Review of the book ‘El capital amoroso’ by Jennifer Guerra, a five-part essay that challenges our ideas and practices of love in modern society, and aims to restore its revolutionary meaning.
Héctor
Review: A We without State
March 15, 2024The pamphlet ‘A We without State” by Yásnaya Aguilar Gil, a voice of the Mixe people, deconstructs the word “Indigenous” and poses the idea of a world “not as a sum of national States…but as an ever-changing, collaborative and adaptable conglomerate of tiny social structures, as my community.”
‘Internal Melodies’: music and dialectic
December 16, 2023Can dialectics be expressed musically? ‘Internal Melodies,’ the new album from pianist Dan Tepfer and saxophonist Miguel Zenón, is a journey from one’s outermost external reality to one’s closest self, from reason to emotion, from the social to the individual and back again.
‘Succession’ and the dehumanization of today’s world
August 5, 2023‘Succession’ is a TV series vaguely based on the family running the Fox Corporation. It shows the immense influence of such a company in the daily life of U.S. citizens, but what shocked the reviewer most is how it depicts the dehumanization of human relationships in today’s world.
Electra in Mexico strikes back
March 18, 2023Like Electra, the character from the Greek tragedy, my mother, the first born and only daughter of my grandmother and grandfather, struck back. She acquired legal custody of my grandmother to protect her from my so-called “uncles,” who have patronized my mother until this point. Now they are “dazed and confused.”
The hell of normalized domestic violence
July 20, 2022Catholicism, “traditional family life,” silencing of women, combine to make life a “living hell” for many and reveal how the normalizing of domestic violence wars against the Universal of Freedom.
The hell of normalized domestic violence
June 11, 2022Catholicism, “traditional family life,” silencing of women, combine to make life a “living hell” for many and reveal how the normalizing of domestic violence wars against the Universal of Freedom.
Readers’ Views: May-June 2022, part one
May 19, 2022Readers’ Views on: Abortion Bans vs. Women and Freedom; Anti-War, Pro-Democracy Voices from Russia; Patriarchy Attacked; Putin’s Brutal War
Discussion Article: Towards a dynamic unity of struggle
March 19, 2022Discussion article on the question of unity and diversity of struggles, theory and practice, Marxism and other currents of thought, exploring briefly the Zapatista Indigenous movement from 1994 to the present.
To build a new society
September 21, 2021From Mexico, a search for agroecology, food autonomy and a truly human world after an experience with green capitalism.
Agroecology in Xico
May 8, 2021Our landlords run the biggest agroecological project in the zone. They sell organic food in a store in the capital city of Veracruz. It is astonishing to see that their great respect for nature is matched with their great disrespect for human life.
Biking Diaries: Mexico’s pandemicide
March 11, 2021Almost one year after the declaration of the COVID-19 alert in Mexico, the way the government has been “managing” the situation is genocidal.
Biking Mexico Diary: Indigenous protect the forest, land and water
November 25, 2020Travelers learn how the Indigenous people of San Marcos, Veracruz, Mexico protect the forest, land and water.
Biking Mexico Diaries: The devil’s bridge
November 3, 2020Continuing with their bike trip throughout Mexico, the author and his friend have to cross “The Devil’s bridge” and they meet a family that has suffered the consequences of developmentalism.
Biking Mexico Diaries: A story of resistance
October 6, 2020As part of his bike journey throughout Mexico, the author and his partner encounter an amazing local resident and all his tales and knowledge, including the struggle of the people of San Marcos in defense of their water.
Essay: The Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth–Unity of the struggles from a dialectical perspective, and what comes next?
August 29, 2020In light of the Zapatistas’ Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth, Héctor explores the search for unity by diverse movements in relation to Hegel’s dialectic of the whole and the parts.
Letter from Mexico: Ecological protest in Xochimilco
Participant report of a protest against the construction of a bridge that would destroy the wetland of Xochimilco, one of the few natural zones remaining in Mexico City.
Letter from Mexico: Bikers protest destruction of nature in Xochimilco
August 5, 2020Participant report of a protest against the construction of a bridge that would destroy the wetland of Xochimilco, one of the few natural zones remaining in Mexico City.
