Citizen Reporter

In the past two months American tanks have killed civilians in Korea and Kuwait. Today, a French Journalist for TF1 died after being hit by a tank while doing a story on the possible military action in Iraq. Conflicting reports say he suddenly got in the way, he was trying to get a better shot, etc etc. All in an attempt to play down the fact that the American Military have killed yet another person with a tank. And never have they been found guitly of their recklessness and murder. Regardless of what the journalist may or may not have done, the fact is he was on foot. He was not dressed in camoflage, he was not crouching down and hiding… he was standing there… doing a news story, in plain site. How and Why was he able to be in a accident situation like that? If its so dangerous, why are reporters allowed to be so close? Ultimately its the military serviceman who is driving the tank, and they are supposed to be professionals… professionals don’t hit civilians with tanks. A fair trial is warranted here and an apology. Though even that won’t compensate for the life of a journalist and human being.

So… they want Iraq to make a list. But they already know what should be on that list. And so then Iraq makes the list. But they don’t like the list, and complain that Iraq didn’t make the list correctly. Why did they need Iraq to make a list in the first place?

If it is the United Nations resolution that demanded this list, why is it that the list went immediately to Washington? I think theres a crime there… those government officials obstructed United Nations peace keeping/weapons inspection operations… they must be arrested and taken before a world court!

Once again, as if there was any doubt, the Bush Administration spits on international law and the United Nations.

Victory! That’s what occurred for working people everywhere last night as the NYC Transit Workers Union’s negotiation with the MTA resulted in a new labor agreement. This following a week of demonizing of the union by every major media outlet and even mayor Bloomberg taking shots at the union with his posing as a cyclist and saying that a strike would be a “disaster”. Despite the threat of enormous fines and jail if they should go on strike. Despite all these union breaking tactics… the Union stayed strong and an agreement was reached. The agreement includes a 6 percent pay-raise over 3 years, an overhaul of the desciplinary system and 280 million from the MTA going towards the workers’ insurance plan.

“illegal strike” is how the NYTimes and virtually every NYC newspaper describes the potential strike that would have been carried out because management would not negotiate. Throughout the past weeks the MTA, with all of its money and influence has been able to completely frame the conflict with the Union depicted as “greedy” and “breaking the law”, making no mention of the horrendous disciplinary system that existed and the racism that underlined those policies. But their smear campaign was not strong enough to break the union and they achieved their goals, a new labor agreement that will improve the conditions of their work and therefore their lives. No, they didn’t have to strike. But one day in the future, they may have to, and that is their right as workers, regardless of what the media or the politicians say.

SOLIDARITY FOREVER!

Tomorrow, december 5th, A New York City Appeals court will exonerate the two boys convicted of rape in the central park jogger case which is now more than a decade old. It is another testament to mob rule and justice by the barrell of a gun. These boys, one hispanic and one black, were coerced into confessing that they commited the rape. It was captured on video and those were the years of people wanting to crack down on crime in NYC… and of course their most likely culprits, black and latino kids. Who would defend them? Who would believe some reckless kids? Who cares about them?

As it turns out…. a convicted rapist came forward and admitted he commited the rape and he acted alone. DNA tests confirmed that the semen on the joggers socks belonged to the man. No one ever found matching DNA with the kids, but that didn’t seem to matter. It never does when you have mob rule.

So no harm no foul right… honest mistake? Wrong… years have been stolen from these boys… who are now men. Who will give them their adolesence back? Instead of school and friends they only knew prison bars. And why? Because NYC’s elites needed a scapegoat… they needed to put a face to their fears. I wonder how much has changed since then?

I condolences to the rape victim, who has to relive this horror, and to two children…. men… who lost much of their lives…. good luck in the precious future.