• Trabajadores domésticos • Inmigrantes y Arpaio 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org Sept. 23, 2010 Vol. 52, No. 37 50¢ New York on 9/11 Anti-racist unity with Muslims wins the day By John Catalinotto New York OUTRAGE IN

Thousands of people gathered in City Hall Park near this LOS ANGELES DETROIT FIRES city’s World Trade Center site on Sept. 11 to show solidarity with the Muslim community and condemn the racism and Over another police killing Not just act of nature bigotry whipped up by the right wing over a plan to build 3 4 an Islamic community center in the neighborhood. The pro-unity rally, called by the Emergency Mobiliza- tion Against Racism & Anti-Muslim Bigotry, greatly out- UNION PLAyERS numbered a heavily publicized and financed Tea Party CAPITALIST CRISIS event protesting the community center. In addition, hun- Football solidarity How to fight it dreds more anti-racists surrounded the Tea Party bigots to 3 5 oppose their message of hatred. Just two weeks earlier an orgy of publicity in the corporate media and a big advertising budget gave a false picture of broad support EDITORIAL: for the anti-Muslim gang. The same media also exploded with coverage of the pastor of an WHAT NEXT? obscure, reactionary sect in Gainesville, Fla., 10 after he threatened to burn 200 copies of the Qur’an on Sept. 11. Media attention to these vi- ciously racist events sparked physical attacks on Muslims in the United States. Cynthia McKinney and Cindy Sheehan In response, progressive forces joined to- gether to mobilize resistance to the anti-Mus- lim attacks. In New York they also exposed the role of the billionaire corporate backers of the Sara Flounders, Tea Party, which tries to present itself as rep- Lucy Pagoada and resenting workers. Prof. Asha Samad-Matias In countries with large Muslim popula- tions like Indonesia and Pakistan, thousands of people began to demonstrate at U.S. offices to protest the wave of anti-Muslim bigotry and xenophobia. In Afghanistan, mass demonstra- tions targeted NATO bases and government buildings. For almost a decade, the U.S. government has used anti-Muslim propaganda to build sup- port for its occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan

and its threats against Iran. But the anti-Mus- ww photos: greg Butterfield lim excesses at home were undermining U.S. Amadi Ajamu diplomacy and its military occupations. In the week before the 9/11 anniversary, Gen. David Petraeus and Defense Secretary Robert Gates personally pressured Gainesville pastor Terry Jones to cancel the book burning. It was the response of the people that turned the tide, however. In Gainesville, 300 rallied and marched in response to the threatened Continued on page 6 Subscribe to Workers World Eight weeks trial $4 www.workers.org One year subscription $25

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Address ______City /State/Zip ______Email______Phone______Workers World Weekly Newspaper 55 W. 17th St. #5C, NY, NY 10011 212.627.2994 Larry Holmes ww photos: g. dunkel Dima Abisaab of Al-Awda

HONDURAS STRIKE Resistance rises 8 SOMALIA Puppets under siege 9 FRENCH PENSIONS Strike against cuts 11 page 2 sept. 23, 2010 workers.org

WORKERS WORLD Capitalist profits fueled this week ...  In the U.S. San Bruno blast Anti-racist unity with Muslims wins the day ...... 1 By Betsey Piette Trust, a nonprofit advocacy group set up after a 1969 ex- Capitalist profits fueled San Bruno blast ...... 2 plosion killed three people in Bellingham, Wash., said, On the picket line ...... 2 Another deadly accident in the rapidly expanding and “The industry always says that if you take care of pipe- LA community resists racist cops ...... 3 largely unregulated U.S. gas and oil industry has devas- lines, they’ll last forever. But what we see over and over Football players express union solidarity ...... 3 tated a community. again is companies not doing that, and corrosion and Cause of Detroit home fires ...... 4 A fire in San Bruno, Calif., on Sept. 9 killed at least sev- other factors are causing failures.” Weimer noted that Chicago WWP conference ...... 4 en people, injured more than 60 others, and destroyed or once a high-pressure pipeline fails, anything can cause a The capitalist crisis & how to fight it ...... 5 damaged dozens of homes over a 15-acre area in a resi- deadly blast. (Philadelphia Inquirer, Sept. 11) Homelessness, poverty shoot up ...... 5 dential neighborhood. This horrific fire resulted from the This catastrophic accident and others that have occurred ‘Low-Wage Capitalism’ author speaks in Midwest ...... 5 rupture of a natural gas line. over the years in both the gas and oil industries point up Youth in Gainesville reject Muslim-bashing ...... 6 Prior to the blast, residents reported smelling gas in the inadequacy of government regulation of privately Activists demand release of Cuban 5 ...... 8 recent weeks, but Pacific Gas & Electric Co., the utility owned for-profit companies. First, there are not enough Letters to the editor ...... 10 company that operates the 30-inch-diameter pipeline, regulations to prevent accidents like this one. Second, the Birthday message from Leonard Peltier ...... 11 denied that any of its crews had worked on the line. It government does not enforce rules nor punish errant com- should be pointed out, however, that PG&E has had 19 panies that flout health and safety concerns. (Another case significant pipeline incidents since 2002. in point is BP’s ravaging of the Gulf of Mexico and the gov-  Around the world According to experts, the 305,000 miles of onshore ernment’s “do little, if anything,” approach.) Protests erupt across Afghanistan ...... 7 natural gas lines that span the U.S. routinely suffer Under capitalism, the mad dash for profits always Iraqi prisoners escape U .S . custody ...... 7 breakdowns and failures. In 2008 alone, at least 365 takes priority over protection of human lives and the en- Honduras strike shows strength of Resistance ...... 8 people were killed and 1,553 injured from 44 significant vironment. In fact, the government’s interest here is to Imperialist forces try to bolster weak Somalia regime . . . . . 9 gas pipeline accidents across the country. During the last protect corporate ownership and profits, no matter what, Juan Mari Bras, ¡presente! ...... 9 two decades, more than 5,600 serious pipeline accidents unless there is a mass struggle that forces the govern- ‘Our pension funds to oppress Palestinians? No way!’ . . . . . 9 have been reported. ment to issue some protections. However, this does not French workers’ general strike against pension cuts . . . . . 11 The section of gas line that ruptured in this San Fran- get to the root of the problem. Chinese Revolution improved workers’ lives ...... 11 cisco suburb was ranked as high risk because it ran What this disaster cries out for is socialized ownership through a highly populated area. of gas and oil resources and production. Unlike the cur-  Editorials Ironically, one of those killed in the inferno was Jac- rent capitalist system, this would take the profit motive queline Greig, a San Bruno resident and an analyst for out of the picture. A national, regional or local people’s After Sept . 11 — what next? ...... 10 the California Public Utilities Commission. She worked planning board comprised of environmentalists, urban on a commission team that advocates for consumers planners, engineers, safety experts, workers and com-  Noticias En Español and environmental protection pertaining to natural gas. munity members would figure out how to provide the Trabajadores domésticos ...... 12 Grieg had been reviewing PG&E’s plans to upgrade its people with the safest and most economical energy while Inmigrantes y Arpaio ...... 12 natural gas lines. guarding the well-being of human beings and the envi- Carl Weimer, executive director of the Pipeline Safety ronment. That’s the way it should be.

