Stuart Jeanne Bramhall's Blog: The Most Revolutionary Act , page 1248
October 7, 2016
Mexico’s Experiment with Direct Democracy
Zapatista: A Big Noise Film
Benjamin Eichert, Richard Rowley, Stale Sandberg (1999)
Film Review
Zapatista is about the Zapatista National Liberation Army (EZLN) uprising in Chiapas on Jan 1, 1994. This was the day the North American Free Trade Treaty (NAFTA) took effect between the US, Canada and Mexico. As a condition of NAFTA, Mexico’s PRI government abolished the ejidos (sections of land farmed communally with state support) established in the 1917 revolution. As large numbers of indigenous people were driven off their land for US oil drilling and cattle ranches, they lost their ability to provide for themselves and their families.
Chiapas is a province rich in resources, such a petroleum, coffee, hydroelectric power and uranium. Yet most of this wealth goes to US corporations and a few local elites. Prior to the 1994 uprising, the poor of Chiapas had no access to clean water, electricity or medical care. Seventy-five percent of the population met international criteria for chronic hunger.
The EZLN seized two cities on January 1 1994, San Cristobel de la Casas and Ocozingo, and delivered heir revolutionary proclamation. The occupation lasted two days before 12,000 Mexican troops, equipped with US bombers and attack planes drove them back into the jungle. Initially the Mexican army pursued them, intending to wipe out the Zapatista leadership. After a few weeks, they recognized the immense popular support the EZLN enjoyed and agreed to a ceasefire.
In February 1995, as a condition of a $47.5 billion US bailout, the Mexican government broke the ceasefire to launch a reign of terror they called the “Great Offensive.” Faced with the sudden onslaught of thousands of troops, trucks, thousands of civilians were forced to flee into the mountains.
This offensive was ultimately unsuccessful, in part due to strong support the Zapatistas received from human rights organizations and the international press. Through their initial spokesperson Subcommandante Marcos, they made a concerted effort to spread the message of “Zapatismo” to other peoples oppressed by multinational corporations and neoliberalism.
The purpose of the EZLN uprising, according to Marcos, wasn’t to take over the Mexican government but to “create a space where people can decide how they want to live their lives.”
The EZLN is elected out of the communities that support them. Women comprise one-half of the general command and one-third of the armed force. Their weapons serve a purely defensive function and haven’t been fired since February 1994.
The Zapatista Uprising: 20 Years Later
The second film mainly concerns the San Cristobel journalist who helped the Zapatistas get their story out to the world. As of 2013, 60,000 families lived under self-government in EZLN-controlled territory. In addition to establishing schools and clinics for the first time, the Zapatistas also run production units, supply centers and transport systems.
Follow current Zapistista news at their blog
October 6, 2016
‘Obama DOJ Drops Charges Against Alleged Arms Broker Who Was Threatening To Expose Clinton
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The Obama administration is moving to dismiss charges against an arms dealer it had accused of selling weapons that were destined for Libyan rebels. He had threatened to expose Hillary Clinton’s talks about arming anti-Qadhafi rebels.
Arms dealer had threatened to expose Hillary Clinton’s talks about arming anti-Qadhafi rebels.
By Kenneth P. Vogel and Josh Gerstein
October 05, 2016 “Information Clearing House” – “Politico” – The Obama administration is moving to dismiss charges against an arms dealer it had accused of selling weapons that were destined for Libyan rebels.
Lawyers for the Justice Department on Monday filed a motion in federal court in Phoenix to drop the case against the arms dealer, an American named Marc Turi, whose lawyers also signed the motion.
The deal averts a trial that threatened to cast additional scrutiny on Hillary Clinton’s private emails as Secretary of State, and to expose reported Central Intelligence Agency attempts to arm rebels fighting Libyan leader Moammar Qadhafi.
Government lawyers were facing a Wednesday deadline to produce documents to Turi’s legal team, and the trial was officially set to begin on…
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Monsanto “Crimes Against Humanity” Tribunal Due To Start In Hague*
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This tribunal will consist of five international judges listening to the testimonies of thirty witnesses and experts from around the world as they tell their stories profiling the nature of Monsanto’s environmental terrorism on humanity and the planet. A website dedicated to this tribunal (monsantotribunal.org) details some of the background and specifics surrounding the goals of this upcoming tribunal:
Monsanto “Crimes Against Humanity” Tribunal Due To Start In Hague*
By Bernie Suarez
As many readers know, we are living in an era of blatant evil, disregard for humanity, illegal wars, manufactured terrorism, broad corruption without consequences and outright tyranny as the global network of criminals pushing for their new world order continue to do whatever it takes to reach their stated goals. In the midst of this ongoing process truth seekers find themselves (ourselves) in an intense information war against these ruling elite. This information war strikes at the very heart of what the ruling elite do. In other words, humanity is in the state that it is in because of the information war carefully plotted and waged against humanity by the ruling elite using their information war mechanisms (CIA, US military Intelligence, Special Forces, NGOs, transnational corporations, non-profit organizations, etc). These information war mechanisms and entities, however, are…
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Greens Request Israel to Release Marama Davidson
The New Zealand Green Party is requesting the Israeli Government release Green MP Marama Davidson without delay. Ms Davidson and other members of the women’s peace flotilla were intercepted in international waters in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Gaza by the Israeli navy.
