No Masters, No Gods!

Fundamental rights may not be submitted to a vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections. -U.S. Supreme Court

The above statement is provided not as a show of support far an authoritarian institution, but to illustrate the point that the idea of people possessing inalienable rights - rights that cannot be transferred or taken away even if a majority wishes otherwise - are not derived from some radical ideology. It is an established universal truth among all libertarians, even pseudo-libertarians who support certain authoritarian institutions. We anarchists can recognize the validity of this truth even though the very court that has proclaimed it has also repeatedly trampled upon its premise that no individual, or majority of individuals, has the right to interfere with or suppress another individual's liberty. Anarchists also recognize that no individual, group or entity has the right to exploit and oppress others.

Using this as the point of departure, libertarians can better view the events of September 11, 2001, and recognize the direction we should be moving in their aftermath.

All Parties To This 'New War' Are Oppressors

Anarchists and all I~bertarians must reject the positions of all the participants in this "new war" which president George W. Bush has declared. Many working-class people lost their 3kcs in the attacks on the World Trade Center in New York and the Pentagon in Washington, DC, but we must reject the rabid jingoistic fervor which has arisen in the U.S. as a reaction to these attacks. Anarchists condemn the mass murder of workers and denounce those who would use passenger airliners as guided missies. However, we also recognize that tens of thousands of workers are maimed, mutilated and murdered every year at the hands of their capitalist masters right here in America.

Following the WTC and Pentagon attacks, president Bush stated to the world that freedom had come under attack. But the reality is that freedom was already under attack by the Bush Administration and the right-wing fascists it supports. What came under attack were two powerful symbols which a majority of the oppressed in the world see as representing American capitalist and military hegemony that keeps them impoverished and exploited. With that said, we also recognize that those who appear responsible for these attacks are no friends of the working class, but are themselves just as culpable as the capitalists in the wanton killing and murder of workers. This was one form of human domination and authoritarianism attacking another. And as is always the case in authoritarian wars, the rulers remain unscathed while the working class ends up paying the blood sacrifice. Anarchists denounce all those who target people for attack on account of their national origin, religion, or skin color. But anarchists should equally reject the slogan "Islam Is not the enemy." All forms of domination and oppression, whether religious, political, or economic In nature must be opposed by anarchists. But we oppose religious beliefs by building working class consciousness, not by firebombing mosques.

While It is true that the United States is the leading exploiter of the world's working class and its resources, the Islamic fundamentalists advocating jihad (holy war) against the U.S. are every bit as authoritarian or more so than the U.S. and are responsible far imposing brutally repressive measures against the people within their spheres of power. The Taliban in Afghanistan have instituted the harshest repressions known to humanity, particularly against women, in the name of Islam. This Islamic regime confines women to their homes unless accompanied by a male relative, forces women to wear head-to-toe burkas, denies them educational and employment opportunities of almost every kind, and subjects them to medieval punishments-including amputations, stoning, whippings and public executions -if they fail to obey Islamic law. Many supporters of Islam denounce such acts and have claimed that these are the extremes and that Islam represents love for humanity. Sure it does, as long as you obey its tenets. The Christians said the same thing while supporting slavery and the extermination of Native Americans.

The truth is that all religions are hierarchical and patriarchal to one degree or another. It has been said that religion is simply an individual choice. If it were that simple there would Se no problem. Unfortunately, when it comes to religion such individual practices inevitably affect society as a whole. It's when domination of others comes into view that religion becomes intolerable for libertarians to support, and it inevitably becomes so, regardless of the numerous disclaimers by its supporters. Religion thus goes from being an individual belief to a repressive, authoritarian system that denies others their liberty.

