Immigrants Deserve Legalization Full Rights for All Workers by Teresa Gutierrez Wo R Ker S Wo R Ld Ed I Torial

MUNDO OBRERO Inmigrantes merecen legalización 12

Workers and oppressed peoples of the world unite! workers.org MARCH 25, 2010 Vol. 52, No. 11 50¢ Immigrants deserve legalization Full Rights for all woRkeRs By Teresa Gutierrez wo R keR s wo R ld ed I toRIal.

On March 21, tens, perhaps hundreds of thousands of people will be demonstrating for immi- What will it take grant rights in Washington, D.C. The action arises from the frustration and deep anger that exist in the immigrant community and to end the wars? among their supporters that despite a nonstop demand for full rights for immigrants, especially legal- here can no longer be any doubt about the char- ization for the undocumented, such pleas have been acter of the wars being waged by the U.S. govern- ignored by Washington. Tment in Iraq and Afghanistan. The huge March 21 demonstration will continue They are not just Bush-Cheney wars, although these the massive outpouring of millions of workers in the mass murderers should not be left off the hook. spring of 2006, when immigrants poured out of the They represent more than a mistaken policy or a shadows and burst onto the scene, forever changing particularly brutal group of politicians in the pockets of the political landscape in this country. the oil companies. Immigrants and their supporters know that the These wars flow from the economic system that pre- undocumented have earned legalization. In fact, vails in the United States. The class that sits atop this they have earned it a hundred times over. vast capitalist economy is never satisfied. Millionaires Workers are forced to come to the very country have become billionaires largely on the super-profits — the U.S. — that has created the conditions back wrung from their worldwide empire. home that leave them no other option but to leave. The imperialists cannot be reasoned with, made to NAFTA, the U.S.-backed wars in Central Amer- see the error of their ways, or appealed to on a humani- ica, agreements with migrant-exporting countries tarian basis. The all-mighty profit motive is too strong such as the Philippines, the ongoing intervention for that. They will not concede that their ambition to and occupation of Haiti, the coup in Honduras, the control the world — over the dead bodies of Iraqis, Af- refusal to pay reparations for the historic plunder- ghans and U.S. soldiers — is impossible to achieve. Not ing of Africa, are all examples of U.S. policies abroad until they are confronted with rebellion at home as well that mean that millions must painfully leave their as abroad will they reconsider their course of action, as homelands in search of survival. finally happened with the Vietnam War. Then when workers arrive in the U.S. they are This explains why the current wars seem to go on forced to work in the underground economy with endlessly, why the invasion of Iraq has lasted seven absolutely no rights. years and the assault on Afghanistan even longer. It is a perfect system for the capitalist class: a vul- It explains why a Democratic administration, elected nerable, exploitable, expendable, cheap labor force very largely on the hope that it would bring home the that must serve the whims of the bosses. Continued on page 10 Despite the mantra that is constantly stated that immigration policy is broken, it does indeed work. But it is working for the bosses and the bankers, not for the people. FORGET BIDEN The demonstration on March 21 and all efforts to win rights for immigrants are extremely impor- Defend Palestine! 9 tant. But what will come out of this demonstration is equally important.

What kind of reform? There is a widespread movement for what is called comprehensive immigration reform. It is important to continue to elaborate exactly what kind THE POWER OF WOMEN Continued on page 2  Int’l Women’s Day worldwide  1937: Immigrants win union Subscribe to Workers World  Women doctors serve in Haiti Eight weeks trial $4 One year $25 workers.org  Name______Phone______Melissa Roxas, a survivor

Address______Email______ War hits women hard

City/State/Zip______ Cuban women advance 6-9 Workers World Weekly Newspaper Women protest in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, 55 W. 17th St. #5C, NY, NY 10011 212.627.2994 on International Women’s Day, March 8. Page_2_ March_25,_2010_ workers.org

Immigrants deserve legalization WORKERS WORLD this week ...