The Forum in Defense of Mother Earth: The unity of the struggles from a dialectical perspective and what comes next?
July 29, 2020In light of the Forum in Defense of Territory and Mother Earth, J.G.F. Héctor explores the search for unity by diverse movements in relation to Hegel’s dialectic of the whole and the parts.
COVID-19 has generated a lot of “free time” for workers, but how can we create full, human “free time”?
May 12, 2020The measures adopted in the face of the spread of COVID-19 in the world have caused billions of people to suddenly have excess “free time.” But this is not a full “free time,” conducive to the enjoyment and development of new skills, but a “time without work” that is exacerbating the enormous economic contradictions already existing in our society. Is it possible to imagine and bring about a form of free time that is truly human time?
El COVID-19 evidencia la crisis del capitalismo, muestra la urgencia de una nueva sociedad humana
March 24, 2020Más allá de la mayor o menor eficacia de la respuesta de uno u otro gobierno ante la pandemia, es el capitalismo en su conjunto el que muestra su incapacidad para darle solución a los problemas que amenazan la vida humana.
COVID-19 manifests the crisis of capitalism, shows the urgency of a new human society
Beyond the greater or lesser effectiveness of the response of one or the other government to the pandemic, it is capitalism as a whole that shows its inability to solve the problems that threaten human life.
Letter from Mexico: Indigenous create tools of resistance
March 4, 2020Report on the Assembly from Oaxaca in Defense of the Land and Territory, held as part of the three Days of Action called by the Zapatistas and the National Indigenous Congress to commemorate one year since the murder of Indigenous activist Samir Flores.
Letter from Mexico: Women fight violence
November 17, 2019Women who demonstrated against the escalating gender violence in Mexico City are aiming for a society where being a woman would no longer mean being an object.
Letter from Mexico: Chiapas Indigenous join Zapatistas
September 1, 2019Analysis of the new moment arrived at by the Zapatista Indigenous movement, which now has 11 more units of self-government in the southearstern state of Chiapas, Mexico.
Letter from Mexico: Mexico in disarray
June 27, 2019Since the developmentalist projects posed by the new “Left” Mexican administration are aimed at generating profits and not at solving human needs, they will just mean more exploitation and misery for the masses.
Letter from Mexico: Remembering Emiliano Zapata
April 27, 2019Praxis en América Latina organizer J.G.F. Héctor takes up the revolutionary legacy of Emiliano Zapata, and resistance to the president and his attempt to appropriate Zapata.
Letter from Mexico: Maquiladora workers strike in Matamoros
March 14, 2019On Jan. 25 more than 30,000 workers from 45 maquiladoras (foreign-owned factories on the border exempt from certain duties) in the northern city of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, began a strike demanding a 20% salary increase and an annual bonus amounting to $1,700 USD.
Letter from Mexico, November-December 2018: Rejecting fake choice in airport referendum
December 14, 2018The elected government of Morena party organized a National Consultation on Mexico’s New Airport from Oct. 25-28. How are the Indigenous people resisting it?
Letter from Mexico, September-October 2018: Next in the struggle
September 19, 2018The Zapatistas called for a gathering Aug. 3-5 in Chiapas of the support networks that participated in trying to register the spokeswoman of the Indigenous Governing Council as an independent candidate for the presidential election in Mexico.
Thousands of Mexican students STRIKE!
On Sept. 5, 2018, a march of tens of thousands of students and other social groups flooded the UNAM campus in Mexico City to demand an end to porrismo, or pro-government thugs, used against students’ movements. Voices of several striking students are featured.
Letter from Mexico: Will López Obrador hear masses?
July 25, 2018Since leftist López Obrador won the Presidency of Mexico, the masses will watch him and raise their voices if he fails in his promises for workers and Indigenous and against violence and corruption.
Letter from Mexico: Zapatista and other women meet
May 2, 2018The First International Gathering of Politics, Art, Sport, and Culture for Women in Struggle, organized by the Zapatista Indigenous women, took place in Chiapas from March 8-10. More than 5,000 women from all over the world shared their thoughts on feminism, art and work.
Letter from Mexico: How will Indigenous movement organize?