No Difference Between American Religious Right And Islamic Fundamentalists

Here in the United States we have the Christian equivalent of the Islamic fundamentalists in the form of hatemongers Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson, both right-wing religious fanatics who claim America was attacked on account of God's wrath against feminists, gays and lesbians, pagans, and women exercising their reproductive rights. Unfortunately, many Americans subscribe to this and other forms of intolerant religious dogma which seeks to impose restrictive hierarchical controls on society In general and patriarchal controls on the lives of women in particular. There is no difference between the terrorist acts committed by Islamic fundamentalists and those committed by Christian fundamentalists, such as bombing women's clinics and murdering people who choose alternative lifestyle. Christian and Islamic fundamentalists both pursue a course of action designed to impose an authoritarian and repressive system on others, and in the process trampling under foot the idea of liberty.

If one is anti-authoritarian, one must oppose all hierarchical institutions, since they embody the principle of authority and domination. It is certainly untenable for anarchists to support any form of cultural diversity that advocates domination and repression of others-even if a majority supports such practices in any given society. This brings to mind another repugnant practice widely accepted in Islamic societies-female genital mutilation. Individuals have a right to live however they wish to live, but they do not have a right to impose a lifestyle on others that is authoritarian, patriarchal, exploitative and repressive. Capitalism, statism, and every form of organized religion have these attributes and more. Libertarians must oppose them all.

Bush and Gang More Concerned About Condition Of Capitalism Than Condition Of Working Class

Within hours of the WTC collapse, the general concern coming from government officials and major media pundits wasn't about the human dimension in lost lives as much as it was about what can be done to keep businesses from going bankrupt and the capitalist system from crashing. Thus, even in the face of the greatest calamity to hit America since the Civil War, the major concerns of capitalist greed have overshadowed the tragedy of dead and injured workers. It has even been reported by workers who survived the WTC collapse that when the first plane hit the North Tower workers in the South Tower were instructed to remain at their work stations. We can only guess at the number of additional lives that might have been saved if not for this callous disregard for workers. But capitalist profits have always been paramount to worker safety and welfare, and nothing has changed in that regard as the evidence clearly proves.

Prior to the events of September 11, 2001, the Bush Administration stood as a roadblock against any attempt by Congress to increase spending on social programs beneficial to the working class and poor of America. Instead, Bush has lobbied for billions of extra dollars far military armaments and missile defense shields that recent events have shown to be Idiotic and worthless. Bush has also done everything he can to abrogate environmental and safety regulations that protect the working class, while also renewing a global nuclear arms race. While Bush couldn't spare a dime for poor children, he has now asked Congress to appropriate I40 billion, and probably more, to subsidize capitalist businesses.

Working-class Americans should be outraged by this hypocritical behavior exhibited by Bush that clearly shows him putting business needs before human needs. Yet all we read and hear from the media is gushing propaganda about what a great leader Bush is. When it was legislation to provide food, housing, and health care for poor Americans, Bush was more concerned with providing tax cuts to the rich and balancing the budget. However, now that capitalism is in a major crisis Bush is prepared to break the bank to keep the capitalist system afloat and fund open-ended military expansion. At the same time, hundreds of thousands of workers are losing their jobs and can expect very little relief from Bush who is a believer in "trickle-down" theory.

Civil Liberties Threatened By Patriotic Hysteria

The next casualty of these attacks will be an attack by Bush and Gang on our civil liberties. Capitalist states were already in the process of implementing "Counter-terrorism" measures against the rising global anti-capitalist movement. Now "anti-terrorist" hysteria is being whipped up by the authoritarian despots among us whose loosely defined term of "terrorism" will become an all-encompassing net to catch anyone who dares challenge capitalism and authoritarianism. Within hours of the WTC collapse, the pollsters were already hard at work spreading the propaganda that a majority of Americans are willing to sacrifice some of their civil liberties in exchange for "security." Even if such a majority does exist, "fundamental rights may not be submitted to a vote" and they have no right to impose a lockdown on the rest of us.

