On liberal opportunism and the “purity” smear
Accusing leftists and activists of demanding a "useless politics of purity" is a classic liberal defense mechanism designed to shift the burden of moral failure onto the critic.
Accusing leftists and activists of demanding a "useless politics of purity" is a classic liberal defense mechanism designed to shift the burden of moral failure onto the critic.
Just like those banana trees, I know their resistance is as tough. Despite enduring a lot, it never stopped sustaining generations of families in Tungkong Mangga.
The Manalo brothers continue to fight for justice as Bulacan court acquitted retired major Jovito Palparan over the kidnapping and illegal detention charges.
By all indications, the coming year will see the continuation and even intensification of devastating wars in the world.
What a sad Christmas season this is for the peace-loving peoples of the world. Devastating wars are being waged, most notably, today, in Palestine and Ukraine. Soldiers are dying, civilians are suffering and dying too, and there seems to be no power on earth that will stop the gunfire.
Death anniversary noon ni Pinky, ang aking matalik na kaibigan, nag pasya kaming dumalaw sa kanilang probinsya sa Pangasinan. Halos 12 years din ako na di nakabalik doon, dalawang marunong mag-drive ang aking sinama. Yung isa, waze ang tinitingnan, tinuro kami sa isang daan na dead end naman. Kaya nag desisyon ang isang kasama namin na magtanong tanong, at natunton namin ang bahay nila Pinky. Mahusay ang makabagong panahon upang mapabilis ang ating mga gawain subalit lumilikha naman ito ng paglayo natin sa kapwa. Ang mensahe ni Hesus ay lumaganap noong ipinahayag ito ng iba at hindi lang sa limitadong kanyang mga kaibigan at isang paraan. Sa ating panahon, kinikilala natin na mabisa ang social media, subalit mabisa pa rin ang malawak na kayang maabot ng pakikipag k’wentuhan at malalim na pakikipag-kapwa.
One of the most beautiful illustrations I’ve ever heard about the depth of our knowledge of the Lord goes like this: Before starting the day’s business, the presiding judge called on anyone from the courtroom who knew Psalm 23 and requested to share it at the front.
Psalm 15 asks- “Who shall abide in God’s sanctuary?” “ Those who walk blameless and do what is right and speak the truth from their heart; who do not slander with their tongue and do no evil to their friends nor take up a reproach against their neighbors. . .” “…Who stand by their oath even to their hurt; who do not lend money at interest, and do not take a bribe against the innocent.” “Ang mga ganitong tao ay mag-aani ng tagumpay!”
Sa mahabang panahon, naging simbulo ang mga kampana ng karahasan at pagnanakaw ng pagkakakilanlan na kaakibat ng digmaan. Isang kabalintunaan ang naganap na pagsasauli ng mga kampana nitong nakaraan nang ipahayag ng mga opisyal na salamin ang pagsasauli ng 'natatanging pagkakaibigan' ng Amerika at Pilipinas. Hindi naging pagkakataon ang seremonyal na pagbabalik upang mapwersa ang Amerika na humingi ng kapatawaran sa mga ginawa nitong karahasan sa Pilipinas, na ginagawa ng ibang bayang nasa antas ng rekonsilyasyon matapos kaharapin ang pait ng digmaan.
Nitong mga nakaraang buwan, halos dumapa nang husto ang presyo ng palay sa pamilihan sanhi ng pagdagsa ng mga inangkat na bigas mula sa ibang bansa. Mas mahal pa ang isang istik ng sigarilyo o isang bote ng softdrinks kaysa sa isang kilo ng palay. Sa walang habas na pagpasok ng mga inangkat na dayuhang palay, wala nang proteksyon ang mga magsasaka na pangalagaan ang kanilang mga ani sa pamilihan.
Ang paggamit ng linyang anti-komunista, ang red tagging sa mga kritiko ng pamahalaan at ang pagpatay, pagpapakulong at panggigipit sa mga aktibista at kritiko ng pamahalaan ang kasalukuyang ekspresyon ng karanasang nagsimula pa sa panahon ni Macario Sakay.
