NOTES FROM THE UNDERGROUND MORE WAR RAID TRADE CENTER NYPD STEPS UP CAMPAIGN RECONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN 2004 AGAINST RADICAL GROUPS TALK ABOUT HEALTH DANGERS 3 INSIDE BUSH’S NEW IRAQ STRATEGY10 7 THE INDYPENDENT

THE NEW YORK CITY INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER ISSUE #42 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 WWW.NYC.INDYMEDIA.ORG A TRUCKER’S TALE

ILLUSTRATION: FRANK REYNOSO FIRST PERSON not paying time and a half for overtime – which is almost stan- dard now on jobs exploiting immigrant labor – or simply not paying wages at all. This happens most in construction and I am a 50-year-old truck driver. I have been in the freight industry small sweatshops, which string along the workers for weeks, telling them, “I’ll pay you next week when the contractor pays for 15 years. I’m a member of the Teamsters union, and I can tell you me.” Nonpayment of wages, including minimum and over- time, is not only a civil offense against labor law, but in New what a difference it makes to have a union at work. Or rather, to be York State is also a criminal offense. Yet, the law sits on the books unenforced. Like we say at worker meetings, laws for union, to be united and to have a voice. Because a real union is not the rich and poor are applied differently. If a poor worker relaxes with a can of beer on the stoop, that law will be something you have, but something we are. At its best, it’s living by enforced against him. But if his boss owes him a month’s wages, he can’t get anyone to help him. the old Knights of Labor belief, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” When I started raising my family in the 1970s, a good apartment in New York was $150 a month, subways were 50 cents, and minimum wage was $2.90 an hour. That BY BERT P. down, not ‘negotiate’ the terms of your killing. The compa- doesn’t sound like much, but you could live on it. Now the nies break the laws. They don’t care. And they win. same apartment is $1,000 or more, and the minimum wage Even with a union, the war on workers continues. Everywhere it is the same – workers are in fear of losing their is $5.15. It’s day and night; you can do the math. Howard’s Express, a regional trucking company that oper- jobs. They are not cowards, though one wishes they would Even high-paid workers, like truckers, have seen a steady ates in New York and New Jersey, forced workers to go on unite and demand their rights. Judging by my experience at loss in living standards these last 30 years. On my job, guys strike this spring, and has been running with scabs and secu- the workers center in Bushwick where I am active, they can be use their seniority to get as much overtime as possible. We rity guards ever since. Star Container, a 75-year-old corru- fired just for demanding that their boss obey the law. should be able to use our seniority to go home and enjoy our gated cardboard box company down the street from my job, A typical case at the workers center is the struggle of six families after 40 hours. But the bills keep coming. has told unionized drivers they will all be replaced by a non- Minimax employees who were fired unjustly. They were all Whether we are paid $4 or $20 per hour, everybody is union subcontractor. forced to work long hours in a sweatshop, sometimes as much working too much now. Sweatshop employees work 60 or I work for a huge, transnational trucking company that as 80 hours a week, without overtime pay or even the mini- 70 hours a week. Don’t miss a day or you lose your job was recently bought out by an even larger rival. Most of the mum wage. This is not unusual. (that’s what would happen to the Minimax workers – many drivers have already lost jobs three or four times when truck- What is different is that these immigrant workers came to were fired for missing one day to care for a sick child or ing companies we worked at closed. Will this merger cost us the center, learned their rights, overcame their fear and are attend to another family emergency). I worked in garment our jobs? We know one thing – we, the workers who built suing the boss for the stolen wages, about $90,000 over three factories in the 1970s, and it was 37.5 hours per week. these companies, will be the last to know. To talk of democ- years. We have had protests in front of the store, and are ask- That’s long gone. The non-union trucking companies don’t racy is a joke. This is a tyranny of the bosses. ing people not to shop there until the boss pays what he owes. even pay overtime till 60 hours, and that’s by law – inter- And the unions have forgotten how to fight. In all this the The workers hope to make an example of this store and spread state commerce is exempt from the 40-hour rule. unions obey the law – at Star Container, the union “is nego- the struggle to other stores in Bushwick. The conditions American workers face may force us to tiating.” How can you negotiate when a man says, Every week in the workers center we see many cases of non- see our common interests. The union bureaucracy now “Tomorrow I kill you”? The only answer is to shut the place payment of wages, whether not paying the minimum wage, continued on page 4 EVENTS CALENDAR, P.2 • WHEN SOLDIERS REVOLT, P.11 • REVIEWS, P.14 COMMUNITY of Fort Greene Park SUN DEC 21 [email protected] 7pm 6pm • Art Performance & Film; A Night with Joan Nestle: working garden, 346 E Houston class, long-time lesbian activist Bluestockings Bookstore CALENDAR SUNDAYS 172 Allen St. 1pm • Food Not Bombs cooks (between Stanton & Rivington) at ABC No Rio. Serves vegetari- 212.777.6028 an food in Tompkins Square www.bluestockings.org Park SW 3:30ish

3-5pm • Solidarity w/ Palestine THU DEC 25 Rally 14th St. & Broadway 12-4 pm • free Doves of Peace: natural history 3 & 5pm • Foreign & B Movies; & cultural significance of doves, Pianos, 158 Ludlow St including the pigeon NEW YORK CITY 5pm-1am • Films; 37 Broadway, Prospect Park Audubon Center Bkln., 917-667-2332 Lincoln Rd & Ocean Ave, Bkln INDEPENDENT 6pm • Books Through Bars: answer letters & mail books to FRI DEC 26 MEDIA CENTER prisoners. ABC No Rio, 156 7pm Rivington St., 2nd fl. Critical Mass: a fun, easy, car- 6pm • Degrassi Jr High: 4 free ride for bikes & skaters episodes during Happy Hour; Meet at Union Sq. North Enid’s, 560 Manhattan Ave., Bkln. www.times-up.org Phone: 6-8:30pm • Open Mic; Pete’s SAT DEC 27 212.684.8112 Candy, 709 Lorimer St., Bkln. 4-7 pm Email: 9:30pm • Asscat 3000: Upright Kwanzaa celebration with African Citizen Brigade’s improv comedy [email protected] Folk Heritage Circle: potluck (8:15 tickets); 307 W 26th St. Fred Samuels Recreational Web: 212-366-9176 Center 669 Malcolm X Blvd. & 144th St. NYC: www.nyc.indymedia.org SUN DEC 14 1 pm • $5 suggested donation 10 pm GLOBAL: www.indymedia.org Economics of Empire (part III): Riverside Ride: fun & relaxing, Fixing America’s Role in the World, for bikes & skaters Office and Mail: a better balance of military, diplo- Meet at Columbus Circle NYC Independent Media Center matic and development strategies www.times-up.org with Dr. Jeffrey D. Sachs. 34 E. 29th St. 2nd Floor Unitarian Forum SUN DEC 28 NY, NY 10016 312 Filmore St., Staten Island 2 pm www.uuforum.org Harlem Surveillance Camera Tour 4 pm • Free & intro to surveillance WHAT IS INDYMEDIA? From “My Face, My Story” Resistance in Brooklyn’s annual Meet at SE 125th St. & Adam With autonomous chapters in more exhibition of photographs by Lina Pallotta card-writing party Clayton Powell Blvd.

DECEMBER 668 Washington St., Apt 2B than 100 cities throughout the world, 212-989-8222 the Independent Media Center is an THE INDYPENDENT THURSDAYS 6-9pm • Whitney Museum of MON DEC 29 American Art; 945 Madison Ave. has open meetings every 12:30pm • Gotham Jazzmen live; • international network of volunteer & 75th St. 8 pm $10 7pm media activists. Tuesday, 7 pm 20 W 53rd St. (ends 18th) Reverend Billy and the Church of Youth activist Alex Asch speaks Stop Shopping Annual Come Happy The IMC seeks to create a new media at 34 E. 29 St., 2nd floor. 5:30-6:30 • Women in Black for 6:30pm • FNB & a movie; Jane of his 16 months in a private Palestine; 14th St & Broadway Doe, 93 Montrose, Bkln. Leave Hungry Christmas Revival. reformatory for “Oppositional ethic by providing progressive, in-depth Bring a homemade present for Defiance Disorder.” To submit events for the cal- 6-10pm • Public Speakout w/ No SATURDAYS and accurate coverage of issues. We Police State; Union Sq. NYC’s largest gift exchange. Bluestockings Bookstore endar, call (212) 684-8112. Urban Outdoor walking tours of are a community-based organization St. Mark’s Church 172 Allen St. 8pm-12am • Poets Open Mic & NYC’s shores & parks; 2nd Avenue @ East 10th St. (between Stanton & Rivington) using media to facilitate political and Jazz; 48 E 7th St. 212-352-9330 Ongoing events Reservations suggested. cultural self-representation. We seek [email protected] Contact: Michael O’Neil, FRIDAYS WED DEC 31 to illuminate and analyze issues Until December 28 • Women for 12-2pm • Peace Vigil w/Catholic 917.825.3562 1pm • Food Not Bombs cooks at Afghan Women Present, “My 10:45 pm impacting individuals, communities ABC No Rio. Serves vegetarian Worker; 14th & Broadway Face, My Story,” exhibition of SAT DEC 20 New Year’s Eve Ride, for bikes & and ecosystems by providing media food in Tompkins Square Park SW 10 pm photographs from Lina Pallotta 1-2:30pm • Wellness Saturday: skaters, to Belvedere Castle holistic healing workshop; Benefit - a NYC Indymedia Video Meet at Columbus Circle tools and space to those seeking to Pink Pony Café, 176 Ludlow St. 4-7:45pm • MoMA; 33 St. & Collective fundraiser & screen- communicate. We espouse open dia- 212-253-1922 Queens Blvd., L.I.C. Whole Foods Market, 250 7th www.times-up.org Ave. @ 24th St. ing of Miami FTAA protest and logue and placing the means of com- 6pm • Art Performance & Film; police brutality footage, with live MONDAYS • Solidarity w/ Palestine munication and creativity back in the garden, 346 E Houston 3:5pm music, including David Rovics. 6-10pm • Public Speakout w/ Rally 14th St. & Broadway Pseudo hands of the people, away from the No Police State; Union Sq. 6-8pm • Guggenheim Museum; 600 Broadway, 6th Floor drive of profit. 1071 5th Ave. & 89th St. 3:30-4:30pm • Brooklyn Food (corner of Houston) The Indypendent is funded by benefits, 7:30 & 10pm • Short Films; Not bombs serves NW corner 410 W.16th St. • 212-242-6555 subscriptions, donations, grants and ads 9:30pm • Evening Burlesque; from organizations and individuals with 70 N.6th St., Bkln (21+) similar missions. WHERE DO I GET MY COPY OF 11pm • Open DJ: BYO CDs & WHAT CAN I DO TO GET INVOLVED? vinyl; 97 Atlantic Ave., Bkln. The IMC has an open door. You can TUESDAYS THE INDYPENDENT? write for The Indypendent, film events Garden w/More Gardens; and rallies, self-publish articles to the E.158th St.,Bronx • 212-533-8019 LOWER EAST SIDE GREENWICH VILLAGE UPPER WEST SIDE PARK SLOPE web, take photos or just help us run the 4:30pm • Poetry Writing office. As an organization relying entir- Workshop; Library, 425 6th Ave. ABC No Rio Film Forum Labyrinth Books Community Book Store 156 Rivington 213 W. Houston ely on volunteer support, we encour- 6:30pm • Housing & Loan Help: 112th St. near B’way 7th & Carroll Sts. 88 3rd Ave., 3rd fl., Bkln. age all forms of participation. Bluestockings Books & Café WEST VILLAGE HARLEM Tea Lounge The print team reserves the right to 7pm • Jam Session w/ drummer 172 Allen 7th Ave. edit articles for length, content and clar- Wally Gator Watson (Wilson LGBT Center Riverside Church Pickett & Cab Calloway) all levels; Lotus Cafe 213 W. 13th St. 490 Riverside Dr. at 120th Park Slope Food Co-op ity. We welcome your participation in 85 South St. 782 Union St. Clinton & Stanton Strictly Roots Restaurant the entire editorial process. UNION SQUARE WEDNESDAYS EAST VILLAGE 123rd & Adam Clayton COBBLE HILL VOLUNTEER STAFF: 12:30-1:30pm • Ground Zero Revolution Books Powell Blvd. Tripoli Restaurant Chris Anderson, Silvia Arana, Bennett Witness for Peace & Justice vigil; May Day Books 9 W. 19th St. Baumer, Jed Brandt, Kazembe Bulagoon, Church St. between Fulton & Vesey 155 First Ave. WOODSIDE Atlantic & Clinton Mike Burke, Katherine A. Carlson, Sina 6pm • Hats Not Bombs knitting cir- (btwn. 9th & 10th) CHELSEA Queens Pride House cle; Jane Doe, 93 Montrose, 6703 Woodside Ave. DOWNTOWN B’KLYN Choi, Andrew Coslow, Ellen Davidson, Bkln. Kim’s Video Chelsea Sq. Diner

THE INDYPENDENT Soft Skull Press Ryan Dunsmuir, Miguel Erb, Megan 3rd Ave. & St. Marks Pl. 23rd & 9th Farrington, Chris Fleisher, Mike 7-11pm • Films (& $keg) WASHINGTON HEIGHTS 7 Bond St. & State 1 N. 12th St. #7A, Bkln Monkey Business Flugennock, Neela Ghoshal, A.K. SOHO HELL’S KITCHEN FORT GREENE Gupta, Vanessa Hradsky, Ashley Kidd, 8pm • Happy Ending Reading 187th & Ft.Washington Ave. Series w/ music; 302 Broome Housing Works Second Wave Laundrocenter Alicia Kubista, Greg Jocz, Matthew Pratt Area Community Council St. • 212-334-9676 126 Crosby St. 55th & 9th Ave. BUSHWICK 201 DeKalb Ave Leonard, Janelle Lewis, F. Timothy amandastern.com Make the Road by Walking Martin, Lydia Neri, Sasha Nevskaya, 9:30pm • The Gong Show: open NOHO TIMES SQUARE 301 Grove St. STATEN ISLAND Ana Nogueira, Tracy Norton, Lina mic night w/ audience participation; Pallotta, Donald Paneth, Mark Pickens, Galapagos, 70 N. 6th St., Bkln Mercer St. Books Chashama Theatre Muddy Cup Coffee House 206 Mercer 135 W. 42 & B’Way WILLIAMSBURG 388 Van Duzen Frank Reynoso, Nandor Sala, Jessica 11pm • Hump Night: Clovis Books standup/alternative comedy; Stein, Catriona Stuart, Daniel Taspirin, TRIBECA UPPER EAST SIDE N. 4th St. & Bedford Ave. JERSEY CITY John Tarleton, Michael Ulrich, Mike Wu UCB Theatre, 307 W 26th St. DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 212-366-9176 In The Black Hunter College Spoonball & Sugartown Books Five Corners Branch Library King and Varick 68th & Lex, USG Office 218 Bedford Ave. off Journal Square 2 THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 3 PHOTO: FRITZ ASKEW Newman continued, “There has been no security concern?” collection of data by government about the potential contamination of that workplace. There has been no guidance by employers or landlords in terms of cleanup and no guid- ance about the legal requirements of provid- ing information to workers about occupation- al safety and health.” Local 3, the electricians’ union represent- David Newman, an activist with the New many security concerns. We can’t reveal can’t many security concerns. We information about that to just anyone.” ing workers like Oscar and Julio, did not respond to several phone calls. Committee for Occupational Safety and York Health laughed when told about the Port response. “Now air quality is a Authority’s GROUND ZERO WORKERS GROUND ZERO TOIL IN TOXIC SITE The Port Authority however, was not help- The Port Authority however, “The guy” who was responsible for air checks A man standing with Rivera chimed in,” I However, the supervisor of security from However, “The smell, the water, the garbage, there’s no the garbage, there’s “The smell, the water, Felix said that besides the low pay and long Felix, a security worker with an Eddington Oscar said he had developed shingles, a And it’s not as if Oscar and his co-workers not as And it’s “What’s important to know is have these important “What’s ful. When asked why it was difficult to find anyone conducting air quality tests a Port Authority spokesperson responded, “You need to talk to anyone for comment, don’t just go to our website.” She added, “There are was nowhere to be found. But Rivera, tried to provide assurance that the air quality was being he taken care of. “Call the Port Authority,” said. “They’ll tell you who does the air checks.” don’t know anyone who has gotten sick. The don’t guy [air tester] works here [several] hours a day.” Eddington Associates, Ivan Rivera, claimed “They are con- there was no reason for worry. ducting tests everyday and say the air is fine,” he said. place to sit down, this is what we deal with They say you are supposed to get a every day. raise in three months. I have been here nine months and no raise. No protection at all is give you anything. given. The company doesn’t I have been here nine months and have not seen the air quality people,” said Felix. hours, the workers get no overtime or health benefits. When a friend of his fell and hurt his leg he was told that nothing could be done for him. Associates badge, stood on the opposite cor- ner of Ground Zero, checking the IDs of vehicles entering the site. Eddington Associates is a security contractor involved in Center Recovery Project. Trade the World stress-related disease, adding that several of his fellow workers had been complaining of breathing ailments. were feeling great. workers come across oil in the water?” he said. “Is that foul smell chemicals? That’s where the diolectric fuel is, it works its way into the solid bedrock. Once you get PCB’s get it out. If into fractured bedrock, you can’t V train plat- you go to the Lexington Avenue form, you can see what I mean. There is a huge oil leak that has not been dealt with. This is not uncommon in trains but very seri- ous if workers are openly exposed.” ADAL N hen the rebuilt PATH station at station hen the rebuilt PATH Center site Trade the World opened triumphantly last month,

