War is a Racket

I spent 33 years and four months in active military service and during that period I spent most of my time as a high class muscle man for Big Business, for Wall Street and the bankers. In short, I was a racketeer, a gangster for capitalism. I helped make Mexico and especially Tampico safe for American oil interests in 1914. I helped make Haiti and Cuba a decent place for the National City Bank boys to collect revenues in. I helped in the raping of half a dozen Central American republics for the benefit of Wall Street. I helped purify Nicaragua for the International Banking House of Brown Brothers in 1902-1912. I brought light to the Dominican Republic for the American sugar interests in 1916. I helped make Honduras right for the American fruit companies in 1903. In China in 1927 I helped see to it that Standard Oil went on its way unmolested. Looking back on it, I might have given Al Capone a few hints. The best he could do was to operate his racket in three districts. I operated on three continents.

 

General Smedley D. Butler

From War is a Racket: The Classic Speech by America’s Most Decorated Soldier, Commandant – US Marine Corps.

Warning: Ukraine Is At A Flashpoint

From Chris Martenson. It’s a scary time. Millions of lives are at risk if this is Empire building lunacy continues unabated.

Warning: Ukraine Is At A Flashpoint

San Francisco Food Not Bombs assaulted & arrested on May Day

thepeoplesrecord:

San Francisco Food Not Bombs assaulted & arrested on May Day
May 3, 2014

May Day in San Francisco saw several hundred protesters marching through the Mission district for various causes, including against targeted evictions, and for Alejandro Nieto, who was killed last month in the city by a police officer. Here’s a couple of accounts on the situation:

From San Francisco Food Not Bombs:

Because today’s Mission District May Day Rally and March coincided with San Francisco Food Not Bombs’ weekly Thursday sharing at the Mission/16th Street BART Plaza, some FNB activists brought out some food a little early to share with some marchers that were freely expressing themselves at the intersection of Mission and 16th Streets.

SFPD officers quickly surrounded a group of marchers, refusing to let them voluntarily return from the street to the sidewalk.  The cops arrested about ten people, including some FNB members, and tackled at least one detainee.  They also flipped over our serving table, destroying the rice, bread and guacamole intended for hungry people, and stole the table, a SFFNB sign and some of our serving bowls and utensils.

We want the SFPD to immediately free the arrested people and return our equipment.  The food is forever wasted.

Fortunately, other activists shared the rest of their delicious, prepared food with community members on the BART Plaza at 7PM as usual.

UPDATE:  The SFPD released all except two of the arrested people Thursday night, charging them with various misdemeanors.

Source

Find a FOOD NOT BOMBS chapter near you!

Source: thepeoplesrecord

Mankind will suffer badly from the disease of boredom, a disease spreading more widely each year and growing in intensity. The lucky few who can be involved in creative work of any sort will be the true elite of mankind, for they alone will do more than serve a machine.

 

Isaac Asimov