This is why it is important to equate “poor” with “vulnerable.” Why, the most oppressed and exploited are also the most organized and politicized. More than ever, it is crucial for the ruling elite and their imperialist masters to deny that landless peasants, wage workers, informal workers and the unemployed wield the power of conceptual thought within the context of a protracted people's war for national liberation and socialism.
Peace talks comes primarily because in the country’s hinterlands, a people’s army, guided by a communist party, is building organs of democratic political power. And in various sites, the communist bid for land redistribution, national industrialization, and a participatory planned economy through socialism is paralleled by organized, institutionalized and legitimate endeavors pursuing the same vision. This is enough for a government that is provisionally hijacked by compradors and imperialists to talk peace and reforms.
The law is flagrantly used by judges, police and military to violate human rights. Organizations previously red tagged have endured painful outcomes such a the imprisonment, murder and massacre of their members. This is none other than full spectrum dominance.
They kept Rey jailed because he had another case. This was in Lupon, Davao Oriental, where he has never set foot until case trial started after over a year in prison. Yet he was charged with murder and attempted murder against government troops in an alleged encounter between them and the New People’s Army (NPA).
So no, it's not mainly about the money. It's more on how we want this important part of journalism to be accorded the respect that it deserves and not to be neglected by these gatekeepers.
The immediate effect was to facilitate a conversation, if not an outright stand on imperialist wars waged by the U.S.
But hope springs eternal. Environmental defenders everywhere are tirelessly working to protect the last frontiers of nature and restore our despoiled environment.
It looks like gold, shimmers like gold. But scrape its surface off and it's just muck. Like Duterte's promised 'change.'
Cha-cha seeks to constitutionalize the Mining Act's FTAA scheme that allows 100% foreign ownership and large-scale extraction of our mineral resources.
Sa bawat pabirong post na kailangan nang maghanap ng imburnal para magkapera, nalalantad ang karumal-dumal na sitwasyon ng mahihirap na napagkakaitan ng batayang serbisyo tulad ng libreng pabahay.
Sadyang may mga handang gumastos ng milyon-milyon o bilyon-bilyong piso dahil sobra-sobra ang kanilang mababawi kapag nakaupo na sila.
Bakit hindi matuto ang mga pinahihirapang Pilipino? Mali tanong ito. Sa katunayan, matagal na silang natuto. Ang problema lang, madalas na walang matinong mapagpilian lalo na sa lokal na antas.
Marcos Jr.'s priority is to ensure that the neoliberal policies that his predecessor President Rodrigo Duterte passed are maximized to create the most favorable environment for big businesses, including foreign capital. To become an investment destination, the administration will provide massive tax breaks to corporations through the CREATE Law and provide foreign companies more profit-making opportunities with the amended laws on public services and foreign investments.
The Ukraine conflict is an example of how sovereign countries become launching pads of inter-imperialist proxy wars mainly because of their geopolitical and economic positions.
The US and NATO masterminded, engineered and openly funded from the US embassy in Kyiv the Maidan protests in 2013 and the bloody coup d’etat against the pro-Russian government in 2014 in order to bring to power the Russian-hating Bandera-type fascists (the National Socialists of Ukraine), the political descendants of Nazis, and a new breed of Zionist fascists, all servile to the US and West European monopoly capitalism and the NATO. Thus was institutionalized a Russophobic and neo-fascist regime in Ukraine in 2014.
Bulatlat’s jester wears a fur coat.
I was not only honing my writing skills in Bulatlat, but also deepening the commitment to serve the people’s interests and their struggles.
I would say journalism is a blessing as it is a curse. Writing is my only way of trying to help out those whose voices are either unheard or muted. There are times I feel it is not enough.
Myanmar’s experience offers relevant lessons for those who are monitoring the pro-democracy movements in Thailand, Hong Kong, and the Philippines.
After more than half a century, the Philippine revolutionary struggle could already offer its experience in conducting a protracted resistance in this part of the world.
It validates the enduring legacy of our anti-colonial heroes who sought to unite the nation by waging a war for independence.
The posts you requested could not be found. Try changing your module settings or create some new posts.