On “Political and historical issues in the South African miners’ revolt”
Thanks for the incisive analysis in Julie Hyland’s article. The ANC has continually attempted to obfuscate the irreconcilable opposition of the indigenous bourgeoisie’s class interests to those of the working class by invoking the spectre of race. In other words, they cultivate the illusion that, by virtue of race, all black people have the same interests, and that these interests can only be advanced by a black elite. This tendency has characterised the ANC since its founding 100 years ago.
The Marikana massacre and the growing state of insurrection, not only in South Africa’s mining belt but in working class areas throughout the country, has blown this illusion sky-high. The indigenous bourgeoisie has proved to be utterly incapable of addressing the most pressing social issues of poverty and massive inequality, and are now turning to police-state measures. We are sure that further draconian measures and violation of peoples’ rights will ensue.
This is not an indication of the state’s strength, but rather an indication of its fear and desperation in the face of massive opposition.
Eric G
South Africa
20 September 2012
On “Millions protest in India against ‘big bang’ pro-market measures”
I thank the SEP reporting team for presenting the authentic perspective for the masses, whose suffering is due to grow exponentially in consequence of the government inviting foreign direct investment to the retail sector of the economy. As we know, imperialists are effectively on its way to destroy one country after the other on this human planet. Look at the Middle East, look at the African continent, look at countries like Sri Lanka on the Asian continent. India appears to be an imminent prey. Human misery that could result from the Indian bourgeoisie’s plan to restructure its retail sector in line with imperialists’ instructions could be unprecedented in human history. The only way out is to free [the] Indian working class from the clutches of all political strands prevalent and linking it to its international brethren under the auspices of the ICFI.
Down with imperialism and Stalinist remnants. Victory to international revolution!
IVE
Sri Lanka
21 September 2012
On “Lockout of National Football League referees continues”
Dear WSWS,
I liked your article on the NFL referee lock-out. Still, I’d like to make sure you’re talking about the same NFL who plays here, i.e., the St. Louis Soon-To-Be Los Angeles Rams—again.
To wit: The NFL I know moved the LA Rams to St. Louis, and allowed the other LA NFL entry—the Los Angeles Raiders—to move back to Oakland in order to use the lack of any NFL team in the nation’s 2nd largest TV market to blackmail at least 28 cities into building billion dollar stadiums.
Lest these cities lose their own franchises to Los Angeles—unless they gave in to the NFL’s insatiable greed and its de facto immunity from anti-trust law suits.
Moreover, all of the new stadiums have been required to build thousands of multi-million dollar corporate suites for the “Upper 1-percenters” to enjoy the sport in much the same way as ancient Roman emperors enjoyed the gladiator games in the Hippodrome and Coliseum. This is all being done for teams who play a “monumental” ten to twelve home games a year.
True, many cities have shared the cost of new stadium construction with private investors and/or a few team owners. But the lion’s share (no pun intended) of toe costs of stadium construction has been achieved only through massive municipal and state funding at taxpayer expense.
Even where team owners (like the Fords in Detroit) have invested more heavily into their new venues, the costs of street and highway upgrades surrounding the new arenas have been borne entirely by the public sector.
Now that the re-location of the Rams to St. Louis has served its purpose—guess what? The Rams are on the verge of moving back to LA.
What a shock! And to think the NFL can’t afford to cave in to the bloated and totally unjustified wage and benefit demands of its officials.
I guess if NFL teams weren’t so poor, they could have built all the new stadiums with their own money. [Yet they still wouldn’t pay their refs. It’s not the money, of course—it’s the principles involved.] Meanwhile, in the NFL’s “Rust Belt,” the schools go without adequate funding, the streets get more pot-holed by the hour, and public health services are on very short rations.
Let’s hear it for the bourgeoisie!
The NFL can truly relish in the role it plays—along with the US DOD and the “Tri-Laterals”—in “making the world safe for monarchy.”
Bob R
Missouri, USA
20 September 2012