FYI: Próspero Año Nuevo from La Raza Galeria Posada!

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Venceremos Unidos! Education for Liberation!

~Peta-de-Aztlan~

Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com 

http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan

http://help-matrix.ning.com/ 

 

 "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible,
make violent revolution inevitable."
~ President John F.Kennedy ~ Assassinated November 22, 1963

c/s

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: La Raza Galeria Posada <larazagaleria@gmail.com>
To: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com
Sent: Tue, December 29, 2009 3:35:37 PM
Subject: Próspero Año Nuevo from La Raza Galeria Posada!

Próspero Año Nuevo from La Raza Galeria Posada! THANK YOU!   ¡GRACIAS A TODOS! AS 2009 COMES TO A CLOSE, WE WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR YOUR CONTRIBUTIONS AND SUPPORT, FOR ATTENDING OUR CONCERTS, READINGS, WORKSHOPS AND FOR VISITING OUR GALLERY. WE ARE GRATEFUL TO THE MANY INDIVIDUALS AND ORGANIZATIONS WHO PARTICIPATED IN 2009, A YEAR OF EXCELLENCE AND SERVICE THROUGH THE ARTS, CULTURE AND EDUCATION. WE EXTEND A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR MEMBERS! OUR DEEPEST APPRECIATION TO:    *************************** RUDY AND REBECA MARTINEZ DAVID BISCHOFF JUAN M. CARRILLO LARRY HOOVER JOHN HAMILTON ESTEBAN VILLA MICHELLE ALEXANDER ARTS & BUSINESS COUNCIL OF SACRAMENTO KERRI WARNER JOSH AND SAM MARTINEZ THE NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS LINDA NIKKEL JOANN ANGLIN MARI ARREOLA DANIEL GALLERY DOUG JANES SEAN JANES BRIAN COLLETT SUPERVISOR MIKE MCGOWAN MINDY GILES SENATE PRESIDENT PRO TEM DARRELL STEINBERG THE SACRAMENTO REGIONAL COMMUNITY FOUNDATION THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL THE SIERRA HEALTH FOUNDATION RHYENA HALPERN PLANNED PARENTHOOD, MAR MONTE STATE NET PRICILLA ENRIQUEZ YUMI SIERRA KIM CURRY ASSEMBLY MEMBER TOM AMMIANO ERIN CARRILLO MONICA BARBA MARK ANGELES MIDTOWN BUSINESS ASSOCIATION KELLY C. HELMS LARRY PILMAIER, WOODBRIDGE BY ROBERT MONDAVI AZUL MEXICAN FOOD AND TEQUILA BAR ZOCALO RESTAURANT  THE HONORABLE CONSUL GENERAL OF MEXICO, CARLOS GONZALEZ GUTIERREZ THE STAFF OF THE MEXICAN CONSULATE, SACRAMENTO PAT AND GEORGE SINGH THE GUILD THEATER STEVE NIKKEL SWELL PRODUCTIONS RANDY PARAGUARY THE EMPIRE ENTERTAINMENT CENTER KEVIN COHEE ROWDY KATE ANDRES GONZALEZ SOCORRO SHIELS LARRY DONEY NORMA FIERRO LAURA LLANO DR. JOYCE BISHOP HOME DEPOT KIP ARMSTRONG JOE PAEZ CHELSEA PAEZ RAICES DE MI TIERRA ROXANNE BORREGO JUAN BERMUDEZ CHRISTINA PRESTON ROSE LOPEZ VICTOR PELÁEZ MILLÁN CAROLINA GORE ANJA AULENBACHER FRANCISCO ALARCON LOS ESCRITORES DEL NUEVO SOL VICTORIA PLATA SAL GARCIA ART LUNA CRAIG MARTINEZ JUANA ALICIA JACK ALVAREZ SONYA FE LORRAINE GARCÍA-NAKATA MAYA CHRISTINA GONZÁLEZ SIMONA HERNÁNDEZ BEA CARRILLO HOCKER MILTA ORTIZ JOSÉ MONTOYA MACEO MONTOYA IRENE PÉREZ PATRICIA RODRÍGUEZ JESSE VÁSQUEZ JR. SACRAMENTO METROPOLITAN ARTS COMMISSION MICHELLE WALKER METROPOLITAN ARTS PARTNERSHIP CANDY PULLMAN MAGGIE BOONE ROSE CANO LATINO ARTS NETWORK UNIVISION FIDEL DE LA PUENTE PROF. ANNE JOHNSON EDUARDO PERALTA LAURA KELLY RODRI ENTERTAINMENT TRIO LOS PANCHOS AMAR AZUCENA CID JOSIE TALAMANTEZ LUCERO ARELLANO XOCHITL ARRELLANO HECTOR NAVEJAS CARLOS GUZMAN JACK ALVAREZ JESSE AGUIRRE RUDY CUELLAR RAFAEL MANRIQUEZ  LICHI FUENTES   CASCADA DE FLORES LINDA TILLERY AND THE CULTURAL HERITAGE CHOIR LOS COJOLITES GABRIELA GUTIERREZ ALEJANDRO MURGUIA RAFAEL JESUS GONZALEZ CARLOS F. JACKSON PHIL HITCHCOCK DR.FRED DOBB FAUSTO GUZMAN SANDRO AGUILAR JEFF JONES LOUISA VESSEL THE WESTERN STATES ARTS FEDERATION (WESTAF) LA FAMILIA COUNSELING CENTER SALLY WEST NATOMAS HIGH SCHOOL ART DEPARTMENT WAYNE COOK VIDAL GONZALEZ GREG LA TRAILLE YOLANDA LOPEZ FAUSTO GUZMAN MARTINEZ AND SONS MATT K. SHRUGG ERIC BIANCHI UNIVERSITY COPY AND PRINT   THE STUDENTS FROM A VIEW FROM THE GROUND: ROBERTO GALINDO PHYLISHA ORTEGA TRANCY XIONG ARIT LEITNER VIKTOR PALENYY JOSE MEDINA CAITHNESS CALDO GELANE CLEMENTS DESTINY GUTIERREZ TIMOTHY MCCLELLAN SAM NIVER KARLIE RAE KLINE JOSHUA RENNERT LUCERO RODRIGUEZ NATASHA VOKAENEL LRGP BOARD OF DIRECTORS: MARIO GUTIERREZ RUDY MARTINEZ RAQUEL SIMENTAL ROY SIANEZ GABRIEL M. VIVAS GRACIELA RAMERIZ JUANITA ONTIVEROS MAURILIO MENDEZ JUANISHI OROSCO Sus Servidoras: Marie Acosta, Director Michael Collett, Education Coordinator WE WISH YOU THE HAPPIEST OF NEW YEARS AND LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU OFTEN IN 2010!   La Raza Galeria Posada 1022-1024 22nd Street Sacramento, California 95816 916 446 5133 www.larazagaleriaposada.org larazagaleria@gmail.com