CITY

ENINA L Forgotten once again were the workers who Forgotten The crews along with the residents around But with ground zero cleared, little notice Many workers were reluctant to talk, say- “The environment is not conducive to a Local 3 union electrician working Oscar, “The further down you go, the worse it’s “the doctor said But, he concluded gamely, friend Oscar seemed less sure he had Julio’s “My union [Local 3] is not really doing Targeting, Hang, president of Toxic Walter Y B residents and city workers packed the train, delighted to be in a good, old-fashioned down- town rush-hour. toiled to rebuild that station under condi- tions as noxious as those faced by the WTC cleanup crews. the WTC, were the center of renewed public concern about their exposure to deadly pollu- tants. In the summer of 2003, the Office of the Inspector General of the Environmental Protection Agency issued a report criticizing to the White House for pressuring the EPA downplay the possible health hazards at ground zero. Outraged, Sen. (D-NY) Hillary called for an Clinton and Rep. Jerrold Nadler, investigation, the proper cleanup of nearby houses and apartments, and full disclosure to workers regarding the health risks. is being paid to the men in fluorescent yellow and green vests, who descend six levels every morning at 7 a.m., put- underground train for ting in new tracks for the PATH $6.50 an hour on 12-hour shifts. ing they feared they could be fired. But one who declined to give his name commented how their employers were touchy precisely because conditions were unsafe. human beings. Sitting is not allowed; you Health The places are dirty. stand up all day... safety is not conducive for human beings, some of the workers get sick, and there is no health insurance. Management does not care for what happens to the workers,” said the worker. brew train, described a witch’s on the PATH of toxins permeating the work site. “[There’s] dust spores, mold, asbestos, lead, mercury, contaminated,” he said. standing water that’s “Everywhere you go you are susceptible to breathing contaminants.” supposed to be,” said Julio, a union electrician. its okay to work here.” been well protected. anything for that particular job,” he said. safe and until I have been told that it’s “We time when I’ll know it’s get an illness – that’s for me to move.” an environmental database company that toxic sites, tracks more than 5,000 New York said the workers, exposure to toxic substances seem to be taken station didn’t at the PATH seriously enough. AIR THIN THIN W THE A TRUCKER’S TALE

PEOPLE’S continued from page 1 Black and Latino youth. A pessimist will izing, keep questioning authority, trying to say the only thing Americans understand create independent media, trying to stay LAWYER supports legalization for all immigrants is when they are being killed and when human, and as an American worker, reaching whereas ten years ago it was anti-immi- they lose their jobs. Racism has ever out a hand of solidarity to any worker who is grant. Unions were disappearing, and the blinded workers to what the government trying to raise their head. Our fate is tied more intelligent ones saw that Latino does in other countries, and they too share together. In these times of fear and autocratic workers in low-paying jobs were trying to in the stolen riches of other lands. Finally rule, only a fool would believe there is a “BANKRUPTCY LAWS CAN organize. Still, racism has always been a a pessimistic asks, how can a country so world of difference between a $20-an-hour PROTECT YOU… FOR NOW” tool to divide the working class. The (rel- stupefied by TV and shopping malls ever worker and a $4-an-hour worker – we can atively} well-paid American worker may regain a class consciousness? both be homeless tomorrow if we don’t fight. seem to be in another world than the I believe the only thing to do is to keep BY ANN SCHNEIDER worker immigrant and the many jailed pushing at these contradictions, keep organ- The author can be reached at: [email protected]

ane P. took out student loans to pay for her college education. While she was in Jcollege, MasterCard offered her a cred- it card with a modest limit. Throughout col- “WE HAVE TO SEND A STRONG MESSAGE” lege and beyond, she made her credit card payments on time and was gradually extended a large credit limit. The rent on her apartment in Williamsburg eats up half QUEENS COMMUNITY of her monthly net earnings as an adminis- trative assistant. Now she is over $15,000 in debt on five different credit cards, paying more than $300 a month to service the RESPONDS TO HATE CRIMES debt, and her school is threatening to default her if she misses a student loan payment. What should Jane do? BY F. T IMOTHY MARTIN sents a district in Queens. “No one is going says Lucas Guttentag, Director of the ACLU’s Jane has a constitutional right to file to take the American dream away from us.” Immigrants’ Rights Project. bankruptcy and eliminate her credit card vening prayers end around 9 p.m. at The Queens attack has been labeled a hate “Any new screening procedures should debts, but her student loans are virtually the Al Falah Masjid, an Islamic crime, one of thousands reported each year not be based on religion, ethnicity or non-dischargeable following a 1996 amend- ECenter located in the Corona neigh- across the nation. While the majority of vic- national origin, but instead reflect the ment to the bankruptcy act. Filing for borhood of Queens. On November 16, tims are likely to be black, Jewish or homo- American values of equal justice and reli- Chapter 7 bankruptcy would free up money much like any other night there, Jalad and sexual, a large number of Muslims are also gious freedom,” says Nihad Awad, from her credit card payments so she can Junaid, two brothers aged 17 and 16, fin- targeted. Executive Director of the Council on try to keep current on her student loans. ished their prayers and headed for home. As In a country still healing from the wounds American-Islamic Relations. But Jane should act soon. The credit card they left the mosque, two Hispanic boys of September 11, where Arabs are currently Other initiatives proposed in the wake of the industry has spent $4 million lobbying approached in a confrontational manner, perceived as the enemy in two separate wars, special registration program, however, seem to Congress to overhaul the bankruptcy laws shouting “You’re Taliban.” Soon five more and where hundreds of Muslim immigrants offer immigrants little additional comfort. and make it nearly impossible for anyone boys joined in and began beating the two have been rounded up and deported by feder- One such Republican plan recently intro- earning a reasonable wage to obtain relief Arab teens. The brothers tried to fight al authorities, immigrant rights’ activists are duced in Congress with 112 cosponsors from their creditors. The industry calculates back, but the attack left Javad with a black concerned that anti-Arab sentiment will con- would require local police to take on the role that if their bill, HR 975, is enacted, the eye, cuts on his face and a swollen lump on tinue to increase. of immigration agents and enforce complex companies will reap $4 billion in extra prof- his head. His brother also sustained minor Many stress that government policies are to federal immigration laws. But critics say its the first year alone. injuries. Both ended their night at nearby blame. that the Clear Law Enforcement for A recent study showed that between Elmhurst hospital. Earlier this year, tens of thousands of resi- Criminal Alien Removal Act – or CLEAR 1989 and 2001, the credit card debt of the Local activists decided to respond swiftly. dents originating mostly from Muslim coun- Act – will lead to racial profiling and fur- average family increased by 53 percent. Just days after the attack they convened a tries were forced to comply with a govern- ther erode relations between local police and Late fees have become the fastest-growing meeting to address the situation in their ment-mandated special registration pro- immigrant communities. source of revenue for the industry, jumping neighborhood. Sponsored by New Immigrant gram known as the National Security Entry- “We’re troubled by the misguided policies from $1.7 billion in 1996 to $7.3 billion in Community Empowerment (NICE), a Exit Registration System. The program was of the Bush Administration. They send 2002. In addition, many people are forced Queens-based non-profit organization that suspended in November, but not before mixed signals about who is dangerous. We into bankruptcy by medical bills. advocates for the rights of new immigrants, nearly 3,000 “voluntary” participants were need to tell government officials that we’re Filing bankruptcy can be a step toward participants agreed to hold a peace vigil on detained, according to a Department of going to hold [them] accountable,” explains financial responsibility if your debts exceed Dec. 14 at Linden Park in Corona in response Homeland Security. Bryan Pu-Folkes, Director of NICE. “We your assets and you have no realistic ability to the incident. “The government’s plan to terminate spe- need to make sure we’re politically engaged. to repay them. If your credit rating is already “We have to send a strong message to peo- cial registration for Arab and Muslim immi- Elections are coming up and we will not for- bad, and especially if you have judgments ple that commit these hate crimes,” says NY grants is an implicit acknowledgement that get about these things.” against you, then you have nothing to lose by State Assemblyman José Peralta, who repre- this was a failed, discriminatory program,” filing. Secured debts such as a mortgage or car loan can be modified but not discharged. New York State law permits you to keep up to $2,500 in household furnishings, clothing, jewelry and cash if you do not own a home, plus a car worth no more than $2,400. WHEN BUSH COMES TO SHOVE... Filing bankruptcy requires you to spend money you don’t have. The filing fee for WHERE DO YOU TURN FOR NEWS? Chapter 7 is $209 and legal fees for simple Naomi Klein says The Indypendent “mixes the spirit of direct action cases begin at about $500. Because one can lose their rights or their property, it is with a searing critique of corporate power.” Drawing upon the inadvisable to file without a lawyer. One may global network of Indymedia Centers, we let people file for a Chapter 7 straight discharge only speak for themselves – from the streets of Baghdad to the once every seven years. A Chapter Seven jungles of Colombia, the shantytowns of South Africa to filing stays on one’s credit report for ten the villages of East Timor. We look at those resisting the Pentagon and years. Filing Chapter 13 is an option for Wall Street reign of terror, from the fight at home for housing, quality wage-earners who have too much equity in education and civil liberties to the broader struggle against corporate their assets to qualify for a Chapter 7 globalization. Don’t miss an issue – subscribe today! “straight discharge” plan. THE INDYPENDENT Co-signers beware: If one party files ❒ Bill me ❒ Check enclosed bankruptcy, the other person becomes solely responsible for that debt. It is illegal to discriminate against someone who has Name filed bankruptcy. After discharging debt, you may open and keep a bank account Address with your earnings. City State Zip This column provides general informa- E-Mail Phone tion, not specific legal advice. Each case is different. For more information, see Subscription rate: $27/year (23 issues). Angel rate: $100/year. Make checks payable to the NYC IMC Print Team and send to: 34 East 29th St., 2nd Floor, New York, NY DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY LawHelp.org, a project of New York pro bono 10016. Or for even faster service email your address to [email protected] and we will begin your subscription right away! and poverty lawyers. 4 THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBERTHE INDYPENDENT 14, 2003 – JANUARYMAY 1-15, 6, 2004 2003 55 COURT SPRINGS 7 THESSALONIKI On Nov. 26, the "Thessaloniki 7" as 26, the "Thessaloniki On Nov. The case also galvanized solidarity The Seven are not allowed to leave “CAFTA would extend to Central “CAFTA is a trade agreement being CAFTA GOP BIGSHOT FACES TEN GOP BIGSHOT FACES YEARS IN THE SLAMMER CAFTA ACTIVISTS EXPELLED CAFTA FROM TRADE TALKS Congressman Bill Janklow (R-S.D.) On Dec. 11 five activists with the U.N. EYES GORILLA MOVEMENTS An emergency appeal is being made IN BRIEF IN faces up to 10 years in prison following his Dec. 8 conviction on second-degree manslaughter charges in the death of a motorcyclist killed in August when he ran a stop sign while traveling more a former four- than 70 m.p.h. Janklow, term had 12 previous speed- governor, ing tickets. Janklow personally lobbied President Bill Clinton in December 2000 to deny a pardon to Native American activist Leonard Peltier who supporters say was framed in the 1975 shooting of two FBI agents. "I'm probably the one responsible for Leonard Peltier not get- ting out," he said afterwards. through the U.N. for $25 million to res- cue the world’s great apes – gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos and orang- utans, which share more than 96 per- cent on their DNA with humans – from extinction within the next 50 years. Seven activists fromSeven activists across Europe who were among the 29 protesters arrested during protests the European against in Thessaloniki, GreeceUnion summit recently won a five-month struggle against Greek authorities. they are were known, released, ending fromtheir hunger strikes that lasted 49 to 66 days. The seven were held on charges rioting, possession of explo- of sives and resisting authorities. All seven say the charges are false. In and pho- Simon Chapman's case, video tographic evidence confirms that he But the was framed, analysts say. courts repeatedly refused to look at for this evidence, and several appeals release on bail were refused. groups all over the world; 28 European parliament members called for the pris- oners' release; Amnesty International called for an independent inquiry. Greece until their trial takes place. For updates, see www.indymedia.org.uk Washington, D.C. Mobilization for Washington, Global Justice were forcibly expelled from a press conference during negoti- ations to finalize the Central American Agreement (CAFTA). Free Trade America the same gross violations of human and labor rights resulting from would to all of South as FTAA NAFTA, America,” said Rachael Moshman, one of those expelled. “These so-called ‘free trade’ treaties constitute a hemi- spheric race to the bottom, with corpo- rate lobbyists writing the rules and civil society completely cut out.” negotiated by government representa- tives from the United States, Costa Honduras Rica, Guatemala, El Salvador, environmental, and Nicaragua. Labor, human rights, AIDS-activist and religious groups have all vowed to block CAFTA's passage by Congress in 2004. , Levitt Confessions should be read widely. In the mid-eighties Levitt decided to seek In the mid-eighties Levitt decided At the beginning of The war Levitt speaks of has only intensi- of the would-be union members he was paid to union members he was paid of the would-be defeat. manipulate, confuse and eventually change his pro- treatment for alcoholism and and told the fession. He called the AFL-CIO skeptical at leadership of his decision. While that insider first, union leaders realized business was knowledge of the union-busting Levitt wanted to valuable and that Martin Jay try to make amends. tells of a speech he gave at the 1988 tells of a speech he gave Brotherhood of Conference of the Western speech many Carpenters. At the end of the in their eyes, in the audience had tears “It was not joy, Levitt writes. He then adds, of relief that but an overwhelming feeling that day: relief filled the men who heard me to know that the war they had suspected was being waged on them had been a real one all along and not just a creation of a union’s paranoid imagination, as so many corporate bosses had told them.” took office. Bush Jr. fied since George Confessions is brutal in its honesty and its Confessions “After that night,” Levitt writes, “I began While Levitt understood the strategies of While Levitt understood the According to Levitt there was a method to According to Levitt there was Levitt’s first campaigns introduced him to first campaigns introduced Levitt’s portrayal of the union buster and his awareness to see that the business was all about control. I realized that control was both the objective and the method in union busting.” union busting, his understanding of why union busting, his understanding profession union busting is such a lucrative one night jelled later on. As Levitt chatted Rogers, head of with a dinner guest, John Trust industrial relations at Cleveland union-busting Bank, he found out what the business was all about. “Control,” Rogers told him. the madness. “If you [can] make the union the madness. “If you [can] lose faith, fight drag on long enough, workers lose interest, lose hope.” the most common strategies used by manage- the most common strategies tells us, ment lawyers. First, Levitt take every “Challenge everything... then then prolong challenge to a full hearing... possible, then each hearing” as long as “appeal every unfavorable decision.” USTER B A TO PEACE THREAT NION is a fantastic tool for organizing against the war U ., , NC I , $25. EVITT L AY J ECINOVSKY a poster-sized color map of U.S. terrorist infrastructure Sean “P. Daddy” Sean “P. For more info, see

P UBLISHERS artin Jay Levitt joined the union- artin Jay Levitt joined the was busting business in 1969. He with 25 years old, divorced, living HARDCOVER P CITY ., Track down stockpiles of nuclear, chemical and biological weapons. stockpiles of nuclear, down Track Quickly pinpoint terrorist training camps and private Quickly pinpoint terrorist companies in the U.S. mercenary ARTIN ONY

PP T ORDER NOW! Order —for only $10 per map + $2 shipping & handling 01 - 09 posters Order only $7.50 per map + $5 shipping & handling 10 - 99 posters—for Order only + $5 per map + free 100 ++ posters—for shipping & handling Send a check or money order with your shipping address to: NY 10016 The Indypendent: NYC IMC, 34 E. 29th St. 2nd Fl. New York, email [email protected] or call (212) 684-8112 - - A Threat to Peace and pointing out the Bush administration's hypocrisy on weapons of mass destruction. Buy a copy for yourself, to raise awareness and help supportin your community, independent media. M Even though Levitt wasn’t sure what was sure Even though Levitt wasn’t ONFESSIONS OF A Y ROWN PROTESTERS RAP DIDDY: P. Combs says he is “as pro- worker as they get.” On Dec. 9 is more than 150 protest- ers from Labor the National Committee gathered outside the rap impresario’s mid- town store to urge him to reform a Honduran sweat- shop that produces this pop- ular “Sean John” line of clothing. The rally followed revelations that workers at the factory were forced to work overtime without pay, have to get passes before they can go to the toilet, are subjected to daily body searches, and female work- ers are firedbecome if they pregnant. www.nlc.org PHOTO: FRITZ ASKEW UNION BUSTER REPENTS BUSTER UNION “THE BUSINESS WAS ALL ABOUT CONTROL” ALL WAS “THE BUSINESS 302 C BY C his parents, and in need of fast cash. The his parents, and in need of like his seduction was too much. Besides, do him, “We first union-busting boss told work.” the Lord’s work,” he learned quick- meant by the “Lord’s servants were paid hand- ly that the Lord’s “anti- all, union busters weren’t After somely. union.” They were “pro-company and pro- employee.” Levitt immediately began making $500 a day and billed the client company for every single expenditure for the duration of a union-busting campaign.

