State of the Nation, State of the World

It’s a strange thing to get invited to an ANC BGM in the middle of an election campaign (when such activity is supposed to be suspended) by e-mail on the morning of the event. It’s a strange thing to be invited to a book launch funded by the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, at the Workers’ Library, featuring the Deputy National Secretary of the YCL, less than 24 hours before the event. Both these strange things happened to me this week. A person with a suspicious mind might assume that such events are for a particular group of insiders (who have been given good notice). And that the public announcement at the last minute is only done to forestall the accusation of factional or sectarian behaviour. But perhaps that assumption is wrong. Perhaps it is simply incompetence. So let’s just move on to more important matters.

(Comments on these messages are welcome, by the way, at http://domza.net/ ). President Mbeki’s State of the Nation Address is not the announcement of a Five Year Plan like India, China and the Soviet Union would have, but it is good in parts. See the three linked critiques below. Peace is the common cause of all humanity and the forces for peace include great writers like the Quaker, Helena Cobban and the libertarian, Justin Raimondo. The warmongers will be seen off if we unite. Don’t forget the international days of action for peace on the 3rd anniversary of the US/British invasion of Iraq: 18th and 19th March, 2006. Links: SACP on 2006 State of the Nation Address by President Mbeki (522 words) COSATU on the 2006 State of the Nation Speech (1276 words) SACTWU Comment on 2006 State of the Nation Address (755 words) Just a question, Helena Cobban, Just World News (376 words) A Treasonous Camarilla , Justin Raimondo, Antiwar dot com (1610 words)