24/06/03 13:17 Filed by Saswat Pattanayak in:
Political
| Editorial
You know what did the President Bush say today about
Diversity. Laudable. Commendable. Politically so
correct.
I applaud the
Supreme Court for recognizing the value of diversity
on our Nation’s campuses. Diversity is one of
America’s greatest strengths. Today’s decisions seek
a careful balance between the goal of campus
diversity and the fundamental principle of equal
treatment under the law.
My Administration will continue to promote policies
that expand educational opportunities for Americans
from all racial, ethnic, and economic backgrounds.
There are innovative and proven ways for colleges and
universities to reflect our diversity without using
racial quotas. The Court has made clear that colleges
and universities must engage in a serious, good faith
consideration of workable race-neutral alternatives.
I agree that we must look first to these race-neutral
approaches to make campuses more welcoming for all
students.
Race is a reality in American life. Yet like the
Court, I look forward to the day when America will
truly be a color-blind society. My Administration
will continue to work toward this important
goal.
There are two types of George Bush here:
One speaking the bold letters (marked by me) who we
know. The other languages are by who?
What bothers me is a wonderful concept called
Color-blind. But why talk about it at this point,
when the issues are so based on color. Some folks
sure still have the privilege to get away with that!
Tags: Saswat, Bush, USA, Capitalism, Racism
16/06/03 13:15 Filed by Saswat Pattanayak in:
Saswat | Political
| Editorial
G-8 Summit finally concluded in Evian, France. As we
know, a group of rogue nations met at the summit to
encourage cooperative (read: competitive) action on
key global priorities (read: globe is defined by
them) : spurring economic growth (read: of their own
markets); combating terrorism (read: to curb popular
resentments in their countries); preventing the
proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (read:
to forbid others of their luxuries); and promoting
prosperity in the developing world (read: by devising
ways to keep them from being developed or declaring
them as such).
Funny that I had to use the parenthesis to make the
meanings clear. For I am sure all of us understand
them anyway without any stress.
Tags: G-8, France, Capitalism, Saswat
15/06/03 12:00 Filed by Saswat Pattanayak in:
Political
| Reference
One has heard of the SALT and NPT and the CTBT.
Here is yet another one: MTSOR.
Moscow Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions.
And the following is a lesser known joint statement
passed early this month:
On May 24, 2002, we pledged to build a new strategic
relationship between the United States of America and
the Russian Federation. We declared our partnership,
and our commitment to work together to advance
stability, security, and prosperity for our peoples,
and to work jointly to counter global challenges and
help resolve regional conflicts. We also declared
that where we had differences, we would work to
resolve them in a spirit of mutual respect.
We have met again to reaffirm our Nations’
partnership and our commitment to meet together the
challenges of the 21st century.
With the completion of the ratification procedures by
the United States Senate, and the two houses of the
Russian Federal Assembly, we have been able to
exchange instruments of ratification for the Moscow
Treaty on Strategic Offensive Reductions. The Treaty
takes effect immediately. The deep reductions of
strategic nuclear warheads that it codifies are
another indication of the transformed relationship
between our two countries.
We will intensify efforts to confront the global
threats of terrorism, and the proliferation of
weapons of mass destruction and their means of
delivery, that threaten our peoples and
freedom-loving peoples around the world.
In this regard, we declare our intention to advance
concrete joint projects in the area of missile
defense which will help deepen relations between the
United States and Russia.
How long shall things stay on the paper? As long as
it results in Russian reductions….
Tags: Russia, USA, Saswat, War, Peace, Imperialism
14/06/03 05:51 Filed by Saswat Pattanayak in:
Political
| Reference
A significant interview below:
“Jack O’Dell was a union organizer, a civil rights
leader, and a member of the Communist Party. His
political consciousness formed in the 1940’s, when
the African-American community became more assertive
in their efforts to improve conditions and expand
civil rights. Like many blacks, including one of his
role models, Paul Robeson, O’Dell was drawn to the
Communist Party because of their staunch stand
against racism and segregation. During the 1940’s,
O’Dell found a welcoming environment in the National
Maritime Union. Later, he worked for the director of
the Southern Christian Leadership Counsel (SCLC)
office in New York, before becoming SCLC’s voter
registration director in seven southern states.”
http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/6927.html
“I
Never Met a Black Person Who Was in the Communist
Party Because of the Soviet Union:” Jack O’Dell on
Fighting Racism in the 1940s Read
More...
Tags: Saswat, Communism, Interview
13/06/03 10:42 Filed by Saswat Pattanayak in:
Memories
| Political
| Reference
“If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those
who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate
agitation are people who want crops without plowing
up the ground. They want rain without thunder and
lightning. That struggle might be a moral one; it
might be a physical one; it might be both moral and
physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes
nothing without a demand. It never did and never
will. People might not get all that they work for in
this world, but they must certainly work for all they
get
.” —Frederick Douglass
Tags: Saswat, Activism, Black Power