October 5, 2016
Fluoride Free NZ Wins on Advertising Complaints – fluoride free NZ
The New Zealand Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) has ruled in favour of Fluoride Free New Zealand (FFNZ) regarding their controversial TV ads screened this winter. All of the complaints against the FFNZ TV ads were rejected. FFNZ produced two TV adverts that aired on TV3 in July and August this year. The Advertising Standards Authority received a number of complaints that claimed that the information presented was “untrue” or “played on fear.”
The ASA outright rejected the complaints about the first ad, which listed all the ““Countries That Do Not Fluoridate Their Water”, saying there was no basis to proceed with the complaint. The advert stated that 98% of Europe did not fluoridate, and only 4% of the world had water fluoridation.
Complaints were received from another six people who also claimed that the FFNZ ad about fluoride chemicals being “Toxic Waste” was “not factual” and “played on fear.” This advert described how the chemicals used to fluoridate 50% of New Zealand’s drinking water are hazardous.
The Advertising Standards Authority reviewed these claims and invited FFNZ and the Television Commercial Advertising Board (TCAB) to respond. The TCAB had originally reviewed and approved the adverts before they went to air on NZ television.
After careful consideration, the ASA ruled that the fluoridation adverts were factual and did not unjustifiably play on fear.
The TCAB provided a response to the ASA regarding these complaints:
“…Amongst the issues expressed by the complainants are… that they simply do not agree with its message.
“…If hexafluorosilic acid is toxic and a waste product, then the advertiser has every right to present that material fact. That fact is unimpeachably, scientifically provable and constitutes a truthful statement. Similarly, the use of protective clothing during the transport and handling of hexafluorosilic acid is definitely required; it is an immutable truth, a whole fact, and a truthful presentation. The opinion that fluoride should be removed from NZ drinking water is just that – an opinion. The expression of political opinion is protected by Rule 11 of the Code of Ethics, noting that robust debate is essential for the functioning of a healthy democracy. The advertiser has undertaken due responsibility in this commercial by making sure that all factual statements are correct, that the opinion of their organisation is clear (just look at their name), and by these measures that NZ viewers will not be misled or deceived.
“… Very similar complaints against other Fluoride Free NZ advertisements have reached ‘No Grounds to Proceed’ decisions, including complaints 12/272, 12/285 and 16/300.”
Mary Byrne, media spokesperson for Fluoride Free New Zealand said, “We are pleased with the ASA ruling but are becoming increasingly concerned with the antics of the pro-fluoridation activists. Complaining about these adverts shows they don’t even believe in freedom of speech. Especially the advert that simply tells people a few facts about how many countries have water fluoridation. How can anyone complain about that? These complaints strike at the heart of our democracy.”
Source: Fluoride Free NZ Wins on Advertising Complaints – fluoride free NZ
photo credit: tankgirlrs Florine[F]9 via photopin (license)
Yahoo “secretly” scans customer emails for US intelligence – sources
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It’s not secret any more. Let’s see if any other webmail providers step forward and offer a surveillance free service. I’m not holding my breath.
YOUR PERCEPTION IS NOT REALITY
Source: Reuters
Yahoo Inc last year secretly built a custom software program to search all of its customers’ incoming emails for specific information provided by U.S. intelligence officials, according to people familiar with the matter.
The company complied with a classified U.S. government directive, scanning hundreds of millions of Yahoo Mail accounts at the behest of the National Security Agency or FBI, said two former employees and a third person apprised of the events.
Some surveillance experts said this represents the first case to surface of a U.S. Internet company agreeing to a spy agency’s demand by searching all arriving messages, as opposed to examining stored messages or scanning a small number of accounts in real time.