Full rights for all workers  In the U.S. ing the shots in Washington. They will not declare that Immigrants deserve legalization...... 1 Continued from page 1 the real terrors in society are the policies that shut down Tenants meet to fight for their homes...... 3 of immigration reform is needed. The movement — not factories, evict people from their homes, violate the envi- Boston City Councilors hear report from Haiti ...... 3 just immigrants, but labor, the anti-war and all progres- ronment and so on. 2004 DNC protester wins in Federal Court...... 3 sive movements — must demand immigration reform Workers looking for survival are not terrorists. They Detroit school takeover and ‘rightsizing’ of city opposed .... 4 that is thoroughly pro-worker. are the victims of terror. Any immigration bill that has On the picket line ...... 4 This kind of reform will lift the standard of living not “enforcement” as its heart is an immigration bill that only for immigrants but also for the whole working class. should be rejected. Mumia: ‘A democracy of puppets’ ...... 4 This immigration reform must at least include: Unfortunately, Democrats will tell the movement this Capitalist crisis invades public education...... 5  Immediate legalization for all the undocumented in is the best they can get. When immigration advocates Detroit 1937 Immigrant women beat cigar bosses ...... 6 this country asked Schumer to refrain from calling the undocument- Letter: Another double standard in Black and white ...... 6  An end of the militarization of the border, which is an ed “illegal aliens,” he refused. Schumer said that is the A salute to Cuba and Haitian women ...... 7 way it is. act of war and fosters a xenophobia mentality International Women’s Day Forum in New York...... 8  Stopping the raids now and ending the division of The movement must decide Disappearing Voices: The struggle to save Black radio .... . 10 families Throughout U.S. history, the capitalist class and the  Ending U.S. foreign policy that creates the conditions officials in Washington that do its bidding have always Around the world for migration such as support for the Honduran coup declared in one way or another, “That is the way it is.” Melissa Roxas: An example of women’s power ...... 6  Repealing U.S. trade policies like NAFTA They will not point out that history shows just the op- International Women’s Day observed worldwide ...... 7  Jobs for all workers in this country regardless of place posite. When workers are in motion, when the move- WIDF assesses global conditions of women workers ...... 8 of birth ment is massive, what “is the way it is” can be radically  Education for all regardless of place of birth changed from one day to the next. U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq hit women the hardest ...... 8 or economic status Slavery was abolished when many said it would not be. Forget Biden’s ‘dignity’ — What about the Palestinians? . ....9  No guest worker programs Women won the right to vote when many said they could Women doctors return from service in Haiti...... 9  Recognition of the role climate change plays not. The war in Vietnam was ended due to the resistance Pentagon’s presence in Horn of Africa exposes U.S. lies ....11 in creating refugees and policies to prevent it of the people of Vietnam, but the movement in the U.S. Greek workers resist with fourth general strike ...... 11 It is clear where the Republican Party stands on the was also instrumental. immigration question. While having nuances of differ- Unemployment insurance, the 8-hour day and welfare Editorial ences here and there, overwhelmingly this party contin- were all gains that the people were able to wrest from ues to maintain a vicious anti-immigrant position. The the capitalist class. Nothing was given to us. All of it was What will it take to end the wars? ...... 1 far-right inside and outside the party uses immigration won. as one of the issues to whip up a rabid right-wing cam- Legalization without enforcement and without a mili- Noticias En Español paign. It is racist and targets the first Black president in tarization of the border can be won. Inmigrantes merecen legalización an inexcusable way. But this can only happen if the people are fighting for Derechos plenos para todos/as los/as trabajadores/as .....12 In response to the massive organizing for the March 21 their own interests independent of the Democrats. The demonstration, an extreme anti-immigrant group called Democratic Party has shown over and over again that it NumbersUSA held a press conference. At it, a member puts a brake on the struggle. It will only fight for band- said, “ … the new welfare queen today is women com- aids, and it will never stand up to the powers that be, ing from Mexico with a bunch of babies. We have babies, despite the good intentions of many individuals. Workers World they have dependents.” As hundreds of thousands march on Washington on 55 West 17 Street This is thoroughly anti-poor, no matter national origin March 21, they must keep this in mind. We must be vigi- New York, N.Y. 10011 or color. The Mexican woman is today’s target, but their lant in the days following that neither Schumer nor Guti- Phone: (212) 627-2994 rhetoric is aimed against all poor women. errez uses the momentum of the demonstration to back Fax: (212) 675-7869 While the position of the Republicans and the far- their bills. This would be opportunistic and a misinter- E-mail: [email protected] right is clear and easy to fight, it is not so clear with the pretation of the demonstrators who sacrificed to come Web: www.workers.org Democrats. to Washington. Two major bills from Democrats are up for consid- Make no mistake about it: the masses in Washington Vol. 52, No. 11 • March 25, 2010 eration in Congress. One is by New York Sen. Charles on March 21 want legalization. Closing date: March 16, 2010 Schumer and the other from Illinois Rep. Luis Gutierrez. One way to assure that the demand for legalization Editor: Deirdre Griswold Gutierrez already introduced his bill in December 2009; prevails is to build the mobilizations for May Day 2010 Technical Editor: Lal Roohk Schumer has not yet done so. around the country. Managing Editors: John Catalinotto, LeiLani Dowell, Rep. Gutierrez’s bill is the more progressive. Gutierrez May Day is a signal to the ruling class that we are Leslie Feinberg, Kris Hamel, Monica Moorehead, has been traveling around the country speaking to huge marching independent of the big business parties. May Gary Wilson audiences about passing “comprehensive immigration Day is a day when workers around the world march. It is West Coast Editor: John Parker reform.” His talks fill Latinos/as with pride about their a historic day that is filled with the spirit of class struggle. Contributing Editors: Abayomi Azikiwe, background. This year’s May Day promises to be unique. In many Greg Butterfield, Jaimeson Champion, G. Dunkel, His 700-page-long bill is officially named the Compre- areas around the country, it is attracting not just immi- Fred Goldstein, Teresa Gutierrez, Larry Hales, hensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and grants or immigrant rights activists. It is attracting more David Hoskins, Berta Joubert-Ceci, Cheryl LaBash, Prosperity Act. The acronym CIR ASAP is clever. and more students, unions, organizations for the home- Milt Neidenberg, Bryan G. Pfeifer, Betsey Piette, But the bill goes along with the argument that the im- less, youth, anti-war organizations and organizations Minnie Bruce Pratt, Gloria Rubac migration issue and therefore immigrants are part and fighting for jobs or against foreclosures. Technical Staff: Sue Davis, Shelley Ettinger, parcel of the so-called “war on terror.” Whatever their If united and militant, this is the kind of mobilization Bob McCubbin, Maggie Vascassenno personal beliefs, Democrats have not confronted this that can wrest what is rightfully ours, including legal- Mundo Obrero: Carl Glenn, Teresa Gutierrez, militaristic thinking. ization. Berta Joubert-Ceci, Donna Lazarus, Michael Martínez, They will not stand up and declare that the real ter- The author is co-coordinator of the New York May 1 Carlos Vargas rorists are in the Pentagon and on Wall Street and call- Coalition for Immigrant Rights. Supporter Program: Sue Davis, coordinator Copyright © 2009 Workers World. Verbatim copying and distribution of articles is permitted in any medium National Office Buffalo, N.Y. Durham, N.C. 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By Paddy Colligan The success of these complicated deals sibilities for fighting back. Tenant advo- 1930s Great Depression to promote home New York required the already overvalued real es- cates, lawyers, politicians, and financial ownership. These corporations have been tate market to continue to expand. It advisors explained to the solemn and at- privately owned since 1968 and 1970, re- Twelve hundred tenants from Stuyves- also required replacing tenants paying tentive audience the things tenants could spectively. ant Town and Peter Cooper Village (ST- stable, lower rents with tenants paying at do to hold on to their homes. In the big real estate deals of recent years PCV) met March 13 to prepare a housing the then-market rate which was two and Fannie and Freddie had strayed far from Key to victory: tenant unity battle that can impact on tenants of all in- three times higher. their original mission of promoting home comes throughout New York City. The Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. While New York City’s rent laws favor- ownership and affordable housing. In the The latest indication of the worsening originally financed all three complexes in ing tenants have been whittled down in ST-PCV deal, for example, they had invest- housing crisis in the city is that foreclo- the immediate post-World War II period the decades since they were established, ed at least hundreds of millions of dollars sures on multifamily housing have sur- of extreme housing shortages. In the in- there are still points of leverage that can in a deal which would only be profitable if passed those on individual homes. Some tervening years these large project-type be used to protect tenant rights. The key affordable housing were eliminated. 100,000 apartments, 10 percent of the complexes with over 12,500 apartments to success, speakers emphasized repeat- As Fannie and Freddie faced huge in- housing market in New York City, are in provided stable housing options attrac- edly at the meeting, would be tenant unity. vestment losses in the souring real estate buildings whose owners are delinquent tive to working families wanting to live in Last year a stunning tenant victory in market, they received billions in taxpayer on their payments or who have already Manhattan. the courts resulted in a significant rollback bailout funds and are now approximately been foreclosed. Complex real estate deals Profit-seeking real estate interests tar- of rents and the reassertion of rent stabi- 80 percent owned by the government. made at the top of the housing bubble are geted even these 60-year-old apartment lization throughout many of New York Now they at least pay lip service to pre- crashing down, threatening to make rent- buildings. These interests were deter- City’s middle income complexes. This vic- serving affordable housing. ers in New York City the next wave of vic- mined to replace affordable housing with tory involved a legal suit some ST-PCV While the final stages of foreclosure and tims of capitalist profit grabbing. units out of the reach of all but the highest market-rate tenants initiated. The courts finding new owners are yet to play out for Among the most recent casualties are paid rising young executives and profes- eliminated the division between the mar- ST-PCV, the best outcome for tenants will the tenants at three middle-income rent- sionals — who themselves might have to ket-rate and the rent-stabilized tenants at depend on maintaining unity and creative- stabilized complexes — Riverton Houses double up and share housing to pay the ST-PCV by putting all the apartments back ly using what favorable laws are still on the in Harlem, and ST-PCV on the East Side exorbitant monthly rent. under the rent-stabilization regulations. books. A tenant victory at ST-PCV, and the between 14th and 23rd Streets. Each of But tenants are not passive victims in Another aspect of the tenants’ plan to process of organizing to achieve it, will in- these complexes was purchased within the this shell game. On a day of high wind and keep their homes is to use the recently fluence the even bigger and broader fight last five years for enormously high prices driving rain, over 1,200 wet people came bailed out Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac that looms ahead: the one needed to pre- based on speculation of even higher prices out to a meeting of the ST-PCV Tenants corporations. These are government-spon- serve the city-wide rent-stabilization regu- and profits to come. Association to learn about plans and pos- sored entities established starting in the lations now set to expire in June 2011. Boston city councilors hear report from Haiti Seven Boston City Councilors attended She described the conditions in Haiti an eyewitness report from Haiti in Boston where bodies are still unburied and pigs City Hall on March 11. City Councilors are roaming free, eating human cadavers, Chuck Turner and Charles Yancey hosted and are in turn eaten by hungry Haitian the meeting, which filled the Piemonte people, spreading disease. Ulysse ex- Room. In Turner’s introductory speech, pressed her intention to return to Haiti to he called for a grassroots mobilization help with reconstruction. demanding the restoration of democracy in Turner read City Council resolutions that Haiti. recognized Jonathan Regis of Fight Im- After a moving song by an elementary perialism, Stand Together (FIST), Andrea school children’s choir from a local Haitian Yarde of the District 7 office, and Horace church, Boaz Hilaire of the Boston School Small of the United Minority Neighbor- Bus Drivers, United Steel Workers Local hoods for their work in helping Ulysse 8751, who had just returned from a relief successfully return to Boston. The meeting trip to Haiti, described how he saw U.S. also recognized the international campaign military personnel everywhere in Haiti but of support for Ulysse and all permanent no aid being distributed. residents to return to the U.S. from Haiti. Turner then introduced Jenny Ulysse, a Claude St. Germain, newly elected Co- Boston teenager and community youth or- ordinator for Fanmi Lavalas of Boston, de- ganizer who had been caught in the rubble scribed the lack of democracy in Haiti and of a building in the earthquake. Ulysse told how Washington is trying to force elections how, though she needed immediate medical from which Fanmi Lavalas is excluded. assistance, the U.S. Embassy failed to come He called for the return of democratically to her aid — because she is a permanent elected President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. WW_Photo:_StEvE_KirSChbAuM resident green card holder and not a citizen. — Frank Neisser FIST organizer Jonathan Regis with Jenny Ulysse. 2004 DNC protester wins Federal court victory against Secret Service By Frank Neisser which was organized by the International “Let him go!” and “Racial profiling!” allies in court giving me support as well Boston Action Center, the Answer Coalition and Shah spoke to Workers World after as other witnesses … who spoke truth to other forces. Pavlos met Shah for the first the trial. When asked why he sued the power.” Culminating a years-long legal strug- time while Shah was held handcuffed on Secret Service, he stated: “They violated Shah continued: “In the end the jury gle and a week-long trial, on March 12 a the steps at City Hall Plaza. He offered to my rights. I felt the need to guard and saw through their attempts to demonize federal jury found the Secret Service had represent him on the spot, and Shah ac- protect our rights under the Constitution, me, invoke fears of post-9/11 security con- carried out a de facto arrest without prob- cepted. and hold the Secret Service accountable. I cerns and paint me as having done some- able cause when agents dragged Indian- Shah had come looking for the protest, didn’t want what happened to me to hap- thing wrong, and found the Secret Service American Vijay Shah from a July 2004 which had begun and marched by the pen to anyone else.” agent liable for having in fact arrested me protest march at the Democratic National convention center where the DNC was to Shah called the verdict “an extraor- without probable cause, in violation of my Convention in Boston. Agents handcuffed be held the following day before he got dinary rebuke of the Secret Service and Fourth Amendment rights against unrea- Shah, dragged him to a police car and there. After looking around the area Shah victory for people’s rights against ra- sonable searches and seizures. My legal took him to a police station where he was found and joined the demonstration as it cial profiling and abuse of police power. team of John Pavlos and Brooks Ames held in handcuffs in a holding cell. marched back from the convention site It was very clear the Secret Service was did an extraordinary job in succeeding in After intervention by protest support- to the Boston Common. Witnesses at the pressed by this case. Throughout the trial getting this case to actually come to trial ers and his attorney, John Pavlos, Shah trial described how Secret Service agents they had phalanx of up to 15 Secret Ser- at all, and in fact to prevail. Our original was released without charges. Secret Ser- and Boston Police grabbed him from be- vice agents all dressed in dark blue suits suit raised the issue of racial profiling and vice agent Darin Czellecz was found liable hind, held him in handcuffs on some steps with lapel pins and crew cuts attempting included additional officers and the chain for violation of Shah’s Fourth Amend- by Boston City Hall, forced him into a po- to intimidate me and the jury. When I of command, but that was not allowed by ment constitutional rights. Pavlos was lice car and whisked him away, while sup- testified they tried to stare me down, but the court. However, the jury made itself the legal observer for the protest march, porters from the demonstration chanted, I wouldn’t be intimidated. We also had clear on the principle.” Page_4_ March_25,_2010_ workers.org detRoIt. On the Picket Line School takeover and ‘rightsizing’ By Sue Davis Hotel workers continue of city opposed fight for contract By Abayomi Azikiwe, state legislators from A steady downpour on March 12 failed to deter UNITE Editor, Pan-African News Wire Detroit who pledged sup- HERE Local 2 hotel workers and supporters from hold- Detroit port. Gov. Granholm, ing a spirited picket line outside the Westin St. Francis however, refused to see Hotel in San Francisco. The workers, who have been Spokespersons for corporate De- these workers. fighting since August for a contract with no cuts in health troit have issued plans to take total Protest actions and care benefits, called a boycott of the hotel months ago. A control of the public school system public hearings in op- union press release noted: “The Starwood Corporation, as well as “shrink” the city over the position to these at- which manages this hotel, makes huge profits every year. next decade. These efforts come tacks on public educa- This hotel alone generated $17 million in earnings for amidst the worst economic crisis tion have prompted the WW_Photo:_AlAN_PolloCK its ownership in 2009, through the hard work we do.” in Detroit since the Great Depres- backers of privatization It continued: “But Starwood is trying to use the cur- sion. The city leads all other major to accelerate the process of a announced to restructure the city rent economic crisis to roll back our health care. … It’s urban centers in joblessness with takeover of the schools. On March by razing neighborhoods and com- not that Starwood can’t afford to cover our health care; an official unemployment rate of 28 11, Bobb and several groups an- mercial districts to create what is it’s just that they don’t want to.” The picket was called percent. nounced a sweeping plan to seize touted as a more “efficient” system of March 12 to shame the World Affairs Council for holding A plan to turn over control of the control of the district, place it under municipal governance. In speeches its convention at the Westin. The union declared: “You Detroit Public Schools district to the ostensible control of corporate- and articles in the corporate dailies can’t lead globally if you won’t lead locally.” Mayor Dave Bing has sparked out- oriented Mayor Bing and hire pri- and Crain’s Detroit business weekly, rage throughout the city from com- vate management companies to ad- corporate interests and foundations Health insurance lobbyists in D.C. munity organizations, unions and are promoting the notion that large minister its operations. Thousands of union members and health care activ- the elected Board of Education. Last sections of the city should be bull- At a March 11 press conference the ists, organized by a joint committee of the two leading year Gov. Jennifer Granholm ap- dozed, fenced off and sold to the school takeover plan was announced labor organizations, surrounded the Ritz-Carlton in pointed Robert Bobb “emergency highest bidder. by Skillman Foundation CEO Carol Washington, D.C., on March 9 while health insurance financial manager” to purportedly In a recent interview with WJR Goss, who was flanked by members lobbyists convened to plot ways to stop the modest balance the budget of the belea- radio in Detroit, Bing stated: “If we of other groups including New De- health care bill. “Blocking health care reform is a crime!” guered school district and improve don’t do it, you know this whole city troit Inc., the University Preparatory chanted the activists as a delegation, armed with a war- its fiscal operations. is going to go down. I’m hopeful peo- Academy Charter School and the rant to arrest the lobbyists, attempted to enter the hotel. The deficit for DPS, however, has ple will understand that. If we can Detroit Parent Network, which is fi- After they were rebuffed, demonstrators covered build- increased by $100 million since incentivize some of those folks that nanced heavily by the Kresge Foun- ing entrances with bright yellow tape that read: “It’s a Bobb’s appointment. Nevertheless, are in those desolate areas, they can dation. crime to deny our care.” (Union City, online newsletter of he was recently awarded an annual get a better situation.” “It’s a sad day,” said Ruby New- the Metro Washington AFL-CIO, March 10) pay raise of $81,000. Lawsuits have bold, president of the Detroit As- Bing continued: “You can’t sup- been filed against Bobb by the elect- sociation of Educational Office Em- port every neighborhood. You can’t ed Detroit Board of Education, the ployees. “We are saddened by what support every community across this First labor contract signed Detroit Federation of Teachers and is going on in the city of Detroit. city. Those communities that are sta- under Indigenous law independent groups of teachers and How dare you dismantle our school ble, we can’t allow them to go down parents. district!” the tubes. That’s not a good business The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation signed the Bobb has also announced the “This community is not going decision from my vantage point.” first labor contract negotiated under Native law with cancellation of the existing bus con- to take it anymore,” said Newbold, (Detroit News, Feb. 25) United Auto Workers Local 2121, which represents 2,500 tract held by Safeway. The switch which sparked a standing ovation One of the principal architects of dealers at two casinos in Foxwoods, Conn. An article in to First Student Transportation Co. from the audience. this downsizing plan is the subur- the Feb. 10 Indian Country Today noted that this “sets will leave over 300 bus drivers out A demonstration is planned for ban Kresge Foundation. “That the a model for improved labor relations between tribal na- of work, many of whom have over March 15 to oppose the takeover plans city must shrink is beyond debate, tions and employees throughout Indian country,” 25 years of service with DPS. There for DPS. The protest will take place said Rip Rapson, president of the is no evidence that the change will outside Renaissance High School, Troy-based Kresge Foundation, Defend union staff at save DPS approximately $50 million where Bobb will deliver his “state of which has offered to fund the plan. NY Historical Society as Bobb has alleged. And a land use plan is crucial to education” report and seek public Workers who run the day-to-day operation of the On March 10-11 several dozen bus developing viable long-term strate- support for the plan to eliminate the New York Historical Society, who have been members drivers and their supporters trav- gies.” (Crain’s Detroit, Jan. 30) Detroit School Board and place total of United Auto Workers Local 2110 for over 30 years, eled to the state capital in Lansing to Opposition to these plans is wide- control under Mayor Bing and private demonstrated March 3 against unprecedented cutbacks protest Bobb’s actions and demand spread throughout the city. The management firms. proposed during contract negotiations. Not only does the that their contract be reinstated and Moratorium NOW! Coalition to Stop NYHS want to freeze wages and drastically reduce health that Bobb be fired. The drivers met Plans launched to “rightsize” city Foreclosures, Evictions and Utility and retirement benefits, but it plans to reduce hours for with a number of African-American Shutoffs has called for two major ac- Meanwhile, proposals have been many positions so workers in the library, print room, tivities in response to the burgeon- visitor services, store and mailroom will not be entitled to From Mumia Abu-Jamal on death row. ing crisis. On March 23, the coalition any benefits. “We do not believe the Society’s position is will sponsor a demonstration out- economically justified,” read the union flyer. “ … Thanks to side Mayor Bing’s “State of the City” the hard work of all the Society’s employees, its prospects address, where unions, community ‘A democracy for the future are excellent.” To support the workers, organizations and other opposition urge NYHS President Louise Mirrer (lmirrer@nyhistory. forces will voice their outrage with org; 212-873-3400) to bargain “for a fair contract that the administration and its corporate of puppets’ recognizes [the workers’] long-term contribution to the backers. Society.” Taken from a March 3 audio years ago. On March 27, a town hall meeting commentary. Go to www.millions- Over a will be held at Central United Meth- 4mumia.org for updates and mobi- million Iraqi odist Church downtown in honor of S.F. Labor Council affirms lizations on Abu-Jamal’s case. refugees the 75th anniversary of the Works No matter which way the Iraqi have spent seven years in neighbor- Progress Administration. The WPA Haitian sovereignty elections turn out, the media bleats ing countries, unable or unwilling put 8 million people back to work The San Francisco Labor Council passed a resolution about “democracy’s” triumph. Not- to return home. during the 1930s at the height of the March 1 urging that the Obama administration make withstanding, the lives of average Iraqis call the U.S. invasion and Great Depression. giving vital aid to the Haitian people a priority over Iraqis will remain an intolerable occupation “al-suqut” (the col- According to a Moratorium NOW! military deployment; that aid be distributed by civilian brew of nastiness and ugliness. lapse). It is a time of destruction, leaflet: “Today, with tens of millions authorities; that the Haitian people coordinate and lead The electricity remains a one- desolation, humiliation and loss. of workers — especially youth — un- relief efforts and long-term rebuilding of their country; hour-on, 12-hours-off affair. Will an American-style election employed, we need a real, public jobs and that the U.S. support the Haitian people’s demand Water is often undrinkable. change this? Hardly. program, NOW! We can’t wait for for sovereignty and self-determination. The resolution According to a recent BBC re- Who doubts that only U.S. ap- some imaginary future jobs from the also called upon the top international financial groups port, medical officials now counsel proved puppets will be allowed to banks and corporations that have al- “to secure the immediate cancellation of all of Haiti’s childbearing-age women in Fallujah run the joint? How can a nation ready been bailed out with trillions external debt” and requested grants, not debt-incurring to not give birth, for fear of horrific that violated the democratic rights of our tax dollars. There is plenty loans, to help the country rebuild. In addition, it called birth defects. of the American people in order that needs doing immediately in De- for an end to the U.S. banishment of President Jean- That’s because Fallujah’s water to wage a war built on lies, build a troit — repairing roads and bridges, Bertrand Aristide “so that he can freely and safely return was poisoned by the U.S. use of de- democracy in another country? cleaning parks, insulating and fixing … and participate in the rebuilding of his country.” The pleted uranium in shells when they It can have elections — but de- up thousands of vacant homes so no resolution also asked the AFL-CIO to find ways for union virtually leveled the place several mocracy? I don’t think so. one is homeless or without heat.” members to be involved in reconstructing Haiti. workers.org March 25, 2010 Page 5

