Op-ed

The Nobel Laureate and the Labor Lawyer

Nobel Laureate and Egyptian Presidential Candidate, Dr. Mohamed ElBaradei, objected to the BBC reporter attributing recent events in Egypt to the “Youth Movement.” ElBaradei complained that calling the “revolt” a “youth movement” was a gross distortion of the truth, and did not in any way describe the range of ages, occupations and incomes represented by the protesters demonstrating in Tahrir Square for eighteen days.

Remember when Republicans were falling all over each other praising first responders in the wake of 9/11? Fire fighters, cops and EMT's could do no wrong back then. Perhaps you also recall a whole lot of working class people supporting Republicans at the polls during the Bush era as well. More than a few working class folks were climbing aboard the Bush war machine and voting for right-wing candidates. Like they say: times sure have changed!

Last night I attended a large gathering of activists who came together in Arlington Center, Massachusetts, to listen to MIT Professor Emeritus Noam Chomsky and Institute for Policy Studies fellow Phyllis Bennis discuss how to reinvigorate and expand the Peace Movement. Both speakers emphasized the need for anti-war activists to make links with other groups working for change, and particularly to get involved in supporting the majority of Americans who are overwhelmed by the ongoing economic crisis.

Neither rain nor snow… could keep the members of the Mass Alliance Against Predatory Lending away from the State House!

Amidst inches of snow this past Tuesday, January 18th, scores of Massachusetts residents from different walks of life slogged to the Massachusetts Statehouse for speak out about the ever-increasing foreclosure crisis and talk to their legislators about four bills to reverse this crisis.