The U.S. portrays itself as a beacon of hope, freedom and liberty. If it lived up to its self-image why would anybody hate it? The truth is that our democracy is a sham bought and paid for by the capitalist plutocrats. Abroad, America has exerted more energy on fighting against revolutionary liberation movements and instead put its support behind right-wing dictators brought to power by CIA-orchestrated coups that overthrew democratically elected leftists governments. As an anarchist, I support neither left nor right authoritarianism, but use this to show U.S. hypocrisy when it speaks of defending "democracy" and show how oppressed peoples are drawn into supporting authoritarian religious fanaticism.

The U.S. shares responsibility for what transpired on September 11, 2001. When speaking of suicide bombers, let us not forget that the U.S. possesses thousands of nuclear weapons that it is poised to use in defense of capitalism. Make no mistake about it, the country that speaks the loudest about defending the rights of liberty will not hesitate to trigger global nuclear war and its ensuing holocaust to defend the rights (as the U.S. sees it) of corporations to pillage the earth and oppress its people. If this form of nuclear terrorism with its threat of complete annihilation of every living thing on the planet is not "suicidal," then what is? America started the nuclear arms race and has repeatedly thumbed its nose at the rest of the world whenever multilateral nuclear disarmament efforts have been initiated. Why? Because it wanted to be the global bully welding the big nuclear club against others while hiding behind the name of liberty.

The International Working Class Must Unite Against All Oppressors

The international anti-capitalist movement must not allow these events and the militaristic saber rattling that has followed to divide us further or distract us from our mission of overcoming global oppression by building working-class solidarity to achieve the social revolution and a better world. It is typical of the imperialist capitalist powers that whenever the revolutionary momentum begins to build substantial class consciousness within the working class, the imperialist rulers devise a war to inflame patriotic, nationalistic passions and divide the working class into warring factions. Since Seattle 1999 (N30), the growing anti-capitalist movement has raised grave concerns within the capitalist ruling class. World Wars I and II erupted on the heels of mounting global dissatisfaction with the capitalist system. The purpose of these capitalist wars, contrary to popular myth, was to protect capitalist markets while diverting working-class anger from the ruling class and getting workers to turn their guns on each other. The same tactics are being employed today by the capitalists In an attempt to destroy anti-capitalist solidarity. And American workers are once again being sucked into flag-waving patriotic hysteria that serves only the interests of the very people who exploit and oppress them. Workers of the world must not fall into this nationalistic chauvinism,

Bush and Gang Looking for Excuses To Increase Militarization

It is a well-known fact that president George W. Bush has stacked his cabinet with the most vehement warmongers on the planet. Since becoming selected as president, Bush and his Cold War-era cabinet have been advocating a renewed buildup of American military forces. While calling it defense, the reality Is that most of the new weapons systems are offensive in nature, Including the highly touted but now irrelevant National Missile Defense. To justify the Increased spending on offensive weaponry, the Bush Administration has searched high and low in the post-Cold War era for a boogeyman they could paint to as representing a major military threat to the U.S. This whole charade, however, was and is just another attempt by Bush and his militarist minions to keep the money spigot open to the capitalist merchants of death who have much to lose by peace breaking out and the world becoming de-militarized. Now, amazingly, Bush has found his boogeyman in the fern: of the shadowy figure of the international terrorist. Congress has made Rush's dream come true by providing him with a blank check to wage war against terrorism and fund the capitalist expansion over the control of all of earth's inhabitants,

Before moving on, it should also be noted that while Bush blathers on about the lamp of democracy, his becoming president was the result of a constitutional system known as the electoral college which operated to ignore the national majority vote which was won by Al Gore (not that Gore the Bore was much different). But, hey, why let such trivialities stand in the way of patriot-rousing rhetoric that the two-faced Bush is good at spewing?