Workers World On the Picket Line 55 West 17 Street By Sue Davis New York, N.Y. 10011 Phone: (212) 627-2994 Fax: (212) 675-7869 Data show immigrants Mott’s workers defend jobs, E-mail: [email protected] vital to U.S. economy union as strike ends Web: www.workers.org Vol. 52, No. 37 • Sept. 23, 2010 Contrary to what’s stated on Fox News or at The Mott’s applesauce and apple juice workers held their Closing date: Sept. 14, 2010 Tea Party rallies, immigrant workers play an picket line for 114 days. Dr Pepper Snapple bosses blinked on Editor: Deirdre Griswold incredibly important role in the U.S. economy. Sept. 13. That Monday, in the midst of the local apple harvest, A report issued Aug. 30 in time for Labor Day, DPS offered Local 220 of the Department Store union, which is Technical Editor: Lal Roohk underwritten by the Federal Reserve Bank of a division of the Food and Commercial Workers union (RWD- Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, San Francisco, reports, “Statistical analysis of SU-UFCW), very different contract terms than the workers Leslie Feinberg, Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead, state-level data shows that immigrants expand had rejected on May 23. Gone were demands for $1.50 an hour Gary Wilson the economy’s productive capacity by stimulating pay cut, with additional 50-cent cuts the next two years, for a West Coast Editor: John Parker investment and promoting specialization. This total of $2.50 an hour. Gone were the demands for a pension Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, produces efficiency gains and boosts income freeze and a big jump in employee costs of medical care. Gone Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, per worker. At the same time, evidence is were DPS’s dreams of being able to run the plant with low-paid Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, scant that immigrants diminish the scab labor, jettison the skilled workers and kill the union. Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, employment opportunities of Instead DPS offered a wage freeze, with a $1,000 sign- Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Betsey Piette, U.S.-born workers.” Author ing bonus, reduced pension contribution and a 401(k) Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac Giovanni Peri shows that the plan for new hires, and 20 percent employee costs Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, effect of immigration on wages for medical care. Local 220 RWDSU-UFCW voted Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno is really positive — equivalent 185 to 62 to ratify the three-year contact on Sept. 13. Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, to a $5,100 annual raise for Though it wasn’t a clear-cut victory, the workers Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, workers on average between were able to stop a highly profitable company’s draco- Carlos Vargas 1990 and 2007 (measured in nian attack. A very dangerous precedent would constant 2005 dollars). Take that, have been set for all workers in this recession if Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator Glenn Beck and Sarah Palin! Continued to page 3 Copyright © 2010 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium without National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Durham, N.C. Pittsburgh royalty provided this notice is preserved. join us 55 W . 17 St . 367 Delaware Ave . 331 W . Main St ,. Ste . 408 pittsburgh@workers org. 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If you would like to know Boston milwaukee@workers org. Tucson, Ariz. Periodicals postage paid at New York, N.Y. more about WWP, or to 284 Amory St . Detroit Philadelphia tucson@workers org. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to join us in these struggles, Boston, MA 02130 5920 Second Ave . P .O . Box 34249 Washington, D.C. Workers World, 55 W. 17 St., 5th Floor, Detroit, MI 48202 contact the branch 617-522-6626 Philadelphia, PA 19101 P .O . Box 57300 Fax 617-983-3836 313-459-0777 610-931-2615 New York, N.Y. 10011. nearest you . Washington, DC 20037 boston@workers org. detroit@workers org. phila@workers org. dc@workers org. workers.org sept. 23, 2010 page 3 After immigrant worker is killed L.A. community resists racist cops By Scott Scheffer After the slaying, militant demonstra- told them, and she wanted to get the truth Westlake is a community of more than a Los Angeles tions each night were attacked by police out. At a hastily-organized press confer- few languages. with tear gas and rubber bullets. Cops ence, activists brought out Ana’s testi- Others demanded to know why the po- The anger of the mostly Central Ameri- wielding batons charged into crowds mony using only her first name. “Jamines lice didn’t use their much-touted “nonle- can migrant neighborhood of Westlake in of angry residents and demonstrators. had no knife when he was shot, and he thal” means when dealing with Jamines. Los Angeles erupted in the streets for four People fled, regrouped and fought back. didn’t lunge at police,” she had told them. To the jeers and shouts of the entire room, nights over a police slaying. A 37-year- There were injuries on both sides and When the LAPD organized a “town a police speaker responded that bicycle old Guatemalan day laborer, Manuel more than 30 arrests. hall meeting” on the evening of Sept. 8, cops carry only lethal weapons. Jamines, was shot twice in the head on The rebellion alarmed Los Angeles Po- Police Chief Charlie Beck was frequently Another man said the police were “out a crowded street on Sept. 5. He was un- lice Department brass who desperately at- shouted down. Even the establishment of control” in the neighborhood, and that armed according to eyewitnesses. tempted to “spin” the situation and hoped press saw the meeting as unsuccessful. It people had gotten their teeth knocked out it would go away. “Manuel Jamines was wasn’t that the LAPD hadn’t done their and their property stolen by cops. intoxicated,” they said. They claimed he job thoroughly. They had their spokes- Westlake is an occupied neighborhood On the Picket Line held a knife high over his head and lunged people lined up to praise the police. The and the cops are from the Rampart Divi- at the police. They brought up his immi- chief promised there would be a “thor- sion, whose brutality and corruption were the strike had failed. But the workers are gration status and said he was using a ough” and “transparent” investigation. exposed in the late 1990s. It forced a fed- returning to work with their jobs and their false name. But a long line of community residents eral investigation and a consent decree union intact, and in these times that’s The mayor prophesized that the offi- tenaciously stood waiting for their chance that only lapsed this year. Fifty-eight cops something to be really proud of. As Local cers involved would be shown to be “he- at the microphone. The line stretched were tried for beating and shooting peo- 220 President Mike LeBerth told the New roic” by the investigation. But everything from near the front of the large room ple, committing theft and selling drugs in York Times, “Was it worth it? Yes, because the cops said and did resulted in more an- to near the back. Community members this very neighborhood. we stood strong and the company knows ger from the community. seemed to outnumber 100 to one the Of course most of the cops got off, but we’re a force to be reckoned with.” (Sept. Organizers from the Southern Califor- handpicked police supporters. it was one of the worst police corruption 13) Thanks, Local 220, for defending the nia Immigration Coalition and other ac- Many spoke of being mistreated for scandals in U.S. history. This history right of all workers to a job with dignity tivists who have been out in the commu- being Guatemalan. Some spoke in their speaks volumes about racism towards mi- and union representation. nity leafleting each day found nothing but native language of K’iche’, a Mayan lan- grant workers. solidarity for Manuel Jamines. guage which was the only language Man- But if this wave of anger is any indica- Adjunct faculty protest One woman who received a leaflet on uel Jamines spoke and understood. Their tion, consent decrees and public relations in Chicago the street called SCIC to say she had seen remarks were translated into Spanish and are the least of the LAPD’s problems. Ac- the shooting. She had reported what she English, and drove home the point that tivists are in the streets of Westlake hand- The United Adjunct Faculty Associa- saw to the LAPD, but they painted a pic- when the police shouted at him in Span- ing out leaflets for another demonstration tion at East-West University in Chicago ture that was the opposite of what she had ish, Jamines didn’t understand them. scheduled for Sept. 18. held a picket line Aug. 26 to protest EWU’s unfair labor practices. That same week the National Labor Relations Board filed an unfair labor practice against EWU Under threat of bosses’ lockout for violating federally protected rights of adjunct faculty. The problem: When word leaked out last spring that the adjuncts, who constitute 85 percent of EWU’s edu- Football players express cators, were organizing a union with the Illinois Education Association, they were all fired. (laborbeat.org) union solidarity

Asian/Pacific Island By Monica Moorehead Cleveland Browns players take a heroic workers abused The 2010 National Football League stand, Sept. 12. A powerful new report released Aug. season began on Sept. 9 with an un- 12 by the Asian Pacific American Labor expected but welcome show of soli- torn knee ligaments, Alliance, “Breaking Ground, Breaking darity displayed by the two opposing broken spinal cords Silence,” exposes the workplace violations teams — the New Orleans Saints, who and much more. An and conditions affecting Asian Americans are the defending Super Bowl cham- untold number of and Pacific Islanders. The report is based pions, and the Minnesota Vikings. players become ad- on the first hearing organized by APALA, Players from both sides came on the dicted to painkillers the AFL-CIO and more than 20 national field together before the start of the to deal with the long- and local organizations in November game raising their fingers in the air to term effect of these 2009, with more than 200 Asian Ameri- show support for their union, the Na- injuries. cans and Pacific Islander trade unionists, tional Football League Players Associ- Once these play- allies, elected officials and academics ation. On Sept. 12, more than 12 other ers face retirement, participating. The workers testified about teams carried out similar gestures be- including early re- health and safety violations, immigrant fore playing their opening games. tirement, they get worker exploitation, wage theft, employer The players wanted to send a clear adequate health care intimidation and union suppression, message to the NFL billionaire own- coverage for only a among other issues. A series of hearings ers who are threatening a lockout against to the NFL are greedy multimillionaires. limited amount of time. Current players is now underway in selected U.S. cities. them next March when the collective bar- There is no denying that high-profile also want to see more of the revenue go To learn more about the report and the gaining agreement expires. If a new con- players — especially quarterbacks like to providing health care for retired NFL hearings, visit www.apalanet.org. tract is not agreed upon by next spring, Tom Brady, Brett Favre and Peyton Man- players. the entire 2011 football season will be in ning — make tens of million of dollars an- Another important issue for the play- Tell P.R. governor to stop jeopardy of being cancelled. nually and can play for many years. Favre ers is that the owners want to expand the The main issue behind the impending has begun his 20th year of play. However, 16-game regular season to 18 games next anti-worker brutality lockout is the billions of dollars in prof- in reality, the overwhelming majority of year. The NFLPA opposes this propos- On May 21 the president of Local 481 its that the NFL teams generate in great these players make much less than the su- al as a further health risk to the players of the Food and Commercial Workers part for the owners, especially in televi- perstars and usually experience the short- and a maneuver on the part of the bosses union, Luisa Acevedo, and her son, Frank sion revenues, food concessions, NFL est career span of any of the U.S. profes- to squeeze even more profits out of the Pizarro, were brutally beaten at a fund- gear sales, higher ticket prices, including sional sports — 3.6 years. (Bloomberg popularity of the players. In the end, NFL raising event for Puerto Rican Gov. Luis luxury boxes, and much more. News, Sept. 8) players are nothing more than highly paid G. Fortuño. They were attacked by police The owners control 56 percent of these Putting aside any bonuses players gladiators who are superexploited for while peacefully protesting the governor’s profits. The players are demanding a larger can make just for signing for a team and their skill, talent and popularity. recent signing of legislation outsourcing percentage of the revenues while the boss- performing other tasks, the minimum On Sept. 12, the NFLPA passed out tens of thousands of public sector jobs es are seeking to reduce players’ salaries. base salary for NFL players in 2009 was cards to its members asking that they vote and negating collective bargaining rights. Several sports commentators have re- $295,000, and that’s if they were on to decertify the union in order to block Though they were hurt badly enough to acted negatively to NFLPA standing up a team roster for at least three games. the owners from legally carrying out the need hospitalization, the two have since for their rights, hoping to turn the fans (ehow.com) lockout. “This is purely a procedural mat- recovered. To send a message to Gov. against the players. The violent nature of the NFL games ter and is a non-story until March,” said Fortuño to stop all anti-worker actions There is a misconceived notion by many creates tremendous career-ending and George Atallah, the NFLPA’s assistant ex- and police brutality, click on Take Action sports fans in the U.S. and worldwide that even life-threatening injuries for these ecutive director. (Philadelphia Inquirer, on ufcw.org. all professional football players belonging players, including multiple concussions, Sept. 12) page 4 sept. 23, 2010 workers.org

