We are all subjects of the American Empire.
Whether we live in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, the
Middle East . . . we are all under the thumb of neo-liberal capitalism
that puts concentrated corporate power in control of our lives. For
decades, American Empire and wealthy elite have forced privatization of
resources in developing countries and austerity measures on public
programs. Now, we are also experiencing these same policies in wealthier
nations like the US and Europe.
All
but the wealthiest are now members of the “Global South.” And, more and
more people realize this. People from all over the world recognize that
we must stand together in solidarity to challenge the tiny minority
that dominates us. The revolts in Turkey, Brazil, Europe, the Middle
East and Asia – as well as in the United States – are all connected.
These struggles share common messages that people are more important
than profit, that human rights must be respected and that we want to
live in peace with dignity. We see that
capitalism is failing and that the people must take control to create the kind of world in which we want to live. The
Afghan Peace Volunteers said this clearly in their recent open letter: “
accomplishing
these actions hinges on us, on climate change citizens, Arab Spring
citizens, Occupy citizens and the ‘awakening’ citizens of every country
to free ourselves from the unequal dominance of corporate governments
with their laws and weapons of self-interest.”
And it’s happening. People from around the world are working in
solidarity and protesting on behalf of others. Across the US, people are
taking action to stop the drone warfare that kills innocent Afghans,
Pakistanis and others. In Maine, they are taking a
legislative approach along with protest and in Iowa, people are
walking 195 miles to the Capital, Des Moines.
The campaign to close Guantanamo stretches from the living rooms of US veterans to Washington, DC to Yemen. Three veterans,
Elliott Adams,
Diane Wilson and
Tarak Kauff are on a solidarity hunger strike with the prisoners. They are coming to Washington,
DC next week to protest and invite you to join them. Codepink recently traveled to
Yemen to learn from the families of the prisoners about the impact of Guantanamo on their families.
People in
Hong Kong marched in support of Edward Snowden and to oppose his extradition.
Japanese railroad workers in Tokyo protested a lockout in Oregon, nearly 5,000 miles away, of American dockworkers who load grain ships headed for Asia.
Before the G8 Leaders met this week in the UK, protesters held a
Carnival Against Capitalism. Last year, we protested the G8 in the US with an
Occupy G8 Peoples Summit.
President Obama traveled to Germany after the G8. His visit was
preceded by a large march that looked like it could have taken place in
the US. Protest signs had messages around issues of mass incarceration,
Guantanamo, Bradley Manning and illegal spying with a play on Obama’s
campaign message, “
Yes We Scan!”
In fact, thanks to the courage and sacrifice of Edward Snowden, we are
learning more about the extent of spying by the National Security State and that
we are subjected to it in the US and around the world. Author,
Nafeez Ahmed
writes that this is part of preparation by the government for a
citizen’s revolt in case of a climate and energy crisis as well as
economic collapse. This includes
new powers
claimed by the DoD to use the military “to engage temporarily in
activities that are necessary to quell large-scale, unexpected civil
disturbances.”
What the security state doesn’t realize is that their extreme response to peaceful protests actually
brings more people out.
We’ve seen this recently in Turkey and Brazil. Though these protests
seemed to be sparked by minor events, the development of a park and a
rise in
bus fare, they are actually caused by neo-liberal, capitalist
policies similar to those in the US in which as the wealth of the nation grows, so does the wealth divide.
The responses by the leaders of Turkey and Brazil are very different. The Turkish Prime Minister
ordered violent attacks on protesters, the arrest of lawyers,
journalists and a crackdown on
health professionals who cared for the wounded. But this brought more people out including lawyers and
health professionals
who marched in the streets. When Gezi Park was violently cleared,
hundreds of thousands of people took to the streets. When marches were
banned, people started holding
standing protests.
Now there are
community assemblies being held throughout the country, using the hand signals of the Indignados and Occupy; and the
unions
are calling for Erdogan to step down because he has lost legitimacy
after his attacks have wounded thousands, critically injured 59 and
killed 5 people. Erdogan continues on a destructive track and has
ordered more tear gas and water cannons. Here is a
petition asking the US not to supply more.
In Brazil, violent police attacks on peaceful protesters also brought
hundreds of thousands into the streets night after night. The protests
started in
Sao Paulo and
spread throughout the country. But in response, the
President of Brazil expressed sympathy with the protesters and bus fares were lowered. The
protests continued on Thursday in 100 cities and on Wednesday, some police joined the protesters and were welcomed with cheers. Police defections are a key step forward that greatly increase the chance of success.
Growing
movements so that they become mass movements is also important for
success and that is happening within the US in the fight against
extraction of resources for energy. Front line environmental groups
working to stop pipelines that will carry tar sands, mountain top
removal of coal, offshore oil drilling and hydrofracking have joined
together for “
Fearless Summer.” Their kickoff event was a
tree sit to protect an old forest in Oregon. Next week, they kick-off a week of nationwide protests.
More people understand that the extraction economy must end. Coalitions in
New York,
Pennsylvania and
Illinois
are calling for a ban on hydrofracking (not merely regulation) and are
willing to engage in civil resistance to make that happen. Creativity is
also important as artist-activist, Lopi LaRoe who comes out of Occupy,
demonstrated with her
Smokey the Bear stickers and posters saying “Only You Can Prevent Faucet Fires;” the Forest Service was not amused.
This struggle is also global. First Nation people in Canada are fighting the extraction of fossil fuels in “
Sovereign Summer” and people from the Amazon protested at
Chevron’s shareholder meeting.
Another global struggle that is uniting people across issues and across
the world is the opposition to corporate power grabs through new ‘free
trade’ agreements, the TransPacific Partnership (TTP) which is coming
close to being completed and the TransAtlantic Trade and Investment
Partnership (TTIP) which is just beginning. This is a struggle that we
can win.
The secrecy surrounding these talks shows the insecurity of the
negotiators. They know that, as former US Trade Representative Ron Kirk
said, if people know what is in this agreement, it will not become law.
People are
taking action for transparency.
The
negotiators so desperately want to avoid protests that would expose how
the TPP will adversely affect people’s lives that last weekend they
tried to hold secret negotiations in Vancouver. But they failed because
protesters learned of the meetings and were able to mobilize within a
matter of hours with actions to “
Break the Silence” on the TPP.
Groups, like the
Green Shadow Cabinet, are calling for unity to stop these agreements. Solidarity is growing across continents and issues, with
occupiers and traditional activists working together. Watch on
PopularResistance.org in the coming weeks for the launch of a direct action campaign to stop the TPP.
Conditions are ripening in the US for a mass uprising. More and more people are protesting
corruption and an
unfair economy. There were actions this week for worker’s rights in
Oakland and
San Francisco. Students and parents
occupied a public elementary school in Chicago that is being closed down. It was beautiful to see young children speaking out on behalf of their school and community.
And
in addition to resistance, the climate crisis and unfair economy are
creating opportunities to build the kind of world we want to see.
Thousands of
communities around the world have started the transition town process that is
now spreading across the US. It puts in place a new sustainable, egalitarian community where for example people can
break from corporate food and learn
the benefits of community gardens. Strike Debt has a new manual focused on
college student debt calling for free education as a public good.
People across the world are standing up and demanding that government be
responsive to them, not to the rule of money; that the economy be
re-made so it serves all in a democratic and egalitarian way. Progress
is being made toward the world we want, every day, by millions of people
around the world. You are not alone, you are part of a worldwide
movement.
You are PopularResistance.
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