March 12, 2018The National Indigenous Congress did not collect enough signatures to allow María de Jesús Patricio to run as an independent candidate for President of Mexico in 2018. This has deepened discussions of how to create horizontal, autonomous organizations born from below.
Readers’ Views, March-April 2018, Part 2
Readers’ Views on Indignant Heart; Justice and ‘Justice’; Youth in Action; Free Press?; Fight Prison Censors!; Voices from Behind Bars.
Letter from Mexico: Zapatistas and science for humanity
February 6, 2018At the second gathering of “ConSciences for Humanity,” scientists shared with the Zapatista Indigenous communities their views of “Science in the face of the wall [capitalism].”
Readers’ Views: The Dialectic and the Meaning of the Russian Revolution
January 31, 2018The dialectic and the meaning of the Russian Revolution.
Raya Dunayevskaya y la filosofía del humanismo marxista: su significado hoy
December 16, 2017Raya Dunayevskaya y la filosofía del Raya Dunayevskaya y la filosofía del humanismo marxista: su significado hoy
Eugene Gogol
Introducción: sobre aniversarios, conmemoraciones y nuevos comienzos
El centenario de la Revolución Rusa, el 150 aniversario de la primera edición de El capital, de Marx, así como el bicentenario del nacimiento de este último, son momentos cruciales en los [=>]
Letter from Mexico, November-December 2017: Earthquake: Mexico’s wake-up call
November 15, 2017Two deadly earthquakes struck Mexico, killing around 400 people and leaving thousands homeless, a situation made worse by the response of the state. .
Readers’ Views, November-December 2017: Part 2
November 14, 2017Readers’ Views on: Concepts that unite philosophy & revolution; Lies poison us; Class justice, and Voices from behind bars
Earthquakes in Mexico: a wake-up call
September 26, 2017An in-person report of the recent devastating earthquakes in Mexico and how social conditions including capitalism, government corruption, etc., negatively affect rescue efforts; how everyday people’s self-organization makes a significant difference.
Readers’ Views: September-October 2017, Part 2
September 5, 2017Readers’ Views: Marx’s concept of theory; we are not a game; voices from behind bars.
Letter from Mexico, September-October 2017: Where Ayotzinapa movement can lead
August 31, 2017Sept. 26 is the third anniversary of the forced disappearance of 43 students from the rural normal school Raúl Isidro Burgos in Ayotzinapa, Guerrero, nevertheless their parents and fellow students continue to agitate for their return.
Readers’ Views: July-August 2017, Part 1
July 2, 2017Readers’ Views on Philosophy and Revolt vs. Trumpism; Trump and the Left; Injustice to Immigrants; Anti-Woman, Anti-Labor Uber; ACT UP; From Iran; To Mexico; Why Read News & Letters?
Letter from Mexico: A new moment for revolution?
June 30, 2017Around 800 Native people from all over Mexico met May 26-28 in San Cristóbal de las Casas, Chiapas, to create an Indigenous Governing Council (IGC) and name its spokeswoman.
Letter from Mexico: Zapatistas support U.S. migrants
May 2, 2017Zapatistas in Mexico issued a statement and provided material support for immigrants resisting expulsion, especially from the U.S. .
Reader’s Views: March-April 2017, Part 2
March 16, 2017Readers’ Views on Hegel’s dialectic and today’s retrogression; Why read N&L?; La Raza unida; Education and freedom; Racism in Burma and U.S.; Voices from behind the bars
Readers’ Views: January-February 2017, Part 2
February 2, 2017Readers’ Views on: Practical and Theoretical Intervention; Syria and Humanism; International Crises; and Prisoners Speak.
Letter from Mexico: Indigenous organize to contest 2018 vote
January 31, 2017The National Indigenous Congress in Mexico announced that 430 communities had created an Indigenous Governing Council to prepare for selecting a woman to contest the presidential election in 2018, not with the goal of taking power through the ballot box, but to elicit the voices and actions from below.
Readers’ Views, November-December 2016, Part 2
November 27, 2016Readers’ Views on The Dialectic of History Vs. Retrogression; Prisoners, Supporters Speak.