Forward email This email was sent to peter.lopez51@yahoo.com by larazagaleria@gmail.com. Email Marketing by La Raza Galeria Posada | larazagaleria@gmail.com | Sacramento | CA | 95816

Text messages warn Arizona activists of sweeps via People's World + Comment

http://bit.ly/8PHMWY

Text messages warn Arizona activists of sweeps

by: Teresa Albano

January 6 2010

tags: Arizona, Sheriff Joe Arpaio, immigrants, immigration, human rights, activism

Sheriff Joe Arpaio may be a smart man. He has managed to use crime, racism and anti-immigrant policies, many charge, to be reelected to his Maricopa County, Ariz., position repeatedly since 1996. But that doesn't stop human rights activists from outsmarting him.

Lydia Guzman, an advocate for immigrant and civil rights, has started using text messages to warn residents about indiscriminate sweeps by the high-profile Arizona sheriff.

Guzman, director of the nonprofit immigrant advocacy group Respect/Respeto, is alerting thousands of people within minutes to

the details of the sweeps, which community members contend are an excuse to round up Latinos, including citizens, and immigrants, documented and undocumented.

Guzman said the messages are part of an effort to protect Latinos and others from becoming victims of racial profiling by sheriff's deputies.

"Everyone is responsible for sending it out to their own networks, and that is how it spreads like wildfire," Guzman said of the text messages.