Cause of Detroit home fires ‘Natural disaster’ or corporate criminality? By Abayomi Azikiwe she had noticed a transformer that was tens of thousands of vacant homes, busi- immediately called for a meeting with co- Detroit sparking earlier in the day, but calls to nesses, factories and other structures. alition members, who repeated their de- DTE got no response. “This is ridiculous,” Detroit officials say that the current mand for a halt to the shutoffs. The cor- A series of 85 fires struck several De- she said. “You can call them and they don’t budget deficit is in excess of $300 mil- poration refused. troit neighborhoods on Sept. 7. High do anything, but if you have a shutoff no- lion and growing, resulting in thousands Several months later, Moratorium winds of up to 50 miles per hour hit the tice they’re right there.” (Detroit News, of educational and municipal jobs being NOW! organized the residents of the city that day and blew down power lines, Sept. 8) eliminated. Highland Towers apartments, where elec- sparking fires that spread rapidly. The fire department has about 500 DTE Energy has contributed signifi- trical service was terminated due to the Initial reports from the corporate me- fighters assigned to cover the city. On cantly to the crisis. Its lack of mainte- negligence of the landlords. DTE Energy dia and DTE Energy, which supplies lo- Sept. 7, only 236 were on duty and only nance in the city could cause further was forced to turn the power back on and cal power to the bulk of homes, indicated 58 fire engine companies were open, a de- disaster because of the proliferation of pay for the relocation of the residents, yet that the blazes were the result of arson cline of 13 companies since 2005. There vacant and blighted structures. DTE also the apartment building remained aban- and theft of power service by Detroit resi- are at least 20 fewer firefighters in Detroit admits that it terminates essential elec- doned for a year. dents. now than in 2009. trical and heating services to more than Just recently, the abandoned Highland However, a Detroit Fire Department Dan McNamara, Detroit Fire Fighters 100,000 households annually. Towers caught fire, destroying a structure official soon claimed that the fires directly Association president, said that his union DTE Energy has been blamed for the that could have easily been saved and re- emanated from the failure of DTE Energy members responded the best they could deaths of at least 12 people since 2009 mained occupied. However, the failure of to respond to calls about downed lines under the circumstances. McNamara said due to the utility shutoffs. The company municipal governments, the state Legisla- days before the fires rendered hundreds that the union has repeatedly warned the claims that the deaths are the result of ture and the governor to stand up to the homeless. Bing administration that the city needs “energy theft” by people whose services banks, corporations and landlords has re- DTE Energy has over $20 billion in as- an additional 300 firefighters and should have been terminated. sulted in further abandonment and blight sets, yet it has closed neighborhood field have 65 companies open and operational. The Moratorium NOW! Coalition to in Detroit and throughout Michigan. offices that could have responded to the “Our firefighters put everything out Stop Foreclosures, Evictions and Util- The recent fires in Detroit, which May- downed lines. It has also cut back on there,” McNamara said. “Firefighters on ity Shutoffs continues to challenge DTE or Bing attributed to a “natural disaster,” maintenance and fixing damaged power their day off came to assist on scene, but Energy, the city of Detroit and Michi- stem directly from corporate control of lines throughout the metropolitan area. while fires were going on, more calls came gan Gov. Jennifer Granholm to impose energy resources and strangulation by the Once the fires began, Detroit emer- in, and we weren’t able to respond.” (As- a halt to service terminations. Hundreds banks, which have drained the city’s re- gency responders were incapable of ad- sociated Press, Sept. 11) of thousands of households are unable sources through mass home foreclosures equately addressing the crisis. As a result Despite calls to 911 operators, it took to pay the high rates and face shutoffs, and debt-service payments. At a Sept. 8 of the layoffs and cutbacks of services, 911 some fire trucks up to 90 minutes to re- health and safety threats, more deaths press conference, Mayor Bing revealed operators did not answer calls. Some op- spond to the alarms. Residents were seen and further destruction of homes. that he had served for two decades on erators were reported to have hung up on in some neighborhoods using water hoses In July of 2009, four members of the the DTE Energy board. After being ques- residents. in futile attempts to put out the flames. Reed-Owens family, including three chil- tioned about his relationship with DTE In addition, the fire department has not dren, died because their electricity was Energy, Bing stormed out of the press hired the necessary personnel due to the Corporations, banks at root of municipal shut off despite the fact that the house- conference. draconian budget cuts implemented by crisis hold was in bankruptcy, which is sup- The only short-term solution to the the corporate-oriented administration of Detroit has been described as the epi- posed to prevent the termination of ser- crisis in Detroit and other cities is an im- Mayor Dave Bing as well as the majority center of the worst economic downturn vices. The Moratorium NOW! Coalition mediate moratorium on foreclosures, bloc within the City Council. since the Great Depression. Due to the launched a campaign demanding a halt evictions and utility shutoffs as well as a Mary Hargrave, whose mother lives on high rate of unemployment and predatory to the shutoffs. freezing of debt-service payments to the one of the most devastated streets, said lending by financial institutions, there are Top-level executives of DTE Energy banks. Chicago WWP conference to discuss Overturning profits, racism and war By Kris Hamel lutionary youth group FIST (Fight Impe- Workers, Immigrants, Unemployed, Youth, Students: rialism, Stand Together); Sara Flounders, A Workers World Party Midwest con- WWP leader and co-coordinator of the Capitalism is Killing the People & the Planet ference will take place in Chicago on Sept. International Action Center in New York; If you are interested in abolishing 18. Members and friends of WWP and Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-Afri- a profit-hungry system that is: can News Wire, Detroit; Teresa Gutierrez, progressive activists involved in strug- w throwing people out of work & their homes gles in Illinois, Ohio, Michigan and other WWP leader and coordinator of the May states plan to attend. The one-day confer- 1st Coalition for Worker and Immigrant w closing schools and hospitals ence, like the Western WWP conference Rights in New York; Jill Hill, a long-time w denying universal health care in Los Angeles on Sept. 4, is a build-up Chicago activist and health care worker; w making war w bailing out banks Joe Iosbaker from the Freedom Road So- to the party’s national conference in New w jailing the poor & the youth York City, which will be held the weekend cialist Organization; Larry Hales, an orga- of Nov. 12-14. nizer for the Oct. 7 National Day to Defend w racial profiling Black people, Latinos/as, immigrants and all people of color The Chicago conference will be held Public Education; Martha Grevatt, a long- w destroying the environment with global warming & oil spills in a most fitting venue — the union hall time UAW autoworker activist and former Then it’s time to stand up, unite and fight back for a socialist future! of United Electrical Workers Local 1110, national secretary of Pride At Work; and Abolish Capitalism – Fight Injustice! whose members occupied the Republic Jerry Goldberg, a leader in the Moratori- Windows and Doors factory in December um NOW! Coalition to Stop Foreclosures, 2008 to stop an announced plant closing. Evictions & Utility Shutoffs in Detroit. Workers World Party Armando Robles, president of Local 1110 The WWP Midwest conference takes and leader of the occupation, is among the place on Saturday, Sept. 18, at the UE regional conferences union hall, 37 S. Ashland Ave., Chicago. slated speakers. Midwest CHICAgO Sept. 18 How to fight back and win in this time Doors open at 10 a.m. for registration and of economic contraction for workers and a light breakfast. The program runs from UE Headquarters, Main Hall 37 South Ashland Ave. attacks on the working class will be a key 11 a.m. until 5 p.m. and includes lunch. Southern DURHAM, N.C. Oct. 23 element of discussion throughout the con- There is no registration fee, but a small ference. In addition to speakers, there will donation on a sliding scale will be asked Marvell Event Center, 119 W. Main St., Durham, N.C. be plenty of open discussion on the con- for lunch; no one will be turned away for ference’s main theme: “What is socialism? lack of funds. How we can fight for a future where peo- For more information, contact WWP Workers World Party ple come before profits, racism and war.” in Chicago at 312-229-0161 or e-mail chi- NatiONal CONfereNCe Scheduled speakers include Larry Hol- [email protected]; in Detroit, contact s mes, a founder of the Bail Out the People 313-680-5508 or [email protected]; av e NOV · 12~14 y Movement and national leader of WWP; in Cleveland, 216-531-4004; or visit www. the i t date r k c Julie Fry, a national organizer of the revo- workersworld.net. n e w y o

