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To bring everyone up to date,- On January 1, 1994 (the eve of NAFTA) the Ejercito Zapatista Liberacion Nacional (EZLN) [Zapatista National Liberation Army] declared, "Enough is enough!" and declared war on the Mexican government (according to the EZLN the government has waged war on the people who work the land (known as campesinos) for the past 500 years). There was a cease fire declared 12 days later. According to national media in the US nothing has changed since then. In August of 1994. the EZLN convened a National Democratic Convention (CND) and built a massive amphitheatre name Aguascalientes. the EZLN had 10 essential points they wished the government to address; food, healthcare, educatioin, real democracy (Mexico's elections are notorious for their rigging), work and land. Despite a crackdown in Februrary of 1995 (in which the military used tactics of "persuasion" like drowning and electrical shock) no one turned in any members of the EZLN. When the EZLN set up infromation tables and asked questions on the internet, the EZLN was reaffirmed in the people's support of their struggle. When they asked the people what they wanted the movement to do-the majority of the 1.5 million respondants replied that they wanted the Zapatistas to lay down their arms and become a grass roots organization. On January 6, 1996, they did.
From January to March 1996 the EZLN built more Aguascalientes making it harder to diver the force of discussion between them and civil society and to look for a way to continue the discussion on how to fight neo-Liberalism globally.
Meanwhile, resistance and protests were growing - 4.8 protests per day in Mexico City (not just by the Zapatistas) in the first two months of 1996. So many protests that there were protests against protests! Protests in Mexico have also become more defiant and more violent as people in Mexico feel that they have nothing else left to lose. In February 1996, the government and the EZLN agreed in principle to limited Native autonomy in judicial, educational and cultural areas. 96% of rebel supporters who were consulted approved of the proposal. In May 1996, the arrest and conviction of two accused rebels ruptured talks between the EZLN and the Mexican government. Javier Elorriaga (a video journalist whose collective took a prominent role in spreading news of the EZLN via their video Viaje al Centro de la Selva [Journey to the Centre of the Jungle]) and Sebastien Entzin Gomez (a Tzetal [indigenous Mayan ethnicity] activist in Chiapas) were accused, but due to "irregularities" in the case, the decision was overturned.
Through July and August 1996 the EZLN has staged a series of colourful conventions in Chiapas that brought thogether leftist activists and intellectuals to talk about national political reform. The EZLN have also talked about producing a CD-Rom that will allow visitors to experience their mountain living conditions.
NEO-LIBERALISM:economic exploitation that strengthens the powers that be while reducing social services to the poor, thus increasing the class gap.
MANY THANKS/SOURCES:thanks-Friends who assisted in translation, Love And Rage Ontario, Endless Struggle Magazine (rip) for the original article picture.
sources-Zapatista Documents Of The New Mexican Revolution (Autonomedia Publications)
Love And Rage Magazine- vol.5 iss.2, vol.6 iss.3, vol.7 iss.2.
The Blast -vol.1 iss.1
VARIOUS NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS from: Austin American-Statesman, San Antonio Express-News, Houston Chronicle, The Monitor (McAllen, TX), La Manana, El Norte.
The answer, I think, is yes. In the age of "special interest" groups (namely the tobacco industry, various think tank groups funded by the Republican right and Christian Coalition), I find it hard to ludicrous that fundamental differences between the two parties (oh what a democracy this is, either the left hand or the right hand, both which are connected to the same brain) on reproductive freedom make the two parties seem like the party of white guy getting elected. And this is the so-called most democratic country in the world?
Bah, humbug. this is the country that is to defend us from the godless hordes from the Middle East? Remember that the Soviets were godless too. Choice? How about neither, nor. the platform that I want will never be supported by a party that is elected by some thinly veiled attempt at democracy.
Thank you.
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First up, we have probably the most commented on thing I've done in Diet Society (besides the BBQ Chip Review in issue #2), that being the image I constructed about the privilege of being involved in punk rock. Soon (if ever) to be appearing as a patch (whenever they get done). |
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As I recall, police authority does not give police the right to brutalize anyone. They are paid and trained extremely well to avoid resorting to violence in any situation. When cops stick plungers up peoples' asses and beat the fuck out of pregnant (but "illegal" immigrants from Mexico) women, they not only disgrace their uniform, they disgrace humanity. |
V/A-Heartattack #10-LP
An up and down comp with the standouts being URANUS, JIHAD, MANRAE and LOOMIS SLOVAK. FISTICUFFS BLUFF do two songs, the first song with a trumpet, which was exhibiting the intensity that lacks on some of the other cuts. SHOTMAKER did a looping number that reminded me of PHLEG CAMP. K.A.S.H. were very D.C., in fact I hear SCREAM in there somewhere. EX-IGNOTA were blah. AMBER INN started to sound like crap, but turned it up a notch and had the best lyrics of the bunch. SKYSCRAPER were whiny and unimpressive. Four great songs, four OK, three crap. The 'zine included was ho hum, the best part being Kent McClard's stuff on Heartattack and Ebulltion Records. Yellow vinyl.
