Forum Post: The Greatest Crimes Against Humanity Are Perpetrated by People Just Doing Their Jobs
Posted 12 years ago on July 23, 2012, 4:58 p.m. EST by LeoYo
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The Greatest Crimes Against Humanity Are Perpetrated by People Just Doing Their Jobs
Monday, 23 July 2012 10:50 By Chris Hedges, Truthdig | Op-Ed
http://truth-out.org/opinion/item/10476-the-careerists
The greatest crimes of human history are made possible by the most colorless human beings. They are the careerists. The bureaucrats. The cynics. They do the little chores that make vast, complicated systems of exploitation and death a reality. They collect and read the personal data gathered on tens of millions of us by the security and surveillance state. They keep the accounts of ExxonMobil, BP and Goldman Sachs. They build or pilot aerial drones. They work in corporate advertising and public relations. They issue the forms. They process the papers. They deny food stamps to some and unemployment benefits or medical coverage to others. They enforce the laws and the regulations. And they do not ask questions.
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Colorado Shooting Is About More Than Gun Culture
Monday, 23 July 2012 09:51 By Henry A Giroux, Truthout | News Analysis
http://truth-out.org/news/item/10469-colorado-shooting-is-about-more-than-gun-culture
Violence saturates our culture both domestically and in our approach to foreign policy. The United States has become addicted to war and a war economy just as we increasingly have become addicted to building prisons and incarcerating minorities marginalized by class and race.
The current reporting about the recent tragic shooting in Aurora, Colorado, is very discouraging. The media response to the alleged murderous rampage by James Holmes largely focuses on the guns he used, the easy availability of the ammunition he stockpiled, the booby trapping of his apartment and the ways in which he meticulously prepared for the carnage he allegedly produced. This is a similar script we saw unfold after the massacres at Columbine high school; Virginia Tech; Fort Hood; the supermarket in Tucson, Arizona; and the more recent gang shootings in Chicago. Immediately following such events, there is the expected call for gun control, new legislation to limit the sale of assault rifles and a justifiable critique of the pernicious policies of the National Rifle Association. One consequence is that the American public is being inundated with figures about gun violence ranging from the fact that more than 84 people are killed daily with guns to the shocking statistic that there are more than 300,000 gun-related deaths annually. To bring home the deadly nature of firearms in America, Juan Cole has noted that in 2010 there were 8,775 murders by firearms in the US, while in Britain there were 638. These are startling figures, but they do not tell us enough about the cult and spectacle of violence in American society. Another emerging criticism is that neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney has spoken out about gun control in the aftermath of the Aurora shooting. Gun control matters, but it is only one factor in the culture of symbolic and institutional violence that has such a powerful grip on the everyday workings of American society. The issue of violence in America goes far beyond the issue of gun control, and in actuality, when removed from a broader narrative about violence in the United States, it can serve to deflect the most important questions that need to be raised.
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Demonstrators Protest California Police Shooting
http://news.yahoo.com/demonstrators-protest-california-police-shooting-220720596.html
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Demonstrators stormed a police department in Orange County, Calif., on Sunday to protest an officer-involved shooting that left an unarmed man dead and led to a violent clash between witnesses and police.
A crowd swarmed the Anaheim Police headquarters' lobby as Chief John Welter held a news conference to discuss what happened the night before. The protesters chanted "no justice, no peace" and "cops, pigs, murderers" as officers stood by and watched.
Welter said two officers were placed on paid leave after one of them fatally shot 24-year-old Manuel Diaz.
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Anaheim Residents Continue Protests After Cops Open Fire at Women, Kids
Monday, 23 July 2012 10:49 By Jorge Rivas, Colorlines.com | Report
http://truth-out.org/news/item/10475-police-shooting-sparks-outrage-in-anaheim
On Saturday Anaheim Police Department officers openly fired bean bags, pepper spray and released an attack dog into a crowd that included women and children protesting an officer involved shooting earlier in the day. If that isn't shocking enough, about 24-hours later Anaheim police killed another man who was allegedly driving a stolen car.
(You read that right, demonstrators who were protesting police brutality became victims of police brutality themselves and after all that cops shot a second guy that same weekend.)
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U.S. Poverty About To Hit Highest Level In 40 Years
http://finance.yahoo.com/blogs/daily-ticker/u-poverty-hit-highest-level-40-years-165914572.html
The percentage of Americans living in poverty is about to hit its highest level since the 1960s, according to a new survey by the Associated Press.
The latest Census numbers won't be released until the fall, but economists surveyed by the AP project that the poverty rate will climb from 2010's 15.1% and reach a level as high as 15.7%. This will mean that more Americans are poorer than at any time since 1965.
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Raising the Minimum Wage Is Cheap and Easy
Monday, 23 July 2012 11:44 By Dean Baker, Truthout | News Analysis
http://truth-out.org/news/item/10477-raising-the-minimum-wage-is-cheap-and-easy
There are some policies that are pretty much no-brainers. We all agree that the Food and Drug Administration should keep dangerous drugs off the market. We all agree that the government should provide police and fire protection. And, we pretty much all agree that workers should be able to count on at least some minimal pay for a day's work.