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By Fred goldstein A working-class view projects that are still in existence today. This was not a trickle-down program The “experts” on Wall Street and in power to some boss. Labor power is the passed is a big question. But even if it is, where the money goes to the bosses who the big business media force themselves ability to work, the ability to create useful it will not make a dent in rehiring the 30 then, after taking their cut of profits, ad- to rave over the fact that the private sec- things or services, the ability to create new million workers in need. ministrative salaries and subcontracting, tor created 67,000 jobs in August. Never value. Our class, the working class, must sell It takes the creation of 150,000 jobs etc., hire some workers. But the $50-bil- mind that this represents a decline from its labor power every day, every week, every a month just to keep up with population lion program coming out of Washington the monthly average of 90,000 private month, year after year, over and over again, growth. Furthermore, poverty is spreading now is of this kind. sector jobs created over the last year. And to obtain from the bosses what we need to along with unemployment. Thus the capi- The workers and communities need to never mind that 141,000 government live, in the form of wages or salaries. The talists, by throwing workers out of work, be mobilized to fight for a massive - gov census workers were laid off last month. bosses, on the other hand, get richer and lowering wages and speeding up produc- ernment jobs program. We must fight to Above all, never mind that around 30 richer from appropriating the products of tion, are contracting the capitalist market. redirect the trillions now being given to million workers are either unemployed, our labor and selling them for profit. Only an enormously expanding market, the banks and the hundreds of billions underemployed or have dropped out of This is the system of wage slavery. one that would create half a million or more that go to the Pentagon and use them to the workforce — about one in five. jobs every month for years to come, could alleviate the dire suffering of the workers On another note, the auto industry, Crisis of overproduction provide the working class with enough jobs during this unemployment crisis. which has been showing profits, is boast- In return for our labor power we get a on the basis of capitalist hiring. The ultimate goal should be to go be- ing that it added 55,000 jobs this year. wage or a salary. A wage is the amount of The capitalist class and its system are yond just alleviating this crisis under the But they laid off 324,000 workers in the money we need to survive. Wages, wheth- doing nothing but aggravating unemploy- system of class exploitation and eliminate year before the auto bankruptcy. Wash- er they are high, medium or low — as is ment and increasing foreclosures, poverty the system altogether. That means taking ington gave General Motors and Chrysler the case for most African Americans, La- and homelessness in a thoroughly racist control of the economy and the means $85 billion to shrink the industry, lay off tinos/as, Asians, Indigenous people and manner. African-American, Latino/a and of survival, the means of production and workers and shut down factories. women — stay within the very narrow Asian unemployment levels are up to dou- distribution, for the working class and the By now it has become commonplace to range of subsistence. ble that of white workers. But an increas- oppressed and using these resources for say that this is the worst downturn since Because the capitalists want to make as ing number of white workers are also being human need, not for profit. In a word, to the Great Depression. Now more and much profit as possible, production soars swept into the ranks of the unemployed. fight for socialism. more capitalist economists are saying it is and eventually outstrips the collective In other words, the present crisis is And finally, it must be emphatically a “structural” crisis. ability of the workers to buy all the prod- more than just a cyclical crisis. It is more stated that the struggle for socialism and But merely repeating what most work- ucts of their labor at a price high enough than just a structural crisis. There is noth- to abolish capitalism requires the build- ers know full well does not shed any light to give the bosses profits. When profits go ing left to restructure. It is a crisis of the ing of a revolutionary working-class par- on this crisis. The working class needs to down, production stops. Workers get laid profit system itself. ty, steeped in the theory of Marxism and know the nature of the crisis in order to off and the economy goes down. The system has reached an impasse. It imbued with its revolutionary spirit. understand how to get out of it. That is called a crisis of overproduction cannot provide jobs at living wages. Capi- Goldstein is author of the book, “Low- The most important questions yet to be and is behind the present crisis. Of course, talism is no longer able to move society for- Wage Capitalism,” a Marxist analysis of explained by official “experts” are: What’s there is no overproduction in relation to ward. The system of class exploitation has globalization and its effects on the U.S. behind this worst jobless recovery in the human need. The latest reports indicate run into the same kind of dead end that it working class. This article reflects the past 70 years? And why can’t the system that record numbers of families are liv- arrived at in 1929 and the Great Depres- gist of a talk he gave at a public meeting start itself up again? ing in homeless shelters. There is also a sion. The profit system is dragging society in Detroit on Sept. 11. A leading member And how can it be that after $10 trillion record number of empty houses because down and the working class with it, as well of Workers World Party, he has also in government bank bailouts, a $787-bil- of foreclosures and evictions. as threatening the ecology of the planet. written numerous articles and spoken lion stimulus package and a 12-month up- The homeless cannot afford to buy the on the present economic crisis. For fur- turn in business activity, 30 million work- houses at a price that would give the de- Fight for massive gov’t jobs program ther information visit www.lowwage- ers still need work? velopers a profit. This is capitalist overpro- The only way to alleviate the present capitalism.com. duction. The same is true for autos, shop- crisis of mass unemployment is to force The essence of capitalism: ping malls, large appliances and so on. the government in Washington to give Homelessness, poverty shoot up class exploitation Profit is the goal of all production un- jobs to all the workers who need them — It’s important to clarify what capitalism der capitalism. The capitalist class con- jobs at living wages with benefits. Capitalist statisticians are beginning to lift the lid on some of the devastation caused by is. stantly strives to increase its profits at the During the Great Depression, the the economic crisis . Even the most diehard advocates of expense of the workers. Since the begin- Roosevelt administration was forced to According to the latest government reports, capitalism can see that the system is fail- nings of capitalism, the most effective way create a real jobs program where workers the poverty level in the U .S . rose in 2009 from ing. The capitalists themselves and the to do this has been to put in new technol- were hired directly by the government. 13 2. percent to 15 percent - the largest jump big business media, politicians and pun- ogy that either reduces the need for work- The Works Progress Administration was since 1959, the first year such records were dits are all talking about capitalism. ers, reduces the skills of workers or speeds set up, under which every worker who kept . This means that one in every seven peo- They put forward various notions up workers. qualified was entitled to get a job. Some ple in the U .S . lives in poverty . about capitalism. Some say capitalism is In the past 30 years, the capitalist class workers got training. There was also a The official poverty level is artificially low characterized by “market forces,” buying worldwide, led by the U.S. capitalist class, National Youth Administration that gave and does not calculate the cost of medical care, and selling; some emphasize the earning has invested in more and more technol- jobs to youth. Before the WPA, the short- transportation and child care, among other of profits and the profit motive; others ogy. This has made workers produce more lived Civil Works Administration created things . All these costs have been rising . These rising costs will be included beginning next emphasize private property as the essence and more goods and services in less and jobs for 4 million workers, beginning No- year, meaning that the official poverty rate will of capitalism. less time and for lower and lower wages. vember 1933. shoot up again . All these things are true. But they don’t This process has led to greater and greater In the late 1930s the WPA was the larg- Additionally, the number of families liv- get to the bottom of it. The essence of cap- crises of overproduction. est employer in the country. From 1935 ing in homeless shelters has soared from italism is never talked about by the estab- That is what is behind the jobless recov- to 1943 8.3 million workers got jobs. 131,000 to 170,000 from 2007 through 2009, lishment pundits. ery today. The bosses have used technology They built roads, dams, public buildings, reflecting foreclosures, evictions and layoffs . The essence of capitalism is that it is to create a worldwide competition among schools, hospitals, planted trees, created This does not count people living in tent cit- a system of class exploitation. It is the workers. They have used robots, satellites, art and were responsible for thousands of ies all over the country . — F . G . domination of society by a tiny minority computers, the Internet and business soft- of rich exploiters and oppressors who do ware to speed workers up and force them to not work. They live off a very large class produce more and more. of workers who have no way to live other When the present crisis began there ‘Low-Wage Capitalism’ than to work — unless they are laid off or was a glut of housing, a glut of automo- part of the army of permanently poor and biles, a glut of computer chips and so on. author speaks in Midwest unemployed, which is overwhelmingly Workers had produced so much that they African Americans, Latinos/as, Asians could not buy back what they produced at A standing-room-only audience turned facturing and subsequent deindustrial- and the Indigenous, especially youth. prices that would give the bosses a profit. out Sept. 11 in Detroit to hear “Low-Wage ization. A lively discussion took place af- What is the basis of this domination? So the system began to shut down. Capitalism” author Fred Goldstein speak terwards and many copies of “Low-Wage The capitalist class owns everything that That is why eight million workers were on “What the economic crisis means for Capitalism” were autographed and sold. the working class needs to live and sur- laid off within a year and a half. And for workers and the ever-growing poor — The meeting also heard a report from vive — the factories, the mines, the farms the same reason the capitalist system can- and how to strategize a working-class Kris Hamel about the case of Ahlam and fields, the offices, the stores, the hos- not get started up again. fightback.” Goldstein, a national leader Mohsen, an Arab-American college stu- pitals, transportation and the banks — The capitalist experts know that the of Workers World Party and contributing dent who is facing felony charges for which sit at the summit of society because various bailouts and the stimulus package editor of Workers World newspaper, ad- putting a pie in the face of U.S. Sen. Carl they control the money. are the only things that kept the system dressed a WWP/Harriet Tubman School Levin as an anti-war protest. Journalist This class of capitalist owners is collec- from totally collapsing. Now the stimu- public forum. Abayomi Azikiwe talked about an unprec- tively the ruling class and thrives off the lus package is scheduled to run out in the He explained the workings of the capi- edented rash of home fires that broke out labor of the working class. coming months. talist profit system of wage slavery and ex- in Detroit on Sept. 7 and the role of banks The working class, on the other hand, So the Obama administration has ploitation and the character of the current and corporations in causing them. The needs access to the means of survival but come up with a measly $50 billion, so- economic crisis within the context of the program was chaired by Andrea Egypt. cannot get it unless they sell their labor called “jobs bill.” Whether or not it will be Midwest’s historical importance in manu- — Kris Hamel page 6 sept. 23, 2010 workers.org youth in Gainesville reject Muslim-bashing By Dianne Mathiowetz gainesville, Fla. Several hundred people rallied and marched against anti- Islamic bigotry here on Sept. 11 despite the presence of scores of police, who barricaded the street. Most were youth and stu- dents, many from the University of Florida at Gainesville. They chanted, “When the Muslim people are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back!” After the right-wing leader of a small, fundamentalist church, the Dove World Outreach Center, announced that its members would burn copies of the Qur’an on Sept. 11, the local Students for a Democratic Society called for the demonstration. For weeks the media paid enormous attention to the head of the church, Terry Jones, and to opponents of a proposed Is- lamic community center in New York City. The airwaves and printed pages across the U.S. have been filled with the most vit- riolic, racist and inflammatory rhetoric scapegoating Muslims. Although Jones finally called off his premeditated hate crime, the student ac- tivists held firm to their goal of organizing a mass rejec- tion of bigotry and intoler- ance in their community. Dozens of media outlets from around Florida and the world were present at the demonstration, show- ing how important it was to have a strong show of unity and solidarity with Muslims and others under attack in this time of economic crisis. photos: fight Back! news NEW YORK ON 9/11 Anti-racist unity with Muslims wins the day

ww photos: Monica Moorehead

1 Coalition for Worker and Immigrant Rights; and African-American Amadi ww photo: greg Butterfield Ajamu of the December 12th Movement. Continued from page 1 Mobilization Against Racism & Anti-Mus- Some of the speakers well known to Qur’an burning, organized by the Gaines- lim Bigotry. People from Boston, Wash- progressive activists included former con- ville Area Students for a Democratic So- ington and in between joined thousands of gressperson and Green Party presidential ciety. There were also demonstrations in New Yorkers in a display of the strength of candidate Cynthia McKinney, human- solidarity with Muslims in Minneapolis; the anti-racist movement that embraced rights leader Ramsey Clark and anti-war Chicago; and Asheville, N.C. And the young and old, people of all the colors of activist Cindy Sheehan. night before the Sept. 11 anniversary, the city and region, gay and straight. The The message from the nearly 50 com- other thousands joined a candlelight vigil demonstrators exuded a spirit of unity munity and religious leaders greeting the in New York to support the Islamic Com- and cooperation by chanting, marching Emergency Mobilization rally was solidar- munity Center. and then chipping in their labor to clean ity with the Muslim community and unity In The Hague, Netherlands, 200 joined up at the end of the day’s action. of all the forces in the struggle against rac- the anti-racist NBK group to protest anti- International Action Center co-coor- ism, scapegoating and U.S. wars abroad. Muslim politician Geert Wilders and his dinator Sara Flounders, one of the rally Flounders, “but we showed that a broad One of those speakers, Larry Holmes of racist PVV party. Wilders spoke at the Tea chairs, said that “10,000 people joined section of the city won’t let the racists the Bail Out the People Movement, said, Party action in New York, along with U.S. today, coming from dozens of communi- dominate 9/11.” “We brought out the real New York City ultraright figures. ties in the city. They represented neigh- Just naming Flounders’ co-chairs gives — a city of workers and people of color borhood organizations, Muslim, Chris- a modest idea of the breadth of the rally’s from all around the world. This mobili- New Yorkers defend Muslim rights tian, Jewish, Buddhist and other religious support: Sayel Kayed of American Mus- zation started because we were forced to In New York, home to more nationali- groups, political and anti-war groups and lims for Palestine; Dr. Asha A. Samad- defend our Muslim sisters and brothers. It ties than any other city in the world, all of human rights groups. Many workers wore Matias of the Safrad Somali Association will continue as we open up the struggle at them seemed represented among those their union caps or T-shirts. We had to and the Muslim Women’s Coalition; home to fight for jobs, education and so- who answered the call of the Emergency organize on a shoestring budget,” said Honduran-born Lucy Pagoada of the May cial benefits.” workers.org sept. 23, 2010 page 7 Protests erupt across Afghanistan By g. Dunkel Sharif marching through the streets with AFgHANISTAN. their fists high and burning a U.S. flag on The threat to burn the Qur’an at a small the grounds of the historic Blue Mosque. church in Gainesville, Fla., on the ninth A former Afghan prime minister, Ah- anniversary of the attacks on the World mad Shah Ahmadzai, said of the dem- Trade Center stirred up worldwide out- onstrations: “This shows that the disaf- rage, especially in Muslim countries in fection of the Afghans toward Americans Central and South Asia. is very, very strong. It’s the result of all Demonstrations erupted in Pakistan, those killings of civilians they keep do- India, Indonesia and Palestine even after ing.” (New York Times, Sept. 10) the church in question, under tremendous The U.S. campaign supposedly “to win pressure from the U.S. political and mili- the hearts and minds” of the Afghans tary establishment, said it would not go has failed. The opposition to U.S. impe- ahead with the planned burning. rialism’s occupation can organize quickly The biggest and most militant pro- and politically to bring the masses out tests occurred in Afghanistan, where the IRAN. into the streets. While the Taliban are Qur’an has had a significant moral and po- obviously a major part of this opposition, litical impact for centuries. Afghanistan’s group attacked a German-run NATO other forces are also involved. But it is in occupation by troops of the very country base there, hurling stones at the outpost. Washington’s interest in prosecuting its where the burning was planned made the (Reuters, Sept. 11) What is significant, in war against the Afghan peoples to put protests more significant. addition to the death of a youth, is that the Taliban front and center because they Not only have the Afghan peoples re- Badakhshan is an area where the Taliban have been so thoroughly demonized for jected foreign occupation, but the U.S. have had a very small presence. their socially reactionary positions. drone attacks that kill whole families The protests continued the next day. For example, the U.S. puts forward the have aroused great popular anger. At the Four demonstrators were seriously ians,’’ he said. claim that the main source of funding for end of August, for example, in northeast wounded when Afghan police opened The mass media in the U.S. have tried to the Taliban is their control of the opium- Afghanistan, a nighttime raid by NATO fire as thousands tried to storm several blame these political protests on the Tal- growing regions in Helmand and other commandos left eight civilians dead and government buildings in Pul-e-Alam, the iban, pointing to major demonstrations in southern provinces. However, a recent 12 wounded. capital of Logar province, south of Kabul, the city of Jalalabad and south of Kabul, article in Le Monde Diplomatique, which The local governor, Mohammed Ismail, a provincial official told Reuters. where the Taliban have a major presence. relies on a U.S. House of Representatives said a group of tribal elders he had sent Protesters also gathered in the capital, CBS reported Sept. 9 that the Taliban report — “Warlord, Inc.: Extortion and to the village had returned with details. Kabul, and in four other provinces, main- were distributing leaflets to imams south Corruption Along the U.S. Supply Chain Among the dead were two women and a ly in the west of the country. of Kabul to read at Friday prayer service. in Afghanistan” — makes it clear that a child. ‘’It was a cruel act against the civil- In western Ghor province, one of the But a crowd estimated at 10,000 pro- poorest regions of Afghanistan, about major source of Taliban funding is the tested Sept. 10 on the streets of Faizabad, 2,000 people marched in four districts payments they get from U.S. subcontrac- the capital of Badakhshan, and one young of the province to condemn the planned tors for delivering supplies to the 200 or Anti-racist unity with Muslims wins the day protester was shot dead when a smaller Qur’an burning. In Farah, another west- so bases the U.S. has in the country. ern province on the border with Iran, U.S. imperialism, a technological co- hundreds gathered in Bala Blok district lossus, is confronting severe political dif- shouting anti-U.S. slogans. (Agence ficulties and a military stalemate in im- France Press, Sept. 10) poverished Afghanistan all because of the BBC television showed demonstrators resistance of the population to the war in the main northern city of Mazar-i- and occupation.