One recipient of Guzman's messages, David Hernandez, executive vice president of the Arizona AFL-CIO and lifelong Maricopa County resident, says the text recipients can then go to the neighborhood sweeps and observe.

"I've gone out to observe and make sure they treat people respectfully.

I have never witnessed any impeding of a criminal investigation," Hernandez said by phone from Phoenix.

What Hernandez has seen was the sheriff's deputies cross a four-lane street and take a video camera from an observer who was documenting possible evidence of racial profiling.

"The world needs to see what goes on here in Phoenix because what happens in Phoenix can happen anywhere else," Hernandez said.

Deputies have been accused of stopping Latino people, including citizens and legal immigrants, for minor traffic violations to check their immigration status. Just this week, Arpaio gave a nine-hour deposition

in a lawsuit against him brought by Manuel de Jesus Ortega Melendres, Jessica Quitugua Rodriguez, David Rodriguez, Velia Meraz and Manuel Nieto, Jr., all of whom allege racial-profiling by the sheriff's office. The

suit filed in U.S. District Court charges that deputies searched them without cause or unreasonably detained them between September

2007 and March 2008.

Arpaio is the darling of the ultra-right and Republican Party in Arizona and nationally for his "get-tough" approach. Among his publicity stunts, cloaked in law and order rhetoric, is making prisoners wear pink underwear as a humiliation method. It garnered national media attention and Arpaio then used the publicity to push his book, "Sheriff Joe Arpaio, America's Toughest Sheriff."

Arpaio set up a "Tent City" as an extension of the Maricopa County jail.

In a region where temperature can soar well over 100 degrees, temperatures inside the tents have been reported reaching 150 degrees.

He has now turned his attention to supposedly enforcing immigration laws.

In a fashion that has some appeal to the Wild West mindset, he began devising and implementing residential and workplace sweeps throughout the Phoenix area.

Arpaio recently admitted he was not well versed on the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, or its counterpart in the Arizona Constitution, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures by the government. 

Arpaio has conducted 13 sweeps since March 2008, and deputies have arrested 669 people, about half of whom were held on immigration violations, according to The Associated Press.

But activists using various strategies, including lawsuits, recall petitions and street heat have been fighting back. Fast-paced communication technologies, from texting to YouTube are part of the growing coalition's toolbox for justice and decency. 

And the more Arpaio's tactics are exposed, it seems, the more people realize what a danger he is to democracy.

Self-described conservative Republican prosecutor Sharon Polk called recent legal battles waged by Arpaio and Maricopa County Attorney Andrew Thomas against county officials "totalitarianism." In a recent letter to the Arizona Republic, Polk wrote, "I am conservative and passionately believe in limited government, not the totalitarianism that is spreading before my eyes."

Hernandez said Arpaio's recent attacks on lawyers and judges in the name of fighting corruption means he has "turned it up a notch."

"What's happening is the sheriff has been targeting community activists, but he turned it up a notch by going after judges and lawyers," he said. A huge turnout of lawyers in downtown Phoenix at a recent rally protested Arpaio's so called investigations.

"The lawyers say that politics should not be involved in administration of the law," Hernandez said.

Hernandez also said more and more judges were ruling against the arbitrary way Arpaio's deputies enforce the law, often targeting critics. Plus, he added, Arpaio "went after The New Time editors, an independent newspaper here, and arrested them at their home." They had done an article on Arpaio's real estate holdings and potential conflict of interest. Arpaio claimed he got death threats, and subpoenaed the bloggers. He wanted their sources, they refused, and he arrested them, Hernandez recounted.

First Arpaio went after immigrants, Hernandez said. Then he went after community activists, journalists, lawyers and now judges. "It's just like history where they went after one group of people who didn't say anything," Hernandez said, referring to the famous anti-Nazi saying credited to Pastor Niemoller, "First they went after the communists..."

Puenteaz, a local activist group that has helped to organize mass demonstrations to call attention to Arpaio and his policies, is organizing a Jan. 16 demonstration in honor of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

In their e-mail call, the organization said, "At this time we are making an urgent national call for all peoples concerned and engaged in changing the course of hate in this country to join us Jan. 16. It is time, just like Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement took the streets of

Montgomery, Ala., that at that time was the epicenter of hate; we must do the same in Phoenix."

