God Bless the Chicago Strikers

I am overjoyed to see the news that 200 laid off employees are sitting in. The continued war against the working People of America is slowly coming to a head. As the strikers said to CNN, Bank of America made the decision not to extend financing to this facility-which means no pay for the employees, no sick time, no owed vacation time and no severance. It is amazing that Bank of America can now play such a heavy hand in determining the direction of American businesses.

At the same time, the People of Iceland have led some intense actions against the Central Bank and the Police Department. After a protester was arrested in Reykjavik, thousand of Icelanders stormed the Police Station, demanding the release of the protester (who's bail was posted anonymously). A few days after surrounding the Police Station, the People of Iceland stormed the Central Bank, demanding greater accountability in the financial sector and an end to American privatization practices.

The American Way is moving too far, too fast. The push to hand all services to private corporations is wreaking havoc across Canada, the EU and well...the rest of the world. The needs of the restless many are being buried further and further by the needs of already overly wealthy aristocrats. It is not our "freedom" that we are exporting-it is our dedication to tyranny, greed and the profit of the few at the expense of the many.

It was such recklessness and greed to inspired the People of 18th century France to design and build the guillotine (and put it to use). The aims of men like Bush, and the CEO's of Wall Street and Detroit may not be evil by intent-but they are evil by design. When the needs of one's bank account and stock portfolio take precedence over the needs of one's labor force, one has indeed become part of the problem. Bush shows the same air-headed, "let them eat cake" attitude that brought down the foolhardy monarchs of Europe. His consistent lack of understanding the needs of the American People can only be considered ill informed for so long before he is seen as cold, callous and, well...evil.

The current economic crisis will be used mercilessly to union bust. Right now the Big Three are blaming Union labor for the ruin of Detroit. Somehow, agreeing to raises, health care and vacation and sick time (about 10% of the cost of a new car) is killing the automakers. Nowhere do these crooks mention their own multi-million dollar yearly bonuses, nor their own compensation costs in terms of benefits, private jets, etc. They simply point to the labor, those that produce their wealth for them, as the problem. The "great cost" of Union labor will used to justify shutting down more auto manufacturing sites, and sending them to Canada (national health care) or Mexico and points further afield (no healthcare...no regulations).

I support and admire my brothers and sisters in Chicago, Detroit, and Reykjavik. The strength of these men and women in the face of oncoming economic ruin is a soul tonic. As we descend further into the hole, I believe more and more of us will be galvanized into such actions. As the famous Industrial Workers of the World slogan goes: "An injury to one is an injury to all".

In solidarity-