The minimum wage is non-controversial. The vast majority of people across the political spectrum support the minimum wage. In fact, one of the big accomplishments of the Gingrich Congress in 1996 was a 22 percent increase in the minimum wage. The only real issue is how high it should be. There are good reasons for believing that the minimum wage should be considerably higher than it is today.
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US Economy Going From Bad to Worse: Roubini
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/us-economy-going-bad-worse-084304553.html
A robust and self-sustaining U.S. recovery is not on the cards, and we should now expect below trend growth for many years to come, according to Nouriel Roubini, the economist famed for his bearish views.
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In Victory for Corporatized Education, Federal Court Strikes Down Regulation of For-Profit Colleges
Monday, 23 July 2012 00:00 By Danny Weil, Truthout | News Analysis
On Saturday, June 30, 2012, Federal Judge Rudolph Contreras of the Federal District Court, released a judicial judgment regarding that the "gainful employment" regulations that were to go into effect Sunday, July 1, 2012, in an effort to govern for-profit colleges and universities.
The assumption behind the rules and regulations promulgated by the Department of Education (DOE), headed by Arne Duncan, were that the "gainful-employment portion of the regulations" (GER) would prevent for-profit colleges - which siphon off up to 90 percent and sometimes more of their revenues from federal student loans and Title IV funds - from leaving students struggling with huge debt loads and questionable credentials that do little to help them in landing jobs when they graduate.
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A Student Debt Strike Force Takes Off
Monday, 23 July 2012 09:19 By Yates McKee, YES! Magazine | News Analysis
http://truth-out.org/news/item/10470-a-student-debt-strike-force-takes-off
Debt—and the shame that surrounds it—is the tie that binds the 99 percent. Can young people reimagine it as something productive, rather than a tool for profiteering?
"ONE, we are the zombies! TWO; we are indebted! THREE; this occupation is... om-nom nom-nom..."
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Voter Photo ID Laws Have Harsh Impact on Poor, Elderly and Minority Voters, Study Says
Monday, 23 July 2012 14:11 By Khalil Abdullah, New American Media | Report
If no one provides him with a ride, Jose Zuniga, 83-years old and wheelchair-bound, would have to take two or three buses and travel 20 miles to reach the nearest south Texas government office that could issue the new photo ID he will need to vote in upcoming elections.
Zuniga is one of a particular sub-set of an estimated 500,000 eligible voters in 10 states who could be negatively affected by stricter photo ID laws. They do not own a car nor do they drive. They live more than 10 miles away from a state office that can issue the ID required to vote and that would be considered a fulltime facility, that is, one that is open more than two days a week.
I couldn't agree with you more and the excuses as to why they must continue to promote the agenda of the 1% needs to be exposed. One of the ways the 1% keeps their employees in line is through the illusion of ERISA sponsored benefits. In no way what-so-ever are these benefits. They are anchors around employees’ necks. One example is LTD insurance. You pay your premium for 20 years and one day through no fault of your own, you become disabled. You are entitled to benefits but they do not pay. All of the LTD disability insurance companies know they have the procedural upper hand and can win over 90% of the time. Even if you are truly disabled it doesn't matter. They win and even when the employee hires an attorney to fight for you, the attorneys take either 40% or $350/hr. leaving the disabled victim with nothing left to live on. Unum, Liberty Mutual, Met Life, Aetna, all are doing the same thing denying valid claims.
So employers, you are idiots. You shoot yourself in the foot because one less consumer in the market is one less customer for you. Someone disabled will spend on their comfort and safety but the executives that are paid bonuses for denying claims will not. You truly have lost your moral compass but in the process you have impoverished your best customers and now it’s time for the largest employers to pay the price. And corporations, it’s the same old story with workers’ compensation. See below links to understand what they do with the ill-gotten profits from denying claims. These articles are about Liberty Mutual and what it does with the money they keep from denying valid claims. Liberty Mutual employees should be ashamed of themselves. All insurance companies if they defraud this way should pay the price for these crimes against humanity. And they should at the very least lose policy holders as well as corporate sponsors that facilitate the stealing of money from their employees.
