Quotes taken from the New York Times, 10 March 2001, sec. A, p. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/2001/03/10/business/10AIR.html Freedom---the most promiscuous and ideological tendentious word in the English language---was again revealed as a shallow screen in which the ruling class gets to DECIDE FOR EVERYBODY ELSE what exactly 'freedom' is. Freedom of voluntary assembly? Not if it's a workers strike. Freedom from intrusive government force? Not if it's in the service of the rapacious profit machines. '[The Alleged President] issued an executive order yesterday preventing a potential strike next week by mechanics at Northwest Airlines and said he would take "the necessary steps" to block walkouts at any major carrier this year. '"It's important for our economy; but more important, it's important for the hard-working people of America to make sure air service is not disrupted," [The Alleged President] said in announcing the action. 'The country's four biggest airlines face possible strikes in the coming months. By intervening in the Northwest dispute, which he pledged to do last month, [The Alleged President] becomes only the second president since 1966 to order workers at a major airline to stay on the job.' Then the New York Times, mouthpiece of the ruling class, proceeds to demonstrate that 'freedom of the press' is little more than than state monopoly doublespeak in which to monopolize the English language itself... '[The Alleged President's] words offered relief to millions of travelers who have been inconvenienced by worker slowdowns at airlines in recent months and are concerned about disruptions in their travel plans'... Of course, whether or not FORCING airplane mechanics to perform jobs they feel underpaid to perform is acceptable is not even considered by the Times. The usual ruling class shill is trotted onstage to jump through a few flaming hoops... '"This announcement looks very antilabor," Charles B. Craver, a professor of labor law at George Washington University, said. "Whether it was meant to be, I don't know. But it certainly gives the impression that the White House is coming out in favor of management rather than being neutral".' Like, duh, professor. 'Asked if [The Alleged President] was siding with airline management, [Scott McClellan, a White House spokesman] said, "He is taking the side of the American people and our economy"'---as if 'the American people' and workers are two separate classes of people. As if any American stupid enough to cheer the suppression of the airline mechanics' freedom to assemble voluntarily will be immune from the SAME government intervention should they ever decide to assemble voluntarily. Does anyone recall the FIRST act of power instituted by the Nazi party in 1933? It was smashing the unions. The Jews would wait their turn... One would expect such predictable votaries of 'freedom' and 'liberty' as the right-wing demogouges who glut the (allegedly 'liberal') American media to be up at arms over such a blatant display of BIG GOVERNMENT getting on the peoples' backs. Instead, this overt violation of 'freedom' is, in fact, OK by them. After all, freedom is not unilateral and it cannot exist in a vacuum. The freedom TO often blocks a freedom FROM---and the recipients of surplus value, not to mention the proponents of 'small government,' will generally cheer on any state totalitarian act that quashes the freedom of anyone who might challenge the freedom of the ruling class (and their labor aristocrat prostitutes) from sucking up as much surplus as possible. Note to anyone foolish enough to suggest that the above 'proves' that the Republicans are worse than the Democrats.... 'President Bill Clinton ordered pilots at American Airlines back to work in 1997, minutes after their strike began.' ............................... You are cordially invited to join a new debate forum, downwithcapitalism, the continuation of Mcspotlight's Capitalism and the Alternatives, hosted by Barry Stoller. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/downwithcapitalism Subscribe: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Leninist-International mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] To change your options or unsubscribe go to: http://lists.wwpublish.com/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