Fight school closings, teacher layoffs! Capitalist crisis invades public education

By Fred Goldstein

Capitalism is leaving tens of millions of workers without jobs. It is also abandon- ing millions of children to flounder in a chaotic education system, buffeted by school closings and teacher firings. The capitalist government in Wash- ington has sharply escalated its ongoing assault on the public education system. Using the budget crisis as leverage and seizing on the deteriorating quality of schools in impoverished districts, government officials have intensified the campaign for charter-school privatization, school closings, and the firing of teachers and staff across the country. But the attack is not on all public education. Virtually all the target schools and school districts are in impoverished communities marginalized by capitalism, especially those that are heavily African- American and Latino/a.

The ax falls on Kansas City The Kansas City, Mo., school board announced on March 10 that it will close 29 of its 61 public schools. About 700 jobs will be cut, including 285 teachers. The targeted school district is majority Afri- can-American. This school district has long been drained by redistricting and the flight . WW_Photo:_lydiA_bAyoNEtA Students in Rochester, N.Y., protest during March 4 nationwide actions to fight tuition increases and defend public education. to private schools and charter schools. It has been sued for racial discrimina- moving toward charter schools; firing the Privatization: ‘The Big Enchilada’ nity to fend off the competition of charter tion. Its school population has gone from teaching staff and then allowing them to Jonathan Kozol, a well-known author- schools. New York’s Harlem is a prime 77,000 to 13,400. The drop in enroll- reapply for their jobs, but not hiring back ity on public schools and author of the target of charter schools and has put the ment, caused by poverty and privatiza- more than 50 percent of those fired; and book “Death at an Early Age,” wrote an public schools under enormous pressure. tion, and the budget crisis are being used closing “underperforming” schools. article entitled “The Big Enchilada” for For example, “River East Elementa- as a pretext to further victimize children This has touched off a rat race among Harper’s magazine of August 2007. It was ry on East 120th Street draws students and their families by these brutal school government officials to get grant money by about reading a stock market prospectus. throughout Harlem and typically has closings. attacking teachers, closing schools, open- Kozol wrote: more applicants than seats. But at this The crisis goes beyond Kansas City. On ing up to charter schools, using school “A group of analysts at an investment time of year, staff members spend hours Feb. 23, the school board in Central Falls, vouchers to pay for private schools, and banking firm known as Montgomery Se- scurrying to day care centers, churches R.I., announced that all its 93 teachers, taking other measures to undermine pub- curities described the financial benefits and apartment complexes to find pro- administrators and support staff would lic education and teacher organization. to be derived from privatizing our public spective parents, said Katie Smith, the as- be fired. The Central Falls school district This reactionary development is an schools. ‘The education industry,’ accord- sistant principal. ‘We have to be out there is majority Latino/a. Other schools in attempt to select out a small percentage ing to these analysts, ‘represents, in our constantly representing ourselves,’ Ms. Rhode Island are also under threat, in- of students for exposure to a superior opinion, the final frontier of a number of Smith said.” (New York Times, March 10) cluding in Providence. education while leaving the vast major- sectors once under public control’ that The net result is that the capitalist es- On March 4, Boston school officials ity behind. Those left behind are over- ‘have either voluntarily opened’ or, they tablishment is using the economic crisis announced that all the teachers and staff whelmingly children of the poor and the note in pointed terms, have ‘been forced’ to accomplish three things: to wring prof- at six public schools would have to reap- oppressed. This reality is exactly the op- to open up to private enterprise. Indeed, its out of the public education system; to ply for their jobs. These six schools are posite of what these programs promised. they write, ‘the education industry rep- solve its budget crisis on the backs of the among 35 on a target list as “underper- It is also important to note the motor resents the largest market opportunity’ people by closing schools; and to open forming.” The schools on the list face clo- force for charter schools: handing over since health care services were privatized up an anti-union campaign against the sures, firings and state takeovers. the education system to private compa- during the 1970s. teachers by driving them into non-union Cleveland plans 13 school closings. nies. It is not about these schools’ level of “Referring to private education com- charter schools and weakening the con- This includes breaking up high schools achievement. panies as ‘EMOs’ (Education Manage- tracts of those who remain in the public into “academies,” leaving a big opening To date, the most authoritative study ment Organizations), they note that col- system. for charter schools to move into the vacu- of charter schools was conducted by the lege education also offers some ‘attractive This crisis demonstrates many things um and get public funds. Center for Research on Education Out- investment returns’ for corporations, about the capitalist system at its present These examples could be multiplied comes at Stanford University in 2009. but then come back to what they see as stage of crisis, when the opportunity for many times over, from Detroit to Atlanta, The report is the first detailed national the much greater profits to be gained by profitable investment in the real economy Reno, Los Angeles, New York City — vir- assessment of charter schools. It analyzed moving into public elementary and sec- of production is narrowed by the crisis tually across the country. 70 percent of U.S.-based students attend- ondary schools. ‘The larger developing of overproduction and the saturation of ing charter schools and compared the opportunity is in the K-12 EMO market, markets. Rat race to the top academic progress of those students with led by private elementary school provid- It shows that the vultures of finance The immediate trigger is the $4.3 bil- that of demographically matched stu- ers,’ which, they emphasize, ‘are well capital will find every avenue possible to lion Race to the Top fund established by dents in nearby public schools. The report positioned to exploit potential political raid the public treasury in pursuit of prof- the Obama administration. President found that 17 percent of charter schools reforms such as school vouchers.’ From it, including forcing a crisis on the educa- Barack Obama publicly praised the dras- reported academic gains that were sig- the point of view of private profit, one of tion system. tic firing of all the teachers in the Central nificantly better than traditional public these analysts enthusiastically observes, This hurts students, parents, teachers Falls high school as an example of prog- schools; 46 percent showed no difference ‘the K-12 market is the Big Enchilada.’” and communities. This is the basis on ress in education reform. from public schools; and 37 percent were (See FIST statement, “Defend Education which to unite against this plan of divide The Race to the Top is a continuation significantly worse than their traditional from ‘Disaster Capitalism,’” in the Work- and conquer. It calls for a united mobi- of the No Child Left Behind program initi- public school counterparts. ers World of March 4.) lization to defend public education and ated by George W. Bush. Bush promoted The authors of the report consid- These two items speak volumes about make the bankers and bosses pay for a charter schools, school vouchers and ered this a “sobering” finding about the the Race to the Top program. It is an at- quality education for all. breaking union contracts — using merit quality of charter schools in the United tempt to put a big part of the public school This is the richest country in the world, pay and other devices — under the guise States. Charter schools showed a signifi- system on a corporate model of cutthroat with a $14 trillion economy. There are of improving teacher performance. cantly greater variation in quality as com- competition. The funds for the educa- hundreds of billions available for the The Race to the Top goes further. It pared with the more standardized public tion of poor children are the object of this schools. But these funds are being pock- specifies that states can apply for grants schools. Many charter schools fell below competition. eted by the banks, the Pentagon, the cor- if they adopt one of the models specified public school performances and a few ex- This model has public school officials porations. There is enough money to give by the program. These models include ceeded them significantly. marketing their schools to the commu- everyone a quality education. Page_6_ March_25,_2010_ workers.org Detroit 1937 Immigrant women beat cigar company bosses By Martha Grevatt