Hernandez said the struggle in Maricopa County is "vested interests vs. social justice, and social justice is not winning." Arpaio's appeal to racism and immigrant-bashing has traction, he said, and people are afraid to speak out because of Arpaio's bullying and intimidation.

Anytime there is an exposé on Arpaio, he turns it around and makes it about "illegal" immigrants, Hernandez said. "You can't have a conversation in Arizona without it turning to immigration. Everything in Arizona is about immigration."

But, he added, "last time I checked Maricopa County is still in the United States, and this country has social justice principles."

We need to "appeal to American principles across the country," he said.

 

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/katerkate/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

http://peoplesworld.org/text-messages-warn-arizona-activists-of-sweeps/

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Comment: These days I am mainly using Twitter for Tweeks that

have words of wisdom and tweeks with links to articles or other sources of information. Check it out! Experiment! Yahoo Posts

via Email to groups are really limited in relation to reaching larger numbers of people. Many times I sense that people post and there is very little real exchange of informatiion and feedback. Think about it.

Example Tweet ~

Peta_de_Aztlan  Text messages warn Arizona activists of sweeps via People's World ~ http://bit.ly/8PHMWY 3 minutes ago from web

Venceremos Unidos! Education for Liberation!

~Peta-de-Aztlan~

Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com 

http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan

http://help-matrix.ning.com/ 

 

 "Those who make peaceful revolution impossible,
make violent revolution inevitable."
~ President John F.Kennedy ~ Assassinated November 22, 1963

c/s

Is the U.S. likely to launch a military attack against Cuba? By Reinaldo Taladrid Herrero – November 27, 2009

