As COVID-19 cases increase in the United States, causing continued illness and death, the U.S. administration has moved to increase deadly sanctions against Venezuela, crippling that government’s ability to protect the lives of its people.
The difference between how Venezuela and the United States handled the virus is stark. In the United States, capital reigns, which means getting the economy going again. And if that means more workers sick and dying, so be it.
The incessant drive for profits, which in turn disregards the lives of workers and the poor, is at the center of the calculations that went into forcing workers back to work and imposing additional sanctions on the people of Venezuela. It is behind the cynicism of corporations, public officials, religious figures, and even the police and military forces, all of whom feign “Black lives matter.”
The poor, the working class and the non-white people of the global South see the lies. We only want to be free of U.S. and European domination.
And while Trump is the convenient fall guy for the policies of the U.S. ruling class, a growing awareness is developing among the people that the problems they face can’t be reduced to Trump because they were living precarious lives before his ascension.
The people—especially young people—are in no mood for the old solutions of voting for the lesser of two evils when they can see the evil is the whole rotten system.
BAP is making the connections between the police violence, U.S. military budget, the U.S. Department of Defense 1033 program, Israeli training of the police, and the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM). We are providing an organized expression for the realization that if there is going to be peace, social justice, democracy and human rights, power must be taken into the hands of the people.
The people of Venezuela understand what that struggle entails and are prepared to pay the ultimate price for freedom. We have no choice but to join them and strike at the oppressor from the belly of the beast.
PRESS AND MEDIA
Organizer Sara Flounders discussed whether COVID-19 was more virulent in Western capitalist countries including the United States in her piece.
BAP National Organizer Ajamu Baraka spoke to an audience at the University of Tehran, providing a social and historical analysis of the role of race and white supremacy in U.S. domestic and foreign policies.
How did three weeks of protests get de-fanged? Organizer Martin Schoots-McAlpine discussed in his piece how a movement that began with the burning of a police station has been transformed into one requesting minor amendments to municipal budgets.
U.S. Out of Africa Network Coordinator Tunde Osazua broke down AFRICOM’s relationship to the African people in this interview.
BAP Coordinating Committee member Margaret Kimberley wrote in her latest column that powerful forces see a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Afghanistan as a threat to long term U.S. interests in Central and West Asia. Undermining a peace agreement and denying Trump a foreign policy win is a win-win for the neoliberal right.
The mainstream corporate press continues to avoid discussing the role of the United States in Syria unless it is to mobilize the public to support the latest effort to undermine the Assad government. Even among the alternative press, new moves to censor political content are making it difficult to cover Syria.
Without any opposition from Congress, the Trump administration is moving to engage in high-seas piracy by blocking fuel shipments from Iran to Venezuela.
BAP member organization Pan-African Community Action's Max Rameau discussed the difference between Community Control of Police and the call to “defund the police” on WPFW's “Monday Morning QB” June 29 radio show. The interview starts at 27:43 minutes into the hour.
EVENTS
July 9: BAP-Baltimore members will be speaking on a national webinar regarding Operation Relentless Pursuit. Register here.
July 9: Watch the “Black Health Matters” roundtable in English and Spanish.
TAKE ACTION
Take your anti-war activism further by asking your local, state and federal candidates to sign BAP’s 2020 Candidate Accountability Pledge. If you are a candidate, distinguish yourself from the other corporate warmongering candidates by signing the pledge.
BAP’s U.S. Out of Africa Network has begun releasing a bi-weekly AFRICOM Watch Bulletin. Sign up to join the network.
No Compromise, No Retreat!
Struggle to win,
Ajamu, Brandon, Dedan, Jaribu, Margaret, Netfa, Paul, Vanessa, YahNé
P.S. Freedom isn’t free. Consider giving today.
Photo credit: Bill Hackwell