hen you think of the 1930s, one tion of General Motors plants in Flint won port from the UAW and other Detroit-ar- a month into their occupation — to the of the first things that come union recognition for the UAW, workers ea unions, as well as local businesses that streets. WWto mind is the great struggle at the Websten-Eisenlohr cigar factory sat provided bread, sausage and other food Sympathetic bystanders were also as- of the United Auto Workers to organize down. They had put a notice on the bul- items. saulted. A pregnant woman was thrown Detroit’s biggest employers. In fact there letin board in Polish telling the women to The spouses, fathers, brothers and off her porch. were numerous sit-down strikes outside stay in. They’d asked management for a adult sons found themselves taking on Labor’s outrage was immediate. UAW the auto industry. Courageous women led 10-percent raise but got no reply. tasks that traditionally fall on women President Homer Martin threatened “a many, including a cigar-makers sit-down They stopped production. But now they during a strike: child care, housework, general strike in the automobile industry strike that lasted over two months. had a new problem. They had no union. staffing the strike kitchen, winning over … unless the brutal eviction of sit-down In 1937 six cigar factories occupied a The conservative, craft-based American hostile spouses and maintaining support strikers and the ruthless clubbing of work- four-square-mile area bordered by Mil- Federation of Labor had a Cigar Workers outside the plants. ers by Detroit Police is stopped.” (“Two waukee, Grandy, St. Aubin and Warren Union — but had ignored the women’s re- One striker described the joy of em- Who Were There, A Biography of Stanley Avenue. In these factories 4,000 women, peated pleas for help. Instead the workers powerment, writing: “Some of us sitting Nowak,” Margaret Collingsworth Nowak) mostly Polish-speaking, toiled all day long. sent a delegation to UAW headquarters to here are doing fancy knitting work. Oth- At a rally of 200,000 people on March Their wages, having been cut 35 to demand that Polish-born Stanley Nowak, ers are playing cards. A few are in the 24 in Cadillac Square, the UAW’s Victor 50 percent since the 1929 stock market head of the Polish Trade Union Commit- ‘kitchen’ making noodles. There is music Reuther threatened a two-for-one: two crash, were among the lowest in all of tee, be their organizer. and the younger girls, with gay cellophane new sit-downs for every one eviction. Detroit. Toxic tobacco dust was always They knew Nowak from his weekly Pol- ribbons in their hair, are dancing. We’ve On April 1 a delegation of strikers met in the air, with ventilation poor to nonex- ish radio program and his frequent ap- got to pass the time away, because, like with Michigan Gov. Frank Murphy. The istent. The few available toilets were of a pearances at Dom Polski (Polish Home), one worker said, ‘We’re gonna stick it out governor promised to look into their situa- primitive type or, if modern, dirty and of- both of which he used to promote union- until past Easter, if necessary.’ The auto tion — but not until a sit-down at Chrysler ten broken. The factory owners provided ism. The delegation sat down in the union victory showed us how. was settled. no soap or hot water. Sexual harassment office until Nowak agreed to help them “It all sounds like a lark, doesn’t it? But That happened on April 7 and finally on from foremen was routine. unionize the cigar industry. we are serious, dead serious.” (“Women April 22, more than two months into the A Citizen’s Fact Finding Committee Within six hours the women had and the Labor Movement: From the First strike, representatives from management concluded that the workers in the cigar formed an organization. There were com- Trade Unions to the Present,” Philip S. met with the cigar strikers in Murphy’s of- factories “have to work with terrific speed mittees for drawing up demands, provid- Foner) fice. By the end of the day an agreement which affects them physically and men- ing food, bedding and child care, and es- On March 4 management at Mazer- was signed. tally. They become highly nervous and ir- tablishing a strike headquarters. Cressman agreed to the women’s de- On April 23 the strike’s end was an- ritable and at night they are so physically In a matter of days the five other cigar mands. On March 5 Essex also settled. nounced. By May 17 the cigar makers fi- exhausted that a matter of recreation is companies — Mazer-Cressman, Essex Cigar, On March 20, however, with the other nally had a union of their own: the newly prohibited.” (Wayne State University, Bernard Schwartz, Tegge-Jackson and four plants still occupied, Detroit’s Mayor formed Cigar Workers Union Local 24 Walter P. Reuther Library, Dorothy Kraus General Cigar — were also occupied. Frank Couzens ordered a brutal crack- affiliated with the Congress of Industrial Collection, Box 1, Folder 6) On the evening of Feb. 19 the strikers down. Police broke down the doors at Organizations. Inspired by the auto plant sit-down held a mass meeting at Dom Polski, which Bernard Schwartz. They grabbed women These brave women, whose first lan- strikes in Detroit and Flint, these women ended with a huge march that passed by by the arms, twisting them, and near- guage was not English, were among the were ready to fight back. all six factories. ly pulled off their hair and clothing as millions who played a critical role in build- On Feb. 16, five days after the occupa- The women garnered widespread sup- they dragged the heroic strikers — now ing the CIO. MelIssa Roxas an example of women’s power By Teresa Gutierrez only in behalf of her people but in de- of Fort Magsaysay, the alleged nouncing what happened to her. camp where Roxas was detained. long-standing tactic that oppressors At a Jan. 30 public meeting on the Phil- People’s lawyer Leonard use to stop the struggle for liberation ippines in New York City, Melissa brought Weinglass has joined Roxas’ le- Ais repression. It mainly backfires on the audience to tears with her remarks. gal team which is helping her them. As the age-old but accurate slogan She told the crowd, “It is often hard, even pursue justice in international declares, “Repression breeds resistance.” now, to talk about my experience. But the courts and filing complaints This is exactly how to describe the case reason why I tell my story is because it is with the U.S. State Department of Melissa Roxas. also the story of many others. Not all of as well as the United Nations. Roxas is a Filipina activist living in the them have surfaced, not all of them have In a long-standing policy, U.S. who organizes solidarity for the peo- survived, and those who did have been the U.S. government has not ple of the Philippines. On a fact-finding afforded very few opportunities to speak condemned the human rights trip to the Philippines last year, she was about what happened to them. abuses in the Philippines. On the detained by the military, held for six days “It is hard for survivors to speak out,” contrary, Secretary of State Hill- and tortured. she says, “because most are still harassed ary Clinton visited the country Her case is proof that people will resist by the military and police and threatened. recently and expressed U.S. support for oppression no matter what. But it is also Because of this, many incidents of torture the highly repressive Philippine govern- an expression of the intense fierceness have not been officially reported. Torture ment and military. Letter to the eDitor. that women warriors display every day of survivors, like myself, also find it very As Weinglass stated in the same meet- their lives. It is a fierceness that is so often hard because every time I talk about the ing, the only solution to bringing justice in hidden or disparaged, but it is there. experience it is like reliving it again. Even the case of Melissa Roxas and all the peo- When you first meet Melissa, she comes the mere mention of torture brings back ple of the Philippines is to organize. The Another double standard across as a shy and quiet person. Then memories.” New York Committee for Human Rights you hear her story and realize the depth She continues in a low but stirring in the Philippines has an ongoing cam- in Black and white of her incredible strength. She is one of voice, “But because many more have been paign for justice. To find out how you can countless women from around the world silenced and because the main objective help, email [email protected]. As soon as I saw the WW editorial whose courage is so profound that the of torture is to silence and to debilitate On the anniversary of International about the “Double standards in Black South African adage “You have touched a people, it is important to speak out. I also Working Women Day, Melissa’s words in- and white,” I immediately thought of woman, you have struck a rock, you will know that very few people in the U.S. spire us to resist. She says, “The Philippine Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben be crushed” truly comes to life. know how grave the human rights situa- military wanted to keep the blindfolds on Roethlisberger. For the second time in Last May 25 Roxas was abducted at tion is in the Philippines.” me. And even months after my ordeal, I less than two years, a woman has coura- gunpoint in Quezon City, Philippines. Melissa points out that the main culprit still bear the physical marks of that torture. geously come forward to report a sexual She was held for six days and was brutally is the U.S.-backed 7th Infantry Division of Every time I see those marks on my body, assault by this white quarterback. He tortured. Melissa was in the country con- the Armed Forces. I am reminded of what happened in that has yet to be charged in either case. In ducting community surveys in prepara- In 2009 the Philippine Supreme Court dark corner of the world that I had known fact, his lawyer team has now engaged a tion for a volunteer medical mission in a granted a writ of protection to Roxas and during those six days in May where dying private investigator to probably dig up rural town. authenticated her claim of abduction and came so slowly. I will probably have to live dirt on the woman. This sounds similar The U.S.-backed Philippine govern- torture. my life with those memories, but I refuse to the 2006 rape case of members of the ment was trying to quiet her. But Melissa Unfortunately, the same court ruling to be intimidated. I refuse to be silenced.” Duke lacrosse team where the charac- courageously continues to organize not denied the request for an investigation Read her entire talk at www.workers.org. ter of the victim, an African-American workers.org March 25, 2010 Page 7 INterNAtIoNAL WomeN’S DAY obServeDWorLDWIDe. By Kathy Durkin