Liberty Mutual’s $50m CEO pay stands out – By Todd Wallack April 11, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-11/business/31318616_1_report-executive-liberty-mutual-john-cusolito
It’s greed to top all – By Brian McGrory April 13, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-13/metro/31332209_1_liberty-mutual-nstar-insurance-executive
Soaring greed at Liberty Mutual – By Brian McGrory April 18, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-18/metro/31356062_1_liberty-mutual-john-cusolito-fortune
Mass. regulators should probe Liberty Mutual CEO’s pay April 20, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-20/editorials/31368365_1_liberty-mutual-policyholders-kelly
Liberty Mutual critics decry pay package April 20, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-20/business/31368240_1_liberty-mutual-john-cusolito-home-insurance
Lots more to Liberty Mutual pay story April 25, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-25/metro/31393288_1_executive-compensation-liberty-mutual-insurance-premiums
Patrick says he can’t intervene on Liberty Mutual pay – By Glen Johnson
April 27, 2012 http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-27/business/31403250_1_insurance-reform-liberty-mutual-auto-insurance
Liberty Mutual chairman says ‘accounting issue’ overstated pay By Todd Wallack April 28, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-04-28/business/31419106_1_stock-options-liberty-mutual-phantom-stock
At Liberty Mutual, accounting to no one By Brian McGrory May 2, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-05-02/metro/31521297_1_phantom-stock-liberty-mutual-executive
Liberty Mutual: Your premiums; his premium office May 11, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-05-11/metro/31656614_1_liberty-mutual-executive-suite-john-cusolito
The benefits of political friendship By Brian McGrory May 23, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-05-23/metro/31814253_1_liberty-mutual-republican-charlie-baker-patrick-first
View from the top at Liberty Mutual By Brian McGrory June 13, 2012
http://articles.boston.com/2012-06-13/metro/32194681_1_john-cusolito-million-renovation-mahogany
Mass. launches review of insurers’ executive pay June 22, 2012
http://bostonglobe.com/business/2012/06/21/mass-launches-review-insurers-executive-pay/ZczBM4ZDPJEKNYDQs0B6VK/story.html
Washington, with the worst Congress in History thanks to infusion of Tea Baggerts, is more out of touch the American than ever before. They have always been aloft of what we really want and need but at present it's epidemic.
Tell the GOTP we aren't into Ultra Conservatism and send them ALL packing in November along with their global warming denier wing. They have single handed tried their damnedness to drive our country off a cliff. SEND THEM HOME.
Come Together NOW
A thought-provoking post that contributes to the general notion that the United States is little more than the home of a sociopathic culture, in which few care about others. The other person, whatever his or her needs is expendable. That fits the capitalist ideal quite well; keep workers at subsistence level; maximize profits.
Yes. Yes, yes, yes! But as John Stossel says, our poor people all have cable. So, they're not really poor. Are they? You see how we can mince arguments? It's amazing...mazing....mazing....mazing...dazing...confused!
Yes, we can mince arguments, but I seriously doubt that most of the 46+ million Americans, who fall at or below poverty level have cable. Such an argument only perpetuates the idea that America's poor aren't really poor, just faking it.
True. Stossel's assertions did just that..perpetuate the idea. But, also consider how difficult it is to get cable. It isn't!! Cable will sign up anybody. Once they have your name and number you're on their hook. then they just collect even more money for owning that same line. So, the assertions made to perpetuate the argument are not all that valid. The grey begins to take on shades. What if Stossel asked, 'Where do you go out to eat?' If he asked that along with the cable, he probably would have found out it's Popeye's chicken or something. That wouldn't make his argument so good.
You're last example resonates with me, because I knew a poor woman with two young children. She worked for just above minimum wage, had prepaid cell for telephone, and their "restaurants" of choice were Mickey D's or Sonic.
Yes. There is some book by a woman is accomplished but took on the persona of unskilled labor. Given her hours and her conditions in which she tried to eek out a living, she could not make her way out of the vicious circle it put her in, no matter how hard she tried to 'work her way up.' - as the ignorant spewing their crap about "Quintiles" , (mostly conservative). put it. Minimum Wage worked when it first started for a very short period and even worsened the prospect of 'moving up' after that because as prices for survival went up, minimum wages remained well, well below it. What I call "The Great Hypocrisy:" - Congress voted themselves a 'cost of living' increase while never moving, even debating passionately against, increasing the minimum wage. You notice republicans never say, 'I voted myself no increase n my wages.' 'I want to live off the public healthcare system and pay for it like they do.' ' I want private companies to play with my pension.' 'I want no pension.' 'I want my pension to cover only the years I worked.' 'I want my wages to be decided by the voters.' It's really plain, simple, logic. You know it can't work unless minimum wage starts out as a living wage and has 'cost of living increases.' Along with that, it adds to disease and all those afflictions that make our healthcare so much more expensive than any other cuontry's healthcare.
Ah, yes, no politician should receive more in pay or benefits than his or her median constituent.
We're in lockstep on that one Titus.
In a speech Marx made in May of 1871, about the Paris Commune, he noted, "The Commune was formed of the municipal councillors, chosen by universal suffrage in the various wards of the town, responsible and revocable at short terms...
"Instead of continuing to be the agent of the Central Government, the police was at once stripped of its political attributes, and turned into the responsible, and at all times revocable, agent of the Commune. So were the officials of all other branches of the administration. From the members of the Commune downwards, the public service had to be done at workman’s wage."
That's a pretty good starting point.
I agree, Saying you can identify isn't, nor should it be, believed, if you currently exist beyond the pale of identifying. Yet, there have been too many generational failures in which the modus operandi was 'me first.' This movement seems to be proof positive of that. Not many seem to be on the same page. And without consensus, there is no forward motion. It's already divided and moving sideways. You can sum it up in one word: "selfishness"
what a great post, it is sooooo true!
Too true but what can they do? I call it the False World. Everyone knows what they're doing is bs, but they seem to be much more than willing to perpetuate it and justify it for their own sake. It's created one huge communication problem. You can't trust that anything anyone is saying is genuine anymore. The 'real' humans are starting to put a value on 'genuine.' The fake humans don't even know it exists.