Boko Haram abducts 234 schoolgirls, still missing after two weeks

[Nakidana]

Why the fuck would someone defend reactionary muslims? As Rafiq said, we (you, actually) need to use the same standards on them (us). You can't single out your criticism of sexism and fanaticism, just because they're muslims.

Who are you talking to?

[Rugged Collectivist]

I love how mainstream westerners didn't give a fuck until they saw it on twitter. Kony, part II.

I can't believe that almost exclusively feminist pages are reporting about that. And I can't believe either that Mohammed cartoons stir bigger uproar among the Islamic world than this. World's more than fucked up.

To be fair I'm pretty sure I heard about this on the radio weeks ago.

[bricolage]

I love how mainstream westerners didn't give a fuck until they saw it on twitter. Kony, part II.

To be fair I'm pretty sure I heard about this on the radio weeks ago.

I also think twitter's where a lot of people hear the news first, I know that I saw this break on twitter very soon after it happened and long before, for example, newspapers had had the time to print it. Perhaps there are a lot of people who saw a bring back our girls hash tag from someone semi-famous and re-tweeted it without knowing what it was really about, but I don't think devalues twitters as a means for learning about events in the world.

[Rosa Partizan]

Who are you talking to?

---------

[Os Cangaceiros]

Intervention is needed to install a US military base in Nigeria and further privatize the oil fields, which are state owned, and are not being fully exploited, and to control the oil "theft" or piracy by beefing up naval presence.

His point about MEND is basically a sound one. MEND has been actively involved in targeting oil infrastructure over the years, as well as abducting petro businessmen and extorting oil companies. Or would that be a too obvious pretext for intervention?

[adipocere]

His point about MEND is basically a sound one. MEND has been actively involved in targeting oil infrastructure over the years, as well as abducting petro businessmen and extorting oil companies. Or would that be a too obvious pretext for intervention?

I don't think #BringBackOurOilWorkers has the same ring to it. But by intervention, I don't mean "shock and awe" - I just mean pretext to beef up colonial presence in the region and not necessarily only for oil that is more or less pumping. That would be laughably myopic for a country that operates 800 or more military bases worldwide.
Honestly, I don't think the western public really needs pretext. Most people couldn't find Nigeria on a map. Rarely, however, does the US get to intervene in situations where they get a hero's welcome. Besides it does make for better press than photos of a pregnant woman raped and strangled with a phone cord by fascists in a burned out trade union building in Ukraine.

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

^i get the anti-imperialist thing but there's no point in trying to deny that abducting school girls is NOT a legitimate political tactic, ever.

didn't you know that imperialism actually helps to create a lot of these idiotic groups? the point is that these people are enemies to the working class - whether female, male, muslim or otherwise - and that the only solution to the variety of problems is a united working class.

in this sense, all sides are condemnable and a criticism of islam becomes a part of that. however, islam has to be understood in the context its utilized within, in this case it is a political context.

nigeria is an african country and the whole continent has been torn apart by colonialism - supporting either the west or the muslims in this regard amounts to supporting colonial forces and the only people that any communist can legitimately support are the working class.

[Dagoth Ur]

This may be a crazy concept to you but workers aren't always a "side" available to support. Where are the organized workers of Nigeria you speak of?

fuck you

Cry me a river.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

^i get the anti-imperialist thing but there's no point in trying to deny that abducting school girls is NOT a legitimate political tactic, ever.

didn't you know that imperialism actually helps to create a lot of these idiotic groups? the point is that these people are enemies to the working class - whether female, male, muslim or otherwise - and that the only solution to the variety of problems is a united working class.

in this sense, all sides are condemnable and a criticism of islam becomes a part of that. however, islam has to be understood in the context its utilized within, in this case it is a political context.

nigeria is an african country and the whole continent has been torn apart by colonialism - supporting either the west or the muslims in this regard amounts to supporting colonial forces and the only people that any communist can legitimately support are the working class.

Fuck yeah!

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

This may be a crazy concept to you but workers aren't always a "side" available to support. Where are the organized workers of Nigeria you speak of?

There is still a working class whether industrial or not, whether urban or rural. It seems the point (Swagmeister can correct me if I'm wrong) is that whether western or islamic in these countries it is still colonialism.

Also, I might point out the serious racism from arab muslims toward "sub-Saharan" muslims. It is soooo obvious. And I have said over and over the same thing about christianity so no I'm not "singling out islam" before someone inevitably accuses me of that.

[adipocere]

^i get the anti-imperialist thing but there's no point in trying to deny that abducting school girls is NOT a legitimate political tactic, ever.

didn't you know that imperialism actually helps to create a lot of these idiotic groups? the point is that these people are enemies to the working class - whether female, male, muslim or otherwise - and that the only solution to the variety of problems is a united working class.

in this sense, all sides are condemnable and a criticism of islam becomes a part of that. however, islam has to be understood in the context its utilized within, in this case it is a political context.

nigeria is an african country and the whole continent has been torn apart by colonialism - supporting either the west or the muslims in this regard amounts to supporting colonial forces and the only people that any communist can legitimately support are the working class.

I was not even commenting on Islam which is, in my opinion, about as meaningful a point of discussion as the observation that the terrorists have black skin. Nor was I remotely in support of the tactics used.(?) I was only talking about imperialism.

[exeexe]

If they just had guns there wouldnt be any problem, or at least there would had been causalities on both sides

[Dagoth Ur]

There is still a working class whether industrial or not, whether urban or rural. It seems the point (Swagmeister can correct me if I'm wrong) is that whether western or islamic in these countries it is still colonialism.

So what if workers are there? They are not organized even slightly. American workers are more organized by comparison. This is exactly what I'm talking about: there are often times when "supporting the workers" doesn't make any sense because there are no organized workers to support. I'm sure you think they should be organized, so do I, but they aren't and saying "fuck everyone else, CLASS WAR!" has no meaning in Nigeria.

It isn't like America/Europe where the ruling elite are all the same people with the same ideas.

[Bad Grrrl Agro]

So what if workers are there? They are not organized even slightly. American workers are more organized by comparison. This is exactly what I'm talking about: there are often times when "supporting the workers" doesn't make any sense because there are no organized workers to support. I'm sure you think they should be organized, so do I, but they aren't and saying "fuck everyone else, CLASS WAR!" has no meaning in Nigeria.

It isn't like America/Europe where the ruling elite are all the same people with the same ideas.

whether the workers are organized currently or not, where there are workers to get organized, class war is relevant. period.

[Dagoth Ur]

Relevance does not equate validity. Maybe you should explain why supporting a non-existent movement is a viable policy.

[Rss]

This is why organizing, educating and arming women should wholeheartedly be supported in developing countries. What good does education make if there are reactionaries physically attacking women for having that education?

[Admiral Swagmeister G-Funk]

Relevance does not equate validity. Maybe you should explain why supporting a non-existent movement is a viable policy.

so you'll support a reactionary movement which abducts young children purely because there isn't a conscious workers' movement in place?

if i come to america and abduct 234 young girls as a response to a political problem, will you support me just because i'm against western capitalism? merely because there's no proletarian movement?

i'll sell the kids all under the guise of undermining the current system, are you okay with that?

[Luís Henrique]

BH is more about rape than chopping off hands.

[sarcasm]
And rape, as we all know, is hilarious.
[/sarcasm]
Luís Henrique

[Goblin]

Like with most horrific events, celebrities are pretending to care. My favorite has to be Michelle Obama:

[Rosa Partizan]

I hardly believe that ^ this is a real pic.