The centennial anniversary of International Women’s Day was commemorated throughout the world by marches, rallies and meetings. Though themes differed, the activities showed women expressing their rights, protesting injustices and demonstrating solidarity with their sisters in struggle. Women’s voices could be heard from Uruguay to Haiti, from Bangla- desh to the Philippines. Some of the highlights of the many global activi- BANGLADESH. ties on IWD — March 8 — Garment workers in Dhaka.. PHILIPPINES.Protesters carry photos of Morong political prisoners.. are summarized here. cas to celebrate the gains in omen of Haiti marched in Port- in Kathmandu, Nepal. They women’s equality that have au-Prince with banners held high, carried signs calling for been made through the Bo- Wasserting “Women will rebuild “equal rights and opportuni- livarian Revolution. Wom- Haiti,” referring to the devastating earth- ties.” en now lead four of the five quake on Jan. 12, which took hundreds of Women workers in Seoul, branches of government, thousands of lives and homes. South Korea, marched to while social programs have Many women’s organizations in Puerto protest the anti-worker poli- been implemented to help Rico and Latin America dedicated their cies of President Lee Myung- poor women. A Bicenten- IWD programs to the women of Haiti, es- bak. nial Women’s Front was pecially paying homage to women com- Philippine women launched on IWD to help munity leaders who had perished in the marched throughout their NEPAL. build socialism there. earthquake. country to protest growing Disabled women’s contingent in Kathmandu.. Socialist Cuba celebrat- Activities in Europe varied, but the glob- poverty and political repres- ed IWD’s centennial with al economic crisis was not Calamba City, they marked national celebrations and tributes to Vil- forgotten. In Athens, Greece, women’s long struggle for ma Espin, founder of the Federation of women protested against gov- equality and justice. Cuban Women (FMC), and revolutionary ernment austerity programs, On IWD, the govern- hero Celia Sanchez. which are affecting workers ment of South Africa an- The Cubans’ celebrations of the fiftieth and retirees. nounced it was setting up anniversary of the FMC began on IWD In Spain and Portugal more health care programs and will continue through August. This women asserted demands for for women and children. 4-million member organization has been reproductive rights, similar to The Congress of South the leading force in helping women gain many protests in Latin Amer- African Trade Unions cel- political, social and economic equality. ica, to counter the stronghold ebrated the gains of wom- of the Catholic Church on en workers and called on VENEzUELA. their governments’ policies. unions to promote wom- In Istanbul, Turkey, women en’s role in collective bar- proudly marched. In Calcutta, BEIRUT, LEBANON gaining and gender equal- India, women called for polit- Palestinian women ity in the workplace. ical rights and representation. In Latin America, the The women of Gaza marched with their sion at the hands of the U.S.-backed gov- progressive governments of Bolivia and children, showing their strength and deter- ernment of President Gloria Macapagal- Venezuela have implemented pro-women mination in the face of Israeli aggression Arroyo. policies. On IWD, the Bolivian govern- and occupation, one year after its horrific Marchers called for justice for women ment announced the creation of a com- bombing campaign. victims of human rights violations. Many mission to promote women’s equality. Their Palestinian sisters held a sit-in women demanded “Free the Morong 43.” Nilda Copa, the minister of justice, and rally in Beirut, Lebanon, demanding These 43 health care workers, of which 26 told of Bolivia’s new constitution which the release of their sisters who are tortured are women, are being illegally imprisoned contains 34 articles promoting women’s and imprisoned in Israeli jails. Their signs at Camp Capinpin, an army headquarters rights, a codification of women’s equality hailed struggling women everywhere. in Tanay, Rizal. and prohibition of all forms of discrimina- To celebrate IWD, the National Garment In Baguio City, demonstrators honored tion. Workers Federation sponsored a rally of the heroic struggles of Indigenous and More than 200,000 women from all women garment workers in Dhaka, Ban- working women in Cordilleras, while in over Venezuela marched together in Cara- gladesh. They demanded their right to a safe workplace. Women, who form 80 percent of the clothing factory workforce, face wasHIngton, d.C.. sexual abuse, long hours, low pay and un- safe working conditions. A contingent of hearing- and speech- a salute to Cuban, Haitian women impaired women joined the IWD march Letter to the eDitor. By Cheryl LaBash The Federation of Cuban Women, a Washington mass organization formed Aug. 23, 1960, involves more than 4 million women to- Another double standard nternational Women’s Day is a holiday day. Despite the global economic crisis Iin revolutionary Cuba. At the Cuban In- that has depressed prices of Cuba’s ex- terests Section in Washington, D.C., on ports and increased costs for its imports, in Black and white woman, was put on trial and the pros- March 8, a reception saluted the accom- unemployment for women is only 2.0 ecutor was fired for daring to charge the plishments of Cuban women through the percent. According to an FMC brochure, sons of privileged white people with rape 51 years of socialist construction and the Cuban Women in Figures 2010, in 2009 Cuban billboard honors. and sexual assault. Charges were eventu- women of Haiti struggling for reconstruc- the late Vilma Espín.. infant mortality was a low 4.8 per thou- ally dropped against the players. tion and independence. Just returned from sand live births. The family doctor and A word to the bourgeoisie: The fury three weeks working in the Cuban medi- daughters of the Cuban Five. The five men nurse program covers 99.1 percent of the and desperation of our class is growing cal brigades in Haiti, two young African- have been unjustly held in U.S. prisons population. Women comprise 43.32 per- with each cutback and injustice, and American women doctors trained at the since 1998, nearly twelve years, for pre- cent of the Cuban parliament and 40 per- when the tipping point comes, it’s not Cuban Latin American School of Medicine venting U.S.-based terror attacks on Cuba. cent of the council of state, with a woman going to be pretty. spoke briefly and joined the celebration. A solidarity message from the Interna- vice president. Women are the majority of Susan Schnur A PowerPoint presentation depicted the tional Committee for Freedom for the Cu- lawyers and judges and nearly half of the Cleveland various roles of Cuban women from the ban 5 called on all to help Olga Salanueva Cuban Supreme Court. military to the arts and especially honored and Adriana Pérez overcome the U.S. de- The celebration was hosted by the first Letters to the editor can be sent to the late Vilma Espín, the revolutionary nial of visas preventing them visiting their secretary of the Cuban Interests Section, [email protected] or leader who also founded the Federation respective spouses, René González and Patricia Pego, and Cuban Interests Sec- mailed to: Workers World Editor, of Cuban Women. A special section rec- Gerardo Hernández, who is still serving a tion head, Jorge Bolaños Suárez. 55 W. 17 St., #5C, New York, NY 10011 ognized the mothers, sisters, spouses and double life term. Page_8_ March_25,_2010_ workers.org WIDF assesses global conditions of women workers By Sue Davis sult, Filipino women are migrant workers New York in 145 countries, most often as low-paid domestic servants with no rights. She in- The Women’s International Demo- vited women to attend a GABRIELA con- cratic Federation held a panel discussion ference in August in Montreal to prepare a on “The Economic Crisis and Women’s women’s platform of action. Access to Work” at the United Nations Liege Rocha, a member of the steering on March 10 as part of the 15th anniver- committee of WIDF in Brazil, reported sary of the Beijing World Conference on that the impact of the capitalist crisis was Women. Dr. Vinie Burrows, permanent not that heavy in Brazil, though there was representative to the U.N. for the WIDF, some increase in unemployment. While asked the panelists to talk about “how the 47 percent of women work (90 percent in global economic crisis has fallen the hard- service industries), they earn 30 percent est on women.” Berta Joubert-Ceci of the less than men. “One of our achievements National Women’s Fightback Network of is establishing the Women’s Department, WIDF helped organize the event. where women decide on policies for wom- Ana Violeta Castaneda, WIDF regional en. We need to take action to end wom- Maritzel González-Quevido holds picture of Cuban Five . coordinator for Latin America and the en’s inequality and to be economically political prisoners at discussion of women’s status at UN. . Caribbean, noted that advancements for independent,” she said. WW_Photo: JohN_CAtAliNotto women have been limited since Beijing Pham Hoai Giang, the head of interna- because many repressive governments in tional relations for the Vietnam Women’s government policies devoted to relieving predominate in many job categories — for the region spend valuable resources on Union, prepared a statement read by U.S. poverty. example, they are 70 percent of health the military, while the vast majority of the activist Merle Ratner. The VWU, estab- Maritzel González-Quevido of the Fed- care workers and attorneys. people live in poverty. lished in 1930, is currently fighting traf- eration of Cuban Women spoke about Invited guest Tiago Vieira, president Valerie Francisco, representing GABRI- ficking of women and domestic violence how Cuba has been actively implement- of the World Federation of Democratic ELA USA, said that employment for wom- and is dealing with the continuing effects ing key policies adopted at the Beijing Youth, announced the World Youth Fes- en in the Philippines has worsened since of Agent Orange. Giang noted that the im- conference as part of its overall program tival that his organization is holding in the Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo administra- pact of the capitalist crisis has not been to end oppression based on class, gender December 2010 in Johannesburg, South tion took power nine years ago. As a re- as severe as in other countries because of and race. González reported that women Africa.

new YoRk CItY . International Women’s Day forum The New York City branch of Workers World Party held a forum on “Women, the global capitalist crisis and the growing fightback” March 13 at the Solidarity Center. The forum commemorated the centennial of International Women’s Day recognized on March 8. Speakers covered a range of developments that socially impact women of all nationalities, ages and gender expressions, such as sexual exploitation, unemployment, budget cuts, war, occupation and racism. Building solidarity and the need for socialism were common themes for a number of the talks. Hear the podcasts of the presenta- tions at www.workers.org. — Monica Moorehead

