Erika Ransom

issue May 2003

MaximumRocknRoll

written 3/05/2003

Blood and Crocuses

As I write this, all is dark and cold outside as winter reaches its fitful, blustery end. Snow sits frozen, forming knee-high barricades of ice and slush on the sides of streets, and my breath escapes in hot clouds. I walk determined in my black wool trench coat through the rush-hour crowd that hurries along the broken brick sidewalks of Central Square, feeling invisible and blown by the wind, lost in clouded thoughts.

Everything is heading for war, death, destruction, suicide, while millions of people on the streets of the world have called for peace, trying to hold back an army. The US generals are anxious, looking to attack by mid-March, and Bush has announced his plans for a post-war Iraq occupied by US troops and a puppet regime. Everything is on edge, waiting for the siren call to war.

Soon, the mighty crocus flower will be in bloom. Every year I welcome its brave face that shows before any other flower, a shock of beauty and color in a frozen earth, a symbol of hope that the world will warm.

Small brave flowers and loaded guns.

Now is a time of in between, a time of change, a time of coming together and falling apart. The drums of war are sounding, but the tide of resistance is gaining force.

Only a few weeks ago, an estimated 30 million people took to the streets around the world to protest against US plans for war. I’m sure MRR will include news stories about February 15, and we’ve all heard about the day, but I can’t help but give a few well-deserved highlights here. The global solidarity was nothing short of fucking amazing.

A million people, twenty times the size of my hometown, marched in Rome.

700,000 people marched in London and told Prime Minister Tony Blair to “Make Tea Not War.” Ken Livingstone, the Mayor of London, called Bush "a stooge for oil interests" and said he was presiding over "the most corrupt and racist American administration in over 80 years."

Half a million people marched in Berlin, and over 100,000 gathered in Paris.

Half a million people marched in NYC despite the cops, and I was cheered by the New York IndyMedia F15 website that was updated many times throughout the day:

“F15 1:21pm: Third Avenue is full from 50th to 53d street. Cars and buses have been trapped by the crowd–there are US Postal Service vans, a service van, and taxis. Marchers have completely taken the street…

F15 3:37pm: Critical mass shut down Times Square for about 5 minutes. About 20 to 30 bikes and 100 people surrounded Times Square, but we are hearing that the police have begun to move people out of the way…”

In Moscow, a thousand people gathered at the American Embassy. Ludmilla Likhikh, a factory worker, accused the United States of hypocrisy, saying it should focus on disarming itself. "America is looking for arms in Iraq while it has so many of its own," she said. "America is the number one terrorist nation."

People protested in cities all over the United States, and gathered in Hong Kong, Jordan, Syria, Cairo, Cape Town, Copenhagen, Budapest, Warsaw, Reykjavic, and Bombay, even at the McMurdo Research Station in Antarctica, and in hundreds of other cities and towns around the globe.

The global united message was clear–Yankee Go Home!

President George Bush, an arrogant elitist bastard (just like his dad), likened acknowledging the global protest to, “making foreign policy based on a focus group.” And this, from a man who rigged an election! Any day now, Bush could give the order for attack, as he has not backed down in his zeal for “regime change” in Baghdad. By the time you read this, the war may have already escalated.

But here I am, a punk with war and resistance on my mind.

I’ve been to shows almost every weekend this month, saw some great bands, and had some kick ass punk rock times, but that will have to wait for another story.

As I try to write this column, I am caught in this moment of hawks and doves, as the US troops wait for the full March moon of dessert nights, and death hangs in the air, sharp and bitter cold.

This time makes me think, if I’m not resisting this war that’s about to happen–why do I bother trying to be conscious at all? If punk is not speaking out against this war–what is punk good for? As I’ve said before, war isn’t politics. War is dying in a ditch.

“Do you really want to kill me? Tell me why.” The Specials

Remember how Bush first attempted to tie Saddam to Al-Qaeda and the war on terrorism? With flimsy evidence, only Tony Blair took him seriously.

Then, the Bush Administration focused on Saddam’s weapons of mass destruction, and declared we must strike first “to make America safe.” Bush ignored the fact that the United States has the largest stockpile of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons in the world, and the bulk of Iraq’s fifth-rate military has already been bombed to hell.