B M REVIEW IN BRIEF HEALTH MEDICARE CHIEF PUTS HIMSELF UP FOR AUCTION GENERATION GASP Thomas A. Scully, the federal official who runs Medicare and was intimately involved in drafting legislation to overhaul NEW MEDICARE DRUG BILL IS BAD NEWS FOR YOUNG AS WELL AS OLD the program, will step down Dec. 16. He is the object of a bidding war among five BY ERIC LAURSEN Center for Budget and Policy Priorities histories, who will then have less need for cov- firms hoping to hire him to advise clients (CBPP) in Washington, D.C., who co- erage by their employers. HSAs will provide affected by the measure, according to t’s the biggest change in Medicare policy authored several recent reports on the bill. “If another incentive for employers to scale back the New York Times. Earlier this year, since the massive retiree health insurance you pass a bill this costly, and it’s not offset by or cancel their traditional medical coverage, Scully was granted a waiver by the Iprogram was passed in 1965. And in the any cutbacks, it had better be sound policy. leaving lower-level workers with worse med- Department of Health and Human end, it was all decided by six healthy and This bill fails that test.” ical problems out in the cold, says Park. Services to pursue his job search while affluent white males – four Republicans and What the bill essentially does is tack a new So if you thought your employer might still working closely with Congress on two “friendly” Democrats” – who shut the drug benefit onto the healthcare coverage still be offering retiree health coverage by the Medicare legislation. Scully worked as door on the rest of Congress and negotiated a Medicare already provides – but bars the fed- time you quit working, the chances just got a the president of the Federation of sweeping restructuring of Medicare behind eral government from using any of the cost- lot slimmer. American Hospitals, a trade group for closed doors. They emerged late last month containment tools it normally uses to keep Another of the bill’s provisions is a series of investor-owned hospitals, before taking with a bill priced at $395 billion over 10 expenses down. The most important of these giveaways to HMOs and managed-care his current position in May 2001. years. The GOP leadership then hustled just is its ability to use Medicare’s enormous size providers to persuade them to take on more enough Democrats into supporting it with a to negotiate discounts from providers. But Medicare recipients. These companies already DRUG COMPANIES SEEK psych-out campaign that convinced them drug companies successfully lobbied to pro- get a windfall from Medicare each year – an HIGHER PRICES EVERYWHERE they would pay at the ballot box for voting hibit the government from taking part in overpayment of about 19 percent over the against drug benefits for a key constituency: price negotiations for seniors’ meds. Under amount Medicare spends on beneficiaries who Having beaten back price controls on the elderly. this “non-interference” provision, the HMOs, remain in the traditional system, because the prescription drugs in the United States, “Better benefits” depends on how you insurers and pharmaceutical benefit man- private-sector providers cherry-pick healthi- the U.S. pharmaceutical industry is try- define them, however. Medicare’s 40 million agers that will actually supply drugs to er, more affluent retirees. That leaves the tra- ing to roll them back overseas, with help beneficiaries have been desperate for the pro- Medicare participants will do the negotiating ditional plans with poorer, less healthy peo- from the Bush administration. The first gram to add prescription drug-coverage for instead. And no one expects them to get bet- ple, says Park. test is Australia, which is currently nego- years, as prices for meds skyrocket. But to get ter prices than the government could. But HMOs and managed-care providers tiating a free-trade pact In return for conservative Republican lawmakers to go The drug companies also lobbied success- still claim they are underpaid. So the new bill more access to U.S. agricultural mar- along, the new benefit had to be a skimpy fully to retain loopholes that keep generic ver- will raise their payments to perhaps 25 per- kets, Trade Representative Robert one. And Democrats had to abandon measures sions of their drugs from coming to market. cent over the amount traditional Medicare Zoellick is demanding that the Aussies that might have held down drug costs and And they killed a proposed addition that pays, according to the CBPP. Alongside this, dismantle programs that allow the gov- agree to “cost-containment” provisions geared would have liberalized the rules for reimport- the bill sets up a $12 billion “slush fund” that ernment to use its purchasing power to to erode the traditional Medicare system and ing cheap drugs from Canada. Medicare’s administrators can distribute to obtain lower drug prices. The Doctors open it up to private-sector encroachment in To get Republicans to sign on, the bill’s private providers at their discretion, as a fur- Reform Society of Australia estimates coming years. chief negotiators, Senate Majority Leader Bill ther inducement. There’s no requirement that that drug prices would triple if the U.S. The bill that Congress passed on to President Frist and House Ways and Means Chair Bill they do anything in particular with this proposal is adopted. Bush “starts the unraveling of the Medicare Thomas, packed it with a series of non-drug- money, however. Rather than open up cheap system,” said Sen. Edward Kennedy, who tried related measures that Park says will erode coverage to more people who need it, Park PHARMACEUTICAL CEO: a last-minute filibuster against the measure. Medicare and could eventually destroy it. points out, providers could decide to provide MANY DRUGS DON’T WORK Not just the elderly will lose, either. As For instance, it raises Medicare premiums more lavish services, such as health clubs, to Medicare’s traditional hospital, nursing and for individuals earning more than $80,000 their healthier, more desirable clients. A senior executive of GlaxoSmithKline, doctors’ benefits continue to decline and drug a year. While that would only affect the top For younger workers, says Park, the prob- one of Britain’s largest pharmaceutical prices continue to soar, so will the federal 4 percent of beneficiaries today, the new lem is that these giveaways – not to mention companies, stated at a recent scientific budget deficit. That will trigger increases in premium formula is not indexed to infla- the massive tax breaks represented by the meeting in London that most prescrip- current workers’ payroll taxes and make the tion. So by the time younger workers start HSAs – shrink Medicare’s revenue base. Less tion drugs do not work on most of the program even less affordable when they are returning decades from now, they may be money coming in means workers’ payroll taxes people who take them. He said, “the ready to retire. Meanwhile, with no guarantee surprised to find themselves paying higher will have to rise drastically while they’re still vast majority of drugs – more than 90 that private-sector providers will actually premiums even though no one would classi- working, and their benefits will be lower when percent – only work in 30 to 50 percent cover more than a very narrow range of meds, fy them as “affluent.” they retire. Analysts already anticipated some of people.” This is the first time a senior more retirees will be forced to turn to their The bill also creates a new kind of savings kind of adjustments when baby boomers start drug official has gone public with this families – often overburdened themselves vehicle for workers in high-deductible health leaving the workforce in large numbers. But type of information. Although prescrip- with spiraling health costs. plans, called Health Savings Accounts. But the new Medicare regime will make matters a tion drugs may be inefficient healers, “We’re concerned about it worsening the the only ones who will be able to take advan- lot worse, a lot sooner. they are efficient moneymakers. In federal deficit,” says Ed Park, senior health tage of the new structure are higher-income 2000, GlaxoSmithKline’s sales reached policy analyst at the individuals with better medical $31.5 billion, including $13.5 billion in pharmaceuticals sold in the United States, its largest market. Medicare Reform SCHOOL TELLS SECOND GRADER DON’T SAY “GAY” WINNERS LOSERS A Louisiana second grader was recently sent home from school for telling his class- DRUG COMPANIES: No price “DUAL COVERAGE” SENIORS: 6.4 million receiv- mates that his mother is gay and explain- controls, no resales of drugs from ing prescription drugs through Medicaid will be ing that gay meant when a “girl likes a Canada into the United States, no help for shifted into Medicare, and may lose the more gen- girl.” According to the Lafayette Daily generic drug makers. Advertiser, the 7-year-old boy was also erous drug benefits Medicaid provides. HOSPITALS AND PHYSICIANS: $25 billion for rural sent to a behavior clinic where he report- OTHER SENIORS: A provision in the bill called the hospitals, $600 million in extra payments for technology; 1.5 edly had to write “I will never use gay in “doughnut hole” means the new drug benefit only cov- percent increase in physician payments school again” as part of his punishment. ers expenses up to $2,250 and over $3,600 a year. The ACLU and the mother want an apology PRIVATE EMPLOYERS: Subsidies to Seniors whose drug expenses fall in between are on their from the school, which contends the child continue offering retiree health- own. Meanwhile, the $250 deductible set in the bill is project- was disciplined for disrupting class and care programs. ed to rise to $445 by 2013. talking about inappropriate subject matter. HMOS AND OTHER PRIVATE THE INDYPENDENT CURRENTLY WORKING TAXPAYERS: Will see their payroll taxes PROVIDERS: Sets up a go up and benefits cut due to a triggering mechanism that INDYMEDIA 1 demonstration project in 2010 requires the president to submit legislation to DIEBOLD 0 in which selected cities will host rebalance Medicare’s books if more then Diebold Election Systems announced “direct competitions” between pri- 45 percent of the system’s spending Dec. 2 it was withdrawing legal threats vate providers – who will be heavily comes from general revenues. against voting activists and internet serv- subsidized – and traditional Medicare. ice providers for publishing thousands of CURRENT WORKERS WITH SEVERE pages of internal staff e-mail that point to SOME SENIORS: Get a discount drug card right away that law- HEALTH PROBLEMS: May lose expected flaws with the company’s computerized makers say will provide drug discounts of 10 to 20 percent; after retiree coverage or see their premiums jump as employers voting systems. Indymedia.org, which 2006, the new drug program may lower costs for seniors with seri- cancel retiree plans and healthier workers join Health Savings received a cease-and-desist order from ous illnesses or chronic conditions – depending on drugs are on Accounts. – Eric Laursen DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY Diebold earlier this fall, was one of those the market.

6 named in the order. THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 13, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 7 .NYC.INDYMEDIA.ORG COMMENTARY COMMENTARY WWW & OPEN PUBLISHING IS YOUR NAME MOHAMAD? JAMES YOUSEF YEE’S LONG, STRANGE JOURNEY When Mohamad Pharoan, a Syrian- JUDGE SHINES LIGHT ON JUDGE SHINES CASE JOSE PADILLA At a court hearing in November, most vocal backers has Among Yee’s DEBATE THE NEWS For the past 17 months al Qaeda sus- For the past 17 has been locked up in pect Jose Padilla solitary in a Navy brig in confinement South Carolina. The government says the Brooklyn-born Padilla is an “enemy him indefi- combatant” and it can hold nitely without pressing charges, without granting him access to an attorney and -- or anyone without even showing him else including the courts -- evidence that He is a crime has been committed. But some stuck in a legal black hole. light is emerging case. in his Second Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Barrington Parker put the case in per- spective. If the the president is granted warnedsuch sweeping powers, she “we would be affecting a sea-change in the countryConstitutional life of this and that would we’d be making that change be unprecedented in civilized society.” It has been a long three months for a Muslim military Yee, James Yousef chaplain who graduated from West Point. He worked with detainees at Guantanamo Bay until he was detained by his own military. Soon word hit the papers: Army arrests Muslim cleric sus- pected of treason.76 He was held for days including a stint in a military brig in South Carolina.When charges were finally filed they paled in comparison to treason. The most serious was taking classified material to his home and wrongfully transporting classified mate- rial without the proper security contain- ers or covers. The military also charged him with adultery and downloading porn it And now on a governmental computer. turnsthe porn/adultery out charge may attorney is be all that sticks – Yee’s alleging that the military arrested his client for wrongfully transporting classi- fied material without determining if the material was classified. been Cecilia Chang, founder of Justice For New Americans, who says the case Ho Lee, is eerily similar to that of Wen another Chinese-American, who was accused of espionage and later found to be innocent. born U.S. citizen, answered “yes,” the Secret Service ordered him to go home from his waitering job at the Baltimore Hyatt Regency hours before President No Bush spoke at a major fundraiser. reason given. Pharoan was had worked at the hotel for seven years. Bush would go on to raise $1 million that night and claim “Abroad, we seek to lift whole nations by spreading freedom. At home, we seek to lift up lives by spreading opportunity to every corner of America.” IN BRIEF IN Undercover cops take APOC partygoer down. Or, as John Ashcroft put it, “We’re going to do everything we can put it, “We’re as John Ashcroft Or, While the police and FBI have been keen to play the “good ACLU Executive Director Anthony Romero issued a statement The raid on the APOC party was not the only recent incident. The raid on the APOC party was not the only recent they should be are targeted, “If activists and radical organizations most Pam Africa of the Philadelphia-based MOVE organization, Action, An undercover operative who had infiltrated Fresno Peace When asked why the APOC raid may have happened, Tiffine Police and federal authorities had been banned since the late 1970s Police and federal authorities had been banned since the late REFUSING TO BE DIVIDED activist/bad activist” game, the “diversity of tactics” approach within the left appears to be holding. Legal advocacy groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union and the Center for Constitutional Rights have been adamant in their opposition to any expansion of police spying into dissident groups, regardless of their ideological flavor. saying, “Attorney General Ashcroft has dismissed critics of the Justice tactics as ‘hysterical’ and has even said that such criti- Department’s cism aids the terrorists. But this [FBI] bulletin confirms that the fed- innocent Americans engaged in nothing eral government is targeting more than lawful protest and dissent.” He added, “It is troubling that the FBI is advocating spying on peaceful protesters, but even protest- ers who engage in civil disobedience or other disruptive acts should not be treated like potential terrorists.” 16 The Alliance is an ongoing effort to defend those charged during the Nov. raid. For more information: (718) 398-2825 THE EMERGING PATTERN intrusion Stories are getting around of suspected surveillance, police but around the country. and the theft of records not just in New York, com- aware of what has happened to Muslim charities and even smaller, Maulik of munity-based groups such as the ethnic press,” said Monami Asians. Desis Rising Up and Moving, an advocacy group for South “Journalists have been detained and people have been deported.” Abu-Jamal, known for their association with death-row inmate Mumia containing reported that their office was robbed and numerous files On the eve contact lists and other sensitive information were pilfered. visit to City College in Harlem, of Secretary of State Colin Powell’s of the Secret Service agents called a campus activist and member at his home inquiring into the International Socialist Organization had contact nature of the protest despite the fact that he had never with them before and the planned protest was entirely nonviolent. was outed when he died and his photo was a pacifist organization, Coast A series of FBI raids on the West seen in a newspaper obituary. alleged supporters and/or associates of the Earth have targeted Liberation Front, an anarchistic direct-action group responsible for over $100 million in arson damages against SUV dealerships and urban-sprawl development. Grand juries have also been threatened in Michigan against environmental activists. responded with two questions of her own: “Where does accountability really need to be lie? What forms will resistance to repression take? We asking questions before we just make up answers. It may have happened Any time we try to cre- to us, but the entire community was targeted. The party was a metaphor.” we are targeted. ate a self-aware community, from engaging in surveillance and infiltration of groups who had not from engaging in surveillance and infiltration of groups who Act and recent But with the passage of the Patriot broken the law. the NYPD local changes eliminating the Handschu Agreement, both and other- and FBI now have a free hand to spy on, disrupt, infiltrate wise attempt to squash the next left. delay them, to identify those who would hurt us to disrupt them, to but we are to defeat them.” He never said exactly who “they” are, beginning to learn. QUALITY OF LIFE: New York . Coan rejected claims “the intelligence-gath- Times Gay City News

