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For the First Time in Years: a Growing Trend in South Korea

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Venceremos Comment: Ex-president’s Suicide Galvanises Political Opposition

The suicide of the ex-president Roh Moo-hyun, in response to an expanding corruption probe on him and his family, has radically altered the political map of South Korea. The corruption probe which had unearthed proof of close family members accepting bribes was led by the general prosecutor seen by many as being brought under the partisan direction of the Lee Myung-bak government. 

Thus in a shocking turn of events, on Saturday May 23^rd, South Korea awoke to the news that ex-president Roh had leaped into a ravine while on a climbing trip near his home in Bongha village, which was his hometown. The upshot of the resulting public grief has seen a massive drop in support of the neo-conservative President Lee, his current team of leadership and in particular his rollback of democracy in Korea. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Obama better than Bush but not good enough by far

Barack Obama’s recent speech in Cairo has received mixed reviews. Many news sources ran with headlines like “Obama reaches out to the Middle East” (BBC News June 4th) and “Obama embraces Muslim world in Cairo speech” (Fox News June 4th.)  Some of the opinions I have either heard or read remarked that the speech was “a breath of fresh air” or “signaled a new era of American foreign policy.” As one blogger explained, not only did no one throw their shoes at the President, the crowd of 3,000 gave him a standing ovation. 

In some respects they are right. There are many reasons to be optimistic about Obama’s much lauded speech. But for many observers, this praise was drawn more because of who Obama isn’t than who he is. (Read More.)

South Korea’s Rollback of Democracy

The suicide of former president Roh Moo-hyun on May 23, 2009 has left South Korea in shock. All over the country, tens of thousands of tearful people seek to eulogize and memorialize Roh—to find ways to express their grief and anger. Conservative government politicians were blocked by local residents from joining tens of thousands people who made the journey to Roh’s small hometown the day he died. Not only were they refused admittance, many people splashed them with water and chanted that they should get out—shaming them into leaving. Opposition party spokesperson Kim Yu-jeong expressed what is in many people’s hearts when he blamed Roh’s tragic death on the conservative government’s relentless and disrespectful offensive against him: “The people and history know what made the former president do something so tragic.” (Read More.)

Venceremos Interview: George Katsiaficas -The Legacy of the Kwangju People's Uprising in South Korea Today

On the weekend of May 15-18th, the city of Kwangju, South Korea, held the Kwangju International Peace Forum to celebrate the struggle for democracy in Korea and to support similar struggles elsewhere in Asia. Christopher Kerr of Venceremos (www.veneceremosonline.org) caught up with George Katsiaficas (Visiting Professor of Sociology at Chonnam National University and author/editor of numerous books on international social movements including South Korean Democracy- Legacy of the Kwangju Uprising and Unknown Uprisings: South Korean Social Movements Since World War 2) about the legacy of the 1980 Kwangju uprising in Korea today. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Roh Moo-hyun commits suicide

South Korea awoke on the morning of Saturday May 23rd to the news that former president Roh Moo-hyun had committed suicide.

The ex-president and former human rights lawyer was pronounced dead on arrival at a hospital in Busan after jumping off a ravine at a mountain close to his hometown in the early hours of the morning.

Roh left a short but clear suicide note, in which he only revealed “This time has been unbearable and I have made life unbearable for many others. Life has become so difficult that I am unable even to read a book. I wish only to be cremated with a small memorial in my hometown. Please don’t blame me.”  (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: The Appropriate Next Headline

A media outlet’s decision not to cover a story does not disqualify that story as news.  The diseases we see originating within populations of poultry, cattle and swine around the world are no coincidence.  In fact, these diseases are more or less manufactured in the same places as the meat that millions eat every day.  Further, rather than neutralizing the problem at its root, governments including the current administration in power in South Korea continue to stand behind policies that will ensure even bigger problems in the future.  (Read More.)