http://www.walterlippmann.com/docs2811.html

Opinion Is the U.S. likely to launch a military attack against Cuba? By Reinaldo Taladrid Herrero – November 27, 2009 A CubaNews translation. Edited by Walter Lippmann. "Bastion" Strategic Exercise, a regular drill carried out in Cuba (Photo: Prensa Latina) Let's take a brief look at all variables of this complex equation. After World War II, without exception and almost without respite, the U.S. has attacked or invaded other nations. This kind of decision, generally fueled by national interests, is justified by excuses that they explain or fabricate after the fact. What document has ruled over this warmongering decision-making process? The National Security Strategy (NSS), currently in force and updated in 2006, when then-U.S. president George W. Bush signed it. This document says: "If necessary, however, under long-standing principles of self-defense, we do not rule out the use of force before attacks occur, even if uncertainty remains as to the time and place of the enemy's attack. " In other words, it's Bush's preemptive strike policy, stated in the previous 2002 strategy, which is still in force, revisited all over again. Now, the present 2006 document defines what the U.S. deems threats to national security, starting with 'tyrannies': "People living in nations such as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), Iran, Syria, Cuba, Belarus, Burma, and Zimbabwe know firsthand the meaning of tyranny; it is the bleak reality they endure every day. And the nations they border know the consequences of tyranny as well, for the misrule of tyrants at home leads to instability abroad." Further on it evaluates the present context, its accomplishments and its challenges: "In Cuba, an anti-American dictator continues to oppress his people and seeks to subvert freedom in the region." And then it elaborates: "If America's nearest neighbors are not secure and stable, then Americans will be less secure." In short, what they call "threatening dictatorships" are also sources of internal instability. And they explicitly include Cuba on this absurd list of them. What are these "challenges" described in the NSS? The Defense Department is self-transforming to improve its capacity to cope with four classes of challenges: - Destructive challenges posed by state and non-state actors using new assets and the state of the art in biotechnology, outer-space and cyber-operations, or directed-energy weapons to counteract the U.S.'s present military power. - Terrorism, including networks like Al-Qaeda and its supporters, capable of using weapons of mass destruction. And where does Cuba come into this picture? 1.  Terrorism. Cuba appears on the infamous and illegal list of terror-sponsoring nations. While it's true that it was put there by another U.S. administration, it's also a fact that it's yet to be crossed off that list. 2. Cyber-terrorism. The first state accused of planning cyber-attacks against the U.S. was not Iran, Iraq or North Korea, but Cuba. In the hearing of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence held on February 9, 2001 to address the issue of the "world threat", the then director of the Defense Intelligence Agency, Admiral Thomas R. Wilson, identified Cuba as a possible "cyber-attacking" country. Also mentioned in the NSS is the threat of multiple forms of biotechnological warfare actions. It's true that no statement along these lines has been made by the present U.S. Administration, but neither has this assertion been denied or said to be not in keeping with the facts. Nor have the U.S. government or its military authorities ever issued a clear, definitive denial of any claims that Cuba stands as a biological or chemical threat, as very often stated by high-ranking officials during the previous administration and even today by certain right-wing media in Miami and elsewhere. 3. Uncontrolled large-scale exodus. The document says: "If America's nearest neighbors are not secure and stable, then Americans will be less secure." The Cuban Adjustment Act remains in force, as is the illegal "dry feet, wet feet" policy, and illegal emigration is still an active weapon in the anti-Cuban arsenal. All of this is a breeding ground they cultivate to promote some kind of chaotic mass exodus from Cuba, which has more than once been said that it would be seen in the U.S. as an act of war by the Island. A real and dangerous possibility The anti-Cuban mafia that controls Miami politically and economically and carries certain clout in Washington's calls on Cuba is seeing its tight grip on both fronts gradually coming loose, a debilitating effect that undermines the profitable industry of anti-Cuban and counterrevolutionary acts. Therefore, we must keep a watchful eye on any provocation either in the style of Brothers to the Rescue and the planes that violated Cuban airspace in 1996 or on the migratory front, aimed ultimately at driving the U.S. into a military conflict with Cuba. This has been publicly stated in local TV programs in Miami by leaders of the Cuban Liberty Council, the anti-Cuban mob's visible face. By the way, this organization has just given an award to the "cyber-dissident" Yoani Sánchez, who described such decision as an "honor". Take a look at this statement by CFC President Diego Suárez that Channel 41 in Miami aired in the program "A mano limpia" in the year 2005: Perhaps the most recent example, mysteriously ignored by the "free press", is the Martínez Amendment that the U.S. Senate approved on July 23. It's Bill S-1390, "U.S. defense budget for the fiscal year 2010", introduced by the then Senator Mel Martínez (Rep.