INDONESIA.

ww photo: John catalinotto Iraqi prisoners escape U.S. custody By gene Clancy the Iraqi military that is supposed to take had neighborhood located near the pris- and suffering for two years before being up the slack left by departing U.S. troops. on reported a virtual lockdown of the released with no hearing or trial. On July 15, as part of their ballyhooed Now, the U.S. occupation has a new area: Local people were banned from Gen. Odierno, an architect of the “withdrawal” from Iraq, U.S. officials un- reason to be embarrassed. On Sept. 9, driving their cars. “surge,” was referred to as a “bash, mash der the command of Lt. Gen. Ray Odier- four more “dangerous” Iraqis escaped and slash” officer by other members of no handed over an infamous U.S. prison, from the same prison, only this time it A place for torture the military. (Shrapnel online magazine, Camp Cropper, to the Iraqi puppet gov- was from the U.S.-controlled section, Camp Cropper was originally built to Aug. 10) Apparently, this was supposed ernment. Although they ceremoniously dubbed Compound 5 and guarded by U.S. handle captured members of the govern- to be a compliment. gave a large wooden key to the Iraqi soldiers. The U.S. command offered no ment of Saddam Hussein. Hussein him- In the past Odierno was often noted for military, about 200 of the 1,500 inmates details on how the escape happened, who self was held there during his illegal trial opposing an early pullout of U.S, troops. remained under U.S. control, guarded was to blame, or who the people were that and execution. Sympathizers with his position decried by U.S. soldiers. The 200 include former escaped. An Iraqi military spokesperson, During the so-called surge in Iraq, the “weak” Iraqi forces fielded by the Iraqi members of Saddam Hussein’s govern- Maj. Gen. Qassim al-Moussawi, said that Camp Cropper became infamous, along government. ment and senior foreign and Iraqi insur- the men were facing the death penalty. with other U.S. prisons in Iraq. While the The theme of an imperialist power de- gents. A spokesperson for new U.S. Ground U.S. media trumpeted the policy of “win- spising its own puppet allies, often with A few days later, four “high value” pris- Commander Gen. Lloyd Austin, who ning hearts and minds,” U.S. troops in- racist overtones, is a constant one, start- oners escaped from the Iraqi-controlled spoke on condition of anonymity because discriminately swept up civilians in brutal ing with the Romans and continuing with part of the facility, now renamed Camp of the “sensitivity” of the matter, said the raids and deposited them in prisons like the British in India and Afghanistan and Karkh. Several Iraqi guards and the new general had apologized to Iraqi Prime Camp Cropper. ABC-TV in 2007 reported the U.S. in Vietnam. Seldom if ever does warden also went missing. Minister al-Maliki. widespread overcrowding with sewage an occupying power consider that their Many pundits in the U.S. were aghast As of Sept. 12, none of the escapees backed up and covering the floor. One own imperialist policy is the problem in and wondered aloud about the quality of had been captured. Residents of the Ji- inmate reported being unjustly arrested the first place. page 8 sept. 23, 2010 workers.org

HONDURAS . National strike shows strength of Resistance By Heather Cottin “This amounts to a second assassination Disappeared of Honduras, told the me- Honduras.” Berta Caceres added, “Lobo for the victims and their families, in order dia about the discovery of another mass is trying to sell our rivers and natural re- The U.S. corporate press was silent to silence the voice of the population.” grave containing the bodies of more than sources.” (Rebelión.org, Sept. 9) when thousands of Hondurans poured (Rebelión.org, Sept. 10) 100 people who had been reported miss- The Lobo government is desperate, into the streets of Tegucigalpa on Sept. 7 Lucy Pagoada of Honduras Resisten- ing from June through August last year, said Barahona. His sham government is to join the 12-hour national strike called cia USA explained: “The purpose of this right after the coup. (tiwy.com, Aug. 31) negotiating an IMF loan that will, accord- by the National Front of Popular Resis- massacre is to discourage and confuse Los Necios, the youth movement al- ing to Barahona, “saddle future genera- tance (FNRP). It affected all 18 provinces workers who are supporting the Resis- lied to the FNRP, says that the U.S. De- tions of Hondurans with millions of dol- and paralyzed the streets of 11 Honduran tance. The fact that these murders took partment of State has been directing the lars of debt.” (ansalatina.com, Sept. 11) cities. Traffic was stopped on roads and place inside a shoe factory threatens all repression out of the office of U.S. Am- The resistance is growing daily. De- bridges. (Rebelión.org, Sept. 11) workers who are organizing in the Resis- bassador Hugo Llorens. “Lobo lacks the spite the repression, it mounted a peti- Two days before the strike, Honduran tance.” intelligence, the ability and the mínimum tion campaign for a new Constitutional armed forces and police invaded and oc- Honduras has become one of the most legitimacy to run the government. The Assembly that has been signed by more cupied the Autonomous University of dangerous countries in the Western Lobo government can’t be in full con- than 1.25 million Hondurans. The peti- Honduras to break up a three-month Hemisphere. Irina Bokova, director-gen- trol of the situation and needs the CIA tion calls for a new constitution that guar- hunger strike by the union of university eral of the United Nations Educational, to administer the crisis with their special antees human rights for all and stands for workers. Three of the strikers, including Scientific and Cultural Organization, has agents. … For decades our continent has the return of President Zelaya and more a 70-year-old man, were sentenced and called for “urgent action to stem the rise suffered heavy attacks by the sick beast of than 200 exiles. incarcerated for “sedition.” Students, in violence.” This includes the murder North American capitalism.” (resisten- The FNRP is calling for a national mo- teachers and workers called it “indefen- since the coup of nine members of the ciahonduras.net, Sept. 12) bilization and general strike on Sept. 15, sible” to attend classes. (resistenciahon- media. (speroforum.com, Aug. 31) Since 1984, U.S. troops and command- the 189th anniversary of Honduran in- duras.net, Sept. 12) These murders and a concerted disin- ers stationed at the U.S. military base dependence from Spanish colonialism. The military laid low on Sept. 7, but formation campaign are part of a strat- in Palmerola have been the power be- Students, teachers, peasants and workers the next day 17 workers were massacred egy. “Lobo has installed a media block- hind the throne in Honduras and much who oppose privatization and militariza- in a shoe factory in San Pedro Sula. The ade,” said Berta Caceres, head of the of the rest of Central America. On June tion of their country will be out en masse government of Porfirio Lobo has not in- Civil Council of Popular and Indigenous 28, 2009, the U.S.-supported coup kid- to protest and present their demands. vestigated these deaths, nor any of the Organizations of Honduras. “There is napped and flew legally elected President Zelaya, who is coordinator general of other suspicious violent deaths that have no information, and so the [FNRP] has Manuel Zelaya to Palmerola. the FNRP, spoke in support of the Resis- occurred since the military coup in June dispatched commissions of information Juan Barahona, FNRP leader, stated tance from exile in the Dominican Repub- 2009. throughout … Latin America, Europe that the U.S. military in Palmerola is lic: “Those who believe in democracy and “The minister of security has, with- and the United States to show the reality deeply involved in the militarization of equality, against those who arbitrarily de- out proof or investigation, immediately of what we are living in this country, es- Honduras. This repression has a pur- fend the dictatorship and the exploitation called this a case of drug gang rivalries,” pecially the violations of human rights.” pose, he said, explaining that the coup of the poor, are definitively the Hondu- said a representative from Women for (Rebelión.org, Sept. 9) and the illegitimate election of Lobo were ran people, who are struggling heroically Human Rights (MDH), which is investi- Berta Oliva, president of the Com- achieved “to advance the neoliberal proj- against the designs of a bloody oligarchy.” gating the killings of Honduran women. mittee of Relatives of the Detained and ect for domination and colonization of (tercerainformacion.es, Sept. 9) On 12th anniversary of their arrest Activists demand release of Cuban 5

By Brenda Ryan

The plight of the Cuban Five is never far from the minds of progressive people around the world. This Sept. 12, exactly 12 years since their arrest in the United States for defending Cuba from terror- ist attacks, organizations and individu- als intensified demands for their release through petitions, demonstrations and ad campaigns. The International Committee for the Gerardo Hernández Nordelo, Ramón Labañino Salazar, Rene González Sehwerert, Antonio Guerrero Rodríguez and Fernando González Llort. Freedom of the Cuban Five sent a petition to President Barack Obama calling on him government has denied them entry visas against Cuba, including the bombing of Danny Glover and Ed Asner, co-chairs to issue an order of executive clemency, 10 times; they have not been able to em- several Havana hotels in the 1990s. In of Actors and Artists United for the Free- so the five Cubans — Gerardo Hernández, brace their spouses for nearly 12 years. fact, the Cuban government presented dom of the Cuban Five, presented a letter Ramón Labañino, René González, Antonio The Cuban Five were falsely convicted evidence that the Five had collected to the to Obama on Sept. 12 calling for execu- Guerrero and Fernando González — can of conspiracy to commit espionage and FBI. Instead of taking action against the tive clemency. It was signed by numerous return to their country and their families. other related charges and given sentences terrorists, however, the U.S. government celebrities, including Susan Sarandon, The petition also requested that the ranging from 15 years to two consecu- arrested the five anti-terrorists. Oliver Stone, Martin Sheen, Pete Seeger, government immediately grant visas to tive life terms. They came to the U.S. not While the Five remain in prison, actual Jackson Browne and Bonnie Raitt. Adriana Pérez and Olga Salanueva, so to spy on this government but rather to terrorists like Luis Posada Carriles and Glover visited Gerardo Hernández in they can visit their spouses, Hernández monitor right-wing Cuban groups in Mi- Orlando Bosch remain free to walk the prison in Victorville, Calif., in August, just and René González, respectively. The U.S. ami that had committed terrorist acts streets of Miami. after Hernández was released from “the On the anniversary of the arrest of the hole,” where he spent 13 days in solitary. Five, activists are also remembering one The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear HAITI: A Slave Revolution of the most horrific terrorist acts against an appeal from the Five during its last 200 years after 1804 Cuba, the mid-air bombing of Cubana term. As solicitor general, Elena Kagan New edition includes Aristide’s kidnapping Flight 455 on Oct. 6, 1976. All 73 people submitted a brief to the court on behalf by the U.S. & the 2010 earthquake. aboard the passenger plane were killed. of the Obama administration arguing that Posada, who orchestrated the bombing, the court should not review their case. First published in 2004 as a joint project of the International was arrested in Venezuela but escaped It is up to the people to put continuous Action Center and the Haiti Support Network . This is not a from prison in 1985 and has lived in Mi- pressure on the government to end this traditional history book or textbook, but a people’s history . ami since 2007. Venezuela has demanded horrific injustice and let the brave Cu- In the preface the editors state: “This book is going to his extradition but the U.S. government ban patriots return to their country. You combat 200 years of racist indoctrination and propaganda has refused to hand him over. Posada was can sign the petition to Obama at http:// about the Haitian Revolution . “ to go on trial in Texas for perjury and ob- www.thecuban5.org/PETITIONNOW. New edition: 272 pp ,. photos . struction of justice, but the trial was post- html. Information on a Washington Post Available at Leftbooks.com poned early this year. ad campaign is at www.freethefive.org. workers.org sept. 23, 2010 page 9

