soilride
12th September 2002, 04:58
http://usmlo.org/
Honor All the Victims
Advance the Fight for the Rights of All
Statement of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization
—
September 11, 2002
It is one year later and still the pain and anguish has not subsided. Time has passed, yet there has been no space to mourn. The deaths of innocents in the U.S. was rapidly followed by deaths of innocents in Afghanistan and Palestine. The fear of more terrorist attacks was overwhelmed by the rapid government attacks on the rights of the people here and abroad. Life now is even more out of control and uncertain.
Everyone - but the government - is to be feared. Neighbors are to spy on neighbors. Postal and utility workers are to be police informants. Racist government profiling is being made normal and acceptable. People of Arab descent and Muslims are rounded up, detained without charges, secretly tried and unjustly deported. The executive labels citizens "enemy combatants" and orders them indefinitely detained by the military. Even the courts say rights are being trampled on. Yet far from ending these attacks, a year later the government is raising the possibility of internment camps.
No one can say how any of this has helped nor how this represents a defense of democracy. All cannot help but wonder who will be next? Who now will be labeled an "enemy combatant" or "threat to national security" and detained indefinitely by the military? Longshore workers, facing a lock out, perhaps? Protesters in D.C. the end of September? Anyone opposing war in Iraq? Who? The fact that the question can even be posed speaks to how far from democracy the U.S. government is and how close to military rule.
The government continues to say all these attacks are necessary to achieve security. Yet no one worldwide awoke this September 11 feeling more secure. One year later, peoples everywhere awoke to a world closer to world war and with the knowledge that U.S. imperialism is prepared to unleash this catastrophe on the world. President Bush, speaking at the Pentagon September 11, emphasized the U.S. will act unilaterally and without cause against Iraq and others saying, "As long as terrorists and dictators plot against our lives and our liberty they will be opposed by the United States Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines!"
If merely the claim of a "plot" can justify war where and when will the U.S. stop? How can endless war, endless deaths of innocents, endless insecurity honor the victims of September 11 and move the country forward?
There are alternatives. Another world is possible. The peoples everywhere together can and will create it! The year since September 11 has vibrantly shown this reality. As peoples in their hundreds of millions demonstrate, organize and together fight for their rights, a path forward is being opened.
Peace and security can be won by advancing the fight for the rights of all. It is not the rights of a few or of some that are to be protected. It is not the rights of Americans alone. It is the rights of all. For Americans intent on examining the why of September 11, the deaths of many millions at the hands of the U.S. government is being reckoned with. The crimes of slavery, both of the past and present day wage-slavery, of war against Korea and Vietnam, of colonialism in Puerto Rico, the many victims of U.S. aggression, military occupation and interference worldwide, the continued enslavement of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America, all are being reckoned with.
Not in Our Name! Americans are saying. These crimes do not represent us, do not represent our views, our solutions. NO! Not In Our Name. Not now, not ever again! We Americans stand for a modern democracy worthy of the name. We stand for the right of the people to decide. We stand for changing the role of the U.S. in the world so this decision-making of, by and for the people can become a reality.
All of the victims, in the US and worldwide - from September 11 and from the present and past crimes of U.S. imperialism, against Americans and peoples worldwide - can be honored. Honor can be paid and honor can be won by all together joining the fight to open humanity's path to progress. Let as stand as one against the tide of war, together embracing the social responsibility of each to defend the rights of all.
Yours for the revolution,
soilride
Honor All the Victims
Advance the Fight for the Rights of All
Statement of the U.S. Marxist-Leninist Organization
—
September 11, 2002
It is one year later and still the pain and anguish has not subsided. Time has passed, yet there has been no space to mourn. The deaths of innocents in the U.S. was rapidly followed by deaths of innocents in Afghanistan and Palestine. The fear of more terrorist attacks was overwhelmed by the rapid government attacks on the rights of the people here and abroad. Life now is even more out of control and uncertain.
Everyone - but the government - is to be feared. Neighbors are to spy on neighbors. Postal and utility workers are to be police informants. Racist government profiling is being made normal and acceptable. People of Arab descent and Muslims are rounded up, detained without charges, secretly tried and unjustly deported. The executive labels citizens "enemy combatants" and orders them indefinitely detained by the military. Even the courts say rights are being trampled on. Yet far from ending these attacks, a year later the government is raising the possibility of internment camps.
No one can say how any of this has helped nor how this represents a defense of democracy. All cannot help but wonder who will be next? Who now will be labeled an "enemy combatant" or "threat to national security" and detained indefinitely by the military? Longshore workers, facing a lock out, perhaps? Protesters in D.C. the end of September? Anyone opposing war in Iraq? Who? The fact that the question can even be posed speaks to how far from democracy the U.S. government is and how close to military rule.
The government continues to say all these attacks are necessary to achieve security. Yet no one worldwide awoke this September 11 feeling more secure. One year later, peoples everywhere awoke to a world closer to world war and with the knowledge that U.S. imperialism is prepared to unleash this catastrophe on the world. President Bush, speaking at the Pentagon September 11, emphasized the U.S. will act unilaterally and without cause against Iraq and others saying, "As long as terrorists and dictators plot against our lives and our liberty they will be opposed by the United States Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Marines!"
If merely the claim of a "plot" can justify war where and when will the U.S. stop? How can endless war, endless deaths of innocents, endless insecurity honor the victims of September 11 and move the country forward?
There are alternatives. Another world is possible. The peoples everywhere together can and will create it! The year since September 11 has vibrantly shown this reality. As peoples in their hundreds of millions demonstrate, organize and together fight for their rights, a path forward is being opened.
Peace and security can be won by advancing the fight for the rights of all. It is not the rights of a few or of some that are to be protected. It is not the rights of Americans alone. It is the rights of all. For Americans intent on examining the why of September 11, the deaths of many millions at the hands of the U.S. government is being reckoned with. The crimes of slavery, both of the past and present day wage-slavery, of war against Korea and Vietnam, of colonialism in Puerto Rico, the many victims of U.S. aggression, military occupation and interference worldwide, the continued enslavement of the peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America, all are being reckoned with.
Not in Our Name! Americans are saying. These crimes do not represent us, do not represent our views, our solutions. NO! Not In Our Name. Not now, not ever again! We Americans stand for a modern democracy worthy of the name. We stand for the right of the people to decide. We stand for changing the role of the U.S. in the world so this decision-making of, by and for the people can become a reality.
All of the victims, in the US and worldwide - from September 11 and from the present and past crimes of U.S. imperialism, against Americans and peoples worldwide - can be honored. Honor can be paid and honor can be won by all together joining the fight to open humanity's path to progress. Let as stand as one against the tide of war, together embracing the social responsibility of each to defend the rights of all.
Yours for the revolution,
soilride