Author: mopress

For some reason, there are people that seem to enjoy a fast race to the precipice. Reading your piece on racist intent and results, I wonder if the feeling that they are at the wheel compensates for the results.

I see very clearly, I think, some trends that spell disaster. Can China keep the pace? Can U. S. and Japan keep living off the past while becoming shabby genteel? Can some people (racist?, demagogues?, profiteers?) derive so much joy from short term kicks that they can ignore without any qualms their obvious destinations, and leave most urgent and deep problems emanating from unlawful inmigration instead of promoting an equitative, fair, realist solution, one that will disappoint demagogery but satisfy all legitimate interests?

Can we let centuries old traumae keep piloting us? What I was driving at is that ancient traumae and unfinished business (at the Middle East, for instance) are pushing us over the cliff, and lots of people seem to prefer it that way, and in general millions of people enjoy the chance of looking at some people fall first that they don´t seem to mind the certainty of soon going after them.

Rodrigo Saldaña Guerrero
Posted by permission

Images of violence and coercion come to mind as the critic below contemplates the emergence of cultural diversity at the local cineplex. Are these images related to the critic’s “total uninterest” in the problem? Perhaps possibilities for creative solutions emerge only after situations are taken more seriously, in good faith.

The national scope of the problem raised by Cape Cod movie audiences is exemplified in a June 23 position paper on the Quality of Life for African Americans at the City of Austin (TX) website.

On page four of the report, one finds the following recommendation for Arts, Culture, and Entertainment: “Ensure that African American artists, musicians, film makers, and others are included in events that the City co-sponsors, funds, owns the facility, or supports (e.g., SXSW, Austin City Limits Festival, Austin Museum of Art, local venues, etc.), and that events are publicized in the African American press and on community organizations websites.”

How does one breathe in America without inhaling African American culture? That the critic below not only fails to take some interest, but refuses to consider taking interest under such circumstances is a reminder that “effects” of racism do not thrive altogether without “intents”–gm

Regular reader of Counterpunch here. You seem to have a problem with the theater owner who refuses to show “black” movies.

What do you propose as an alternative? If he shows films which the majority of his patrons refuse to watch, he will lose money. Are you suggesting he be forced to run at a loss simply because a few prospective moviegoers think he should? I don’t think that would be fair to either him or his other ustomers.

Are you suggesting that the government be forced to bludgeon him into doing so? You can’t force people to go see films, either. Many people, not just whites (I, for example, am considered Hispanic), are totally uninterested in African-American culture. Do you think people need to have it rammed down their throats?

Here is a tidy summary of the world condition with respect to migrant workers, taken from the website of Migrant Rights International:

Migration, globalization and human rights have emerged as central social, economic and political challenges reshaping the world at the turn of the century. The most immediate challenge facing societies and governments worldwide is the frightening rise in violence against migrants and restrictive government measures directly undermine the fundamental basic human rights of millions of families.
Currently, one out of every 35 persons worldwide is an international migrant. According to UN estimates, some 175 million people are now living permanently or temporarily outside their country of origin. This vast number includes migrant workers and their families, refugees, and permanent immigrants.

Unfortunately, however, because of their status as foreigners or non-nationals, these migrants become the universal “scapegoats,” often targeted for violence and excluded from legal protections in many places. This is especially so in the widening designation of persons, i.e. migrants, as “illegal,” thus explicitly denying them recognition under the rule of law.

Nonetheless, as in the past, little international attention, advocacy, and public education have been devoted to upholding the human rights and dignity of migrants other than refugees. There was no international civil society organization specifically mandated to monitor the protection of human rights for this vulnerable group. This enormous need remained unmet in spite of elaboration of international human rights standards for migrants and declarations in international conferences calling for cooperation towards the protection of migrants rights.

On June 5, the day after the Governors had completed releasing their signed Memorandum of Understanding, which authorized militarization of the border, activists in California staged a border protest. For a week, the Texas Civil Rights Review featured the following materials as top-level messages. We now place them into archives with sincere appreciation for the work they represent.

Detail from San Ysidro, CA protest poster (June 3, 2006)