Now for the conspiracy theory. How is it that all of these hijackings evaded the radar of the FBI and CIA? Not that I support or give a damn about either one, but they seem capable of engaging in COINTELPRO-type operations against Indymedia and anti-capitalist forces. Why the sudden breakdown in intelligence gathering now? The WTC had previously been bombed by Islamic radicals, yet the attacks of Sept 11 seem to have caught them by surprise. or did it? In light of Bush's fervent desire for increased American militarization and to counteract the growing global discontent with capitalism, thp Flun awarded to Bush by Congress could only come about as the result of 3 major military crisis-whether real or concocted. A CNN report on Sunday September 16, 2002, said that a suspect related to the suicide bombing of the U.S.S. Cole in 2000 in Yemen was connected to at least one of the airliner hijackers and had been under FBI surveillance at the time the four airliners were hijacked. How is it that the FRI knew of this connection but was unable to develop any information regarding the planned attacks? This would not be the first time the U.S. government has used lies and deceit and sacrificed human lives in order to promote its militaristic ambitions. And the current nest of vipers residing in the White House are nothing short of scoundrels and liars.

When the U.S. speaks of peace it reminds me of Orwellian newspeak. While speaking of "peace" the U.S. is the most militaristic and warring nation on the planet. To the American rulers "war is peace." No other power than the U.S. is so liberal in its use of extreme force against foreign peoples (and even against its own) and, in consequence, no other power is seen by its opponents as being so violent, arrogant and hegemonistic. Of course, it's easier for the U.S. to hide behind the myth of being attacked by evil enemies of liberty than it is to look in the mirror and see what others see.

Honor Fallen Workers By Opposing Capitalism and Authoritarianism

The best way the American working class can honor the memory of our fellow workers who have perished is by not getting swept away in a wave of nationalistic and xenophobic hysteria which only serves to divert our attention away from the real threat to the working class-capitalism and State repression, We must recognize that the capitalist exploiters, military warmongers, and police-state apologists right here in America represent a greater threat to liberty and freedom than any group of so-called terrorists. The American Christian fanatics are bombing women's clinics, assassinating doctors, and carrying out a terror campaign against feminists, gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgenders, and anyone else who struggles against their patriarchal and authoritarian belief system. These religious zealots represent a greater danger to American's freedoms than Osama bin Laden ever could.

Now is not the time to lapse into blind patriotism and reactionary posturing. Now is the time for serious reflection to see the misery and oppression that is foisted upon the people of the world by America behind the facade of liberty and democracy. Not everyone in America has fallen in line behind Bush and Gang. The IMF and World Bank demonstrations originally scheduled in Washington, DC for Sept. 29, were quickly reorganized into anti-war demonstrations. Thousands showed up at rallies in DC, San Francisco, and other cities including Barcelona, Spain. It was heartwarming to see such courage exhibited by people. In these days when we so often hear the word "courage" spoken we must remember that true courage is found among those who refuse to embrace the herd mentality and march lockstep with patriotic hysteria. There is nothing courageous about being blind sheep, unquestioning and ignorant of reality, and gullible enough to swallow anything a fascist like Bush has to say.

America may claim to hold the lamp of liberty, but in the other hand it holds a club which it has used repeatedly to beat the workers of the world into submission for the benefit of the greedy capitalist rulers. Bush and Gang have plans to further exploit humanity and the global environment while holding a gun to workers' heads and herding us all into a tightly controlled authoritarian box.

The American working class must stand together of liberty, hut with our global brothers and sisters to resist and defeat the forces of oppression that now keep us shackled and subjugated, Now is indeed the time to stand up and defend liberty and freedom. Rut the liberty we choose to defend puts human rights above property rights. The liberty and freedom we choose to defend belongs to all the people of the world, not just an elite few. In contrast, the liberty and freedom Bush speaks of is the freedom to exploit and oppress, and to despoil the earth's resources and our environment in the name of capitalist profits. We reject this idea of liberty and freedom for the few at the expense of the many.

We shall not be moved and must not be moved in our quest to achieve an egalitarian and libertarian social revolution. History will show that we are the true defenders of liberty and freedom.

Onward to the social revolution.

Ronald A. Young, #625541
8500 N FM 3053
Overton, TX 75684-6008

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