The Promise and Perils of Korean Reunification

It seems that nearly everyone publicly supports the reunification of Korea—the governments of the United States, North Korea, and South Korea, as well as the great majority of people in both North and South Korea. This should make us all nervous because it means that different people mean different things when they talk about reunification. We need to think carefully about what we mean when we offer our own support for reunification or, said differently, we need to stop thinking about reunification as unambiguously good and start thinking about it as a contested process. The obvious point is that a sound reunification process will greatly increase the likelihood of a desirable reunification outcome. One of our tasks then is to support Korean efforts to advance a reunification process that will be truly responsive to the needs of the Korean people.  (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment:  IMC, Korea – Just what we were looking for

IMC stands for Independent Media Center.  It is self-described on the official global website as “a collective of independent media organizations and hundreds of journalists offering grassroots, non-corporate coverage. Indymedia is a democratic media outlet for the creation of radical, accurate, and passionate tellings of truth.”  I also learned that there are well over a hundred chapters of IMC worldwide and that here, in the building just behind the spot where the infamous Yongsan fire took place, is the world’s latest chapter, IMC Korea. (Read More.)

Minerva cleared but internet censorship still a growing concern

On April 20^th, the Seoul district court acquitted online commentator Park Dae-sung on all counts of spreading false information with intent to harm the public.

The decision to clear the now infamous blogger, better known as Minerva, pleased activists and internet freedom campaigners who had claimed the accusations were bogus from the start and, moreover,  that the trial was politically motivated.

Park’s online blogs gained huge popularity after he proved himself to be an astute economic commentator by accurately predicting the collapse of US bank Lehman Brothers and the global financial meltdown. (Read more.)

Interview: Revolution in Venezuela and 21^st Century Marxism

Left activists discuss solutions at World at a Crossroads international socialism conference

As the world economy lurches into a deep recession, and the looming climate emergency reaches a crisis point, the world truly is at a crossroads. The future will be decided in the conflict between the greedy capitalist elites and those around the world fighting for a far better world — a world free of racism, war and environmental plunder.

From six continents, 444 socialists, progressive activists and Marxist thinkers gathered to discuss, debate and learn from various struggles for human freedom, dignity and justice. More than 70 activists addressed 42 workshops during the conference.

The conference was about creating real solutions to the urgent problems of climate change, economic meltdown and imperialist war. Mere reform of the existing capitalist system will not reverse grinding poverty or halt unpredictable climate change. The path to human liberation requires a radical democracy based on people’s needs instead of corporate profit. The goal must be to fight for a socialism of the 21st century, in Australia and around the world. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: For the First Time in Years: a Growing Trend in South Korea

A worrying string of 'first time in years' events have been occurring in South Korea over the past fifteen months.  As time passes, the Korean people are gradually losing basic rights and freedoms guaranteed to them by their constitution.    

It’s no coincidence that these events began to snowball in frequency upon the election of conservative President Lee Myung-bak and his administration. (Read More.)

Venceremos Book Recommendation:  Lies My Teacher Told Me

In Lies My Teacher Told Me, James W. Loewen presents a wide range of issues to state his case that U.S. history textbook authors are presenting history in a boring and stagnant way - which leaves students uninterested in thoughtfully discussing or thinking about their countries’ unique and complex web of history, along with its ramifications for the present-day. 

This book should become required reading not only for high school students and teachers, but all other American citizens as well.  The reason why every citizen should read this book is best said by the author himself: “Citizens who are their own historians, willing to identify lies and distortions and able to use sources to determine what really went on in the past, become a formidable force for democracy.” (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Earth Hour: a Great Way to Display Solidarity

We at Venceremos believe there isn’t a better way to show solidarity with people on a global scale than to participate in Earth Hour.  On Saturday March 28, 2009 at 8:30 p.m., members of Venceremos, wherever we may be, will join the fight against climate change by turning off our lights for an hour. 

