No one said anything about plotting human suffering
Re: The latest conclusion from Bronfman High | Commentary | Sept. 29
In years of debating the possible benefits of a more equitable economic system with ardent supporters of capitalism – usually Economics or Business students – one point is raised again and again. Last week, the Bull and Bear’s critical Editors-in-Chief brought it up in their letter: the need to re-iterate that those in power are not sitting in dark rooms co-plotting the suffering of humankind.
And I have always wondered: Who said that they were? Why do they keep bringing it up if no one is mentioning it?
And then I get all conspiracy-theory freaked out. Because it seems like they’re tying to hide some scary reality that they become privy to in Business School. And before I smoke something to calm down, I think: Wait, maybe Dick Cheney and Heather Monroe-Blum are in some dark cave below the administration building trying to bring about the apocalypse by fornicating and creating a creature more hideous than Stephen Harper could ever be.
Charles Mostoller
U3 Arts
Socialism for the rich,
capitalism for the rest of us
Re: “Trust me, we need that $700-billion bailout” | Commentary | Oct. 2
Before the recent financial crisis set in, the established capitalist forces were advocating for reduced government interference and increased privatization of the economy – the promise being that the profits will trickle down to everyone in society. But now that they have bet on the wrong horses, American taxpayers are expected to pick up the $700-billion tab for Wall Street executives’ mistakes – the biggest bailout in the history of capitalism.
When it is about them making profit, they’re all for capitalism. When it is about their losses, suddenly socialism is a great idea. But don’t be fooled, their brand of socialism is about dumping their losses onto the people while they continue to own banks, factories, finance capital, etc. If they want socialism, let’s give them genuine socialism.
This $700-billion shouldn’t be used as a bailout; it should be used to buy all of the failing banks and finance capital – to nationalize them all! By doing so, citizens can keep the banks and factories open and create stable jobs, so that profits usually reaped by parasitic middle-men go straight to the people.
This recent “crisis” is not the fault of some incompetent bankers, stock traders, and CEOs, and it is not about greed. Rather, it follows the logic of the capitalist system; the cycle of boom and bust. The problem is that in most cases, the boom is only for the capitalists and their lackeys, and the bust is for the rest of us.
The capitalists behind the banks have shown their true incompetence. We cannot depend on them to save people’s jobs, homes, and savings. Again and again, capitalists have dropped the ball (remember 1870s, 1929, early 1980s, early 2000s); yet the people have had to bend over backward to pick up the ball for them while they position themselves comfortably behind us. I say let them drop the ball, kick them out of the game, and let’s play our own ball game with a new set of rules.
Ted Sprague
Master’s II Chemistry
An opinionated, yet well-balanced take on babies and international students
Re: “Nursery may rest in MISN lounge” | News | Oct. 2
As former SSMU VP Clubs and Services last year, I worked closely with members of the McGill International Students’ Network (MISN) as the service sought to return to its mission of representation, advocacy, support, etc.
Naturally, MISN will be devastated to lose its lounge. But I find it absolutely hilarious that the service is claiming a smaller office space will prevent it from meeting its mandate. If anything, the constant stream of MISN executives who focus only on planning parties and trips is what has prevented a successful return to its actual mission.
A perfect example is the fact that MISN is annoyed at SSMU for asking the service to help notify international students of the deregulation of tuition – international students are already taken advantage of and forced to pay illegally high fees! SSMU shouldn’t have even had to ask; MISN should have notified its listserv already!
I used to pass the MISN lounge no less than six times a day last year, and I never once saw more people in that space than could comfortably fit in a bathroom.
As a former volunteer with SACOMSS, I feel for MISN’s loss of a beloved space. But, my experience with SACOMSS has shown me that a smaller office can help to bring volunteers closer together (pardon the pun) to refocus priorities. Further, the SACOMSS volunteer base floats between 30 and 100 members, not to mention the thousands of students it serves, and its office isn’t half the size of the current MISN lounge. Size isn’t everything, you know.
That being said, kudos to SSMU for braving the bad publicity and serving an incredibly underrepresented population at McGill: new parents.
Marcelle Kosman
SSMU VP Clubs & Services 2007-08
B.A. Honours English 2008
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