More smoke and mirrors in an attempt to rally the masses to war, and throughout it all, the state screams “high alert” and terrorizes its own citizens.

Recently, Bush tried again to sell the war and made a speech explaining how the US invasion would bring “freedom” to Iraq. Ah, how the words spin and twist in agony.

In Bush’s idea of freedom, Iraq would be occupied by US troops and ruled by an un-elected US authority until an Iraqi “democracy” could be set up, sometime in the future.

An interesting side note: Saudi Arabia, our closest ally in the Middle East next to Israel, is not a democracy. It’s a religious monarchy. King Fahd, the most recent heir to the thrown, has ruled Saudi Arabia according to Islamic law since 1982. There is a modern system of courts of justice, but the highest law is the King’s word. Individuals can appeal their cases, but a decision signed by the King is final.

Yet, there isn’t any talk of using a nuclear bomb on the Crown Prince’s palace in the name of “liberty.”

This war is not about terrorism. This war is not about weapons of mass destruction. This war isn’t even really about Saddam, personally.

This war is the continuation of Kissinger’s dream. The reason we sent US troops into Vietnam, Korea and Cambodia in the 70s. The same reason our black ops, money and guns went into Guatemala, El Salvador and Nicaragua in the 80s. The same reason George Bush Sr. invaded Panama in 1989 and started the Gulf War in 1991. This war is part of the same system that currently trains paramilitary troops for Columbia, Argentina and southern Mexico.

This war is about the US need to stay on top. As Noam Chomsky wrote in What Uncle Sam Really Wants, “If you want a global system that’s subordinated to the needs of US investors, you can’t let pieces of it wander off.”

Right now, the US is defending its “national interests,” is fighting to win the oil because oil is power in this global capitalist game. Russian and French oil companies had contracts pending with Saddam, and it looks like those deals may suddenly be off.

Mommy, can I eat a gun?

Once again, the poor of America are paying for war.

Here in the United States, regular folks are already suffering because of our government’s insistence on war. And things are getting worse.

President George Bush, just like his namesake, has chosen guns instead of butter.

In a very short time, Bush has increased the defense budget to its highest spending in twenty years, while at the same time cutting social service programs that millions of Americans depend.

This winter the Bush administration asked Congress to increase the Pentagon's annual budget to $451,400 million in 2007, a figure that would make even Reagan blush. Of this, $27,200 million goes to wage the “war on terrorism” and $8,000 million pays for the ongoing war in Afghanistan.

The biggest kicker of all, these figures don’t even include invading Iraq. The latest estimate is $100 billion. Let me repeat the analysts’ projected cost of the war, again, slowly: One hundred, paid-for-by-you-and-me, billion (one thousand million, written as 1 followed by nine zeros) fucking American dollars. Enough to buy everyone on the planet each a pitcher of beer and a shot of whiskey. Wouldn’t that better serve America’s image abroad?

At the same time, thirty-seven percent of America’s children–38 million kids–are growing up in poverty.

“Leave no child behind,” said Bush during the election. Liar! Thief! Murderer!

The rich, who have the most to gain if we have absolute control of Iraq’s oil, are meanwhile making out like bandits as about 37 percent of the new tax cuts go to the wealthiest 1 percent of taxpayers. Fuckers! Burn the rich that prey on the poor!

Here in Massachusetts, Republican governors have followed Bush’s lead. Human services have been slashed, while tax cuts benefit the rich at the expense of the poor and working class. (Don’t voters notice these things, behind the politicians’ nice hair and wide smiles?) Most recently, the Massachusetts Health and Human Services budget was cut by $34 million, nickel and dimes compared to the Defense budget, but crucial money that was used to help tens of thousands of people.

Poor women, an easy scapegoat for spineless politicians, will be especially hurt by the budget cuts. For example, family planning services were totally eliminated. Done away with. Last year, 60,000 women without health insurance in Massachusetts received reproductive education, screening and prevention. Where will they go now? Planned Parenthood has only one office in Boston, and the waiting line is already long.

And, this is all happening in the context of welfare “reform” that instituted draconian welfare-to-work standards, and a state minimum wage well below any sort of living wage.

Fuck! Fuck this capitalist war on the poor!