This isn’t a political thing.  It’s a people thing.  Join your human family, and watch how a tiny action by many can make a huge difference in the state of our planet. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment:  El Salvador Votes for FMLN

“The time has come for the excluded, the opportunity has arrived for the genuine democrats, for men and women who believe in social justice and solidarity!”

-        Mauricio Funes, FMLN, President-Elect of El Salvador

On March 15^th, a polarizing campaign came to an end in El Salvador with a slim, but defining victory for Mauricio Funes, 49, and his party, Farabundo Marti National Liberation Front, FMLN.  With 51.27% of the vote, compared to the right-wing opposition ARENA party candidate Rodrigo Avila’s 48.73%, the left in Central America’s smallest country will assume the presidency on June 1 of this year, thus ending 20 years of conservative Arena rule.              (Read more.)

Venceremos Salute: Danny Glover

Danny Glover is more than his role as Sergeant Roger Murtough, which is arguably his most recognizable character from the Lethal Weapon series. For movie lovers, he is a methodical character actor who has taken on numerous roles throughout his 30-plus year career that challenged the viewing audience to address the historical and ongoing role that race plays in society and in individual psyches.  Albert in The Color Purple, Sgt. Washington Wyatt in Buffalo Soldier, and Paul D. Garner in Beloved, are just a few of the memorable African-American stories brought to life onscreen by Mr. Glover.  These well-portrayed characters allow his fans to be honest about the plight of African-Americans in the past and thoughtful about their present state.  This form of activism would be enough for most actors, but Mr. Glover has made it his lifestyle. (Read More.)

Venceremos Media: Podcast Episode #2 Now Online!

In the second edition of the Venceremos Podcast we discussed South Korean issues and recent clashes between protesters and riot police, namely the recent tragedy at Yongsan, when five protesters and one police officer died after a building became engulfed in flames.

We also touched on other relevant issues, including the increased censorship of internet bloggers and the redevelopment of Seoul. (Listen now)

Venceremos Comment: Venezuela Votes “Si” to End Term Limits

"Today we opened wide the gates of the future....Truth against lies (and) the dignity of the homeland have triumphed....Venezuela will not return to its past of indignity....In 2012 there will be presidential elections, and unless God decides otherwise, unless the people decide otherwise, this soldier is already a candidate."

Venceremos Revolutionary Profile.  February 2009:  Honoring Africans who Fought for America’s Independence

This is Venceremos' second article in the series of Revolutionary Profiles we will bring to you each month starting in 2009.   

This month, we want to encourage you to learn more about some of the lesser-documented original patriots in American history.  Despite what our history books tell us, our heroes weren’t all rich intellectuals or well-to-do white men.  Many were courageous African slaves fighting a war that, despite certain promises, would eventually reap for them little to no benefits at all.  Yet they stepped up to the front lines on the battlefield.  We appreciate all who sacrificed during those trying early days before there was a country called America. Click here to learn more! 

Venceremos Comment:  Death Penalty Debate in South Korea Part of a Bigger Trend

Since Lee Myung-bak took office a little more than a year ago, he has overseen the reversal of several ‘liberal’ reforms made in recent years.  His ultra-conservative policies remind many people on the peninsula of the dark ages of oppression and right-wing, authoritarian governments of the pre-1990s.

 If President Lee’s government decides to close its ears to the humanitarian voice, resorting once again to capital punishment, it will provide yet another example of the administration rolling back the years.  (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: The Fire on Dragon Hill

In the early morning hours of January 20^th, a shipping container carrying members of the police SWAT team was hoisted to the roof of the Namildang building in Yongsan, a central district in the heart of Seoul City. The SWAT team used water canons to forcibly end a 25-hour long protest that was staged by local residents and members of the National Alliance of Squatters and Evictees.  A fire soon engulfed the building.  When the fire was finally extinguished at around 8 am that morning, six bodies were among the ashes; five protesters and one police officer. 

The days that followed this tragedy left many asking what went wrong, what ignited the fire, and why such an incident took place? (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Future bleak for two-state solution as Israel swings to the right

The Israeli Knesset is locked in a political stalemate following inconclusive election this week, with respective party leaders desperately try to scramble together a coalition strong enough to be asked to form the new government by President Shimon Peres.