WW_PhotoS:_JohN_CAtAliNotto Speakers Gavrielle Gemma, Monica Moorehead, Joyce Chediac, Bernadette Ellorin, Teresa Gutierrez, LeiLani Dowell, Joyce Kanowitz. ‘Concern’ masks wars for empire U.S. wars in Afghanistan, Iraq hit women the hardest By Joyce Chediac of wages and benefits, and increased un- are sick, starving and don’t have access begun using because a woman’s life in employment. In Argentina 23 percent of to clean water, advocating for education Iraq is being threatened on all sides.” One-fifth of the world’s population is women now work as servants. In Lima, — and even women’s rights — isn’t pro- (Agence France Presse, April 17, 2008) so poor that it does not have basic neces- Peru, more than 11 percent are domestics. ductive … . The priority is health clinics, This is how U.S. capitalism and impe- sities such as shelter and food. Three- Many work part-time, without contracts access to safe water and food.” (Politics rialism have “helped” women. The U.S. quarters of the poor are women and their or benefits. Daily, March 10, 2010) government cynically used the plight of numbers at the bottom are increasing. Meanwhile, Washington claims it is a women and the good will and concern of Why is this so? savior and advocate for women around Women in Iraq demand “the right to live” people in the U.S. as an excuse to wage Today, poverty is not based upon a scar- the world. For instance, Washington Before the Pentagon first attacked Iraq wars of conquest against Afghanistan and city of resources. Technology has made claimed that a big reason for the Penta- in 1991 that country had some of the best Iraq and to steal their natural resources. it possible for people to work only a few gon invasion of Afghanistan and Iraq was conditions in the region for women, in- In truth, a foreign invader and occupier hours a day to sustain themselves PART 1. to help the women there. What have cluding a high level of education, health, can never bring freedom to women. and have their needs met. Poverty years of U.S. war really brought to nutrition and social services. According While women’s oppression comes from is the result of the grossly unequal distri- women in these countries? to Iraqi women advocates, the conditions many sources, U.S. capitalism — its impe- bution of wealth and of the globalization Suraya Pakzad, an Afghani women’s of life have since deteriorated to the level rialist and neo-liberal policies and wars of the capitalist system that denies de- advocate, described a desperate situa- of the very poorest countries in the world. against whole populations — is today the served economic benefits to whole popu- tion for women in her country. She said, They say that they lived much better greatest oppressor of women in the world, lations in the developing world and grow- “Three decades of war, displacement, under Saddam Hussein, and that their far outweighing every other source. ing numbers in the developed countries. warlordism, gun trafficking and narcot- plight has deteriorated year by year since Capitalism’s neo-liberal policies speed ics trafficking come together and create the U.S.-led invasion of 2003. Now they Part 2: Washington’s “concern” for up the pauperization of women. The a really hard situation for women when are not just demanding equal rights but women in Somalia, Iran, Palestine and worldwide economic crisis, precipitated there’s no security and continuation of “the right to live.” Nigeria as an excuse for intervention; by greedy Wall Street bankers, has only war, there’s no guarantee for women’s “Before the 2003 invasion, it was pos- a Marxist view of women’s liberation made matters worse. rights.” sible for a women to live a normal life as examines gender, class, national op- For example, in Latin America the In describing a country dealing with in- long as you followed state policy,” said pression; how to build international imposition of the North American Free creasing poverty, a recent rise in violence Sharmeran Marugi, head of the Iraqi solidarity. Trade Agreement has resulted in fewer against women and mounting civilian ca- Women’s Committee. Now, however, Based on a talk given at a March 13 social services, higher prices, depression sualties, Pakzad said that “when people “’the right to live’ is a slogan that we have NYC International Women’s Day forum. workers.org March 25, 2010 Page 9 Forget Biden’s ‘dignity’ — what about the Palestinians? By Deirdre Griswold Muslim countries fighting neocolonial or recognition of their right to get their cause the peoples there share a history of domination. country back. oppression. A lot of noise is being made over what Of course, the democracy they mean This all has happened while the U.S. happened recently in Israel when U.S. leaves the majority of humankind chained What is the ‘peace process’? was bankrolling Israel and helping cre- Vice President Joseph Biden went there to the imperialist countries that have Since the Annapolis Conference in No- ate its formidable military. All the world’s to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin robbed their rich resources and people vember 2007, the U.S. government has leading military authorities agree this in- Netanyahu. for centuries. said it is committed to promoting a settle- cludes a secret Israeli nuclear arsenal. During Biden’s visit, which was sup- The right wing also, bolder and bolder ment in the Israel-Palestine conflict that So why is Washington making such a posed to promote the “peace process” and each day, attack the Obama administra- would allow for a very small and frag- huge deal out of Iran acquiring nuclear lead to a renewal of discussions between tion as “soft on terrorism” and secretly al- mented Palestinian state — the so-called technology, when they say not a word the Palestinian Authority and the Tel Aviv lied with “enemies of the United States.” “two-state” solution. Beginning much about Israel’s bombs? Because Israel is regime, the Interior Ministry announced The voices in the corporate media who earlier — in the 1970s — Washington an ally of Washington and Wall Street, that Israel was going ahead with building answer this kind of nonsense hinge their positioned itself as the leader of a world while Iran in 1979 had a revolution to get 1,600 new housing units for Zionists in arguments on what is the more effective effort to bring about a “peace process” in out of the clutches of Shah Reza Pahlevi. East Jerusalem. way to achieve U.S. objectives in the Mid- the Middle East. This process has been The people rose up because the shah had This was a slap in the face to the Pal- dle East — meaning imperialist objectives. going on for some 35 years — with noth- brutally suppressed them and kept them estinian people, who have had their lands For example, Thomas L. Friedman of the ing to show for it. in poverty, while allowing Western oil systematically taken away by the settler New York Times says the announcement Over this same period, the state of Is- companies to walk away with billions in regime ever since the founding of Israel in about building more settlements showed rael has been militarily attacking Pales- profits. 1948. It was especially raw because Israel “how out of touch the Israeli religious tinians and other Arab peoples inside and Since that revolution, the proceeds had agreed to suspend the settlements in right is with America’s strategic needs.” outside its borders, expanding the territo- from oil sales have paid for impressive the interest of dialogue with the Palestin- (March 13) ry under its control and creating unbear- gains in the Iranian standard of living. ian Authority. Some take up the question: Should Is- able conditions for the Palestinians living All indices of progress, including literacy, The brouhaha in the imperialist media, rael be unleashed to bomb Iran? No, they in Israel — like extending the “apartheid life expectancy and lowered infant mor- however, is not over what Israel is doing argue, because that would make it even wall,” a serpentine barrier that cuts Pal- tality, as well as vast improvement in the to the Palestinians. It is over the affront to harder for the U.S. to control the area. estinian villages in half and makes it im- educational level of women, show how Biden’s dignity. They argue that breaking up the “peace possible for the people to move freely, important the revolution was for the Ira- The right-wing media that openly process” would undermine the work whether to work, school, shopping or nian people. champion Israel’s role as a U.S.-armed Washington has done to promote concil- medical facilities. The Palestinian people, too, need self- and -financed pit bull in the Middle East iatory elements in the Palestinian Author- The Palestinian people, however, in- determination to be free to develop their are telling the Obama administration to ity and make it more likely that Mahmoud stead of letting themselves be driven out great potential. It will come not from the get over it. Despite the long anti-Semitic Abbas and his party will be replaced by of their homeland by these outrageous maneuvers of either imperialist party in history of the far right in the U.S., the more militant Hamas grouping. conditions, have resisted heroically for the United States but from the continued they have for now embraced Israel as a That is what the whole debate in the generations. Their cause is deeply felt struggle of the people, aided by progres- great champion of “democracy” and a imperialist media is about. There is not throughout the Middle East, not just sive humanity all over the world. weapon against the struggling Arab and a word of respect for the Palestinians because of ethnicity and religion but be- E-mail: [email protected] new YoRk. women doctors return from service in Haiti By Dolores Cox other two from Houston, Texas and their stories in Creole. Their writings were aftermath. The catastrophe was a water- New York Oakland, Calif. They reported that Cuba then sent to Cuba, translated into Spanish shed moment for them, and that despite trains doctors in community medicine, and shared with Cuban children. the language gap, they communicated On March 2, seven U.S. doctors gave preventive and primary care services, di- The doctors spoke about the pain and through touches, smiles and tears. When a report on their month-long mission of saster response and work within a public suffering, courage, resilience and gra- they became overwhelmed they gave sup- providing post-earthquake medical ser- health care system. They were taught to ciousness of the Haitian people. They port and strength to each other. vices in Haiti at a program at Judson Me- be resourceful and creative when modern added that the Haitians’ trauma will be The Haitian-American doctor said morial Church in New York City. medical equipment is not available. long lasting. Currently, the doctors are she felt privileged to be able to help her The Interreligious Foundation for Com- The doctors traveled to Haiti via the concerned about the increase in infec- people, but went there very afraid of what munity Organization (IFCO)/Pastors for Dominican Republic. They showed pho- tious diseases that the rainy season is she would see. She was able to connect Peace sponsored the event. IFCO also sent tos and told of their long around-the- bringing due to poor sanitation, sewage with her family but also lost several fam- staff to Haiti to provide supportive servic- clock shifts working six days a week in a and lack of shelter. ily members in the earthquake. She asked es and worked with a grassroots coalition field hospital under a tent, without run- In total, the doctors saw about 20,000 that people please not forget Haiti. of 180 Haitian and Dominican youth. ning water. On their first day, they said, patients and performed 188 major sur- The Rev. Lucius Walker, IFCO’s execu- IFCO is a 43-year-old non-profit agen- approximately 2,000 people passed geries. They spoke of how they were all tive director, ended the program by an- cy working for racial, social and economic through the hospital. The temperature trained to be committed to serve the hu- nouncing that later this month IFCO, Lo- justice. It administers a scholarship pro- rose to 100 degrees. They treated patients man race, regardless of color or ethnic- cal 100 of the Transit Workers Union and gram for medical students who receive both indoors and outdoors along with ity. They added that everyone must be Riverside Church will join in sending a 40- training in Cuba at the Latin American Cuban-trained doctors from other Latin humane enough to collectively help each foot container by boat to Haiti with medi- School of Medicine in Havana. The school American countries. Medical teams also other and give love, energy, solidarity and cal equipment and supplies. Donations was founded 10 years ago to help coun- consisted of pediatricians, surgeons, re- dedication to the cause of humanity. can be sent to IFCO, 418 W. 145th St., NY tries affected by hurricanes and other hab specialists, psychiatrists and social Each doctor emotionally concluded 10031, memo: Haiti Medical Service Proj- disasters. The U.S. doctors — medical workers, who worked alongside Haitian their report by saying how personally af- ect. Following the program, dinner was school graduates trained in Cuba — were doctors and professionals. fected they were witnessing the disaster’s served by Haitian-American women. part of Cuba’s Henry Reeve Brigade, In Croix des Boquets the doctors slept which, in the aftermath of the 2005 Hur- on the ground in small tents. They treated REPaRaTIONS, ricane Katrina disaster in the U.S., offered thousands of patients, many of whom had to send 100 doctors. The U.S. government never before seen a doctor. Each doctor MaRxISM refused their help. provided care to at least 100 patients a and the Presently, the LASM provides medi- day. Patients were both earthquake vic- Black Freedom cal training to students from 49 differ- tims and those who had chronic, pre-ex- struggle ent countries, including the U.S. Cuba is isting medical problems. Common among An anthology of aware that in a rich country like the U.S. these were typhoid, infectious diarrhea, writings from Workers there are students living in poverty who malaria and malnutrition. World newspaper dedicated to the memory cannot afford medical training, IFCO said. They found babies dying from fractured of Jamaican-born leader skulls, infection and dehydration. In ad- Immediately after the earthquake, Cuba of Workers World Party set up five emergency hospitals in Haiti dition, they each delivered approximately and had already been training Haitian six babies a day. The doctors expressed PAT CHIN Includes her article concern for the psychological trauma of medical students in disaster response. Haiti Needs Repara- The seven doctors are all young Black the children, because they are Haiti’s fu- tions, Not Sanctions, women, one of whom is Haitian-Amer- ture. Part of the work with children con- July 2003 ican. Five of them are from NYC, the sisted of having Haitian children write WW_Photo:_dEirdrE_griSWold Pat Chin in Haiti. www.Leftbooks.com Page_10_ March_25,_2010_ workers.org