RANDT B ran a front-page story exposing a confidential FBI memorandum

ED J t was just a house party on Atlantic Avenue. Over a hundred peo- Avenue. t was just a house party on Atlantic of spoken word and dancing organ- ple had gathered for a night People of Color (APOC) in a ized by a loose network of Anarchist The memo did not include reference to any law that made anar- While the list of behavior the FBI finds suspect did not include Other examples of criminal activity cited include “wearing scarves local law enforcement to “be alert to possible The memo urged Police break up parties all the time, particularly in Brooklyn. But One anonymous FBI official told the “The police were indiscriminate. They went off,” said Tiffine, a They went off,” said Tiffine, “The police were indiscriminate. people with cameras,” said Mayuran “They particularly targeted Inspector Michael Coan “It started out as a quality of life matter,” Partygoers counter his story by noting that police responded with Partygoers counter his story by noting that police responded said Tiffine. “The police treat people of color badly in Bed-Stuy,” 77th precinct for booking. The arrested were taken to Brooklyn’s with a felony and the misdemeanors are still No one was charged recent The party was raising funds to cover expenses from the list,” fur- According to several partygoers, police asked for the “sign-in Y ering effort was aimed at identifying anarchists and ‘extremist ele- ments’ plotting violence, not at monitoring the political speech of law-abiding protesters.” chism itself a crime. dancing at house parties, it was chock full of other equally legal activ- ities including “use of the Internet to recruit, raise funds, and coordi- nate their activities prior to demonstrations.” It also warned that pro- testers may “intimidate” police by videotaping incidents of brutality. The memo went on to blur the difference between legitimate resist- ance and terrorism by equating nonviolence training and direct- action workshops used by protesters with “training camps,” a term normally reserved for the military bases of groups such as al-Qaeda. and sunglasses to minimize the effects of tear gas and pepper spray as identity” and wearing “layered clothing” as a well as obscure one’s form of “body protection equipment.” indicators of protest activity and report any potentially illegal acts to Force.” Police, both local and Task the nearest FBI Joint Terrorism federal, have admitted to electronic surveillance of the left. SO LONG, LIBERTY! for political reasons were suspicions that the benefit was targeted strengthened several days after the APOC raid when the Times sent to over 15,000 law enforcement officials. The memo admitted to, and encouraged, the identification and monitoring of antiwar and other protest groups engaged in legal dissent during the lead up to and San Francisco. recent national protests in Washington

B 16. By all accounts, spirits were Nov. Prospect Heights walk-up on a blast. Then, just after 2 a.m., while the high and people were having several policemen showed up at the dancing was still going strong, minutes, eight people would be arrested and numerous Within door. lacerations, a spinal injury and exposure others hospitalized with scalp agents. to pepper spray and other chemical an ad hoc group of partygoers who spokeswoman for “The Alliance,” are representing the arrestees. for APOC. “They particularly targeted an organizer Tiruchelvam, Anybody who asked women of color. people who were visibly queer, they hit.” questions, anybody who they said was in the way, press office told of the NYPD’s APOC MEETSAPOC THE MAN NYPD RAID OF BROOKLYN ANARCHIST PARTYREVELATIONS COMES OF ONLY FBI DAYS BEFORE TARGETING OF “ANARCHISTS AND OTHER EXTREMISTS”

that police targeted the group and said the incident stemmed from that police targeted to produce the fact that an alleged open-container violator refused to issue a identification. The police claimed they were merely trying unruly. citation when the crowd spilled out of the party and became within approximately 20 squad cars and numerous plainclothes officers believe that moments of the initial contact, a fact that has led them to drinking a beer on the about whether someone was or wasn’t this wasn’t to noise or street. They also noted that no complaint had been filed due either at the loitering, and that all the residents of the building were party or out for the evening. The block itself is sparsely populated. what this system “The police are a hostile force of occupation. That’s she elabo- is. They are opening the repression playbook.” That said, anything rated that most people at the party had never experienced were victimized, quite like the brutality and surprise of the raid. “We but we’re not victims.” dished out Ricky Mananzala, one of the arrestees, said the police “severe verbal harassment” because he is a transsexual. pending. APOC conference in Michigan, the first of its kind. surveil- ther fueling suspicions that the raid had a lot to do with police lance on dissident groups in New York. I 8 DECEMBER 13, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2003 THE INDYPENDENT I in NewYork. back eventstoorganize other informative teach-ins and looking aheadtothefuture of2004.SoasIleftMiami,began March FTAA, isCAFTA, there scheduledtopassby version ofthe Even withawatered-down local communities,stillneedstobedone. inour particularly organizing, of important inMiamishowedmethatalot repression that theeventsinMiamiignited. thefires tinues oncethesmokeclearsfrom Ihopethemomentumcon- stories Iheard. byallthefacesIsawand felt inspired FTAA planningmeetings,itwasmassive.I withthenumberofpeopleat Compared turnout. not expectedsuchanenormous Ihad atJudsonChurch. FTAA report-back negotiations. ofhaltingunfairtrade going tobeinterms inMiamiwas ourpresence how effective passing,Ifoundmyselfwondering from many peopleattemptingtostoptheFTAA Although itwasencouragingtoseeso bythepolice. beaten andarrested aboutfriendsthathadbeen or worrying street forwalkingdownthewrong arrested thepolice,afraidImightbe ning from Most ofmytimeinMiamiwasspentrun- work Ihadbeeninvolvedinuptothatpoint. to howunconnectedIfelttheorganizing Iwasslightlyconfusedas in theprotests, comingup. protests totheissues,especiallywith response gettingmore building andwewere life getsbusy. Butslowly, was interest tomotivatepeoplewhen sometimes hard let aloneCAFTA, andsimplybecauseitis oftheFTAA,many peoplehadneverheard thanIimagined,as difficult more proved vote againstthem.To behonest,ithad ments andgivingindividualsachanceto peopleaboutthetradeagree- informing TradeAmerican Free (CAFTA), Agreement ontheFTAAReferendum andCentral been workingwiththeNYCPeople’s ed forMiami. few) workingonarangeofissuesandexcit- tonameonlya students, Wetlands Preserve, NewYorkPeople’s Referendum, University Justice, theIMCvideocollective, diversity ofactivists(UnitedforPeaceand some unexpectedbusriders.Ourhada a successfullast-minutefundraiserand though,with Welack ofinterest. pulleditoff, ofactuallyfillingthebusduetoa uncertainty thaninitiallythought,with out tobeharder so Idecidedtogo. andsolidarity,physically showourprotest to thatitwasimportant and organizers convinced aftertalkingwithsomefriends that Ican’tdoinNewYork?” ThenIwas it forayearnow, butwhatcanIdoinMiami against Americas andI’vebeenorganizing B BACK REPORTS ORGANIZER YORK NEW Y [email protected] 212.684.8112 10016 NY, NY 34 E.29thSt.2ndfloor Contribute. But itstillcostsmoneytoprint. INDYPENDENT THE OWNS NOBODY Over 280 arrests and brutal police andbrutal Over 280arrests attendedthe toNewYork,After returning I inMiamiandparticipating After arriving goingdowntoMiami,Ihad Long before NewYork abusfrom Organizing Cityturned the Free Tradethe Free ofthe Agreement a whileIthought,“IknowI’magainst almost didn’tgotoMiami.Becausefor S INA C HOI A moment toescalatethe violenceagainstthe began todisperse, the policeseized shooting unarmeddemonstrators. armored officersonbreakfromgassingand as theymarchedpastcolumnsofthebody- Many oftheunionguysapplaudedpolice was carefullycoordinatedwiththepolice. Sweeney, themarchhadalegalpermitand march. LedbyAFL-CIOPresidentJohn major laborunionsheldtheirmassrallyand in MiamicameonThursdayafternoon.The police behindlines. masks andall–walkingwithuniformed people dressedlikeBlackBlockids–ski backpack thatread:“FTAA NoWay.” other protester. Onehadastickeronhis undercover agents,weredressedlikeany back behindpolicelines.Theseguys,clearly shocked protesters,beforebeingliberated of theguyspulledoutelectrictasersand others movedintobreakupthemelee,two gotten intoabrawlamongthemselves.Butas appeared asthoughagroupofprotestershad point duringastandoffwithpolice,it undercover policewiththeprotesters.Atone to asthe“MiamiModel.” protests tostudywhatsomearenowreferring sent law-enforcementobserverstothe officials calleditextraordinary. Severalcities actions amodelforhomelandsecurity. FTAA matter ifitwaswarranted. to haveamajorcombatoperation.Itdidn’t $87 billionIraqspendingbill,Miamineeded ing $8.5millioninfederalfundsfromthe And theydidthatoverandover. Afterreceiv- Timoney’s mencamepreparedtocrackheads. violence. Itwasclearfromthejumpthat hurl anythingattheforcestosparkpolice restrained andfocused. ing tosmasheverythingup,wereincredibly Bloc kids,whogenerallyhavearepforwant- site oftheFTAA meetings.EventheBlack the wayofactionnotaimeddirectlyat garbage cansetonfire,therewasverylittlein exception ofsomegraffitiandanoccasional attack abusinessorcorporation.With the We sawnoattemptsbyanyprotestersto the streets,goingfromconflicttoconflict. stomach atpoint-blankrange. him multipletimes,includingonceinthe a peacesigninfrontofthetroops.Theyshot guy’s apparentcrimewasholdinghisfingers in shot inthebackastheyretreated.Oneyoung ple withelectrictasers.Demonstratorswere grenades intothecrowds.Policeshockedpeo- eral occasions,policefiredloudconcussion were gassedwithanarrayofchemicals.Onsev- with skin-piercingrubberbullets;thousands of unarmedprotesters.Scorespeoplewerehit carriers andhelicopters. back... back.”Therewerearmoredpersonnel against theirshields,chanting,“back... son throughthestreets,bangingbatons body armorandgasmasks,marchinginuni- dressed inkhakiuniformswithfullblack paramilitary group.Thousandsofsoldiers, D B PROTESTS. THINKTHISISIRAQ?IT’SYOURCOUNTRY. MODEL PARAMILITARIES, EMBEDDEDJOURNALISTSANDILLEGAL MIAMI THE Y EMOCRACY But assoontheunion’s permittedmarch The onlypauseintheheavypoliceviolence The IMChassincepublishedpicturesof This modelalsoincludedtheembeddingof Miami MayorMannyDiazcalledthepolice There wasnoneedforanydemonstratorto My colleaguesandIspentseveraldaysin The forcesfiredindiscriminatelyintocrowds J EREMY runs inMiamiapoliceforce.It’s a one shouldcallwhatJohnTimoney fter theMiamifreetradesummit,no N S OW CAHILL ! Eventually, wemadeitout. side streetsandalleys,duckingaswefled. nothing todobutrun.We scattereddown as theymovedin.Allofusrealizedwehad ners. Theyfiredgasandrubberbulletsatus guns anddozensofuswithcamerasban- Except therewerehundredsofthemwith the eeriefeelingofahigh-noonshowdown. four sides.We stoodthereinthestreetswith est sectionsofMiami,surroundingthemon ing groupofprotestersintoonethepoor- twice, onceintheback,anothertimeleg. Another wasshotintheforehead.Igot One womanhadpartofherearblownoff. police firedindiscriminatelyatthecrowds. even withoutJohnSweeneyattheirside.The ers whobelievedtheyhadarighttoprotest, column directlyattheseveralhundredprotest- bam. Thebatonswereswinging. tat-tat. Therubberbulletswerefired.Bam, flying. Hiss.Theteargaswassprayed.Rat-a- peaceably protesttheFTAA. strators shoutedbackthattheyhadarightto Intercontinental Hotel.Someofthedemon- the protesterstoclearareainfrontof ing theunionrally, Timoney’s forcesordered other protesters.Freshfromtheirbreakdur- across thestreetfrom thejailifpolice they wouldagreetoremain inaparkinglot police officialsatthe scene. Theactivistssaid there ain’t noriothere.” Not FreeTrade,” and“Take offyourriotgear, marine.” Theychanted,“FreethePrisoners, to thetuneof“We allliveinayellowsub- They sang“We allliveinafaileddemocracy,” was apeacefulassemblyofabout300people. than 150peoplewerebeingheldprisoner. It outside theDadeCountyJailwheremore THE REALCRIME:FAILURE TOEMBED sion ofanti-FTAA protests. ESCALATION: Eventually, thepoliceforceddissipat- The policemethodicallymarchedinalong Boom. Theconcussiongrenadesstarted Representatives ofthe protestersmetwith The nextday, wewenttoamiddayrally Miami cop points gun at peaceful protestors and journalists duringsuppres- andjournalists Miami coppointsgunatpeacefulprotestors so thepolicesaid. riot police.Theyreachedanagreement...or would callofftheswellingpresenceof the cities toprotectthe powerbrokersfrom calling themselvespolice, deployedinU.S. democracy lookslike. Thousandsofsoldiers, Ana wascharged with“failuretodisperse.” ous charges, someofthemfelonies.Inthe end, locked upformuchlongerandarefacingseri- bond. Otherindependentjournalistswere a.m. ShewasonlyreleasedafterIposteda$500 was heldinacockroach-filledjailcelluntil3:30 ers protestingAna’s arrestanddetention,she from DemocracyNow!,ACLUlawyersandoth- naked infrontofmaleofficers.Despitecalls with pepperspray. Thepoliceforcedhertostrip remove herclothesbecausetheyweresoaked the policeandthereforedeservedarrested. friendly type.Shewasnotembeddedwith Ana wasclearlyajournalist,shenotthe she’s notwithus,”meaningthatalthough people, Anatoldthemshewasajournalist. plain sight.Asthepolicebeganhandcuffing Ana waswearingherpresscredentialsin As shedidherjob–videotapingtheaction “safe” sideofthestreet.Anawasinmelee. the mayhem.Iwasluckytoendupon Now!, AnaNogueira,andIgotseparatedin at closerange.MycolleaguefromDemocracy the groundandbeatthem.Theygassedthem 30 peopleintoacorner. Theyshovedthem to attacked thedispersingcrowd,chasingabout the protesterscomplied. though thepoliceviolatedtheiragreement, disperse fromthe“unlawfulassembly.” Even announced thatpeoplehadthreeminutesto they movedinfromallfoursides.They bers offullyarmedtroopsgrewandgrew. And In thetimesinwhichwelive,thisiswhat The realcrimeseemstobe“failureembed.” In policecustody, theauthoritiesmadeAna One oftheofficerssaid,“She’s notwithus, But thatwasnotenough.Thepolicethen As thedemonstrationcontinued,num- masses.