It a miserable predicament for Israel’s political system. The frustration of the Israeli electorate was summarized well by Ben Kaspit in Israeli’s Ma'ariv newspaper when he wrote: “Woe unto this government, woe unto Israel. Not because of Netanyahu or his qualifications; because of the system; because of the stalemate; because of the dead end.”
What is so frustrating for moderates and liberals in Israel is that, although the center-left Kadima Party claimed the largest slice of the 120 seats available, it is the ultra-nationalist, right-wing fringe parties that look set to act as kingmakers and give their backing to the next Prime Minister. (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: Moving Toward the Referendum, Mobilisation is Key

On Monday February 2nd, President Chavez led the Bolivarian government’s 10 year celebration with a public holiday, caravan and mass rally in the capital Caracas attended by the Presidents Evo Morales of Bolivia, Rafael Correa of Ecuador, Daniel Ortega of Nicaragua, President Manuel Zelaya of Honduras, the Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit and Jose Ramon Machado Ventura the Vice-President of Cuba. The celebratory rallies held around different parts of the country highlighted the achievements of the Bolivarian Revolution and its determination to continue to deepen over the next ten years.

The international leaders of ALBA were also in Caracas for the further consolidation of various programs of the radical trade agreement. In particular food production and energy integration were the themes of the meeting. President Chavez also announced that Paraguay, the latest nation in the region, had expressed interest in joining the trade bloc. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Democracy and Revolution in Venezuela: The Meaning of the Constitutional Amendment

The corporate media’s coverage of the current referendum campaign on whether or not to amend the constitution to remove term limits on all elected officials in Venezuela misleadingly characterizes the proposed reform as “indefinite reelection” implying that the vote is about whether or not to make “Chavez president for life”.
 

In response, the Bolivarian government has pointed out that many democratic states throughout the world do not have term limits for their heads of state and President Chavez has repeatedly stressed that he does “not have any plan to be president for life. That would be a violation of the Constitution. I would run counter to any such proposal ... Such an amendment would destroy not only the guiding principles of the Constitution but also those of the political system. That would be the end of alternative governments." (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment:  BBC's refusal to air Gaza appeal symptomatic of amoral reporting in modern day media

As inhabitants of Gaza begin the slow and costly process of rebuilding their battered infrastructure (UN estimates suggest this cost as somewhere in the region of $1.7billion, without taking into account the immeasurable cost of human suffering inflicted) the international media begins the usual practice of picking the bones of the latest conflict looking for potential newsworthy stories before moving onto the next conflict zone, be it Dafur, East Congo or perhaps one of those old favorites: Iraq and Afghanistan.

But in the fall out of the latest crisis one story more than any other reflects the bizarre nature of the international media's reporting of the Israel and Palestine conflict and mainstream journalism in general. (Read more.)

Venceremos Revolutionary Profile, January 2009: Remembering Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 80^th Anniversary of his Birth

In 2009, Venceremos will take time each month to profile a great revolutionary in history.  Who better to kick off the year with than one of the most influential people of the 20th Century?  Martin Luther King lived a short but intense life dedicated to bringing justice to underprivileged people around the world.  Though his life ended tragically in 1968, his legacy lives on today in all of us.  (Learn more.)

Venceremos Recommended Reading: The Israel Lobby and US Foreign Policy by John J. Mearsheimer and Stephen M. Walt

Two scholars have tackled the taboo relationship between

Washington and Jerusalem, and have thus opened the door

to a possible public debate, in a bestselling book, The Israel

Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy.

Venceremos activist, Marco Giorgi, introduces the book in

detail and urges us to become more educated about the

Middle East so that we, too, can join the debate in hopes of making the

world a safer, more peaceful place to live. (Read More.) 