(Ebullition)
CRUCIFUCKS-L.D.Eye-LP
Oh, I was so excited when I bought this. Boy was I disappointed when I played it. It's like the worst R.E.M. clone band meeting the slowed down, "Wisconsin"-era CRUCIFUCKS. oh, the politics are there, but the rage is gone. Don't buy this please.
(Alternative Tentacles)
PISSPOOR-demo
Whew! This demo smokes! 100 MPH absolute crunch. Imagine ANTISCHISM without the frills. Flat out HC. Can't wait to hear more. Lyrics deal with wage slavery, patriotism, bigots and the best cover of the Dukes of Hazard theme song.
(Out of Print)
SEEIN' RED-Marinus-7"
Bring it on baby! The more SEEIN' RED, the better. Nice package holding what SEEIN' RED do best-play fast catchy hardcore. Maybe the second best stuff I've heard next to their split with STACK.
(Ebullition)
SEEIN' RED/STACK split 7"
What needs to be said? SEEIN' RED put out their best sound quality on this 7". The songs are political, fast, catchy and are just all around great. STACK assault us with full on brutality a la ASSUCK or early NAPALM DEATH. Awesome.
(Equality Records)
V/A-Yo Hablo-7"
What a comp! COPOUT begin with an all out, all guns blazing assault. Whew, that was brutal. ANIMAL FARM started out kinda' ho hum, but by the end of the song I had my toe tapping. Two vocalists twist them up a bit. ARMA CONTRA ARMA get the obligatory nod to CRUDOS and have the best lyrics on the comp. HAYMARKET blur by with a song with no definition. JARA sounded a lot like BORN AGAINST meeting CRIMPSHRINE, still a good song with good lyrics. ASSFACTOR 4 rock. SPITBOY turn in a song that I really liked. Kudos!
(Lengua Armada)
ONE EYED GOD PROPHESY-LP
A Quebecois NEUROSIS? Damn. Sounds like a cross between NEUROSIS and RORSCHACH. The lyrics are political but in a personal way. The vocals are way too far back in the mix. Comes in a beautiful package.
(Great American Steak Religion...tryEbullition distro)
MANCHURIAN CANDIDATES-Suffer The Innocent-7"
I was expecting a more brutal attack but was pleasantly surprised when I heard a little of the vintage SNFU, a little LIFE'S BLOOD and a lot of the seminal punk band BUNCHOFUCKINGOOFS. The singing is understaandable without a lyric sheet, but they include one with the package (thanks), which by the way looks great. A fine Texan band to add to your collection with the DICKS and the BIG BOYS.
(Big City Bastards Records)
NATION OF LEPERS/60 CYCLE HUM-7"
60 CYCLE HUM (cool name, nice logo) kick it off with a NOMEANSNO feeling song, that turns into a screamer fronting NOMEANSNO. The other song is quiet and doesn't work for me. NATION OF LEPERS start out sounding like INTEGRITY, with chugga-chugga guitars then the vocals start and they sound like MINISTRY. That isn't to say that I don't like it, I did in 1989. The samples are well placed, certainly better than what MINSITRY are doing now.
(Reality Control?)
URANUS (UNION OF)-Disaster By Design-2X7"
Oh my God. Absolutely some of the best music I've ever heard. I used to describe them as SEPTIC DEATH meets RORSCHACH, but they have a feel all of their own. My only complaint is that I can't read the lyrics (in dark blue) on the black background. Gorgeous package.
(Great American Steak Religion...tryEbullition distro)
DISOBEDIENCIA CIVIL-7"
This reminds me of the early 80's stuff that was coming out of Italy, like CCM or RAW POWER, right down to the noisy (no necessarily bad) recordings. That is not to say that this is all retro-punk, it does have a modern hardcore feel injected into it once in a while. If this is an indication of what comes out of Mexico then these bands need more attention now. Lyrics (in Spanish) deal with Palestine, meat eaters, government and liberation all rolled into one fine seven inch.
(Self released)