is civilization's fight.
The achievements of our times and the hope of every time,
now depend on us.
Finally, an unheard of confession in a political speech on
the eve of a war, and no less than in times of apocalyptic
risks:
The course of this conflict is not known; yet its outcome is
certain. And we know that God is not neutral.
This is an amazing assertion. When I think about the real or
imagined parties involved in that bizarre holy war that is
about to begin, I find it difficult to make a distinction
about where fanaticism is stronger.
On Thursday, before the United States Congress, the idea was
sketched out of a world military dictatorship under the
exclusive rule of force, irrespective of any international
laws or institutions. The United Nations Organization,
simply ignored in the present crisis, would fail to have any
authority or prerogative whatsoever. There would be only one
boss, only one judge, and only one law.
We have all been ordered to ally either with the United
States government or with terrorism.
Cuba, the country that has suffered the most and the longest
from terrorist actions, the one whose people are not afraid
of anything because there is no threat or power in the world
that can intimidate it--with a high morale, Cuba claims that
it is opposed to terrorism and opposed to war. Although the
possibilities are now remote, Cuba reaffirms the need to
avert a war of unpredictable consequences whose very authors
have admitted not having the least idea of how the events
will unfold. Likewise, Cuba reiterates its willingness to
cooperate with every country in the total eradication of
terrorism..
An objective and calm friend should advise the United States
government against throwing young American soldiers into an
uncertain war in remote, isolated and inaccessible places,
like a fight against ghosts, not knowing where they are or
even if they exist or not, or whether the people they kill
are or are not responsible for the death of their innocent
fellow countrymen killed in the United States.
Cuba will never declare itself an enemy of the American
people, who are today subjected to an unprecedented campaign
to sow hatred and a vengeful spirit, so much so that even
the music that sings of peace has been banned. On the
contrary, Cuba will make that music its own, and even our
children will sing their songs to peace while the announced
bloody war lasts.
Whatever happens, the territory of Cuba will never be used
for terrorist actions against the American people and we
will do everything within our reach to prevent such actions
against that people. Today we are expressing our solidarity
while urging to peace and calmness. One day they will admit
we were right.
We will defend our independence, our principles and our
social achievements with honor to the last drop of blood if
we are attacked!
It will not be easy to fabricate pretexts to do it. They are
already talking about a war using all the necessary weapons,
but it will be good to recall that not even that would be a
new experience. Almost four decades ago, hundreds of
strategic and tactical nuclear weapons were aimed at Cuba
and nobody remembers any one in our country sleepless over
that.
We are the same sons and daughters of that heroic people,
with a patriotic and revolutionary conscience that is higher
than ever. It is time for serenity and courage.
The world will grow aware of this and will raise its voice
in the face of the terrible threatening drama that it is
about to suffer.
As for Cubans, this is the right time to proclaim more
proudly and resolutely than ever:
Socialism or death!
Homeland or death!
We shall overcome!
_________________________________________________
KOMINFORM
P.O. Box 66
00841 Helsinki
Phone +358-40-7177941
Fax +358-9-7591081
http://www.kominf.pp.fi
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