The first blog to get added to my blogroll today was Socialist Unity. Today the post was a letter from Iranian dissident and author Akbar Ganji to the UN. I strongly advise that you visit the blog and read the letter. It's a very powerful and interesting commentary on the situation with Iran and the West. Here's a quote:
"Above all, we hope that with Your Excellency’s immediate intervention, all of Iran’s political prisoners, who are facing more deplorable conditions with every passing day, will soon be released. The people of Iran are asking themselves whether the UN Security Council is only decisive and effective when it comes to the suspension of the enrichment of uranium, and whether the lives of the Iranian people are unimportant as far as the Security Council is concerned. The people of Iran are entitled to freedom, democracy and human rights. We Iranians hope that the United Nations and all the forums that defend democracy and human rights will be unflinching in their support for Iran’s quest for freedom and democracy. "
~ Akbar Ganji, to Ban Ki-Moon, Secretary General of the UN
Essentially, he argues that the US and other western nations are not aiding the growth of liberty and democracy in Iran by focusing on Ahmadinejad and nuclear weapons. Iran is guilty of nightmarish violations of human rights, issues that really must be addressed. We can't let Iran be like another Afghanistan - we were content to ignore their human rights violations; we only noticed and cared once the Taliban became a threat to us. Will we do the same to Iran? Ignore the plight of their people, but bring down the hammer over uranium enrichment? That's almost explicitly declaring that Western lives are more important than Iranian lives.
Speaking of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, he told the UN that his country will ignore censure over uranium enrichment. Like anyone didn't see that coming? He's been reiterating his argument that the Iranian program is completely peaceful and for energy purposes only during his trip to NY and basically setting the Iranian government up with another excuse to grind the fear and war axe when the UN and US sanctions Iran anyway.
And one more, probably very unpopular mention involving Ahmadinejad: he's a raving lunatic, but his general point about the plight of the Palestinians isn't nuts. Perhaps the Palestinians should ask him to stop speaking out on their behalf (I would), he's not exactly the best representative of their interests.
Ahmadinejad aside - something must be done about the awful conditions that Palestinians live under. Their situation is a festering sore in the middle east and nothing will be accomplished that even resembles peace or progress until that situation - most likely a two-state solution - is resolved.
And, again, you should really go to Socialist Unity and read the letter (at least...the other posts are all very good as well).
Moving on to domestic issues: John Edwards came out with a plan to combat AIDS today. Most intresting part of the plan (to me) it included needle-exchange programs. Which, while studies show that they work, haven't always been very popular. It's too easy to propagandize against them, arguing that they encourage drug use, despite the fact that there's no proof that they do.
Once again John Edwards is first to have real, implementable policy. Once again he stands out as the candidate from whom we can truly expect real change.
And once again he gets the shaft because everyone as basically assumed that Hillary will win the election. The Service Employees International Union (SEIU) once again declined to endorse a candidate, even though reports say that Edwards would win if they had an up-down vote today.
Apparently, despite the fact that Edwards is the strongest on issues the union cares about (health care, worker's rights, minimum wage, collective bargaining, the existence of unions in general), they're scared of backing a loser.
Oh, and please do follow that link and read the comments at the bottom. Anti-union sentiment in this country is a real problem and no one seems to realize how harmful it is. Collective bargaining has historically been the only effective way for "blue-collar" workers to improve or maintain employment that is safe and pays a livable wage (which in this day and age includes benefits). It's capitalist propaganda that pits different parts of the working class against eachother, preventing them from realizing that they could be the most powerful force in the country. No, I'm not a Marxist, but you have to admit that he did get some things right.
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