ANA NOGUEIRA NRWSTERN/INDYMEDIA ANDREW THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 13, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 7 But the protests were something new for as 20,000 for a Rallying a crowd as large assertion, local resi- Contrary to Timoney’s this trade talks in a state of disarray, With the prospect that the FTAA for now, Yet, distanced from the trade negotiations, and later use of force, felt witnessing the police’s that there was little out of the ordinary in the scene. South Florida. The area lacks a strong history and sits far removed from of labor organizing centers of campus radicalism. Holding the meetings in Dade County was the FTAA decision domestic equivalent of the WTO’s to conduct negotiations in the isolated nation of Qatar in 2001. main day of action represented an impressive the bulk of down- With feat of organizing. town Miami preemptively locked down by a riot-armored police force, the demonstrators strongly reinforced the point that no matter where in the hemisphere trade ministers go, they will not be allowed the back-room anonymity they enjoyed when cutting their deals only a few years ago. dents spent months rallying their communities. Palm Beach County community activists, stu- dents and area Greens supported street protests. A coalition called Root Cause, made up of grass- like the Coalition of roots organizations the Miami Workers Immokalee Workers, Center and Low Income Families Fighting led a pioneering three-day march Together, from Fort Lauderdale to Miami, highlighting the impact of globalization on people of color in South Florida. Jobs with Justice and local unions held meetings that shunned reactionary nationalistic solutions to trade and imbued the protests with a spirit of labor internationalism. internationalism will be more important than Our vision of globalization, based on ever. fair exchanges and respect for solidarity, human rights, has not ended. Nor has the global worship of profit that we oppose. Bush a is not a globalizer; he is a power-projector, imperialist. He will continue a latter-day pursuit of corporate interest even without the multilateral trade mechanisms that we have and may ultimate- made visible and familiar, ly present even more difficult challenges for advocates of global justice. will likely dwindle again into obscurity is cause for celebration. The people of the Americas, I suspect, will never miss it. Research assistance for this article provided by Jason Rowe. For more writings by Mark check DemocracyRising.org. Engler, But the global justice movement can also ministerial, the On the eve of the FTAA after Miami, the United States has lost Yet, who had called the full The Venezuelans, Our movement, accustomed to warning Protesters had earned a day in the sun. And It is hard to feel victorious after a crack- demanded by the Latin American elite – real moves toward the opening of United States markets. This makes it difficult to determine a reason for the global South to offer up com- promises of its own. claim a fair part in halting the progress of the Uprisings throughout the hemisphere FTAA. have badly shaken the idea that U.S. econom- ic plans represent an inevitable and welcomed march of progress. Protests have also coincid- ed with increasing defiance from many gov- ernments in the developing world, who are less susceptible than in the past to White House threats. Bush administration announced that it would pursue individual, bilateral trade agreements with countries like Colombia, Peru and Bolivia. Such one-on-one deals eliminate the inconvenient possibility of a unified Southern trading bloc. the key economies of the hemisphere: of and most important Argentina, Venezuela, all, Brazil. The leftist Brazilian government of Lula da Silva co-chaired the talks and par- ticipated in the charade of promoting FTAA- Lite. But it did not budge on the demands that are almost certain to doom future nego- tiations. agreement a “colonial project that seeks FTAA to impose itself over the constitution of every sovereign nation,” were more blunt about outcome. “This is an extraordinary Miami’s said victory in the struggle against the FTAA,” a member of Venezuela’s Edgardo Lander, Committee. “They wanted Presidential FTAA a full-scale, comprehensive agreement, and get it. They will never get it. This they didn’t is not the end of the game. But it is a major, major defeat of the U.S. agenda.” on against the dangers presented by “NAFTA steroids,” has been slow to take this message to heart. But if we do not applaud the failure talks, we risk aiding the Bush of the FTAA effort to spin its Florida Administration’s defeat as a stride forward. The truth is that trade ministers ended their talks early because they had nothing to discuss. more might have taken a celebratory trip to the beach, were it not for the police. some observers of past down. Moreover, protests, seeing the collection of young peo- ple amassing on the Miami streets, marching with the Steelworkers along a route safely NGLER E ush wanted a win in Miami, and he got one, so the White House says. Any hon- knows that the however, est observer, ARK M The Bush Administration, which maintains Has “globalization” ended? Why are mech- Almost a week before the November sum- Y its bullying unilateralism in trade negotia- tions, deserves credit for sinking the Miami Representative Robert Zoellick talks. Trade did not present any of the concessions anisms like the WTO and the FTAA failing? anisms like the WTO and the FTAA And why did thousands of us gather outside the Miami meetings to denounce an agree- ment that was effectively dead? mit, trade officials announced that none of the substantive issues for the agreement would be on the table for discussion. Negotiations over key matters that have caused conflicts between the U.S. and the nations of the developing world – like agri- cultural tariffs, intellectual property and rules for foreign investment – would be postponed In order to avoid the type of until next year. Trade collapse experienced by the World (WTO) in Cancun just a few Organization months ago, the United States. instead pro- that puts a moted a face-saving “FTAA-Lite” sunshine spin on an impasse. B Area of the negotiations for the Free Trade failed before they ever began. Americas (FTAA) B FTAA NEGOTIATIONS FAILED BEFORE THEY BEGAN FREE TRADE ON THE ROCKS

INTO POLICE ASSAULTS IN MIAMI INTO POLICE ASSAULTS

VINGER

Originally published in NYU Inc. E

MASS MEDIA MASS

UNION CONDEMNS USE OF IRAQ RECONSTRUCTION FUNDS YOU KNOW IT he majority of my knowledge of the he majority of my knowledge world comes from television, movies, books, and newspapers; very little is TO SUBSIDIZE “HOMELAND REPRESSION” AT FTAA MEETINGS FTAA TO SUBSIDIZE “HOMELAND REPRESSION” AT

ATTHEW M So after the police took over downtown So after the police took over The most telling shots came from the Throughout the population of the week, Despite that, whenever we went to “Last week, the fundamental rights of thousands of Americans… were blatantly violated, “It is condemnable enough that a massive police state was created to prevent American “It is doubly condemnable,” he added, “that $9 million of federal funds designated for Citing “countless instances of humiliating repression in which the Miami police force dis- do less would be to endorse homeland repression in the guise of homeland securi- “To Y STEELWORKERS CALL FOR CONGRESSIONAL INVESTIGATION STEELWORKERS

WHEN YOU SEE IT DISTORTS REALITY: Miami, we decided to watch some local Miami, we decided to watch news. Phrases like “extremist anarchist” and “violent protester” seemed to be pop- surprising, ping up a lot. This was a little weregiven what the stations themselves airing. One happy clip showed a motion- less teenager face down on the street, his backpack completely covering his head, with two generously sized and fully armored of him, riot cops kneeling on top wrenching his arm back and yelling at him to “stop resisting.” two Another showing police simply dragging a girl wailing at the top of her lungs along the street for ten or fifteen feet. reporters “embedded” with the police. In more peo- than one instance, cops punched ple outright or clubbed people who were Again, no hint fromthe walking away. reporter that all of this might be a little excessive. It was instead the protesters who were, in the words of Chief John “coming to terrorize and vandalize Timoney, our city.” downtown Miami seemed to be entirely cops and demonstrators. Local government and media did a fine job of scaring people away before hand. other parts of the city a lot of people mostly of color) expressed (mostly poor, one guy When appreciation or empathy. found out that a friend of mine was injured he just said, by the police, “those motherfuckers.” Even those unfamiliar were well-versed in Miami- with the FTAA style policing. based on direct experience. So even when I can defend it know a fact intellectually and in an argument, I still don’t really believe a the realitything until I am jolted by of observing it in front me. of PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) is calling for a Congressional PITTSBURGH — The United Steelworkers of America (USWA) investigation into “a massive police state,” created in part with federal funds, to intimidate Areaunion members and others critical of the proposed and of the Americas Free Trade meetings in Miami last week. limit their rights during FTAA by the Miami police, who systematically repressed our Constitutional sometimes violently, Gerard,right to free assembly with massive force, riot gear and armaments,” said Leo W. international president,USWA Congressional in a letter to leaders. negotiators for redresscitizens fromof their grievances,” Gerard directly petitioning FTAA said in the letter. the reconstruction of Iraq were used toward this despicable purpose. How can we hope to build democracy in Iraq while using massive force to dismantle it here at home?” graced itself,” Gerard police chief John Timoney said that Miami should be fired, all charges against peaceful demonstrators should be dropped, and a Congressional investigation into the Miami police department’s systematic repression should immediately be launched. Gerard’s letter concluded. ty,”

B T 10 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 THE INDYPENDENT T to Bushaslongheremainsenthroned. East blowupthedayafteritisofnoconcern tions onNov. 2,2004.IfIraqandtheMiddle ordinary Iraqis,untilthepresidentialelec- ance, whichmeansharshmilitaryruleof electoral strategyofsmotheringtheresist- minds.” Thewarisnowbeingdrivenbyan No longeristhetalkofwinning“heartsand aware ofthis,butitapparentlydoesn’t care. weapons theycantoteontheirshoulders. bands ofIraqifightersarmedwithonlythe cyberspace, butitislosingthewartosmall dominance ofland,airandsea,outerspace mightiest warmachineever, withunassailable By A.K.Gupta HOUSE RUNSTHROUGHIRAQ THE ROADTOWHITE The evidenceisintheWhiteHouse’s “de- But here’s thetwist:TheWhiteHouseis IRAQ my: thePentagonhasassembled tion inIraqfirstconsiderthisdichoto- o understandtheUnitedStates’situa- MATTHEW HALL REMEMBERING B Y O points willmultiplyalongwithbrutality, lation andlosingthewarinlongrun. only atthecostofalienatingentirepopu- be containedwithdraconianmethods,but and elsewhereisthatpopularinsurgencies can fare inAlgeria,Indochina,SouthernAfrica and outfittedforurbancombatraids.) emphasizing thatthenewtroopsaretrained U.S. Marines.(Additionally, thePentagon is shock troopsnextyearintheformof40,000 and floodtheso-called“SunniTriangle”with 180,000 withtheoverlappingdeploy strategy istoincreasetroopstrengthsome everything goes“accordingtoplan.”Thereal leaving untilMarch2004–andthat’s only if ing inIraq.Butthecurrenttroopswon’t start reduced to105,000newtroopsnowdeploy- the 131,000U.S.troopsinIraqwillbe escalation” plan.Administrationofficialssay SAGE For Iraqis,raids,detentions,andcheck- The lessonfromacenturyofguerrillawar- B ELL ments

MIKE FLUGENNOCK those fightingtheoccupation,andU.S.com- numerous policetellreporterstheysupport chief target ofresistanceattacks.Nonetheless, equipped, hostiletotheAmericansandarea growing separatism. ularly Kurdishones,whichisfeedingthe are beingdrawnfromvariousfactions,partic- a new“counterterrorism”forceof850Iraqis has alreadyquit.) Almost one-halfofthe700-manIraqiArmy few daysinstruction.(They’realsodeserting. facilities protectionforce,usuallywithjusta police andanother50,000areservingina with inadequatetraining.Almosthalfare However, allarebeingpressedintoservice with nearly150,000Iraqisunderarms. assume control,therearesix,andcounting, resistance. allowing theSunniArabstobearcostsof Sistani whowantsdirectelections. lision coursewithGrandAyatollah Alial- piers havemaneuveredthemselvesontoacol- “transitional assembly”nextJune.Theoccu- to approveplanforindirectelectionsa prepare voterrollsintimeandpushedthem told theCouncilthatitwasimpossibleto al electionsbynextSeptember. Theyinstead could havevoterrollsreadyfordirectnation- members thefactthatnewcensusbureau in contempt.U.S.officialshidfromCouncil the streetforfearoftheirlives. analyst saystheycan’t minglewithpeoplein riers andrazorwirethatoneIraqipolitical bers aresoisolatedbehindguards,blastbar- any onetime.TheGoverningCouncilmem- decided, andmostareoutofthecountryat show upformeetings,wherenothinggets 25 members,onlyfourorfivearesaidto Iraqi GoverningCouncilhascollapsed.Ofits admission that“Iraqification”isafailure.The Sunni center, andShi’asouth. fragmentation ofIraqintoaKurdishnorth, Saudi ArabiaandTurkey, andacceleratingthe destabilizing theregion,asishappeningin ance, intensifyingangerontheArabstreet, resulting insimilarwaitsforfamilyvisits. innocent toremainjailedformonthsand through justthreeofficials,forcingeventhe states thatallthecasesarebeingfunneled elderly. Areportinthe 11,000, includingchildren,women,andthe in detentionhasdoubledafewmonthsto humiliation anddeaths.ThenumberofIraqis Iraqi policetendtobebarelytrained,ill- Others forcessuchastheborderpatroland In termsofsecurityforcesthatcould So fartheShi’ahavestayedonsidelines, Even theCouncil’s U.S.benefactorholdsit The increaseinU.S.troopisalsoatacit These tacticsarestrengtheningtheresist- I became acompleteway oflifeforhim,leadinghimtotheUniversal Zulu --andfuseallthiswithradicalpolitics. poetry singsongs,recite rhymes, alloverthecity,youth ofallnationalities,from gottogethertospit kindofspacewhere foryouth.Itwasarare scious openmicrophone ActYourwas about14yearsoldthrough politicallycon- Rage,afree unclear. forreasons short life wascuthorribly thatnightin there couldn’t believe.Someofuswere People were enjoying the warm nights--hangingout,kickin’back. enjoyingthewarm People were December now. Yet justawhileagoitwasstillfeeling likesummer. We’re in t’s somuchcoldernowwiththewindcuttingthrough. He used hip-hop as a way to bring different peopletogether, andit He usedhip-hopasa waytobringdifferent Matt haddonesomuchwiththetimehe had.Imethimwhenhe ways.Someofusgotaphone We foundoutindifferent Matt wasjust18yearsold. Matthew Hallwaskilled.Shotinthebackbyayouthhedidn’tknow. And thenithadhappened. Philadelphia Inquirer mering water:itjustspreadselsewhere. Pentagon knowsitseffortsareakintoham- In tryingtosmashtheIraqiresistance, insurgency oncethelidoftroopsisremoved. are creatingamongIraqiswillredoublethe casualties intheshorttermangerthey Rumsfeld becomingacan-candancer. is aboutaslikelyDefenseSecretaryDonald contribute troopsinameaningfulway, which to wadein,butonlyGermanyandFrancecan North AtlanticTreaty Organization (NATO) and Poland,forexample,arebeggingthe there arelookingforawaytogetout.Spain that hasn’t alreadyandtheonesin ian aidandreconstruction. have fledthechaos,hamstringinghumanitar- control. Virtually allinternationalaidgroups to therescueaslongBushwantskeep Assembly northeSecurityCouncilwillride months agoandneithertheU.N.General forces, andit’s working. organized, adaptiveandruthlessinsurgency. ing afterastunningseriesofattacksbyan ligence ontroopmovementsandfacilities. ing insurgents byprovidingthemwithintel- manders admitthatsomepoliceareevenaid- Even ifU.S.forcesstaunchthestreamof No countryisgoingtocontributetroops Bombings forcedtheU.N.fromIraq The resistancestrategyistoisolateU.S. – and mortaredPaulBremerinhis – blew upvitaloilpipelinesintheNorth – assassinated aslewofIraqisworking – killed 17Italianparamilitarypoliceina – staged amissileattackforFrenchpho- blew uptwoU.S.tanks,anM-1A1anda – – tracked andkilledsevenSpanishintelli- – almost assassinatedwararchitectPaul – carried outfivenearlysimultaneoussui- – downedfivehelicopterskilling39GIs In justweeks,resistancecells: The Pentagonstumbledbacktoitswarfoot- a week. Republican Palaceeverynightforalmost inflaming anti-Americansentiment causing gasshortagesthatarefurther company officials police topoliticians,bureaucratsandoil with theAmericansfromjudgesand car bombing Baghdad airport commercial cargo planetakingofffrom guerrilla’s shoulder-fired missilehita tographer soalltheworldcouldseea Bradley Colombia inoneweekend tionals fromJapan,SouthKoreaand gence operativesplusfiveotherinterna- security key-drawn cartstoslippasttheringsof secure greenzone,thistimeusingdon- staged inthesupposedlyevenmore weeks latertwomorerocketattackswere “green zone”incentralBaghdad;and in theoccupationauthority’s ultra-secure Wolfowitz inarocketattackonhishotel group outofIraq the RedCross,forcingmedicalaid cide bombingsatfourpolicestationsand Harlem whenhis call we THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 13, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 11 , published by Soldiers in Revolt: Of course, the rebellion in the ranks in The armed forces are vulnerable to social Our rulers know all this. Our rulers know Much of the information for this article has been U.S. military during the Vietnam War can help War U.S. military during the Vietnam us see the central role “the military question” is going to play in a revolutionary mass move- a question of It isn’t ment in the 21st century. how a chaotic and rebellious civilian populace disciplined can out-gun the well-organized, armies of the capitalist state in pitched battle, but of how a mass movement can cripple the effective fighting capacity of the military from within, and bring about the collapse and dis- armed forces. persal of the state’s simply in response to emerge didn’t Vietnam battlefield conditions. In addition to the civilian anti-war movement, urban uprisings Detroit, Newark and other cities in Watts, had an explosive effect on the consciousness of working-class African-American and Latino GIs who served in disproportionate numbers in the military. society that spawns forces at work in the larger them. Revolt in civilian society bleeds through the fabric of the military into the ranks of enlisted soldiers. The relationship between officers and enlisted people mirrors the rela- tionship between bosses and employees, and in similar dynamics of class conflict emerge the military and civilian workplaces. that they are vulnerable to mass resistance, and they know that their wealth and power can be collapsed from within by the working- class women and men whom they depend on. need to know it, too. We taken from David Cortright’s The American Military Today Anchor/Doubleday in 1975. “Matthew was a man of peace, love and hope – that’s the who participated anti- Miles Solay, in doing an anti-war, was prepar- teacher, said about Matt: “He was my best friend. He was a teacher, better man than I was.” Chantal, a Swiss- message I want to give,” said his mother, all all have to work towardborn it. We psychologist. “We have to do something that makes the world better.” recruitment TV ad with Matt, who had been friends with him since high school, said one thing he learned from Matt is “you’ve got to make your moments count, make them mat- ter with people.” In remembering his friend, Miles said, “Some people live three times as long as Matthew did and They just follow the beaten path. never change anybody. Matthew was a rebel. He never accepted things the way they were. He loved the people, and he hated injustice. He got that dynamic down right.” Anderson The House Armed Services Committee An examination of what happened to the Responding to a threat of less-than-honor- Sabotage was also an extremely useful tactic. ing to steam from San Diego to Vietnam on ing to steam from San Diego to Vietnam May 26, 1970. But someone had dropped nuts, bolts and chains down the main gear shaft. A major breakdown occurred, resulting in thousands of dollars worth of damage and a delay of several weeks. Several sailors were but because of a lack of evidence the charged, case was dismissed. summed up the crisis of rebellion in the Navy: “The U.S. Navy is now confronted with pressures... which, if not controlled, will surely destroy its enviable tradition of disci- pline. Recent instances of sabotage, riot, will- ful disobedience of orders, and contempt for symptoms of a dan- authority ... are clear-cut gerous deterioration of discipline.” resistance to the war. In response to the resistance to the war. black racism that prevailed inside the Navy, and white sailors occasionally rebelled most significant of these rebel- The together. lions took place on board the USS Constellation off Southern California in November 1972. against several black sailors, a able discharges group of over 100 black and white sailors staged a day-and-a-half-long sit-in. Fearful of losing control of his ship at sea to full-scale commander brought the ship’s the mutiny, Constellation back to San Diego. One hun- dred thirty-two sailors were allowed to go ashore. They refused orders to re-board the staging a defiant dock- ship several days later, 9. Despite side strike on the morning of Nov. the seriousness of the rebellion not one of the sailors involved was arrested. In one incident, the USS Star Harass and His father, George Hall, a churchHis father, organist and retired His friends say this respect and love came from his close That was the thing – Matt would go to all these places – People were inspired by the spirit with which he had lived. had been put out by enlist- relationship with his parents, you could see that in how and they spoke about him. literally, or just in his head, and he would take you along with literally, him, invite you to take a deep breath and dream, or raise He invited you into his world and your fist, hold a banner. helped you to see how another one was possible. And that spirit included a real faith in the powerful mixture of youth and art. when everyone Last year, was in full throt- tle to protest against a U.S. war in Iraq, Matt decided to do Rage. another Act Your the ambulance left. They went through his bag, calling all the people in his phone book, and making some come in to “talk.” WHEN All Hands Abandon Ship REVOLT , SOLDIERS With the shifting over to an air war strate- With By 1972 roughly 300 anti-war and anti- Congressional hearings on fraggings held gy, the Navy became an important center of gy, Spangled Bummer ed soldiers. Riots and anti-war demonstra- tions took place on bases in Asia, Europe and in the United States. By the early 1970s the government had to begin pulling out of the in ground war and switching to an “air war,” part because many of the ground troops who were supposed to do the fighting were ham- mightiest military force stringing the world’s by their sabotage and resistance. military newspapers, with names like the Brass in 1973 estimated that roughly 3 percent of between officer and NCO deaths in Vietnam 1961 and 1972 were a result of fraggings. But these figures were only for killings com- include mitted with grenades; they didn’t deaths from automatic weapons fire, hand- Judge guns and knifings. The Army’s Corps estimated that only Advocate General’s 10 percent of fragging attempts resulted in anyone going to trial. tation grenades to off commanders. “Bounties,” Heinl wrote, “raised by common subscription in amounts running anywhere from $50 to $1,000, have been widely reported put on the heads of leaders whom the privates… want to rub out. Shortly after the costly assault on the GI under- Hill in mid-1969, Hamburger GI Says, pub- ground newspaper in Vietnam, licly offered a $10,000 bounty on Lieutenant Hunnicutt, the officer who Colonel Weldon ordered and led the attack. The Pentagon has now disclosed that fraggings in 1970 (209 killings) have more than doubled those of the previous year (96 killings).” , a article Soldiers of the Sea New York Times New York EATING K