Venceremos Comment: Elections in Venezuela: Mixed Results, Democracy and Class Struggle

Venezuela recently experienced gubernatorial elections to decide the composition of state governorships and mayors throughout the country, with the exception of the state Amazonas.  The elections and their aftermath demonstrated two contradictory dynamics of Venezuelan politics: a maturing institutional democracy that allows for the transfer of political power through the rule of law, and simultaneously, a society marked by an acute class struggle over political and economic power.

This report will be broken into five sections: (I) the context in which the elections took place; (II) an analysis of the campaigns of both blocs of power (III) the electoral process (IV) the electoral results and their political implications and finally; (V) a panorama of the latest phase of development of the Bolivarian Revolution. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Not Merely a Humanitarian Essay

A foreign guy living in Korea will get his fair share of stares.  For the most part, the stares will only be malicious for one of two reasons.  First, some Korean guys don’t like to see non-Koreans with a Korean girlfriend.  Second, far too many Westerners come to Korea and spend lots of time on the streets in drunken stupors, acting foolishly.  Both reasons are valid, I suppose, and understandable, especially the latter. 

 More often than not, though, the stares will be directed in a kindhearted way.  So many Korean people (men and women) will openly tell a foreigner that they think he is handsome.  I was the proud recipient of this compliment many times, especially when I first arrived here.  It feels nice if it’s not overdone.  Stares are the result of the fact that we foreigners simply look different.  Many Koreans desire Western features including light hair, big, deep set (preferably blue) eyes, noses with high bridges, low cheek bones, and small faces in general.  The list goes on.  These superficial desires are not only the cause of the cosmetic surgery phenomenon that has swept the land of the morning calm in recent years, but also the tendency for the natives to look at someone who’s not Korean just a little bit too long sometimes. (Read More.)

Venceremos Comment: Venezuelans Vote for Their Revolution

First and foremost, I’d like to congratulate my Venezuelan brothers and sisters for their strong democratic turnout on November 23, 2008. Once again, which is becoming a commonality within the decade-long Bolivarian Revolution, the people of Venezuela, in record numbers (11 out of 16.8 million registered voters), voted freely and fairly in regional and municipal elections all over the country.

President Hugo Chavez’ United Socialist Party of Venezuela (PSUV) won 17 of 22 state governorships. This is an increase of two from the amount of governorships the PSUV previously held. The PSUV also won elections for mayor in 81% of municipalities throughout Venezuela. (Read more.)

Behind the Rhymes:  Stic Man of Dead Prez shares a few thoughts about life off the stage.

In an act of solidarity, Stic Man of the political rap duo Dead Prez agreed to sit down and answer a few questions from Venceremos.  Personally, I have to say I’m a huge fan of these guys’ music and social projects, so I’m really energized to be a soldier on their side of the battlefield in the war of ideas.  We especially appreciate Stic Man doing this interview because he, as he readily admits, is the producer of the group while his partner, M-1, is the natural people person.  Good lookin’ out, Stic.

If you aren’t familiar with Dead Prez’s music, they are self-described revolutionaries with a gangsta twist.  Their aim is not only to educate the masses with their music, but also to encourage us all to “take the next book from the shelf and get hip to shit most [people] would skip through” (Food, Clothes, and Shelter, Turn off the Radio Mixtape Vol.1).  Venceremos believes the same thing.  Young people have to start reading more.  The masses need to form truly educated opinions about the world and how it works.  Get angry about it.  Fight to change it. (Read more.)

Venceremos recommended reading: The Good Fight by Ralph Nader

In The Good Fight, written in 2004, Ralph Nader invites us to join him on his justice-fighting campaign by outlining why we should, and how we can, get involved.  For anyone who has thought that their government was not working for them; that the current system is leading to a spiraling decline of our community, environment, and justice system; that the priorities of our “elected” leaders have been outrageously misguided; that they somehow would like to get more involved and didn’t know where or how to begin, I encourage you to give The Good Fight, a very readable 275 pages, a solid look. (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: Margaret Thatcher, Lee Myung bak & Me

As a child born in the United Kingdom in the early 1980s, my life has been shaped by the legacy of the U.Ks fist ever female Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher, the woman more commonly known as ‘The Iron Lady.’