WORKERS WORLD editorial ‘Disappearing Voices’ the struggle to save What will it take Black radio to end the wars? By Betsey Piette talk and personality programming. Philadelphia Profits, racism and the FCC Continued from page 1 to save education that brought out hundreds of thousands on March 4 and the A spirited program addressing the tac- In the 1980s the drive for profits began soldiers and National Guard, still has upcoming May Day demonstrations that tics used by corporate media to under- to undermine Black radio, opening the 98,000 troops in Iraq, plus an equal will unite elements of the labor move- mine Black radio was held in Philadel- way as well for the whitewashing of Black number of mercenaries; why this ad- ment with the immigrant community. phia March 9. It was attended by activists culture. MTV, for example, would play ministration has escalated the war in In unity, there is strength. Uniting the already involved in efforts to stem this white artists singing R&B, but excluded Afghanistan, is attacking Pakistan, Ye- struggles of the workers and the op- tide and others concerned over how to Black artists. Stations that played “urban men and Somalia, and shows no sign of pressed communities with the struggle keep peoples’ news and culture alive and contemporary” music began to compete pulling back from the area. against imperialist war is the only way to thriving. with those whose format focused more on The class character of these wars also defeat the war makers. Dr. Martin Luther The program, hosted by the Philadel- traditional grassroots Black culture. explains why the war makers are vulner- King Jr. knew that. So did Malcolm X, phia International Action Center and the The biggest changes, however, were able. Huey Newton and Muhammad Ali. Prometheus Radio Project, featured Iyan- changes in Federal Communications The system that spawned the wars is The turning point in the Vietnam War na “Nana Soul” Jones and U-Savior Wash- Commission regulations. When radio pro- bringing unemployment and extreme came when the communities of color in ington from Black Waxx Multimedia. It gram licenses were first given out, Black poverty to tens of millions inside the the U.S. refused to be used as cannon was also the Philadelphia premier of an stations were excluded. United States itself. The wars grow fodder any longer and recognized the exciting documentary produced in 2008 Jones noted that, “The FCC is supposed increasingly unpopular as the public Vietnamese not as their enemies but by Washington entitled, “Disappearing to protect the interests of the public by treasury is looted to pay for them. Work- as people oppressed by the same slave Voices: The Decline of Black Radio.” seeing that station owners operate with ers’ taxes provide not only the hundreds masters. That’s when U.S. soldiers began Following the movie screening, Jones some level of responsibility to the pub- of billions for current wars but billions refusing to go to battle against them. and Washington were joined on a panel lic, which includes offering programming in interest on the debt incurred by past Inherent in the economic crisis of by Cody Anderson, station manager of that serves the community as well as pro- wars. Every public service is being cut today is the possibility that the working WURD and former owner of WHAT tecting station owners from being forced back — but not the military or the inter- class as a whole — Black, Latino/a, Na- radio; Andalusia Knoll from the Pro- out of business by monopolies.” est payments to the banks. While the tive, Arab and white — will actively turn metheus Radio Project; Berta Joubert- Yet in 2004 the FCC opened the door military-financial-industrial complex against these wars, not just at the ballot Ceci of the People’s Video Network; and for conglomerates like Clear Channel and wallows in cost-plus contracts, returning box but in the streets, as the cost of un- Jasper Jones with West Philadelphia Infinity Broadcasting to buy up compet- veterans run into a wall of unemploy- bridled militarism becomes unbearable. community radio WPEB. Anderson and ing stations within the same listening ment and foreclosures, not the welcom- But it can’t happen without leadership. Jones both appear in the film. area. The owners of WDAS, a popular ing jobs they had hoped for. The number one task of anti-war activists “Disappearing Voices” makes the point Black-owned station in Philadelphia, were Something has to give. So much long- is to help build the bridges that can bring that those who control radio and other forced to sell the station. It was eventually term misery for the working class cannot about such unity. media can control what people think and purchased by Clear Channel for a sum be contained within the present social The demands of the workers and what culture they want. In the Black com- considerably more than the original own- fabric. the oppressed for jobs, schools, union munity, radio is very important. The lack ers received. Clear Channel’s use of syn- That’s why the class orientation of wages and an end to racism, sexism and of access to this medium impacts strug- dicated DJs and canned music made pro- the anti-war movement is so important. homophobia must also be the demands gles against racism, police brutality and gramming into a McDonald’s-like product Struggles are breaking out all over for of the anti-war movement, because they other forms of injustice, and for jobs, af- — as uniform as possible — while creating jobs, decent wages, pensions, health challenge the exploiting class of profi- fordable housing and education. a barrier between programmers and the care, to stop foreclosures and evictions, teers that is addicted to war. The struggle In Philadelphia activists have struggled communities they serve. budget cuts and layoffs. These struggles against the “chain of command” in the for years to get out the truth about Mumia A further attack came with the growth can only grow as the economic crisis factory or the office is also a challenge Abu-Jamal, unjustly imprisoned on Penn- of Arbitron Inc., a major supplier of radio- becomes ever more intractable. to the military chain of command that sylvania’s death row for over 25 years. In ratings information to advertisers that In these pages we have written for allows officers to order young workers to 1997, when an interview with Abu-Jamal many say works to keep Black radio im- several months about the importance of kill or die on the battlefield in the inter- with Democracy Now! journalist Amy poverished. Arbitron’s rating system for the anti-war demonstrations on March ests of the boss class. Goodman was scheduled to run on Tem- the stations most listened to claims to in- 20 and encouraged our readers to be Disruption of this deadly status quo is ple University radio station WRTI, then- clude all population sectors, but in his film there. At the same time, Workers World the task of all who want peace and social Gov. Tom Ridge effectively stopped the Washington interviews people of all ages has helped to build the national actions justice. broadcast by threatening to cut state fund- in the Black community who have never ing to the station unless it discontinued its been contacted by the company. contract with Pacifica radio. “Disappearing Voices” ends on the up- Black-owned talk radio station WHAT, beat note that struggle by the people to which frequently provided news of Abu- hold the FCC accountable and to demand M UNDO O BRERO . Jamal’s case along with other community radio that speaks for and by the commu- events, is now hosted by mainly white nity can turn the situation around. This DJs. WDAS, a station previously known message resonated with members of the for playing Black artists, has switched its panel and audience, many of whom are Inmigrantes format to “urban contemporary.” already engaged in doing just that. “Disappearing Voices” traces the his- Prometheus Radio Project has been tory of Black radio from the early 1940s challenging FCC regulations while provid- merecen legalización when Black stations or white-owned sta- ing assistance for communities to develop tions with all-Black staff began to spring their own radio using low-watt frequen- up across the South. As this phenomenon cies. Members of one such project, WPEB Continua de página 12 grandes empresas. El Primero de Mayo grew, more stations opened in urban areas radio in West Philadelphia, spoke on the fácticos, a pesar de las buenas intenciones es un día en que los/as trabajadores/as from Boston to Los Angeles and played a panel and from the audience. Crystle de muchos individuos. de todo el mundo marchan. Es un día major role in promoting the Black music Smith described her efforts to provide a Mientras cientos de miles marchan en histórico que se llena con el espíritu de la industry. As these stations gained popu- voice for Black youth with a program she Washington el 21 de marzo, debían tener lucha de clases. larity, some white radio personalities be- directs on Change Radio. esto en mente. Debemos estar atentos/as El Primero de Mayo de este año se es- gan to adopt Black persona on the air. Berta Joubert-Ceci spoke on the role en los días siguientes, de que ni Schumer pera que sea único. En muchas partes del Black radio stations took up key is- that radio has played in the struggle to ad- ni Gutiérrez utilicen el impulso de la mani- país, está atrayendo no sólo a los/as inmi- sues that other media would not touch, vance economic and social justice in Ven- festación para apoyar sus proyectos de ley. grantes, o a los/as activistas por los dere- including the alleged rape of 15-year-old ezuela, where much of the media is still Esto sería oportunista y una interpretación chos inmigratorios. Está atrayendo más y African-American Tawana Brawley by owned by major corporations opposed to errónea de los/as manifestantes que se más a estudiantes, sindicatos, organiza- a group of white police officers in 1987, the development of a socialist economy. sacrificaron para venir a Washington. ciones de las personas sin hogar, jóvenes, and the 1984 presidential campaign of She noted that all over this Latin Ameri- No nos equivoquemos al respecto: las organizaciones anti-guerra y organizacio- civil rights activist Jesse Jackson. What can country, workers and poor people are masas en Washington el 21 de marzo qui- nes que luchan por puestos de trabajo o set Black radio apart from all other me- broadcasting their own media to chal- eren la legalización. en contra de las ejecuciones hipotecarias. dia was the promotion of serious Black lenge the corporate control. Una forma de asegurar que la demanda Si estamos unidos/as y militantes, este de legalización prevalezca, es la convocato- es el tipo de movilización que puede ar- You can subscribe at workers.org. ria y fortalecimiento de las movilizaciones rebatar lo que es nuestro, incluyendo la del Primero de Mayo 2010 por todo el país. legalización. Follow Workers World on Twitter El Primero de Mayo es una señal para La autora es co-coordinadora de la http://twitter.com/workersworld. la clase dominante que estamos marchan- Coalición 1º de Mayo de Nueva York por do independientes de los partidos de las los Derechos de los/as Inmigrantes. Facebook http://bit.ly/c4ndYg. workers.org March 25, 2010 Page 11 Pentagon presence in Horn of Africa exposes U.S. lies