IN SOMALIA. Imperialist forces try to bolster weak puppet regime By Abayomi Azikiwe airport. At the time of the attacks TFG the TFG.” sharp contrast to the vision of the over- Editor, Pan-African News Wire President Sharif Sheikh Ahmed was con- Meanwhile, Hizbul Islam leader Sheikh whelming majority of Africans.” (Associ- sulting with a delegation that included the Dahir Aweys appealed to AMISOM forces ated Press, Aug. 24) On Sept. 9 U.S. Marines seized the United Nations special representative for “to leave the country,” claiming this is the Yet the U.S. imperialists have long had German-owned M/V Magellan Star ves- Somalia, Augustine Mahiga. only solution to resolving the conflict now designs on dominating Somalia and the sel off the coast of Somalia. The Antiguan- Al-Shabab announced in recent weeks escalating inside Somalia. Most analysts Horn of Africa. In 1992 under George flagged, 8,000-ton container ship had that it would step up its offensive aimed agree that without AMISOM troops, TFG H.W. Bush, the U.S. deployed thousands been taken over by Somalis the day before. at driving out AMISOM troops, who are would collapse immediately. of Marines to Somalia in a purportedly The Marines took nine Somalis into mainly Ugandan and Burundian soldiers. The George W. Bush and Barack humanitarian mission called “Operation custody and claimed there were no inju- During a July African Union summit in Obama administrations have provided Restore Hope.” ries in the operation. This assault on the Kampala, Uganda, the organization’s military assistance aimed at propping up The mission was soon exposed as a mil- Magellan Star was launched from the USS current chair and host, President Yoweri the TFG regime. Since Obama came into itary occupation and met fierce resistance Dubuque after the Turkish frigate TCG Museveni, said he would deploy addition- office in 2009, military and political sup- from the Somali masses. U.S. troops and Gokceada responded to a distress call al soldiers to the Horn of Africa nation in port for TFG and AMISOM has increased. United Nations forces were compelled to from the German-owned ship. retaliation for a bombing inside Uganda In late August the Obama administra- withdraw after a year inside the country. Both the USS Dubuque and the TCG that killed dozens of people. tion reiterated its support for its current As a result of the increasing role of Af- Gokceada are part of a flotilla of warships Uganda is heavily supported by the course in the Horn of Africa. In addition rican resources within the world capital- that patrol the Gulf of Aden in so-called United States, which supplies military to support for TFG and warships off the ist system, particularly oil and strategic anti-piracy maneuvers designed to ensure equipment and training for its armed coast, the U.S., along with France, also minerals, the U.S. is increasing its mili- safe passage through one of the most lucra- forces. Museveni stated on Sept. 2 that maintains a military base in neighboring tary involvement on the continent. Anti- tive trading waterways in the world. The his government was prepared to dispatch Djibouti. imperialist and anti-war organizations in multinational force that is permanently 10,000 troops to Somalia in order to pre- John Brennan, Obama’s counterterror- the U.S. must demand that the self-deter- stationed in the Gulf of Aden off the Horn vent a defeat of the TFG. ism adviser, condemned recent military mination and sovereignty of African peo- of Africa was formed in January 2009. French Press Agency reported, “The Af- actions by the resistance forces of Al- ples be respected and that the Pentagon Although the U.S., the European Union rican Union force in Somalia has boosted Shabab and Hizbul Islam. Brennan stat- withdraw its military advisers, troops and and other states have warships in the its size and set up nine new positions in ed, “Al-Shabab’s vision of Africa stands in naval vessels from the entire region. Gulf of Aden ostensibly to fight piracy, Mogadishu where it is protecting the gov- the struggle for control of Somalia has ernment from a fierce Islamist insurgen- intensified in recent weeks. Both areas on cy.” The African Union’s deputy represen- land and in the Gulf of Aden are contested tative to Somalia, Wafula Wamunyinyi, Juan Mari Bras, ¡presente! zones for imperialist hegemony over this reported that the “numbers of troops have strategic region of the African continent. gained up slightly above 7,000 to 7,200 According to a recent article published since July.” (Sept. 3) by the BBC, “At least 23 foreign vessels Wamunyinyi went on to state: “We have with more than 411 crew members are steadily increased our area of control of currently held by pirates, according to Mogadishu. We have made progress and Ecoterra International, an organization taken new positions. If we get the correct monitoring piracy. Last year there were support, troop deployment and equip- more than 200 attacks by Somali pirates ment, we are going to expand our pres- — including 68 successful hijackings — ence towards the north [of the capital].” and ransoms believed to exceed $50 mil- lion in total were paid, the organization Resisting puppet regime Above, Student Leaders said.” (Sept. 9) Both the resistance movements, Al- arrested during the 1948 Inside Somalia the military and politi- Shabab and Hizbul Islam, have vowed to strike at the University of cal struggle for the future of the state has repel any efforts to expand the bases of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras escalated. On Sept. 12, five troops of the the AMISOM troops in Somalia. In a re- Campus. From left to U.S.-backed Transitional Federal Gov- corded message, Al-Shabab leader Ahmed right: Harry García- ernment were killed by the resistance Abdi Godane (also known as Sheikh Abu Domenech, Jorge Luis forces, which control the majority of ar- Zubeyr) urged his fighters to “redouble Landing, José Gil de la eas within the capital of Mogadishu as their attacks against Somalia government Madrid, Juan Mari-Brás, JUAN MARI BRAS, founder of the well as large sections of the central and troops and African Union peacekeepers.” Juan Noriega-Maldonado Pro-Independence Movement south of the country. (Garowe Radio, Sept. 12) and José M. Tejada. (MPI) and later the Puerto Rican On Sept. 9 nine people were reported Abu Zubeyr continued, “The clashes in top photo: archivo central de Socialist Party, died on Sept. 10 la universidad de puerto rico, killed when the Al-Shabab resistance Mogadishu that Al-Shabab carried out are río piedras. at the age of 82. His contributions to the Puerto Rican movement launched attacks on the Afri- against our enemy: the Somali govern- struggle spanned more than half a century. Workers World can Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) ment backed by the African Union. I ap- will have an appreciation of the life of this important leader forces that are stationed at the Mogadishu peal to the people to join the war against for independence and socialism in an upcoming issue. ‘Our pension funds to oppress Palestinians? No way!’ The first U.S. petition campaign to di- Teachers Retirement System have nearly vest workers’ pension funds from compa- $2 billion invested in companies like those nies that supply Israel with equipment to above. Elbit Systems also provides tech- oppress Palestinians was launched in Los nology for the U.S.-Mexico border wall. Angeles on Sept. 8. At a press conference outside the Israeli The divestment campaign is opening Consulate, people lined up to become the up a new front in the fight against Israeli first to put their signatures on the peti- apartheid. This effort seeks to keep the pen- tions. The campaign has six months to sion funds of California public workers and acquire 434,000 valid signatures. To view teachers from being invested in compan ies the press conference video, the endorsers like Caterpillar, Motorola, Northrop Grum- or learn more about the petition campaign, man, Veolia, Elbit Systems, United Tech- go to IsraelDivestmentCampaign.org. nologies, General Electric, Terex and ITT. The accompanying photo shows, left These firms supply heavy construction and to right: Andy Griggs, United Teachers of military equipment to Israel that is used to Los Angeles activist; Shakeel Syed, execu- destroy Palestinian homes, wall Palestin- tive director of the Islamic Shura Coun- ian communities off from one another and cil of Southern California; Yael Korin, keep the people under constant threat of Israeli-American researcher; and Rosie being expelled from their homeland. Martinez, labor activist, Latino Caucus of The California Public Employees Re- Service Employees Local 721. tirement System and the California State — Report and photo by Cheryl LaBash page 10 sept. 23, 2010 workers.org