In a ridiculous related example, the US spent $20 million dollars last year training dolphins to go to war. Dolphins were sent to the Gulf by the US Marines to search for enemy divers in 1991, and a recent news story says they’re getting ready to ship out again. Seriously.

As more working families, women, children and men are falling into ever deepening poverty, not getting enough to eat, and becoming homeless, I don’t see any help in sight. Priority has been placed on genocide.

The wind screams, and threatens to tear down my door. The temperature drops to 7 degrees, and I wait for the Earth to slowly change its axis towards the Sun.

Daily, I hear of more acts of resistance against the upcoming war.

And the days become longer.

Even the gentle poets are taking a stand.

Andrew Motion, British poet laureate, recently published Causa Belli:

They read good books, and quote, but never learn

a language other than the scream of rocket-burn.

Our straighter talk is drowned but ironclad:

elections, money, empire, oil and Dad.

Hell ya!

This month the people of Italy inspired me as they stopped trains carrying US tanks to the Gulf. Over 600 people converged at the train station in Pisa, Italy, which serves the nearby US military base Camp Derby and trains have been delayed or stopped altogether. In the city of Torino, the British embassy was occupied. Espresso wins over tea any day.

Close to home in Medford, Massachusetts, two hundred protestors made national news when they marched from Davis Square to the Gantcher Center at Tufts University where Bush Sr. was scheduled to speak on ''Perspectives on the Middle East” (the same day his son announced the US would bring “liberty” to Iraq). According to Boston’s IndyMedia, riot and motorcycle police surrounded the protestors, and arrested ten people who attempted to break through the police line. Inside the auditorium, a woman disrupted old Georgie’s speech by yelling “Liar!” before she was removed. Bush Sr. continued his speech and smirked, “We've now found another real good reason to use duct tape."

Hilarious, fuck-face. This undemocratic jerk really has the one-liners, doesn’t he?

In Washington, DC, over 300 junior and high school students either walked out of their classes or skipped school on February 21 in order to rally at Dupont Circle against the war. And who says the youth is apathetic?

All across the US, fifty-seven cities and counties, both large and small, have passed resolutions against the war. And who says most of America supports the war?

The protest has also gone virtual and on-line and “contact your representative” has taken on new meaning. Hundreds of thousands of people called and faxed their senators and the White House in a "virtual march on Washington" on February 26, jamming many congressional telephone lines for several hours. The White House switchboard was also flooded and most callers heard a message that "all circuits are busy.”

Death in Spring

Despite the myriad voices for peace, this war is coming like a hard rain. I can feel the storm gathering, see black clouds gaining speed. Bush, our illegitimate President, is bent on destruction and the time to stop him is growing short.

Where I leave you is with the future. This peace movement is building, and when the body bags begin to arrive, and the carpet bombs begin to fall, we will all have no choice but to do whatever we can, individually and collectively, to stop this war.

Bush told the country and the world, “You are either with us or against us.” I for one, joined by millions, am against.

In this time of blood, I remember the truth. People are more powerful than governments. Corrupt power falls, torn down by the angry mob.

Cheers to all resistance and up the fucking punks.

Erika

Ransom Notes Continued

1.Punk keeps me somewhat sane, so notes on a few good shows.

Lowell punks rock! The Sugar Shack on Feb. 21 was off the hook, punks literally bouncing off the walls, an entire small coffee shop engulfed in crazy punks jumping around smashing into each other and everything not bolted down. Check out THE KNOX’s demo when it comes out, as they play hard with broken guitars held together with duct tape and nails.

CAUSTIC CHRIST came to Boston with fellow Pittsburgh punks CORPUS CHRISTI and played an all-ages show in the city during a snowstorm. Both bands rocked the house, and CAUSTIC delivered a blazing punk hardcore attack. During CORPUS CHRISTI’s set I danced in the circle pit ‘til I couldn’t breathe. Boston’s CUT THE SHIT also played, and reminded me of a more modern sounding MINOR THREAT, good honest hardcore that made ya want to smash things.

Cape Cod punks rule! The Juice Bar was the most positive show I’ve been to in months. Hell of a fun time. Getting my lip bashed in and bruised was just a souvenir.

3. Back columns, email, all that fun stuff, can be found at www.theprofits.org. Ha!