I use the word ‘legacy’ because what is even more significant than the intense misery she inflicted on the British working class during the twelve years she was in power, is the social consequences of her policies we are now witnessing more than eighteen years later.

As Korea confronts it's own Margaret Thatcher figure, Lee Myung bak, they should listen to the testimony of a person who has seen this path walked before and lived with the ugly consequences.(Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: Obama & Socialism? Thoughts About Obama’s Tax Plan

The other day, I was reading a debate on a political discussion board among some people I know in America. They were going back and forth passionately, one fighting for Obama, the other for McCain, as if their lives depended on a victory for their candidate. No real issues are discussed aside from who has the better tax plan, which has been on everyone’s minds since Joe “the plumber” came into our lives. Even then, it wasn’t really about the numbers. The main issue of concern was whether or not Obama was a Socialist. Not only is he a black man. Not only is his middle name Hussein. Now he is something far worse, a Marxist who’s interested in, dare I say? Spreading the wealth! (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: An Oxymoronic Nation: Korea's inability to mix the old with the new and the problems this will cause

I live in a country that produces some of the world’s most cutting edge technology.  The students who live on this modest peninsula, which is inconspicuously wedged between Japan and China, are among the world’s most academically apt. The country’s literacy rate flirts with 100 percent, and the education system here quietly churns out some of the world’s best standardized test scores.  The city in which I dwell is a growing hub of economic and political activity and culture in East Asia and around the globe.  One can walk the streets here to find delightful museums and art galleries, or to eat at top class restaurants.  Over 80 percent of residences here have broadband internet and South Korea was the first country in the world to provide high-speed internet access from every primary, junior, and high school.  The list goes on to explain scores of other reasons why a modern traveler might want to visit, or even live in South Korea.
 

All this being said, there is one glaring problem that needs to be addressed here.  Without question, this society is on the right track as far as becoming a global leader in many aspects.  The social characteristics of Korea, however, remain medieval in numerous ways.  Today, I’d like to inform you about some of the ways in which the past and the present are mixing together to create a highly toxic situation in this small country in East Asia.  Further, I’ll evaluate the measures being taken to stifle this situation, and explain what the final outcome could look like for the Korean people in the future.  (Read more.)

Hyundai, State Violence, and Peasant Resistance in Colombia

In the Latin American country Colombia, peasants and activists are regularly threatened, arrested, and killed by the Colombian army and pro-government “paramilitaries”.  It has been revealed that South Korean corporation Hyundai has contributed to this oppression.
Andres Gil and Miguel Gonzalez, of the Peasant-Farmer Association of the Cimitarra River Valley (ACVC), are two of the most recent victims of the Colombian government’s repression. The ACVC is a grassroots organization that organizes cooperatives and community-based development projects, defends human rights, and fights for the right of peasants to stay on their land. (Read more)

Venceremos Comment: Exceptions to the War on Terror: The Cuban Five

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labanino, Antonio Guerrero, Fernando Gonzalez, and Rene Gonzalez are The Cuban Five. This nickname was given to these Cuban patriots who were unjustly imprisoned, in 1998, by the United States government for investigating terrorist organizations in South Florida. The acts of violence The Five were trying to gather information on were conducted by anti-Cuban terrorist and terror organizations residing in the U.S. Atrocities committed by Luis Posada Carriles, Orlando Bosch, Alpha 66, Comandos F4, Brothers to the Rescue, Omega 77, Movimiento Democratico, CORU, Accion Cubana, Brigade 2506, the Cuban American National Foundation, and more have led to the deaths of over 3,000 Cubans, including many foreign tourists vacationing in Cuba throughout the past 40-plus years. Because these terrorists were organizing and operating with complete impunity from the U.S. justice system, the Cuban government needed to do something in order to protect its citizens from being murdered. (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: The War on Terror: McCarthyism for the 21st Century?

