I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night

It takes a while in any country to get labour organised and Cambodia has done better than some. Remember Coke hiring paramilitaries in Colombia a couple of years ago? In Cambodia, quite a number of trade union activists have ended up dead in 'accidents'. But this story is heartening.

More than 1000 garment factory workers protested Thursday outside New Mingda garment factory... claiming that two workers had been dismissed for involvement with the Free Trade Union (FTU)... The garment factory discriminated against [FTU] representatives... he was protesting to be allowed back to work as well as for working to get paychecks on time. (Cambodia Daily 31/01/2007)

The managers will always find excuses for any action

the factory's head of administration said that the two were fired before management found out they were FTU representatives... they were not hard-working guys... hoped workers would soon go back to work. (Cambodia Daily 31/01/2007)

Of course, claiming ignorance is not exactly original but it can work in a propaganda machine or in a state where the the media is under strict regulation.

Still... Support the strikers! Unionise! Up workers' rights!

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,

Alive as you and me.

Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"

"I never died" said he,

"I never died" said he.

"In Salt Lake, Joe," says I to him,

him standing by my bed,

"They framed you on a murder charge,"

Says Joe, "But I ain't dead,"

Says Joe, "But I ain't dead."

"The Copper Bosses killed you Joe,

they shot you Joe" says I.

"Takes more than guns to kill a man"

Says Joe "I didn't die"

Says Joe "I didn't die"

And standing there as big as life

and smiling with his eyes.

Says Joe "What they can never kill

went on to organize,

went on to organize"

From San Diego up to Maine,

in every mine and mill,

where working-men defend their rights,

it's there you find Joe Hill,

it's there you find Joe Hill!

I dreamed I saw Joe Hill last night,

alive as you and me.

Says I "But Joe, you're ten years dead"

"I never died" said he,

"I never died" said he.

(I Dreamed I Saw Joe Hill Last Night by Alfred Hayes)

The workers are standing up for their rights - a beautiful sight - especially considering that the garment factories in Cambodia are exactly what we would call sweatshops back home. If the workers can get better conditions in just one factory, it might give heart to exploited workers all over the world.

Decline and fall

I am reading Gibbon's Decline and fall of the Roman empire at the moment. It is interesting, intelligently written and full of magnificent quotations. So here are a few on governance...

That public virtue which among the ancients was denominated patriotism, is derived from a strong sense of our own interest in the preservation and prosperity of the free government of which we are members.

But the zeal of fanaticism prevailed over the cold and feeble efforts of policy.

Under a democratical government, the citizens exercise the powers of sovereignty

The principles of a free constitution are irrevocably lost, when the legislative power is nominated by the executive.

Corruption, the most infallible symptom of constitutional liberty.

I think these have relevance in today's political climate.

Benedict does it again

Benedict has done it again. How does he manage to alienate so many leaders of society? It must be a special gift.

Pope Benedict XVI reasserted the primacy of the Roman Catholic Church, approving a document released Tuesday that says other Christian communities are either defective or not true churches and Catholicism provides the only true path to salvation.

The commentary repeated church teaching that says the Catholic Church ''has the fullness of the means of salvation.''

''Christ 'established here on earth' only one church,'' said the document released as the pope vacations at a villa in Lorenzago di Cadore, in Italy's Dolomite mountains.

The other communities ''cannot be called 'churches' in the proper sense'' because they do not have apostolic succession -- the ability to trace their bishops back to Christ's original apostles -- and therefore their priestly ordinations are not valid, it said. (Source)

Charming, absolutely charming. That's exactly what we need at the moment, a religious figure sowing dissent. Wars of religion have been among the most savage and in the current conservative climate, another reason to fight is not what we need.

Remember the joy and sense of hope in the 1990s when the Berlin Wall came down, the Cold War was over, lefty governments were in power and there was a real sense of hope that finally peace was breaking out all over the world. Flash forward to now and

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and everywhere
The ceremony of innocence is drowned;
The best lack all conviction, while the worst
Are full of passionate intensity. - WB Yeats

sums the situation up quite nicely. Now right-wing nutjobs are in power, war is raging, terrorists are striking, racism is on the rise, and the religious divide is expanding horribly.

And it is in this climate the Pope Benedict XVI approves a document to say "nyah nyah nyah nyah. I'm right and you are wrong and you'll burn in the fiery pits of hell". What ever happened to "love thy neighbour" or "judge not lest you be judged"?

Benedict is dividing in a world of extremes, where Christian and Muslim fundamentalists that prize their version of the truth over morality. It is profoundly irresponsible and dangerous to fan the flames of intolerance. Build not destroy should be drummed into his head once he takes it out of the sand.

Bridget Gray's poetry

I know in the beginning I was down to work my hips, but I was tricked. Seduced by your beat. You had me for three minutes and forty-six seconds I was suspended in time, but when I snapped out of it I had to ask "Did I hear what I thought I did in that last rhyme?" Now forgive me, maybe I'm getting old or maybe I'm just slow, but I didn't even know you could say "bitch" on the radio, yet I was entranced by your beat I heard somewhere before, oh, I remember that was the original score. Now unless I'm dreaming I could have swore, right after you called me a "bitch" you called someone else a whore, and at this point I'm trying to process a few things. - Bridget Gray

Do yourself a favour and listen to the whole poem. Thanks to Terry for the link.