‘Raise Your Voice’ Archives
Project Earth
By Peter Molenaar March 8, 2017”¦ (Note: DAPL refers to Dakota Access Pipeline.) The Walker Community United Methodist Church continues to showcase our resilience, this time beckoning a “Café con Alondra.” The forum was to feature a panel of #NoDAPL veterans, fresh from the Battle of Standing Rock. Alondra Cano”'s presence was appreciated as well. As it happened, audience members were invited to state their concerns. By what path will we transition to the post-fossil-fuel society? Will an intervening crisis ensue? Does the slogan - “Workers and oppressed people unite” still hold true? Clearly, the assembled Native-American voice now serves as our spiritual intermediary to Mother Earth. Yet, Trump supporters have shouted: “How will that oil get to you without the pipeline?” Well, listen up. The oil in question has been shipped by train all along. Why would you support the ambitions of one sector of capital over another? Why would [...]
Tony and Fidel
By Peter Molenaar In their February 2017 issue, our friends at Southside Pride saw fit to publish an article by Tony Bouza, a former Minneapolis chief of police. In this piece, Tony fondly recalls his youthful encounter with the charismatic Fidel Castro, but sadly, at midpoint he advises: “socialism doesn”'t work.” Before launching any rebuttal, readers should take an online look at both Tony Bouza and the editor of Southside Pride, Ed Felien. To his credit, Brother Bouza has, for many years rendered critical commentary on policing problems. Moreover, Friend Ed (the “unrepentant Maoist!”) frequently has submitted astonishing insights into the maneuvers of capitalists here and abroad. So, Tony and Ed are honorable guys. However, according to Tony, socialism “lacks the competitiveness, greed, energy and wealth producing genius of capitalism.” Oh, wow. Regarding capitalism, let us skim from the surface the horrific [...]
The Resistance Has Begun
By Peter Molenaar It is now farewell to President Obama. Naturally, as a leader of the capitalist world, he was bound to disappoint us to some degree. However, from day one, the panderers of racism were determined to sabotage his presidency. One can only begin to fathom the fortitude of the man. No, there will be no redemption for a president who promotes, from the fringes, avowed white supremacists to the high inner circle. What nation might evolve should this turn prevail? None! But, are we in a revolutionary situation? No, not yet. The system has not collapsed, the working-class is divided; we lack a viable vanguard party of our own. So, where to begin? For now, as members of a multi-racial/multi-ethnic community, we are asked to elevate the spiritual content of our social interactions via courtesy, love and respect. It is an immense responsibility. Note: As a distributor of this humble paper, I tell everyone along the way that we do not endorse the idea of white supremacy. [...]