-Fl.) a few days before he resigned and approved by the plenary session without any known discussion or objection. What does this Amendment say? The National Intelligence director will present a report on Cuba to the intelligence and armed services committees of both Houses of Representatives within 180 days following approval of the Act. According to the said Amendment, the report should include: Cuba's cooperation agreements and relations with Iran, North Korea and other states suspected of running nuclear proliferation programs. A detailed outline of Venezuela's economic assistance to Cuba and any intelligence or other kinds of support that Cuba might be providing to the Venezuelan government. A review of the evidence that the Cuban government or any of its branches is linked with the drug cartels or takes part in other drug trafficking activity. Status and scope of Cuba's undercover activity in the United States. Scope of Cuba's support for the governments of Venezuela, Bolivia, Ecuador, Central America and the Caribbean. Status and scope of Cuba's biological warfare R & D program. Status and scope of Cuba's cyber-war program. As clear as day: not only has there been no clear-cut denial or official statement to exonerate Cuba from the above activity –which is sufficient grounds for the U.S. to launch a military attack against another country, according to the NSS currently in force– the Amendment was approved straightaway and annexed to the U.S. Army's budget, to the point of having the National Intelligence Director report about Cuba's alleged involvement in actions which, oddly enough, dovetail nicely into the concept of threat and challenge described in the NSS that would justify, should the political decision be made some day, a military aggression against the Island. The neoconservatives remain in power An assessment of the U.S.'s internal situation shows that, barring a few minor setbacks in past elections, the Empire's neoconservative war hawks who have called the tune for the last 8 years are politically and economically untouched.  They have the present Administration on the rack, so they can somehow regain control of the executive or the legislative at any given time. Fidel said so in his Reflection: "Being President is one thing, but being in power is a whole different matter", and that's very easy to prove with a few examples in the case of the army: They're still in Iraq. They're sending more troops to Afghanistan. They're expanding their presence in other regions of the world. There's little, if any, possibility that the concentration camp in Guantanamo Bay be closed, as promised, within the stipulated deadline. They increased the military budget without anyone asking any questions. The military-industrial complex is intact and keeps drawing significantly from the economy, thus turning war into an economic necessity. This machinery imposes the consumption of military products in order to make them again, which only can happen in the field through armed conflict, and to that end the government keeps signing contracts worth billions supposedly to deal with problems in the battlefield. International law: While this Administration is bent on regaining the U.S.'s lead in the world, the truth is that international law will be useless to stop it from attacking Cuba for any of the above reasons, as evidenced by the cases of Afghanistan and Iraq. What's more: in the specific case of Cuba, some experts hold that there's a hot war situation now that the so-called Cold War is over. Why? Let's see: Blockade: There's been no change in the economic and commercial war on Cuba. If the blockade was designed to try and force the Revolution to surrender by hunger and disease and it's still in place, we should ask ourselves why it is. Internal subversion: The U.S. government keeps giving federal money directly to the counterrevolutionary factions inside Cuba and spurring them into action. If it's clear that the mission of these micro-groups is to justify today's aggressive policies and have an excuse to maintain it, why is the U.S. government still funding them? Media war: Not only are the illegal Radio and TV Marti stations funded, they also finger the Island as an "enemy of the Internet" while they launder money through prizes to encourage "cyber-dissent" as an attempt to tarnish Cuba's image in the world. This is known to happen and escalate every time the U.S. decides to attack another country. Otherwise, why does the U.S. government keep injecting millions into this activity? There's more, though. Why was the IV Fleet reactivated, all with its operational command ready to request and receive from the Atlantic Fleet any naval support it deems necessary and capable of undertaking any kind of military operation in the Caribbean, Central America and South America? In fact, they have fully equipped warships permanently deployed in our region as we speak. Who's on their sights? Why were those seven military bases established in Colombia, in addition to others planned for Panama? On the pretext of fighting drugs and terrorism, they can be used at any time to keep an all-out technological watch on whoever they want. Likewise, their closeness to those they U.S. labels adversaries makes it easier for them to launch military attacks when they think it fit and use the element of surprise to their advantage. Add to this that Cuba is constantly, and shamelessly, spied on from aircraft flying near the Island since 2008. For instance, the presence in our airspace of the so-called RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned version of the famous U-2 spy plane, has been widely documented. Not far from our country is the USS Wasp (LHD 1), an amphibious multi-purpose assault ship deployed with units and means capable of carrying out many different missions. Incidentally, it made a stopover in the Guantanamo Naval Base, where it left a whole company to be trained. Why all those military bases, spy planes and assault ships in nearby waters? Taking all this into account, plus the certainty that the plans for a military attack against Cuba have been already drafted and the means to launch it are available, our government would show a huge lack of historical responsibility by failing to prepare for the defense of our national territory in case we're invaded, and so much so in a country like Cuba, which for the last fifty years has been the victim of every kind of aggression in the book. That's why my answer to the question I asked myself in the beginning is: Yes, a military attack is definitely a possibility. Therefore, we do have to prepare ourselves for anything, because the only deterrent to the U.S. Empire is that we turn this land into a bastion that no foreign attacker can ever occupy. Spanish original: http://www.cubadebate.cu/opinion/2009/11/27/existe-posibilidad-desate-agresion-militar-eeuu-contra-cuba/ The National Security Strategy referred to above may be read here: http://www.strategicstudiesinstitute.army.mil/pdffiles/nss.pdf