WORKERS WORLD editorial Letters to the editor

After Sept. 11 — The labor movement needs to speak Open letter to AFL-CIO loudly against anti-immigrant and head Rich Trumka anti-Muslim racist attacks or we’ll face what next? Wall Street, during the current the consequences of a destroyed labor economic depression, has thrown mil- movement that is divided against itself. On 9/11 we should have been front and he thousands who united on Sept. The first action is the “One Nation lions of workers out of their jobs. Public center in opposition to the Tea Party hate 11 to say no to the Tea Party and Working Together” gathering in Wash- worker unions and the jobs and services rally. Our labor movement needs to show its racist allies have given a new ington, D.C., set for Oct. 2, called by the they provide are now coming under T its unity against these bigots and haters. impetus to the anti-racist and workers’ NAACP and Service Employees Local attack. Wall Street is demanding that If we show our unity against these bigots, struggle. They faced a right-wing oppo- 1199 in early July. It has received sup- unions give up hard-won contract ben- we will be victorious. nent with a month’s head start, big fund- port from many community and union efits, from health benefits to pensions. Si, se puede! ing and enormous media publicity. But organizations. Like similar actions that Wall Street banks are bailed out with our they stood strong to defend their Muslim took place at the end of August in Wash- tax monies, while workers’ homes are — Mike gimbel, sisters and brothers and confront the ington and in Detroit, it will raise broad being foreclosed on by those very same retired Executive Board member and hate-mongers, resisting pressure from demands for a massive jobs program banks. At the same time, corporate pur- Central Labor Council delegate the government and corporate media. with equal justice and quality public edu- chased politicians in the U.S. Congress of Local 375, AFSCME In the end, they outnumbered and out- cation for all. It will be important both are threatening to attack worker benefits shouted the elements who follow Glenn to support the general anti-racist and such as Social Security and Medicare and Beck, Newt Gingrich and their ilk. Even pro-jobs thrust of the action and to also threatening to privatize public services Mott’s strike the rightist New York Post had to admit bring to the tens of thousands of partici- such as education. that the anti-racists out-organized the pants a program that is independent of Working people, from the Atlantic a key test case right-wing gang. the Democratic Party. to the Pacific, and from the Canadian I am very glad to see you highlighting What next? The next action takes place just five border to the Mexican border, represent the strike at Mott’s in Williamson on the We raise this because this is no time days after that Saturday in Washington. the overwhelming majority of the U.S. front page of your newspaper. to sit back and relax. It was one battle It’s an initiative of youth, students and population. The only way for Wall Street While I agree completely that the in a long class struggle. The Tea Party educational workers of all types, building to continue to succeed in criminally Mott’s workers are “defending the has been organizing for more than a on the successful action of last March 4. stealing workers’ jobs and benefits is by rights of all working people,” I think it year. These racist reactionaries hope to The action is set for Oct. 7, again to mo- getting workers to fight each other by is justified to go one step further in this capture the anger and anxiety over the bilize across the United States for local broadcasting racist propaganda over the characterization: The Mott’s struggle capitalist economic meltdown to mobi- actions, and it has drawn even more sup- big business media, meant to prevent is one of the key struggles being waged lize first against the Obama administra- port from student, community and union workers from uniting to defend their over the future of the U.S. working class. tion and then against any progressive organizations to defend and improve common interests. The strike is being used as a test case by social programs still in place, from Social both the quality of public education and Wall Street is funding the anti-immi- corporations, who want to see whether Security to the right to an abortion. the access to education for working-class grant and anti-Muslim racist hysteria worker solidarity will hold firm. If sup- Those who came out in solidarity on students and students of color. because they understand that they must port for the striking workers crumbles, it Sept. 11 — in New York, in Gainesville, The forces that came out on Sept. 11 divide the workers against each other, in will be a clear signal to other employers Fla., and elsewhere — have two big op- have a role to play at these two ac- order to succeed in their criminal plot. that they can proceed apace with direct portunities in the coming weeks to keep tions: first, to build them in the general Under these circumstances, the only way attacks on wages. up the momentum. These are opportuni- struggle for anti-racist solidarity; next, to that the union movement can progress A broad-scale movement towards ties to inject the same enthusiasm, the inject into them the militant, combative is by openly defending immigrants and wage-cutting is virtually assured by the same determination to combat racism, spirit and opposition to U.S. imperial- Muslims against these racist attacks. If latest economic data. Second quarter the same desire to maintain political ist wars that has already dealt a blow to we do not fight this racist propaganda productivity figures from the BLS re- independence from the capitalist politi- the reactionaries. Doing this will surely then we will find our members divided leased in August showed a sharp decline cal parties that we all showed in force on elevate the struggle for all workers’ against each other and that will deny of 1.8 percent. This is widely taken by Sept. 11. rights. labor the unity needed so as to defend the business class to mean that we have our interests. reached the limits of profit growth at- It means that every union should have tainable by speedups. A second avenue thrown their political weight behind the of profit growth — capital investment MarxisM, reParations & the Black Freedom Struggle 9/11 counter-demonstration to the Wall in technology — is also ruled out by the Street-sponsored 9/11 hate rally against current “slackness of demand,” that is, An anthology of writings from Workers World newspaper . the Islamic community center two blocks we are already over-producing more than Edited by Monica Moorehead . from the World Trade Center location. Racism, National Oppression & Self-Determination larry holmes people can afford to buy. This leaves only The official trade union movement failed Black Labor from Chattel Slavery to Wage Slavery sam Marcy one clear avenue for growing profits: to mobilize to oppose a vicious hate rally Black Youth: Repression & Resistance leilani dowell a direct attack on wages, bolstered by The Struggle for Socialism Is Key Monica Moorehead that was meant to divide worker against maintaining high unemployment. Black & Brown Unity: A Pillar of Struggle for Human Rights worker. Since the official labor move- What does this mean for workers? and global Justice! saladin Muhammad ment did not show up and do what was We must aggressively assert class-wide Alabama’s Black Belt: Legacy of Slavery, Sharecropping necessary, we need to begin a serious solidarity with the Mott’s workers. The and Segregation consuela lee discussion about how to make sure that three most important ways we can do Harriet Tubman, Woman Warrior Mumia abu-Jamal this never happens again. this are: Organize support for the Mott’s Are Conditions Ripe Again Today? 40th Anniversary of the 1965 Racism must not be allowed to infect Watts Rebellion John parker picket line, contribute to the Mott’s hard- the labor movement. The Tea Party big- Racism and Poverty in the Delta larry hales ship fund, and build the boycott of Mott’s Haiti Needs Reparations, Not Sanctions pat chin ots and haters are not “populists.” They products. Even small contributions make are funded with millions of dollars from a great difference in this key struggle! Wall Street and with lots of free propa- You can learn more about these ac- ganda from the big business media. tions at www.mottsworkers.com . We must properly respond during this Low-Wage Capitalism In solidarity, critical moment in our history. The labor Sam, New York What the new globalized high-tech movement’s strength is in our numbers imperialism means for the class struggle and our unity. Take away that unity Since this letter was received, a in the U.S. settlement in the Mott’s strike has been Fred Goldstein’s book provides an easy-to-read and there will be no numbers. We must announced. See On the Picket Line, analysis of the roots of the current global eco- proclaim, loudly and clearly: An injury to page 2. nomic crisis, its implications for workers and one is an injury to all! oppressed peoples, and the strategy needed for future struggle . paperback, 336 pages. includes graphs, charts, bibliography, endnotes and index. HigH TecH, Low Pay In Defense of A Marxist analysis of the changing character of the working class CUBA Twenty years ago Sam Marcy wrote that the scientific-tech nological rev- Leslie Feinberg, author of Stone Butch Blues olution is accelerating a shift to lower-paying jobs and to more women, Black and Latino/a workers . A new introduction by Fred Goldstein ex- This ground-breaking book documents revolution- plains the roots of the current economic crisis, with its disastrous unem- ary Cuba’s inspiring trajectory of progress towards ployment, that has heightened the need for a working-class resurgence . liberation of sexualities, genders and sexes . Available at Leftbooks.com and bookstores around the country Available at Leftbooks.com workers.org sept. 23, 2010 page 11 FRANCE. Workers stage general strike against pension cuts By g. Dunkel left defeated an earlier pension “reform” posal. They see a decent pension as a right with the PCF, drew a close connection be- proposal. for older workers and a way to open jobs tween the attacks on the Romas and im- Two major struggles are currently un- Between 2.5 million and 3 million and careers for younger workers. migrants and the attack on pensions. derway in France. people marched in 220 demonstrations According to l’Humanité, the daily The JC said, “Sarkozy reawakened Vi- To solve its financial problems on the all throughout France. According to the newspaper of the French Communist Par- chy,” in a speech he made laying out his workers’ backs, the Sarkozy government CGT, a major French labor confedera- ty (PCF), what led to this massive turn- program against immigrants and Romas wants to increase the retirement age and tion, 270,000 people marched in Paris; out was “the feeling of injustice, already in Grenoble. Vichy is shorthand for the make it harder to get a full pension. 200,000 in Marseilles; 110,000 in Tou- strongly felt after the bill was introduced fascist French government that collabo- To distract attention from its attacks louse; and 35,000 in Lyons. Even more in June, which gained strength after the rated with Nazi Germany during World on workers’ gains and point the blame at significant, a larger than normal num- revelation of the close ties between the War II and that also rounded up Romas. some scapegoats, it is also carrying out ber of workers actually filed the paper- government and big money,” which had Their call to the Sept. 4 and 7 demon- large-scale expulsions of Romas (formerly work needed to officially strike and then reached scandalous proportions. strations states: “Let’s thwart the trap of called “Gypsies”), even though they have walked out. On Sept. 4, the labor unions and vari- false divisions: all together for the retir- the right to stay in France as citizens of The French Constitution grants work- ous human rights groups, such as the ees! But why is the right stirring up all another European Union country. It is ers the right to strike, even in companies League for Human Rights, held 137 ral- this old rotten muck? They want to get us also deporting immigrants without pa- without unions. Most of the time small lies involving hundreds of thousands of lost in the smoke of false divisions. It is pers and is revoking French citizenship and medium-size companies don’t have people all over France to protest Sarkozy’s the crisis of capitalism unleashed by the from immigrants, and even people whose unions to file the necessary strike notic- attacks on the Romas and foreigners. In bankers and bosses which has just made parents were immigrants, who have been es. However, on Sept. 7 many workers at Paris, the march was led by a group of Ro- our life harder. But Sarko has absolutely convicted of attacking a French official. these smaller companies went out. mas whose encampment at Choisy-le-Roi no desire to see the people rise up against The unions responded on Sept. 7 with According to public opinion polls, was destroyed on Aug. 12. (www.cgt.fr). the true thugs and begin to actively finish the biggest general strike that France has about 70 percent of the people in France Both the LHR and the Young Commu- with capitalism.” (www.jeunes-commu- seen since 2003, when the unions and the oppose their government’s pension pro- nists (JC), a large youth group affiliated nistes.org) Birthday message from Peltier ‘My fight for freedom is not over’ Editor’s note: Fol- were trying to defend our People. It was the right yond a reasonable doubt,” why am I still here? lowing are excerpts thing to do. We had — have — the right to survive. Last year, as you know, my parole was denied. That from a statement is- The land was being stolen, too … used for mining was a disappointment, but I am not defeated. My fight sued by Leonard Pel- mostly. No thought was given to the disposal of toxic for freedom — for my People and myself — is not over. tier on the occasion waste. The rivers were full of poisons. Not much has I am a pipe carrier and a Sundancer. Abandoning The of his 66th birthday changed, I hear. … Struggle is not — never will be — a consideration. … on Sept. 12. Peltier, In those days, though, the reservation was torn When I look back over all the years, I remember all who was framed apart by a tribal dispute and the federal government the good people who have stood up for me, for a day up by the FBI for armed one group against another. The result was a or a decade. Of course, many have stayed with me all the shooting of two long line of tragedies for the People of Pine Ridge … along the way. I think of the hundreds of thousands of agents at Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota in and for the People who were there that day in June people around the world who have signed petitions for 1975, has been unjustly imprisoned since 1976. The 1975. me, too … people on the poorest of reservations to the complete message can be read at www.workers.org. I honestly understand the pain and anguish suf- highest of political offices. fered by all concerned and I have been part of that As we have learned over these many years, my Sisters, brothers, friends and supporters, suffering. freedom won’t come quickly or easily. To succeed, … Thinking back to those days on Pine Ridge, what I have watched people lie on the witness stand the coming battle will have to be hard fought. Please I remember is the funerals. There were so many funer- countless times. … continue to help my Committee and legal team as you als. … So many families lost loved ones. I have heard judges admonish prosecutors for have always done. Your support is more important There was a powerful force at work on the reserva- allowing false evidence in and, in some cases, for par- now than ever before. When freedom comes, it will tion back then, one with a single purpose — to stamp ticipating in the falsification itself. be due in no small part to the actions you take on my out the last resistance of the Lakota people. The government hid evidence, too. Or manufac- behalf. … We (the Oglala traditionals and members of the tured it. Doksha (Later), American Indian Movement) stood up because we … if the American standard of justice is still “be- Leonard Peltier CIA statistics show Chinese Revolution improved workers’ lives