friend who was in the U.S. military friend who was Persian Gulf War during the 1990-91 President G.H.W. told me that before EVIN

K RESISTANCE As Optimus Rhyme, Matt would spit rhymes. “Matt was all about resistance music, words, actions, With his death, it seemed that the whole city started talk- News articles tried to say that the police cared about According didn’t arrive to some folks, the police until after The suppressed history of the last big U.S. The suppressed history of the rate for U.S. Until 1968 the desertion As early as mid-1969, an entire company of From mild forms of political protest and In an article published in the Armed Forces “Frag incidents” or “fragging” was slang Y Nation, a “hip hop awareness movement” which struggles against racism and promotes spirituality. ideas. No matter where they were happening he was there, he was reading about it, he wanted to talk about it, learn from it, and make sure all these other people were hip to it too,” said Araby Carlier of Refuse & Resist! ing about him. He was on the front page of several newspa- pers and for over a week there continued to be articles about the positive impact Matt’s life had had on people. But the truth is, they treated him like dirtMatthew. the night he died. B Saudi Arabia, Bush visited the troops in would be in enlisted men and women who immediate vicinity had their ammuni- Bush’s was suppos- tion taken away from them. This But it was also edly done to avoid “accidents.” Bush and his clear to people on the scene that afraid of corporate handlers were somewhat the enlisted soldiers. shows that War war before the 1991 Gulf reason to had good the Commander-in-Chief Our rulers want fear and distrust his troops. what happened during the us to forget happened – especially what War Vietnam remember it inside our armed forces. They all too well. was lower than in previous troops in Vietnam wars. But by 1969 the desertion rate increased limited to fourfold. This trend wasn’t Southeast Asia; desertion rates among GIs were on the increase worldwide. For soldiers in the combat zone, insubordination became a way to avoid horrible injury or death. the 196th Light Infantry Brigade sat down on a rifle compa- the battlefield. Later that year, ny from the famed 1st Air Cavalry Division flatly refused – on CBS TV – to advance down a dangerous trail. In the following 12 months the 1st Air Cav notched 35 combat refusals. disobedience of war orders, the resistance among the ground troops grew into a massive and widespread “quasi-mutiny” by 1970 and 1971. Soldiers went on “search and avoid” missions, intentionally skirting clashes with and often held three-day- the Vietnamese, long pot parties instead of fighting. By 1970, the U.S. Army had 65,643 deserters, roughly the equivalent of four infantry divisions. Journal (June 7, 1971), Marine Colonel a veteran combat com- Robert D. Heinl, Jr., mander with over 27 years experience in the Marines and the author of

definitive history of the Marine Corps, wrote: our army “By every conceivable indicator, is in a state that remains in Vietnam approaching collapse, with individual units avoiding or having refused combat, murder- ing their officers and noncommissioned offi- cers.” Heinl cited a that quoted an enlisted man saying, “The bases are American garrisons on the larger virtually disarmed. The lifers have taken our weapons away… there have also been quite a few frag incidents in the battalion.” for the killing of unpopular and aggressive officers and NCOs. The word apparently originated from enlisted men using fragmen- A 12 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 THE INDYPENDENT I ed, therustydoorspainted over, newelectriccableslaidand actually beendone.Twenty dayslater, thewallswerepaint- been completed,which herefusedtodountiltheworkhad headmaster wasasked tosignadeclarationthattheworkhad which Bechtelsubcontractedtocarryout thework.The from arepresentativeoftheIraqicompany, AdnanMussawi, done afarbetterjob.” given themoneytousdirectly,” heexplains,“wewouldhave Razzaq, however, shakeshisheadinresponse.“Iftheyhad of theIraqiSchoolProgram,isquotedas saying.Abdel- nities –inaverypersonalway,” ThorChristiansen,manager individuals –students,parents,teachersandentirecommu- its websiteas“atrulyhumanitarianeffort.” ed workto65Iraqicompanies.Theprojectisreferredon work ofitsreconstructionprogram,Bechtelhassubcontract- bished byBechtelusingAmericanfunds.Within theframe- Bechtel. ment plansfortheschool,whicharebeingcarriedoutby wonders. Heisparticularlyskepticalabouttherefurbish- stantly complainingtome,butwhocanIcomplainto?”he his shareofproblemsinthenewIraq.“Theparentsarecon- has notbeenaproblemathisschool.ButAbdel-Razzaq shifts: boysinthemorning,girlsafternoon.Looting than 1,500studentsattendtheAnbariynSchoolintwo dominantly Shi’itequarterinapoorareaofBaghdad.More the solutionorpartofproblem. tion remainswhetherBechtel,liketheU.S.Army, ispartof $1.03 billiontorebuildIraq’s infrastructure. Buttheques- primary andsecondaryschools,aspartofadealworthupto International DevelopmentforthereconstructionofIraq’s Bechtel wasawardedacontractbytheU.S.Agencyfor Francisco-based engineeringandconstructiongiant.InApril a challenge. supplies andthedecayofbasicinfrastructuremaketeaching country. Lootinghasbecomecommonplace,whilelackof B Y At thestartofprogramAbdel-Razzaq received avisit “Of allthethingswe’redoinghere,thisonereallytouches The AnbariynSchoolisoneof1,500schoolsbeingrefur- Headmaster Abdel-RazzaqAli’s schoolislocatedinapre- Into thissituationstepsBechtelCorporation,theSan face ofmanyobstaclesunleashedbytheoccupation classroom doorsopenandtheirstudentseducated,inthe n Iraq,schooladministratorsarestrugglingtokeeptheir K ARIM EDI IEBECHTEL LIKE IT BEND E L -G AWHARY ‘RECONSTRUCTION’ FIRMFAILING IRAQISCHOOLS They havedoneabsolutelynothing,”hesaid. from Bechtelappraisingthework.“WhydoweneedBechtel? ing toAbdel-Razzaq,wascompletedwithoutasingleperson work outofhisownpocket.Theontheschool,accord- plan. Sothedirectorordereditweldedagain,payingfor down –wasnotconsideredtobepartofBechtel’s renovation a brokenbanister–thatresultedinonechildfallingfloor once more,theirwillbealakeofsewageinthebathrooms. left untouched.SoAbdel-Razzaqissurethatnextwinter problem withthetoilets–namelysewagepipeswere some ofthesanitaryfacilitiesreplaced.However, thereal each classwalksover the schoolyard,gatheringtheirclass- came upwithaspecial solution.Afterrecess,achildfrom 1,500 studentstoclass withthis?”Butthecleverheadmaster says theheadmaster. “Do youseriouslybelieveIcansummon which croaksinresponse.Thisisanewbell foranewIraq, Razzaq, andpressesthebutton.Theclapper hitsthebell, ished silverversion.“Doyouwanttohear it?”asksAbdel- tioning bellwasremovedandreplacedbya small, highlypol- wrong withtheBechtelprogram.Thebig, old,fullyfunc- in theleastinterestBechtel. occupation forcesfailedtoprovideadequate security–donot destroyed duringthewarand170werelootedbecause 750 schoolswhichareincludedinhismandate,20were resentative toldhim.Hisgrievances–thefactthatof do, theIraqiswillneverbeonlosingend,”aBechtelrep- been approvedbyCongress,theysay. “Nomatterwhatwe Abbas. TheprogramisagiftfromU.S.taxpayers,andhas representatives, however, wantnomorecomplaintsfromDr. Bechtel ismorepowerfulthantheArmy,” hesaid.Bechtel ried outinindividualschools. to implementtheprogram,ordetailsofworkbecar- Education knowsexactlyhowmuchtheU.S.hasgivenBechtel none oftheworkischecked.NobodyinMinistry The programisanythingbuttransparent,hetellsthem,and complaints withregardtoitsschoolreconstructionprogram. meets withrepresentativesofBechtelweekly, andpresentshis Baghdad’s schools,confirmedAbdel-Razzaq’s sentiments.He Ministry forEducation,whichisresponsibleaquarterof LACK OFOVERSIGHT Most ofthecheapplasticcisternsarealreadybroken.Even For Abdel-Razzaq,theoldschoolbellsymbolizes allthatis “The impressionweoftengetatthemeetingsisthat Dr. NabilKhudairAbbas,fromtheplanning centeratthe mates –enthusiasticallyswingingalittlebellinitshand. This articleoriginallyappeared atCorpWatch.org point, nothinghappensanyway,” sheexplains. each visit,nowshesimplycopiestheold one. “Thereisno at leastadozentimes.Atfirstsheusedtowrite anewlistfor chairs andatelevisionset–hasbeengiven to theAmericans The listofprovisionsneededfortheschool, shesays–tables, Bush.” Theschoolprincipalexpectslittlefrom theAmericans. children whomtheylovedmore,SaddamHussein orGeorge with gunsdanglingovertheirshoulders,asking theterrified time theycamehere,wentfromclassroomto it whentheyturnupunannounced,”sheexplains.“Thefirst officer leavestheoffice,Khadija’s smilequicklyfades.“Ihate ishment atthefriendlinessexhibitedbyIraqipeople. panied byhiscorporals,thoughnotbeforeexpressingaston- “for ourfiles”,explainsLt.Sawyer, leavingtheschoolaccom- of thewall.Shealsoallowsofficertotakeherphotograph; smile andasksifperhapsbarbedwirecanbeaddedtothetop needs anythingfortheschool.Khadijahandsoveralistwith today: inventory. HeasksKhadija,theheadmistress,ifshe responsible formilitary“intelligencegathering.”Hisjob neighborhood getbackonitsfeet,eventhoughheisactually knee, eyessuspiciouslyonthepotentiallyhostileschoolyard. takes uphispostatthedoor, automaticweaponrestingonhis When Lt.Sawyerenterstheprincipal’s office,hisrearguard es aheadwhileoneofhisarmedsoldierscoversback. cial Americanmilitarymaneuver. Lt.Corban Sawyermarch- school –liketodayandthechildrencanthenstudyaspe- says, U.S.soldiersregularlyturnupunannouncedatthe norm sincetheendofwar. Ifthiswerenotenough,she safety ofthechildrenatschool. “against theoccupation.”Sheisalsoconcernedabout Interim GoverningCouncil.Allaretargets forattacks embassies aswellthehomesofseveralmembers Primary SchoolinBaghdadisadjacenttoseveralforeign about thesecuritysituationatherschool.TheNaguibPasha TEACHING UNDEROCCUPATION This friendliness,however, isshort-lived.Assoonasthe Lieutenant Sawyersayshefeelsgoodabouthelpingthe Kidnapping theoffspringofwealthyparentshasbeen Unlike Abdel-Razzaq,KhadijaAliMedshwalisworried THE INDYPENDENT DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 113 sage interview. . Times New York Times New York view that friends ought to be like you to succeed. I have an old- RIGHTS GROUP SUES EX- GENERAL SALVADORAN "The case is about sending the mes According to the document, Kissinger U.S. TROOPS RANSACK UNION HQ IN IRAQ SECRET CABLES: KISSINGER OK’D ARGENTINE “DIRTY WAR” BUSH CRONY TAKES OVER IRAQ DEBT NEGOTIATIONS U.S. BORROWS ISRAELI IRAQIS TO SUBDUE TACTICS Thousands of critics of El Salvador's government were killed when Nicolas Carranza was vice-minister of defense the San Francisco- from 1979-81. Now, based Center for Justice and Accountability is suing Carranza, who lives in Memphis, for crimes against humanity. that you can't commit crimes against humanity and then retire to the United States," said the center's director, Sandra Coliver. Iraqi trade unions, decimated by years of Ba’athist rule, received another blow on Dec. 6 when U.S. troops ransacked the headquarters of the International Unions and the Federation of Trade General Union of Transport Workers. Eight IFTU members were arrested. "Our had building was just a shell. We absolutely nothing, not even a computer. For them to destroy it is absolutely outra- geous," said Abdullah Muhsin, the IFTU’s international representative. Recently declassified U.S. documents reveal that in 1976 Secretary of State Henry Kissinger gave Argentina's military the go-ahead to continue its "dirty war" against leftists in Argentina. This docu- ment, obtained by the National Security Archive through a Freedom of Information request of U.S. support evidence for the “dirty war” which resulted in the deaths and disappearances of approximately 30,000 Argentines between 1975 and 1983. told the Argentine “we Foreign Minister, would fashioned supported.” Bush family confidant James Baker was Bush family confidant 5 as special envoy in appointed on Dec. charge foreign of overseeing Iraq’s debt to total anywherewhich is believed from $200 billion. Baker currently$128 billion to serves as senior counsel to the Carlyle Group, a private investment firm with exten- sive links to military contractors. As secre- tary Baker of state under George Sr., Bush helped increase Iraq's debt with a $5 billion loan from the U.S. Agriculture Department's Commodity Credit Corporation so Saddam Hussein could keep his weaponryup-to-date. Liberating the Iraqi people requires more raids, enclosures, checkpoints, demoli- tions and arrests, as the U.S. military increasingly borrows from Israeli tactics “With a used to subdue Palestinians. heavy dose of fear and violence, and a lot of money for projects, I think we can convince these people that we are here to help them,” said Col. Nathan Sassaman in a The U.S. military has fenced off trouble spots in Iraq with razor wire and Iraqis must use English I.D. cards to move around. difference “I see no between us didn’t expect and the Palestinians. We anything like this after Saddam fell,” an Iraqi man told the IN BRIEF IN Palestinians and Hamas leader Abdel Aziz Rantisi, howev- During the first intifada, graffiti came to say Most Palestinian factions, however, says graffiti constitutes a healthy phenome- non in society as well as being an inexpensive way of expressing opinions. Graffiti, he says, provides an outlet for everyone at a time when official media have been monopolized. Semi-official outlets do not always do justice opinions. to everyone’s and says graffiti “has played goes further, er, a major role in awakening the emotions of the people and in encouraging them to resist the occupation and glorify the martyrs.” Its effectiveness, says Rantisi, is evident in “to stop the intifada by any efforts Israel’s possible means, starting with washing the slogans off the walls.” be considered an effective and influential method of resistance because of its necessity at the time in relaying messages to the peo- ple in the absence of other forms of commu- nication available to Palestinians. A similar resurrection reasoning applies to the art’s during the al-Aqsa intifada, though some that with the advent of the Internet, argue various media outlets such as radio stations, land and satellite television channels, and importance many free publications, graffiti’s as a means of communication is less today. that these “wall journals” serve to raise edu- cational, factional and national awareness and even if other methods of communication have improved over the years, graffiti still has an enormous impact on the Palestinian street and is part of the culture of resistance. For more, see palestinereport.org RECLAIM THE STREETS: internationals color up the wall around the Bank. West Al-Mufti took no such pains to conceal her rage. Speaking in rapid, “You cannot imagine,” she said, speaking of war-weary Iraqis, cannot imagine,” she said, speaking of war-weary “You severe tones, she indicted the U.S. rush to war with sharp political own analysis and painful personal stories. She lamented that “Cheney’s Halliburton controls the oil” while 129 publicly owned Iraqi business- es have been “sold off to American corporations.” She had harsh words for Bush, who should “apologize and then pay for the rebuilding with his own funds.” She criticized the current wave of “de-Baathiziation,” which has swept up countless civil servants and government workers whose only crime was receiving a paycheck from the state. Of the 28,000 public-school teachers recently fired and subsequently barred you blame every she asked, “Would from employment by this policy, American government worker for the policies of Bush?” “how much joy these people found in learning how to express them- selves through their art.” Her assessment of the current situation bor- have nothing left to rebuild with,” she said, dered on hopeless. “We adding that, “even the humanitarian aid agencies have gone which once gave us hope.” She is not surprised that Iraqis are violently resisting the U.S. occupation, considering the terrible conditions, while “Bremer and his people enjoy the palaces and swimming pools” have rebuilt before, of the recently deposed regime. But still, “We and will do it again if the Americans leave.” ed to hands-on teaching and exhibits of known and unknown artists. Dr. Farid Abu Dheir, a professor of jour- a professor Farid Abu Dheir, Dr. Haytham, 17, and still in high school, But, much like sought-after advertising Haytham does not deny that squabbles But it is not only political messages that But it is not only political messages PART OF THE INTIFADA OF THE INTIFADA PART nalism and media at Al Najah University, FIERCE COMPETITION introduces himself as a member of Hamas. “I have been writing graffiti for the past two years,” he says, clearly proud of his work. “[Hamas] discovered that my handwriting was nice, so they asked to me to write on the walls.” His profession holds no fear for Haytham. “During the first Intifada, young men used to mask their faces so not to be rec- ognized by Israeli soldiers,” he says. “After that, they covered their faces for fear of the Palestinian security forces. But now everyone writes without fear of anything.” slots, the factions grapple with each other for the “best” and most wall space, such as the Gaza City Square or Omar Ibn Mukhtar most prominent streets, Street, one of Gaza’s which stretches for ten kilometers. Often, factions have fought over empty “white” space on a wall or have scribbled “private” on a section so others will not trespass. occur between the factions on who will write what on which wall. “Sometimes I see one faction erasing what another wrote to add its own slogans. This is where the problem aris- es,” he says. But, he adds, ongoing dialogue between the factions has lessened the friction. Gaza City is a large portrait of Jihad Gaza City is a large Aqsa Martyrs Amareen, the head of the assassinated by Brigades in Gaza, who was half ago. the Israeli army a year and a in walls. Palestinians are posted on Gaza’s joys and enmi- Gaza also share their personal times one can ties through graffiti. Many for a newlywed find congratulatory messages to a Muslim couple or congratulations pilgrimage to returning from the Haj, the congratula- Mecca. Some messages convey an official tions to a person who has received threats position in government. Occasionally, in relation are posted on the walls, especially messages call to family or tribal feuds. Some on the Palestinian Authority to “mete out a punishment and try the murderers,” when there has been a killing. AMAD hile bitter cold winds whipped about Judson Church Dec. 2, Daisy Kahn, executive director of the American Sufi Muslim Association, sang the first words of the H NDREWS

