Wednesday, August 9: Global Migration Crisis
Limiting the movement of desperate humans has never resulted in anything positive
As the global migration crisis continues to unfold, the most desperate people continue to pay the ultimate price for the inaction of the powerful. 41 people are believed to be dead after a boat capsized off the coast of Tunisia, according to Italian state television that cited four survivors who were rescued and brought to land early this morning.
The four survivors were first rescued by a Maltese-flagged hauler ship before being transferred to the Italian coastguard, which brought them to the Sicilian island of Lampedusa. Lampedusa, which is closer to Africa than the Italian mainland, is a frequent destination for human smugglers and has seen its migrant holding facilities repeatedly overcrowded with new arrivals. The migrant boat set off from Tunisia’s Sfax, a hot spot in the migration crisis, but capsized and sank after a few hours.
According to the Italian interior ministry, more than 93,000 undocumented immigrants have arrived in Italy so far this year by crossing the Mediterranean Sea, more than twice the 45,000 who arrived during the same time period last year. The top nationalities of those arriving are from Guinea, Ivory Coast, Egypt (ayy) and Tunisia.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a fascist, whose right-wing government includes the fascist League party, has really unified the European Union to join in as it tries to convince Tunisia to crack down on smuggling operations, but the boats will continue to set off.
Meanwhile, over in Texas, reviled governor Greg Abbott has installed circular saws between the buoys that line the Rio Grande border intended to maim or kill anyone who attempts to climb over. Two bodies have already been found trapped in the floating barrier, and more will likely be found in the future. Because people will keep trying to seek out a better life for their families.
Side Items
Implement a 32-Hour Workweek You Cowards: Between the years 1950 to 2020 there was a 299 percent increase in labor productivity. Where do we think the benefits of this increase went? To the top of society of course! It certainly didn’t automatically generate a shorter workweek. That’s why politicians like Senator Bern-dawg Sanders have begun quietly and not-so-quietly recommending a 32-hour workweek. The greed-based nature of capitalist property relations make “natural” decreases in workload deeply unlikely. If workers collectively owned and democratically ran their own workplaces, they would have the simple option of responding to labor-saving technological advances by voting for reduced hours for themselves with no reduction in income. But with labor and ownership so far separated, owners have no reasonable incentive to make that decision
Daystar Gets 10 Years: legal name Daystar Peterson, rap name Tory Lanez, prison name, to be determined. A judge sentenced abusive rapper Tory Lanez to 10 years in prison yesterday for shooting and wounding hip-hop star Megan Thee Stallion. LA Superior Court Judge David Herriford handed down the sentence to the 31-year-old Mr. Peterson, who was convicted in December of three felonies: assault with a semiautomatic firearm; having a loaded, unregistered firearm in a vehicle and discharging a firearm with gross negligence. 10 years is tough, but not as tough as getting shot in the foot
A Poopy Anniversary: Yesterday marked 19 years since the fateful day when a boat full of tourists were drizzled in poo by the then-popular Dave Matthews Band. Next year, to honor the 20th anniversary, there’s talk that Chicago will dye the river brown to mark the occasion! Stay clear of poo my friends