The Glass was Broken Yesterday in The “Showcase Of Democracy” with Which The U.S. Attempts to Give The World Lessons

HYPOCRISY OF U.S. EMPIRE

Raúl Antonio Capote

Granma | January 07, 2021

Photo: Granma

The glass was literally broken yesterday in the “showcase of democracy” with which the United States has presumed to give the world lessons, when violent supporters of President Donald Trump invaded and disrupted the Capitol in Washington, the seat of Congress, as Representatives and Senators were preparing to confirm Democrat Joe Biden as the country’s next President.

Regime Change within Empire

CRISIS OF U.S. BOURGEOISIE 

Farooque Chowdhury

Dissident Voice | January 10, 2021

Hundreds of protesters breached the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday, forcing lockdowns as the US Congress was convening a joint session to count the certified 2020 Electoral College votes. The entire episode, although with a few gaps, was in the mainstream media. Death number, arrests, etc. accompanied. There are some more things. What came out was an exhibition of bourgeois politics. A part of a show of regime change in an advanced bourgeois democracy it was, also.

Storms of Protest in Washington and Hong Kong

HYPOCRISY OF BOURGEOISIE DEMOCRACY AND MAINSTREAM MEDIA

Kim Petersen

Countercurrents | January 11, 2021

The coverage of groups of people, described as mobs, rioters, or protestors depending on one’s prejudice or adherence to accurate reporting, who “stormed” the Capitol in Washington and the Legislative Council in Hong Kong is revealing for how media and politicians react. The American media ran headlines such as:

Venezuela Accuses the US of Backing ExxonMobil in the Essequibo

IMPERIALIST AGGRESSION AGAINST VENEZUELA 

teleSUR | January 11, 2021

Representation of the sovereignty of Venezuela over the Essequibo area, 2021 | Photo: Twitter/ @Mision_Verdad

The head of the U.S. Southern Command started a visit to Guyana amid joint maritime surveillance maneuvers.

Venezuela’s Foreign Affairs Minister Jorge Arreaza on Sunday accused the United States of protecting ExxonMobil in the Essequibo, an area that has been in dispute between his country and Guyana since the 19th century.

Coping with Corona

COVID-19 PANDEMIC

(A personal account of a 73-year-old man with social observations)

Chaman Lal

Frontier | Vol. 53, No. 22-25, Nov 29 – Dec 26, 2020

The beginning of March 2020 brought the widespread news of Covid-19 in Indian and world media. While news of the spread of Covid-19 was coming from other countries, in India there was not much talk of it. In fact, people were travelling and living a routine life, though with some apprehensions. Some restrictions were imposed on educational institutions from mid-March, but there was no panic or Goverment awareness campaign. Suddenly first came the Prime Minister call for voluntary public curfew on 21st March night, which was not voluntary, concluding with sounds of thali banging’s etc, followed by, out of the blue announcement of 21 days national lockdown with analogy of 18 days Mahabharata war to win a war against Covid-19, which was announced at 8 pm broadcast/telecast by Prime Minister, giving just four hours to be prepared for this earthshaking change in lives of 130 crore people of India. This continued to be extended with the sound of clapping, burning candles etc for the ‘Corona Warriors’-Doctors and staff, who incidentally were not even being paid salary or decent remuneration like Asha workers.

Police Attack Demonstration Commemorating Rosa Luxemburg And Karl Liebknecht in Berlin

REPRESSION IN GERMANY

Peoples Dispatch | January 11, 2021

The march taken out in Berlin in memory of Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht. Photo: Ruptly

On Sunday, January 10, around 3,000 people marched in Berlin to commemorate Rosa Luxemburg and Karl Liebknecht, the founders of the Communist Party of Germany (KPD). They were murdered on January 15, 1919 by paramilitary forces following the Spartacist Uprising on the instigation of the Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD)-government to curb the communist rebellion. On Sunday, police tried to forcefully disrupt the rally, injuring participants and injuring others. Communist, youth, antifa groups participated in the mobilization on Sunday.

Kerala Farmers Leave for Delhi to be Part of Protest Against Farm Laws

UNDAUNTED FARMERS OF INDIA

News Click | January 11, 2021

Kozhikode: As farmers’ protests against the three contentious farm laws are intensifying across the country, growers from Kerala are headed to Delhi to take part in the protest. More than 500 farmers, under the banner of Kerala Karshaka Sangham, Kerala chapter of the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), one of the farmers’ organisations in the forefront of protests, began their march to Delhi on Monday morning from Kannur.

For Capital, the Calamitous Farm Reforms are an Opportunity

STATE-CORPORATE ALLIANCE AGAINST INDIAN FARMERS

Saulat Nagi

News Click | January 11, 2021

“Why send out murderers,” Brecht inquires, “When one can employ bailiffs?” And bailiffs being the executioners of the judicial orders of the capitalist state—for Nietzsche, “the coldest of all cold monsters”—execute the masses with legally-sanctioned brutality. If bailiffs are parliamentarians, the execution becomes constitutional.

In India, workers and farmers battling against the elected bailiffs are striving to stave off the process of accumulation through dispossession unleashed by a neo-liberal state. The calamity of COVID-19 and an overwhelming majority in Parliament have provided the state with a rare opportunity to open the agrarian sector to the corporate world. Aware of the fact that contesting the dominant mantra of progress through corporatisation has become non-negotiable, the farmers have made the minimum support price of the yield as their main slogan.

‘Let The Rich Pay For The COVID-19 Crisis’

COVID-19 PANDEMIC 

Muhammed Shabeer

Peoples Dispatch | January 10, 2021

(Image: KJO)

Peoples Dispatch (PD) talks to Niklas Böck, chairman of the Communist Youth of Austria (KJO), on the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on students and youth in Austria and the KJO’s fight against war and neo-fascism. The KJO, along with the Communist Student Association (KSV), has opposed Austria’s membership in the European Union and the cuts in social welfare.

Peoples Dispatch(PD): How has the COVID-19 crisis impacted Austria and how effective has been the response from the government?

Niklas Böck(NB): Currently, there are more than 520,000 unemployed people in Austria and this number is set to rise. COVID-19 has led to the deterioration of the life and livelihood of the majority of the Austrian people and endangers their future, especially the younger people who are currently under great pressure. The Austrian government is not just acting passively but further worsening the condition of the youth. Major financial support goes only to corporations and monopolies and new reactionary laws like the neoliberal UG Novelle damage students’ interests even more.

Communist Youth Mobilize Across Italy Demanding Safety in Schools

LEFTISTS MOVEMENT ON EDUCATION IN ITALY

Peoples Dispatch | January 10, 2021

Communist youth stage a protest in Turin: Photo: FGC

On Thursday, January 7, Communist Youth Front (FGC) organized demonstrations in several cities across Italy demanding safer classrooms. Schools across Italy were supposed to be reopened on that day but the government postponed the reopening to Monday. The FGC organized protests in the cities of Rome, Milan, Naples, Turin, Florence, Perugia, Catania, Padova, Salerno, Taranto, Cosenza, Gorizia and Ascoli. The protesters said that since the beginning of the pandemic, nothing substantial has been done to ensure safety in schools and respect for students’ rights during online lessons.