Between ACORNs and Blackwater
[col. writ. 10/4/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal
Nothing says as much about the nature of the American media as its latest frenzy.
What seizes it is often the seemingly trivial, the symbolic and, yes, the silly; that most designed to not only tug at the heartstrings, but to cement our certainties, play to our prejudices and support the status quo.
For months, right wing shout-show hosts have been harping on ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). In their world, they were the 2009 version of the 1950's Communist Party, and as such, they were painted as enemies of the state.
It took a while, but before long the corporate media jumped into the pit, and, assisted by the amateur film set-ups by a right wing couple posing as a pimp and his mini-skirted accomplice, ACORN became the big news.
The group, which has several hundred thousand members, was harmed by the actions of perhaps half a dozen, who, rather breezily, advised the supposed 'couple' in ways to avoid taxes and still ply their trade.
Almost overnight state and federal governments cut contracts with the group, which has organized many grassroots communities around housing issues, foreclosures, labor issues and voting rights.
Politicians couldn't find a mike fast enough to distance themselves, and denounce the group.
Consider the difference between that response and the silence which greeted news of the long record of carnage and mayhem committed at the trigger-happy hands of Blackwater. The private, corporate army has lucrative contracts with the State Dept., and many government agencies.
In 2007 Blackwater hires launched a massacre in the heart of Baghdad, turning a crossroads of traffic into a bucket of blood.
The incident fueled anti- U.S. insurgency and splashed egg on the face of US puppet and Iraqi Prime Minister, Nur al-Malid, who demanded that the company be expelled from Iraq. They're still there.
Any lost contracts? Nope. Indeed, the Obama administration just announced new contracts with Blackwater (under its new corporate name, XE)
Employees of Blackwater kill and wound dozens of Iraqi with immunity (and impunity), no contracts lost.
Employees of ACORN get caught on tape trying to assist a fake pimp and prostitute. They get fired, ACORN loses a slew of government contracts.
Guess which group is tied to wealth and right wing groups around the world?
Guess which group supports efforts of the urban poor to navigate their lives amidst economic chaos?
Guess which group gets its contracts cut?
--(c) -09 maj
=============
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!
URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/
Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: http://www.prisonradio.org
http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/
Mumia's got a podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at the website or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries online.
Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100448090
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com
Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).
WWW.FREEMUMIA.COM
Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
PO BOX 16, NEW YORK,
NY 10030
(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: FMAJC/IFCO)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
215 476-8812
212-330-8029
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!!
Subscribe: mumiacolumns-subscribe@topica.com
Read: http://topica.com/lists/mumiacolumns/read
Subscribe ICFFMAJ email updates list by e-mailing
icffmaj@aol.com!
[col. writ. 10/4/09] (c) '09 Mumia Abu-Jamal
Nothing says as much about the nature of the American media as its latest frenzy.
What seizes it is often the seemingly trivial, the symbolic and, yes, the silly; that most designed to not only tug at the heartstrings, but to cement our certainties, play to our prejudices and support the status quo.
For months, right wing shout-show hosts have been harping on ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now). In their world, they were the 2009 version of the 1950's Communist Party, and as such, they were painted as enemies of the state.
It took a while, but before long the corporate media jumped into the pit, and, assisted by the amateur film set-ups by a right wing couple posing as a pimp and his mini-skirted accomplice, ACORN became the big news.
The group, which has several hundred thousand members, was harmed by the actions of perhaps half a dozen, who, rather breezily, advised the supposed 'couple' in ways to avoid taxes and still ply their trade.
Almost overnight state and federal governments cut contracts with the group, which has organized many grassroots communities around housing issues, foreclosures, labor issues and voting rights.
Politicians couldn't find a mike fast enough to distance themselves, and denounce the group.
Consider the difference between that response and the silence which greeted news of the long record of carnage and mayhem committed at the trigger-happy hands of Blackwater. The private, corporate army has lucrative contracts with the State Dept., and many government agencies.
In 2007 Blackwater hires launched a massacre in the heart of Baghdad, turning a crossroads of traffic into a bucket of blood.
The incident fueled anti- U.S. insurgency and splashed egg on the face of US puppet and Iraqi Prime Minister, Nur al-Malid, who demanded that the company be expelled from Iraq. They're still there.
Any lost contracts? Nope. Indeed, the Obama administration just announced new contracts with Blackwater (under its new corporate name, XE)
Employees of Blackwater kill and wound dozens of Iraqi with immunity (and impunity), no contracts lost.
Employees of ACORN get caught on tape trying to assist a fake pimp and prostitute. They get fired, ACORN loses a slew of government contracts.
Guess which group is tied to wealth and right wing groups around the world?
Guess which group supports efforts of the urban poor to navigate their lives amidst economic chaos?
Guess which group gets its contracts cut?
--(c) -09 maj
=============
The Power of Truth is Final -- Free Mumia!
URGENT Need for Petition Signatures at: http://www.iacenter.org/mumiapetition/
Audio of most of Mumia's essays are at: http://www.prisonradio.org
http://mumiapodcast.libsyn.com/
Mumia's got a podcast! Mumia Abu-Jamal's Radio Essays - Subscribe at the website or on iTunes and get Mumia's radio commentaries online.
Mumia Abu-Jamal's new book -- JAILHOUSE LAWYERS: PRISONERS DEFENDING PRISONERS V. THE USA, featuring an introduction by Angela Y. Davis -- has been released! It is available from City Lights Books: http://www.citylights.com/book/?GCOI=87286100448090
If you are planning to organize an event or would like to order in bulk, you can also receive a 45% discount on any bulk orders of 20 copies or more. The book retails for $16.95, for orders of 20 copies or more the discounted price would be $9.32 per book, plus shipping and handling. Prepayment would be required and books are nonreturnable. If you or your organization would like to place a bulk order, please contact Stacey Lewis at 415.362.1901 or stacey@citylights.com
Let's use the opportunity of the publication of this brilliant, moving, vintage Mumia book to build the momentum for his case, to raise the money we desperately need in these challenging economic times, to get the word out – to produce literature, flyers, posters, videos, DVD's; to send organizers out to help build new chapters and strengthen old ones, TO GET THE PEOPLE OUT IN THE STREETS … all the work that we must do in order to FREE MUMIA as he faces LIFE IN PRISON WITHOUT PAROLE OR EXECUTION!
Please make a contribution to help free Mumia. Donations to the grassroots work will go to both INTERNATIONAL CONCERNED FAMILY AND FRIENDS OF MUMIA ABU-JAMAL and the FREE MUMIA ABU-JAMAL COALITION (NYC).
WWW.FREEMUMIA.COM
Please mail donations/ checks to:
FREE MUMIA ABU JAMAL COALITION
PO BOX 16, NEW YORK,
NY 10030
(CHECKS FOR BOTH ORGANIZATIONS PAYABLE TO: FMAJC/IFCO)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT:
215 476-8812
212-330-8029
Send our brotha some LOVE and LIGHT at:
Mumia Abu-Jamal
AM 8335
SCI-Greene
175 Progress Drive
Waynesburg, PA 15370
WE WHO BELIEVE IN FREEDOM CAN *NOT* REST!!
Subscribe: mumiacolumns-subscribe@topica.com
Read: http://topica.com/lists/mumiacolumns/read
Subscribe ICFFMAJ email updates list by e-mailing
icffmaj@aol.com!
No comments:
Post a Comment