Wednesday, 10 August 2011

Who are the rioters in Britain?

As mayhem spreads from London to other parts of Britain, it's important to know who and why they are in revolt. Let's get the facts straight.

Despite the mainstream media painting the rioters as just hooded teenage delinquents - poor and frustrated striking out against the community - they are, in reality, from a diverse range of backgrounds and age groups and are all united by their hatred of the British police state and the conservative-led government.

The British working class people are frustrated and angry about the inequalities in wealth and opportunity, tired of unwarranted police harassment and racial discrimination, and fed up with government austerity measures.

They burned and looted stores that were either big chain stores or catered to middle-class professionals that offer little to their community.

This is not just some riots that could be quelled with brute force, but a beginning of a revolution. The fact that riots are well coordinated and spreading shows that it is indeed a revolution. As history tells us, a revolution is a movement that can't be crushed in a day or in a few weeks.

More widespread unrest will be coming...

Sunday, 7 August 2011

Murdoch could be prosecuted for violating Foreign Corrupt Practices Act

The Murdoch scandal in Britain is just the tip of the iceberg.

Murdoch's culture of corruption has not only ensnared major figures in media and politics of Britain, but also of major figures in Australia and the United States as they will be scrutinized and investigated in the future.

The media watchdogs feel vindicated as they have long criticized the unethical practices of News Corp. and its subsidiaries, including News of the World, The Sun, Fox News, and The Times of London. And many of these practices are found to be illegal.

As expected, Murdoch will face trials in these countries that he ruled above the law.

In the U.S., the allegations against News Corp. of wide-scale corruption and obstruction of justice violate the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act. The fact that the scandal involves bribery of police officers, blackmailing politicians, and unlawful phone and email hacking, etc. would mean that News Corp. could be prosecuted under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act.

Here's a clear-cut article on why the U.S. Department of Justice is forced to act.