Think about this when you read our posts. These capitalist corporations control the US mass media and are the force behind the offensive against the working class in this country and also they are the force behind the attempt to convince us that Tucson was only a lone nut problem. They are the force that capitalism uses to try and control the consciousness of the working class.
If we are to have any success at all in fighting the employers and their capitalist system we must know the way they think, what they are thinking at any given time, and what their plans are. The easiest way to do this is by following their regular serious publications. Their main regular public publication in the US is the Wall Street Journal. At times of crisis such as Tucson this mouthpiece takes the lead. We have to read it and study it and see what it says both on and between the lines, and also what it does not say.
At the moment it continues to hammer away at the idea that the alleged shooter in Tucson was a lone nut. The main headline on its first page today is: "Postings of a troubled mind." The fact that it is the main headline and the bluntness of the statement, the fact that the main editorial is on this topic also, shows that US capitalism continues to be very concerned. It sees that it must keep up its propaganda that the shootings had nothing to do with capitalism, its system, but with the mental state of an individual. The idea is to let its system off the hook.
But the Wall Street Journal has a problem. It seeks to speak to the capitalist class itself and to do so it has to tell it some of the truth. So in articles covering several pages in today's edition it gives facts which are concrete. But first let us examine their proposition about a troubled mind. How does somebody with a troubled mind get a troubled mind? There is of course the possibility that a person can be born with brain damage, chemical imbalances in the brain and so on. But the overwhelming majority who get into trouble with capitalism are not in this category. They get their "troubled minds" because of the system they live in and the affect this system has on their minds. In other words it is capitalism that gives them the troubled mind. Once you draw this conclusion then the solution is clear. We must end capitalism. But this is ruled out for the capitalists so they have to try and stop the debate at the troubled mind stage.
But as I say The Wall Street Journal has to tell its own class something of the truth. So in its extensive coverage today it gives the following information about the alleged shooter. He was frustrated because he could not even get a minimum wage job, he had not had a pay check in six months. He claimed he had made 65 applications for jobs and got none. This would trouble any body's mind. Then there is the other assaults of capitalism on his mind. It is said he played a lot of video games. these are overwhelmingly violent and alienating. This is not good. And he was under the non stop barrage of the propaganda of the right with their paranoia about big government and the money standard and the assault on women's' right to choose. He called women who had abortion "terrorists". He said women in college enjoyed being raped.
This alleged shooter was not too sensible to put it mildly. But the question is why was he not too sensible. The reasons stated above are what led him to the position he was in when he went to shoot in Tucson. Capitalism created the conditions for this catastrophe.
Of course the system can drive and does drive people to where they crack. And as I have stated there are people born with imbalances and damage in their brains. Any humane society would have extensive help and treatment for such people. But what has been happening in the US now for decades. At the same time as US capitalism steps up its offensive against the majority of the population and makes their lives worse and increases their mental tensions and stress in their lives capitalism is also reducing the mental help and treatment it is giving people.
Not a single state in the US has enough psychiatric beds for its its mentally ill people according to the Treatment Advocacy Center. Arizona is second only to Nevada on this scale. Based on the National Institute of Mental Health estimates there are over 21,000 schizophrenics in Arizona. Approximately 10% of schizophrenics become violent. But instead of helping and treating people with mental health problems capitalism threw them out of the hospitals on to the streets beginning in the 1960's and at the same time those who are not schizophrenics they put under unrelenting pressure on the job and wage front and the prospects of having any kind of a decent future. No matter what way you look at it. No matter the propaganda of the Wall Street Journal on behalf of its class and its system. The killings in Tucson are rooted in and caused by the system. Capitalism is guilty.
As we said in yesterday's post on our blog the moment of silence was to literally keep people silent. The union leaders, the left and radical forces should be doing the exact opposite of a moment of silence. They should be having moments of outcry and mobilization. I see the churches in Tucson are full with people sitting listening passively to preachers. As usual they play their role of damping down the anger of the people when this anger should be encouraged and directed against the system. It is times like these that you see the real nature of religious institutions. Keeping people quiet and getting them to be passive and accept the system.
Reject this capitalist propaganda of passivity. Develop our ability to read the capitalist press and to see what they are thinking and doing. In the case of Tucson develop demands and a movement around which working class people can build an alternative. Only in this way will we be able build the mass consciousness necessary to change the system.
Remember Bradley Manning is still in solitary confinement. Step the campaign to get in released. I see also where there is talk that if they manage to extradite Assange that he could end up in Guantanamo bay. We must keep up the campaign to defend him and wikileaks also.
And finally the changing world balance of forces has been even more demonstrated in the past twenty four hours. As we said yesterday Gates was over there to try and threaten and charm the Chinese elite into being more friendly and also buy more arms from the US military industrial complex. He was rebuffed. But not only was he rebuffed. When he was there the Chinese military conducted a test of its new stealth fighter. This was a deliberate taunt and warning to the US and Gates. Do not mess with us. We have power. And its all connected here too. The more US capitalism looses to the rising Chinese power, the more it will have to cut back US living standards and the closer we will be to an eruption of struggle of the US working class and a change in consciousness of the US working class.
Times they are changing alright.
Sean.
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