By Caleb T. Maupin II. In both India and China, foreign cor- Not only did China’s government drasti- life expectancy of the average person in porations dominated the economy. In cally change, but so did its economic and China is 73. The CIA shows that literacy The Central Intelligence Agency, both countries there was mass starvation social system. The Chinese government, in China is at 91.6 percent, while it is only a ruthless enforcer of Wall Street’s and poverty. In both countries there was unlike the government of India, massive- 61 percent in India. drive for profits, publishes “The World extreme repression of women and vari- ly redistributed land, built up powerful Worse, in India the literacy rate for Factbook.” It gives updated statistics for ous ethnic minorities. collectively owned industries, combated women is only 47 percent, meaning that every country, some of which measure After World War II, both countries had sexism and racism, and built a People’s less than half of India’s women can read. quality of life and societal health, such mass movements. However, their out- Republic based on the ideology of “Marx- The literacy rate for women in China is 87 as life expectancy, infant mortality, come was very different. ism-Leninism-Mao Zedong Thought.” percent, less than 10 points behind men. literacy, unemployment and industrial In 1947, India was granted formal in- A comparison of life today in these two The CIA reports that the percentage production. In this series, Workers dependence from the United Kingdom large countries, even according to CIA of people living below the poverty line in World examines some surprising conclu- and re-organized as a “Federal Republic,” figures, shows that the socialist road of China is 2 percent, while it is 25 percent sions, all using the CIA’s own statis- a political transformation that changed China, as opposed to the capitalist road in India. tics. Even though these statistics often the governmental structures but left the of India, has been much more prosperous When comparing the “free market” understate gains compared to United capitalist economic system intact. Mod- for the population at large. neoliberalism embraced by India with Nations figures, they can’t help but show ern India has been hailed as a “model” of The infant mortality rate of China is China’s economy, which today incor- that countries benefit by breaking with neoliberal capitalism. 20.25 per 1,000 live births. The infant porates some capitalist measures but imperialism. The Chinese Revolution of 1949, two mortality rate of India is 50.5 per 1,000 is built on the back of the 1949 social- years after India’s independence, was to- live births, more than double that of ist revolution, it is clear which system is India and China were both impover- tally different, however. It was a socialist China. The life expectancy of the average superior. Even the CIA cannot hide this ished countries at the end of World War revolution led by the Communist Party. person in India is 66 years of age. The fact. Mndo obrero ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Correspondencia sobre artículos en Workers World/Mundo Obrero pueden ser enviadas a: [email protected] Histórico triunfo de los trabajadores domésticos

Por Dolores Cox idadores esenciales” que son “una fuerza Nueva York NUEvO yORk. de trabajo a menudo invisibles”. Ellos lla- maron a Harriet Tubman un inspiración Después de una campaña militante para su lucha. de seis años de marchas, de encuentros Los patrocinadores del proyecto de ley y de cabildeo, Domestic Workers United fueron la senadora estatal Diane Savino, (Trabajadoras Domésticas Unidas, DWU asambleísta Keith Wright y Presidente por las siglas en inglés) ganó una Carta del Comité de Trabajo de la Asamblea Su- de Derechos para las/los Trabajadoras/ san John. Savino dijo que las/los traba- es Domésticas/os en el estado de Nueva jadoras/es domésticas/os hacen posible York. El 31 de agosto, el gobernador de otro trabajo y afirmó que esta ley envía Nueva York, David Paterson, firmó este un mensaje claro en todo el país que los proyecto de ley y la convirtió en una ley derechos de las trabajadoras domésticas histórica; entre en vigor después de 90 deben ser reconocidos. días. Wright, quien dijo que era el nieto de Esta es una victoria de los derechos trabajadores domésticos, agra- civiles para las/los trabajadoras/es do- deció y aplaudió la tenacidad mésticos que han luchado durante 75 años del DWU por luchar para este contra la exclusión de las leyes laborales proyecto de ley durante años. federales, incluyendo la Ley Nacional de Él dijo: “Debemos asegurar que Relaciones Laborales de 1935 (de la época las promesas se cumplen”. de Franklin Roosevelt), la Ley sobre Segu- DWU Director Priscilla ridad y Salud Ocupacional y disposiciones González habló “como una hija en materia de discriminación en la Ley de ww photos: anne pruden orgullosa de una empleada do- Derechos Civiles de 1964. 31 de agosto en Harlem, Nuevo York. méstica”, y dijo: “Es un nuevo Esta es la primera legislación propor- día para DWU, con más trabajo cionando los derechos básicos y protec- La ceremonia de firma tuvo lugar en Los oradores calific- por delante para ganar vacacio- ciones a los EE.UU. a los trabajadores el Centro Cultural Dwyer de Harlem. aron a la ley como “un nes pagadas y días de enferme- domésticos. Se centrará en el estado de Miembras/os del DWU, organizaciones hito” y “abriendo nuevos dad. Dignidad y respeto signifi- Nueva York 200.000 trabajadores do- de base militante, la NAACP y de otros caminos”, y señaló que can mucho para nosotros. Le mésticos, incluso niñeras, cuidadores de sindicatos asistieron, además de los daría “la paridad, la justi- debemos este gran momento ancianos y amas de casa, que son princi- políticos federales y estatales y los me- cia, la equidad y la igual- para aquellos que sacrificaron palmente mujeres de color. dios de comunicación. dad en el lugar de trabajo” para estos “cu- su tiempo para organizarse”.

Los federales dieron una bofetada al Sheriff Arpaio Pero sólo para reforzar su asalto a los inmigrantes Por Deirdre griswold derecho de detener, registrar y arrestar a presentado una demanda contra Arpaio y populares por el desempleo y las ejecucio- personas en la calle por la única razón de su oficina por negarse a cooperar con sus nes hipotecarias. Joe Arpaio ha dirigido al departamen- su apariencia — de perfiles raciales. investigaciones de la presunta discrimi- Al mismo tiempo que la administración to del sheriff en el condado Maricopa Decenas de miles de personas marchar- nación por motivos de origen nacional — Obama está demandando a Arpaio, está desde 1992. on por las calles de Phoenix para pedir el una violación de la Ley 1964 de Derechos enviando tropas de la Guardia Nacional a Del 2004 a noviembre de 2007, Ar- fin a la criminalización de los inmigran- Civiles. La oficina de Arpaio ha firmado la frontera con México, donde se está ex- paio fue el objeto de 2.150 demandas tes indocumentados. Los estudiantes se acuerdos con el Departamento de Justicia tiendendo el muro entre los dos países. Es en el Tribunal del Distrito y cientos más han encadenado a las puertas. Las mani- prometiendo cooperar en las investiga- evidente que las corporaciones de EE.UU. en tribunales del condado de Maricopa. festaciones han estallado contra equipos ciones y recibio fondos federales como que poseen ambos partidos Demócrata y Más de 50 millones de dólares de las rec- deportivos de Arizona donde quiera que resultado, pero después violó el contrato. Republicano ejercen el derecho de ir a cu- lamaciones fueron presentadas sobre las van. Decenas de organizaciones han re- Es evidente que Arpaio no sólo ha alquier parte del mundo para explotar a brutales condiciones carcelarias bajo el spondido a la llamada a boicotear el es- hecho un infierno de la vida de cientos los trabajadores, mientras que al mismo mando de Arpaio — 50 veces más que los tado hasta que la ley es anulada y han de miles de personas que trabajan y sus tiempo, logran que el gobierno aquí es- juicios combinados contra Nueva York, cancelado congresos y reuniones allí. familias, sino también se ha convertido tigmatize a los inmigrantes y los rodean Los Ángeles, Chicago y Houston. (Phoe- Después de que SB1070 entró en vigor en una espina en el costado de su jefe, el con obstáculos insuperables con el fin nix New Times, 20 de diciembre 2007) y se intensificó en redadas masivas en los Departamento de Justicia. de mantener a millones de trabajadores, La policía bajo el mando de Arpaio han barrios latinos, las cárceles se llenaron El gobierno federal ha estado llevando como una fuerza laboral asediado, con actuado de manera tan brutal que el con- tanto que Arpaio tuvo que montar una ci- a cabo redadas contra los trabajadores in- bajos salarios, y sin derechos legales. dado ha tenido que pagar $42 millones de udad de tiendas de campañas para acom- documentados a través de Inmigración y Sin embargo, los trabajadores inmi- dolares en acuerdos legales a las víctimas odar el desbordamiento de detenidos. El Aduanas y el FBI. Se espera que deporte grantes y sus aliados se están defendien- de abuso. fue captado en video entre risas refirién- a 400.000 inmigrantes este año — un do. Ellos se han llevado a cabo magnífi- Arpaio se deleita en su reputación. Su dose a la ciudad como un campo de con- 10 por ciento más que en 2008, último cas demostraciones del Primero de Mayo viciosa actitud hacia los inmigrantes, y centración”. (Phoenix Times, 02 de agosto) año del gobierno de Bush. Sin embargo, durante los últimos cinco años y son una ciudadanos, especialmente los latinos y El movimiento de masas contra Arpaio estos organismos de la represión capi- fuerza vital en la reactivación del mov- latinas, lo ha convertido en el blanco de y la ley SB1070 creció tan tumultuosa que talista quieren hacerlo a su manera, sin imiento obrero. Un movimiento unido numerosas revelaciones e investigaciones. a finales de julio, un juez federal deter- la grandilocuencia fascistas de Arpaio y de la clase trabajadora que forja la soli- Las protestas en su contra han sido minó que partes de la ley eran ilegales — otros políticos de Arizona que están pro- daridad entre todas las nacionalidades constante y creciente, especialmente como la provision represiva que hizo un moviendo la intolerancia contra los inmi- y demanda la legalización es la única desde que su departamento comenzó a crimen estatal el que una persona a no lle- grantes por dos razones: para ganar vo- manera realmente eficaz para erradicar a aplicar la ley de Arizona contra los inmi- vara consigo documentos de inmigración. tos contra los demócratas y encontrar un los venenosos enemigos de la gente inmi- grantes SB1070, que otorga a la policía el Ahora el Departamento de Justicia ha chivo expiatorio por el inojo de las masas grante como Joe Arpaio.