A HAZI

HIL PALESTINE P G But the graffiti is not there for aesthetics But the graffiti is not there On this “notice board” one can read about Political slogans and positions are also Most common of all is the graffiti glorify- The American public usually only hears Iraqi voices handpicked by of Iraq speaking tour seeks to address that gap. Amal The Women work and childhood home twice destroyed Despite having her life’s Y Y B IRAQI BEFORE” REBUILT WOMEN: “WE HAVE

IS ON THE WALL THE IS ON B to enter any GAZA STRIP—It is impossible or city with- Palestinian refugee camp, village and meticu- out noticing the vibrant colors most every wall. lous calligraphy of graffiti on open-air In some places it is like an unending the entire art gallery that stretches along wall or a fac- length of a street onto a school alley of a tory gate and then into the narrow street like the refugee camp or a wide main City. Omar Al Mukthar Street in Gaza “The walls have become a daily primarily. Hassan from notice board for us,” says Saad Gaza. “It saves the Shati’ Refugee Camp in you the bother of reading the newspapers or leaflets being distributed here and there.” almost every aspect of everyday Palestinian political and social life. News of the activities of the Palestinian factions can be found in their On this wall, Hamas announces near entirety. that it exploded an Israeli tank in the northern Gaza Strip near the Dugit settlement. On that wing, the Aqsa Martyrs’ military wall, Fateh’s Brigades, claims responsibility for a military operation in Ramallah. Saraya Al Quds, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad uses wall space to announce that it carried out a bombing in a Haifa restaurant, giant-size letters spelling out the name of the bomber: Hanadi Jaradat. given due space. The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine proclaims that the “resistance will continue and will not stop. It is the only option for the Palestinian people.” An Islamic Jihad slogan calls on the Palestinian Authority to abandon the politi- cal process and to “join the ranks of the resistance.” Responding to recent events, Hamas graffiti on a wall near the Islamic University in Gaza accuses Palestinian signa- tories to the Geneva initiative of making too many concessions and of selling short refugees’ rights. ing the dead. All along Al Nasr Street in pictures of Islamic Jihad “mar- are Gaza City, tyrs,” some on walls and others on huge iron panels. On the wall of the Islamic University, Hamas has painted pictures of its slain mem- bers including Salah Shehadeh, Imad Aql Near the Shifa Hospital in Ayyash. and Yihya THE HANDWRITING THE

Koran in traditional Muslim cadence. Thus opened a dialogue between 200 mostly Christian women activists and two Iraqi women, Amal Al-Khedairy and Nermin Al-Mufti, who were present as part of a 13-state tour coordinated by the Fellowship of Reconciliation. the Governing Council, which is made up of Iraqi expatriates, the majority of whom hold U.S. or British citizenship. Al-Khedairy and Nermin Al-Mufti have not only lived through the decade-long U.S. aggression, but are internationally respected in their fields. Unlike most “Iraqi experts,” these two chose to remain in their homeland during hard times, and paid the price. anger is remarkably muted. “I by American forces, Al-Khenairy’s know where these (U.S. soldiers) came from, because I come don’t here to find all these kind faces,” she said of her recent travels in America. She spoke of the years she spent converting the home her dedicat- only independent art center, father had built into Baghdad’s W REVIEWS CULTURE, POLITICS & CRITICISM

HOW THE INTERNAL DOCUMENTS OF A DEFUNCT ANARCHIST GROUP CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

A NEW WORLD IN OUR HEARTS Ed. Roy San Filippo AK Press, 2003

very time I hear the Clash’s “Guns of Brixton” I think, Ethat was our song. The Love and Rage Revolutionary Anarchist Federation’s May 1998 split was like a bad divorce. We DRAWING OUT fought over the newspaper and THE OCTOPUS the name (both sides lost), we blamed each other for destroying MARK LOMBARDI’S DIAGRAMS AT THE DRAWING CENTER what we’d worked so hard to ark Lombardi portrays the collapsing Center, 35 Wooster St., until Dec. 18, delineate build, and we all got seriously world of American democracy in an numerous, difficult-to-decipher scandals from demoralized. But it wasn’t nostal- M exhibition of revelatory drawings that the mid-1970s through the early 1990s, and gia that spurred my old comrade map networks of corruption, criminality and col- the related activities of such personages as Roy San Filippo to put together a lusion among and between presidents, govern- George H. W. Bush, George W. Bush, Ronald book of LnR’s writings, A New ment officials, business leaders, intelligence Reagan, Bill Clinton, Meyer Lansky, Margaret F15 agents, racketeers and financial institutions. Thatcher, Osama Bin Laden and Pope Paul VI. World in Our Hearts. While I’m THE DAY THE Researching published sources, Lombardi Lombardi, a Syracuse University graduate, disappointed by some of his recorded his findings in an archive of index artist, reference librarian, art gallery owner, WORLD SAID choices – all but one of the 20 cards that grew to number more than 12,000, committed suicide by hanging in 2000. NO TO WAR pieces are by men – the book and transformed the information into graphic Examples of his work have recently been revives valuable debates that were terms --- lines, squibbles, arrows, circles and acquired by the Museum of Modern Art and dited by Barbara Sauermann, cut short by LnR’s split in 1998. within each circle handwritten notations. Whitney Museum of American Art. "2/15: The Day the World Said Love and Rage was always on The drawings, now on exhibit at The Drawing – DONALD PANETH ENO to War" is a photo docu- mentary of that fateful day. From the fringes of the anarchist move- Antarctica to Karachi and back to ment, somewhat disliked for our Anarchism” (not failures, as the ideas from authoritarian tenden- neighborhoods filled with people London, the energy and decency of emphasis on organization and our book states – that would have cies were not doing any activist living in public housing proj- everyday people is on plain display. own disdain for what we called been a better, less incendiary work that explained why they ects... every time a Black family Artists made art and militants lifestyle anarchism. Yet we ended made faces. And for once, politics title) after Marxists we worked offered no concrete solutions, saves enough to buy a house in as such stood down in the fact of up splitting on two questions with challenged him on anar- only generalizations that our Canarsie, the house is firebombed common human decency. that are still hot topics among chism’s weaknesses. The feisty problems could be solved “from within the first week.” There's never been anything quite anarchists today: how racism document put many Love and within anarchism.” What gave the WWB faction like it. Still reeling from the after- relates to capitalism, and whether Ragers on the defensive. Others Most Love and Ragers support- strong enough teeth to tear maths of September 11, New York anti-authoritarians can learn from City erupted into one of the largest studied the histories of success- ed gathering some ideas from out- things apart was the unexpected local demonstrations we've ever other revolutionary tendencies. ful popular revolutions to find side anarchism, and the majority alliance between one of LnR’s seen when half a million people Most of the writings in New ideas that could move us who responded to the orthodox most effective anti-racist activists defied the mayor and the police to World deal with these two issues, beyond Bakunin. factional document “What We from the Midwest – who opposed march against the war on Iraq. The and not by accident – it’s the It was a piece called “Mandar Believe” (WWB) agreed with its a multi-tendency approach – and message was clear: our pain will not most useful way Roy could have be used to justify an imperial war. But Obedeciendo” by Jessica Parsons opponents that anarchism itself – the “couch cadre” non-activists that wasn't why February 15, 2003 filled the 140 pages allotted to that won me over to something having adopted feminism, queer with inadequate race politics. made history. the book. Still, because the voices called “mass line” from Maoist liberation and environmentalism But what finally plowed LnR In virtually every city on earth, of women are largely absent, theory. The Zapatistas called it – is multi-tendencied. under history’s dustheap was the crowds poured into the streets and there are vital insights missing. mandar obedeciendo – leading by A majority of members also quiet middle majority, those of us the world's first unified protest I was of the quiet majority in against imperialism was born. obeying. Jessica gave examples supported the theory of “white who failed to save it. The final Estimates range in the tens of mil- the middle when the two fac- from LnR’s activism, explaining skin privilege,” that the white year’s Coordinating Committee lions and what locally was undeni- tions emerged. Solidly an anar- that we worked best when our working class has real and lived never met, flaking out completely, THE INDYPENDENT able became further confirmation of chist, I’d worked three years politics responded to the com- benefits under racism – as and our movement strategizing what many have begun to say with- with excellent, principled munities we worked with: “We opposed to WWB’s view that took a back burner to debates that out embarrassment: another world organizers of various commu- really is possible. The governments cannot discount the ideas of the working-class whites were won could have otherwise enriched it. can no longer say they act in our nist and nationalist stripes for people... only when we start over to capitalism by “petty and In 1997, Justine (Minneapolis interests when the people speak so access to education at CUNY. from where the people are at, and apparent” privileges. LnR) argued that LnR’s Anti- clearly. I’d learned a lot from them struggle with them to make the Carolyn (New York LnR) Fascist Working Group should That protest doesn't stop war about strategizing for revolu- changes they want, can we put wrote the following in a 1998 reflect the fact that Anti-Racist should surprise no one. But there is tion and building multi-racial, more than one audience for a forward the ideas of anarchist response to WWB: “In Brooklyn, Action (ARA) fought the institu- demonstration – and in this case democratic participation while revolution with any effective- where I grew up, there are numer- tional racism of cops and not just the people of the world looked to engaging in a reform struggle. ness.” She also pointed out that ous white, working-class neigh- the grassroots racism of nazis. DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY themselves and said hello. Chris Day (New York LnR) the LnR members most hostile borhoods filled with homeowners This is an example of theory’s – JB wrote “The Historical Failure of to borrowing anti-authoritarian right next to Black and Latino interaction with practice. She 14 also writes: “It’s crazy that work- ing groups didn’t have time to THE OLD ‘Superfreak’ meet at the last conference. This REPUBLIC says Jacko ain’t should have been a priority over... SHATTERED GLASS the political statement.” Theory Written & Directed by Billy Ray so wacko dominated, and the link between hattered Glass, the new theory and practice was severed. Excerpts of CNN Interview. Most members outside New movie about a five-year-old Aired November 21, 2003 York felt like the ideological Sscandal at The New Republic debates were irrelevant to their magazine, concerns a young KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: You're work in ARA and other groups, reporter who wanted very badly looking good. Now, you and I were so they dropped out of LnR. to entertain his editors and talking a little bit this morning. You're Sadly, New World repeats the found that the easiest way was to in support of Michael Jackson. Tell mistake of disconnecting theory give them pure fiction instead of me why. from practice. Possibly for cul- real news. The Glass affair gener- ated huge attention within the RICK JAMES: Because I love him. I tural reasons, most writings by think he's fantastic. I love his whole LnR women invoke details of journalism industry – and a six- family. I've been knowing Michael our activist work, references to figure advance for a novelized since he was a kid. I've know his other members’ statements, etc, version of his life by the perpe- whole family. I know his mother. I and that’s why they were left trator himself. Now comes the know his father. I know the brothers. I out. It’s messy to edit the over- movie version, which counts know the sisters. And I have nothing specific meanderings and per- Tom Cruise among its producers but complete love, and respect and admiration for the whole family. sonal attacks that make up some and stars Hayden Christensen, ever seen. (Compare Shattered with his editors and colleagues of the most important political the young actor who played Glass with Michael Mann’s The not just because he was a con- Anakin Skywalker in the most PHILLIPS: So, Rick, why do you think theory. But any idea can sound Insider, which had fun deflating vincing yarn-spinner, but authorities are going after Michael great on paper if the writing’s recent Star Wars movie, as Glass. the self-important celebrities at because TNR was a major outlet Jackson? good – you need to read about Why so much attention paid CBS News.) for Tina Brown-era journalism in how it works out in practice. to a mendacious twerp whose Perhaps the filmmakers’ inten- which a good story just wasn’t JAMES: Because he's black, he's rich On the other hand, the book pathetic lies finally caught up tion was to make Shattered Glass good enough unless it could be and he's famous, and they got nothing ignores the fact that several mem- with him? In part because audi- a parable about what can happen made to read like fiction – or bet- else better to do. bers left anarchism, and excludes ences – and movie producers – anywhere when editors allow ter yet, like pulp fiction on any writing that could have either love stories that take place inside PHILLIPS: Has Michael ever talked themselves to be charmed into steroids. openly with you about his relationship won readers to their ideas or powerful institutions. Sometimes not examining their reporters’ Conceivably, a Stephen Glass the result cuts them down to size, with children, or his love for children, shown that there may be, in fact, copy carefully enough. But this could happen at any publication, or even Neverland? a slippery slope to Stalinism. Two sometimes it white-washes them, isn’t a very interesting or unusual however careful its fact-checking. ex-LnRs who’d been very active and sometimes, as in first-time story, as anyone who has suffered But Peretz, with his insistence on JAMES: Look, Michael loves children, in the debates joined a traditional director Billy Ray’s competent through the New York Times’ using his magazine as a personal OK? I mean, to be -- I mean, I look at Marxist-Leninist organization, film, it does both. breast-beating about its own fab- political weapon, and an editorial it like this. I mean, all this pedophile but you won’t find these views in The New Republic was founded ulist, Jayson Blair, can testify. culture that overvalues punchy, crap, you know, why didn't they go after Elvis Presley? He was the biggest the book. almost 90 years ago. It has a small TNR itself, and the elite cul- superficially sophisticated story- Hoping for a new incarnation (for a national magazine) but well- pedophile at all. He had Priscilla when ture it fosters, are the intriguing telling, together made TNR she was 14, 15. Why didn't they go of Love and Rage after the split, heeled circulation of 80,000 and part of the Glass saga. The mag- more vulnerable than most. boasts of being required reading after Jerry Lee Lewis. He the second I helped start the Fire by Night azine has long been the mouth- Little of this comes through in biggest pedophile of all. He married Organizing Committee, a tiny in Washington. In Shattered piece of publisher Marty Peretz, the movie. Peretz is portrayed as his first cousin. She was 13 years old. multi-tendency group active in Glass, characters repeat the line a grumpy, domineering neocon- merely a curmudgeon with an Why don't they go after Santa Claus? New York and the Bay Area. that it’s “the in-flight magazine of servative millionaire. Young obsession for commas, his politi- Why don't they do psychology refer- FbN’s long self-critical evalua- Air Force One.” Its most prized overachievers who are awarded cal partisanship unmentioned. A ences on him? They don't know who tion of LnR, “After Winter Must editorial attribute is an “inside” internships or starting jobs with supertitle at the beginning of the he is. He's 100,000 different cities and kids sit on his lap, telling him Come Spring,” has the book’s feel that gives readers the sense of TNR quickly learn that to get movie mentions that the average what they want for Christmas. last word even though it’s being a fly on the wall at the ahead they must give the boss age of TNR’s reportorial staff is already published as a pamphlet. offices and meetings where machers stories with the right political 26, but the movie fails to indicate in business and government make PHILLIPS: I don't know, Rick, I’ve sat Worse, the book leaves out the and cultural slant. At the time why this is so. And while the film on Santa Claus' lap, I've never had Afterword explaining that FbN things happen. Glass was working there, includes a telling scene in which any issues with Santa Claus. dissolved in 2000 after acknowl- Shattered Glass’s cast of char- Peretz’s hobbyhorses included a one of Glass’s colleagues despairs edging mistakes it made in New acters consist mostly of TNR deep hatred of Bill Clinton, and that she can’t “write funny” the JAMES: But never mind, Santa Claus, York as an all-white group in a reporters, a select group of Glass and his staff-mates duti- way Stephen can, it doesn’t devel- what about Elvis? They didn't do any- people of color-led movement. young, ambitious Ivy League fully churned out pieces casti- op the theme into a critique of thing to him. He had Priscilla when

