[Marxism] A spasm of xenophobia

[Walter Lippmann]

Fear of and hostility toward foreigners isn't confined to South Africa, of course.

Here in the United States of America, this phenomenon is widespread, and here in 
the United States, many Black people have bought into these attitudes. But there
are also activists here in the United States who solidarize with the workers from
Latin America and elsewhere who travel to the United States seeking employment
and what they hope is a better material life.

The reports posted by Louis and Patrick don't indicate if there are any leftwing
movements of solidarity with the immigrants who are pouring into South Africa
from even poorer countries on the continent. None of the reports I've seen give
any indication of such activity. Here in the United States, Latino community
groups and various Christian denominations, particularly the Catholic Church,
have been active defending immigrant workers, including the undocumented.

If these reports are accurate, and there isn't any reason to have confidence 
in them, no one, not even the churches, seem to be organizing solidarity with 
these desperate immigrants. Why is that? It's something to think about.


Walter Lippmann
Los Angeles, California
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Mbeki: Cops will root out Jo'burg 'anarchy'
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President Thabo Mbeki on Monday reiterated his call for an immediate end to attacks
on foreign nationals in Gauteng, which have left 22 people dead and up to 10?000
seeking refuge in shelters. "Citizens from other countries on the African continent
and beyond are as human as we are and deserve to be treated with respect," 
the president.
http://www.mg.co.za/articlePage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__national/&articleId=339617

Here's another dreary article on these pogroms:
http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0520/p07s01-woaf.html

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     WALTER LIPPMANN
     Los Angeles, California
     Editor-in-Chief, CubaNews
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CubaNews/
     "Cuba - Un Paraíso bajo el bloqueo"
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