It is not known what information intelligence officials were looking for, only that they wanted Yahoo to search for a set of characters. That could mean a phrase in an email or an…
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CIA Drug Trafficking on Prime Time TV
Kill the Messenger: Montel Williams with Mike Levine & Gary Webb
(1996)
Film Review
This film is a historic 1996 talk show featuring late San Jose Mercury News reporter Gary Webb, DEA whistleblower Michael Levine and Lance Cole, special council for the Kerry Committee (the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on Terrorism, Narcotics and International Operations), and Black Congressional Caucus member Charles Rangel. For balance, a CIA troll from the right wing lobby group Accuracy in the Media also appears.
The show first aired months after Webb’s “Dark Alliance” expose first appeared in the Mercury News. This series was based on extensive documentary evidence that CIA operatives who armed and trained the Contras who tried to overthrow Nicaragua’s Sandinista government smuggled tons of cocaine into US for inner cities.
The show begins with a recorded interview with Freeway Ricky Ross (from prison) revealing that he sourced the cocaine he distributed to inner city gangs from CIA operative Oscar Blandon.
Six years later Webb would mysteriously “suicide” by shooting himself twice* in the face with a shotgun (see Webb Murdered?).
His life is recounted in the 2014 film Shoot the Messenger.
*Twice?????
October 4, 2016
Living In A Van Down By The River – Time To Face The True State Of The Middle Class In America
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As the middle class has shrunk and the cost of living has increased, a lot of people have decided to quite literally “live on the road”. Whether it is a car, a truck, a van, a bus or an RV, an increasing number of Americans are using their vehicles as their homes.
By Michael Snyder
Source: InvestmentWatch
Do you remember the old Saturday Night Live sketches in which comedian Chris Farley portrayed a motivational speaker that lived in a van down by the river? Unfortunately, this is becoming a reality for way too many Americans. As the middle class has shrunk and the cost of living has increased, a lot of people have decided to quite literally “live on the road”. Whether it is a car, a truck, a van, a bus or an RV, an increasing number of Americans are using their vehicles as their homes. Just recently, someone that I know took a trip down the west coast of the United States and stayed at a number of campgrounds along the way. What she discovered was that a lot of people were actually living at these campgrounds. Of course there are some that actually prefer that lifestyle, but many…
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Floodgates open up? Iraqis Use ‘Sue the Saudis’ 9/11 Bill to Sue USA for 2003 Invasion
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The warmongers in the US government have just had their fears realized as Iraq plans to use the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), aka Sue the Saudis Bill, to demand compensation for the US invasion of Iraq.
This is What they Were Afraid Of — Iraqis Use ‘Sue the Saudis’ 9/11 Bill to Sue US for 2003 Invasion
The warmongers in the US government have just had their fears realized as Iraq plans to use the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act (JASTA), aka Sue the Saudis Bill, to demand compensation for the US invasion of Iraq.
Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives, following the lead of the Senate, passed a bill allowing Americans to sue Saudi Arabia over 9/11. When the bill made it to the President’s desk, however, Obama quickly showed his loyalty to Saudi Arabia and vetoed it. However, that was only the beginning of the rollercoaster.
Days after his despicable veto, the Senate stepped up and overwhelmingly voted to override it.
The reason the for the veto was obvious as this bill would, in theory, open up a venue and allow lawsuits against the U.S. for…
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Hillary Approved Sarin Gas to Rebels to Frame Assad
by Matt Agorist
In April of 2013, Britain and France informed the United Nations that there was credible evidence that Syria used chemical weapons against rebel forces. Only two months later, in June of 2013, the United States concluded that the Syrian government did, in fact, use chemical weapons in its fight against opposition forces. President Obama immediately used this chemical attack as a pretext for invasion and authorized direct U.S. military support to the rebels, according to the White House.Since the US has been funding these ‘moderate rebels’ more than 250,000 people have been killed, over 7,600,000 have been internally displaced, and 4,000,000 other human beings have been forced from the country entirely.
All of this death and destruction carried out by a sadistic army of rebels who’ve been funded and armed by the United States government, based on, what we are now told, was a complete fabrication.
World renowned journalist Seymour Hersh has revealed, in a series of interviews and books, that the Obama Administration falsely blamed the government of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad for the sarin gas attack that Obama was trying to use as an excuse to invade Syria.
As Eric Zuesse explained in Strategic Culture, Hersh pointed to a report from British intelligence saying that the sarin that was used didn’t come from Assad’s stockpiles. Hersh also said that a secret agreement in 2012 was reached between the Obama Administration and the leaders of Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar, to set up a sarin gas attack and blame it on Assad so that the US could invade and overthrow Assad.
Source: Hillary Approved Sarin Gas to Rebels to Frame Assad
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