George Orwell’s masterpiece Nineteen Eighty-Four envisioned a world constantly at war. This concept of total war as Orwell envisioned it served several functions within his dystopian society. Crucially though, it served to pacify a potentially rebellious population by keeping them in a state of constant fear of an intangible, but very real enemy, unifying the people behind ‘Big Brother’ in the process.

Consider the major ‘enemies’ of the West since George Orwell’s death in 1950. Having already crushed the ascendancy of nationalist based fascism with the downfall of Mussolini and Hitler in World War II, the Western world faced a new and slightly less tangible ‘evil’: communism. The icy specter of the Cold War hung over the world for decades with massive repercussions both on the political landscape domestically and across the globe before the eventual terminal decline of the U.S.S.R and its communist empire. Yet just as the end of the 20^th century saw the sun setting on the Soviet Union, the 21^st century gave birth to the next ideological evil: Islam. (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: Thoughts about Our World – Religion, Capitalism, and Commodities

Most, if not all, religions are present and instilled within individuals starting at birth. Starting at a very early age, populations are taught the ideas of their respective religion, to accept it as truth, and ostracized if they do not. As people grow older within their societies, they learn that not only is this belief predominant within their own family, but also the common belief of the majority of their society. The fill-in-the-blank religion is really just a question of region combined with history. This strength in numbers, this status quo, leads people to feel uncomfortable with, and often disgusted by, the presence of another inferior system of beliefs.

Further, (the diversity of) religion has been the leading cause of death and suffering throughout history. People have been laughed at, judged, banished, ridiculed, persecuted, enslaved, and even burned at the stake (or other murder le jour)… time and again… in the name of… religion. (Read more.)

Venceremos Comment: Has Obama lost his audacity?

In 2004, at the Democratic Convention, Barack Obama titled his keynote address, The Audacity to Hope, after a phrase taken from a sermon by his good friend and pastor, Jeremiah Wright.  In this sermon, Rev. Wright stresses the audacity, the nerve, to continue to hope when living in a world of greed and famine, of apartheid and apathy; essentially a quiet hell.  Obama so loved this phrase that he titled his 2006 campaign-igniting book by the same phrase.  At the time, this was an inspiring idea and an inspiring man to rally around.

Yet “audacity to hope” is a campaign slogan with an all too familiar bottom line and far too much empty rhetoric.  He talks of America, both past and present, as if it were a beautiful beacon of participatory democracy that just needs a change in leadership, and the “dream” would be revived from its nightmare. (Read more)

Venceremos Comment: Middle Eastern exchange rates: Why Israel is winning the PR war

The recently finalised prisoner/ body exchange between Israel and its Lebanese and Palestinian neighbours is as good a case study as I can remember of the mainstream media's tainted portrayal of the strife ridden conflict zone.

It underlines why Israel is winning the 'public relations war', why it continues to garner so much international support in spite of its frequent disregard for human rights and international law. (Read more)

Venceremos Comment: Mass movement halts the neo-liberal bulldozer

The newly elected neo-conservative regime of President Lee Myungbak has been humbled by the spontaneous emergence of a mass movement, which was sparked by female middle school and high school students, but which has seen the largest and longest sustained demonstrations since the fall of the military dictatorship. The mass protests are primarily against the imposed resumption of the importation of US beef but have, in the course of their development, tapped into latent anger of the Korean population against the implementation of the government’s neo-liberal agenda. (Read more)

Venceremos Comment: Europe's angry men, the plucky Irish and the future of the European Union

Debates on the future of Europe are all too often stripped down to the black and white terms Europhile or Eurosceptic, suggesting that you are either with or against Europe. Speaking as someone who falls into the ludicrously simplified pigeon hole of pro-European, I would say the debate is no longer about whether you are pro or anti-Europe, rather it is about what kind of Europe you want. (Read more.)