http://www.walterlippmann.com/docs2811.html

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Venceremos Unidos! Education for Liberation!

Peter S. López, Jr. aka~Peta

Email: peter.lopez51@yahoo.com 

http://twitter.com/Peta_de_Aztlan

 

HumanE-Liberation-Party~http://help-matrix.ning.com/ 

c/s

2009 = Great Expectations and Great Disappointments via Peta-de-Aztlan

• Posted by PETER S LOPEZ on December 31, 2009 at 11:00pm
• View My Blog

http://bit.ly/7ow2bN

New Year's Eve, December 31, 2009

The big news of the year was President Obama's Election, the near meltdown of the U.S. economy, resultant government bailouts and major health insurance reform legislation, minus a public option. Towards the end of this year the escalation of war in Afghanistan and other regurgitations of the Bush War on Terrorism dominated the headlines with regional wars brewing around the globe, including Latin America. It has been another year of troubles upon Mother Earth.

We came into the New Year of 2009 with great expectations for the future. The Fuhrer Bush reign was over and the evil energy emanating from the Oval Office Cabal was dissipated. In U.S. history, White racism and its negative effects has been the major cause of division in U.S. society, after the cleavage of economic classes. White-Americans overcame significant remnants of racism when they cast their ballots for President in November of 2008 and actually elected Barack Obama to be the 44th President of the United States of America.

I had already read Obama's book The Audacity of Hope. He identified himself first and foremost as an authentic American, not an African-American. He consciously and consistently ran his Presidential Campaign as an American in order to represent all Americans, that is, U.S. citizens. I thought the odds against him winning were great, but he won against all odds. After eight ugly years with Fuhrer Bush it was obvious that the country was ready for real fundamental change. His opponent John McCain was not much of an improvement over Fuhrer Bush and his policies.

Obama, being aware of the power of mass psychology, had the positive affirmative slogan of YES WE CAN! SI SE PUEDE! Obama's campaign integrated communications technology via Internet power and mass media into the whole process of local field organizing. He was hip to mass media via Internet power and was able to raise almost a billion dollars for his campaign, though, who will say for sure? Obama had the whole package: intelligence, eloquence, composure and being handsome, plus the self-confidence of a winner's smile! He won my vote!

Big trouble was already brewing in the U.S. economy. In early January President-elect Obama urged Congress to act quickly to pass sweeping economic stimulus measures with an infusion of as much as $800 billion; China had overtaken Germany as the world's third-largest economy; in February, the U.S. government had already pledged more than $11.6 trillion on behalf of American taxpayers; in March, job prospects hit a 26-year low; in April, foreclosure rates rose to a record, affecting one in every 374 housing units; in July, seven banks were shut down by authorities, pushing the tally of failed banks for 2009 to 52, more than double 2008 failures. In essence, the whole U.S. economy of corporate capitalism was threatened with a major global meltdown.

It is to Obama's credit that the whole U.S. economy did not collapse mainly due to sinking the U.S. economy into a huge historic debt running up to the trillions. In connected reality, the whole economy is already bankrupt!

In August, Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina Supreme Court Justice of Puerto Rican ancestry. Many Latinos and women were thrilled. As Chicanos we actually had hoped that she would usher in significant humane immigration reform. As of New Year's Eve of 2009 this has not come to pass.

We will use the term 'Latinos' for general purposes in reference to Chicanos, Mexicans, Hispanics and others whose ancestry is native to the Americas, especially Aztlan (roughly the U.S. southwest).

What so-called financial experts consider an economic recession for the middle-class worrying about foreclosures is actually a Great Depression for the lower-classes concerned about keeping a roof over their heads.

A lot has happened this year that changed the global social landscape in the world. Good seeds have been planted that will sprout up in 2010. Sadly, there are tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq; the Afghan War has been further escalated and now unmanned drone planes are used on a routine basis. Life is war and the war goes on.

Many progressive elements who voted for and supported President Obama thought that he was going to bring about a lot of major fundamental changes that have not yet come to pass. Red flags should have gone up when he recruited Hilary Clinton for Secretary of State and kept Robert Gates on from the Bush Regime as Secretary of Defense. Politically correct decisions should be made based upon the primacy of humane ethics, spiritual principles and decent morals, not popularity contests.

Thus, after a year that began with great expectations, it has dwindled down to one of great disappointments. The coming year will have deepening and widening social contradictions with great challenges calling for great contributions as we struggle onwards towards total liberation for all of the human family!
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Link: Change.org's 2009 Year in Review
http://blog.change.org/2009/12/31/change-org%E2%80%99s-2009-year-in...
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http://help-matrix.ning.com/profiles/blogs/2009-great-expectations-and

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Tags: Obama, liberation

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