We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Thursday, May 19, 2016

American Aggression Against China: A World Crisis Looms

Click here to access article by Christopher Black from New Eastern Outlook.

This widely respected Canadian international criminal and human rights lawyer provides some inside information on the views of Chinese leaders regarding the ongoing provocations by the US military off the coast of China. 

This blog is dedicated to informing people about the twin threats that threaten the future of humans and providing ideas about how we can prevent them from happening. Both threats are propelled by the system of capitalism. An immediate threat consists of the increasingly aggressive acts of the US-led capitalist Empire which could lead to a nuclear conflagration--and this could happen anytime; while the latter is climate destabilization that many scientists already see as "baked in" to our future, but a more distant future.

Black's article explains how the ongoing provocations by the US military off the coast of China is seen as an unacceptable threat to Chinese security by top Chinese leaders, and some of the ways that they are preparing to meet this threat. The same thing is happening near many borders of Russia. These provocations are an indication of the arrogance that infects the political directors of our capitalist ruling class. Many knowledgeable people, including Black, see this situation as almost inevitably leading to a devastating nuclear war.
The Chinese government has once again reacted angrily, calling this new violation of Chinese sovereignty, a “provocation” which indeed it is. But nothing more was done except to scramble some jets and ships to put on a show of the flag. But to what end? The Americans could not care less about dramatics. They only understand force. Logic requires that, unless these provocations stop there will be a shooting incident in the near future because there will be nothing else China can do. The thought of what could happen next can only make you shudder. But unless the world thinks hard about that and reacts with the necessary response, this renegade nation, the one nation that roams around the world with a big club, threatening, bullying and destroying, without regard for law, morality, or humanity, will push us all to the eve of destruction.

The American bullying attitude rests in an innate chauvinism and arrogance and a complete confidence in their superiority of arms. But it is this very confidence that will be their downfall.