The End of Empire

Oct 4

If You Bothered to Play “Human Rights Presidential Debate Bingo” Last Night, You Lost. Big Time.

nprfreshair:

election:

yaeloss:

If they do, they will both agree on them all.

Amnesty International released a human rights bingo card in advance of last night’s presidential debate. There were no winners. (Sorry.)

-Mike Riggs

For those of you who don’t play debate drinking games, something to keep in mind for next time.

something tells me the VP debates will (fail to) touch on a lot of these same topics. keep that handle handy, and take a shot in honor of poor Jim Lehrer

Oh my god, this is amazing. Perfect. Just goes to show: not on their agenda.

Aug 28

What Does China’s Economic Slowdown Mean for Human Rights?

This article takes a crack at the relationship between the condition of the economy, state policy, labor rights and labor unrest in China. Great group of sources and statistics, just a very hard thing to tease out, but that would take a whole book.

China’s economic miracle is beginning to slow as the fallout from the global financial crisis takes hold, hitting exports and prompting a growing number of manufacturing firms to relocate elsewhere in search of cheaper labor. But if job demand slumps, the economy may not be the only thing to suffer, as there are fears that China’s already fragile labor rights record might worsen.

…

Authorities have tended to be more lenient with labor rights activists and more understanding of workers’ demands, although how well labor rights will weather the financial storm could be a crucial test of their resilience.

…because, I believe, mass unemployment and labor unrest would is a huge concern for the CCP, or any state, but especially China.

Wish I could address more of this article. So much to talk about! Great discussion piece…

Jun 29

يا عمال العالم اتحدوا: US shuns Bahrain condemnation at UN

arielnietzsche:

The United States and the United Kingdom on Thursday declined to sign a UN document condemning the ongoing human rights abuses in Bahrain.

The UN Human Rights Council document, which was signed by major European countries including Germany and France, calls on the Gulf state to do more to…

WTF? No sited reasons? Hmm, at least some of them should be obvious. I’d like to see more on this…

Oh yeah… the US Navy Fifth Fleet has its headquarters there. Keeps the oil flowing through the Straight of Hormuz and threatens Iranians. That’s some real bullshit. That’s real diplomacy.

Also, seven EU countries didn’t sign this thing:

Cyprus, Greece, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta and Sweden

What’s the deal? Really making your UN reps look like a bunch of imperialist lackeys… or do you have your own bad reasons for this?

Here’s the New York Times experts debate on the issue of Bahrain. It’s not about human rights and principles, it’s about diplomacy and strategy.

Apr 12

Tyrants: FEAR THE MOUSE!

Feb 18

Santorum takes himself to the guillotine over French revolution and human rights history.

Rick Santorum seems to think that without God around, then unalienable rights go out the window. Here’s a quote from a New York Times op-ed, which, by the way, is about Santorum’s praise for inequality. Seriously. He loves it. Anyway, the quote:

“They are taking faith and crushing it. Why? When you marginalize faith in America, when you remove the pillar of God-given rights, then what’s left is the French Revolution. What’s left is a government that gives you rights. What’s left are no unalienable rights. What’s left is a government that will tell you who you are, what you’ll do and when you’ll do it. What’s left in France became the guillotine.”

Sorry Rick, but you obviously know nothing about human rights and their history. One of the fundamental elements of the French revolution was precisely the assertion of unalienable human rights. In fact, the group United for Human Rights begins its short history of human rights by citing the Declaration of the Rights of Man and Citizen, arising from the ferment of the French revolution.

Why should I be surprised that this kind of ignorance, hyperbole and manipulation of facts are the standards of politics today? Is it really that special?
Actually, yeah, according to another New York Times op-ed from Paul Krugman. Apparently, according to the standards of some political scientists, today’s right-wing is farther right than any congress since 1879 (as far back as their estimates go).

We live in strange times…

Feb 7

too true

the only thing I would add is “until people organized and demanded that government got involved, these kids had jobs”

Jan 13

pocaine:

Yin Yang of World Hunger

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUe8TJ_8xo4

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUe8TJ_8xo4

Cliff Po - Trillz

http://twitter.com/cliff_po_udtv

http://pharaohgang.tumblr.com

Oh my god
powerful image

(via thepeoplesrecord)

Dec 29

People of Color Organize: Indigenous Struggles 2011: Year of Censored & Underreported News

peopleofcolor:

Given the crucial role that media has in the success or failure of any movement, it’s important for a journal like IC to stay on top of everything that’s happening around the world. That’s why we observed more than thirty thousand reports this year.

Roughly two thousand of those…

Dec 4

(via socialistscum-deactivated201209)

Nov 2