By Abayomi Azikiwe for Ugandan military training of TFG Senate Armed Services Committee hear- that one would know that from Levin’s Editor, Pan-African News Wire forces.” (U.S. Department of State) ing that any effort by the TFG to retake comments.” Former U.S. diplomat Daniel Carson answered a March 5 New Mogadishu would be “something that we Simpson was quoted recently in regard to In a March 12 interview, U.S. Assistant York Times report that quoted Pentagon would look to do in support, to the degree the Pentagon’s involvement in Somalia as Secretary of State for African Affairs John- sources saying the U.S. planned to launch the transitional federal government can saying that the operation was designed to nie Carson attempted to place the current aerial bombardments of Somalia in an ef- in fact re-exert control over Mogadishu, “test out AFRICOM ground and air forces Obama administration policy toward So- fort to retake large sections of the capital with the help of AMISOM and others.” in Djibouti for direct military action on the malia and the Horn of Africa in a non-mil- of Mogadishu and the country as a whole (Xinhua News Agency, March 9) continent.” (Rozoff, scoop.co.nz, March 12) itary context. Carson did admit that sup- from the control of the Al-Shabaab and Ward said that the current offensive by Ward also told the Senate Armed Ser- port from both the George W. Bush and Hizbul Islam resistance groups. the “transition government to reclaim parts vices Committee that the Africa Partner- Obama administrations was approximate- Carson said: “The of Mogadishu, I think it’s some- ship Station, which is a U.S.-led effort de- ly $185 million over the last 19 months. United States does NEWS ANALYSIS. thing that we would look to do and signed to supposedly respond to requests “We have provided limited military not plan, does not direct, and it does not support.” Along with Ward, Michigan Sen. by African states for assistance with secu- support to the Transitional Federal Gov- coordinate the military operations of the Carl Levin, who chairs the Armed Services rity issues, was now conducting its fifth ernment through the African Union Mis- TFG, and we have not and will not be pro- Committee, identified other countries on deployment on the continent. He contin- sion in Somalia (AMISOM),” Carson viding direct support for any potential the continent where so-called “counter- ued by stating that the Africa Partnership noted. He continued, “We have supported military offensives. Further, we are not terrorism” operations are taking place. Station “has expanded from its initial fo- the acquisition of nonlethal equipment to providing nor paying for military advisers According to journalist Rick Rozoff, “The cus on the Gulf of Guinea to other African the governments of Burundi and to Ugan- for the TFG. There is no desire to Ameri- U.S. military has already been involved in coastal nations.” (John Kruzel, Office of da in particular as well as Djibouti, rang- canize the conflict in Somalia.” counterinsurgency operations in Mali and the Secretary of Defense Public Affairs) ing from communications equipment and Nonetheless, Gen. William Ward, who Niger against ethnic Tuareg rebels, who The articles written in the New York uniforms to transportation and support heads the U.S. Africa Command, told a have no conceivable ties to al-Qaeda, not Times and other sources provide proof that the U.S. is escalating its military involvement in Africa. An attempt to dominate the global oil industry could be one Answering the EU’s attack on Cuba of the strong motivating factors in the By Cheryl LaBash current U.S. policy. In September 2005, Moreover, the U.S. imperialists do not On March 11, using the pretext of a while flooded New want to see a government come to power suicide of a prisoner in Cuba, European Orleans’ Black residents in Somalia with the capacity to stabilize Union politicians attacked socialist Cuba, hung onto roof tops, the political and military situation inside once again falsely alleging human-rights 1,586 Cuban doctors the country and also be independent of violations and demanding the release of a with tons of medical the foreign policy imperatives of the U.S. supplies were refused small number of paid U.S. agents impris- State Department and the Pentagon. U.S. permission to help. oned there. By doing so the EU Parlia- U.S. military intervention in Somalia Some deployed later to ment not only ignored the overriding 50- during 1992-94 resulted in a tremendous earthquake-devastated defeat at the hands of the Somali resis- year violation of Cuba’s democratic right Pakistan and many are tance forces, who forced a withdrawal of to self-determination, but joined in it. now in Haiti or Chile. Cuba’s 1959 revolution set out to make the Marines and a political humiliation human development and needs — not inside Cuba for the Bill Clinton administration. corporate or banking profits, not colonial that capital- The Bush administration’s engineered or neo-colonial extraction of wealth and ist exploita- invasion by Ethiopia in December 2006 resources — the social priority. To punish tion can be — as well as several aerial bombings — Cuba for taking this independent path, re-imposed. WW_Photo was also defeated by the Somali people, Washington has mercilessly enforced an This policy has failed. And in Latin Amer- politicians vote for their armies to join the resulting in the withdrawal of the U.S.- economic blockade and relentlessly at- ica especially, Cuba has broken out of the criminal U.S. occupations against the will backed forces in January 2009. The TFG tacked Cubans through bombings, inva- imperialist-imposed isolation. of the EU populations and they vote to and AMISOM hold out the only present sions, biological warfare and attempts at condemn Cuba, in both cases to promote hope for the imperialists to dominate this political destabilization. Intervention by other means imperialist domination. area of the Horn of Africa. Thousands of Cubans and others have Facing these setbacks, Washington died in the U.S.-sponsored attacks — cultivates pseudo-librarians or purported starting 50 years ago on March 4, 1960, journalists, ladies-in-white, bloggers and Workers resist with when the French cargo ship “La Coubre” others in Cuba who are funded and sup- was detonated in Havana harbor. The ported by dollars from the U.S. in an at- ship was carrying arms to revolutionary tempt to organize counter-revolution by fourth general strike Cuba from Belgium, which was defying other means. U.S. orders to stop the shipment. That is the origin of the prisoner who By Kris Hamel The country has been under intense pres- Former U.S. Central Intelligence agent in February committed suicide by hunger sure from the governments of the more Philip Agee has documented how the U.S. strike. He did this with the encourage- Within a week after the March 5 mass powerful imperialist countries in the Eu- planted explosive-laced dolls in a Havana ment of U.S. imperialism. Cuban doctors demonstrations and general strike, tens ropean Union, like France and Germany, department store, burning it to the ground. had tried their best to keep him alive, of thousands of angry Greek who want to keep a strong euro On Sept. 4, 1997, Italian tourist Fabio di feeding him intravenously in a major Ha- workers marched through gReeCe. and pay all debts to the bankers. Celmo died in a Havana hotel bombing. vana hospital. Athens to protest auster- ‘’They are trying to make work- These are but a small sample of the attacks. At a conference to encourage increased ity measures enacted to reduce Greece’s ers pay the price for this crisis,’’ said Yian- Today five Cuban heroes are captives educational exchanges with Cuba, former debt. Riot police fired teargas as demon- nis Panagopoulos, head of the GSEE, the in U.S. prisons for attempting to protect chief of the U.S. Interest Section in Havana, strators threw rocks and firebombs out- country’s largest union. (Associated Press, Cuba from attacks orchestrated from U.S. Wayne Smith, said that the United States side the Parliament building on March 11. March 11) Vasilis Petropoulos, a leader of territories. But Washington protects Or- “is not ‘in the best position’ to speak of hun- Workers, retirees and youth took to the the militant All-Workers Militant Front lando Bosch and Luis Posada Carriles, the ger strikes, given the U.S. military’s prac tice streets in 68 cities and towns throughout (PAME), was the main speaker at a strike admitted bombers of Cubana 455 in 1976, of force-feeding hunger strikers at the de- the country. Another 24-hour strike by rally. “There is no national risk. No nation- the first mid-air destruction of a civilian tention camp for terror suspects in Guan- public and private sector workers brought al duty calls the workers to sacrifice their plane. These two killers are free to roam tanamo, Cuba.” (www.laprensasa.com) business-as-usual to a standstill. In Ath- rights. There is only the greed of the capi- the streets of Miami. The EU has not condemned U.S. hu- ens the rail system operated for a few talists for profit,” he said. (inter.kke.gr) Amazingly, Cuba has not only devel- man rights violations or demanded the hours to allow workers to take part in the The March 11 strike and nationwide oped human well-being internally — it is release of U.S. political prisoners like demonstration. Protesters and striking protests were the fourth such actions by one of the few countries on track to meet Leonard Peltier, Mumia Abu-Jamal, the workers chanted slogans including, “Real Greek workers within one month. Even the U.N. Millennium Development Goals Angola 2, and the Scott sisters. Nor has jobs, higher pay!” while banners hung big-business-owned media in the United despite the impact of hurricanes and the it criticized the conditions for the more from apartment buildings that read, “No States were forced to cover the militant U.S. blockade — but has shared selfless than 2 million people imprisoned here, more sacrifices, war against war.” (guard- actions of these workers. Video and pho- solidarity around the world, opening disproportionately African-American and ian.co.uk, March 11) tographs often showed elderly pensioners its medical schools, distributing its lit- Latino/a, or the beatings and deaths of The Greek government has imposed and retirees being brutalized by police. eracy methods, and assisting the African Black and Brown people at the hands of further wage cuts for public sector work- The Greek workers should be an inspi- continent to decisively smash the racist racist police merely for driving, walking, ers, hiring and pension freezes and con- ration to poor and working people around apartheid regime in South Africa. Today or living in the racist USA. sumer tax hikes in an attempt to stem a the world who are sick and tired of bear- more than a thousand Cuban and Cuban- The capitalist state here kills death-row skyrocketing budget deficit and save $65 ing the brunt of the capitalist economic trained doctors are providing medical aid prisoners regardless of their innocence. billion. These cutbacks are on top of a pre- crisis. These heroic workers — young and to Haitian earthquake survivors. The Pentagon kills wholesale with wars vious $15 billion austerity plan aimed to old, employed and unemployed — are Washington’s admitted policy has been of occupation in Iraq and Afghanistan. reduce the country’s 2010 deficit from 12.7 refusing to bow down and “sacrifice” to and is to create such desperate conditions Right-wing and social-democratic EU percent of annual output to 8.7 percent. keep the profit system afloat. MNDO OBRERO ¡Proletarios y oprimidos de todos los países, uníos! Inmigrantes merecen legalización derechos plenos para todos/as los/as trabajadores/as Por Teresa Gutiérrez troamérica, los acuerdos con los países exportadores de de hoy son las mujeres procedentes de México con un emigrantes como Filipinas, la intervención y ocupación montón de bebés. Nosotros tenemos bebés, ellas tienen El 21 de marzo, decenas o quizás cientos de miles de de Haití, el golpe de estado en Honduras, el rechazo a dependientes”. personas se manifestarán a favor de los derechos de los/ pagar indemnizaciones por el saqueo histórico de África, Esto está dirigido absolutamente contra la gente po- as inmigrantes en Washington, D.C. son todos ejemplos de las políticas de EEUU en el ex- bre, no importa el origen nacional ni el color. La mujer La acción surge por la frustración y la profunda ira que terior que conduce a que millones de personas se vean mexicana es el objetivo de hoy, pero su retórica va di- existe en la comunidad de inmigrantes y entre sus parti- obligadas a abandonar penosamente sus países en busca rigida contra todas las mujeres pobres. darios porque a pesar de exigir continuamente derechos de supervivencia. Mientras que la posición de los republicanos y la extre- plenos para los/as inmigrantes, especialmente la legal- Luego cuando llegan a EEUU se ven obligados/as ma derecha está clara y es fácil de combatir, la cuestión ización de los/as indocumentados/as, estos pedidos han a trabajar en la economía clandestina sin que tengan no es tan clara con los demócratas. sido ignorados por Washington. ningún derecho. Dos importantes proyectos de ley de los demócratas La enorme demostración del 21 de marzo será una Es un sistema perfecto para la clase capitalista: una van a ser discutidos en el Congreso. Uno de ellos es del continuación de la monumental mareada de millones de fuerza laboral vulnerable, explotable, desechable y bara- Senador Chuck Schumer de Nueva York y el otro del rep- trabajadores/as en la primavera de 2006, cuando los/as ta que debe obedecer los caprichos de los patrones. resentante de Illinois, Luis Gutiérrez. Gutiérrez ya pre- inmigrantes salieron de las sombras e irrumpieron en la A pesar de la mantra que se repite constantemente de sentó su proyecto de ley en diciembre de 2009; Schumer escena, cambiando para siempre el panorama político en que la política de inmigración está quebrada, el hecho es no lo ha hecho todavía. este país. que funciona bien. Pero está funcionando para los em- El proyecto de ley del representante Gutiérrez es el Los/as inmigrantes y sus partidarios/as saben que los/ presarios y los banqueros, no para el pueblo. más progresista. Gutiérrez ha estado viajando por todo as indocumentados/as ya se han ganado la legalización. La manifestación del 21 de marzo y todos los esfuer- el país hablando con una enorme audiencia acerca de De hecho, se lo han ganado por cientos de veces. zos para ganar los derechos de los/as inmigrantes son pasar la “reforma migratoria integral”. Su oratoria llena Los/as trabajadores/as se ven obligados/as a venir al extremadamente importantes. Pero lo que saldrá de esta de orgullo a los/as latinos/as por su herencia. mismo país — EEUU — que ha creado las condiciones demostración es igualmente importante. Su proyecto de ley de 700 páginas oficialmente se lla- en sus países de origen que no les deja otra opción que ma la Ley de Reforma Integral de la Inmigración para la la de salir. ¿Qué tipo de reforma? Seguridad y la Prosperidad de América. El TLCAN, las guerras auspiciadas por EEUU en Cen- Hay un movimiento generalizado que aboga por lo que Pero el proyecto va junto al argumento de que la se llama una reforma integral de la inmigración. Es cuestión inmigratoria y por lo tanto los/as inmigrantes importante seguir elaborando exactamente qué son parte integrante de la llamada “guerra contra el ter- tipo de reforma migratoria es necesaria. El mov- rorismo”. Cualquiera que sean sus creencias personales, imiento — no sólo los/as inmigrantes, sino también los/as demócratas no han enfrentado este pensamiento el movimiento sindical, el anti-guerra y todos los militarista. movimientos progresistas — deben exigir una re- No hacen el frente y declaran que los verdaderos ter- forma migratoria que esté completamente a favor roristas están en el Pentágono y en Wall Street y se lleva de los/as trabajadores/as. la batuta en Washington. No van a decir que el verdadero Esta clase de reforma elevará el nivel de vida no terror en la sociedad es la política que cierra las fábricas, sólo de los/as inmigrantes, sino también de toda la desaloja a las personas de sus casas, violan el medio am- clase trabajadora. biente y así sucesivamente. Esta reforma inmigratoria debe incluir por lo Los/as trabajadores/as en busca de sobrevivir no son menos: terroristas. Son las víctimas del terror. Todo proyecto de ley de inmigración que tiene la “ejecución del orden pú-  La legalización inmediata de todos/as los/as blico” en su fondo, es un proyecto de ley de inmigración indocumentados/as en este país que debe ser rechazado.  El fin de la militarización de la frontera, que es Desafortunadamente, los demócratas le dirán al mov- un acto de guerra y fomenta una mentalidad imiento que esto es lo mejor que pueden conseguir. para exigir: xenofóbica Cuando los/as defensores/as de los/as inmigrantes le  Detener las redadas inmediatamente y poner fin pidieron a Schumer que se abstuviera de llamar a los/ a la división de las familias as indocumentado/as “extranjeros ilegales”, él se negó.  Un fin a la política de EEUU que crea las condi- Schumer dijo que así es la cosa. ciones para la migración, tales como el apoyo al golpe de Honduras El movimiento debe decidir  Derogación de las políticas comerciales de EEUU A lo largo de la historia de los EEUU, la clase capi- como el TLCAN talista y los funcionarios en Washington que la sirven  Trabajo para todos/as los/as trabajadores/as siempre han manifestado de una manera u otra, “Eso es en este país, independientemente de su lugar de lo que es”. nacimiento Ellos no señalan que la historia demuestra lo contrario. Cuando los/as trabajadores/as están en movimiento, cu-  Educación para todos/as, independientemente ando el movimiento es masivo, “eso es lo que es” puede del lugar de nacimiento o estatus económico cambiar radicalmente de un día a otro.  No a los programas de trabajadores/as invitados La esclavitud fue abolida, aún cuando muchos dijeron  Reconocimiento del papel que desempeña el que no lo sería. Las mujeres obtuvieron el derecho a vo- cambio climático en la creación de refugiados/as, tar cuando muchos dijeron que no podían. La guerra de y las políticas para evitarlo Vietnam terminó debido a la resistencia del pueblo de Es evidente la postura del Partido Republicano Vietnam, pero el movimiento en los EEUU también fue sobre la cuestión inmigratoria. Aunque hay peque- instrumental. ñas diferencias aquí y allá, este partido sigue man- El seguro por desempleo, la jornada de 8 horas y los teniendo una viciosa posición anti-inmigrante. La beneficios sociales fueron ganancias que el pueblo fue extrema derecha dentro y fuera del partido utiliza capaz de arrebatar a la clase capitalista. Nada nos fue la inmigración como uno de los temas para impul- dado. Todo ello se ganó. sar una feroz campaña derechista. Es racista y tiene La legalización sin acciones policiales y sin una milita- como objetivo al primer presidente negro de una rización de la frontera se puede ganar. manera inexcusable. Pero esto sólo puede suceder si el pueblo está luchan- En respuesta al masivo esfuerzo organizativo do por sus propios intereses independientes de los . A LAS 12:00 DE LA TARDE para la manifestación del 21 de marzo, un grupo demócratas. El Partido Demócrata ha demostrado una extremista anti-inmigrante llamado NumbersU- y otra vez que pone un freno a la lucha. Sólo lucha por de M AYO en UNION SQUARE SA celebró una conferencia de prensa. En ella, un pequeñas soluciones, y nunca le hará frente a los poderes

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