Molotovs in Mickey Dees...

was sent this article from the North American Animal Liberation Press Office...interesting in light of heavy protests against globalization in the D.F. (Distrito Federal)....more interesting that animal rights has been thrown into the mix...

For Immediate ReleaseNovember 12, 2008
Earth, Animal Liberationists Wage War in Mexico City
received anonymously (translation):
In a first joint action: an informal coordination of groups and individuals for action and for animal and earth liberation, between 4 and 5 in the morning of Friday, November 7, 10 'Bonanno devices' (these are: false bombs, molotov's, incendiary devices... that in this case were 10 false bombs) were placed at the seats of capitalism and exploitation. Those that received this warning were: Burger King's, McDonald's and K.F.C.. In addition to being a sabotage against the exploitation of flora and fauna, the second purpose of this action was to create 'nervousness and paranoia in the institutions of the repressive state', and to break the imposed social order, since those who defend capitalism also defend animal exploitation.
In this decentralized action the 'Bonanno devices' were distributed in different areas of the State of Mexico and Mexico City. The informal coordination of groups and individuals for action and for animal and earth liberation is an informal organization of cells and anonymous individuals that actively struggle to abolish exploitation and capitalism. The Frente de Liberacion Animal, part of this action, is already being seen as a threat, because in all the newspapers of Mexico the news was about an 'animal extremist group;' we know that stronger battles will come and we are ready to fight them.
Those of us who shape this organization claim ourselves: young autonomous, subversive and rebellious, maintaining a permanent conflict against capitalism, exploitation and the state. Not one step back ... against exploitation ... direct action and confrontation!
This action is claimed by: The informal coordination of groups and individuals for action and for animal and earth liberation:
-Frente de liberacion animal [Animal Liberation Front] -brigada de combate vegano barry horne [Brigade of Vegan Fighter Barry Horne] -The Angry Vegan Brigade -Milicias por los derechos de los animales [Militias for Animal Rights] -F.L.A. celula 5 [ALF cell 5] -Comando verde negro [Green-Black Commando] -Celula eco-anarquista por el ataque directo [Eco-Anarchist Cell for Direct Attack] -Circulo autonomo de accion por la liberacion [Autonomous Circle of Action for Liberation] -Brigada subversiva 11 de septiembre. [September 11 Subversive Brigade]

Protest

I had written in a post below that I would explain some of the pictures from my most recent trip to Mexico. One of the hot topics while I was there was President Felipe Calderon's proposal regarding Mexico's oil company PEMEX. The proposal has been labled as the privatization of PEMEX which is actually forbidden by the Mexican Constitution. NPR has an article regarding this issue and I am supplying the link below.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=90402097

Lo Hicimos!

Upon reading an article in Bitch Magazine regarding Dora the Explorer and the global industrial economy, I was first unconvinced that to single Dora out among all the various mass-produced children's programming and paraphernalia was appropriate. However, throughout the day I became more convinced that Dora, singularly, speaks to global capital's hold on the US-Mexican border and other Latin American countries. In one episode of Dora the Explorer, she goes on a quest for her missing toy--Osito, the teddy bear. Accompanied by Boots and some wandering estrellas to guide her way, she first comes across what appears to be an ancient Mayan pyramid (We can only assume this because Dora's ethnicity is never revealed) where she solves puzzles to move onto the next location which is revealed as an ancient Mayan city. There, she finds Osito the bear.

Thinking about this episode, I wonder what it would look like if Dora were to go on a "realistic" journey in search of her lost toy. Instead of the ancient pyramid, she would enter the metal doors of a maquiladora in Juarez. Instead of a golden Mayan city, she would see tired and poor workers going home to cardboard houses with no electricity or water after spending 12-16 hours making the very toys she seeks. What lies silent beneath this episode of Dora is the lives and places utilized to make the "Dora Empire" possible. The television children watch Dora on is most likely made in Tijuana, la Capital Mundial de la Television. The Dora toys, shirts, shoes, games, etc. are most likely not made in the United States, probably in Mexico, or Asia where labor is cheap and human rights and regulations are overlooked.

Eventhough Dora is a children's show and is innocent enough, what we fail to notice is what lies behind Dora. There are questions of race, class, gender, and global capitalism. We accept her because she is "multicultural", but really she is a nice and pleasant distraction from the real cultural problems we fail to address.