On “The state killing of Ibragim Todashev”

It seems to me that the execution-style murder of Ibragim Todashev deserves comparison with the murder of 19-year-old Furkan Dogan on the Mavi Marmara by Israeli commandos in 2010. Dogan was killed [with a gunshot] in the back of his head as well. Additionally mainstream media reported that passengers on the ship fought the Israelis as they boarded when in fact the passengers had offered little resistance. The parallels between the two young men’s deaths are very striking.

Jennifer H
3 June 2013

***

Thank you very much Mr. Tom Carter.

I am humbled by your kindness to humanity. The capitalist state does not hesitate to do the worst types of crimes to safeguard the interests of the bourgeoisie. It is now clear that the establishment of the United States is the terminal cancer of the global body politic. What the SEP predicts always becomes reality because the Marxist method on which it has situated itself is scientific. The solution to this type of crime against humanity is the overthrow of capitalism by the working class. Towards that end, the responsibility of the American working class is monumental. I wish every success to the American workers in their endeavors. Thank you.

IVE
Sri Lanka
3 June 2013

On “Job seekers camp out for applications in New York”

This is an apt metaphor for the current state of the trade unions in regards to their members:

“The union brought in half a dozen portable toilets and hired a security guard to keep watch 24 hours a day.”

SZ
New Mexico, USA
29 May 2013

On “Washington, DC health firm buyout leaves thousands without medical coverage”

I wish I could get this kind of news from the other sources. Thanks, Nick, for your straightforward writing style!

Patti W
2 June 2013

On “New on US television: Arrested Development (again), Behind the Candelabra and Family Tree”

Thank you for the review of Arrested Development ’s new season. I have not seen the entire thing yet, which is a statement I really did not think I would be making at this point. My anticipation for the show’s return was pretty eager, but the thing itself has proven rather a disappointment, for many of the reasons mentioned in your review.

One of the best things about the original series was the interaction between the cast. Brilliant timing and chemistry combined with intelligent and clever writing brought this family to life in such a way that even the most horrible of them were somehow endearing—or at least enjoyable. The actors’ total commitment to portraying this wildly dysfunctional family lent the show a believability even through some of the most ludicrous moments (like the attack of Godzilla on Tiny Town)—this brought the comedy to a very high level, and left me, and so many other fans, gasping for air from laughing so hard.

Seeming throwaway lines from the original (“the jury’s still out on science”) lampooned the societal conditions perfectly. This is not so with the new season. It lacks life, and in addition to the “tired”ness you mention, there are spots where it seems just mean.

I would argue that, given the decay of conditions since the original seasons, the gap in working together for the cast and crew, etc., some let down was to be expected. However, I am not so willing to give it a pass in this case: serious times demand a serious work of art, and this show could have been seriously funny.

Christie S
Washington, USA
1 June 2013

On “More questions about MI5’s relations with Woolwich killers”

Julie H’s article today repeats the media line about the murder happening “near Woolwich army barracks.” This reinforces the “possible security blunders” approach taken by the same media to the killing in recent days. The attack actually took place outside the barracks.

An armed terrorist attack in which a soldier was killed took place outside of a military base and there was no military response to this whatsoever. A strict separation of roles operates between the police and the army—that’s the explanation I get whenever I ask why the military dog didn’t bark on this occasion. But for one of the biggest barracks in the UK not to send out so much as a padre for the 20 to 30 minutes that one of its soldiers was lying dead in the street outside?

A month after the Boston lockdown, the question I ask myself is: were Drummer Rigby’s killers meant to run away?

Joe M
Dublin, Ireland
29 May 2013