she was 14, 15 years old. Nobody THE INDYPENDENT You can't join LnR or Fire by graduates who join the magazine gating the president and his cir- TNR’s editorial process. said a damn thing. Then as soon as Night, but I recommend reading for low pay and use it as a spring- cle. In one of his most notorious The end result is that this book and finding your own board into heavyweight corpo- you get famous and black, they go “cooked” stories, titled “Monica Shattered Glass fails to connect after you. way to working for revolution. rate journalism, Washington Sells,” Glass, who had previous- its main character’s story with FbN's Bay Area branch joined policy-making positions, and ly worked at the right-wing any larger developments either PHILLIPS: Well, Rick, you do continue Freedom Road Socialist other circles of power. As por- Heritage Foundation, claimed at TNR or in journalism itself. to be a super freak, and thanks for DECEMBER 14, 2003 – JANUARY 6, 2004 Organization-check out frso.org. If trayed by Christensen, Glass to have discovered a joke line of Instead, it offers a standard cau- giving us a super interview. you agree with "What We comes across as the sort of preco- Monica Lewinsky condoms. tionary tale: We should have Believe," go to nefac.net cious, entertaining boy-man who Other fictions featured a been more careful. TNR gets its JAMES: I will be a super freak, and it ain't got nothing to do with children or (Northeastern Federation of editors love to pat on the head teenage hacker negotiating an moment in the mud, but in the nothing, just like Michael Jackson has Anarcho-Communists). And visit when he brings a good yarn to a outrageous deal to work as a cor- end, it still emerges as a jour- agitatorindex.org if you want to story meeting. nothing to do with children. It has to porate security consultant, Young nalistic paragon. And Marty do with L-O-V-E -- love. build a multi-tendency group of The trouble with Shattered Republicans getting high at a Peretz is hardly embarrassed: anti-authoritarians grappling Glass is that the movie’s version party conference, and a group of The film’s Web site includes an PHILLIPS: L-O-V-E -- love. All right, Rick, with the questions raised in A of TNR has little distinctive bond traders who build shrine to ad for The New Republic. peace. New World in Our Hearts. personality. It could be any edi- Alan Greenspan. – ERIC LAURSEN 15 – SUZY SUBWAYS torial office in any movie you’ve Glass got these fables over CENTRO DE MEDIA INDEPENDIENTE DE NUEVA YORK 13 DE DICIEMBRE, 2003 – 6 DE ENERO, 2004 NYC.INDYMEDIA.ORG EL INDEPENDIENTE ESCUELA DE LOS ASESINOS MARA BARD, School of the Americas Watch, Long Island oradores explicaban porqué habíamos ido a pedir el cierre las víctimas. Desde el escenario alguien leía el nombre de los TRADUCCIÓN DE SILVIA ARANA de esta “escuela” de torturadores y asesinos, desde el fuerte que cayeron asesinados y nosotros respondíamos: Presente! emitían a alto volumen música militar para boicotear la La semana de protesta contó con la participación de más fines de noviembre demostramos contra la Escuela protesta pacífica. Esta provocación psicológica no logró de diez mil personas. A pesar del tono pacífico de la protes- de las Américas o Escuela de los Asesinos, en la que desanimar a los cientos de manifestantes que habían ido a ta, hubo 54 arrestados. Fr. Roy Bourgeois, fundador de Afueron entrenados numerosos militares latinoameri- rendir homenaje a las víctimas de torturas y violaciones, a School of the Americas (SOA) Watch dijo: “Desde el SOA al canos responsables de crímenes contra la humanidad. Fui a los asesinados, a los desaparecidos y a los que se vieron ALCA, y a la invasión a Irak la política exterior de nuestro Fort Benning, Georgia, con un grupo de 27 estudiantes de obligados a emigrar por las acciones de los graduados de la gobierno sirve a los intereses de unos pocos y nos crea Hofstra y la profesora Linda Longmire. Estoy en contacto Escuela de las Américas. muchos enemigos”. con ellos desde que fui invitada a compartir mis experien- El domingo se presentaron testimonios de víctimas de tor- cias como activista durante la dictadura militar en tura y marchamos frente a las puertas de Fort Benning. La Argentina. El sábado 22 de noviembre mientras los gente llevaba cruces y estrellas de David con los nombres de ALFREDO GARZÓN POR UN FUTURO SIN PLOMO BREVES REPUDIO A WAL-MART LUCHA POR LA SALUD DE NUESTROS NIÑOS La cadena Wal-Mart conduce las peores prácticas laborales en el país. Sus salarios POR GIBRAN HAQ condiciones, sino que también por mero con- cifras, esto significa que alrededor de dos están por debajo de los estándares, obligan tacto con superficies pintadas con pintura a millones de viviendas podrían ser consideradas a sus empleados a trabajar horas extra sin alimos a las calles para urgirles a los neo- base de plomo, aun estando intactas. como nocivas para la salud de sus moradores. pago y se niegan a proveer seguro médico yorquinos que llamen al alcalde Según El Departamento de Salud e Antes que “Local Law 1” entrase en efecto en a un costo aceptable . SBloomberg, porque ya es hora que el pro- Higiene Mental de la Ciudad de New York 1982, un niño debía literalmente envenenarse Por ello un grupo de activistas ha lanzado teja a los niños de esta ciudad apoyando la (DOMHH), el descascaramiento de pintura antes de que el propietario del inmueble una petición por Internet para protestar con- Intro 101A; el Acta de Nueva York para la en mal estado fue identificada como la causa tuviese que remover la pintura tóxica. Esta tra la cadena comercial. Hacen un llamado Prevención de Envenenamiento Infantil por de intoxicación en el 68% del total de niños situación cambio drásticamente en 1982 con la a no comprar en Wal-Mart hasta que la Plomo”, dijo Arelis Hernández, del Grupo de envenenados por plomo en Nueva York introducción de “Local Law 1”, que establecía compañía: Investigación de Interés Público de New York durante el 2002, mientras que sólo 5 barrios que cualquier niño menor de 7 años que vivía • Pague salarios dignos a su millón de (NYPIRG), mientras distribuía panfletos en la de los 42 que hay en la ciudad concentraron en un hogar que tuviese pintura a base de empleados. estación de metro de la calle 161 Este del el 35% del total de casos investigados por plomo, se consideraba en riesgo inmediato y • Provea seguro médico a un costo Yankee Stadium. Ella formó parte del grupo de el departamento en ese mismo año. Estos los dueños del inmueble recibían una notifi- aceptable. adherentes que distribuyó miles de panfletos el barrios son Williamsburg-Bushwick, cación de “violación peligrosa a la salud tipo • Termine la discriminación contra las pasado miércoles 3 de diciembre, pidiéndole a Bedford-Stuyvesant, East Flatbush-Flatbush, C”, teniendo solo 24 horas para remover toda la mujeres. la gente de Nueva York que apoye la propuesta West Queens y Fordham-Bronx Park. pintura a base de plomo de la residencia. Sin • Termine el ataque contra empleados que para pasar la Intro 101A. Uno de los datos más relevantes de este embargo, en 1999 la ciudad aprobó “Local Law quieren pertenecer al sindicato. El problema de la intoxicación producida problema es que afecta desproporcionadamente 38”, reemplazando la ley anterior. por exposición a pintura a base de plomo ha a niños de bajos recursos y de minorías étnicas. Al comparar ambas leyes, es obvio que la • Termine su práctica de obligar a los estado en la atención pública desde los años Del total de casos de envenenamiento por pin- ley 38 se queda atrás de su predecesora en el trabajadores a trabajar sobretiempo sesenta, cuando se descubrió que podía provo- tura a base de plomo durante el año pasado, el aspecto preventivo. Por ejemplo, la edad en sin pago. car una gran variedad de problemas médicos, 37% era latino, el 36% afro-americano y el que un niño se considera en riesgo disminuye Para unirse a la petición ir a: específicamente afectando el proceso cogni- 18% de origen asiático. Si tomamos en consi- de 7 a 6; a los propietarios ahora se les concede www.workingforchange.com/activism/ tivo en niños pequeños. Normalmente esta deración los daños irreversibles provocados, entre 10 y 220 días para enmendar la situación, petition.cfm?itemid=16041 amenaza pasa desapercibida debido a la caren- podemos asumir que a través del tiempo podría en contraste con la primera ley que sólo otor- URUGUAY cia de síntomas, sin embargo puede provocar conllevar consecuencias catastróficas en el gaba 24 horas. Otros puntos débiles de la ley NO A LAS PRIVATIZACIONES problemas de aprendizaje, déficit de atención, ámbito socioeconómico para estos grupos. 38 son el incremento en la cantidad de plomo reducción del coeficiente intelectual y, en La pintura a base de plomo fue usada exten- que debe haber en la pintura para que califique Una amplia mayoría del electorado casos de severa exposición, daño a los riñones, sivamente a través del siglo veinte, siendo pro- como peligrosa y sea removida. Como si esto uruguayo -65 por ciento- votó para derogar convulsiones, paros cardiacos y hasta la hibida en Nueva York en 1960. El resto de los fuese poco, la ley no requiere que los propie- la ley que autorizaba a la empresa petrolera muerte. Algunos estudios recientes plantean Estados Unidos siguió el ejemplo hacia 1978. tarios presenten constancias escritas a las ANCAP a asociarse con empresas privadas. la posibilidad de que agudice la hipertensión Sin embargo esto no resolvió el problema, ya autoridades, pudiendo así eludir el problema Este resultado significó un fracaso para el en los adultos. que de acuerdo al censo de 1990, la mayoría de durante meses antes de darles una solución a gobierno y un triunfo para el Frente Amplio, La principal fuente para el envenenamiento los edificios en Nueva York (63.5%) fueron los arrendatarios. la coalición de izquierda que podría llegar de plomo no solo proviene de la ingestión o construidos antes de los años 60. Ésto convierte Para más información visite los siguientes links: al poder en las elecciones del 2005. Tanto inhalación de micro partículas de polvo prove- a Nueva York en el estado con la mayor canti- www.nyccelp.org/ el Frente Amplio como la central sindical nientes de pintura descascarada o en malas dad de viviendas construidas antes de 1960. En www.nypirg.org/lead/act.html única PIT-CNT, fueron los principales impulsores de la derogación de la ley. Fue una derrota de un modelo económico “neoliberal y privatizador”, según Hugo de PARTICIPA en EL INDEPENDIENTE LLAMA al 212.684.8112 Mello, dirigente de FANCAP, el sindicato [email protected] que agrupa a los funcionarios del ente petrolero público.