En Passant

Australia’s “justice” system usually reveals its racism by targeting and over-policing Indigenous people. It fills its prisons with them or kills them in police holding cells. This time the racism appears in the leniency shown a white man responsible for their deaths.

Either way, Aboriginal lives mean little to it.

Jameela Jubran had not set foot in Palestine for 33 years. But the death of her father last year, and a desire to see the truth about the Israeli occupation, drove her to return to her homeland. What she found, alongside the horror of Israeli occupation, was an inspiring new union movement. Red Flag’s Corey Oakley talked to her about the experience.

For 30 years the left has been incrementally lowering its sights, conceding ideological terrain and hiding what radicalism it retains under a cloak of moderation write the editors of Red Flag. It has gotten us nowhere. If we are going to build a challenge to the status quo, it will be done only by being bold and unapologetic about our critique of the existing system, and the radical transformation that is necessary if humanity is going to have a future worth living.

Preparations for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar have brought to light the modern slave trade being used to build tournament infrastructure writes Jayesh Maharaj in Red Flag.

The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and the Mafia conspired to carry out an assassination 50 years ago this week writes Simon Basketter in Socialist Worker UK. They plotted to take out a president—Fidel Castro of Cuba, and they did it under the orders of US president John F Kennedy.

After more than a year of leadership discussions … and various joint activities it has become apparent that unity … is not a viable prospect … The overall political projects of both organisations are not sufficiently similar to carry through a sustained and productive unity …

Abbott’s leadership of racism in Australia is now undermining his main propaganda popularising and focusing racism, ‘stopping the boats.’

He may therefore be considering an alternative racist focus like Aborigines but given the massive political investment he made in ‘stopping the boats’ and the possibility of resistance or fightback, that may not work. In Abbott’s mind a good ‘terrorists in Australia’ beat up might be more successful in diverting our attention away from his failed refugee racism.

It is a pity that Barnaby Joyce, a man of tact, diplomacy, nuance and subtlety, isn’t going to Indonesia to fix things up. I know I am disappointed that Barnaby is missing out on this great opportunity, and I am sure the Indonesians feel the same way. [Sarcasm alert.]

Given the magnificent success so far of the Abbott government on things like refugees, the relationship with Indonesia and climate change, I have decided to run a new competition. Given the magnificent success so far of the Abbott government on things like refugees, the relationship with Indonesia and climate change, I have decided to run a new competition. What new issue will the Abbott government f**k up in the coming week? Let us know.

They are waging class war against us. The Productivity Commission pension recommendations are just one part of that war.

Isn’t it time we fought back instead of turning the other cheek and being smashed by the bosses and their politicians in both major parties every bloody day?

They are burning us out. Instead of increasing the pension age, cut it to 60.

The time for a 30 hour week is now.  The time for taxing the rich is now.

The time for fighting back is now.